CH 30

Hey all, sorry for the delay. If you didn’t see the post I put up last week, I got a terrible cold. Like, it gave me fatigue and drained my energy so badly that even standing up from my chair exhausted me. Not lot of fun. But I’m back in fighting form, now, so here we go!

TL: Toasty

ED: Toasty

That day, after staying at the cabin, properly entering the bath, and going to bed, I thought it was fine.

I sent a bird of wind to my parents, conveying I was staying at the cabin. Because it was Ojou’s birthday, it’s easy to get a meal from the kitchen. Because I entered the cabin and immediately dried myself and changed clothes, the measures I took were flawless.

The next day, because I had conveyed I was staying over, my father came to the cabin and peeked into my room.

I realized my father had come, but I wasn’t able to get out of bed. In reality, I thought I should be waiting for my father at today’s work site.

Somehow, his face is dim. Strangely, I wasn’t feeling any coldness, and he checked my condition.

「Oh……」

Thud.

「It’s hot.」

When I thought my field of vision suddenly became dark, the upper half of my face was gripped by my father. Because I overslept, I wonder if I can eat an Iron Crow as it is.

While my head is held, I thought about if I’m lifted up, but my father lifted me along with the quilt, carrying me. Because I’m already enveloped by the quilt, it’s like I’m luggage.

My father who is carrying me descends from the second floor. The sound of tapping footsteps systematically wavers, and I become sleepy. [T/N: Not quite sure what an “iron crow” is, I tried to look it up as a martial arts move since it sounded like one, but came up with nothing.]

I became a hindrance for work, huh……

Those feelings of apologies and frustration couldn’t even overcome my sleepiness, and I let go of my consciousness.

When I next awoke, it was in the room of my house.While remembering the familiar feeling of my bed, I didn’t understand how long had passed and tilted my head in confusion.

「Did you wake up?」

「Mo… ther……」

I shift my gaze sideways from the ceiling, where my mom is. When I open my mouth with a dazed look, it’s difficult to talk.

「Thirsty……」

It feels like the water in my body evaporated. I realized with the dryness in my mouth, it’s hard to talk. Although I’m sweaty, it’s not sticky. My mother, while I was lying in bed, wiped it dry for me, I think.

「There’s water. Will you drink it?」

「……I’ll drink it.」

When I sluggishly get up from bed and sit, my mother pours water from a jug into a class and handed it to me. When I lift the glass to my mouth, the lukewarm water is easy to drink. I wonder if it was boiled.

I drank until my throat isn’t thirsty. Waiting for me to finish drinking, my mother, while taking back the glass, asks.

「If there’s a meal, will you eat?」

「I’ll eat.」

After checking for if I have an appetite, my mother smiles as if to say there are no problems with the preparations. Then, she pats my head.

「Since you can, I’ll wake you up, so go lie down.」

「Okay.」

I obediently lie down in the bed again. I thought lying down was nice, but when I lay down, again my eyelids seemed to become heavy. 

「Zack. You did something unreasonable, did you?」

A voice that rather than scolding, is amused, falls down on me. In the middle of dozing off, I denied it.

「I didn’t.」

I didn’t even do anything. Because I wanted to study martial arts, it was decided I would also be a dance partner. Furthermore, Master and Ella-sensei gave me a reasonable schedule.

「Yesterday was Ojou-sama’s birthday, right? The bird from before was also made from magic, right?」

「That, well……」

After all, that place was good, so I wanted to show a big of a rainbow as I possibly could. I used up as much of my magical power, however, because the wind bird could fly, I thought it was fine. With my condition of MP Exhaustion, my immune system’s strength dropped, huh? [T/N: Literally “condition of exhausting MP” (MP is with English letters), but naming it MP Exhaustion was a little smoother]

「Separately, it doesn’t amount to much, right, but if you do your best on every single one, it will become unreasonable. Zack’s nature is to always and only do his best.」

While patting my head, I was smiled at and told I resembled my father in that way.

「You, even though you’re already working, until a holiday, you’re always doing something.」

Is it assisting Leo’s observation, or Daniel-sama’s work, or was I asked to babysit for someone?

Leo was only interacting and playing with the kids, and Daniel-sama’s work also is halfway like going out for a trip because I get to eat sweets and can see the garden. Babysitting also only takes a little bit of time, so it isn’t bad.

