Chapter 196

I could feel her energy leaving Eve’s shoulder .

And then...

[——It may be... just as you say . ]

The feeling that had been encroaching earlier dispersed .

She surprisingly looks meek right now .

[Maybe, I certainly wasn’t thinking about her feelings... . . ]

[Liz is a really good child . Not wanting us to know what she wishes, she usually represses her various emotions very well—- she hides them from others . I don’t blame you for being so oblivious about it . ]

“Fufu...”

Eve let out a smile .

Next, she tapped her temples with the bottom of her palm .

It’s as if......

“Get a grip, will you?”

—she’s scolding herself .

[That’s right . I’m so oblivious...... that I didn’t notice it . However...... If I were to calmly stand by Liz’s side, I might be able to understand . Spending my days only by earnestly waiting...... If our situation were to be reversed, just in itself is a pretty difficult thing to do . ]

[And that’s why...... You’re going to leisurely spend your time with Liz from now on . ]

[Even so, Touka...]

[Hmm?]

[If you ever need my help, you can always count on me . Don’t tell me that you’re also renouncing my membership in the Fly King Squadron, are you?]

I slightly rolled my eyes in response .

Then, I sighed .

[Well—– If that’s what you really want . ]

Satisfied, Eve nodded .

[Then, it’s good . Because it would be a very sad story if we’re dismissed from the Fly King Squadron as well . ]

Saying that, Eve holds out her hand to me .

As if to seize her hand, I clasp her hand back .

[I know it’s cliché, but I wish you well on your journey . ]

[Yeah . I really appreciate your help . Thanks for everything . ]

[I’ve already said this before...... It is I who should be thanking you instead . I don’t know what we would be doing now if we hadn’t met you . ]

And then, as we let go of each other’s hands—-

[Wait . ]

—we almost let each other’s hand go .

I grasped Eve’s hand just as she was pulling away .

As if I’m stopping her .

[W- What is it, Touka?]

Eve looked taken aback at the abrupt tug .

[If you’re staying here, you won’t be needing that . ]

[Umu—–......Mhmm?]

She reflexively nodded her head, but......

With a face that doesn’t look like she understood what I said, Eve tilted her head .

We’re in the Witch’s Home deep within the Golden Demon Zone .

A place that is believed to be unreachable by others .

There’s no need for her to hide her identity here .

In that case—- There’s no need for her to change to “that appearance” .

[That’s why...]

I touch Eve’s bangles .

[I’m going to return you back to your previous appearance . ]

▽

After I left Eve and returned to my room, I told Seras about what I talked about with Eve earlier .

[I see...... So, this is where our journey with Eve ends huh......]

Now, we were sitting side by side on the edge of the bed .

Seras’ white skin still looks flushed after she took a bath .

She was wearing a single, thin, cardigan-like piece over her refreshing, thin clothing .

[I had actually forgotten about it too . ]

Seras wrily smiled .

[I felt that Eve would always be with our journey from now on...... However, now that you mentioned it, we originally had such arrangements with Eve huh......]

Her eyelashes lowered, Seras put her hands on her exposed white knees .

[Besides, it’s probably better for Liz . ]

[If Eve stays here, she can protect Erika . Well, I’m sure Erika would already have all sorts of defenses planned...... but Eve’s presence here may be useful sometimes . ]

Most of all...

Going through a journey for revenge has never been a decent idea .

Good people like Eve and Liz mustn’t be involved with it .

[So—–]

Keeping my eyes forwards, I ask .

[What about you?]

[Me? Err, does that mean...... you’re asking if I’m going to stay here too?]

[Yeah . ]

[I—- I am your knight . Of course, I will follow your journey until the end . ]

[I see . ]

Saying so, I flop down on my back .

Pomf

[.....................]

Twisting her upper body, Seras turned around towards me .

[Touka-dono......?]

[I’ve already heard about your resolution before . ]

Staring at the ceiling, I continue .

[So, now that I’ve had the final confirmation about you following my journey, I’m not going to tell you anything else anymore . However......]

Bringing her fist on her chest, Seras gulped .

After a few moments, I spoke .

[I don’t like the word “absolute” very much...... That’s why I won’t declare that I’ll “absolutely” protect you . However, I will use every ounce of my strength to protect you, Seras—- and that, I promise you . ]

Squeeze

Seras clenched her fist .

[Touka-dono......]

[I’m already thinking of taking care of Seras even until the end . ]

[————————]

[That’s only if you’re okay with it though . ]

The High Elf Princess Knight has a slight smile on her face .

And then...

[Of course—– I’m fine with it . Ye—- Yes, but of course...... If Touka-dono will take care of me until the end...... If you’re willing to take care of me...... I could never wish...... for anything more than that . ]

Closing my eyes, I gently spoke .

[Alright . ]

Again, I open my eyes .

[You’re going to have to keep me company until the end, Seras Ashrain . ]

Seras’ eyes—- opened wide .

Her sky blue pupils looked moist .

Her hand on the bed tightly gripped on its fabric .

[—–Yes—–]

Her white porcelain cheeks were slightly flushed .

Because she has just got out of the bath—- is probably not the reason .

[This Seras Ashrain...... as the master’s knight, I will accompany you until the end . Wherever it may be . Yes......]

Seras shortened the distance between us .

[Even if it were in the farthest reaches of the world . ]

The light of the artificial moon shone through the window .

It’s as if the light is somehow blessing Seras’s beauty, faintly—- and affectionately illuminating her .

.................. . .

▽

The next day .

I told Liz first thing in the morning .

That this is the end of her journey .

At first, Liz reacted sadly .

