When I woke up, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. The only light source in the room was the moonlight streaming in through the window. I slowly sat up, feeling a slight weight near my feet.
…Where am I?
It seems I was put to bed in some room. Although it’s an unfamiliar place, I don’t feel anxious or uneasy. That’s because Lecty is asleep, slumped over in a chair, her body draped over my feet.
She must have stayed by my side the whole time I was unconscious. The moonlight makes her pale blue hair sparkle. It was so beautiful that I almost reached out to touch it, but then,
“…Ngh, Hugh-san…?”
Lecty stirred and opened her eyes, so I pulled my hand back.
“Ah… Good morning, Lecty.”
It’s already night outside, but since we just woke up, I greeted her with a good morning. Lecty blinked a few times and jumped off my feet.
“S-sorry, Hugh-san! I didn’t mean to fall asleep…!”
“No, it’s okay. You must have been tired, Lecty. Thanks for healing my left arm, too.”
“N-no problem…”
Lecty blushed and looked down, embarrassed.
There wasn’t a single tooth mark left on my left arm. There was no pain or discomfort. The bleeding had been cleaned up perfectly, as if I had never been injured in the first place.
“By the way, what about Rosalie…?”
We were able to return her to her original form with our combined 〈Purification〉, but I don’t know what happened after that. I hope she’s okay…
“Um, Cicely-san came to tell us earlier. Rosalie-san has regained consciousness.”
“Really!?”
“Yes! She’s able to respond properly too!”
That’s great…! She did become a monster once… Even if we could restore her body, there was no guarantee that her consciousness would return. At worst, she might have been a monster on the inside.
“Rosalie-san is talking with Prince Lucas right now.”
“Prince Lucas? Does that mean we’re inside the Royal Castle?”
“No, it’s the Grand Cathedral. Cicely-san prepared a room for us. Prince Lucas came to help us with the Royal Knights Order. He was here earlier, but since you were asleep, Hugh-san, he said he would go talk to Rosalie-san first.”
“I see…”
The Royal Knights Order entering the Grand Cathedral is as per the prior arrangement with Alissa-san. But I didn’t expect Prince Lucas to lead the Knights Order himself. Considering the relationship and situation with the Divine Blessing Church, it must have been a politically sound decision.
Anyway, if Prince Lucas came, then I can rest easy…
I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, and I covered it up with a self-deprecating smile.
Even though he’s a suspicious older brother, he’s always reliable when it counts. He’s always cleaning up my messes. And he never gives me unreasonable orders, and he always listens to my problems and guides me to a solution.
…Wait, is he the ideal boss?
I was shocked by this realization and looked up to see Lecty staring blankly at me. Her cheeks were faintly red in the moonlight, and her amethyst eyes were fixed on me.
“Lecty? Is something wrong?”
When I asked, Lecty seemed to snap out of it and straightened up.
“N-no! It’s nothing… or maybe it’s something!”
“O-okay. I see.”
It seems there’s a reason why she was staring at me. Lecty’s cheeks were flushed red, even in the dim room, and she took a few deep breaths.
“Um, well… Thank you, Hugh-san. If you hadn’t come, I think both Rosalie and I would have died.”
“Yeah… I’m glad you’re both safe, really.”
The timing was razor-thin. Especially with Rosalie, if we had been even a little late, we wouldn’t have been able to save her.
In hindsight, being stopped by Alissa-san allowed me to learn about Rosalie’s crisis. If I had rushed out of the tent to help Lecty, I would have caught up to her before the underground passage. In that case, it’s doubtful whether I could have saved Rosalie.
That said, not everything has been resolved. Lecty was cut on the arm by Malicious and locked in a cell. The fear she experienced must have been immense.
“Lecty, are you pushing yourself too hard?”
“Pushing myself?”
Lecty tilted her head. Maybe I wasn’t clear enough.
“I was wondering if you haven’t been able to rest because you were taking care of me. I’m fine now, so you should rest too, Lecty.”
It will probably be a while before we can return to the dormitory, with the discussions with Prince Lucas and everything. It might even be morning, so it’s better to rest while we can.
“Ah, well… Cicely-san said the same thing, and I actually tried to rest a little, but I just couldn’t fall asleep… So, I came to your side, Hugh-san.”
“Is that so? But, earlier…”
Lecty, you were sleeping with your body draped over my feet, weren’t you…?
I was about to point that out, but I stopped myself when I noticed that Lecty’s cheeks were flushed red, even in the dim room.
Well, I am known for being a good body pillow. I must have a passive skill that gives those around me a calming effect, I guess.
“S-sorry! I felt so safe by your side, Hugh-san, that I just dozed off…”
“No, I don’t think you need to apologize. In fact, I’m happy that you feel safe enough to relax by my side, Lecty.”
“…Hugh-san, you’re being unfair.”
Lecty pouted and said sulkily, her cheeks still red. …That was a bit of a cheesy line, wasn’t it? I’m starting to feel a little embarrassed…
It’s a bit forceful, but I should change the subject before I dig myself in any deeper.
…Besides, there’s something I want to talk to Lecty about.
“Lecty, about my Skill…”
“Ah, yes. Um… Brainwashing? You mean your Skill, right? Sorry, I was so focused on treating Rosalie-san that I barely heard anything…”
“Ah, I thought so.”
The word “brainwashing” itself seems unfamiliar to Lecty. It’s not a word that’s used in everyday conversation, so that’s to be expected.
It’s scary to explain. But since I used it in front of Lecty, I can’t just gloss over it or keep quiet about it.
“…To put it simply, my Skill is the power to control anyone I make eye contact with.”
“Control them freely?”
“Yeah… So, if I scare you, you just have to avoid eye contact. Then I can’t use my Skill. If you’re still worried, I’ll look down and close my eyes from now on, so you can rest easy… but that’s impossible, isn’t it?”
In the end, unless I gouge out my eyes, my danger level won’t change. I don’t have the guts to do that, so the least I can do is close my eyes to show my sincerity.
What kind of face is Lecty making? Since her Skill is still the 〈Holy Maiden〉, I can’t sense her movements.
It wouldn’t be strange if she was secretly running away, afraid of my Skill. Even if she did, it can’t be helped. It’s more unusual for someone to accept it, like Lily and Idiot.
“…Hugh-san, can you keep your eyes closed for a little longer?”
“O-okay…”
I closed my eyes and stayed still, as Lecty asked. I wonder what Lecty is planning to do. …I don’t know, but I’ll accept whatever she does.
As I was thinking that,
—A soft sensation was pressed against my lips, along with a gentle, sweet scent like chamomile.