I try to think about a few possibilities, but I thought all of them are different. Before I can open my mouth to return a no, my cheek is poked with a finger and I fall silent.

「That. What comes to mind now is a little eagerness, right?」

The things that came to my mind are pointed out by my mother, and I frown. I’m trying to bear it so my eyelids won’t fall down.

Because even playing became unreasonable, I become frustrated at the feeling of having no endurance. Even though I was training my muscles.

Meeting my frustrated eyes, my mother gently smiles.

「What are you in a hurry for?」

「……because…」

She guesses right that I was in the middle of something. That I was crazy about something, I was thinking about how it leaked out.

「Certainly, I regret it……」

For me, who sees Ojou practice, and day by day, nearby, I only see Ojou become more splendid, there isn’t much I can do for her. If that’s the case, at the very least, I can properly do what’s in front of me, and even if it’s only a little, I can be proud of myself.

I also promised to quickly become a fully fledged gardener, but didn’t understand if I would meet the deadline. If I don’t do everything that I am able to, Ojou, who is more dependable than me, will surely leave me behind.

Regretting things I didn’t do, it’s because I’m tired of my past life.

「It’s fine.」

Mother talks with a kind voice. Although her tone isn’t strong, there is a quality of conviction in it.

「Because it’s fine, until you’re better, don’t think of anything and rest.」

I see.

I mumble without making a noise. If mother says it, then it will be fine, right, I think, and relieved, I fall asleep.

Then, for two full days, outside of meals, I was resting. The doctor came to see me, but I was told if I rested, I’d be cured. When I told him about falling into the pond as the cause, the older grandfather of a doctor made an indescribable facial expression as if asking why I was there during this season.

On the morning of the third day, I claimed I became healthy, but a hand was put on my forehead, and because I had a slight fever, I was to rest for today as well, just to be sure, my mother told me. Because my mother judged that, my father went to the Ernest house for work alone.

It’s different when I wanted to stay in bed, but because my head and my body weren’t sluggish, it can’t be helped I have free time. Because I sufficiently rested, there isn’t the feeling of wanting to lie down. Since in the room, it’s fine if I’m alone, after doing stretches, I train my muscles.

「Ah.」

In the middle of training, suddenly I remembered. A little before, when I met Anika-sama, she made a worried facial expression towards me.

She thought I was a weak Elias, but perhaps she is worried like my mother because I wasn’t generally tired out.

She doesn’t realize that, and because I’m lively, she ended up rejecting that I was fine.

「I did something bad, huh……」

I think I should apologize the next time we meet. I should also take something as thanks for the concern.

Finishing the set that Master gave me, because there’s nothing to do, I go downstairs, and call out to my mother.

「Mom, is there anything I can help with?」

「Zack, as expected, you can’t sit still, right?」

She looks over her shoulder, and with an amazed voice, says that.

「I got tired of only lying down.Since my body seems to be dulling, I want to do something.」

「It can’t be helped, can it?」

Maybe she understood I wouldn’t be docile, so my mother asked me to go on an errand for ingredients.

When I diligently put on my winter clothes and leave the house, the weather had cleared up. Stretching while bathed in sunlight, I went walking. Since for two days I had been shut inside, even the cold air outside felt good.

When I enter the market street, there were many people as usual. It’s still the morning, so it’s easy to walk, but when it becomes noon, the lines to restaurants begin, and with the time limit, since food stalls that serve things like sandwich pop up, going against the flow of people and walking become difficult.

Certainly, with the cooperation of a baker’s shop and a butcher’s shop, she’s selling sandwiches, I was told by one greengrocer auntie. As for sandwich food stalls with a time limit, it seems it also serves as a promotion. The commercial spirit is strong.

Among the list of ingredients, because I have things to do at the greengrocer, I have to go earlier than usual and buy things. Deciding on the order of stores to go around, I change my direction of travel.

「Zack……」

Hearing a familiar voice, I stop walking and look over my shoulder.

However, even if I look back, the main appearance of the person the voice belongs to isn’t there, and there’s only the waves of people coming and going.

「…………Ojou…..?」

There’s no way she’s in this kind of place. But, I can’t believe I would mishear Ojou’s voice.

