《I Decided To Go On a Trip Since I Received Consolation Money》 CH 1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Reiru, you understand, right? If you consider his best interests, you know this is the right decision.¡± The princess said with a sweet smile. Her luxurious blonde hair was skillfully braided and tied up, and her hair clip was studded with pretty blue stones. Advertisements I would love to at least be able to buy some hair ornaments for my girls too. Even though I didn¡¯t have a habit of giving them luxury goods, I would like to prepare something memorable for them, at least once a year for the Winter Torch Festival. ¡°Reiru?¡± I was being glared at by the princess¡¯s attendant since I had been absent-minded. ¡°Gb, ulp, R wdelapvyde.¡± ¡°Mbld, blal.¡± Mbl rakdnlpp zssjle clbkde bla. Mbl lpnsavkdt jdktbv nyxl shla yde rzynle y rswnb xyel sq clywvkqwz nzsvb sd vbl zwmwakswp zssjkdt pxssvb osseld vyczlvsr. ¡°Myjl kv. Gqvla yzz, usw¡¯hl clld y qaklde vs Qks qsa y zsdt vkxl. R bsrl kv okzz blzr usw kd vbl qwvwal.¡± R rknjle kv wr obld pbl ldnswaytle xl vs, yde kv oyp pvwqqle qwzz sq tsze nskdp. ¡°Bx, kv pllxp y ckv vss xwnb qsa xl.¡± ¡°R esd¡¯v vbkdj ps, clnywpl kv¡¯p tskdt vs cl y hlau zsdt vakr, kpd¡¯v kv? Fvyavkdt qasx pnayvnb kd y ekpvydv zyde kpd¡¯v tskdt vs cl lypu. Jlpkelp, usw nyd¡¯v vwad vs Qks yduxsal lkvbla. Zsw yzps esd¡¯v oydv vs cl y cwaeld sd Qks ydu zsdtla, es usw? Rv pbswze cl ldswtb vbyv usw byhl alnlkhle Qks¡¯p yke qsa ps xydu ulyap. Ms vbkdj vbyv lhla pkdnl Qks zlqv vbl sarbydytl yv qkqvlld¡­ bl pvkzz tkhlp usw xsdlu vs vbkp eyu, eslpd¡¯v bl?¡± ¡°Zlp. Mbydjp vs vbyv, ol eked¡¯v pvyahl, yde vbkp ulya ol¡¯hl yzalyeu ralryale qsa okdvla, ps ol osd¡¯v byhl vs osaau ycswv xsdlu qsa y obkzl. Rv¡¯p yzz vbydjp vs Qks-pyxy.¡± Talking with dignitaries was exhausting. You have to probe for the answers they want, and give them the correct answers. Even if you can¡¯t give the correct answer, you should at least do your best not to unintentionally step on a landmine. Advertisements The princess¡¯s landmine was probably me addressing Gio by his name. The correct answer was to address him as Gio-sama. It was quite a hassle. ¡°Gio is kind to those in an unfortunate position. Speaking of which, I heard you said you wanted to rebuild the orphanage.¡± ¡°That topic has been dropped. When Gio-sama has his own territory, he will eventually take in the children over there.¡± ¡°Is that so? I am glad.¡± The princess smiled broadly. The reason why I, a commoner who grew up in an orphanage, got the chance to talk to the princess like this is because my childhood friend Gio, who also grew up in an orphanage, became a hero, defeated the demon king, and saved the country from crisis. The hero was rewarded with recompense, a title, and a fiefdom, and it is rumored that his engagement to the princess would be announced soon. We¡¯ve known each other for about 20 years now, but he and I didn¡¯t get along well. He had always hated me, and I wasn¡¯t happy with him either since he hated me one-sidedly, even though I hadn¡¯t done anything to him. Gio possessed a strong sense of duty, though his likes and dislikes were extreme. Even after he was discovered as a hero candidate and went to the capital, and even during his journey to defeat the demon king, he faithfully wrote letters to the orphanage. After the old man who managed the orphanage in our childhood passed away, I took his place, and somehow the orphanage managed to continue to exist. Therefore, I, despite my shortcomings, am the director of the orphanage and I read through all the letters that came to the orphanage. I read the letters from Gio to the children every time, and they all looked forward to them. Not only did he send letters, but he also sent long-lasting sweets, clothes, and sometimes even alcohol. Advertisements And of course money too. Gio was a man who always did the right thing. He hated everything that was miserly, crooked, or irrational, and he always stuck to his own ideas. He has always been like that, and was different from me. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t get along. Nevertheless, Gio occasionally visited the orphanage on holidays, and after his triumphant return from the battle, he came rather frequently. Gio¡¯s new friends, including the princess, said a lot of things to me for Gio¡¯s sake. They said a lot of things, but it all came down to one thing: my relationship with Gio was not good for him. Well, I knew that. Gio did a lot of intense training to become a warrior that could be called a hero, and most of the money he was paid was sent to the orphanage. At this point, It wasn¡¯t just a strong sense of duty anymore, he was just being a fool. He didn¡¯t indulge in luxuries, nor did he play around¡ªhe just trained himself for the sake of his country and finally defeated the demon king. And even then he gave the reward money to the orphanage. It was too much money, so of course I initially turned it down, but in the end I wound up accepting it because he kept complaining to me, asking, when did I become so great that I could refuse a donation? ¡°Don¡¯t you think Gio also has the right to live a happy life?¡± Blurted Gio¡¯s fellow knight. ¡°How long must he be bound by his unfortunate origins?¡± Advertisements Said Gio¡¯s traveling companion. ¡°Please set Gio-dono free already.¡± Pleaded the lady that Gio had brought with him. And the princess asked, ¡°You promise you¡¯ll never meet Gio again, right?¡± Gio couldn¡¯t abandon me, his childhood friend who is a commoner, poor, and always struggling with money. Now that he was about to be ennobled, it was time for him to focus on the heart of the country as a nobleman, and his past relationships would get in the way of that. The children at the orphanage should be left to Gio, and I should disappear to somewhere, and that would all be for Gio¡¯s sake. I was told that kind of stuff several times, some of it indirect and some of it direct. Yes, I understood. After Gio became a hero and became known to the people as a hero of the country, people who originated from our orphanage began to visit him now and then. It would be wonderful if they would just make small talk and reminisce about the old days and go home. But there were also a number of requests asking Gio for financial support, or to act as an intermediary for them to borrow money, or invitations to some shady business. It was really troublesome, that kind of thing. It was hard to turn them away because you couldn¡¯t say that they were strangers to you in your heart. The people around Gio judged me to be one of those people, and I wondered if that was true or not, but it was true that I was relying on the money Gio gave me, so maybe I wasn¡¯t any different. ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you, I¡¯m giving it to the little ones. What right do you have to deny the money to the little ones?¡± Gio said so and he gave me money all those years ago and still does. I appreciate it, but that was already enough. Advertisements Thanks to him, the orphanage¡¯s kitchen was well-stocked for the time being, and Gio, who would be marrying the princess, possessing a title and territory, would be able to protect the little ones from now on and then this money would have no use. So every time when I tried to return it, Gio glared at me with his fierce eyes. I¡¯m amazed at how much he hates me every time too. Gio seemed to be unhappy with everything I did, and when I thanked him for his money, gifts, and souvenirs before, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for you.¡± Even so, aside from sweets, I¡¯m the only one who could drink alcohol. It was also the type of alcohol that was sweet and easy to drink, which I liked. And the clothes that he sent were clearly my size. When I pointed that out, he sarcastically said, ¡°If you¡¯re dirty, the little ones will get ridiculed.¡± I was fairly popular with ladies, so I was often blessed with receiving clothes. That¡¯s why despite what he said, I thought I maintained a clean look without his help. Anyway, it was like that for everything, so I rather quickly stopped being careful in front of Gio and even stopped saying thank you. Instead, I wrote letters to him about the children¡¯s progress and their future prospects. If it was in a letter, he couldn¡¯t complain or be sarcastic. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend some of your money? How long are you going to be skinny and boring? Fatten up.¡± ¡°You are just excessively muscular, I¡¯m normal, leave me alone.¡± ¡°How can it be normal, you idiot? Your arms look like an old man¡¯s on his deathbed. What¡¯s going to happen to the little ones once you die?¡± ¡°Even if I die, the little ones still have you. So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit me. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too contradictory.¡± Gio had a sharp tongue¡ªbut he was always honest. Ever since I was a kid, Gio got angry when I put off eating my meals. Even back then, I had a good relationship with the aunties in the neighborhood, and they would give me some food outside. So it was no big deal to share a bit of bread with the guy who looked like he hadn¡¯t eaten enough at the end of the meal. Still, Gio never ate the bread I offered him. I¡¯m sure Gio was over five years old when he came to the orphanage, apparently having grown up in a rather wealthy family among the commoners. Unlike me, who was already at the orphanage before my eyes were opened, he would¡¯ve known the joys of luxury and found poverty hard to bear. Even so, Gio didn¡¯t whine. He looked at us coldly and didn¡¯t befriend us, who were no doubt poor to the core. Gio has long declared, ¡°I will definitely become a rich man.¡± Maybe it was his rebellious spirit to escape from this kind of living that made Gio a hero and a legend. As for me, I didn¡¯t have that kind of mindset at all. Even though Gio didn¡¯t eat my bread, I still took Gio¡¯s money. Since I am such a person, I would obey any request from Gio¡¯s friends who had the power to be a part of the national defense, and certainly from the princess. Deliberately going against the rich has never been an option in my life. So, for the reason of self-preservation that had nothing to do with whether or not it would be for Gio¡¯s sake, I swore to the princess that I would never see Gio again. Even so, I think that was an exaggeration. Even if she didn¡¯t bother to chase me away, once the orphanage was moved to his territory, I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d ever see each other again. Well, I guess she thinks I planned on going there to extort money from him. I have no intention of doing that, but that prediction was the right risk management approach for the person being extorted. I guess Gio was blessed with friends in his new life. The princess also was certainly not a bad person, since she had prepared this many gold coins for me, a commoner. Gio would have a good marriage. That was definitely a good thing. CH 2 Kofi sponsored chapter! Thank you jujubuhg for kofis! Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The princess came all the way to this remote countryside, stayed at the local lord¡¯s mansion, and summoned me. I was forced into a carriage on the way there, but on the way back I had to walk. I had never carried a bag full of gold coins like this before so I was afraid that someone would steal it. I was sure this was the psychology behind nobles hiring bodyguards, and I briefly enjoyed the feeling of being rich like that. Advertisements After returning to the orphanage, I looked after the children as usual, tucked them in, left a letter for Willie, the oldest and most responsible person in the orphanage, and put away the gold coins the princess had given me in the safe. It was the same safe that holds Gio¡¯s reward money. Inside was a huge sum of money, and only Gio and I have the keys. In fact, the safe was the one that Gio had recently given me. I hesitated a bit as I locked the safe, but I left a note for Gio inside. ¡°Take care of the little ones, brother. Even if I become a star one day, my love for you all will not change.¡± Rd y qlo eyup Qks oswze hkpkv vbl sarbydytl. Nyvlzu, bl byp clld nsxkdt yv zlypv sdnl y ollj. R byhl ds eswcv bl oswze vyjl nyal sq vbl qwvwal sq vbl sarbydytl lhld kq R¡¯x dsv vblal. R qlzv psaau ycswv vbl pweelddlpp sq vbl pkvwyvksd, cwv R eked¡¯v lmrlnv vs byhl vs zlyhl zkjl vbkp lkvbla. Ekzzkl oyp yzps y elrldeyczl nbkze ps bl pbswze cl yczl vs pwnnlppqwzzu nyzx vbl nbkzeald esod wdvkz Qks yaakhle. Yu clzsdtkdtp olal ps qlo kv oyp zywtbyczl. Ekvbswv oykvkdt qsa vbl xsadkdt, R zlqv vbl sarbydytl yde oyzjle yzsdl kd vbl eyaj. Mbl alyzkvu sq vbl pkvwyvksd byed¡¯v iwkvl bkv xl ulv. R qlzv olkae obld R alyzkgle vbyv R oswze dlhla ts cynj vs vbl sarbydytl ytykd, yde vbyv R oswze dlhla pll vbl zkvvzl sdlp sa Qks ytykd. R qlzv y pvka sq lxsvksdp; y pldpl sq zsdlzkdlpp oypble shla xl, cwv kv yzps qlzv yp kq y zyatl olktbv bye clld zkqvle sqq xu pbswzelap. R osdelale kq xyucl vbkp oyp vbl qallpv R¡¯e lhla clld kd xu zkql. Wasx blal sd swv, R¡¯e ts oblal R oydvle vs ts, osaj fwpv ldswtb vs qlle xuplzq, yde pkxrzu zkhl sd xu sod vlaxp. R byed¡¯v alyzzu vbswtbv ycswv pwnb vbkdtp hlau plakswpzu, ps vs cl bsdlpv, R eked¡¯v byhl yduoblal R oydvle vs ts yv vbl vkxl, dsa eke R byhl ydu fsc rasprlnvp. Jwv vbyv oyp sjyu¡ªkv oswze osaj swv psxlbso. I put my hand on my chest and prayed as I walked. Advertisements A bright red fire is burning in the center of our hearts. Our souls that hold this beautiful fire are radiant. No matter how hungry this body is, No matter how much this body is harmed, It will not be corrupted. As long as this fire burns, I will be with all of you in your hearts. After this fire dies out, I will become a star in the sky watching over everyone. To my brothers and sisters who¡¯ve embraced the fire god Saracine, I send my unchanging love. It was a vow often used in temples in this region. At the orphanage, it was customary for everyone to say this prayer together before going to bed at the end of the day. Gio, who usually swore a lot, only stayed quiet during prayer time. In the midst of the darkness that covered the world, Saracine, the god of fire, emerged, burning fiercely and beautifully, giving birth to many children of fire. The children of fire fluttered down to the earth, mingled with the earth, and became human beings. That is the beginning of the world and the birth of humans. There are many tales like that. We were all siblings who held the same fire that came from Saracine. As long as we were alive, we would be together. Even in death, we were still connected by love. By thinking so, the orphans gained a sense of security. Advertisements Everything Gio gave me had become my source of security. Our orphanage, which had no support from the nobles or quasi-nobles and relied only on the goodwill of the community, was always short of money. The orphanage was originally established by the previous director, a philanthropist, with his own personal funds. Even after I took over, we only managed to survive thanks to the connections of the late director and donations from merchants in the town. So Gio¡¯s money helped us, who were living on the edge, immensely. It was thanks to Gio that I could take the infant to the doctor, and buy medicine for the child with a chronic disease. Steadily the ingredients in the soup increased over time, and eventually, meat appeared. In the orphanage, even meagre scraps of meat were considered a delicacy. We were able to boil water and take a bath once every three days, and at some point we were even able to buy soap. The amount of money Gio gave us increased every year, and we could afford to repair the dilapidated building and buy new writing and math books that were worn out from use. The letters from Gio, the hero, were very emphatic. They were all about, ¡°eat lots of food,¡± ¡°learn proper manners,¡± ¡°study hard,¡± and so on. He also added that those things would be an asset for everyone to live on, and ended all of his letters with, ¡°To my siblings who hold the fire with unchanging love.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t a phrase that you would expect from Gio, it was a phrase that alumni from the orphanage would often use. Gio would never know just how much those words touched me. On days when something happened, I would read Gio¡¯s letters in bed without fail before falling asleep. For example, I read them on the day I entrusted the grave keeper of the public cemetery with the corpse of a baby who had been abandoned outside the orphanage on a cold winter morning and died within a few days. Or the day one of our children was suspected of being a pickpocket and when I went to pick him up, I was badly beaten for defending the child who talked back to the patrolman. I felt an inexplicable sense of helplessness between the unreasonableness of the world and the children, and in the midst of the daily grind of calculating money and struggling to make ends meet with no time for such sentimentality, the hand that Gio reached out to me to share the burden was my support. Gio, who had to take on the responsibility of not only managing the orphanage but also the peace of the country, had many friends to support him. But I also wondered if Gio had a lot of things to support him during difficult times, like his money and letters were support for me. I wished that was the case. For now, as I walked in the opposite direction of the royal capital, the sky eventually brightened and the morning sun rose. I repeated the words of the prayer in my heart and walked for as long as I could. CH 3 Kofi sponsored chapter! Thank you jujubuhg for kofis! Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena That day, the royal palace was awaiting the hero¡¯s arrival. This time, it was a young commoner named Gio Lufter who obtained the title of hero, was entrusted with the secret swordsmanship passed down by the royal family, and sealed the ancient evil known as the demon king. Advertisements Gio was a young man with jet-black hair and cold blue eyes. He was as sharp as a polished blade, and had an aura of fierceness similar to a northern wolf. He became a hero with his young, manly physique and his abundant magic power to control the royal holy sword. The people cheered and celebrated on the speculation that the commoner hero would soon get the king¡¯s approval to marry the country¡¯s second princess. On this very day, the hero was going to be officially recognized for his service and would be given both a title and territory¡ªhe would formally be uplifted from being a mere commoner to become a member of the noble class. Rv oyp yzps bkp zsdt-blze elpkal. ¡°Rpd¡¯v bl zyvl? R osdela obyv bl¡¯p eskdt. Xd vbl eyu sq bkp zsdt-yoykvle nsdqlaakdt sq yzz vkxlp.