CH 131

“Don’t rely on Shina-sama. Wipe yourself.”

“Because I can’t move!”

As I hurriedly wipe away his tears, Hurst-san sighed at Mikariam-kun.

Mikariam-kun retorted.

“That’s right, he’s all tied up.”

It’s a mermaid wrapped in a cloak.

“Release.”

“Yes.”

There is no need to tie him anymore, so Hurst-san unties the cloak.

As soon as Mikariam-kun was released, he reached out to me.

“Shina”

“Would you like to hold hands?”

I put my hands on the outstretched hand.

Hands bigger than mine. When I grabbed it tightly, it was immediately grabbed back.

“Mika’s important person.”

“Ah! Tears again. . .!”

“Mika will do it.”

“Yes.”

As I was busy wiping his tears, Mikariam-kun let go of my hand.

It seems that he is trying to do what Hurst-san told him to do.

“Sorry it got wet from the sea. Try using it.”

“Yeah! Mika is very, very grateful!”

When I handed over the handkerchief, Mikariam-kun laughed very happily.

He took it with both hands and immediately wiped away his tears.

Hurst-san who saw it spoke in a calm voice.

“Sometimes it’s impossible to stop you tears. Get into the habit of wiping them yourself.”

“Yes! If you have a handkerchief, you can do it.”

Mikariam-kun responds to Hurst-san’s words while wiping his tears.

Hurst-san was the deputy commander of the Northern Knights, and he is good at giving instructions at times like this.

Besides, I think he’s kind.

Since it’s not his opponent, there are some harsh words, but Hurst-san doesn’t say ‘don’t cry’ or ‘stop’.

“Shina-sama. Aren’t you cold?”

When I was watching the exchange between the two, Hurst-san called out to me.

I laughed back at it.

“It’s not cold. It’s thanks to Hurst-san who made a fire right away.”

“The sun has set. I think the temperature will drop from now on. I’m sorry, but I thought it would be good to have you change your clothes.”

Hurst-san said so and reached out to the clothes he was drying.

Maybe because it was near the fire, especially thin shirts seemed to be dry.

Or rather, I wonder if he was drying it for me.

“It will be dry soon.”

“Eh, no, Hurst-san, please put it on when it’s dry. Isn’t Hurst-san cold too?”

“If you wear wet clothes at night, your body temperature will drop. If it’s me, there’s no problem in my current state.”

“I see. . . .”

I nodded at Hurst-san’s words.

If it’s true, I should have taken off my clothes when I got to the island and dried them quickly.

However, considering the fact that I had fainted and the time until the sun went down, he probably made the best decision.

Put on Hurst-san’s dry clothes and dry my still wet clothes. It certainly seems the best.

“Hurst-san, aren’t really cold right now? Is it okay if you don’t wear clothes?”

“Yes.”

“. . . Well, I’m sorry, but I’ll borrow it.”

I can’t even look at you if I get sick while wearing wet clothes here.

I’m just borrowing Hurst-san’s clothes for a while, and if my clothes dry, Hurst-san can wear clothes too.

“Okay, I’ll take it off a little.”

“Why do you have Mika!? Mika is with Shina!”

Hurst-san stands up and holds Mikariam-kun in his arms.

Then, Mikariam-kun kicked his tail fin.

“Women’s dressing is not something to be seen.”

“Is that so?”

Hurst-san sighed and explained.

Mikariam-kun made a dumbfounded expression and stopped acting violently.

After all, Mikariam-kun has just been born, and he probably doesn’t know the common sense of the human world.

However, if you teach it, he will understand immediately, and Hurst-san is a person who will teach you properly, so I think he can do it somehow.

It’s easy to miss, but it’s Hurst-san’s strength that makes him able to hold and move Mikariam-kun, who is bouncing around.

Thank you Hurst-san.

I see off the back of the two while nodding.

And. . .

“I changed my clothes!”

After changing clothes, I raised my voice.

I can’t see Hurst-san and Mikariam-kun, but I’m sure they’re within range of my voice.

“I will come back.”

It seems that the judgment was correct, and Hurst-san’s voice immediately returned.

After confirming the reaction, I hurriedly prepare myself.

No, it’s not something to fix, but I’m a little worried. . .

I’m drying my old clothes so that I can replace them with Hurst-san’s clothes.

Instead, I’m wearing Hurst-san’s shirt and jacket.

Hurst-san’s shirt is big, and even though it’s just one piece, it’s like a dress, but it’s a little short. No, if it’s Shizuku-chan, I think she would look really cute. Too short for me.

So, I sat down on the edge of the makeshift bed and used the jacket firmly as a blanket.

I can’t stand up anymore. It’s embarrassing. . .!

It can’t be helped if I’m embarrassed, but I can’t help feeling.

I can feel Hurst-san approaching, but I can’t raise my face. . .

“Hurst-san, um, thank you very much. I’m borrowing you shirt and jacket.”

I realized that Hurst-san had stopped right next to me, so I thanked him.

. . . . I told him?

“. . . um, Hurst, san?”

There is no reaction from Hurst-san, who usually responds immediately.

I wondered and raised my face.

Then. . .

“Um. . .are you okay?”

“. . . Yes. I’m sorry.”

. . . . Hurst-san’s eyes are very red.

Hurst-san was standing still with Mikariam-kun under his arm, but he looked different than usual.

Hurst-san’s eyes lit up by the fire are red, and I feel like he’s looking at me a lot.