Although she spoke, the truth of not being able to see her gave me a cold feeling.

At the center of the direction the voice spoke in, I look over the surroundings. There, it’s for an instant, however, around the entrance of an alleyway, lightning struck.

I immediately head to the entrance of the alleyway when I saw the lightning. Something like a bolt out of the blue, it’s no joke. Although Ojou, with the strength of how much magical power she has, hasn’t attacked a person, this timing of sensing lightning magic is the worst.

The correct place, I felt around for it by following the drawn in spirits of lightning magic.

「Ojou!!」

In the back alley, I find five men holding Ojou and Katherine-san.

Katherine-san is in front of three men, protecting Ojou, holding her arms open while shaking. To protect that Katherine-san, furthermore, is a thin semi-circular membrane of lightning. While hiding behind Katherine, Ojou probably made it.

While scared of the guys, Katherine glares at them, but Ojou’s pale blue eyes are moist, yet don’t spill a single tear while staring stoutly at the people in front of that.

That moment it seems I saw a tear well up in her blue eyes, my thoughts turned red.

「Za……」

「Don’t let your guard down! Keep spreading the lightning!!」

The Ojou I found, I scold her not to relax. With the current status of not being able to break down, dissolving the lightning is troublesome. Thanks to the lightning membrane, there’s a fixed distance between Ojou and them.

At me who shouted in anger, while frightened with a jump, Ojou steels herself and maintains the lightning membrane.

There’s three guys ahead of me, and two on the other side of Ojou. One of the people in the interior has a composed facial expression, and although he looks down on people, because he’s used to this, he might be the boss member.

It might be extortion or abduction, but certainly there’s malicious intent. All of their members have good physiques, and because they brought someone to an unpopular place, it’s very likely they had an aim to abduct for ransom or to sell as slaves.

It’s hard to escape without being aware that I’m still a kid.

「What is it, this……!?」

I first aim and then throw the various sized rocks that I found along the road at the foreheads of the three guys in front of me. Because I, as a child, have a disadvantage in reach, Master taught me to be able to use something closeby as a weapon.

In the time the guys grabbed their foreheads and staggered, I rush up over to Ojou.

「Katherine-san, Ojou, get down!」

Katherine-san, to immediately protect Ojou, holds onto her and crouches down.

「Guu!!」

「Uu!?」

Because they passed through Ojou’s lightning membrane, the stones were clad in lightning and gained the effect of a stun gun, it seems. Hearing a sound as if they had received its effects, the two guys fell over.

「……Isaac-san.」

「Katherine-san, can you run while protecting Ojou?」

Towards the quivering Katherine-san, I understand I’m saying something harsh, but I get down on one knee and meet her gaze before asking.

Katherine-san clutches her quivering hand, takes a deep breath, and stops her trembling.

「Yes……」

Strongly nodding her head, Katherine-san apologizes, and held Ojou in her arms. Ojou also tightly holds onto Katherine-san.

「Ojou, don’t undo the lightning yet.」

Because I called attention to it earlier, I present a hand to Katherine-san. Naturally, when I passed through the lightning field, rather than becoming numb, there was a strong, piercing pain.

「Zack, your hand……!?」

「……it’s fine! Katherine-san, since there isn’t really a feeling in my hand, can you please take it?」

Ojou reacts as if to scream, but as if reminding her not to undo her magic, Katherine-san takes her hand. Because I don’t have any feeling, when I’m held onto, I might be mistaken in the strength. Well, because there’s the sensation of numbness, whether or not she’s filled with strength is doubtful, but because she has gloves on her hands, I’m not worried about her receiving an electric shock.

「I’ll guide us to where there are more people, so until then, please don’t let go of my hand.」

「Yes.」

Visually confirming that Katherine-san is taking my hand, with the three of us, I return to the road I came from. Thanks to Ojou’s lightning field, when the three guys tried to pass us, they received an electric shock and their movements became slower.

Because I don’t know whether or not they have additional partners, I can’t be relieved in thinking there aren’t any more pursuers. I run at a speed that is careful to make sure Katherine-san won’t trip. Because she’s holding Ojou, the speed isn’t very high, but rather than rushing, it’s better.

The moment we return to the market street, I shout.

