Ch. 245
That inadvertently allowed me to delve deeper into his heart. When there are no boundaries in our contact, the resonance becomes even more stark.
-She must have realized every time Rovenin aimed his sword at her. How foolishly I harbor feelings for this person… Knowing it’s futile, yet it’s too late to turn back.
At times like this, I’m reminded that the ‘Tears of Truth’ are a very dangerous thing.
Because by knowing what I shouldn’t have known, even I am affected by that truth.
The truth invariably taints me in some way.
Whether it’s a negative or positive feeling, the weight of that truth makes me realize how light my heart is and, perhaps… just perhaps, I might not want Ash to marry someone else.
I quickly shook it off, but with eyes that affectionate, it was impossible not to waver.
Ash, still not easily taking his lips from my fingertips, only stared at the back of my hand. Then, with a laughter-laced voice, as if something amused him, he looked into my eyes and whispered sweetly.
“But… why are we having such heavy conversations? It’s a waste when it’s just the two of us.”
“It’s because you suddenly started talking nonsense. Marriage, what a useless thing.”
“Yes, it’s my fault.”
“I know it’s important to you… but it has nothing to do with me.”
“I’m sorry.”
Unlike his always calm appearance, I know Ash has many worries. And among them, marriage is actually a relatively small problem.
Younger siblings he has to protect, the difficult throne, Rovenin who is bothering him right now, the Guardians whose numbers aren’t filled yet. The nobles pressing in on him, whose allegiance is always uncertain.
Those troublesome problems are scattered everywhere, so intricately tangled that even I, who is only subtly peeking into them, started getting a headache.
I had delved too deeply into his inner thoughts, and I really became dizzy.
Unable to handle the information flowing in any longer, I had to pull my hand away from Ash’s.
“Standing here like this makes us look like fools.”
Right now, Ash and I looked exactly like a cheesy couple flirting in front of an inn.
Ash, who couldn’t possibly know the real reason I pulled my hand away, quietly nodded, then moved close, deliberately brought his lips to my ear, and whispered.
“Did he see?”
“Rovenin? He must have. He’s not the type to miss anything just because it’s a little dark.”
He probably has better night vision than a wild animal… I suddenly realized Ash was now deliberately kissing my ear and slowly pulling my waist with both hands. Doing this on purpose in front of Rovenin wouldn’t make the him treat me any less harshly.
“Geenie, I’ll try to stop him as much as possible, but don’t provoke him any further. He’s a person who’s true to his instincts… If he sets his mind to something, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”
“Um…”
“Just a moment ago, too. He could have really killed you.”
“…I know that much.”
“It’ll be difficult, but try to reconcile with Young Master Rovenin.”
Ash’s hand grazed near my cut hair. It was definitely a touch that felt closer than usual.
“Reconciliation is for people who were originally on good terms. Rovenin and I have never been like that.”
“The trick to dealing with Young Master Rovenin is to not provoke him first. It’s not difficult, and you can do it.”
-Even if I warn her, she’ll definitely provoke him soon.
His words and his inner thoughts were different.
I looked up at Ash with a blatantly suspicious gaze. How does he know me so well?
“As for avoiding him, just ignore whatever he asks you to do. Even though he seems like that, he doesn’t recklessly attack unless the other person allows it.”
“That mad dog?”
“Really. He does apply for duels to anyone… but he waits if the other person doesn’t allow it. He’s like a wild animal, but he’s still the son of a family with a backbone. He has at least minimal manners.”
Thinking about it quietly, it was true.
Ten years ago, when I was the tournament toddler division winner, Rovenin was the youth division winner.
And he applied for a duel with me. When I ignored him, he went so far as to drag in the Emperor to fight me, but at least he didn’t suddenly swing his sword without warning.
There was no room to argue that he isn’t ignorant, but it was also true he formally requested a duel.
“Now that I think about it… it does seem like that. This time too. If he just wanted to fight Count Trenpe, he could have jumped him anywhere and died instead of making a spectacle at Toomdra.”
“So keep that in mind. You must never pick a fight first.”
-She definitely will.
I could read his inner thoughts, and Ash’s eyes were already full of distrust toward me. That’s why he was urging me so earnestly.
“…Ash. How do you know me so well?”
“Because I like you.”
“Really?”
“I care about you. I’m always interested in you. So I can’t help but know.”
He looks endlessly gentle, but Ash was a great man.
He’s the one who made me realize that being caressed on the cheek by someone can actually feel good.
-I have to warn the Rovenin again too. Neither of them will listen with just one warning. I have no choice but to brainwash them until they do, even if it’s annoying.
