[Nicole, stay by my side. If itās about other people I donāt know, letās leave them to other people to handle.]
[My judgement this time was also lenient, I have something to reflect upon today. Itās fine if you just focus your anger on me.]
Thatās whyā¦ā¦ I hope he doesnāt same something as dangerous as eliminating them.
Nicole also looks like heās really going to do it.
[ā¦.I understand. Instead, itās gonna stay for Ā while.]
[Uuā¦ please be gentle with me.]
Will Nicole not do anything dangerous with this?
About my brotherā¦.. If possible, I donāt want to think about it.
However, the talk did not end with just that.
[Bashral, can I have a moment?]
For a moment, I thought there was a sculpture illuminated by bright lights.
His Highness is approaching here by himself.
[Iām sorry for disturbing while youāre in the middle of rehabilitation. Can you make it to that bench? ćā¦ā¦ I will pull your hand.]
[I can walk on my own just fine, but, uhmmā¦]
I exchanged looks with Nicole wondering he meant by pulling my hand.
But despite our confusion, His Highness took my hand from Nicole.
[No, Iām the one whoās getting in the way. Are you always walking at this time?]
[I wanted to see the stars on such a clear night. I havenāt seen much of it until now, after all.]
Looking at His Highness from an oblique angle, he was as beautiful as the golden mean (1).
Even his curved hair seems to be calculated.
Even now that Iām not using my detection, the reason why heās still emitting such a bright light probably because his Mana discharge is huge.
Even within the dark night he still looks like a noble existence that I unconsciously went in a daze.
I tripped my foot on the ground and I fell towards His Highness.
His Highness immediately stabilized his body to catch me, but because of what I did my sight has turned dark.
My heart is beating extremely loudly.
Upon being unexpectedly held by His Highness, my mind went blank.
While I thought about getting away in the meantime, my balance has collapsed and I couldnāt stand well.
I curse my lack of strength.
[Sheryl-sama, are you injured? Is your leg not twisted?]
Nicole approaches and supports my back, but it seems like he wonāt be able to hold me up immediately.
I have to quickly get away, I persistently Ā thought.
[Donāt mind me. Iām going to hold your waist.]
According to what he said, his arms wrapped around my waist, and furthermore, he pulled me up.
It seemed as if I could hear our heartbeats from our chests that have met.
[Youāll probably be ably to regain your balance like this. Even with this, Iām properly training so donāt mind holding on to me.]
Even if he tells me that, I was flustered by the sudden body contact that I canāt seem to move my hands that are stuck on his chest.
Upon seeing me frozen and unable to lift my head, His Highness grinned widely.
[Will it be faster to just carry you until the bench?]
When I reflexively lifted my face, His Highness showed a smile.
you finally raised your head. Can you walk?]
When I met with his breath-taking eyes, I thought that my consciousness might get blown away by those mischievous amethyst eyes.
I pretended to nod and lowered my head again..
[I asked if you can walk butā¦. Oh well. I will support your center of gravity just like this so walk while I push you.]
ćć³ć«ćåć§č
ćä¼øć°ćć¦ććć¦ććć
**Nicole also reaches his arms to his side.
Like I was told, I walked while being guided by His Highness.
I arrived at the bench and just like that lowered my waist.
[Iām sorry for forcing you.]
[No, itās because my foot trippedā¦. Uhm, your handā¦.]
Probably because I sat down on the same position I walked, but His Highnessā hand is still in my waist and still holding on it.
Even when I tried putting some distance on our unchanged position, Iām no match to His Highnessā strength.
[Isnāt it fine to stay like this for a while? Or is it that you hate being touched by me?]
[Thereās no such absurdity! ā¦. But I canāt calm down.]
When I honestly expressed myself, His Highness said is that so and laughed.
However, thereās no sign that his hands are gonna let me go any time soon.
[It might sound weird when I say it this way, but I want to feel your existence.
[Before I answer that, please look this way.]
His hand stretched out to hold my chin, and he lifted my face just like that.
Still, I donāt have the courage to meet his gaze so I looked away.
I wonder if he hasnāt noticed my erratic breathing.
Since a while ago, my heart has never had the time to relax.
I want to think that my eyes blurring is just my imagination.
Even I myself donāt know why Iām this nervous. I wonder if this is the effect His Highness has on others.
[When I first saw you in the classroom, I seriously doubted whether youāre really alive. Donāt get me wrong, it does not mean you look morbid. Itās because Iāve never seen someone as white and translucent like youā¦ You looked unreal.]