「It’s a kidnapper, someone please call the guards!!」

About half the people respond to my voice, looking our way. Ojou was surprised that I yelled and undid her lightning field.

After that, it was fast. Some shop people came out, someone went to call the soldiers, several men grabbed rope and went to tie up the guys in the back alley when I explained. Some passing aunties were worried about Katherine-san and Ojou, and waited with them until the soldiers arrived.

Until we escaped, there was a feeling of a lot of time passing, but undoubtedly the incident only took twelve minutes. I became exhausted with a feeling of relief when the soldiers arrived and went into that place.

When the soldiers arrive, Ojou and Katherine-san are guided to the closest outpost for the sake of protecting them. I’m also brought along together with them to be questioned.

At the investigation, one of the older soldiers was worried about my injury, and showed it to a combat medic. I’m cautioned not to scratch the burns on my wrist since they will become blisters otherwise. What should I do, when I look at them, I want to scratch them because they seem itchy. I have to do my best and endure. It seems the numbness in my hand is alleviating as well. I’m also told just to be sure, to get it checked once more by another medical professional.

During the investigation, I was puzzled about whether or not I should let this just pass by, but since I revealed my personal identity, they wanted to get in contact with my mother. The older guard scolded me, saying that a child did something absurd, and promised he would notify my mother.

Ojou and Katherine-san decide to wait at the station until someone from the house comes, and I, as a servant of their house, am worried, so the guard lets me meet them.

In the neatly tucked away reception office, Ojou was drinking something warm. Because there’s a sweet smell, it’s cocoa, I think.

「Zack……」 

When I enter the room, Ojou gazes at me, puts down the cup of cocoa, and rushes over to me.

「Are you okay!? Your hand……」

「It’s fine. It was only a little numb.」

It’s especially fine since with my sleeve, the bandages aren’t visible, and I thoughtlessly smile, waving my hand around. Because I willingly put my hand into the defense magic, it’s just the consequences. So, I want Ojou not to worry.

Ojou, as if searching for my true intentions, looks between my eyes and my hand. Then, she wasn’t able to understand a bit, but is relieved at my safety.

When I look in Katherine-san’s direction, I wondered if she had been crying, as her eyes were swelled and red.

「Katherine-san. You did your best, didn’t you? You were cool.」

「……No, that…」

Although it was a ridiculous request she was given, Katherine-san, for the sake of Ojou, persevered. Although she looks cowardly, she’s strong. In that situation, if she had frozen up, they wouldn’t have been able to run away.

Katherine-san’s eyes were a little wet as she humbles herself. That facial expression was showing she was regretful.

The source of her regret, I was expecting it. I put my gaze back at Ojou and seriously ask.

「Then, Ojou, why were you in such a place?」

Ojou looks at me and with a jump, her shoulders shake.

「…………I, I, was going to visit Zack since you fell ill……」

「Did you not tell anyone, since the guards weren’t with you?」

「……well, Roy-sama also came to the downtown area, didn’t he!?」

Ojou raises an exception, but I calmly reply.

「Because Leo doesn’t say anything, but he also has escorts. That guy also can defend himself to some extent, so he comes.」

Behind Ojou who suddenly fell into silence, Katherine-san tries to defend her, but with a look, I ask her to stay silent for me.

To meet the eyes of Ojou, who has fallen silent and hung her head down, I get down on one knee. I then cover both of her hands that are balled into fists.

「Ojou.」

When I call out to her, she’s afraid, but meets my eyes. Looking back into those pale blue eyes, I tell her.

「Ojou, you should be aware of how pretty and charming you are.」 [T/N: My sides]

「……!?」

「Listen.」

Towards Ojou who is misunderstanding that I’m poking fun at her with how her cheeks turn red, I convey I’m being serious with my eyes.

「For me and Katherine-san who know Ojou, understand how pretty and beautiful Ojou is on the outside as well as in. But, even for strangers, Ojou is pretty and charming .」

Ojou, not understanding my intentions, looks puzzled.

「With something pretty and charming, those guys who thought there is value there, Ojou is the same as a jewel. The eyes of those guys today, they were scary, right?」

She remembers the eyes of those who didn’t see the other person as a human, I think, and Ojou trembles, slightly nodding.

