CH 31

Hisch still tended to the plants in the mansion. It seemed that his reason for choosing a career as a gardener in the past was not just to make a living.

When I often saw him fiddling with the leaves of the plant with affectionate touches, I could tell that he genuinely loved this work.

The atmosphere he created was so peaceful and calm that even I felt as pampered as the plant.

Sure enough, even today, Hisch was touching something, wriggling his hands as if he had found a problem in the flowerbed that anyone else would have just overlooked.

Without stepping foot in the garden, I just stared at his back. It was nice to just stare blankly at his large back swaying slightly but did not seem to be weak, which was in stark contrast to my slender figure.

Hisch soon looked up. It was amazing that he noticed my gaze when I didn’t even make my presence known, call Hisch’s name or make a sound.

“Liddell. When did you come?”

If you’re coming, call me. Even though he said that in a grumbling tone, Hisch smiled happily.

“No, I was just passing by. Whoa, what is this? The leaves are really wide.”

I moved and stood next to him, looking at what Hisch had been fiddling with until just now.

The voice of a person talking about what they like also makes the listener feel good. Hisch answered my questions in a calm but slightly excited voice.

As I was responding to his storytelling, [1] a sudden strong wind blew over us. The leaves of the plant bumped into each other, making a shuffling sound.

We looked at each other in bewilderment as our clothes and hair fluttered in a mess, and then burst into laughter as we looked at each other in a mess.

Once the wind passed, and as I was still smiling in the afterglow, Hisch, who was looking at me with a similar smile, reached out and tucked my disheveled hair behind my ear.

“Are you feeling better now?”

At that, I stopped laughing and my eyes opened wide.

The black-haired man fiddled with my cheek without pulling his outstretched hand.

“You’ve been thinking about something ever since you came back from the capital.”

‘What happened?’

I suddenly remembered the first words that Hisch uttered when he first saw me after I returned to Ensis.

I really didn’t want to cause him any worries, and I just glossed over the idea that it wasn’t something Hisch could give advice on.

But to think he still cared about me. To think that he would look at me with a relieved expression after bursting into laughter at the small disturbance.

“……yes, I feel a little better. I’m sorry, Hisch. For making you worried.”

Hisch shook his head at my words.

“I didn’t worry about you for you to apologize. However, um. I just…… want you to tell me a little more about your thoughts.”

The black-haired man took a step closer and put his arms around my shoulder as if he were holding me in his arms. He lowered his head and continued in a slow voice.

“I know I’m not reliable. Liddell is much smarter than I am so I may not be able to help. Still…… I just want to hear what you’re thinking. I wish I could know and sympathize with you.”

For some reason, when he said those words, I felt something warm fill a corner of my heart.

I also hoped he’d tell me what he thought. Because I’ve always wondered about Hisch too. Even when we were apart, I would naturally imagine what Hisch was doing.

It was a novel feeling. I couldn’t believe I was so curious about someone else. Even though it was and still is my credo that it is enough to take good care of my body.

But my worries weren’t the kind of things to confide in Hisch right now. The moment I thought so, Hisch continued.

“In fact, what other secrets could there be other than mine?”

A playfulness kicked in on the man who laughed, as if consoling me that whatever my troubles were, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

If you think about it, I’m a person who has as many secrets as Hisch.

“Really? Then, for example, what if I were from another world?”

“Another world?”

“Yes, a completely different world from here.”

“…… For example?”

“Using electricity, using machines, and having transportation that flies through the sky. There is no king, and the people elect the representatives of the country by voting…… A world like that.”

“Machine…… Sky.”

Vote. Hisch whispered softly.

He wouldn’t even understand anyway. It sounds far-fetched. Thinking so, I continued playfully.

The glass of bitter, cold liquid I had before heading to work in the morning was so good. When I was struggling and sad, my hobby was to have a drink while watching the river that crosses the city.

Watching a movie with a snack of fried corn while holding my breath under the blanket was a weekend’s pleasure, or listening to music alone while running under the ground to go to work was the energy that started my morning.

Hisch, who couldn’t understand half of what I was saying, just stared at me as I talked.

Afraid that he might think his wife was out of her mind, I kept my mouth shut and told Hisch.

“………well, I could have come from such a world.”

Hisch just looked at me without any response to my words.

I’m screwed. Somehow, his eyes looked like he was looking at someone who was a little delusional.

I was aware that I was unusually excited.

That is why I came here and forgot about everything as if I had no past.

My memories of those decades that were etched on me felt like dreams that seemed to float around like that.

In the midst of that, telling someone familiar stories that I knew for the first time in a long time was both pleasant and oddly reassuring.

I still remember.

I haven’t forgotten…….

“…… If Liddell really came here after living in such a world.”

Seeing Hisch open his mouth as if he was trying hard to match me, I tried to lightly dissuade him by saying that I was joking, but the man said this.

“You must have been lonely.”

“…….”

“You must…… have been really sad and lonely.”

My eyes opened wide.

The man was staring at me. When I stopped making a fuss out of embarrassment, I could see Hisch’s expression better.

There was no indication in his appearance that he was laughing at me or not believing me.

For a moment, I was at a loss for words and took a deep breath, and then I burst into laughter like a sigh while waving my hand.

“Ey, I’m just saying that I might have had such a great secret. And being lonely. There’s Hisch and Sein, so why would I…….”

It was an imaginary story I told just to make fun of him. I could have simply passed it over by asking what he was taking it so seriously for, and I probably should have done that.

Why was I repeatedly spewing out words?

Because Hisch’s expression seemed to believe me even when I was talking about this nonsense?

I didn’t know why.

“…… And well, it’s actually the same everywhere people live. Of course, here in this world, there were times when I had to write down documents by hand, and there was no spicy food. If someone breaks the rules, people will be killed too……”

But it was a very strange thing.

I’ve never had the desire to return to my original world.

Maybe it was because my life on Earth was so ordinary, and I couldn’t find any meaning in it.

Or maybe it was just that I had become so busy adapting to the sudden environment that I became dull.

Still, it was really strange. As I talked about the place where I was born and raised, I unknowingly missed the place that was familiar to me.

“…… There are many etiquette rules to follow, and all the common sense and knowledge I had seemed useless. So, it’s just, well. A little bit……”

Just a little bit.

At that moment, Hisch lowered his knees a little and touched the corners of my eyes. He sighed.

“…… How is it that you always stop crying so much that your eyes are always red? I wish you could just…… cry coolly without holding back your tears.”

Hisch said that, kissing my eyes and then pulled back. I reflexively closed my eyes at the warm touch and opened them, and the black-haired man looked down at me with a gentle but affectionate look.

“And.”

Hisch approached me saying that, but I didn’t shy away from him.

“You’re easy to comfort.”

A soft, warm touch spread across my lips. The comforting warmth made me close my eyes without resistance.

He was so innocent and pure, and always blushed and cried at my words.

I thought Hisch was cute, and I liked it, but I also liked the side of the man who sometimes seemed to embrace everything about me, and my curiosity was sparked.

I want to know more.

I want to know more about Hisch.

……and it was probably the same for Hisch, too.