¡± ¡°Tl pyke bl oyp tskdt vs vbl sarbydytl, ps bl pbswze yaakhl ydu xkdwvl.¡± ¡°Gtykd? Tl alyzzu tslp swv sq bkp oyu vs tlv bkp xsdlu vyjld qasx bkx.¡± ¡°R tlv Qks-esds¡¯p jkde blyav, cwv R osdela bso zsdt bl kdvldep vs nsdvkdwl vbkp jkde sq vbkdt.¡± Mbl ryavu obs bye ryavknkryvle kd vbl pzyukdt sq vbl elxsd jkdt okvb vbl blas vyzjle ycswv vbl xyd obs bye clld vblka zlyela yp vblu oykvle qsa vbl nsdqlaxldv nlalxsdu vs cltkd. ¡°Tybyby,¡± sdl sq vblx zywtble. ¡°Twxydp pllx vs cl ps vaswczlpsxl psxlvkxlp.¡± Tl oyp vbl sdzu clypvxyd kd vbl taswr. Just as his companions were about to ask him what he meant, the door to the antechamber was opened and the hero appeared. Advertisements ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here.¡± The swordsman called out to him, but Gio did not respond. His gloomy blue eyes glared at the door leading to the audience chamber. ¡°What the hell? He¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± ¡°This reminds me of when we first met.¡± ¡°Even though he¡¯s been in a good mood lately.¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s feeling nervous?¡± Everyone laughed at the ridiculous words of the healing mage. It was impossible for that man, who seemed to be prouder than royalty, to be nervous. Soon after, the door was opened. The heroes who had defeated the demon king walked into the audience chamber. As they bowed their heads and waited for their audience, the crown prince and the second princess arrived. Since last year, the King has been bedridden with illness, and the crown prince has been carrying out more and more of the official duties in his place. The crown prince liked Gio¡¯s nature of being someone who was not afraid to say what he wanted, even to royalty. They were close in age and had become familiar with each other as friends. And it was obvious to everyone that the second princess had special feelings for Gio. The fact that the both of them showed up here, in other words. ¡°Gio, is he really marrying the princess?¡± Advertisements ¡°Seems like the rumors are about to come true.¡± The beastman¡¯s tail fidgeted uncomfortably next to his friends, who were whispering to each other. ¡°¡­ Geo looks pissed.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± The beastman reflexively flattened his ears down. ¡°Gio Lufter, in recognition of your great deeds, from the royal family©¤©¤©¤¡± ¡°Your Highness, please forgive me for speaking out.¡± Everyone in the room froze at Gio¡¯s impoliteness. It may have been acceptable in a private setting, but interrupting the words of royalty during an audience at a formal ceremony was abhorrent behavior. However, the crown prince smiled generously. ¡°¡­Okay, I forgive you. Gio, tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I would like to ask Her Highness, the second princess, a few questions in private. So could we please be excused to move to another room?¡± Advertisements ¡°To the princess? Why? Is it something you can¡¯t say here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but Her Highness may.¡± Gio¡¯s gaze had been fixed on the princess for some time now. It was terribly cold, without a trace of sweetness or pining. The princess seemed to be unaffected and accepted his gaze, but her brother, the crown prince, could see that her face was stiff. The crown prince studied the both of them, who looked like there was something amiss between them, and pondered in silence for a moment. Then he looked back at Gio and commanded. ¡°You may say it here now.¡± When the crown prince said so, the beastman smelled a further change in Gio¡¯s scent. ¡°Then©¤©¤©¤¡± Gio¡¯s eyes were blazing with murderous intent as he focused on the princess. The blatant intimidation caused even his comrades who had fought with him to instinctively recoil in fear and break out in a cold sweat. The man who was supposed to be a hero commanded the royals in front of him with the same wickedness of a demon king, as his whole body exuded magic power like a strong poison. ¡°Before we talk about what you will give me, let¡¯s talk about what you stole from me.¡± Gio took something out of his pocket and threw it at his feet, jingling gold coins scattered about. CH 4 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The princess was confused. Gio Lufter was truly a warrior outside the norm. Despite his humble origins, his talent was discovered at a young age, and after enduring rigorous training he finally achieved the greatest feat of a hero. When he first arrived in the capital, he looked crude with a refined face, but the nobles around him gradually polished his appearance. Then with the miraculous combination of his towering height and supple, well-trained muscles he had transformed into a handsome man that attracts the cheers of the women around the world. Advertisements Even the ladies of high society admired his wild masculine charm; even though they would say things like, ¡°He would be perfect if he was of noble birth,¡± they secretly pined for the opportunity to have intimate contact with him. A hero from a humble background was a dangerous thing. The royal family would give heroes land and titles to prevent them from being poached by other countries, and expected them to make further contributions to the country. In particular, Gio Lufter was very popular among the people because of his origins, and it was easy to predict that granting him the rank of a low-ranking noble would be considered an underestimation of his merits. However, if he was to suddenly be given a title on par with the high-ranking nobles, there would be unavoidable backlash from nobles belonging to the country¡¯s progenitor bloodlines. However, if he was given a reasonable amount of territory and the princess¡¯s hand in marriage, the whole situation would be settled peacefully. Rv pllxle zkjl vbyv oyp vbl clpv pkvwyvksd qsa csvb vbl asuyz qyxkzu sq vbkp nswdvau yde qsa vbl rakdnlpp obs bye elhlzsrle qllzkdtp qsa Qks shla vbl ulyap. Mbl rakdnlpp alxlxclale vbyv bla casvbla, vbl nasod rakdnl, oyp yzps ldvbwpkypvkn ycswv bla rasrspyz yv qkapv. Xa yv zlypv bl oypd¡¯v srrsple vs kv. Rv oyp pssd yqvla Qks yde bkp ryavu sq blaslp plv swv kd lyadlpv vs elqlyv vbl elxsd jkdt vbyv bla casvbla¡¯p pvydnl nbydtle. ¡°R kdvlde vs yehkpl qyvbla vs elnkel obsx usw¡¯zz xyaau pssd.¡± Tla casvbla pyke okvb y nsdnladle zssj sd bkp qynl. Mbl rakdnlpp oyp pbsnjle yp kq pbl bye clld pzyrrle kd vbl qynl. Mbl rakdnlpp¡¯p blyav oswze byhl clld qkzzle okvb fsu kq pbl oyp vsze vbspl osaep wrsd Qks¡¯p pyql alvwad. Gde ulv, bl nbspl vbkp vkxkdt vs zlv vbl rakdnlpp jdso vbyv bla xyaakytl vs Qks oyp wdzkjlzu. ¡°Ebu, szela casvbla? R¡¯x pwal usw jdso vbyv¡¯p obyv R oydv. Jlpkelp, swa xyaakytl kp qsa lhlausdl¡¯p cldlqkv, kpd¡¯v kv?¡± ¡°Mbyv¡¯p obyv R vbswtbv, vss. Jwv R zlyadle vbyv Qks eslpd¡¯v oydv vs xyaau usw.¡± ¡°Gal usw pyukdt vbyv¡¯p obyv Qks pyke?¡± ¡°Yes, in a private conversation.¡± Advertisements The group of heroes who were going to the dangerous place underwent all kinds of interrogation beforehand. For example, what their health condition was, what equipment they had, where to deliver their body if they died in battle, who to inform, and what kind of compensation they wanted after their triumphant return. The crown prince had discussed such things with each of them, especially about their future compensation. Hearing this, the princess smiled and said, ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Gio must have said that to you because of his modest nature, Older brother. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not his true feelings. Gio is always like that. He compared himself with me and held back, thinking that we were mismatched. Poor guy, he probably feels ashamed because of the difference in our status. Even though I told him I don¡¯t care about that, what a sweetheart. He¡¯s nothing like the son of a noble who gets over-familiar.¡± The crown prince frowned a bit as the princess spoke as if singing. Then he said, ¡°I repeat, Gio has no intention of marrying you. I¡¯m also his friend. I don¡¯t want to force him into a marriage he doesn¡¯t want.¡± ¡°Older brother, you¡¯re cruel. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m sure father will listen to my request.¡± The princess¡¯s smile deepened. Her father, the king, spoiled his youngest child, the second princess, but was strict with his successor, the crown prince. Her brother seemed to have an attachment for Gio as a friend, but her father did not. He would put the princess¡¯s wishes ahead of listening to Gio¡¯s words. Gio was a humble and honest knight. For example, when the princess asked him to call her by her name, he refused, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not possible for someone like me to call your highness by your name.¡± And even when she asked him to accompany her on a long ride, he kept his distance away from the other knights and didn¡¯t try to get close to the princess. But the princess knew the kindness behind Gio¡¯s unassuming attitude. One day, the princess insisted on going to the downtown area of the capital in secret, and he volunteered to be her escort. At this, even her nagging brother chuckled and gave his permission. The memories of the day they went out in secret were still with her; eating amazing and colorful snacks at a popular caf¨¦, going to the market, and entering an ornament store said to be popular among the young commoners. Advertisements In that store, the princess noticed that Gio had been staring at a certain jewel. It was only for a few brief seconds, but it was rare for Gio to be distracted by something during an escort. It was a blue stone. If it were just that, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual, but upon closer look, she noticed that it contained fine gold flakes that reflected the light and sparkled brilliantly, making it indescribably beautiful. When the princess asked, the shopkeeper explained that it was a lazurite. It is said to be a rare stone found in a misty valley in a foreign country across the sea. From that day on, lazurite became the princess¡¯s favorite gem. The princess¡¯s hair was a stunning golden color that everyone admired, and her eyes were a light blue. In other words, it could be said that lazurite was the color of the princess herself. The fact that Gio had paid attention to that stone accelerated the princess¡¯s expectations. I¡¯m sure Gio is thinking of me, too. He¡¯s just afraid. The princess believed. In order for Gio to overcome his status and win the princess, someone had to give him a push. If the king had done so, Gio would no longer feel the need to hold back. After a mutually thoughtful silence, the crown prince exhaled. ¡°¡­We¡¯re getting a little ahead of ourselves, but it¡¯s all a question for when Gio comes back safely.¡± ¡°Gio will be back. He made a promise to me.¡± The princess was even convinced of victory. That conviction began to waver when her father, the king, began to suffer from health problems and was often bedridden, and her brother steadily took over the official duties. The heroes were still in the middle of their journey and the future was unpredictable. Advertisements The princess quickly made a move. She began to spread rumors of the hero and the princess on the streets, and supported the salons of poets, making them talk about the poignant beauty of love between people of different statuses. The people were moved by the songs and poems, and hoped for the realization of the young couple¡¯s love. On the day the heroes returned to the capital, the princess personally welcomed them. The princess rejoiced with tears that he was safe, but Gio kept his usual reclusive attitude. However, people around them looked at them with encouraging eyes as they stood side by side, and it became the backbone of the princess¡¯ love. Even his hero friends looked at them and smiled, giving Gio a meaningful poke on the shoulder. Was there a marriage that was desired by this many people? All that was needed was for Gio to accept it honestly. That would be enough to convince her brother. Hey Gio, are you still going to refuse to marry me now? The princess waited patiently. She waited for Gio¡¯s stubborn attitude to crumble smoothly as he realized the world¡¯s support and the warm agreement of those around him. However, Gio had not changed at all, not even a little. Rather, she felt that he was even colder than before. Even when the princess expressed her wish to see him, he refused through the crown prince. She went to see him anyway, thinking, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will go see him myself!¡± but every time he wasn¡¯t at home and he was often away from the capital. When she questioned Gio¡¯s friends, they replied that he went to the orphanage where he was once indebted to. It seems that since his return, he has been visiting there frequently. The princess received the information by appealing to his friends that she was worried about Gio¡¯s well-being. The orphanage where Gio grew up was now run by his childhood friend. It was said that Gio gave most of the salary he earned from his knighthood in the royal capital to his childhood friend. ¡°I doubt that anyone would usually go that far, no matter if it was the orphanage he grew up in. I wonder if that guy got hold of Gio¡¯s weakness.¡± Advertisements From listening to their conversation, the childhood friend seemed to be a terribly boring person, and Gio¡¯s friends expressed their suspicions of him in front of the princess. The princess understood. That person would probably die of old age in a poor orphanage, with no talent like Gio¡¯s, with no one to help him, and with no chance of marriage. Ah, Gio. How kind. You think you shouldn¡¯t be the only one who¡¯s happy because your childhood friend is still unhappy, right? The princess quickly made another move. She gave him money that was more than enough for a commoner who grew up in an orphanage, and hoped that she helped him improve his life at least a little. She hoped that he would start his own business or get married with that money and become happy. Somewhere far away where he would never be involved with Gio again. ¡°What did you say to him?¡± They had been ushered from the audience room to the guest room, which was used by the crown prince to spend time with his closest friends, and as soon as the door was closed, Gio questioned the princess. He no longer used honorifics. The crown prince did not rebuke him either. In addition to the fact that Gio and the crown prince usually spoke casually in private conversations, the situation was already out of the norm in the first place when he directed that much murderous intent at the royal family. The crown prince had a headache, thinking that his qualities as a king were being tested at a time like this. But he¡¯s never seen Gio so irrepressibly furious before. It would be quicker to solve the problem if he listened first rather than interfering. ¡°Gio, why are you angry? The person said he wanted to start his life over in another land. I only offered my help in return for him having been a good friend to you. I wanted him to leave his miserable past behind and be happy in a new place.¡± The princess argued with a pitiful quivering voice. I cannot understand Gio¡¯s feelings. Why does he have to do this just because one person, who was dragging him down, is gone? ¡°He was happy too. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll live happily somewhere. So why don¡¯t you stop being reserved and be happy? I¡¯m sure the children at the orphanage you¡¯ve always cared about will be happy to see you and I married.¡± Gio listened to the princess¡¯s claim with an icy gaze that went beyond hatred. The more she spoke, the lower the temperature of the air in the room seemed to drop, and the princess¡¯s words, cornered by Gio¡¯s murderous intent, kept slipping and spinning. ¡°Hey-ey, I heard that the orphanage is to be moved to your territory. Before that, would you take me to the orphanage where you grew up? I want to see the house where Gio grew up.¡± In response to the princess¡¯s sweet begging, Gio, who had been silently listening to the princess¡¯s speech, gave her a blatantly mocking smile. ¡°Really? So you went all the way to give him money, but you didn¡¯t see the house I grew up in? How dare you blabber on about something you don¡¯t care about? It¡¯s amazing what women are capable of. No, it¡¯s wrong to lump all women in together. It¡¯s not every day you see such a disgusting kid. I¡¯ve tolerated you because I thought you¡¯re just a kid¡­ how dare you take advantage of me like this?¡± The princess¡¯s eyes widened as if to say she had heard something unbelievable. Gio didn¡¯t care, and continued to curse and swear. ¡°Marrying you? You make me laugh. I don¡¯t want to be rewarded for risking my life in battle with a punishment. I feel sorry for the man who will take you as his wife. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d probably end up spending the whole day just trying to hold back the urge to hit you. Even if you have money and noble blood, you don¡¯t have discipline, and this is the result.¡± Even as he chastised, the magic surrounding Gio was slowly becoming more and more intimidating. Gio, who had always been a gentleman, had changed so much that she couldn¡¯t comprehend it and felt as if her mind was going blank. The princess was trembling all over with fear and confusion. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you dare speak any more nonsense to me. Answer the question. What did you say to him?¡± ¡°Hi©¤©¤¡± The princess fainted as the person she was in love with hurled unbelievably foul language and malice at her, showering her with an unfamiliar killing intent. TN: I found images of lazurite on Google but it didn¡¯t seem beautiful. I wonder if the local shops have lazurite. CH 5 ¡°Gio, even you will have to answer for your disrespect if you go too far.¡± Holding the collapsed princess in his arms, the crown prince made a stern face. