CH 8.2

PART 2

[Nicole, stay by my side. If it’s about other people I don’t know, let’s leave them to other people to handle.]

[Sheryl-sama.]

[My judgement this time was also lenient, I have something to reflect upon today. It’s fine if you just focus your anger on me.]

That’s why…… I hope he doesn’t same something as dangerous as eliminating them.

Nicole also looks like he’s really going to do it.

[….I understand. Instead, it’s gonna stay for  while.]

[Uu… please be gentle with me.]

Will Nicole not do anything dangerous with this?

About my brother….. If possible, I don’t want to think about it.

However, the talk did not end with just that.

[His Highness…?]

[Bashral, can I have a moment?]

For a moment, I thought there was a sculpture illuminated by bright lights.

His Highness is approaching here by himself.

[I’m sorry for disturbing while you’re in the middle of rehabilitation. Can you make it to that bench? 　…… I will pull your hand.]

[I can walk on my own just fine, but, uhmm…]

I exchanged looks with Nicole wondering he meant by pulling my hand.

But despite our confusion, His Highness took my hand from Nicole.

[I’m sorry…]

[No, I’m the one who’s getting in the way. Are you always walking at this time?]

[I wanted to see the stars on such a clear night. I haven’t seen much of it until now, after all.]

[Isee….]

Looking at His Highness from an oblique angle, he was as beautiful as the golden mean (1).

Even his curved hair seems to be calculated.

Even now that I’m not using my detection, the reason why he’s still emitting such a bright light probably because his Mana discharge is huge.

Even within the dark night he still looks like a noble existence that I unconsciously went in a daze.

Was that bad?

[Uwa!]

[Sheryl-sama?!]

I tripped my foot on the ground and I fell towards His Highness.

His Highness immediately stabilized his body to catch me, but because of what I did my sight has turned dark.

My heart is beating extremely loudly.

[….Are you alright?]

[I’m sorry! Uhm..]

Upon being unexpectedly held by His Highness, my mind went blank.

While I thought about getting away in the meantime, my balance has collapsed and I couldn’t stand well.

I curse my lack of strength.

[Sheryl-sama, are you injured? Is your leg not twisted?]

[I’m okay…]

Nicole approaches and supports my back, but it seems like he won’t be able to hold me up immediately.

I have to quickly get away, I persistently  thought.

[Don’t mind me. I’m going to hold your waist.]

[Eh….]

According to what he said, his arms wrapped around my waist, and furthermore, he pulled me up.

It seemed as if I could hear our heartbeats from our chests that have met.

[Y, Your Highnes….s]

[You’ll probably be ably to regain your balance like this. Even with this, I’m properly training so don’t mind holding on to me.]

Even if he tells me that, I was flustered by the sudden body contact that I can’t seem to move my hands that are stuck on his chest.

Upon seeing me frozen and unable to lift my head, His Highness grinned widely.

[Will it be faster to just carry you until the bench?]

[Yo, Your Highness?!]

When I reflexively lifted my face, His Highness showed a smile.

you finally raised your head. Can you walk?]

[Ah…. Yes, I can.]

When I met with his breath-taking eyes, I thought that my consciousness might get blown away by those mischievous amethyst eyes.

I pretended to nod and lowered my head again..

[I asked if you can walk but…. Oh well. I will support your center of gravity just like this so walk while I push you.]

[Yes…]

ニコルも傍で腕を伸ばしてくれている。

**Nicole also reaches his arms to his side.

Like I was told, I walked while being guided by His Highness.

I arrived at the bench and just like that lowered my waist.

[I’m sorry for forcing you.]

[No, it’s because my foot tripped…. Uhm, your hand….]

Probably because I sat down on the same position I walked, but His Highness’ hand is still in my waist and still holding on it.

Even when I tried putting some distance on our unchanged position, I’m no match to His Highness’ strength.

[Isn’t it fine to stay like this for a while? Or is it that you hate being touched by me?]

[There’s no such absurdity! …. But I can’t calm down.]

When I honestly expressed myself, His Highness said is that so and laughed.

However, there’s no sign that his hands are gonna let me go any time soon.

[It might sound weird when I say it this way, but I want to feel your existence.

[…. What do you mean?]

[Before I answer that, please look this way.]

His hand stretched out to hold my chin, and he lifted my face just like that.

Still, I don’t have the courage to meet his gaze so I looked away.

I wonder if he hasn’t noticed my erratic breathing.

Since a while ago, my heart has never had the time to relax.

I want to think that my eyes blurring is just my imagination.

Even I myself don’t know why I’m this nervous. I wonder if this is the effect His Highness has on others.

