Chapter 50
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Chapter 50
"Pardon?"
"Has something... unusual happened? Or something unpleasant?"
His question came carefully, as if treading across thin ice that might shatter at any moment. Hesitation clung to every word. I wondered what expression he wore—was he tensing his eyes like he had in the barracks during the monster subjugation? I wanted to know, yet I couldn't bring myself to lift my gaze. Better to be thrust back into the Nodule than face this.
I had no idea how to handle this deep, acute tremor of emotion I was experiencing for the first time. I could only feel the heat spreading from my chest, burning through my face down to my fingertips and toes. Long-suppressed feelings began to overflow, becoming a flood that shook my entire being.
"Echinacea?"
[Hey, what are you doing? Standing there dozing off?]
My mind was elsewhere, so I didn't answer his question. He called my name with evident confusion. The Demonic Sword jabbed at my side with its words. I barely gathered my senses and opened my mouth to respond. But what had he asked? My head was spinning. I'd already forgotten. I hesitated before finally answering.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't hear you."
"...I was asking if something had upset you."
His voice trailed slightly as he repeated the question. There was a deflated quality to it. Overwhelmed by my own emotions, I didn't notice. I quickly shook my head.
"Nothing happened."
"Are you certain? Did you... not encounter someone?"
He swallowed a name that had nearly escaped and rephrased his question. I was bewildered.
Encounter someone and be upset? Was he referring to Bred? How would Yurien know about him? Was it because of the Club situation? Had Bred's Club caused trouble that reached the Squad Leader's ears? Thoughts cascaded rapidly through my mind. I answered without thinking.
"If you mean the dispute between Clubs, we resolved it through a duel. It didn't upset me much."
"...A dispute between Clubs? What is that?"
"Wasn't that what you were asking about?"
"No, I was...."
Our words had crossed at purposes. Yurien, who had been flustered, spoke again in a composed voice.
"I meant, aside from the Club dispute, whether you encountered someone else. Someone who isn't a cadet."
"Someone who isn't a cadet? I haven't seen anyone like that."
Who on earth was he talking about? I tilted my head inwardly. I felt Yurien exhale softly.
"Then that's settled. ...Are you feeling better physically?"
"I've recovered completely. If you have tasks for me, I can begin my Squire duties immediately."
"No, there's no need for that. Please get sufficient rest. I apologize for taking your time."
His tone was businesslike. I expected him to turn and leave. But he moved as if to step away, then stopped. His gaze lingered on my forehead again. I still kept my head lowered, never meeting his eyes once. Yurien asked quietly.
"Echinacea. Do you dislike facing me?"
A question similar to the one he'd asked in the Stable. Yet it sounded heavier now, and somehow sadder. His voice trembled thinly. For some reason, it felt so pitiful that I lifted my head without thinking.
"I don't dislike it. It's not that I dislike it...."
The moment our eyes met—his gaze fixed intently upon me—my words caught in my throat. His delicate face concentrated on me. Blinking eyelashes. His weary eyes seemed sorrowful. His blue irises rippled like a water-soaked sky. He asked softly, his brows drawn down.
"If you don't dislike it, then why do you... not look at me?"
His expression toward me was wounded and forlorn.
I was going mad. That was the only thought in my head. Seeing him after acknowledging my feelings was overwhelming stimulation. I had no immunity to this. My face burned crimson from my chin to my forehead. My reason had already been swept away by the flood, leaving no trace. I moved my lips without knowing what I was saying.
"Because you're beautiful."
"...."
[...Hey, you... did you eat something bad?]
The Demonic Sword asked in an uncharacteristically hesitant tone. I saw Yurien's eyes widen in shock right before me. His mouth fell open blankly. An awkward silence hung between us. Only then did I regain my senses and recall what I had just uttered.
'Beautiful... what? I've lost my mind.'
I wanted to vanish from this place entirely. What was Lakia Giosha doing? If this were before the regression, such an abnormal situation would never occur—and yet the Nodule wasn't even being created. I hastily averted my eyes from Yurien's gaze. My expression crumbled as if I were about to cry. No—I genuinely wanted to weep.
And then laughter burst from him. Yurien de Harden Kirie covered his mouth as he laughed, and I buried my head again, glaring at the lace hem of my skirt. I felt like I might die of embarrassment. In the midst of it all, I heard the Demonic Sword click its tongue near my ear. Damn that Demonic Sword....
I kept my head down until his laughter subsided. So I didn't see it—the realization and resolve that spread across Yurien de Harden Kirie's eyes and expression.
He steadied his breathing and spoke, his voice still tinged with amusement.
"Echinacea Loaz."
"Yes, yes! I apologize, Lord. I lost my focus for a moment...."
"No, it's fine. Rather...."