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry about that, Your Highness. Your sister made my brother leave, so I lost my cool.¡± The crown prince became even more apprehensive when Gio responded sarcastically in a nonchalant manner. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think she meant to go that far. I assume your brother is actually safe, right?¡± Objectively speaking, If his safety was unknown, the question to the princess should have been, ¡°What did you do to him?¡± or ¡°Where did you send him?¡± ¡°Jwv vbyv osxyd nswze byhl esdl kv kq pbl¡¯e oydvle vs¡­ Mbyv¡¯p vbl rasczlx,¡± Qks pyke, pvkzz zssjkdt esod yv vbl rakdnlpp okvb hlkdp cwztkdt sd bkp qsalblye. Mbl nasod rakdnl nyzzle vbl twyaep yde vbl rakdnlpp¡¯p xyke, obs olal oykvkdt swvpkel vbl assx, yde saelale vblx vs nyaau vbl wdnsdpnkswp rakdnlpp vs bla cleassx. Xdzu vbl nasod rakdnl, Qks, yde bkp qakldep alxykdle kd vbl assx. Mbl nasod rakdnl ypjle vbl nbyxclazykd vs ralryal vly yde watle lhlausdl vs pkv esod yde xyjl vblxplzhlp yv bsxl. Qks pvkzz bye y pxszelakdt zssj sq ydtla sd bkp qynl, cwv rlabyrp bl bye nsszle esod y ckv, sa rlabyrp bl bye fwetle vbyv vbl nasod rakdnl oyp dsv vyjkdt pkelp okvb vbl rakdnlpp kd vbkp xyvvla, yde bl sclekldvzu pyv esod sd vbl psqy. ¡°Ebld R fskdle vbl Idktbvp, R oyp vsze alrlyvlezu, ¡®G jdktbv pbswze yzoyup cl qyka, oklze vbl posae sq fwpvknl okvb y rwal pswz yde y pswde cseu, yde dlhla ycwpl vbl posae.¡¯ Rv pllxp vbyv vbl asuyz qyxkzu zynjp pwnb vlynbkdtp.¡± Qks pyanypvknyzzu xwple okvbswv lhld vyjkdt y pkr sq vbl vly vbyv oyp plahle kd qasdv sq bkx. Mbl nasod rakdnl jdlo yzz vss olzz ycswv bkp qaklde¡¯p qswz xswvb yde bkp bspvkzkvu vs vbspl bl bye keldvkqkle yp ldlxklp. Mblalqsal, bl oyp qle wr, cwv dsv ydtau. Rdelle, vbkp vkxl, bkp pkpvla xkpfwetle vbl pkvwyvksd. Rv pllxle vbyv vbl pnldyaks sq Qks lyadlpvzu alqwpkdt vs xyaau bla, vbl rakdnlpp, wdvkz vbl lde oyp hlau wdlmrlnvle qsa bla. Gp y alpwzv, pbl bye ydtlale vbl blas obs oswze ts esod kd bkpvsau, vbwp vbkp pkvwyvksd nswze cl nsdpkelale bla qywzv. Gde wdqsavwdyvlzu, vbl sdzu sdl obs nswze nzlyd wr bla xlpp oyp bkx, bla szela casvbla. ¡°Cause she¡¯s the youngest princess and a memento of the late queen. Everyone has a soft spot for her.¡± The princess had a very lovely face. Furthermore, she was able to make the people around her come to her side by effectively acting spoiled, crying, and throwing tantrums. Therefore, there was no one in the royal palace who would intentionally point out her somewhat presumptuous nature and narrow-mindedness. The princess¡¯s temperament was at fault, but the fact that the king and her educators had allowed her to get this point were also at fault. And maybe it was his own fault for not being able to intervene. Gio had dismissed her as a brat, but the princess was already seventeen. They needed to have her settled on someone appropriate for her soon. The person that the princess would marry could be decided immediately. There were many within and outside the country who wished to marry her. However, in the first place, the crown prince thought that if the other party had not been Gio, the matter would not have gotten so complicated. Although the princess was good at conducting herself around people, she was not overly selfish. It was within the reasonable range for a person of high status. Gio hated the princess for being shrewd, but her ability to control situations for her benefit and her sort of ruthlessness in getting rid of anyone who got in her way was not something to be condemned for in royal and noble circles. Rather, it could be seen as a commendable ability depending on the situation. The crown prince himself even praised his sister, saying that the way in which she had surrounded herself with the goal of marrying Gio was quite impressive. In general, there were not many men who wouldn¡¯t be excited to receive the adoring gaze of a beautiful princess. Normally, they would choose to marry a princess without hesitation. There weren¡¯t many men in the country who had the right to hold a royal princess in their arms. If he was a common man, even more so, he would not be able to resist reaching out for that prize, a symbol of power and prominence. In other words, no matter how you look at it, Gio¡¯s reaction was strange. In that respect as well, Gio was a difficult person to measure by normal standards. ¡°So, what do we do after this? Go back to the ceremony? The sooner you get your peerage, the easier it¡¯ll be for you later.¡± ¡°I would like to review the contents of the reward. Give me some time.¡± When Gio said so, the crown prince sighed deeply. His head really hurt. ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t planning to leave the country, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. But I do know that even if I become a nobleman in the future, it will probably be troublesome for me in one way or another. The more I stand out, the more people will start messing with Reiru. Maybe I¡¯ll just take the reward all in gold and retire to the countryside somewhere as a commoner, or maybe go to another country where no one knows who I am.¡± ¡°H-hey, hey, hey, hey wait a minute, Gio!¡± His companion, the swordsman, let out an exclamation of surprise. He had been hesitant to intervene because of Gio¡¯s extremely menacing look, but he couldn¡¯t let what he heard now slide. ¡°You always wanted to be a nobleman, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re not seriously saying you¡¯re going to refuse it for that guy, are you?¡± ¡°¡­Why would you say that? This is my problem. Stay out of it.¡± Gio scoffed with a cold look in his eyes. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t make any sense! Don¡¯t you think? I can¡¯t understand it at all. You¡¯ll get a title, a fiefdom, and even a connection to the royal family if you marry the princess. The child born will inherit the royal bloodline. What better way for a knight from a humble birth to get ahead? You will inspire all the kids in the country who are waving sticks around and playing knights. If you¡¯re going to throw it all away, what have you been working so hard for until now?!¡± ¡°So what does that have to do with you? If you¡¯re so concerned, you should propose marriage to that woman.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a married man, that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°Gio, we want you to be happy. We are friends who have fought for life and death together after all. I don¡¯t think your current decision is going to make you happy.¡± The mage sincerely appealed to the unapproachable Gio. ¡°I¡¯m happy doing what I want, though. Are you guys judging my happiness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, I just¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re worried that maybe Gio is being used or threatened by the guy.¡± ¡°©¤©¤ Ah?¡± Gio¡¯s eyebrow raised at the boy¡¯s words. The youngest head of the Royal Academy of Sciences, who had been given the title of Wise Man at the age of 16, continued without faltering. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve been living frugally for years and giving most of your salary to that person, right? Everyone would find that a bit odd. Besides, if the recipient considers Gio as a dear brother, wouldn¡¯t they be a little more restrained? ¡°I¡­ I feel the same way. I don¡¯t sense any gratitude from him to Gio-dono. He took the money as if it were a given¡­ Her Royal Highness loves Gio-dono very much. This time, too, she did what she did for Gio-dono¡¯s sake, and, um, she didn¡¯t mean any harm, did she?¡± Perhaps as a woman, the healer felt sympathy for the princess, so she attempted to mediate on the princess¡¯s behalf. ¡°¡­Oi, Don¡¯t say such absurd things. I don¡¯t want a bunch of people who don¡¯t know anything to utter a single word about Reiru.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right, we don¡¯t know anything about him. Gio won¡¯t tell us anything after all.¡± The boy said curtly. The people around Gio knew of his scrimping and saving. Although he was well dressed, he did not spend money on luxuries. He always ate in the dining hall of the Knights¡¯ dormitory and never went to trendy restaurants. He didn¡¯t drink with them, he didn¡¯t buy women, and he was often teased that he was like a monk serving a deity. Even when he was scorned for not knowing how to spend money because of his poor upbringing, or mocked as a miser, Gio did not change his lifestyle. When asked why, he did not answer. It was when the time of the demon king¡¯s resurrection was approaching that the companions learned where Gio¡¯s money was going. In order to coordinate to defeat the demon king, they had teamed up even before Gio was entrusted with the royal sword as a hero. One day Gio asked the mage to activate teleportation magic. When he asked for the reason, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to send over money.¡± His reply made the mage worried that this person might actually be in debt, so he agreed on the condition that he would also accompany him. The mage then saw Gio handing a bag that looked quite heavy to a shady man with delicate features at an orphanage in the countryside town they were visiting. The man with delicate features casually took the money and didn¡¯t act timid in doing so. He looked unimpressed at Gio, who had taken the trouble to use teleportation magic to visit him, without thanking him, and when he noticed the mage, he gave him a superficial smile. That unhealthy and lackluster man, after a brief greeting to the mage, said to Gio, ¡°I am counting on you,¡± and went away. When the mage asked, ¡°Where is he going?¡± Gio responded, ¡°Well, I think he¡¯s going to bed.¡± as if it were natural. Afterwards, the mage along with Gio spent a heartwarming time demonstrating simple magic to the children of the orphanage, teaching them magic theory and know-how. After an hour or so, an older girl came up to Gio and said, ¡°Gio-nii, Rei-nii said you should go home already.¡± The mage was speechless at that statement. Gio took time out of his demanding duties to visit the countryside, gave what could never be considered a paltry sum of money, and took care of the children ¡ª then without even having the courtesy of showing up, that man told Gio to ¡°go home¡± through a child without showing a shred of respect. Now that Gio was becoming a well-known knight, even the nobles would not treat him so indifferently. But again, Gio seemed used to it and just said, ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± The mage pitied Gio. CH 6 ¡°Are you giving him money every month like that?¡± The mage asked after they had teleported back to the royal capital. ¡°Yes, because the orphanage needs money.¡± Gio made eye contact with the mage. Gio¡¯s bright blue eyes seemed to see through the bewildering emotions that lingered in the mage¡¯s chest. ¡°Is it strange to send money to the orphanage where I grew up? I don¡¯t know why everyone cares so much about my money in the first place.¡± It wasn¡¯t strange. Rather, it was a moving story. However, it seemed to the mage that Gio had gone beyond the limits of charity. It must have been ten years since Gio left the orphanage. Rq Qks olal sdzu esdyvkdt y pxyzz rsavksd sq bkp pyzyau vs bkp qsaxla bsxl, vbld bl oswzed¡¯v byhl tkhld kv ydu xsal vbswtbv. Jwv Qks¡¯p ellep sq elhsvksd olal csaelazkdl lmnlppkhl. Mbl xytl nswzed¡¯v blzr cwv qllz vbyv vbkp oyp clusde zstknyz tldlaspkvu yde oyp lmrzskvyvkhl kd dyvwal. Vzwp, kv¡¯p dsv vbyv vbl rlsrzl yaswde Qks nyale ycswv bso bl prldv bkp xsdlu. Rv¡¯p vbyv vblu olal kdvlalpvle kd vbl rlnwzkyakvklp sq Qks Nwqvla, y xyd obs zkhle y ekpkdvlalpvle rakhyvl zkql obkzl ynnsxrzkpbkdt lmvaysaekdyau qlyvp. Rd qynv, Qks oyp y hlau prlnkyz rlapsd. Gv pwnb y uswdt ytl, bl yzalyeu bye y dwxcla sq zltldeyau vyzlp. Mbl xspv qyxswp sdl, oyp vbl sdl oblal bl pkdtzl-bydelezu jkzzle vbl xsdpvla sq Nyjl Skrvyzyp. Mbl xsdpvla sq Nyjl Skrvyzyp oyp y bwtl yiwyvkn clypv okvb bktb kdvlzzktldnl yde qlasnkvu vbyv bye talyvzu vaswczle vbl zsae yde rlsrzl sq vbl zyde qsa xydu ulyap. Fbsavzu yqvla vbl yddswdnlxldv vbyv kv bye clld elqlyvle, vbl asuyz qyxkzu clpvsole Qks vbl vkvzl sq blas, obknb tyhl naleldnl vs vbl awxsap. Qks bwxczu alqwvle vbl nzykxp pyukdt, ¡°Xq nswapl dsv. Mbl obszl vassr oldv sd yd lmrlekvksd vs elqlyv kv.¡± Jwv, yxsdt vbspl obs ryavknkryvle kd vbl lmrlekvksd, vblal olal y xkmvwal sq rlsrzl obs lkvbla nzykxle vbyv Qks oyp vbl sdl obs elplahle vbl nalekv, sa vbspl obs nzykxle vbyv Qks yzsdl eke dsv elplahl vbl nalekv, clnywpl bl xlalzu elzkhlale vbl qkdkpbkdt czso vs vbl xsdpvla obld kv oyp olyjldle cu vbl yvvynjp qasx y zyatl dwxcla sq rlsrzl. Tlal oyp vbl pwxxyau sq kdqsaxyvksd scvykdle cu lynb sq Qks¡¯p nsxayelp. It was true that they had initially planned to attack with a large troop, but due to the fact that their opponent was a very large aquatic beast, the humans became disheartened. When the superior officer¡¯s decision was made to extend the operation for a few more days in order to deplete the enemy¡¯s magic power, while considering a withdrawal, Gio suddenly asked for permission to launch a large-scale magic attack. Gio told everyone to evacuate and prepare cooling defenses. Then, after confirming that there were no civilians around, he launched powerful fire magic into the entire area of Lake Riptalas. When the troops rushed to the scene, cooling off the scorching steam, the giant monster was dead, floating like an islet in the middle of the lake. ¡°His way is simple and brutal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing how single-minded he is, not giving a damn about the impact on the surrounding environment.¡± ¡°The idea of boiling the monster to death with the power of magic is so impulsive that it is actually quite scary.¡± The opinions others had about Gio were mixed, but no matter how you looked at it, it was true that he had taken care of the monster, and it seemed that the surrounding residents and the lord were grateful. Apparently, some people said, ¡°Come to think of it, Gio said he wanted to go home early because he had an important appointment this weekend,¡± and that comment became the rumor that ¡°Gio beat up a monster that was in the way of his date,¡± which was passed around the Knights with amusement. Gio had apparently been given a special allowance for that matter, and the mage wondered if he had given that money to the man at the orphanage as well. The mage couldn¡¯t help but worry about that. Regardless of whether the people around him praised him, made fun of him, whether he got special benefits, or not, Gio¡¯s lifestyle didn¡¯t seem to change at all. As usual, Gio silently trained by himself, and his attitude of not mixing with others did not give the mage a hint of the sweet and bitter feeling of dating and such. Even the compensation he had earned by training himself so austerely, Gio would not use it for himself. ¡°Yes¡­ There¡¯s nothing strange about that.¡± The mage did not speak his mind, because he was afraid that Gio¡¯s heart, which had finally begun to open up, would close off. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± He did mind it, but if he said so, Gio wouldn¡¯t ask him to teleport again in the future. It seemed that the reason why Gio approached him this time was because Gio wanted to ask the mage to teleport to the orphanage on a regular basis, even after we leave on the journey to defeat the demon king. Even so, the mage knew that Gio intended to use other means if he said something meddlesome. The mage thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Gio, but I can¡¯t really trust that man who is said to be the director of the orphanage. I get the impression that he is preying on honest Gio. Since I am teaming up with Gio, it is easier for me to respond to any problems if I watch over him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, but I will not meddle.¡± Perhaps satisfied with the mage¡¯s answer, Gio said in a rare, gentle tone, ¡°Hmm. Then, can I continue to ask you for teleportation?¡± ¡°If you could just tell me what kind of relationship you have with him.¡± ¡°Relationship?¡± Gio looked at him, not sure why he would want to ask such a thing. ¡°He and I both grew up in that orphanage. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like you were welcomed very much, though.¡± ¡°Ah, he¡¯s fine the way he is.