Chapter 118: Your Hand, Your Eyes 6
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Fragments of Magicka, likely dense enough to actually touch, surged upwards, rustling Erica’s red hair.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground.
Erica-san, please, at least punch or kick the ground. Are you seriously just standing stock-still?
“It’s because Shin-san won’t apologize!” Shara screamed, and Elza, who had been standing there looking uninterested, snapped into full combat readiness, but I felt like screaming just as much.
This expression, yes, this expression on Erica’s face is that one.
I remember, it was the face Erica made when some count’s son or whatever piled up some ridiculously pathetic lies to forcefully separate the Maiden of Light from Erica and ask her on a date.
Considering her position, Erica is surprisingly open with her emotions, which some people mistook for arrogance stemming from her status.
But when her displeasure reaches its limit, all emotion vanishes from her face.
Fools apparently mistake the difference from her usual self as weakness, but are they idiots? Die. No, they’ll probably die even if left alone.
When her eyebrows go flat, that’s the warning line. When her well-shaped lips look like they’re about to let out a sigh, prepare for death.
No, wait, I’m the idiot.
For some reason, I’ve completely stepped on Erica’s landmine.
My neck?! Is my neck good enough?!
I can’t think of anything to apologize for, so the only thing that comes to mind is killing myself.
Will my apology (suicide) alone be enough to quell her anger? I never thought my black hair and eyes would lead to this.
Thrum! A tremor that resonated deep in my gut echoed, and in the ear-splitting silence, Erica’s lips parted.
The moment that sigh (ultimatum) comes out, I’ll lop off my own head.
“You—I had wondered what was with that low self-esteem of yours, but…”
So that’s what it was.
Erica smiled.
I bit down hard with my molars to suppress the groan threatening to escape.
What does that smile mean?
Even for me, a holder of the First-Grade Erica Certification, my mind went blank facing this completely new question.
Come to think of it, ever since this Farce began, it’s been nothing but new questions.
There were so many expressions of Erica’s I didn’t know.
Each time, I was happy to learn something new about her.
Especially Erica’s face when she put sugar in her tea; it was the cutest thing ever. The way her careful movements were paired with such a serious expression was the best.
No, wait, stop escaping reality, me.
Stop trying to talk about Erica’s splendor at every opportunity.
I don’t mind having Erica star in the highlight reel of my life flashing before my eyes, but it’s still a bit too early to be the audience.
Think, what landmine of Erica’s did I step on?
I put my insufficient brain into overdrive.
Why wasn’t there a class like ‘Erica Studies’ at the academy? I cursed the academy’s shortcomings.
Black hair and eyes, noble, the only one in my family.
I chewed over the words that had just come up.
I didn’t even push my brain this hard when I was fighting the Ogre Knight. The moment I thought that, the words I was mulling over connected to “this Farce.”
I felt my own face turn bright red.
Because I realized Erica was angry for my sake.
No, there’s also the possibility this is an embarrassing misunderstanding.
“I see. So you were just the right person to offer up for this Farce, is that it?”
Uwah, what should I do?
Erica’s words confirmed it wasn’t a misunderstanding, and I’m so happy I can’t look at her face.
“That’s right. Yes, that’s right.”
Erica nodded, still smiling.
Wanting to properly look at Erica, who was angry for my sake, I bit the inside of my cheek, which was slackening with happiness, and raised my head.
For some reason, behind Erica, Elza was looking at me with a face full of resolve.
And Shara, for some reason, was offering a prayer.
Erica is certainly always divine, but is that appropriate for a Sister of the Church?
Also, Elza, what’s with asking me “Now? Now?” with your eyes?
“First, let’s return to Faltar for now. Then, let’s pay a little visit to Shin’s family to offer our greetings. Yes, it’s alright. I may be an exiled woman, but… well, if anyone gets in our way, it’s simply a matter of striking them all down.”
Uh oh, this is bad.
At this rate, the concessions that the Prime Minister, and though it’s their own fault, the Royal Family and the high nobles painstakingly extracted from the Church will all come to nothing.
I have to clear up Erica’s misunderstanding.
“Erica, stop, wait a second.”
Erica tilted her head, still smiling.
Hearing one part and understanding ten. I gave a wry smile, thinking it was a misunderstanding typical of her.
“I mostly understand what you’ve misunderstood, but it’s a complete misunderstanding.”
Erica looked blankly surprised.
“It’s true I’m the only one in my family with black hair and eyes, but I was born that way. It’s not one of those common noble stories about being an illegitimate child or anything.”
I denied what I assumed Erica had misunderstood.
It’s a common enough story, if you can call it that.
A noble husband or wife has a child outside the marriage and takes them in under the guise of responsibility.
Then, when some family-related trouble occurs, they use the child appropriately and dispose of them.
It’s truly a common story.
As scandals go, it’s too commonplace to even be considered a scandal.