Is that something Your Highness can say? Ā I hurriedly swallowed the words I wanted to say.
[Thatās why I wanted to make sure. And then, I was not able to wait for the introduction so I called out.]
[Were you able to confirm it?]
[Youāre rightā¦ Ā Other than that, the way you responded to my words left a deep impression on me. When talking to me, the other personās first words would be of flattery, after all.]
I wonder what this situation is.
Iām glad that I wasnāt rude at that time, though.
[But when it comes to you, Ā you will just just smile from that and wonāt speak, right? And it will be bad if I initiate the conversation because it will be conspicuousā¦. When I thought of that, the distance just widens.]
I didnāt think His Highness was thinking about me to such extent, I donāt know how to react.
However, Iām scared of calling out to talk to him so that is impossible.
[The you looking far awayā¦. I thought that you might disappear like a bubble someday.]
[ā¦.I think youāve finished confirming that Iām a human being, though.]
[You donāt like me touching you?]
[I donāt think that I donāt like it. And a personās warmth also feels reassuringā¦. but if the opposite party is Your Highness, I get nervous and canāt calm down. My heart has been beating so hard since a while ago that itās suffocating.]
If I say it to that extent, heās probably going to release me soon so I stayed on his chest as I was. From his point of view, he might have probably noticed that I might really start crying.
[If you tell me that with teary eyesā¦ at this rate, Iāll really end up wanting to make you cry.]
[I wonder why I, too, when it comes to you, I donāt want to Ā show mercy.]
[If I cry, will you please let me go?]
[Please give me a breakā¦]
Itās already completely over my capacity!
What, is His Highness the type who bullies others?
I wanted to somehow gain some distance so I pushed His Highnessā chest with my hands. However, I ended up holding myself back and I couldnāt gather my strength. Iām such a coward!
[Even if you reject me powerlessly, youāre just stirring me up.]
[What does Your Highness want me to doā¦]
[I feel like watching your crying face, but itās not like I want to trouble you, either. And thatās not the main topic, after all.]
Just what kind of situation is looking at a crying face without being troubled?
Speaking of which, I forgot Ā about the original topic. Or rather, I forced it out of my mind.
As expected, itās impossible to talk like this so His Highness finally released his hand from my chin.
I heard from Camille about your conversation this morning. It didnāt occur to me that there will be idiots willing to pick a fight with youā¦ I wanted to talk to you about it but, Iām sorry for it being so late. Were you okay after that?]
[Yes, because nothing happened after that. On the contrary, I ended up causing worries around meā¦ I was reflecting on whether or not I couldāve dealt with it better.]
[Thereās nothing for you to reflect upon, is what Iād like to say but if you showed the way you interacted with Jule-senpai to other people like back at the salon, some people who are jealous are bound to come up.]
[Regarding that incident, Iām never doing that again, ever.]
I remember that time when I was sitting on my brotherās lap and His Highness clearly witnessed it and even though itās late, my face reddens in shame.
[Well, Jule-senpai also has some fault on it butā¦ I understand his feeling of wanting to take care of you.]
Why is my head currently being stroked by His Highness?
Is it that heās treating me like a cat?
[ā¦This is just a thought but, isnāt my interaction with Your Highness going to cause unjust suspicions?]
[Such things, Iāll slaughter them.]
He just placed himself up the shelf, this person!
Even though youāve been careful in the classroom so Ā as to not stand out, are you not doing the same at the dorms?!
ā¦. Though, itās already night and there arenāt a lot of people around.
Speaking of which, I wonder if a long time has passed already.
As I was looking for Nicole, he appeared with the wheelchair.
His Highness who saw it also confirmed the time.
[Itās already this time, huh. Iām sorry for Ā having you accompany me until this late.]
[I, too, thank you for coming out of your way to express your concern . ]
[The next time our eyes meet, call out.]
Moreover, I feel like Iāll be bullied.
I replied on His Highnessā remark with a smile. And it seems like His Highness has noticed.
[I understand, so itās fine if I just caught you again.]
The wheelchair has finally arrived in front of me and Iām finally released from His Highness.
He gently caressed my cheek before parting.
Contrary to his appearance, the feeling of his masculine hand strangely lingers.
[Itās my first time seeing Sheryl-sama that panicked.]
[I am surprised myself, too.]
[Nicole, Iām not happy.]
If thereās a next time that Iāll have to talk with His Highness, I better think of a countermeasure.
1 ā In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. (I donāt understand this either so just go to google-sensei.)