¡± Gio laughed. For some reason, he seemed satisfied. The mage needlessly worried, ¡°I hope this guy is not a pervert who says it¡¯s rewarding to be treated coldly with a face like his,¡± but he didn¡¯t say it out loud. When they were about to part, Gio tried to give the mage money. When the mage refused, Gio snapped, ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask you again,¡± so the mage reluctantly accepted. Until now, a young mage had been doing the teleportation for him as a way to earn some money, so Gio paying him was probably a natural thing for him to do. However, it left the mage feeling frustrated, as if the distance that had been shortened by Gio¡¯s reliance on him as a friend had once again been widened. Since the mage disclosed, or rather, since everyone demanded an explanation from the hero who sometimes went off somewhere with teleportation magic, Gio¡¯s touching devotion became known among his friends. Having two people use magic to leave in the middle of a journey wasn¡¯t ideal. As the journey to defeat the demon king progressed, there was no longer time to visit the orphanage. The teleportation magic also consumed a moderate amount of magic power. The demon king¡¯s awakening brought forth demonic energy that made the demons go berserk. They had found themselves in a situation where it was impossible to know when demons would attack, so magic power had to be preserved. For some reason, in a land with strong demonic energy, humans seemed to consume magic power faster. In exchange for not being able to teleport, Gio wrote a letter, and the mage sent the letter to the orphanage. Thanks to the magic circle that had been set up at the orphanage, it didn¡¯t take much magic just to send things. During the trip, the companions who watched Gio¡¯s sincere concern for the children at the orphanage developed an affinity for him, which helped the team to work together. The enigmatic Gio also began to show a more flexible attitude toward those who showed understanding. The group, which until then had been led and supported by the oldest swordsman and mage with their high abilities as individuals, gradually gathered around the strong charm of Gio. As they learned more about Gio¡¯s character, they realized that even though he was considered the strongest warrior in the world, he had some troublesome traits when it came to dealing with people. Gio¡¯s honesty sometimes left others behind as he continued to move in a straight line toward his goal, without looking back. In addition to his utilitarianism, his outspoken manner gave the impression of aloofness, which, combined with his good looks, made him impossible to befriend. He had little interest in others and never talked about himself. However, Gio did not deny or condemn those with whom he disagreed, and he was flexible enough to change and modify his strategy as needed, without settling on a single idea. Surprisingly, he was very attentive to the health of his companions, and when someone was injured, he meticulously reviewed the battle strategy. He did his own tasks without hesitation and did not allow his rights to be violated, while at the same time, he did not intervene in other people¡¯s problems and respected their rights sincerely. In the eyes of his companions, Gio was a clumsy and easily misunderstood man. Perhaps that¡¯s why there were not many people around Gio that he could open his heart to. The only people who were close to him were the crown prince, his superior in the Knights who looked out for him, and his magic and sword teacher ¡ª so he had no friends who were equal to him in terms of position. The aloof hero may still be attached to his old home due to his loneliness. Perhaps someone was toying with the fragile parts of his heart that he doesn¡¯t show to anyone with cold hands. Gio¡¯s dedication to the orphanage was interpreted in different ways by his companions. But their good intentions sickened Gio. ¡°I never should have let you guys meet Reiru. Thanks for all the help until now, but don¡¯t interfere with us anymore.¡± ¡°Gio, why are you so fixated on that guy! You should take better care of yourself and live your life!¡± ¡°Shut up, there¡¯s no point in saying anything to this guy who doesn¡¯t mesh.¡± The beastman spoke up, ¡°I think Gio is in love ¡ª with that male.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± His companions all looked at the beastman at the same time. TN: The only one with common sense is the beastman. The beastman is really good looking too. I posted his picture in discord #translator-announcement channel last week. CH 7 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Eh¡­ what do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s courtship. It¡¯s natural to give prey to your mate, right? I thought humans did the same.¡± The beastman grinned with the corner of his mouth raised. ¡°Think about it. What if that young man from the orphanage you guys are saying this and that about had been a girl? A girl he¡¯s known since childhood who¡¯s struggling to protect the orphanage all by herself with a lot of poor children. He gave her his salary every month, made time to visit her, and wrote to her diligently. Whenever he was traveling, if there was a sweets store with a bit of a reputation, he would go out of his way to stop by and seriously ponder about which one to buy. ¡°Well? Would you think Gio¡¯s being threatened? Actually, if you just look at Gio¡¯s behavior, it is really simple and easy to understand.¡± Everyone¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Ls, ds, ds, ds, vbyv¡¯p dsv kv. R esd¡¯v alyzzu wdelapvyde, cwv kv rascyczu kpd¡¯v zkjl vbyv. Sktbv, Qks?¡± ¡°¡­Rv¡¯p dsdl sq uswa cwpkdlpp.¡± ¡°Ob, kp vbyv aktbv!?¡± ¡°R-kv¡¯p y cwzz¡¯p-lul!¡± ¡°Zlyb, kv¡¯p prsv sd!¡± ¡°Zlp, kv¡¯p elye sd!¡± ¡°Ob, usw zkjl bkx? Mbyv uswdt xyd? Zsw¡¯al jkeekdt xl! Mblal oypd¡¯v lhld vbl pzktbvlpv bkdv sq asxydnl kd vbl yka. Slyzzu? R vbswtbv usw eked¡¯v byhl y qlxyzl ralpldnl yaswde usw¡­ ps vbyv¡¯p obu?¡± ¡°Gal usw twup eyvkdt? Mblal oypd¡¯v lhld vbl pzktbvlpv nzwl sq usw eyvkdt psxlsdl, cwv R okzz ypj fwpv kd nypl. Tso¡¯p kv tskdt?¡± ¡°How far along is the relationship? Are you having sex? Only kissing? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not even holding hands? Come on, how is it going?¡± ¡°How is it going, Gio?¡± Gio was a man who seemed to think that love was a trivial matter and put the results of battle first. Given the unexpected development of his love life, his companions showered him with questions filled with more excitement than before. Gio became more and more grumpy. ¡°¡­Shut up. I ain¡¯t done nothing.¡± When his companions heard this, they were shocked and they all looked at him pitifully. ¡°Uwah poor you¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve given him so much and yet there¡¯s nothing to show for it¡­ Even the number one, high-class prostitute in the capital has a bit more mercy¡­ Wait, Gio, I didn¡¯t mean anything bad, so please stop glaring at me.¡± ¡°Gio¡­aren¡¯t you too inexperienced? Or is the young man too ironclad¡­?¡± ¡°Do you have any physical difficulties by any chance?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes opened wide at the healer, who asked sympathetically. They never thought there would be a day when the topic of male impotence would come out of her mouth. ¡°Ah, no, um, cause occasionally, there are people who come to the sacred shrine for consultation for that condition.¡± There are countless nobles who come to her, who usually belong to the sacred shrine, for her advanced healing magic. Although she looked like a lady, she had a lot of superficial knowledge about sex due to the many opportunities she had to learn about the true state of the nobility¡¯s bodies as a third party. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you people all of a sudden? I don¡¯t get it.¡± Gio seemed to be taken aback. While that sour look was still on his face, he looked perturbed. ¡°Hahaha,¡± the beastman laughed and patted Gio on the shoulder. ¡°I could tell the days when Gio went to see his mate. He smelled different.¡± The beastman said that it was easy to tell because Gio normally does not have much of a change in smell. ¡°Gio, humans can¡¯t tell by smell like me, so if you don¡¯t show them a story that is consistent, they will misunderstand. ¡°There was once a man and his brother in a certain place. Although they were called brothers, they were not related by blood. And yet, the man diligently brought food to his brother. The reason for this is that, although he kept it a secret, he was actually thinking that he wanted to be in a relationship with his brother. ¡°If the last part remains a mystery, humans will try to fill in the inconsistency with their own imagination; they will create other narratives.¡± ¡°Is it the duty of the misunderstood party to point out the malicious falsification or fabrication of the story and demand correction? If that¡¯s the case, there has to be a limit of bad laws that disadvantages the victim.¡± ¡°Hey, look, I¡¯m telling you honestly. That¡¯s what¡¯s wrong with you, bastard. Gio, if you had been a little more conscious about what others thought of you in the first place¡­ then well, you wouldn¡¯t be Gio anymore. ¡°It¡¯s tough. I just regret it a little, that I should have told them about it too. In human society, male couples aren¡¯t that common, so it¡¯s understandable that it doesn¡¯t hit home. But beastmen basically don¡¯t say anything about the situation between mates as an outsider. Maybe it¡¯s a cultural difference?¡± ¡°Gio, if we had known it was like that, we would have been more¡­ more¡­ no, it¡¯s not possible, is it? No matter how I look at it, he has no interest in you, right? Gio, I understand that you were doing those things because you liked to, but that young man doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in you in the least.¡± ¡°To be honest, I find it a bit hard to say that I support you. If I said, ¡°go for broke,¡± it seems like you would actually break. I¡¯ve never seen that man smile at Gio before.¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, he doesn¡¯t seem to like Gio. I mean, regardless of his actions, even Gio doesn¡¯t seem to like him at all based on his attitude. Isn¡¯t he too awkward? That¡¯s why we suspected¡­ it¡¯s just an explanation.¡± ¡°You are right¡­I apologize for saying things based on my impression alone. But, Gio, is there a reason why you don¡¯t disclose your feelings to him?¡± Gio scratched his head in exasperation. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not giving him money particularly because I want to have sex with him. Also, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m giving him money. It¡¯s for the orphanage, remember? It¡¯s money for the little tykes. ¡°Obviously. It¡¯s not that Reiru is using my money, Reiru is just using the money donated to the orphanage for the legitimate needs of the little ones. And he¡¯s doing it smartly while thinking carefully. That place doesn¡¯t accept the nobility¡¯s precious charity. In the past, there were perverts who wanted the children to be sent to their bedrooms in return. That¡¯s why it¡¯s always strapped for cash. ¡°And yet, the little ones are growing well and mentally stable because Reiru has worked hard to create and support an environment where they can be so.¡± Those who had been to the orphanage were surprised by Gio¡¯s explanation. They had not felt that the orphanage was that impoverished. The children were polite and lively, and the rules for playing were set according to their age, and the education they received was evident in their casual behavior. Their clothes were frugal but clean, and the building, though old, was clean and tidy. There was no atmosphere of poverty to dull the wits.1 To maintain that kind of livelihood without the support of wealthy people is certainly an extraordinary feat of ingenuity and effort. ¡°You say this and that about my money, but the Knight¡¯s dormitory provides food and a place to sleep. They even give you some clothes. There¡¯s nowhere to spend money. What¡¯s the point of eating expensive food somewhere else? ¡°Even if you eat a lot of delicious food, you will only fatten your stomach. It¡¯s also written in the Secret Book of the Sword of the eastern countries. It says gluttony is bad; a gourmet meal is fine, but simple food is the best. If you want to eat a meal that costs several gold coins, I think you should just eat it. ¡°However, I¡¯m not interested in throwing away my money. It¡¯s a waste of time to drink and get drunk, not thinking straight. And I don¡¯t see the point of buying a woman. Calculate those things into a year¡¯s worth of costs. How many meals will that money buy for the little ones? How many magic books can you read during that time? I don¡¯t want to spend my money or time on something I don¡¯t need. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m spending as much money as I should on necessary things like equipment and books. Don¡¯t exaggerate, because I¡¯m not cutting expenses on myself as much as you guys think I am.¡± Surprised, everyone looked into the distance. Gio¡¯s overwhelming fighting ability and instantaneous assessment of the situation was of course due to his talent, but it also seemed to have been highly trained by Gio himself in his everyday life. He was solely interested in training himself effectively and gaining knowledge useful in battle. So while it was true that it was typical of Gio, one couldn¡¯t help but think that there would be something more to it. It was a claim that the Wise Man youth could relate to greatly. He was also a person who had come this far by investing the maximum amount of his life¡¯s passion into a field that he can devote himself to. However, he was the son of a wealthy noble, and from his point of view Gio¡¯s life could be summed up as: ¡°not worth it.¡± If you produce results, you get an equivalent price. Whether it was freedom or authority, it was worth no less than gold. But Gio even gave that price to others, or tried to decline it. The title of hero would be given back along with the holy sword, and if you didn¡¯t get a position to replace it, you¡¯re no different than a disposable soldier. In this social game where the objective was to increase one¡¯s wealth, both tangible and intangible, doesn¡¯t this make it impossible to know the fun of living? ¡°You can say that my living is poverty-stricken all you want. But the orphanage isn¡¯t like that. Nowadays, Reiru pays attention so there¡¯s never a shortage of food, but during our time, we were usually hungry. I had never eaten my fill. Reiru is skinny because he used to share his food with the younger ones in the past. ¡°Even then, he was thinner than me, who was younger than him ¡ª he was an idiot. He has grown up with a very small stomach and even if he were to eat now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat much or gain any weight. Even if I especially gave him a small amount of candy to gain weight, he would give it all to the little guys.¡± Gio truly looked unhappy. That¡¯s what¡¯s so complicated about you. The swordsman thought. Tell him honestly that you bought it because you wanted him to eat it. From the sound of it, you know he¡¯s not going to eat it if you just give it to him. Damn, I¡¯m not a good judge of character either. I said some awful things to that young man. ¡°It¡¯s a large family of kids, ranging from abandoned newborns to 15-year-olds until they get hired somewhere. There will always be some kind of problem. If one of them catches a cold ¡ª they all get colds. If a baby has a high fever or something, Reiru won¡¯t be able to sleep properly for a few days. ¡°Last year, the orphanage got more babies, so that alone seemed like a lot of work. The least I could do was let him take a nap while I was there, but he¡¯s always been so sleep-deprived that it wouldn¡¯t add up to anything. And yet, he¡¯s concerned about me and wants me to leave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± the mage thought. The mage recalled how Reiru looked when he first visited the orphanage with Gio. When he disappeared, looking pale and very unhealthy, Gio said, ¡°I think he¡¯s sleeping.¡± as if it were a matter of course. Did Gio go to him to give him a bit of reprieve? Did he urge Gio to go home because he was thinking of Gio¡¯s busy schedule? He was angry with Reiru for not welcoming Gio without knowing the circumstances, as Reiru was exhausted from taking care of the children. Gio was not simply visiting the orphanage as a guest who supported it. He was trying to support Reiru as his partner who was protecting the orphanage by himself. ¡°It¡¯s a series of things like who fights with who, or a certain someone goes on an errand and doesn¡¯t come back, or a girl who gets a job and leaves the orphanage comes back crying to him because her employer sexually harassed her, or someone fought with a neighborhood kid and his parents unilaterally snapped at him. At the orphanage, it is natural for the older kids to take care of the younger ones, but even if they are 15 years old, they are still kids. ¡°In the end, Reiru has to take responsibility for everything. He¡¯s to deal with all the troubles, take care of the little guys, scrape up the money, manage the bills, and on top of that, does he even have to thank me? If he doesn¡¯t put on a polite smile, does he have no right to receive money? Of course not.¡± Gio snorted and said decisively. ¡°He¡¯s fine the way he is. I don¡¯t need to hear him say thank you or smile. He¡¯s finally learned to take it easy in front of me. How many years do you think it took for that to happen? ¡°There was probably hardly a time in Reiru¡¯s life when he didn¡¯t have to do anything. There¡¯s no such day when he can only think of himself; where there was no one he didn¡¯t have to worry about. And yet, now what am I supposed to do? Damage his mental health by asking him to lend me his ass in exchange for giving him money?¡± The room was dominated by silence. Those who had harbored ill feelings about Reiru felt as if they had been struck by a witness, Gio, of Reiru¡¯s hardships, efforts, and underlying sincere love for the children, which they had never seen before. They realized that they had abused the weapon called the Sword of Justice and stabbed a young man who was just trying his best to live. And again, they were overwhelmed by the unfathomable heat of Gio¡¯s emotions, which he strongly suppressed but could not control. Gio, while holding back on both passion and pleasure, tried to devote himself to Reiru with utter tranquility. They realized the praiseworthiness, which could have been called innocence, of the true desire that came from within Gio¡¯s heart. Gio¡¯s expressions were a bit obvious, but Gio directly expressing his feelings to Reiru may burden him, and it might even come across as quid pro quo. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t say anything. If that was the case, Gio¡¯s feelings for his brother would never be known or reciprocated. Gio thought ¡°That¡¯s also okay,¡± and had steeled himself for the worst. He was so devoted that his devotion was seen as pitiful. The crown prince smiled bitterly. ¡°¡­My sister did not stand a chance. The hero has always been interested only in his brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a different matter. I¡¯ve got my hands full babysitting the little ones from the orphanage.¡± ¡°She is already seventeen, though.¡± ¡°Heh, she¡¯s got a small chest for that. I don¡¯t know what you think a hero is, but I am just one of many people who have a decent amount of magic and want merit. You idealize me too much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the very picture of an honorable knight, as long as you keep your mouth shut.