It’s true I have black hair and eyes, and my father, mother, older brother, and younger brother all have blonde hair and blue eyes, but according to Mom, I definitely came out from between her legs, and she didn’t cheat on Dad either.
Apparently, the moment Mom saw me after I was born, she was prepared to take me and leave if Dad suspected her of infidelity even for an instant.
So, well.
“Dad and Mom are still living happily together now, so that’s how it is.”
I shrugged my shoulders because the image of my parents flirting constantly flickered in my mind.
See, so there’s no need for you to be angry, I thought, looking at Erica, and was struck speechless.
Erica smiled and spoke.
She spoke with a smile that held the will to crush any Iniquity that befell her.
“Ah, it is fine, it is fine, My Lord.”
Our acquaintance has been short, but I believe I understand the principles by which a person like you lives.
Erica said, with an expression I’d seen somewhere before.
“I believe I understand that you are not the kind of person who would stray from your own path just because you were forced.”
Erica said, her eyes looking somewhere far away.
“If that is the case, then protecting your indebted family must be your kindness. A kindness characteristic of you.”
Huh? This is… huhhh?
“Please rest assured, I will not treat them poorly. Using my family name isn’t something I personally prefer, but, yes, it’s alright. Let’s have your father work a little. Let’s have him exert himself just a bit. Ah, it’s alright, it’s alright, you know? I shall take great care not to cause any trouble for your family.”
Erica clapped her hands together lightly in front of her chest.
“Let’s do that.”
Do what?! I thought, shivering.
This, this expression is the same one she had when she was spitting curses in the carriage!
It wasn’t the same soulless look, but this expression was undoubtedly of the same quality as that time.
Far from clearing up, the misunderstanding is getting worse.
You’ve got to be kidding me, why?
I instinctively shot a glance behind Erica, seeking help, only to see Shara closing her eyes, kneeling in prayer, and Elza nodding at me with a face that had completely resigned itself to death.
This is hopeless. It’s too much Chaos. I averted my gaze from the two of them.
While thinking, is this what happens when Erica gets angry enough to lose herself?, I recalled the count’s son who had angered Erica by piling up pathetic lies.
He disappeared from the academy about three days after angering her.
This is bad. Because of my black hair and eyes, my family is in danger.
Yes, that’s right. First, let’s have Shin become a Solntsalri. I will become a Solntsalri again myself, but that should be a trivial matter. Longdagger is fine, but Shin Solntsalri also has a nice ring to it. Oh, that’s nice, yes, that’s very nice.
Whoaaa, bad, bad, bad.
I have no complaints about taking the Solntsalri name, but no matter how you look at it, that’s bad. The Church would turn bright red.
Not that I wouldn’t mind making them turn bright red, but let’s at least find out who’s targeting Erica’s life first.
Crush your enemies one by one; that’s what Master taught me.
No, no, wrong, idiot, I’m an idiot. Is this any time to be thinking about unnecessary things?
Aware that my thoughts were becoming impoverished, I put my brain into overdrive.
Suddenly, the image of my flirting parents popped into my head.
No, wrong, that’s not it.
Clinging to a momentary flash of inspiration like a drowning man clutching at straws, I reached out.
“Elza!”
My Female Disciple nodded with a do-or-die expression.
“Make a ring!”
Elza, who had been in a combat stance for some reason, instantly created an iron ring above her head.
“Wrong! It’s too big!”
I exclaimed, looking at the iron ring large enough for a person to pass through.
Elza looked back and forth between the ring and Erica, her face showing she didn’t understand what she’d done wrong, as I pointed the jewel in my right hand towards her.
“The ring! Order it in Erica’s finger size!”
Elza tilted her head in utter confusion at my voice, Shara yelled, “What is with this husband and wife?!”, and I smiled, satisfied with the feeling in my right hand.
Not bad, Elza.
Even though I hadn’t asked for this much, the ring had a gemstone set in it.
It was an unpolished gem, but surely much better than nothing.
Kneeling on one knee before Erica, who was still talking about some plan for my future, I gently took her left hand.
Erica looked down at my face and smiled.
“Yes, let’s see… I shall prepare a fief for you somewhere far from the Royal Capital, so please relocate there. So that you can remain free even after you return to Faltar.”
Thinking that this might actually be a good thing for my family, a smile inadvertently escaped me.
I couldn’t help but find Erica, who was getting this angry for my sake, so incredibly dear.
That misunderstanding, that mistaken assumption, just made me so happy.
You, who remained calm even knowing your own life was being targeted, are getting this furious for my sake.
Seeing me smiling, Erica tilted her head.
But well, yes, I am happy, I really am happy, but…
I gently slipped the ring onto Erica’s finger.
Sorry this is late.
“Please let me give you this ring.”
You’re wonderful even when you’re angry, but I like you better when you smile.