CH 85

After Kou regenerated the arm of a former soldier, people began to gather in the healing area.

Those who go to ask for healing, and of course, those who go to see it, those who go to see Kou, those who go to talk with Kou…

If there are patients, he’ll gently tell me to leave, but when that’s over, Kou is always surrounded.

Seems like no one wants to touch him because they knew he’s my mate and my partner…

Even so, I don’t feel good about it.

…it just means Kou has that much power.

He’s my partner, but I feel like he’s going out of my reach.

Worship, respect, and romantic interest are all directed at Kou.

Meanwhile, Kou would just gently smile at them.

I know that Kou is being called “God’s messenger”.

The unknown race seems to be supporting it.

Some even say that he might be a “God”.

It seems like some people are saying that I can’t monopolize him.

──so far, I haven’t been told that directly.

His Majesty has repeatedly urged us to have an audience with him.

I wonder if it’s because I have that many opponents…I’m itching to do something but Kou won’t allow me to.

Despite his newly humanized age, Kou’s behavior is elegant and beautiful.

That it’s getting more attention.

We eat together in the barracks, but most of them gather around Kou.

Kou said he didn’t like being spectated before.

So I usually block their line of sight, but even when they can see him, he’s still fine.

In other words, he’s used to it.

That meant he’s gathering attention even in Niho.

Given that, it doesn’t make sense, but it gets frustrating.

Suddenly, from my left…I felt Kou’s weight.

“Kou?”

Leaning on me…what’s wrong?

Is he sick?

Even though I’m eating, my hands stopped…

Kou, who looked up while leaning against me, had a sad and painful expression.

“What happened? Did something happen?”

When I put my hand on his cheek, Kou, who grabbed my hand, looked like he’s about to cry.

But he didn’t say anything.

“Do you feel sick? Or is it something that was said?”

If someone said something and Kou became like this, I’ll find out and bury them.

“…I feel lonely, just that.”

I picked up Kou who hugged me and put him on my lap.

What does he mean by lonely?

But Kou didn’t move even while hugging me.

I hugged and stroked his head, but Kou still said nothing.

“You have to eat.”

When I brought food to his mouth, he ate only after a while.

If I brought it, it will be eaten.

But otherwise, he wouldn’t eat.

Did he just want to be spoiled?

…but why do you look like you’re about to cry?

However, Kou didn’t say anything.

Even when we finished eating and came back to our room.

“Kou, what’s wrong? What happened?”

At lunch, he was the same as usual.

I took him to the healing area after eating, and when I left, he was smiling and waving as usual.

Even when I picked him up before dinner, he was the same as usual.

When he looked at me, he smiled and when I lifted him, he put an arm around my neck.

Did he remember something during the meal?

Why did he suddenly feel lonely when I was next to him?

We don’t talk about his family in Niho, but…did he want to meet them?

“…”

Kou is still hugging me while sitting on my lap.

I’ve asked him many times, but I hadn’t heard a reply.

I couldn’t do anything, so I just stroked his head.

How long have I been doing that?

“…Rodo, Kou, “God’s messenger”, think? God, think?” (Rodo, do you think I’m “God’s messenger”? Or that I’m a God?)

With his face buried in my chest, Kou uttered those words.

I know Kou doesn’t like being anxious.

He also hates honorifics from children close to his age, but he especially hates being respected when it’s not because he’s “my partner”.

But recently, not only the townspeople but also soldiers and magicians came to Kou.

His Majesty’s messenger also respected Kou more than me.

…but Kou always hated it.

Even so, he’d just lose any expression and not say anything.

Did it exceed his patience?

“Kou is Kou. My mate, a dear person who’s my partner and can’t be replaced by anyone. …I don’t care what Kou is. Even if you don’t have special powers like you do now, or you can’t cook…whether you’re a God, a God’s messenger, or an unknown race, Kou is still Kou. For me, it doesn’t matter what Kou is. Kou is still my loved one.”

No matter what kind of race Kou is, Kou is still my “mate and partner”.

I’ve heard that those who recognized Kou as a God are willing to have Kou as their partner.

But we’re already married so Kou is my partner.

“Kou is my mate and my partner. No matter what, no matter who says what, it wouldn’t change.”

“…Rodo.”

Kou looked up with tears in his eyes.

Because I can’t completely block the surroundings for Kou, I’m sure he’s worried about being worshipped.

“Kou, God, no.” (I’m not a God.)

“Okay.”

“Kou, God’s messenger, wrong.” (I’m not God’s messenger.)

“Okay.”

I replied to Kou’s words.

“Kou is Kou. Nobody else.”

That’s what Kou wanted to say.

“Yes…”

Kou, who softened his expression, put his arms around my neck and kissed me.

Kou rarely kissed me in the mouth.

He’d usually stop after a light touch, but when I saw Kou’s feverish eyes──I lost my reason.

I pushed him down on the bedding and quickly unraveled our clothes.

“Ahh, deep…Rodo.”

With such an enchanted look, I can’t possibly stop.

I’m crazy about Kou.

Kou had never refused me ever since we joined our bodies.

──even before, rather than hate doing it, it seems more because he was scared.

If he wanted to resist, he can do so.

However, I’ve never been seriously resisted.

Sometimes, he’d say “hate” or “no good” but that wasn’t to the act itself.

Kou had become more comfortable compared to the first time.

The only one who can shake my reason is Kou alone, even from before and after.

“Ah, ya…also, coming.”

Kou, who trembled in my arms, can’t take it anymore.

“Wait…back, ya…Rodo!”

“Do you feel good on your back?”

Seems like this position can deeply pierce Kou the best.

“Hn, hn…”

Kou nodded emphatically.

Kou, who’s embraced by me and looked comfortable, is very cute.

“Rodo, love! Love…I love you!”

He held me and said that word over and over again.

There’s no way this wouldn’t make me lose my reasoning.

In the end, I devoured him until he fainted.

────

──

(Is Kou’s sorrow resolved?)

I knew he hated being anxious, but I didn’t even realize he was cornered to that degree.

I can’t always notice until Kou can’t stand it and shed tears.

Even though I’m always looking at Kou, I always miss it.

Even if they said I’m not suitable as Kou’s partner, they won’t say it to me.

The number of people seeking Kou will increase day by day.

As a magician, as a healer, as an object of worship…

Those who see him as an object of romantic interest, I want to kill them all.

After a while, I took a bath with Kou who woke up and went to bed with Kou because someone else was in charge of the night patrol today.

Kou is getting used to accepting me, but he seemed unable to walk normally immediately after the act.

It seems better not to let him go to the healing place tomorrow, and to let him stay by my side.

…maybe that’s why I was told I’m monopolizing Kou.

But the words of other people don’t matter in front of Kou’s physical condition.

Because I only care about Kou.

─Rodo’s side end─

T/N: Just FYI, the term ‘mate’ here meant “half-body”, as in soulmates while the term ‘partner’ meant a marriage partner, like husband and wife.

Ahh, yes, nothing but a good…sleep to forget about all your troubles.