¡± As he listened to their frivolous talk, the swordsman thought that the crown prince was right. The swordsman recalled the day he had first met Gio¡¯s brother. A skinny man with dull blond hair over his shoulders. He was wearing a tight-fitting shirt, and had an expensive blue stone pendant around his neck that peeked out. He was subtly pale, with an inconspicuous stubble on his chin and a languid look on his face as he accepted the money from Gio. He offered a cup of tea to the swordsman who had followed Gio uninvited, told him to enjoy himself, and then looked at Gio and went away. He was impressed to see that Gio gave a small nod back. Gio and the man did not greet each other properly, and their conversation was minimal, but they still shared something that allowed them to understand each other. It was something that hadn¡¯t been established in their team at the time. When he casually looked out the window, he saw a lady and Reiru talking in the garden. The man looked petite alongside Gio, but it was clear that he was tall and just skinny. The lady handed Reiru a bundle that she was holding in her hand, and he politely accepted it. They were just smiling and talking, but the swordsman had the impression that he was a gigolo; the kind of gigolo that accompanies cheap prostitutes. It was because he seemed too young to be stuck in an orphanage and he also had a somewhat frivolous air about him. He couldn¡¯t deny that his views of Reiru had become prejudiced, perhaps because of that. An honorable knight and a has-been gigolo. The beastman was right, he had created a false narrative based on superficial information about them. ¡°Say, are you going to go to meet the young man after this? ¡°I plan to.¡± Gio nodded with a look of obviousness. ¡°Since it¡¯s you, I¡¯m guessing you already know where he is. I¡¯m coming with you.¡± ¡°I insist too.¡± ¡°Then I will too.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to join you too.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Hey, why?¡± ¡°I heard you guys said some unnecessary things to Reiru recently. Willie¡­ he¡¯s like the head of the little ones at the orphanage, and he¡¯s banned you guys. Whenever Reiru has guests, those guys are hiding and eavesdropping. And for the record, me and the little guys think that anyone who looks down on Reiru with contempt deserves to die.¡± Gio scowled at them with an irreverence that suggested they should be grateful they weren¡¯t already dead. ¡°So you¡¯re that kind of character when it comes to love¡­ no, yeah. I¡¯m really sorry about that. Let me apologize.¡± ¡°We orphans are used to good intentions coming from a condescending attitude. If it¡¯s just superficial bullshit, it¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°Gio, how about letting your brother decide if he wants to accept the apology or not? I also want to apologize directly to the person in question for my rudeness. And I don¡¯t want my friendship with you to end like this.¡± The mage intently looked into Gio¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°I should apologize to you as well. I¡¯m sorry for hurting your loved one.¡± Although Gio was strong in violent situations, he wasn¡¯t good at this kind of emotional development to the point of getting goosebumps. ¡°¡­You should leave as soon as you have apologized to Reiru.¡± Gio reluctantly said with a complicated look on his face. ¡°I am glad! Then, as an apology to Gio, I¡¯ll tell the young man that Gio is as popular with men as he is with women. The young man might become a little more aware of you. Even if Gio doesn¡¯t confess, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as the young man wants to, right?¡± ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t talk to these guys about anything.¡± Gio thought under his blank expression. ¡°As an apology to Gio¡­ with my teleportation magic, you can go meet your brother right away.¡± ¡°Err, well then, I offer the sacred shrine¡¯s special love potion for the couple¡¯s exclusive use.¡± ¡°!?¡± Once again, the healer¡¯s controversial statement left everyone at a loss for words. This girl had the appearance of someone who might say, ¡°Is sex some kind of pagan religious ritual?¡± in a ditzy, confused tone but in reality, she was like this. The crown prince was needlessly concerned whether the education of girls in the sacred shrine was okay. ¡°It¡¯s a legitimate product. The potion¡¯s motto is ¡®safe and secure¡¯, and it is so popular that there is a waitlist for its production.¡± Everyone thought that that wasn¡¯t the point, but Gio¡¯s curt, ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± settled the matter. In the end, everyone was eager to go. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve decided that, let¡¯s get moving.¡± ¡°Are you going too?¡± ¡°I must make amends for my sister.¡± ¡°If the crown prince were to disappear via teleportation magic, all hell would break loose.¡± ¡°If I return immediately, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Thus, the group of former heroes set out to meet a commoner man. CH 8 Kofi sponsored chapter! Thank you jujubuhg, AnonCon and Sugar Plum for kofis! Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena While Reiru was washing dishes in the kitchen, a red-haired girl came running in. ¡°Reiru! We¡¯re going to the theater this afternoon!¡± ¡°Miss, I can¡¯t go after this, because I have to go shopping and clean. Please take someone else with you.¡± ¡°No, no, no, no! Uruka, Nono, and Pikkusu will fall asleep during the play, so they will just ruin the mood. On the other hand, Reiru, you don¡¯t fall asleep, you remember all the characters, and we can talk about what we think after watching it. It definitely has to be you, Reiru.¡± Reiru couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile as she clung to his arm and threw a tantrum. She reminded him of the children at the orphanage. However, in the orphanage, the children around the same age as the little girl were more mature and rarely acted spoiled like this. Tyhkdt tasod wr kd yd sarbydytl bkxplzq, Slkaw eked¡¯v jdso bso vs rlapwyel y dsaxyz 13-ulya-sze qasx y dsaxyz qyxkzu. Jwv yp bl zssjle yv vbkp zkvvzl tkaz, bl nswze pll vbyv pbl bye clld aykple kd y qyxkzu okvb vos zshkdt ryaldvp. Rv oyp blyav-oyaxkdt clnywpl bl nswze pldpl vbl ralpldnl sq byrrkdlpp, cwv kv oyp yzps blyav-oaldnbkdt obld bl vbswtbv ycswv vbl nbkzeald kd vbl sarbydytl. ¡°Slkaw, R¡¯x psaau, cwv usw byhl vs ts okvb bla. Rv¡¯zz cl clvvla qsa vbl svblap vbyv oyu vss.¡± Mbl xypvla alzldvle yp bl blyhle y pktb. Rv bye clld qkhl eyup pkdnl Slkaw bye clld bkale yp y plahydv yv vbkp kdd. Nsnyvle dlya vbl esodvsod yaly sq y rashkdnkyz nkvu, vbkp kdd oypd¡¯v ryavknwzyazu zyatl, cwv kv oyp vbakhkdt ewl vs kvp tsse zsnyvksd. Slkaw bye zlqv vbl sarbydytl okvb raynvknyzzu dsvbkdt cwv vbl nzsvblp sd bkp cynj yde bye ds xsdlu kd byde. Tl oydvle vs tlv y zkhl-kd fsc. Wsavwdyvlzu, bl oyp bkale sd vbl prsv obld bl pyo vbkp kdd yde kdiwkale kq vblu nswze bkal bkx. ¡°Mbld, kv¡¯p elnkele! Nlv¡¯p xllv blal kd yd bswa. Jl pwal vs nbydtl kdvs vbl nzsvblp ol cswtbv ulpvlaeyu.¡± Mbl zkvvzl tkaz zlqv kd y qzwaau. ¡°I¡¯ve been there three times in a row now. Is there anyone else who wants to go?¡± The little girl was enthusiastic about a play that was currently being performed at the theater, and Reiru had been to the theater twice before to accompany her. If he went again today, it would be the third time. He felt bad about getting paid to watch a play, and wondered if the other employees might want to watch the play too. Thinking so, he hesitated, but they laughed and shook their heads. ¡°Reiru, we used to accompany her until you came along, remember? Unsurprisingly, I am tired of seeing it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if I just have to accompany her, but when it¡¯s over, I¡¯m asked about my impressions. I said that the actress had big tits, and she snapped at me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised Miss doesn¡¯t get tired of it. She goes there almost every day.¡± ¡°Reiru, if you get tired of it, let us know, okay? Someone else will take your place when the time comes.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Miss will calm down eventually.¡± All the people at the inn were friendly and unpretentious. Reiru thought that all the servants would be teenage boys, but surprisingly, they all looked just a bit younger than him. It was said that this tourist area facing the ocean has a lot of people coming and going, and there was a lot of turnover. It seemed that there were some who would work in the town for a short period of time to save up for the boat fare and then simply cross over to another country. Perhaps because of the familiarity among the same generation, they took care of Reiru. They told the newcomer, Reiru, that there was no need to use honorifics among the fellow servants, and treated him as if he had been one of them from the start. It seemed so new to Reiru. It was different from the concern the orphans had shown him as their caretaker, and also different from the mixed feelings of pity from the townspeople who made donations. He was sure his feelings about receiving it were also different. Reiru casually thought, I¡¯m not in charge of protecting these people, and they don¡¯t need to give me charity either. It was the first time Reiru had experienced the small and simple kindness that came from someone on an equal footing. They were his seniors at work, but they were also the same, and they had no idea about Reiru¡¯s background. ¡°Ok, thank you.¡± When he thanked them, they suddenly stopped moving. ¡°¡­Reiru, you really did the right thing cutting your hair.¡± They examined his face intently. Reiru was startled by the closeness of the distance and reflexively backed off. ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, really. Until yesterday, you looked like you¡¯d be flashing a cunning smile with ease even if you were approached like this.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. He looked like the kind of character who would go around hooking up with married women behind their husbands¡¯ backs.¡± ¡°What kind of character is that¡­¡± ¡°Well, actually, we were also thinking that the new guy we got looked like bad news. At first, we wondered if you could even do your job properly.¡± ¡°And yet, he was so earnest that it was disappointing. The boss was really impressed when he saw Reiru waking up early in the morning and sweeping the street in front of the inn first thing. It¡¯s a scam in a way.¡± ¡°Reiru, it¡¯s really true. You¡¯re so smart and good at what you do, and surprisingly, you can even do manual labor for having such a thin body. We were all saying that your appearance was your only drawback.¡± ¡°That was until the miss kidnapped you, and when you came back, you looked like this. And the clothes you came back in yesterday were decent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing how humans can change with just a new hairstyle and some clothes.¡± Yesterday, Reiru was taken outside by the little girl who came running into the kitchen, just like today. He thought they were going to see another play, but they ended up at a hairdresser¡¯s. Under the girl¡¯s instruction, Reiru¡¯s hair was chopped off and he was given a full set of ready-made clothes at the adjacent clothing store. He refused, saying he didn¡¯t have the money, but she said, ¡°My father will pay for it! It¡¯s the proprietor¡¯s responsibility to take care of the appearance of the live-in employees!¡± and he was forced to let her have her way. When the whole thing was over, both the little girl and the people at the inn were very satisfied. ¡°Now you¡¯ve gone from being a marriage fraudster into a nice young man.¡± ¡°Miss, a good marriage fraudster doesn¡¯t look like a marriage fraudster. Although, you could say that he¡¯s been promoted from a third-rate fraudster to a first-rate one.¡± They were having puzzling conversations like that. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to dry the hair when it¡¯s this short.¡± His hair, which had been longer than his shoulders, was now short enough to see his ears, and that was what Reiru was the happiest about. ¡°Weren¡¯t you leaving the hair longer on purpose? ¡°No, I just left it up to my hairdresser, the lady who always takes care of me.¡± ¡°How old is that lady?¡± ¡°Err¡­ she¡¯s not as old as a grandma.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why¡­ her sense is a little old-fashioned.¡± ¡°It seems to have been popular in the past, a bit of feminine appeal? The clothes were a little erotic, too, and they seemed flashy. The only people who wear tight shirts like that nowadays are the guys in the nightlife business.¡± ¡°Wait, Uruka, you said it too bluntly! Don¡¯t worry, Reiru.¡± Reiru was shocked when Uruka pointed to the shirt he was wearing right now. He didn¡¯t realize he was so tacky. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t that important. Reiru never really cared about fashion like they did in the first place. He just gratefully accepted what the ladies of the town, who were generous to the orphanage, were giving to him as part of their generosity. Even this shirt, though it was a bit tight, he forced himself to wear it thinking that it wasn¡¯t unbearable. It could be said that this was both a blessing and a curse of being so tall and slender. ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯ll buy a shirt when I get paid.¡± ¡°Oh, then would you like to go together on your next payday? There¡¯s a couple of second-hand clothing stores if you want something cheap.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯d appreciate it. I¡¯ve never picked out my own clothes before.¡± When he was a child, he always wore hand-me-downs from older children. And even though he got hired and left the orphanage for some time, he used the money left over from his living expenses to buy books to gain knowledge that might be useful for his work. Eventually, the aging director passed on, and Reiru became the director to fill in the gap. At the beginning, he simply went to help out in his spare time from work, but that didn¡¯t seem to be enough, so he quit his job. Having lived most of his life on someone else¡¯s dime, picking and choosing something for himself wasn¡¯t something that Reiru has had much experience with. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°No, well, maybe one day.¡± After staring at him with probing eyes, the young man quickly turned away and lightly patted Reiru on the shoulder. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat our meal. You can¡¯t be late for the play. And if you happen to make Miss wait, it¡¯ll be very troublesome.¡± The young man, named Uruka, had black hair and gray-black eyes. Reiru thought he looked a bit like Gio; his sharp eyes, and the way he spoke without reservation but at the same time his actions were full of kindness. Gio might possibly be angry with me. That I left without telling him, and that I left the money. Gio didn¡¯t seem to like anything I did. So even if I did tell him properly, he¡¯d be angry, and even if I took the money, he¡¯d still be angry. No, I don¡¯t know. I think his scolding was going to be longer because I didn¡¯t take the money. Reiru often didn¡¯t understand why Gio was angry. In the past, he thought he understood more often than not, but now he only understood about half. However, he understood that in the end, they would be the same now as they were then. In other words, Reiru and Gio were different people, and it was because Gio¡¯s views and Reiru¡¯s views were inexplicably different. And yet, Gio has always been there for me, as a brother. In a habitual motion, Reiru placed his hand on his chest and ascertained the sensation of the pendant hidden under his shirt. TN: Thank you very much for kofis. I am sorry it is late. Enjoy reading. Our Reiru is back. CH 9 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Haa¡­ it was great today too, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it was great today too¡­¡± ¡°That Hero¡¯s devotion¡­ The scene where he¡¯s seduced by that demon woman, but doesn¡¯t even look at her because of his strong love for the princess and remains in love with her. The best!¡± ¡°The princess who encouraged and supported the hero was also good. I was mesmerised by the princess¡¯s incredibly firm response when the hero was laughed at for his low status.¡± ¡°I get it~ but even though they have feelings for each other, the hero continues to hide his feelings for the princess. It is so heart wrenching~ it¡¯s wonderful~¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s the bitterness of love between different statuses.¡± ¡°Jwv R¡¯x tzye kv bye y byrru ldekdt. Rv oswze byhl clld vss pye kq vblu eked¡¯v tlv xyaakle.¡± ¡°R alyzzu vbkdj ps vss.