「Among the guys Ojou doesn’t know, there are guys who don’t grasp that Ojou is a fellow human being. So, you have take care of yourself.」

「……I won’t do such a rash imitation again.」

「Mhm. Thank you.」

After tightly biting her lower lip, Ojou told me her decision. Hearing that reply, I’m relieved and smiled.

Because it’s just right, so incidentally, let’s do it.

「Though, Ojou. I’ve always wanted to invite you downtown.」

「Eh……」

「But, I can’t guarantee your safety. First of all, if I become strong, I don’t think there will be a problem, so…… Heinz-san is training me.」

When I smile as if I’m a simple fool, with great surprise, Ojou froze.

「But, right now, it’s not enough. It would have been better if I had properly talked to Ojou together about it…… I’m sorry for having such a scary desire.」

If I had said my thoughts to her beforehand, Ojou might not have done this kind of unreasonable thing. This is the reason I was expressly avoiding Ojou hearing about this dangerous talk. It’s too shameful, and I feel I can’t even cleverly smile.

Ojou shakes her head and denies it. Certainly she blames herself.

Although the numbness of my hand weakened, I notice it, that it’s taken into both of Ojou’s hands with a strength that isn’t painful. Gradually, her temperature is being transmitted.

「I was training, but really…… it’s better if I don’t do that sort of thing.」

With the sense of her training being like extra-curricular activities, I’m glad it wasn’t useful. I didn’t even think one bit that I wanted to use her earned abilities. I’m glad that I was able to be of use in this one scene for my whole life.

What sort of facial expression should I make towards Ojou, I don’t know, as Ojou’s collar is attached to me, so I can’t see her face.

「It was scary.」

I thought about if Ojou wasn’t there. That was very frightening.

The time I found Ojou, my mind became red with anger at those guys, but that was for the sake of wiping away the fear.

Would I now lose even the warmth in this hand?

I already don’t want to have these kinds of scary feelings.

「……I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Zack.」

Her shaking is transmitted through her forehead. At that trembling voice, when I lift her head, there was a crying Ojou.

「I will never make Zack cry again……」

With a face of tears coming out one after the other, while heaving with sobs, she says something incredibly handsome.

「The one who’s crying is Ojou, right?」

Somehow I ended up smiling.

Even though there was a part that was enduring until now, I feel guilty that she ended up crying, and patted Ojou’s head.

「It was also scary for Ojou, right?」

「It was… scary……」

I wanted to calm down, but it seems to have the opposite effect, as tears furthermore gathered in her eyes, and Ojou burst into tears. Then, she pressed her forehead into my chest, beginning to cry.

As if to check that I am there, she tightly grabs onto my clothes, and as if to say it’s okay, I gently pat her back.

Until Ojou calms down, I stay with her, and she ends up crying until she’s tired and falls asleep. Because she didn’t let go of my clothes, I hold her in my arms and sit together with her on the sofa she originally was sitting on. Katherine-san dampens a handkerchief to cool the area around Ojou’s eyes.

Incidentally, when she was weakening, the door opened, and a guiding soldier led someone familiar into the room.

「I’m sorry for being late.」

「Duke-sama.」

Duke-sama is accompanied by my teacher, his butler, Heinz-san, and came to pick up Ojou. Katherine-san immediately recovers from waiting near the sofa and bows her head, apologizing. But, for me, who Ojou is clinging to, I can’t move, so I don’t know what I should do.

Duke-sama, who was approaching with a stride like a flowing stream, kneels down, and runs his palm across Ojou’s head.

「I’m pathetic…… it must have been very scary.」

As if to sympathize with her, Duke-sama puts his lips on the forehead of Ojou who cried her eyes out.

At Duke-sama’s words, there was a deep sense of guilt weighing on me. Suddenly, he bites his lip, and then opens his mouth.

「I’m glad Isaac is also safe. You did well to escape.」

「Eh……」

Preparing to be scolded, I ended up having my head patted.

Seemingly amused at my reaction, Duke-sama smiles.

「Katherine and Zack are both important employees of our house. There is no way I won’t be delighted at your safety, right?」

Because I wasn’t expected something such as being worried about, I was surprised. Although Duke-sama is only kindly smiling like always, it looked extremely trustworthy. At the same time, I realize that I’m a child, and become embarrassed.

