Chapter 241
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I knock but there’s no response.
I can definitely sense Puffy’s presence inside.
This is troubling… or rather, worrying.
The elderly education supervisor(?) who was ordered by the Chancellor to guide me has already left the scene, presumably because those were his only orders.
While muttering to myself about how words like 「improper」 are far from my vocabulary, I keep knocking and calling out like some urban legend ghost: 「Puffy, it’s me. Please open up,」 「It’s okay, it’s me.」
However, met with complete silence, I start to wonder if this might be a time-sensitive emergency and conclude that I should break down the door to get in. Just as I’m mentally preparing myself with a prayer, I hear a click.
「Ichiro,」
Despite not much time having passed, she appears completely exhausted.
「Puffy…」
As I wonder how I should address her…
She speaks first, as if reading my mind.
「Please, come into my room.」
All thoughts of propriety, manners, and etiquette fly out the window. I have a feeling that if I don’t talk to Puffy now, she might disappear like bubbles in the air.
As I take the seat she offers, she bows her head.
「I have caused you far too much trouble, Ichiro. I am truly sorry.」
This is the fourth time I’ve received an apology from a woman I’ve grown close to.
No matter how many times it happens, I’ll never get used to it, and I doubt I ever will.
「What should I do from here on…」
Puffy raises her face and murmurs softly.
「I’ve lost everything.」
「Puffy, it was all just a bad dream. So—」
She cuts off my words, her expression somehow vacant.
「My wealth, my honor, my trust, my dreams and hopes,」
She whispers, as if checking off items one by one.
「And… my future with—」
But her voice trails off, becoming barely audible.
「You’re as kind as ever, Ichiro. You don’t even blame me for how I’ve neglected you. I must be truly shameless to feel relieved by your kindness.」
「Puffy, that’s not true. It was all Ryūgūin’s fault. So please don’t worry about it anymore.」
「No, it wasn’t just the Hero’s fault. I remember everything.」
「But that was because of Ryūgūin’s skill—」
「Yes, I lost my sanity due to his skill—that’s true. But I can’t help remembering those days…」
Puffy crouches down, holding her head.
「What should I do? Ah, I’m truly an ugly woman. Even now, I want to forget everything, regardless of shame or appearances.」
Tears begin to stream from Puffy’s eyes.
「Those days when I lived only for his contact every three days, devoted my entire life to him, felt like I could touch the sky just by hearing his voice—they were a nightmare.」
Puffy, who had been trying to stay composed, finally breaks down and lets out wordless cries of 「Ah, aah, aah, ah」 as tears flow.
「This is beyond repair now. It’s all in the past. We can’t get it back.
Please believe me… this isn’t a lie… it’s true… truly… I had intended to support you with all my might as you went off to battle for us.」
I think about the time that could have been.
I would have gone on a journey with Mika. We might have kept in contact with Puffy occasionally, sharing our struggles and receiving her encouragement. After returning from fierce battles, I might have worked up the courage to confess my feelings to her through the Contact Pearl, maybe even getting teased by Mika about it.
And when I returned to the castle after completing our journey, she might have thrown herself into my arms.
「And yet… why, why did I—」
She poses a question that has no answer.
Both she and I imagine a place that isn’t here.
「I gladly spoke ill of you.」
My chest aches at her expression, somehow smiling through her tears.
「It wasn’t just earlier. Whenever I contacted Sir Hero, I would almost always join him in disparaging you. Those memories, those memories just won’t—」
Puffy breaks into deep sobs.
「To you, I—」
Unable to leave her like this, I embrace her.
Her body feels so small.
「I wanted to disappear if I could, but I’m the Princess of Arcana, and I’m not allowed to disappear. We can’t spread any more scandals to other countries. Even within our country, because of us, many noblemen will be punished, the church’s power balance will crumble, and my father will likely be forced to retire.」
She clings to me like a child.
「Puffy, listen to me.」
She buries her tear-stained face in my chest.
「It’s all beyond repair now. Everything about you, everything—」
Her trembling hands grip my shoulders tightly.
「Puffy, please listen to me.」
No matter how commonplace my words might be, I have an obligation to convey these feelings of mine to her, who seems like she might disappear at any moment.
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