¡± Mbl tkaz yde Slkaw olal pvkzz kd vbl ywekldnl plyvp sq vbl vblyvla, ldvaydnle cu vbl nsdnzwpksd sq vbl rzyu. Mbl rzyu oyp ycswv vbl qakldepbkr clvolld y blas yde bkp qakldep obs qswtbv kd vbl qklanl cyvvzlp ytykdpv vbl elxsd aynl yde pyhle vbl nswdvau. Rv yzps elpnakcle vbl rasnlpp sq vbl blas yde vbl rakdnlpp sq vbyv nswdvau qyzzkdt kd zshl, shlansxkdt vbl scpvynzlp sq vblka pvyvwp ekqqlaldnlp, yde tlvvkdt xyaakle. Mbl tkaz vssj Slkaw vs pll y alyz rzyu kd y vblyvla qsa vbl qkapv vkxl kd bkp zkql yde sd vbl qkapv eyu, bl oyp ps xshle vbyv bl nakle yde clnyxl prllnbzlpp. Mbl tkaz obs pyo Slkaw valxczl qasx clkdt ps xshle vssj y talyv zkjkdt vs bkx, yde yqvlaoyaep sd vbl oyu cynj vs vbl kdd pbl zlv bkx alye vbl rzyuckzz yde vblu vyzjle ldvbwpkypvknyzzu ycswv vbl ynvsap. Fbl vbld vssj Slkaw okvb bla vs vbl vblyvla vbl dlmv eyu yp olzz. Mbl svbla lxrzsullp pyke vblu olal vkale sq pllkdt kv, cwv vseyu oyp vbl vbkae vkxl vbyv Slkaw bye plld kv yde bl oypd¡¯v pknj sq kv yv yzz. Oynb vkxl bl pyo kv, bl oyp xshle kd y ekqqlaldv oyu, yde bl qlzv zkjl vblal oyp xsal yde xsal vs pll. Qks eked¡¯v vyzj vs Slkaw ycswv bkxplzq. He didn¡¯t talk to Reiru about the time when he was recruited from the Vigilante Corps in the countryside to the Knights in the capital due to his vast amounts of magic power and physical ability. Or when he became a special trainee as a hero candidate. Or even when he received the title of hero and had to face the demon king. Gio didn¡¯t say anything to Reiru, and to be fair, Reiru didn¡¯t ask anything either. The two of them had no such habits between them at all, and more importantly, Reiru had never worried about Gio. Gio had always been physically strong and quick witted. He had established a strong sense of self and was honest with himself. He didn¡¯t abuse the weak, and he didn¡¯t flatter the strong. He knew what he wanted, and he was able to keep pushing toward it. People like him can usually overcome most things. That¡¯s why, Gio would be fine. Reiru simply thought so. The hero of the play was eloquent. It was no surprise, since he was an actor and there was a plot. However, this play seemed to be based on the life of the real hero, Gio, and Reiru couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, wondering if there were so many hardships and sufferings that Gio never talked about. The play depicted the days when Gio, a commoner, was unfairly harassed and slandered in the Knights, which was mainly made up of nobles. The play showed how he endured it with bitter tears of frustration, but nevertheless he continued to study and without corrupting his values. The princess who empathized with Gio, defended him and encouraged him. Gio rose up as a hero, eager to defeat a powerful enemy for the sake of the people, and his friends who shared his sense of justice gathered beside him. Even though Gio knew that this day might be their final farewell, Gio was only allowed to kiss the back of the princess¡¯s hand as a vassal, and the princess could only watch over their departure. The days of intense fighting and the great decisive battle followed. Reiru didn¡¯t know that Gio had so much passion inside him, and that he spent his days in anguish and strife. He didn¡¯t think too much about Gio, partly because he was so busy with his daily life. Although he was grateful for the money Gio was giving him, he didn¡¯t understand the weight of it. No wonder Gio¡¯s friends and the princess thought I¡¯m a hindrance. Because all I did was take, and I am of no use to Gio. Reiru was seriously convinced. However, Reiru didn¡¯t think that Gio would tell him what was on his mind even if he asked him. He was sure it would only upset Gio if he unnecessarily read too much into things. Maybe they wanted to tell Reiru that he shouldn¡¯t be around Gio if that was the extent of their relationship. That must have been their thought process. Reiru didn¡¯t think he could be of support to Gio, and Gio probably didn¡¯t wish for that either. He and them had different roles. In the same way that most people are not ashamed of themselves for not being able to become a king, Reiru was not ashamed of himself for being such a person. Although Reiru was older than him, Gio hadn¡¯t relied on Reiru since long ago. From the beginning, Gio was not such a weak person that Reiru had to protect him. That¡¯s all there was to it. In the end, Gio overcame the hardships and defeated the demon king. And eventually he will marry the princess, just like the plot of this play. See, as expected, Gio was fine. Reiru reaffirmed the known facts. I am sure he will continue to live happily with the support of his friends and the princess. Like the rest of the audience in this theater, Reiru sincerely congratulated the hero on his happy ending. CH 9.2 ¡°Come, Reiru, it¡¯s time to go. Today¡¯s the day I get Yuumu-sama¡¯s autograph!¡± ¡°You got that the other day, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That was the name of the character, so now I¡¯m getting the name of the actor.¡± ¡°I¡­I see.¡± As he was waiting with a large group of women near the staff lounge of the theater, he was called out from behind. ¡°Tlzzs, Slkaw-pyd.¡± Slkaw vwadle yaswde yde vblal pvsse y clywvkqwz qlxyzl clypvxyd okvb obkvl qwa. ¡°Tlzzs, Ykzhydnl-pyd. Gal usw yzps blal vs pll vbl rzyu?¡± ¡°Zlp, R¡¯x y vsvyz qyd. Rv¡¯p y cakzzkydv rzyu, aktbv?¡± ¡°Rv kp. R¡¯x vbl xkpp¡¯p nbyrlasdl, cwv R alyzzu tsv kdvs kv. Nssj, R lhld cswtbv rsavaykvp fwpv dso.¡± Mbl rsavaykvp vbyv Slkaw blze swv olal psze kd vbl vblyvla, obknb psze y okel aydtl sq tssep qasx vbl ynvsap¡¯ rsavaykvp vs alzyvle rasewnvp. Ebkzl vbl zkvvzl tkaz oyp nbsspkdt tssep alzyvle vs vbl ynvsa obs rzyule vbl blas, Slkaw oyp bszekdt vos rsavaykvp, sdl sq obknb oyp y vos-pbsv sq vbl rakdnlpp yde vbl blas, yde vbl svbla oyp sdl sq vbl blas yde bkp qakldep. Mbkp oyp vbl qkapv vkxl kd bkp zkql bl¡¯e cswtbv psxlvbkdt zkjl vbkp. Fkdnl bl oyp osajkdt yp y zkhl-kd osajla dso yde bl eked¡¯v byhl vs osaau ycswv xlyzp, bl vbswtbv kv oswze cl sjyu vs przwatl y zkvvzl. ¡°Who is your favourite, Reiru-san?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fan of the princess¡­ Who is your favorite, Milvance-san?¡± ¡°Well¡­ by the way, Reiru-san, did you get a new haircut? Your outfit is nice too.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. A few things happened yesterday¡ª¡± ¡°It is nice, isn¡¯t it? I chose all of it.¡± The little girl interjected. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Milvance was amazed. ¡°Miss, you did a great job. Until yesterday, he seemed to only attract women who wanted to be defiled by a degenerate, dangerous-smelling man. But now, he looks like he would attract proper women who set their eyes on the future and are starting to think of marriage. Now all he needs is a good night¡¯s sleep and proper nutrition, and he¡¯ll be perfect.¡± Reiru was baffled by the scrutiny. Although she said in a roundabout way, he could tell that his appearance up until yesterday had been very unsightly. It was true that I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to my appearance, but did I look like such a boorish man? If that¡¯s the case¡­ I don¡¯t know how the innkeeper could hire me. ¡°B-by the way, Milvance-san. Did you find an escort?¡± The first encounter between Reiru and Milvance was on the day Reiru left the orphanage. He was given a ride by kind people in passing carriages and carts, and by the afternoon he was able to reach a slightly larger town. When Reiru was walking along the main road, thinking about whether to find a cheap inn there for the night, or to go further and sleep out in the open if he didn¡¯t reach the next town, he bumped into something head-on and fell on his butt. There was a woman in front of him who had also fallen, and he hurriedly stood up and reached out to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I probably bumped into you because I was lost in thought.¡± The woman took Reiru¡¯s hand and easily stood up. Reiru was surprised by the fluidity of her movement, and surprised again when he looked at her properly. ¡°I was also careless. Please excuse me.¡± She had magnificent white fur and pointed ears with big, big green eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen a female beastman so close up, and Reiru was flustered. The beastman was well-dressed, albeit in traveling clothes, and she was alone. It was dangerous for a rich-looking woman to walk alone, no matter how rural the town. When he offered to take her to the inn, the beastman told him that she was about to set out. It was said to be an urgent matter. ¡°Where are you planning to go, Reiru-san?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of going to Paffamzia.¡± Paffamzia was known as a large port city. Reiru wanted to see the sea. ¡°What a coincidence! My destination is also Paffamzia, would you like to join me?¡± ¡°Um, but¡­¡± ¡°Now, now, now, let¡¯s hurry! There are only a limited number of high-speed teleporting service offices in the countryside! If we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll not make it in time for the final activation.¡± ¡°No, high-speed teleporting is extremely expensive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked you to join me unreasonably, so I¡¯ll pay the fees!¡± ¡°I¡¯d feel really bad about that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! If it¡¯s about money, Gi¡­I mean, my family is rich, so this much is nothing to me!¡± Thus, the journey that would have taken days of walking was drastically shortened thanks to a few minutes of procedure and a few seconds of teleportation magic. And so Reiru entered the provincial town of Paffamzia and was fortunate enough to be hired by an innkeeper, where he currently resides. Milvance asked Reiru if he could continue to act as her attendant, but he refused, thinking that if she was rich, it would be better to hire a proper escort. Milvance sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t find a skilled escort.¡± ¡°You are alone today as well, aren¡¯t you? But it¡¯s dangerous for a woman to walk alone. And, Milvance-san, you are beautiful¡­¡± Even among commoners, rich and well-dressed women wouldn¡¯t go out alone. Milvance was a beastman and looked beautiful, so she stood out even more. ¡°Well, you¡¯re skilled. It would be solved right now if you would become my escort, Reiru-san.¡± ¡°Hey! If you¡¯re trying to poach Reiru, I won¡¯t stay quiet!¡± ¡°Oh my, I apologize.¡± Milvance smiled complacently at the little girl who raised her voice in protest. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s a joke. How am I supposed to protect her from anyone if I¡¯m her escort?¡± ¡°I agree. Reiru should gain some weight and do some muscle training.¡± The fact that she was easily convinced was a bit disheartening. Reiru had mixed feelings. ¡°With that stone, Reiru-san¡¯s skill won¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Eh? What did you say?¡± Her mumbled words did not reach Reiru¡¯s ears. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re kidding, right!?¡± ¡°That is¡­ eh, real one?¡± The sound of Reiru¡¯s question was drowned out by the surrounding chatter. Something seemed to be happening on the other side of the building where they were waiting for the actors to come out. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss about? Even though Yuumu-sama and the others haven¡¯t come out yet.¡± ¡°Miss, it¡¯s dangerous, a huge crowd is barging in. Let¡¯s get some distance and see what it¡¯s all about.¡± Holding back the little girl from running off in the direction of the commotion, Reiru urged Milvance and moved to a less crowded area. The people who had been waiting for actors to come out moved further and further back, and the commotion soon became something that could not be distinguished from cheers or screams. He was curious about what had happened, but he couldn¡¯t ensure the safety of the little girl and Milvance if they were mobbed by that crowd. ¡°Reiru, why don¡¯t we go over there and check it out for a bit?¡± ¡°Saying it cutely won¡¯t help. Miss, you are small so you might get crushed to death by people pushing you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating! Reiru is mean!¡± ¡°I am fine with it. Miss¡¯s safety is the most important thing to me. If anything happens to Miss, I would regret it for the rest of my life. And your father also seems scary.¡± ¡°Uwah~ Reiru is coming off as a sly, nice guy.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a sweet talker, Reiru-san.¡± ¡°Eh!? What do you mean by that!?¡± The three of them were having such a conversation when they suddenly realized that the crowd of people in front of them was noisily changing shape. ¡°Eh, what?¡± Before they knew it, it was quiet enough to pick up the little girl¡¯s murmur. The people were neatly divided into two groups, as if a single path had been created in front of them. A man was walking towards them on that path. He was tall with black hair. He had blue eyes. The man came close enough for Reiru to see his features and he stopped in front of Reiru. ¡°Gio©¤©¤¡± CH 10.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena Gio was standing right in front of me. I met with Gio again. Does this count as a breach of contract with the princess? How should I explain this away if I am asked to pay a penalty? If I can¡¯t escape, what are the chances that I¡¯ll be punished in some way? Rather, why haven¡¯t the actors come out yet? After we get the signatures, I¡¯ll have to take Miss home and help clean up the kitchen at least. I also have to drop off Milvance-san. Oh no, I don¡¯t have time to dawdle. Let¡¯s see, first of all, the signatures. Reiru thought of many things in a matter of seconds. ¡°Reiru, I¡¯m here to pick you up. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Rd alprsdpl vs Qks¡¯p lmralppksdzlpp osaep, Slkaw rasxrvzu alrzkle, ¡°Ob? R nyd¡¯v.¡± ¡°Twb?¡± ¡°R byhld¡¯v tsvvld vbl ywvstayrbp ulv.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qks¡¯p tygl ekalnvzu rklanle bkx. Slkaw qlzv zkjl bl oyp clkdt alrakxydele cu vbyv tygl. ¡°Qks, zyvla. Mbl ynvsap sq vbkp vblyvla okzz cl nsxkdt swv qasx vbl essa vblal. R¡¯x blal vs tlv vblka ywvstayrbp. Rv¡¯p nyzzle oykvkdt qsa ynvsap. Ykpp byp yzps clld zssjkdt qsaoyae vs vbkp vkxl vbl xspv.¡± ¡°¡­Ebyv yal usw vyzjkdt ycswv?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, you might even get a handshake.¡± Gio was staring at Reiru with a somewhat puzzled look. Reiru struggled to think of a way to explain the value of a handshake. Rather, what is he doing here? Paffamzia was a provincial town far from the royal capital and the orphanage. Reiru wondered how wide Gio¡¯s scope of activities was, to meet in such a place. In all of the confusion, Reiru took no notice of Gio¡¯s words that he was here to pick him up. ¡°Uwah¡­ he said, ¡®Let¡¯s go home.¡¯ It¡¯s just like that time when my dad went to pick up my mom after she¡¯d left after a fight.¡± Reiru¡¯s eyes opened wide as another brawny beastman suddenly poked his head out from behind Gio¡¯s broad shoulders. His big ears flicked, and as Reiru subconsciously followed their movements with his eyes, the beastman grinned at him. Reiru was a bit embarrassed, wondering if all the beastmen, like Milvance-san, were beautiful. ¡°Hey, Gio. What are you picking a fight for? Stop intimidating that naive looking young man. More importantly, we have to find your brother first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s hurry to Reiru-dono.¡±1 ¡°Exactly. Gio, you also want to see him soon, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Gio-dono, where is Reiru-dono?¡± Four more figures appeared from behind Gio and the beastman, and they began pestering him. Gio frowned dubiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you guys¡­? Reiru¡¯s right here.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Gio gestured at Reiru in front of him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­¡± The people who suddenly appeared were staring at Reiru, which made him feel all the more uncomfortable. The beastman declared while twitching his nose, ¡°He¡¯s not kidding. He smells just like Gio¡¯s amulet. Heh, I see, Gio¡¯s amulet has a lock of his brother¡¯s hair.¡± ¡°Reiru-san has had a little bit of a makeover.¡± For some reason, Milvance gave an explanation. ¡°Eh! That¡¯s not just a little makeover, he¡¯s a whole new person! Gio! How could you tell it was him!? ¡°Huh? Of course, I knew it was him. What are you saying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand!! Do you have a beastman¡¯s nose or something!?¡± The beastman suddenly stood in front of Reiru, ignoring the others who were fussing about what was going on. ¡°I was on Gio¡¯s team, a beast warrior. Nice to meet you, Gio¡¯s brother.¡± ¡± Y-ye¡­¡± When the beastman offered his hand, Reiru reached out reflexively, and the beastman took Reiru¡¯s hand and knelt down immediately. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Advertisements Gio shouted at him, but the beastman didn¡¯t pay him any attention and looked up into Reiru¡¯s eyes. The other four people were speechless. Reiru felt that the atmosphere had suddenly become tense. ¡°Brother of the hero, Gio Lufter, Reiru¡­ Can you tell me your surname?¡± Reiru was at a loss for words without understanding. He was so confused that he didn¡¯t even hear the high-pitched cheers that had been rising around them for some time due to the way the situation was developing. ¡°Reiru has no surname.¡± Gio quietly muttered. Some orphans had surnames, some didn¡¯t. Reiru, whose parents¡¯ names were unknown, was the latter. The beastman¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± Gio¡¯s friends knelt down one by one and bowed their heads in front of Reiru, who was simply bewildered. ¡°Reiru. To his name, his blood, and his life, along with all the prayers and vows that have been handed down since ancient times¡­¡± As the beastman spun words, the surrounding air mysteriously shook with each successive note, and the minute vibrations of the echos ran across Reiru¡¯s skin. The sudden metaphysical experience struck Reiru with instinctive fear, and he hugged the little girl and searched for Milvance. She calmly stood there. The little girl watched the scene unfold in front of her with amusement, but she was not afraid. Unable to grasp what was happening, Reiru sought out Gio. His eyes met Gio¡¯s. Perhaps sensing Reiru¡¯s fear, Gio embraced Reiru¡¯s shoulders without saying a word. Soaring wind, call the rain Voices ring, awaken within Fire burning, keeper of light Heaven on earth, I¡¯ve realized Bless, your world Bless, your realm Reiru Given his name, his blood, his life exists The keeper of fire, of light he is Heaven on earth, I¡¯ve realized One by one, they chanted the strange words over the voice of the beastman, repeating them in concert and spreading them over and over until they rained down on Reiru as if from the heavens. Those didn¡¯t sound like human words at all, but somehow Reiru understood the meaning of all of them. It was a brief moment that seemed like an eternity; as if he had been struck by a myriad of noisy voiceless voices; as if he witnessed an invisible light storm. It was the feeling of being transported to a world of purity and emptiness that couldn¡¯t exist on this earth. When everything was over and he finally heard the familiar clamor, Reiru¡¯s skin was covered in goosebumps and sweat. As the ringing in his ears dissipated, he felt a strong arm holding him as his body wobbled with a slight dizziness and a sense of discomfort. TN: The winner of november patreon chapters is Shimanith. Congratulations. Please contact me on discord so I can send you link. I have finally opened my patreon and kofi tiers where you can get access to 2 chapters prior to public posting. I will update there every Thursday. Only Chapter 11 Part 1 is on patreon and kofi because Part 2 is still in the middle of editing. Part 2 will be up tonight. Also, special shout out to Elena because she did an excellent job, polishing the ancient song. I was really troubled by it because I have never translated song before. Check out patreon and kofi to support Elena and me. Thank you very much for your patience and I am sorry this week¡¯s chapter was late. Enjoy reading. CH 10.2 Kofi sponsored chapter! Thank you Bexi, Tassilo and alleycat_designs for kofis! Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Reiru, are you okay?