But, she accepted .

I had planned to stay silent about it and quietly leave this place .

However...... Considering Liz’s feelings, that didn’t seem like a good idea .

What came to my mind—- was the relationship Seras had with the Princess .

“We haven’t even finished saying goodbye with each other properly . ”

Seras had a “lingering uneasiness” in the past because of it .

However, after she had a satisfying goodbye with her, she feels better .

That’s why I thought we should give ourselves some time to say goodbye to Liz .

Well, it’s not necessarily a lifelong goodbye with her though .

There is no lack of opportunities for us to meet again .

And that’s why, well—-

Liz is now spending time with Seras outside the house .

Eve is also with them .

Her clothes are the same she had yesterday, but she already had her original appearance of a Leopardkin .

And...

[Pigyii—]

[Pakyuu~]

Pigimaru and Slei were also happily playing with Liz .

These two have been really attached to Liz huh......

Then...

[Why did you suddenly decide to postpone your departure by a day? I thought that you would surely be leaving today . ]

I was looking out the window of the house when Erika called out to me .

[I wanted to give Liz some appropriate time to say goodbye . ]

Slouching beside me, Erika placed her elbows on the windowsill .

Her bluish-purple eyes caught the appearance of Liz and the others happily chatting .

[You know, I have a feeling that Touka is especially sweet to Liz . ]

[That child’s circumstances resemble mine...... She’s a lot like I was before . I’m well aware that I’m giving special treatment to her . ]

[By being nice to Liz, are you indirectly trying to save your own past?]

[Well, I guess so . ]

[Ara, you’re not going to make excuses on that?]

[That’s because it’s true . It may not be entirely true, but there certainly are part of it that’s true . ]

[—–I don’t know if you’re trying to be honest or not...]

Erika raises her slouching upper body .

[However, there’s something else to it, right?]

[Hmm?]

[The reason why you postponed your departure . ]

This Witch sure is sharp .

[......Putting me aside, the others are still tired . ]

Leaning my back against the wall, I look over my shoulder and watched Seras and the others .

[It’s good that they’re doing their best, but there’s a tendency for everyone in the Fly King Squadron to try too hard . That being the case—- As I’m the one who brought the group together, I’ll see to it that I will make regulate things when they’re tired . ]

Even if they’re tired...

“Do it . ”

If I tell them, they’ll probably do it .

They will do it .

Whether it’s Seras...

Pigimaru...

Or Slei .

[Especially regarding Slei’s fatigue...... I’d like to give her at least one more day of rest . Slei is also the one who worked the hardest on that Princess’s situation so......]

She’s the one who pushed herself the most .

[I’ve also been thinking about leaving Slei here for a while . Or rather...... To be honest, I’m still hesitating to bring her with us . ]

Ka-thunk

I lightly knocked the back of my head against the wall .

[However, thinking about the future...... There’s a wide difference between having Slei around us and not . ]

[Unlike Eve, she’s irreplaceable?]

[Yeah . ]

The ability of Eve’s eyes and ears certainly is reliable .

However, to be honest, I could actually substitute to that role instead—- though the quality of my ability is naturally inferior to her .

[Just like Seras and Pigimaru, Slei’s abilities can’t be replaced . ]

[Well, it should be alright—– Up we go . ]

Placing her buttocks on the windowsill, Erika looks out the window .

[Slei certainly looks like she’s attached to Liz, but from how this mistress sees it, Slei still likes Touka and Seras the best . I think it would be more painful for that child to be separated from you two . Besides...... Slei isn’t exactly normal . From what Erika could see, she may not be as tired as you think she is . Rather than that—– I even get the feeling that she’s stronger than before she went to the Northern Demon Zone . ]

[.................. . . ]

Slei was only a newborn .

Half a year hasn’t even passed .

In other words......

She’s still—– on the process of growing up huh .

Even though she already has that much power .

[Even though you said that, I think I should still be careful not to let Slei do anything unreasonable . This is my journey for revenge...... If I had to make her do the unreasonable, I will make sure that I’ll do everything I can myself first . ]

Erika shrugs her shoulders .

[It’s because you’re like that, Touka, that everyone is doing the unreasonable just to help you...... Anyway, you should take as much time as you need to rest, okay? I’m saying that as this place’s landlady . ]

[Yeah, thanks . Besides...... I also want to give Seras and Pigimaru a little more time to rest . ]

Rather than rushing things through...

I think it can be more efficient in everything you do if you take your fatigue out of the equation .

Rest is an important fact in everything in life .

[Even Seras...... It seems that she’s been nervous all these days until she met the princess . ]

It’s not just physical fatigue .

She needs to rest her mind as well .

Beyond Erika’s line of sight, Seras bent down and gave Liz a gentle hug .

After a short pause, Erika spoke .

[Say, Touka . ]

Erika’s gaze turns back to me .

[What happened with Seras last night?]

[We just confirmed our intentions for one another again . ]

[Hmmm......]

[.................. . ]

[.................. . ]

[By the way, Erika . ]

[Hmm?]

[I’ve actually been wanting to ask you for a long time—- no, it’s just that I’m curious about something . So, if you think that this question may have been too intrusive, you don’t have to worry about it . ]

[What is it that you have to be so formal about it? You’re special after all, so I guess I’ll answer this somewhat intrusive question of yours . ]

Sitting on the windowsill, Erika crosses her legs and makes eye contact with me .

[So, what would you like to ask this Erika Anarveil, Fly King-dono?]

[I’m just wondering if there’s a reason about it . ]

[Reason?]

I tell her what I want to know .

[The reason why you haven’t smiled even once from the time we met . ]