Chapter 60

“It’s written like that on your face? Yesterday I didn’t sleep and cried under the blanket. That.”

“What? Who dares to write it?”

“Ah, it’s not really there. It’s just that obvious…”

I paused for a moment as I stretched out my hands to Cedric, who understood my words and was resentful. Oops, while arguing with Cedric, I almost forgot an important purpose. I checked to see if the artifact in my pocket was safe, and then turned around.

“Lord, why did you cry?”

“That’s just…”

Cedric seemed to be trying to gloss over his words, but soon he scratched his neck and told the truth.

“……The sword I showed you last time.”

“Ah! The sword that the Duke gave you.”

“Yes, that’s right. That.”

Cedric nodded his head and hardened his face as if a bad memory had been recalled by the conversation with me.

“It was stolen. No, it’s not stolen. I had a match with my second brother with that sword, but I lost…”

“As expected.”

I nodded my head with a serious look, and Cedric frowned and asked back, as if he was caught off guard.

“What?”

“Well, I’m sorry. I actually knew. I heard about Lady Alice. About the match.”

“……Damn, did you?”

When I confessed the facts, Cedric disheveled his hair with a somewhat bewildered face. In the somewhat confusing atmosphere, I replied by wriggling my fingers for no reason.

“Yes, yesterday, the Lord looked so sad, so I was worried so I asked…”

But something was strange. Did something in my words go against Cedric’s feelings? Cedric said to me with a look that seemed to have suddenly misheard.

“……what? Say it again.”

Did I say something wrong?

I was embarrassed and said what I had said again.

“Well, so… It’s because the Lord looks so sad.”

“Not that, after that.”

“Well, so I was worried, so I asked Lady Alice what had happened. I mean…”

I mean if I said anything wrong…

The words were blurred with a sudden timid attitude. But somehow, Cedric’s expression was strange

“You’re worried?”

“What? Ah yes.”

“Really, really?”

Then is it real or fake?

I didn’t know what kind of reaction he wanted. I stared at Cedric, who seemed somehow excited, and soon nodded again. Then Cedric mumbled to himself.

“Last time you praised me.”

“……?”

“This time, you’re worried again.”

When I heard that, I thought.

‘Oh, are you finally going to know about my true friendship? How is it, Cedric?’

It was surprising to know that Cedric, who only thinks about everything grotesquely, knows about sincerity. Somehow, I also felt touched by Cedric’s subtle expression. Then, suddenly, Cedric, who was lowering his head, said and snorted.

“Oh, it’s completely useless.”

“……What?”

No, is this the sound of a sudden knocking in the middle of the night*?

(T/N: Idiom, meaning if someone is saying something really absurd or stupid.)

Hey, Cedric, didn’t you know my heart…? Was it like that?

To change all my efforts so far into the word “useless”. That is too much!

‘Uh, the wound in my heart…….’

It was warm and well heated inside the kindergarten, but somehow my heart was sore.

I couldn’t erase my hurt expression and tried to stand blankly, but Cedric continued.

“Hey, you don’t have to worry or praise me.”

“What is that?”

“Because I am the strongest.”

Cedric exclaimed confidently.

Yes, you are the strongest. Th……

‘I know.’

Somehow I got bitter. Yes, since you are someone that will become the strongest knight in the future, you don’t need someone like me. I spit out a bit bluntly,

“You say you’re strong… But you lost in the match a few days ago.”

“Ugh, that’s…!”

Cedric seemed speechless at my words. Then he started making excuses belatedly.

“At that time, because I practiced too much, I didn’t have any energy. And my brother is older and stronger than me! But one day, I’ll be stronger than my brother.”

When that time comes, I’ll get the sword back.

Cedric’s face, saying so, was filled with determination.

I stared at Cedric, and soon asked a question carefully.

“Is that so… But Lord, maybe? What if there was a way to get that sword back right now?”

“What? There can be no such thing.”

Cedric seemed to take it as ridiculous, he immediately replied.

I shook my head and whispered,

“No, there is. To me.”

“……Really?”

Cedric was still unconvinced, but he quickly made a convinced expression, as if he remembered the last time he had to heal Polly with my help.

“What.”

“Voila! This is it.”

I took the artifact out of my pocket as if I was a magician. Even though the room was dimly lit, the artifact was shining brilliantly because the exterior was decorated with various brilliant jewels.

“Wow…”

Cedric, a nobleman with a relatively knightly lifestyle, was seeing such a pretty artifact in front of him for the first time.

“Can I touch it?”

After watching in a daze for a long time, Cedric looked at me and asked me a question rather than trying to reach out his hand carefully. I must have forgotten why I got this out in the first place.

“Yes, you can touch it. No, I will lend this to the Lord.”

“What!”