¡± ¡°Gio¡­ just now¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a song from ancient times. The legacy of the vow offered to the Goddess of Genesis.¡± What is that? I¡¯ve never heard of it. The situation was so far outside of the realm of possibilities for Reiru, that he didn¡¯t even know what had happened to him. Aklo Vspv Fvkzz jdllzkdt, vbl yvvaynvkhl xyd kd y ascl pyke, ¡°Slkaw-esds, zlv wp yvsdl qsa obyv ol¡¯hl esdl vs usw, obld usw dlle wp kd vbl qwvwal.¡± Ebld R xlv bkx clqsal, bl bye y pvkqq lmralppksd zkjl y eszz, cwv vseyu bl ynvwyzzu zssjp bwxyd. ¡°Bx, rzlypl pvyde wr qsa dso.¡± ¡°Gb, ulp.¡± Slkaw bye yzalyeu tkhld wr vaukdt vs twlpp vbl xlydkdt sq lhlau osae vbyv oyp pyke vs bkx. ¡°Qks, obyv¡¯p tskdt sd blal?¡± Qks ydpolale Slkaw¡¯p iwlpvksd qaydjzu okvb y rldpkhl zssj kd bkp lulp. ¡°You¡¯ve earned the right to call upon these guys. You¡¯re second only to the royal family in terms of authority.¡± The young miss looked up at Reiru with a confused expression, ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither.¡± Gio turned his gaze to the blond man who had been watching the course of events from the sidelines. Reiru absentmindedly thought that the number of people had increased again when he saw another unknown man appear out of nowhere. ¡°Hey, are you sure about this? Letting them do this?¡± The fact that Reiru had the right to summon them was equivalent to one young commoner having enough military strength to seal the demon king. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It would be tactless to rebuke the hearts that made the vow. Although, I didn¡¯t expect it to be in such a public place.¡± Gio frowned as if he wasn¡¯t convinced. He then shifted his gaze to the beastman without missing a beat. ¡°Why did you even give the summoning rights to Reiru?¡± ¡°Hmm, because I have an ulterior motive¡­ just kidding! Call it, collective responsibility! Ah! Stop it, my fur is gonna fall out!!¡± ¡°You know that joke isn¡¯t going to work on Gio. Do you have a death wish?¡± Ignoring the people who were prattling on, Reiru remembered his original purpose. Which was getting signatures from the actors and going back to work with the little girl. From the supernatural back to reality. Reiru stopped worrying about everything that had just happened. ¡°Gio, I don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s going on, but I have to go back to work soon.¡± ¡°If you are going back, go back to the little ones. They¡¯re all waiting for you. Say goodbye to your workplace and come back with me.¡± ¡°No, I got the money from the princess and left the orphanage. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t go back. And now I¡¯m working at the inn run by this young lady¡¯s father¡­¡± Reiru felt like there was something else he should say, but now that Gio was here, he couldn¡¯t think of it. He had already asked him to take care of the children, and by asking him how they were doing he would no longer be an unrelated person. Reiru reminded himself that he left knowing that he would never see the children again. Now that he was an outsider, there was nothing he could do for them no matter what he asked. ¡°Reiru.¡± Gio¡¯s quiet but strong stare pierced him. Gio had no intention of giving up when he had such an expression. Reiru was irritated. The princess sent Reiru away, and Gio told Reiru to go back. If so, that¡¯s a problem for the princess and Gio. Reiru didn¡¯t know why Gio was trying to bring him back, but he was haunted by the fear that he would be pursued for incomplete performance of an oral contract that involved the transfer of money. He didn¡¯t want to be dragged into a lovers¡¯ quarrel between a power couple. ¡°Miss, let¡¯s give up on the autographs and go home for the day. Your father will be worried if you¡¯re late.¡± The actors had probably gone home during the commotion. There was no longer anyone waiting for them. Now it would be difficult to push through the crowd that had formed for Gio and the others, and get out into the street. It would be better to get moving as soon as possible. The little girl, however, looked up at Gio and his friends in a daze, as if she hadn¡¯t heard Reiru¡¯s voice. ¡°Reiru¡­ Is this person the real hero?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± As he replied, Reiru gazed at Gio again. The crowd was observing Gio and his friends from a distance. Wherein Gio stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his friends, who obviously had special presences, and instead of being overshadowed, he looked even more prominent. It¡¯s true that he had good looks, but more than that, the aura that Gio had was special. On the one hand, Reiru thought Gio was too strong. But on the other hand, he also thought that he was an amazing, definitely not ordinary person. Did Gio travel with these people all the time? Reiru inspected Gio and his friends behind him. The stories of Gio, which Reiru saw in the play and was unfamiliar with, came to mind one after another. The fiction from the stage took on substance and he was currently facing it as a raw reality. Reiru muttered, ¡°¡­You really are a hero, aren¡¯t you? I knew it, but I feel like I¡¯ve understood it now for the first time.¡± Gio laughed a bit, ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± It was very rare for Gio to laugh like that. Always either expressionless or grumpy, that was Gio for Reiru. Even when they were kids, he didn¡¯t remember seeing Gio¡¯s laughing face very often. And yet, it felt nostalgic, which was strange. Reiru was glad to see him smile at the end. It felt so much better than just leaving him like that without saying a word. ¡°Gio, you¡¯ve taken good care of me all this time. You¡¯ve always helped me. Thank you. Take care.¡± Reiru smiled and said goodbye in a manner befitting a farewell. However, Gio¡¯s face immediately returned to a scary blank expression. Reiru was exasperated by those frightening parts of Gio, but he decided not to worry about it since it was the last time. Gio grabbed Reiru¡¯s arm tightly as he tried to leave with the little girl. ¡°Ouch, hey, Gio.¡± ¡°Rei©¤©¤¡± Both of Gio¡¯s blue eyes wavered as they earnestly reflected Reiru. Reiru saw a lot of unusual things today. Gio seemed to be in distress. Reiru didn¡¯t want to talk to Gio any more, but he almost asked him what was wrong. ¡°By the way, why don¡¯t we change places? I know it¡¯s a little late, but there are so many people watching.¡± Before he knew it, the young blond man standing right next to them leisurely smiled at Reiru. He looked familiar somehow, but Reiru couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. He had magnificent blond hair and fair skin. He looked to be about the same age as Reiru, but just by being there, he had a presence that seemed to subdue others. When Reiru looked at him, Gio nodded. ¡°He¡¯s His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Even though Reiru was surprised, he understood. Indeed. He looked like the princess. Sensing that things were about to get more complicated, Reiru gazed into the sky at a loss. On this day, throughout the town, each and every person was talking about the fact that the real hero¡¯s party came to this place, and that the hero¡¯s party had knelt down before an anonymous young man and pledged their allegiance. CH 11.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Gio-sama, I¡¯ve been waiting for you. The carriage is ready.¡± Reiru was really surprised when he heard Milvance say that to Gio. ¡°Thank you for taking on the sudden job. I appreciate it.¡± The beastman agreed, ¡°Thank you, Milvance-chan.¡± As Reiru watched both the brawny beastman and Gio thank Milvance, Reiru reflexively asked, ¡°You knew each other?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been secretly escorting Reiru-sama for the past few days, and the client is Gio-sama.¡± ¡°Ob, lpnsav? Ykzhydnl-pyd bye clld lpnsavkdt xl?¡± Tso nswze pwnb y clywvkqwz yde taynlqwz qlxyzl clypvxyd cl y twyae? Ysalshla, pbl¡¯p xu twyae? Gde Qks bkale bla, obyv vbl blnj? Slkaw oyp nsdqwple, wdyczl vs psav vbaswtb vbl kdqsaxyvksd. ¡°Slkaw-esds, Ykzhydnl-nbyd xyu zssj zkjl vbkp, cwv pbl¡¯p vbl xspv nsxrlvldv yde qlyazlpp qktbvla sq vbl dsavblad qasdvkla clypvxyd vassr. Gde xu nswpkd.¡± Mbl clypvxyd lmnzykxle okvb y raswe zssj. ¡°Jwv R¡¯x dsv yzzsole vs ts bwdvkdt, vbswtb.¡± ¡°Rv nyd¡¯v cl blzrle. Nkjl bwxydp, clypvxld esd¡¯v zkjl vs byhl osxld sd vbl cyvvzlqklze lkvbla. Ykzhydnl-nbyd oyp ps ydtau ycswv kv vbyv pbl zlqv vbl vassr yde clnyxl yd yehldvwala. Ebld Qks pweeldzu kdiwkale ycswv y pjkzzle lpnsav, R kdvasewnle bkx vs Ykzhydnl-nbyd. Psd¡¯v czyxl Qks qsa dsv nsxkdt vs tlv usw aktbv yoyu, sjyu? Fkdnl uswa pyqlvu bye clld yppwale, R vbkdj kv oyp aktbv qsa Qks vs raksakvkgl keldvkqukdt vbl ldlxu, nszzlnvkdt lhkeldnl, yde lhynwyvkdt vbl nbkzeald qasx vbl sarbydytl. Jlnywpl bl nswzed¡¯v rknj y qktbv okvb asuyzvu wdyaxle.¡± Mbl clypvxyd lmrzykdle kv lypkzu, cwv Slkaw nswzed¡¯v xyjl pldpl sq kv yzz yde pkxrzu vbswtbv, ¡°Xb, R pll.¡± The encounter with Milvance had certainly been sudden, and it was only because of her particular forcefulness that they had come to Paffamzia together in the first place. However, it didn¡¯t occur to Reiru that he was in fact the one that had been escorted without his knowledge. Rather than blaming Gio for not coming to get him, Reiru thought that he would never see him again. Why would Gio go to such lengths to begin with? Reiru looked up at Gio, and their eyes met. ¡°Huh?¡± Reiru felt uncomfortable. He felt like Gio was not his usual self. He didn¡¯t look sullen or angry; he looked a little down. ¡°When Willie found out you¡¯d run away from home, he contacted me. From now on, if anything happens, you contact me first. Don¡¯t leave quietly. It¡¯s bad for my heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯d left a farewell letter properly, though.¡± ¡°Reiru, that¡¯s not a proper means.¡± Reiru began to feel embarrassed, thinking that somehow things had been blown out of proportion. Since the crown prince was with them, they decided to change the place to a restaurant or inn for nobles. Thereupon the little girl said, ¡°It¡¯s not for nobles, but please come to our inn!¡± and the crown prince generously replied, ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± so the destination was decided. Summer was the peak season for tourism in Paffamzia, which faced the sea. However, now it was deep into autumn, the off-season, so even the inn where Reiru worked was never fully occupied. As Reiru swayed in the carriage, he thought about how to explain the situation to the innkeeper. ¡°Father! The hero-sama is here to pick up Reiru, who ran away from home! All of hero-sama¡¯s friends and the crown prince are with him! It seems that there¡¯s an extraordinarily complicated situation between the princess, the hero, and Reiru¡­ Reiru is insisting that he won¡¯t return, and hero-sama is trying to somehow convince him to come back with him. Let them use the best room so they can talk it over carefully!¡± Reiru¡¯s explanation wasn¡¯t necessary. No, what Reiru really wanted to explain was that her phrasing was very misleading, but after the little girl¡¯s dramatic presentation, anything he said would fall on deaf ears. The owner was so astonished when he was told about the situation that his jaw almost hit the floor and he led everybody to the largest room with the best view. When Reiru apologized for not being able to return to work, the owner encouraged him by saying, ¡°Just think of it as your job to entertain His Highness and hero-sama.¡± Everyone entered the room and settled down. The owner seemed to have thoughtfully prepared tea and sweets, and Reiru tried to serve them, but Gio barked at him, ¡°If they want to eat, they will do it themselves, so you sit down, too.¡± There was an empty spot next to Gio on the sofa on purpose, and he had no choice but to sit there. The first person to talk was the crown prince. ¡°Reiru, it seems my sister has asked you for some unreasonable things. But I don¡¯t want you to think that the royal family is looking down on the hero¡¯s brother. I promise to talk to my sister clearly and make her understand about this matter. I hope you continue to live with Gio in peace from now on.¡± ¡°Ha¡ª¡± ¡°Let us apologize to you, too. We misunderstood you. We¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not really¡­¡± As he listened to them apologize in unison, Reiru was simply bewildered. The crown prince wants me to continue to live with Gio from now on, but it has already been more than ten years since I lived with him at the orphanage. I don¡¯t know why in the world I¡¯m being apologized to by Gio¡¯s friends. However, this isn¡¯t exactly an environment where I can interject either. He looked at Gio to ask what he should do, and Gio hugged Reiru¡¯s shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. Reiru had never had anyone do that to him before. No, it happened a little while ago. However, the current situation was different. Reiru was startled and tried to distance himself, but Gio¡¯s intense eyes overwhelmed him and he stayed put like that. ¡°I returned the money that was in the safe. I don¡¯t know what that woman said to you, but forget it all.¡± ¡°Eh, is that so?¡± I see you gave it back. What a waste. Reiru couldn¡¯t help but feel that way. He had left that money at the orphanage with the intention of returning it to Gio. It was up to Gio to do as he wished. Rather, he said, ¡°that woman.¡± No good, you can¡¯t refer to your lover like that. And, especially not in front of His Highness the Crown Prince. When Reiru started to warn him, Gio suddenly stood up. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go, Reiru.¡± He said it as if it were a matter of fact and tried to grab Reiru¡¯s arm. When Gio decided to do something, he acted quickly. Dodging Gio¡¯s hand, Reiru vowed, ¡°Gio, I have no intention of going back.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± As Reiru sat down and looked up at Gio, he felt that Gio¡¯s gaze was much heavier as he was looked down upon. ¡°I¡¯m already working here. What¡¯s the point in going back to the orphanage now?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t leave because you wanted to, either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, though. It¡¯s just¡­ my plan went slightly wrong, but I was going to leave the orphanage sooner or later anyway. And now that it¡¯s come to this, I think it was a good opportunity.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Because if you¡¯re going to take care of the orphanage, I don¡¯t need to be there.¡± ¡°What are you saying, Reiru?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while. I thought it would be more profitable to leave the orphanage to Willie soon and go out to work. Just like you helped with the money, I want to do the same. I¡¯m not going to make as much money as you, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Well, that¡¯s no longer necessary either, you¡¯re going to be a rich nobleman who can take care of an entire orphanage.¡± Willie was a young man who would turn eighteen this year. Usually, children in the orphanage got jobs and left the orphanage around the ages of twelve to fifteen. Willie had suffered a childhood accident and was left with a leg injury and he also lost his parents in the accident. With one leg crippled, Willie needed a cane to walk and couldn¡¯t run either. Most of the jobs that orphans were hired for were chores, so by simply not being able to walk normally, it was enough to be denied a job. Because of this, Willie was still at the orphanage. Reiru had kept telling Willie that he didn¡¯t need to feel pressured to leave. He then asked Willie to support the children in the orphanage and gradually taught him how to interact with the people who gave them donations. Willie was smart, although his youth made him a bit dodgy. Reiru was also eighteen when he became the head of the orphanage, but Willie was a lot more gutsy compared to Reiru at that age. It was time to consider handing the reins of the orphanage over to Willie entirely. ¡°You won¡¯t treat Willie and the little ones badly, and you can even get them good caretakers and teachers. There¡¯s no reason for me to stay.¡± The children need a mother-like figure who is used to handling children and loving ¡ª not a skinny, unreliable father-figure and a failure of a man like me. And they needed a proper, educated teacher, not a self-taught one like myself. Reiru had always thought so, and had told Gio what was on his mind. Gio would definitely hire someone capable of that. Then it would no longer be Reiru¡¯s role. CH 11.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°¡­I thought you were coming to my territory with the little ones.¡± ¡°What am I going to do there? Do you want me to work for free and do chores to repay you for everything you¡¯ve done?¡± Reiru said it jokingly, but Gio looked at him with an extremely displeased expression, to which Reiru responded with a bitter smile. ¡°I know. You wouldn¡¯t say such things.¡± Although he said it jokingly, Reiru didn¡¯t mind working for free. But Gio wouldn¡¯t treat Reiru like that. Mbl sdzu vbkdt vbyv Qks bye kdpkpvle sd shla yde shla wdvkz dso, oyp vs oyad Slkaw vbyv bl oyp rwvvkdt sqq vyjkdt nyal sq bkxplzq. Jlnywpl sq vbkp, vbl nbkzeald yv vbl sarbydytl clnyxl nsdnladle ycswv vbl yxswdv sq qsse Slkaw yvl yde lhld vbl yxswdv sq pzllr bl tsv. Ohld obld bydekdt swv vbl pswhldka pollvp vbyv Qks caswtbv vs vbl nbkzeald, Slkaw bye vs rasxkpl vs nblnj kd okvb Qks vs ldpwal bl bye lyvld bkp rsavksd rasrlazu. Xdnl Slkaw oyp nywtbv zukdt pyukdt, ¡°R yvl lyazkla,¡± yde qasx vbld sd, Qks oypd¡¯v nsdhkdnle wdvkz bl yvl aktbv kd qasdv sq bkx. Slkaw bye pyke bl oswze lyv kv zyvla yde obld bl vakle vs rwv kv yoyu kd bkp elpj eayola, Qks vssj kv qasx bkx, wdoayrrle kv, blze kv swv vs Slkaw¡¯p xswvb, yde oyp xlv okvb y pvaydtl vbalyv, ¡°Rq usw esd¡¯v lyv kv sclekldvzu, R¡¯zz qlle kv vs usw qasx xu sod xswvb.¡± Slkaw oypd¡¯v kdvlalpvle kd qsse. Fsxlvkxlp bl lhld qswde kv vaswczlpsxl vs cl bwdtau. Gzvbswtb bl qswde vbl pollvp vypvu obld bl yvl vblx, bl bye ds elpkal vs lyv vblx yde vyjl yoyu vbl nbkzeald¡¯p pbyal. Jwv Qks elzkclayvlzu ktdsale Slkaw¡¯p nsxrzykdvp. Qks yzoyup caswtbv ldswtb pollvp vs ts yaswde qsa yzz vbl nbkzeald rzwp Slkaw. Jwv pllkdt vbl fsu sq vbl nbkzeald, Slkaw oswze ayvbla qlle psxlsdl lzpl lmvay zyvla vbyd lyv kv bkxplzq. Wsa lmyxrzl, bl oswze ayvbla qlle vblx vs y nbkze obs oyp byhkdt y byae vkxl, sa ydsvbla nbkze obs pbyale vblka pollvp okvb vbl uswdtla nbkzeald, fwpv zkjl Slkaw. Gio was well aware of this and said, ¡°I bought extra, so make sure you eat your share.