70 – Siege and Defense of Marhen Territory (12)
It was not until after the strategy meeting that I had the opportunity to say hello to my teacher.
“Long time no see, Master. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Okay, I guess I’ve finally started saying the word ‘master’, you brat. Seeing that you have grown up so well, it seems that my teachings were definitely not in vain.”
I couldn’t help but smile a little bitterly as Master mentioned the initial circumstances of our meeting.
Obviously I came here from the modern world, and over time I learned that this world is not as simple as it seems in the games.
However, even though I knew it with my head, it was quite difficult to accept it with my body and instincts.
Differences in lifestyle, culture, and way of thinking. Everything surrounding me was similar yet different from my previous life.
So, without even realizing it, I thought of the people around me as characters from a game, and I kept my distance from them when it came to calling them names or contacting them.
Things got better as time went by, but things like a slight sense of distance remained without my knowledge.
In the meantime, relationships are coming.
Aunt Lana and Lena, as well as Master. Diveright Sisters. Princess Angela. Her maid and c. And although I approached first
I don’t know if it’s because I have more peace of mind, but now I feel like I can really talk about these women as my connections.
Isn’t it finally time that I have truly blended into this world?
“You’re thinking useless thoughts again, disciple. “I told you to be careful because you have a lot of distracting thoughts except when you are swinging your sword.”
-Hey, man! You sat in the ring thinking about useless things again!! He’s fine when he swings his fist. Why on earth do you do that? Don’t be proud of your good grades, just relax! Be nervous!!
The teacher’s nagging as soon as we meet him now sounds like the director’s words at the old dojo.
As always, the guy named me just shakes his shoulders and the constant nagging tickles my ears.
What is different from the previous world is that there is no story about Hannah.
‘I guess I’ll have to let it go now. Even for the other kids… But… ‘It’s not easy.’
She reminds me of her every time I laugh happily with other kids.
Considering when I first started knowing her, she is the only woman I have been with for over 10 years, so perhaps it is natural for her to be like this?
If the time comes, there may come a day when I can share what I have experienced. I feel sorry even thinking about how I deliberately pretended not to know Lena’s feelings.
“So you think differently. You can’t fix it the moment you say it, man. “At first, I wondered if there was such a clever boy, but it turned out that I was just thinking in vain and that his brain worked so well at important moments because he didn’t normally use it.”
With a bitter smile on my face at Master’s continued scolding, I left after sharing a few words of nagging with Master, matters related to the operation, and appropriate greetings.
While we were meeting Lena, Sharon, and Meron again and talking about future operations,
“Eleanor, it’s been a while. How have you been doing?”
“…Yes. John.”
I came face to face with Eleanor, whom I had not seen for a long time.
The last time we met was right after the academy vacation, giving candy… It’s been almost two months since we met. Vacation will be over soon.
In the original game, Eleanor appears quite devastated after the fall of the Marchen duchy.
-A woman from the Duke of Marchen must know the weight of that name. My wounds can’t even make a dent under its weight.
When her fatigue reached a certain level, her eyes were as empty as those of a drug addict as she held up her shield and spoke her lines.
She was not angry at the secrets she had hidden from her brainwashed family, who had put her on the battlefield from a young age.
She just silently accepted it.
-…Dad’s work is okay. I have to be okay. I am the last direct descendant of the Duke of Marhen… Because I have to do my duty.
Even in the unjust tragedy involving her own father.
It is a well-known fact that her family members are also victims of the family’s long-standing evil customs, but as a victim, she has the right to blame everything and feel sad.
As she progressed through the story in the Chronicles of Karnia and secrets related to her duchy of Marhen were revealed, I wanted her to show her emotions and let go of her anger.
But she couldn’t even smile bitterly, she just accepted everything and persevered.
I hated that.
A girl who became insensitive because she hated pain and lost her expression.
She must have suffered more than I did in the past, and I didn’t want her to suffer.
