Chapter 19: The Oath of Promise

Before the dawn came, I managed to return to Heart Family residence.

Having fought against the Crown Kobold and the delight from the Glutton Skill that happened afterwards, I was tired.

I leaned the black sword Greed against the desk in the room and fell into bed. My consciousness faded out in no time.

…. I woke-up because of the strong light that got through the windows.

Nn? Based from the height of the sun, it’s already noon.

Don’t tell me, I had fallen asleep for too long? I went to straighten my personal appearance in hurry and then went out of the room.

When I passed by a maid, she intentionally sneered at me and said.

[Oversleep-san, finally you woke-up. If you don’t change your attitude, you will get fired by Roxy-sama, you know]

[Eee, that’s…. Where is Roxy-sama? I want to apologize for my blunder…]

When she saw me get flustered, the maid seemed happy. What the hell, you should not be laughing when I might get fired from my job! When I thought like that,

[I’m sorry for laughing. It’s because you showing face like a puppy that seemed like it was gonna be thrown away. It’s so amusing, fufufu. Sorry about that. But, my words earlier were a lie]

[What do you mean?]

[Roxy-sama had ordered everyone to let you sleep]

While I was still surprised, the young maid continued.

Apparently, Roxy got worried about me who did not get up even in the morning, so she went to check by herself. After she knocked the door on the room, but received no reply, she opened the door and entered the room, and she saw me with my big mouth open and sleeping.

Having looked at me like that, Roxy seemed to think that I gotten tired from yesterday’s grape harvest, so she told the maids to let me sleep as much as I could.

[Is that so?]

[Since you have received Roxy-sama permission, you can go back to sleep]

[No, no, I’m alright. I have slept enough]

There is no way I can go to sleep again. For the time being, let’s go to apologize to Roxy.

[And then, where is Roxy-sama now?]

[Yesterday, you have already being told right? She is leading the men to hunt the kobolds]

Did she already depart? Toward the valley that had been destroyed.

Roxy who saw it would be surprised. And, I am concerned about what conclusion she would be drawing. Well, there should be no evidence that I was the one who did it, so let’s keep calm now.

[When she will be returning?]

[Let’s see. Based from the last year experience, it probably tomorrow morning. Kobolds are nocturnal after all. That’s why they will lay the traps during daytime, and then keep hunting until the next morning]

[Tomorrow, huh…]

Since it’s like that, I’m convinced that she will return by the end of today.

If anyone saw the disastrous scene of the valley, they would likely understand someone had fought against the kobolds over there.

Besides, if the Kobold still remained behind the valley, I cannot imagine that they would be coming to fight in the Heart Family territory. There was Roxy who had pursued the Kobolds every year, so they should understand that from the experience.

Well, it will likely become uproar once she returns back. I must be careful and cautious before that..

When I was still thinking,

[You, really like Roxy-sama, aren’t you?]

Because she suddenly said that, I raised a strange voice. I was just a servant, who only thought about my master… That’s all.

[What’s that all of a sudden!]

[No need to get flustered. Fufufu… Oh well]

The young maid seemed interested watching my reaction, she held back her hand to not laugh, before she returned back to her work.

[Wait, please wait. Is there anything that I can help?]

I would have liked to have a chance to recover the honor as an oversleeping person here. Even though I had been treated as a guest in this mansion, I was still a rookie servant.

I cannot afford to receive my pay without doing anything.

Then, it seemed my enthusiasm was transmitted, the maid inclined her head,

[Let’s see, then can you look after Aisha-sama? She seems like she needs someone to accompany her]

[Understood! I’ll do my best!]

After she explained to me Aisha’s room location, I expressed my gratitude to her, and started running.

[Hey, don’t run in the passage! It’s dangerous if you crash with someone!]

[Sorry!]

Whoops, I just did something improper as a servant.

I apologized to the maid and then started walking quickly.

Aisha was staying in her own room. I knocked several times at the door which was several times better than my guest room.

A bit later, I heard an answer from the inside.

[Please excuse me]

[Ooh, Fate. You’re just in time. I can only watch the scenery from the windows, so I’m free right now]

As she showed an innocent smile like a girl, Aisha invited me inside.

Her physical condition today seemed not too good, she leaned her upper body in the bed while resting.

[Saa, come sits here]

As I was being urged, I sat in the chair next to the bed.

Aisha smiled and looked at me, after that she looked at the scenery outside again.

I was attracted, even it was just for a short time, I saw the garden of the mansion. On the mansion in the Royal Capital, although I was still a gardener apprentice, I could understand that this garden was a well-maintained garden. The gardener here probably really liked the Heart Family.

[It’s a good garden]

[Is that so, that is the only place that I can see from this windows. I don’t know much about it, but the gardener old man surely worked hard on it]

I see… Because of her serious illness, Aisha was rarely able to go out from the room. Therefore, she got worried for staying indoors all day]

[Let’s stop making you worried…]

Aisha seemed happy. Our talk continued for a while, and the constant time of laughter passed. Since I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, there was a ‘guu’ sound from my stomach, and she called a maid to serve snacks.

Whenever she said something, I felt her kindness which was like a mother. Well, my mother died soon after she gave birth to me, so I didn’t know much about this feeling.

Surely, this kind of free kindness was the one that I longed for.

When Aisha put the tea cup that she had in her hand down, she suddenly made a serious face and faced me.

[Probably I… can’t live any longer]

[Don’t said that. Just now you look,]

I could not say she was fine. She was still on the bed.

Aisha continued her words.

[It’s so, I am still energetic for now. However, it will surely happen sooner or later. After all, only I understand that about myself]

[….Why, do you say this to me?]

[If it’s you, I thought you will be able to become Roxy’s support. Can I ask you to do that?]

I was puzzled when Aisha said that.

The fact that her husband was killed in Gaullia, Roxy said that she had received a considerable shock. However, when I came to the Heart Family, it seemed that I became the one who supported Roxy’s heart.

When Roxy talked with Aisha by two of them. She said [I won’t stop, because I don’t want to look like a lazy Master by Fate].

[Roxy had good eyes at that time. It’s like that person when he was young]

[But, to a person like me…]

Our positions were too different.

Moreover, even if I had some kind of power now, I couldn’t show it off too. If it was supporting her from the shadows, I wonder that was the correct being called as supports?… I feel it was something different.

When I was still perplexed, Aisha’s hand reached out to me.

My [Mind Reading] activated, and I heard her voice from her mind.

(It’s alright… Don’t think about it too much)

Her hand quietly separated, her voice of mind got cut-off. After that, Aisha said,

[There is no need to think about position. There is no need for a strong power like a Holy Knight either. The most important one is here]

She pointed the tip of her finger to my chest.

[The most important one is the Heart]

[Heart… Feeling]

[Yes., I was originally a commoner who did not have any useful skills. Even so, I was able to support my husband who was a Holy Knight. Since I could do it, I believe Fate will surely can do it. I believe it]

[Aisha-sama…]

The weakened Aisha had a stronger heart than me. There was no room for me to doubt it.

Her words were very heavy for me, who had just awoken and single-mindedly requested power from the Glutton skill.

Therefore, I also wanted to be like Aisha.