[When I first saw you in the classroom, I seriously doubted whether you’re really alive. Don’t get me wrong, it does not mean you look morbid. It’s because I’ve never seen someone as white and translucent like you… You looked unreal.]

Is that something Your Highness can say?  I hurriedly swallowed the words I wanted to say.

[That’s why I wanted to make sure. And then, I was not able to wait for the introduction so I called out.]

[Were you able to confirm it?]

[You’re right…  Other than that, the way you responded to my words left a deep impression on me. When talking to me, the other person’s first words would be of flattery, after all.]

[Then….]

I wonder what this situation is.

I’m glad that I wasn’t rude at that time, though.

[But when it comes to you,  you will just just smile from that and won’t speak, right? And it will be bad if I initiate the conversation because it will be conspicuous…. When I thought of that, the distance just widens.]

[O, oh….]

I didn’t think His Highness was thinking about me to such extent, I don’t know how to react.

However, I’m scared of calling out to talk to him so that is impossible.

[The you looking far away…. I thought that you might disappear like a bubble someday.]

[….I think you’ve finished confirming that I’m a human being, though.]

[You don’t like me touching you?]

[I don’t think that I don’t like it. And a person’s warmth also feels reassuring…. but if the opposite party is Your Highness, I get nervous and can’t calm down. My heart has been beating so hard since a while ago that it’s suffocating.]

If I say it to that extent, he’s probably going to release me soon so I stayed on his chest as I was. From his point of view, he might have probably noticed that I might really start crying.

[If you tell me that with teary eyes… at this rate, I’ll really end up wanting to make you cry.]

[…………]

[I wonder why I, too, when it comes to you, I don’t want to  show mercy.]

[If I cry, will you please let me go?]

[Well, I wonder?]

[Please give me a break…]

It’s already completely over my capacity!

What, is His Highness the type who bullies others?

I wanted to somehow gain some distance so I pushed His Highness’ chest with my hands. However, I ended up holding myself back and I couldn’t gather my strength. I’m such a coward!

[Even if you reject me powerlessly, you’re just stirring me up.]

[What does Your Highness want me to do…]

[I feel like watching your crying face, but it’s not like I want to trouble you, either. And that’s not the main topic, after all.]

Just what kind of situation is looking at a crying face without being troubled?

Speaking of which, I forgot  about the original topic. Or rather, I forced it out of my mind.

As expected, it’s impossible to talk like this so His Highness finally released his hand from my chin.

I heard from Camille about your conversation this morning. It didn’t occur to me that there will be idiots willing to pick a fight with you… I wanted to talk to you about it but, I’m sorry for it being so late. Were you okay after that?]

[Yes, because nothing happened after that. On the contrary, I ended up causing worries around me… I was reflecting on whether or not I could’ve dealt with it better.]

[There’s nothing for you to reflect upon, is what I’d like to say but if you showed the way you interacted with Jule-senpai to other people like back at the salon, some people who are jealous are bound to come up.]

[Regarding that incident, I’m never doing that again, ever.]

I won’t let him.

I remember that time when I was sitting on my brother’s lap and His Highness clearly witnessed it and even though it’s late, my face reddens in shame.

[Well, Jule-senpai also has some fault on it but… I understand his feeling of wanting to take care of you.]

[Your Highness….?]

Why is my head currently being stroked by His Highness?

Is it that he’s treating me like a cat?

[…This is just a thought but, isn’t my interaction with Your Highness going to cause unjust suspicions?]

[Such things, I’ll slaughter them.]

[No, uhm….]

He just placed himself up the shelf, this person!

Even though you’ve been careful in the classroom so  as to not stand out, are you not doing the same at the dorms?!

…. Though, it’s already night and there aren’t a lot of people around.

Speaking of which, I wonder if a long time has passed already.

As I was looking for Nicole, he appeared with the wheelchair.

His Highness who saw it also confirmed the time.

[It’s already this time, huh. I’m sorry for  having you accompany me until this late.]

[I, too, thank you for coming out of your way to express your concern.]

[The next time our eyes meet, call out.]

That’s impossible.

Moreover, I feel like I’ll be bullied.

I replied on His Highness’ remark with a smile. And it seems like His Highness has noticed.

[I understand, so it’s fine if I just caught you again.]

[Please stop it.]

The wheelchair has finally arrived in front of me and I’m finally released from His Highness.

He gently caressed my cheek before parting.

Contrary to his appearance, the feeling of his masculine hand strangely lingers.

[It’s my first time seeing Sheryl-sama that panicked.]

[I am surprised myself, too.]

[It was lovely.]

[Nicole, I’m not happy.]

[Because it was uncool.]

[Kuh…]

If there’s a next time that I’ll have to talk with His Highness, I better think of a countermeasure.

1 – In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. (I don’t understand this either so just go to google-sensei.)