Chapter 136: The Number One Heroine Likely to Survive Even if Stranded on a Deserted Island
After parting with Roan-san and heading back towards Malicious’s hospital room, Lecty, Rosalie, and Cicely-san were waiting for me outside the room.
“Is the visit already over?”
“No, Cicely and I will talk with Grandfather just a little longer. Please listen, Hugh-sama. Grandfather misunderstood and thought I had died, so he barely ate any food, you know? We have to ask the doctor to monitor him so he doesn’t suddenly pass away during the Off-Campus Training Exercise.”
Rosalie shrugged jokingly, as if to say ‘good grief’. A look of relief floated on her expression. Though he looked worn out, she must have been relieved to see Malicious safe.
“Lecty and Hugh-sama have plans after this, don’t you? Therefore, let’s part ways here for today.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes. Thank you for today, Hugh-sama, Lecty. It wouldn’t be right to keep you too long, and interrupting your date would be tactless.”
“R-Rosalie-san! I-I keep telling you it’s not a date…!”
“Eh? But you’re going to have lunch just the two of you and look around shops, right? Cicely, that’s a date, isn’t it?”
“Yes, no matter how you hear it, it sounds like a date.”
Asked by Rosalie, Cicely-san answered with a chuckle. Well, it’s certainly hard to deny it if someone calls it a date, but calling it a date when I’m just having her accompany me to find another girl’s birthday present feels wrong.
“Rosalie, I’m just having Lecty accompany me to look for Rouge’s birthday present.”
“Th-That’s right!”
“Fufu, I’ll pretend that’s the case then.”
I just stated the facts, but Rosalie seems completely convinced that Lecty and I are going on a date now. It seems like looking for Rouge’s birthday present was taken as some kind of excuse.
…Well, inviting someone of the opposite sex (Lecty) specifically to look for a birthday present for someone of the same sex (Rouge) is kind of strange if you think about it normally. Maybe it can’t be helped that she misunderstands.
Rosalie moved behind Lecty, placed her hands on Lecty’s shoulders, and spoke as if whispering in her ear.
“(I’m cheering for you, Lecty. Lily-san is a formidable rival, but I’m sure you can win Hugh-sama’s heart.)”
“Feh…?!”
“Tell me how the date went later, okay? Off you go!”
“Hyaaah!?”
Lecty was pushed firmly in the back by Rosalie and came flying towards me. I hurriedly caught Lecty, whose face was bright red with tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
“S-S-S-Sorry, Hugh-san!”
“No, it’s not something for you to apologize for, Lecty. Rosalie, stop teasing Lecty.”
“It’s encouragement as a friend, you know. Please take your time~!”
Rosalie waved flutteringly and went into Malicious’s hospital room. Cicely-san also bowed her head towards us and followed after her. …Good grief.
“U-Um, Hugh-san…!”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Lecty?”
“Th-Thank you for catching me! C-Could you let me go soon…?”
“Ah, sorry!”
While holding Lecty, I had unintentionally ended up hugging her tightly. No wonder I’d been smelling a gentle, sweet scent like chamomile.
When I hurriedly moved away from Lecty, she placed a hand over her heart and took deep breaths repeatedly.
After waiting for Lecty to calm down, we decided to head outside the hospital for the time being.
“I-I’m sorry, Hugh-san! For letting Rosalie-san misunderstand like that…!”
While walking, Lecty bowed her head looking truly apologetic from the bottom of her heart.
“You don’t have to worry so much about it, Lecty. It can’t be helped if she misunderstands.”
Since I can’t tell Rosalie, who doesn’t know Rouge’s true identity, the real story, there’s no way to explain it further.
“B-But, but! If rumors spread that you went on a date with someone like me, won’t it damage Hugh-san’s reputation…?”
“Damage?”
What kind of damage? Lecty’s self-esteem is extremely low, so she sometimes shows strange consideration… It’s not like I have much of a reputation anyway, and if dating Lecty did cause damage, it would surely be the honorable kind of wound.
“I don’t really get it, but if I can date Lecty for the price of mere ‘damage,’ I think it’s a bargain.”
Not just Idiot, but almost every guy in class would likely choose that honorable wound. That’s how full of charm Lecty is.
“Hau… Hugh-san, you’re unfair.”
Lecty covered her face with both hands and muttered softly. I’m consciously choosing my words a bit because I want Lecty to have more confidence, but I’m a little unsure if this is really the right way.
Leaving the hospital, we decided to look for a place where we could get lunch for now.
“Lecty, is there anything you want to eat?”
“N-No, not really! As long as it doesn’t make my stomach hurt when I put it in my mouth, I can eat anything!”
“I-I see.”
It doesn’t feel like she’s saying that out of consideration for me, but like she genuinely means it… For Lecty, who lost her parents and grew up in the slums, food must have been nothing more than a means to survive. I can’t help but think how glad I am