Yurien de Harden Kirie hesitated for a moment. As his words trailed off, I lifted my head slightly. He seemed to be contemplating something, his gaze fixed on empty air. Without realizing it, my eyes followed the line of his profile. Then suddenly he turned to look at me. I flinched in surprise and quickly looked away, pretending I hadn't noticed.
"Tomorrow, I have business outside of Agenka. It may take considerable time. It could be dangerous as well. Moreover, due to the schedule, I won't be able to participate in the Military Academy's overall ranking tournament. Will you still come with me?"
"...Pardon?"
Caught completely off guard, I repeated his words blankly. Yurien de Harden Kirie added an explanation in a calm tone.
"I originally planned to go alone, but if you... don't find me troublesome, I would like you to accompany me. This is a request, not an order, so if you're unwilling, there's no need to come along."
"What kind of mission is it?"
"The details are difficult to explain now. ...It won't be easy to decide right away. If you're willing to come, let me know by tomorrow. If I hear nothing special, I'll take it as a refusal. But again, you needn't feel burdened."
It was an extraordinarily cautious invitation. He kept his eyes downcast as if afraid of my answer. The moment I saw that expression, I responded reflexively.
"No, I'll go. It's only natural for a squire to accompany her lord on a mission."
And immediately, I regretted it.
'Wait... could this be Yurien de Harden Kirie testing whether I'm the Demonic Sword's demon in a place where no one else can interfere? He might have felt the need to confirm me as a variable before deciding the betrothal matter.'
The thought that surfaced cut sharply into my chest. My heart, which had been colored by the emotion I'd just discovered, sank in an instant. The same bittersweet sensation I'd felt watching the holy sword I couldn't reach spread through me.
But just as I was about to sink into that sensation, Yurien de Harden Kirie smiled before my eyes. It was a boyish, excited laugh. His cheeks flushed slightly, and the corners of his eyes crinkled beautifully. My thoughts stopped.
"Thank you."
He replied in a voice clearly brimming with joy, then hurried to continue speaking. As if anxious that I might take back my answer.
"Then, prepare for travel and come to the Squad Leader's Office by 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. The schedule will be at least a week, possibly up to a month depending on circumstances. Keep that in mind when preparing. If you need anything, request it from the administrative office."
"...Yes, Lord."
"I'll be waiting, Echinacea Loaz."
Yurien de Harden Kirie spoke with deep feeling and turned to leave. I stared blankly as he walked away. It felt like I'd made some enormous decision in a daze. A dangerous decision that might expose me as the Demonic Sword's demon.
So my chest ached. It clearly did, yet suddenly my mood lifted. Reason didn't return. Only the smile he'd shown kept circling before my eyes. As long as I wasn't discovered, perhaps, no—but what about the betrothal matter? And those inescapable circumstances he was trapped in?
'I don't know... My head won't work right now.'
[Master, something's really wrong with you. Why are you going along with this? We should be avoiding him, and now you're going to travel alone with him? What happens if we get caught?]
"I don't know either, so don't ask."
[Huh? You made this decision! What do you mean you don't know? Oh, wait—is it like this? When you're alone with him in a secluded place, you're planning to kill him in secret? Wow, that's actually a good idea! There are too many eyes in the Knight Order, so in some dark place, oh—ow! Ow! Hey, what are you doing!]
I poured mana into my clenched right fist. The Demonic Sword whimpered and complained, but I didn't withdraw the mana until I returned to the Dormitory.
And my flushed cheeks didn't cool down either. When Alice Winterbell saw me return, she asked worriedly if my fever had spiked again.
* * *
The next morning, I regretted it the moment I opened my eyes.
'I must be insane. Why did I agree to go with him?'
I couldn't believe what I'd been thinking to make such a decision. The fact that I knew why made it worse. And there was no guarantee that if the same situation arose again, I could refuse.
Yurien de Harden Kirie's face when he asked why I wouldn't look at him was too sorrowful. I was afraid that if I refused, he'd make that expression again. The face that brightened like a boy's when I said I'd go with him was so radiant. The smile I saw when I agreed was worth the agreement itself.
'That kind of expression is cheating.'
I, who had been tearing at my pillow, buried my head in the blanket. My pink hair scattered messily across the white fabric. I twisted and untwisted the strands between my fingertips, lost in thought.
'Am I really this weak to a pretty face? Or is it because it's Yurien de Harden Kirie?'
The first person I ever loved was so beautiful that I couldn't tell which way was which. Yurien de Harden Kirie was tall and lean, and despite being trained like a proper knight, there was nothing feminine about his physique. Yet because of his delicate features—like a marble sculpture—looking at him filled me with a sense of beauty.
'No matter what, he's beautiful, he's beautiful...'
"Ow!"
Recalling yesterday's accident, I put too much force into my hands while washing my hair. Echinacea Loaz, having plucked out several strands, stared at her own hands in bewilderment before letting out a sigh.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org