「T… thank you very much. I’m sorry for having worried you.」

I thank him in some way or another while my face becomes hot. I was happy to have had a fever. I’m glad I work for the Ernest house, that feeling filled my heart.

When he smiles as if satisfied at my reply, Duke-sama using his hand, then separates Ojou from me, carries her in his arms, and stands up.

「Well, right now, because I want to make Dia my top priority, I’ll go back home.」

I stand up and firmly stand up straight.

「Yes, please take care of her!」

When I make my body stand at the right angle, Duke-sama makes an amused laugh.

「Then, Zack should also be careful when going home.」

「Um, Duke-sama……」

When I panic and call him, Duke-sama looks back over his shoulder in an elegant movement.

「Is there a problem?」

「I think that you’re busy, but soon, may I humbly have some of your time? There is a something I want to talk about.」

「I understand. Then, until then.」

With the relief that I was acknowledged, I breathed a sigh of relief from behind Duke-sama and the others.

Duke-sama unexpectedly made himself available, as the next day, in the evening when I was at work, I was called.

Guided by Master, I was brought to Duke-sama’s study. There’s a tension and mood of being like the school principal’s office. With something like the principal’s office, there’s the impression only guys who have done something amazing or very dangerous guys get called in, huh? In my past like, I had never entered because I was neither of those.

When I give my greetings and enter, Duke-sama smiled as if to say it’s fine not to be nervous. I look at the sparkling Duke-sama, and as soon as I thought about such a young principal, I became a little discouraged. Even inside, Duke-sama’s blonde hair is radiant.

「So, what did you want to talk about?」

On the opposite side of the desk, Duke-sama cheerfully asks.

「Before that, for yesterday’s incident, I’m truly sorry!」

I deeply bow and apologize.

「In the first place, I, even though I’m working, I neglected my health, but because I’m something like the cause, and I didn’t properly say that the downtown area could be dangerous, so……」

When I argue my case while bowing my head and apologizing, the sound of something gushing out like 「buha」 could be heard.

When I raise my head, Duke-sama was there, smiling and making an amused sound. I don’t understand the meaning and tilt my head in confusion.

「Um……?」

「No, I’m sorry. I was just thinking you’re a good kid, aren’t you?」

Even though he’s restraining his smile while talking, it doesn’t feel like he’s praising me.

「The one who decided to be here with Isaac was myself. Rather, for apologizing, it should be me. For crisis management, I should have been taught by my parents. Via was also mad at my similar weak points.」

Saying that, Duke-sama has on a strained smile. If he ends up saying it in that style, there is now ay I can apologize anymore.

As if to say this matter is finished here, Duke-sama brings up a new topic.

「Then, what did you want to talk about?」

「Ojou… Lydia-sama, please provide her an escort.」

Because I was receiving Duke-sama’s precious spare time, I directly conveyed my request.

Duke-sama, in the same way as Ojou, has his pale blue eyes go wide.

「Why?」

「Mas…… Heinz-san, I heard, is arranging preparations for an escort. Because if something like yesterday were to happen again, I would find it unpleasant, I want that time to come as fast as possible.」

「Unpleasant?」

「Yes, unpleasant.」

I don’t think very hard about it. So, because I simply want to avoid things I find unpleasant, for things that are unreasonable to do alone, I should do what I could. It’s only that much.

「Is that so…… unpleasant, huh?」

Repeating my words, Duke-sama again strangely smiled. Ojou would get mad at my foolishness, but Duke-sama is smiling, it seems. I intended to have a relatively serious discussion, though. After he smiled for a while, Duke-sama spoke.

「That’s fine. I’ll consider it. Although I must say, I wasn’t originally thinking I should advance the time.」 [T/N: “Originally” isn’t in the raw, but it helped to clarify the sentence. Otherwise, it could read as he isn’t thinking of advancing the time even with this info.]

「Thank you very much!」

At Duke-sama’s smile, my facial expression lights up.

「……I didn’t say you would be protecting her, you know.」

「Eh? Ojou smiling is more important.」

Rather than a question, it was closer to a mumble, but what was I saying, as I unconsciously replied with that.

At my dazed self, Duke-sama’s eyes went wide, and he smiled again. Then, he said the same thing to me, saying I was a good kid, wasn’t I.