I had a hard time in the past, but when I see this girl who has lived an even harder life, my heart breaks even more.
So I offer candy again.
“Do you want some candy today?”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
He said that luxuries are not allowed, and since everything is obtained through the grace of the imperial family, other than necessary things should not be used for one’s own pleasure.
In the overly clean family tradition of the Duke of Marchen, her only luxury was candy.
You can’t even buy that with your own money.
It wasn’t that she didn’t have money.
However, she did not think of spending the money for herself.
For the reason that those who bear the name Marhen must do so.
-Squeak…
She feels awkward even opening a bag of candy.
Although she likes candy, she doesn’t eat it as much as she thought, so even opening the package is awkward.
I felt sorry for her, so I held her hand and opened her bag of candy together.
– Boom!
“…Ah… “
“Now, here.”
A tanker who protects others by carrying a shield larger than himself with his small body.
And yet, she is a girl who can’t even eat a small piece of candy.
My attraction to this may have been instinct.
It is an instinct that comes from my desire to help the unfortunate girl who raises a shield to protect others.
The desire to succeed as a knight, and the promise to never regret anything again, mixed with that desire and instinct, made me play my fingers deeper than usual.
-Talk…
“Ah… “
An act that would normally have ended with just opening the bag of candy, this time involved bringing it to the mouth.
The plump lips of a small face touch my fingertips, and Eleanor opens her mouth in surprise.
In the midst of all this, I didn’t let the candy go from my mouth.
“Sorry. I ended up touching my lips. “I apologize if I offended you.”
“Oh, no… I’m sorry. I’m not sorry. Well, I never meant to harass you… “
I laugh a little at the rare sight of her blushing, bowing her head to me and apologizing.
I was the one making the harassment, but why am I receiving an apology?
I, who had not yet accepted the s*xual concepts of this world, and who will never accept them in some parts of my life, took out another candy in response to her apology.
-Rustly…
“Uh, huh… ?”
“This is my apology, Eleanor.”
He took out a new candy and shoved it into her pocket.
After gently teasing her lips with your finger, you tried to hit her with candy. There is no bad guy like this in the world.
But for some reason, I wanted to do that.
I thought that approach would be more suitable for the young lady who was looking blankly at me in front of her.
This unreasonable approach may be more effective for someone who only struggles and cannot express themselves properly.
“Whenever you feel tired, think of me while eating it. Then get some rest. “See you again tomorrow.”
A man who slaps the duke’s princess… I feel like I’ve become a very bad person.
But in a world like this, a taste like this wouldn’t be okay. At least for the princess in front of me.
With a smile on her face, he turned away from her and went back to where Lena and her sisters were.
The expression on the princess’s face as she looks at me from behind is left to my imagination.
* * *
-Jeobeok, Jeobeok…
Eleanor Marchen stares blankly at the back of a man walking away with a knight’s step.
-Crack, crack…
The sound of hard candy melting into saliva as it hits her teeth in her mouth rings in her ears and takes over Eleanor’s heart.
“…Sweet.”
Sweet.
Candy, one of the few pleasures in his life, erases the taste of blood from his mouth.
The smell and taste of blood that I have carried with me my whole life.
Unlike this, I really enjoyed the taste of sweetness, which I was not allowed to taste.
Although he did not buy it himself because it was difficult for the Duke of Marchen to expect luxuries such as sweets, he did not refuse what he could get.
How did John find out this?
A man who was like a gift given to him from heaven.
-Eleanor. Be sure to save… Understand. Dad will always love you.
“…Papa… “
Why does the candy that John gave me feel sweeter than the candy that his dad gave me the day before he left me?
And why am I repeating the title to John that I couldn’t even call his father back then?
From Noble mtl dot com
– Whenever you feel tired, think of me while eating it.
“…Sweet.”
-Rustling.
Eleanor Marchen touched the candy that Johann had put in his pocket.
For some reason, the candy felt sweeter in my hand than the candy spewing out sweetness in my mouth.