He really does know how to handle types like Rovenin.
“Okay. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Promise.”
“What’s the point? You know I won’t keep it.”
“…I don’t know whether to say you have a conscience or not.”
I guess it’s the latter.
I leaned against Ash with a relaxed face and, since I’d made him worry far too much, I spoke in a light tone to reassure him a little.
“Don’t worry too much. I also check my condition before doing things.”
“I’m not reassured at all. That just means you cause accidents once your body gets better… Besides, you’ve already vomited blood in front of me twice.”
“…Wasn’t it once?”
“Have you forgotten what happened ten years ago?”
Ah, I did throw up blood when I escaped from the slave trader. But then and now, I had no choice, because I was the only one who could do something.
Usually, I love myself more and take care of my body. There are few people who hate troublesome things as much as I do.
Just then, Ash’s eyes, which had been gently tracing my face, narrowed.
He stopped stroking my cheek and touched around my eyes with the tip of his thumb, then slowly stepped away from me. I was a little sad about that.
“You look tired. You should rest.”
“Do I look that haggard?”
“It’s not that… but your complexion is bad. Go in first.”
“What about you, Ash? Where are you going?”
“I think I should go back to Young Master Rovenin. There are still things I need to ask him, and I’m worried about his injuries. If I leave him like that, he definitely won’t even disinfect them… He’s careless and treats his body roughly, just like someone else.”
The way he looked at me with cloudy eyes made it clear who that “someone else” was.
Ash seemed to think that Rovenin and I had a lot in common; and the more I watched Rovenin closely, the more I had to admit it.
“Suit yourself. I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep early.”
“Make sure to take your internal injury medicine too. I know you keep skipping it. That’s why you get tired so easily.”
“…To think you’re nagging me while going to meet another man!”
“It’s not like I’m comfortable leaving you alone and going to him. I know you don’t like him, but… I’m sorry that I can’t leave him alone either.”
“I don’t care about that. I’m not so narrow-minded that I’d stop you from seeing a friend. I do wonder why you’re healing him when you’re going to kill him anyway, but that’s your business.”
Anyway, our Prince is so kind. As if it’s not enough that he’s the mother bird of the Imperial family, he even takes care of stray mad dogs.
As I headed into the inn alone, I tossed those words over my shoulder before I got too far from Ash.
“I don’t like Rovenin, but I don’t dislike that he’s on your side. He’s a crazy bastard, but he seems to know how to judge people, so I’ll acknowledge that one thing.”
I hadn’t exactly said anything bright and positive about Rovenin, but Ash smiled with pure joy, as if I’d just praised him.
Oh my, how can he smile so beautifully?
He’s so virtuous it feels like my soul will be purified. If he smiled with his real face, even my eyeballs would be cleansed.
Ash stood at the inn’s entrance and watched me cross the lobby and go up the stairs.
Now that I thought about it, it seemed he’d simply come to escort me back.
Could it be he had something to discuss alone with Rovenin?
What were they going to talk about without me?
As I climbed the stairs, full of questions, Rai fluttered beside me.
[Master! Master! Ask Ash!]
“Ask what?”
[If Master and Redhead fell into the water, who would he save first!]
This inn allows pets in the rooms for an extra fee, so Rai was still in wolf form.
Everyone seemed to think of him as a handsome large dog.
[Are you showing off that you have no brain? You’re saying stupid things.]
[Why! I’m curious!]
Rai has no brain. It’s full of metal.
[The answer is already decided, why ask.]
[Whoa… confidence.]
[I’ll call Undaine to drown Rovenin, and I’ll walk out on the water.]
[Huh? Then what about Ash?]
[He’ll just watch. I can’t let our precious Prince get his hands wet.]
While talking, I realized it was actually one way to beat Rovenin.
If we fought in a lake or sea full of water, it would be like being surrounded by my weapons. Just having the water already there, without needing to summon it, would be a huge advantage in speed and in my system.
By nature, as a Mage, I had many disadvantages when fighting Rovenin.
It’s not that I was weak.
It’s that he’s absurdly strong, so I just seem weak by comparison.
To beat him, I had to secure even the slightest advantage in advance.
[Okay. Let’s think positively. Rovenin hanging around me is, in a way, an opportunity. I’ll observe him and figure out his weaknesses.]
[Ooh!]
[In that sense, you’ll follow Rovenin from tomorrow. Got it?]
[…Huh?]
[You have to observe to come up with a solution.]
[Was I the one observing? Not Master?]
[Do you think I’m as free as you?]
I needed Rovenin’s weaknesses, but I refused to look like his stalker.
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