“Is it really cold?”

“No, it’s not. . . . leave it as it is.”

When I tried to get up in a hurry, Hurst-san stopped me with his hand.

Apparently, the jacket that was on my lap had slipped.

Yes. I shouldn’t stand up now. . .

“Ah, I see. . .yes.”

After answering the words I didn’t understand, I quickly sat back down and put on the jacket.

I feel like my face is red too, but this is probably just my imagination. Yes.

“What’s wrong? Why are you two so red?”

Mikariam-kun, who was held by Hurst-san’s side, tilted his face in wonder.

. . . Let’s leave that story for now.

“. . . It’s because of the fire.”

Hurst-san says so to Mikariam-kun and lowers him to the ground.

Yes. I understand.

“The fire is warm, isn’t it?”

Yes! This is because of the fire!

“Is that so?”

Mikariam-kun still looks puzzled, but Hurst-san cleared his throat and looked around.

“Shina-sama, I don’t think we’ll be here for that long.”

“Ah, is that so?”

While appreciating that the topic has changed, I join the conversation.

The purple sky has already turned black.

I thought we would be hard to find, but it seems that’s not the case.

“Although there are some negative aspects to the fact that the sun has set, it’s not so disadvantageous when it comes to searching. Ryleigh and the others know that Shina-sama and I headed to the wharf. If you light a fire at night when they search the waters, they’ll see it right away.”

“That’s right. Unexpectedly, you may be able to see this fire from a distance.”

I see. It is true that things that glow in the dark are easy to see.

I wish I could see this orange bonfire from afar. . .

“If Gyabussh is here, they’ll go this was right away.”

“. . .That’s right! I’m sure everyone will come soon.”

I nodded firmly at Hurst-san’s words.

Drifting on a deserted island (with a mermaid) is a rare occurance, but everyone will find it soon enough.

Hurst-san has been with me so far, so I’m not worried, but I’m more relieved when I can see the future.

“Mikariam-kun, I think everyone will be here soon, so let’s talk. I’d like a place by the sea where we can spend time together.”

Mikariam-kun was wiping his tears while listening to my exchange with Hurst-san.

His blue eyes blinked at my words.

“Mika, can I go with Shina?”

“Yeah. If we all think about it, I’m sure there’s a good way. And. . .”

This is a last resort though.

“If Mikariam-kun is caught. . . .Shall we run away?”

It’s fine if it’s just me.

But what if this country captures Mikariam-kun and tries to use him.

“I really don’t think I should say something like this. . .”

. . .I think I can go anywhere as long as everyone is here.

. . .I don’t think there’s anything to be afraid of if Hurst-san is here.

“. . . As you wish.”

When I said that, Hurst-san smiled and immediately nodded.

He’s not denying or blaming me for saying ‘Let’s run away’.

“I will definitely protect your path.”

. . . You’re a cool person.

Because I really think so. . .

“Shina-san!”

“Shina-san!”

At that moment, I heard a voice from above.

This voice is Ryleigh-kun and Shizuku-chan!

“Here!”

I wave my hand in the direction of the voice.

Gyabussh is here, carrying a basket on his back.

It seems that everyone came together.

“Shina-san!!”

“Shina-san. . .!”

As soon as Gyabussh landed on the nearby sandy beach, Ryleigh-kun and Shizuku-chan jumped down and ran toward me. . .

“Ryleigh-kun! Shizuku-chan!”

I want to stand up and greet you, but I can’t stand right now.

Then the two of them avoided the bonfire and hugged me tightly.

“Wah. . .”

Hugs from both sides.

With that strength, I could tell that the two of them were really worried about me.

When I pat them on the back with a tap to reassure them, they both slowly lift their heads. . .

“Because of me. . .!”

“Because I was late. . .!”

What came out of their mouths were words of self-blame.

I thought it would happen because it’s about two gentle people, but it’s different.

So I clearly shook my head.

“It’s not you fault at all.”

Yes. . . . .It’s really different. . .

“Because I went to the wharf alone without permission.”

Yes.

“. . . because the way of having fun was strange.”

That’s right.

“I’m sorry to worry you both. Thank you for finding me.”

I smile so that the two of them don’t blame themselves any more.

Then they hugged me tightly again and slowly parted.

“I’m glad that Shina-san is okay. . . But, uh. . . your clothes. . .?”

“Ah, I borrowed this from Hurst-san.”

Shizuku-chan seems to have noticed the change in my clothes when she calmed down a bit.

So, when I explained about the clothes, she gave me a confused look and then muttered, ‘There are things like that.’

. . . . .Hmm?

“Shina-san. . . while we were worried. . .”

Ryleigh-kun who looked around everyone.

His cheeks, illuminated by the fire, turned red.

“Shina-san. . .”

“Huh? What?”

His enchanted gaze changed into a slightly sullen look.

I could hear the soft part of my heart being scraped away from the devilish gaze.

“Everybody except Shina-san is naked. . .”

In front of Ryleigh-kun’s line of sight.

Hurst-san and Mikariam-kun who are shirtless are there.

Mikariam-kun’s tail fin was hidden because of the cloak.

. . . . .Certainly. . . . Come to think of it.

If you say so, everyone except me is naked.

“Shina-san”

Ugh. . .

“Did you steal two people on an uninhabited island?”

Bad words.

I will admit, it does look very bad for Shina. I saw that coming as soon as Hurst said that he didn’t think they would be there long.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!