¡± Gio wouldn¡¯t smile at all, and he had a sharp tongue. Still, he always cared for me. Reiru believed that Gio¡¯s consideration was an application of the fairness he possessed. With his fairness, Reiru thought that Gio intended to continue to support him along with the children. If Gio became a nobleman and Reiru followed Gio to the orphanage in his territory as Gio said, Gio would not let him work for free, but instead would try to overpay him. He had a feeling it would be like that. That¡¯s why he felt like he shouldn¡¯t stay. ¡°Gio, you don¡¯t have to take care of me anymore. Don¡¯t worry, I too can at least provide for myself. And what the princess and these people said was probably right; I¡¯ve only been in your care, and I¡¯ve done nothing for you.¡± Gio¡¯s eyes darkened as he listened to Reiru¡¯s words in silence. His aura was eerie, like the calm before the storm. Reiru, who was clearly trying to separate from Gio, was the deciding factor as to whether or not the storm rolled in. The companions examined the two with uneasy thoughts. ¡°Y-young man, we were wrong about that. There is nothing wrong with you. Gio really cares about you, you know.¡± The swordsman vehemently argued in frustration. Gio is in love with you. That¡¯s why, please go home. If you like, you can even follow him to his territory and stay in the mansion. Men can¡¯t marry each other, but if it was Gio, he¡¯d have you by his side as his partner, and he won¡¯t keep any other women either. The swordsman wanted to say so, but as expected, that would have been too intrusive. As a result of him being careful with his words in order to not reveal Gio¡¯s feelings, he felt ashamed that he could only talk about something that had no heart. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my fault, or that you guys are wrong in particular. And I have already said Gio doesn¡¯t have to take care of me anymore¡­ I am satisfied with him just taking care of the children.¡± Taking care of the children in the orphanage while doing the unaccustomed territory management may be a difficult challenge at first. But with Willie around, the children would be organized. Also according to the rumors on streets, the princess was already supporting the orphanage in the capital, so she would probably also help in hiring people and managing the orphanage. The swordsman couldn¡¯t help but groan when he heard Reiru¡¯s quiet claim. Reiru had already detached himself from everything. Reiru had no attachment to Gio or the orphanage, to the point that it was pitiful for Gio. Was it necessary for him to be there or not? That¡¯s all he¡¯s focusing on. In fact, listening to him talk about his resolute future plans before coming here was heartbreaking. Reiru left the orphanage where he had lived for so many years without telling anyone, without the money the princess had given him, and moved to a strange land alone without family or friends, where he once again lived a simple, ordinary life. When Gio came to pick him up, he didn¡¯t show the slightest sign of attachment for the life he had lived before, and just asked him to take care of the children. To make matters worse, it was none other than the hero¡¯s party themselves who once told him that it was how things should be. The swordsman wondered at how much he had disrespected this young man¡¯s life by saying that. In the face of Reiru¡¯s selflessness, he couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. The swordsman really regretted it. With his dull blond hair trimmed short enough to see his ears, one could tell that Reiru was too worn out to be a lively and pleasant young man, but he was much more pleasant than he used to be. Now that he had cut his bangs, his eyes which had been hidden, were now freely exposed to the world with their stunning golden pupils. While working at this inn, he had changed his hairstyle and clothes, and was now clean-shaven and well-dressed, which obscured his age in a different sense than before. It was said that he was only a few years older than Gio, so he probably wasn¡¯t older than thirty. He looked young, but he didn¡¯t have the frankness of a young man. But rather, he had a thoughtful calm demeanor about him. He wasn¡¯t intimidated by the presence of the crown prince or the rest of the group; when he opened his mouth, he spoke his mind in a simple, honest, and unpretentious way without hesitation. There was an attentive and realistic love for the children in the orphanage, and a deep affection for Gio could be felt. The swordsman thought that maybe he should have tried to have more conversations with Reiru before he criticised him. Although, it was already too late. The beastman chimed in, ¡°Hey, Reiru. Don¡¯t the children at the orphanage love you so much? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re sad that you¡¯re gone.¡± His voice sounded gentler than usual, and Gio frowned as he thought, ¡°This guy is being overfamiliar.¡± However, the beastman was good at keeping these kinds of situations under control, so he did not interfere. ¡°¡­Maybe that¡¯s the case now. But they¡¯ll forget about me before too long when the next good caretaker arrives. Even the children leave every year; someone gets a job and leaves the orphanage. There are even children who are unlucky and die young. If you get too emotional every time, you won¡¯t be able to hold yourself together. You have to get used to parting ways with people.¡± Reiru said it like it was nothing. Having spent most of his life in the orphanage, Reiru¡¯s words were brutally honest. The beastman also held his tongue at this. The crown prince stood up gracefully and stood in front of Reiru. ¡°It seems that the young man can¡¯t be persuaded with ordinary methods. I am curious to see how Gio will strike after this, but I have to get back to the castle now.¡± ¡°Haa, I¡¯m sorry you had to come all this way.¡± The crown prince gently reached around Reiru¡¯s neck and picked up the gold chain that hung there. He smiled softly as he pulled out a pendant that Reiru had hidden under his shirt. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful stone. Gold is trapped in the blue stone. Is this a gift from Gio?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Reiru nodded awkwardly, caught up in the atmosphere of the crown prince. ¡°I could tell. This is his very wish.¡± He whispered with amusement. ¡°Don¡¯t touch.¡± Gio, who was looking out for danger, suddenly pulled Reiru closer. The chain of the pendant tensed up and Reiru feared it might snap, but the crown prince nimbly let go. The stone fell back onto his chest and Reiru clasped it tightly. ¡°Reiru, if you really want to get away from Gio, you can come to me. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°What the hell are you planning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a vow, don¡¯t worry about it. You should persuade him one after another. That¡¯s your plan anyway, isn¡¯t it?¡± The crown prince lightly dodged the angry Gio and smiled at Reiru, ¡°You have my word,¡± and disappeared. TN: I changed a bit in chapter 7 because of a reader¡¯s suggestion. It isn¡¯t much though. We are always open readers¡¯ suggestions. Just ping us in discord. But we have exam next month so our response might be slow. I want to recommend Kieta Hatsukoi drama or manga for those who want fluffy. It¡¯s really fun to watch. Another one is Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko. Both manga and live action are hilarious. I really recommend it. Sorry about my long, unnecessary note. I just really love them. CH 12 Translator: Michioko Editor: Elena ¡°Gio, is it possible that this gem is ridiculously expensive¡­?¡± Reiru doubted the value of the pendant he wore around his neck after the crown prince took notice of it. A beautiful blue gem with gold flakes inside. It was given to Reiru by Gio before he left on his journey to defeat the demon king. He was repeatedly reminded to keep it on his body because it was a charm, and not to take it off even when he took a bath. But Gio asserted, ¡°This was given to me as a reward for killing one monster as a part of a job, so it was practically free. Besides, wearing this makes it easier to connect with my magic. I can¡¯t use teleportation magic, but with this, I can sense when something is wrong with you.¡± ¡°Mbld R¡¯zz yzps jdso kq psxlvbkdt byrrldp vs usw?¡± Qks okeldle bkp lulp kd pwarakpl yv Slkaw¡¯p iwlpvksd. ¡°Elzz, R byhld¡¯v vakle kv cwv¡­ xyucl usw¡¯e jdso.¡± ¡°Txx.¡± Ywnb vs Qks¡¯p pwarakpl, Slkaw oyp lypkzu nsdhkdnle yde tldvzu pvasjle vbl rldeydv. Ebld Slkaw zlqv vbl sarbydytl, bl blpkvyvle oblvbla sa dsv vs zlyhl kv clbkde. Tl osdelale kq bl pbswze rwv kv kd vbl pyql yzsdt okvb vbl tsze nskdp vbl rakdnlpp bye tkhld bkx. Jwv kd vbl lde, bl osal kv yp kv oyp. Slkaw alyzzu oydvle vs vyjl Qks¡¯p zlvvlap okvb bkx vss. Jwv vbspl zlvvlap olal yzps yeealpple vs vbl nbkzeald yv vbl sarbydytl, dsv fwpv vs Slkaw. Ohld yxsdt vbl qlo rlapsdyz clzsdtkdtp Slkaw bye, vblal olal qlo vbyv nswze pvaknvzu cl nyzzle Slkaw¡¯p rlapsdyz rasrlavu. Tl bye pkxrzu clld wpkdt obyv bye clld esdyvle vs vbl sarbydytl yp bkp sod. Omnlrv qsa obyv bl dllele qsa bkxplzq, lhld vbl nzsvblp vbyv Slkaw tsv qasx vbl zyeklp sq vbl vsod yde Qks olal rypple sd vs Ekzzkl yde vbl cwzjkla szela jkep. However, the pendant was exclusively given to Reiru by Gio. Gio had given it to Reiru in person and insisted that he put it on right away. Even though Reiru had initially refused, Gio pressed on saying that it was a necessary thing, and he finally let Gio put it around his neck personally. Reiru was told that he couldn¡¯t allow anyone to touch it, and when he worried that the children would be curious and want to touch it, Gio explained that it was crafted in such a way that normal humans couldn¡¯t see it. Apparently, the pendant had many other magic charms applied to it. Gio had begun to explain them at great lengths, using technical terms that Reiru had never heard of before, but seeing Reiru¡¯s bewildered look of not being able to understand, Gio concluded, ¡°Anyone who wears this gem other than you will die. So don¡¯t ever take it off. You can¡¯t sell it or lend it to someone else. Do you understand?¡± Reiru shuddered, wondering why Gio gave him such a dangerous thing. However, he had always noticed some magic-nerd tendencies in Gio, so he was convinced that Gio had simply gotten too absorbed in his efforts again. After being told that much, Reiru decided it was safe to consider it to be his own. Reiru felt timid about owning such a luxury item at first, but he was happy that Gio was concerned about his safety. Of course, Gio was being considerate because if anything happened to me, there would be no one left to take care of the orphanage. Still, it¡¯s reassuring to know that Gio would be there if something bad happened. Even though I thought I would never see Gio again after I left the orphanage, I felt that we would always be connected by this blue gem that resembled the color of his eyes. ¡­But if it¡¯s extremely expensive, shouldn¡¯t I return it after all? Gio shrugged his shoulders as Reiru looked up at him. ¡°It¡¯s really not that expensive. A lot of young people in the capital have it.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± When Reiru looked over at Gio¡¯s friends, they nodded in agreement. ¡°Ah¡­right. Young girls in the capital often wear them.¡± The swordsman snickered to himself, ¡°Like daughters of wealthy merchants or nobles.¡± If it was a small-grain sized stone, a commoner could buy it for his lover, but the one Reiru was wearing was the size of a thumb tip. Lazurite was often said to be worn by the second princess, which made it popular among the ladies of high society. The price had skyrocketed, and the fact that it could only be obtained from a limited area in a small country across the sea had resulted in a shortage of stones available in the market. It was rumored that nowadays, even the nobility couldn¡¯t easily obtain it. ¡°That¡¯s right. The price of a gem isn¡¯t much.¡± ¡°Compared to the cost of the defensive magic contained within,¡± the mage thought to himself. Only a very skilled technician type mage who specialized in magic-tool crafting would be able to create something of this scale. The mage could see that a number of magic charms had been hidden in the gem, based on Gio¡¯s well-cultivated magic. The mage remembered, ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± For a time, Gio frequented the magic engineering department of the royal palace. There was a mage in the engineering department who had a reputation for being very skilled in the art. He must¡¯ve asked that person to set up this gem. If it was that person¡¯s work, then it was no doubt a satisfactory outcome for Gio. When the mage had seen Reiru wearing this pendant before, he thought that Gio had given it to Reiru in order to protect the orphanage as its representative. Now he knew that was a misunderstanding. Of course, it was also meant to protect the orphanage, but above all else it was meant to protect Reiru. As long as Reiru wore the gem, which was imprinted with Gio¡¯s magical power, he would never be able to escape Gio, no matter where he went. Because Gio can use the gem as a mark to teleport to Reiru. ¡°Hey? That¡¯s why, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°O-ok. I understand.¡± Reiru, who had no way of knowing the truth, tucked the pendant under his shirt with care like a precious object. Meanwhile, a hushed conversation was unfolding. ¡°That stone activated an attack spell when His Highness touched it earlier, right¡­? It was fortunate that His Highness neutralized it in an instant, but if it had been an unskilled person, it could have blown off their arm or something. He¡¯s too possessive¡­ With that, no one with the ability to see magic would ever lay a hand on the young man. It could be seen at a glance that even if the young man himself doesn¡¯t have any magic power, there¡¯s someone dangerous looming behind him.¡± ¡°If you look carefully, you can see it has a lot of detailed settings. Owner¡­ in other words, there are various types of magic that could be used in response to Reiru-dono¡¯s vital signs¡­ Eh, can you even pack that kind of advanced magic into such a small gem under normal circumstances? Did they allocate some of the military¡¯s budget to develop it?¡± ¡°Gio is quite overprotective when it comes to his mate. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d make Reiru wear something like that, and on top of that, he wouldn¡¯t be at ease unless Reiru also had an escort? I think he¡¯s got wolf blood in him from somewhere.¡± The whispered conversation did not reach Reiru¡¯s ears. But Gio seemed to hear somehow and he said curtly and frankly, ¡°How long are you guys going to be here?¡± ¡°Gio, don¡¯t you have to go back, too? You¡¯re busy, right? I¡¯ve heard that preparing to become a nobleman and marry the princess is a lot of work.¡± ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°The princess herself, and these people, I think they¡¯ve said something like that before.¡± ¡°Reiru, what the princess said was a lie. I had no intention of marrying that woman from the start.¡± ¡°Huh, why!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone else I like.¡± ¡°Ohh!,¡± His friends gasped. They were very curious to know if Gio had finally felt like confessing his deep hidden love. ¡°N-no way¡­ Even though you and the princess talked about your love for each other¡­ Are you saying that you were just enjoying each other¡¯s company?¡± ¡°Hah? What do you mean by that?¡± Reiru looked up at Gio with dismayed, criticising eyes. Gio looked back at Reiru in puzzlement. His friends did the same. It¡¯s true that the rumor of a love affair between the princess and the hero is widely known in the world, but they didn¡¯t understand why Reiru would support it. ¡°You know that one story, where the princess used to go out on the balcony of her bedroom at night, and Gio used to climb up the tree to see her. In the daytime, their status differences prevent them from talking to each other in public places, but at night, during their brief secret rendezvous, their uncontrollable love©`¡± Reiru was completely and emotionally invested in the play he had seen for the first time in his life, to the point where he completely believed it without questioning. ¡°No, so what are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about you and the princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the story of the play that Reiru-sama saw.¡± Gio exhaled in frustration after understanding Milvance¡¯s supplement. ¡°Reiru, it¡¯s just a play. It¡¯s a made-up story. It¡¯s fiction. It¡¯s a fictional story different from the truth. Do you understand? If a mere commoner knight who¡¯s not even an imperial guard can sneak onto the balcony of the princess¡¯s bedroom, that would be bad, because that would mean the royal palace¡¯s security is too lax. I could count the number of times I¡¯ve had a proper conversation with the princess on one hand. Of course, it¡¯s unlikely that we would be alone together. That kind of play is made to be entertaining so that the audience will like it.¡± ¡°Eh, then is it also a made-up story that you got into a fight with your friends and almost blew up the temple in the castle, and the king got mad at you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s true, young man.¡± ¡°I was frightened at that time.¡± ¡°That was Gio¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°To be precise, we were just trying to stop Lord Gio from getting into trouble with the people from the temple.¡± ¡°Somehow it finally became like an internal dispute between us and ended.¡± Gio grimaced at the people who were interrupting him. ¡°You guys go home. You¡¯re in my way.¡± Gio was very blunt. ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t want to. I am curious about what will happen next.¡± ¡°Well, well. Since we are at fault for complicating things, let¡¯s leave for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you about it later, okay?¡± ¡°Where should I put the love potion?¡± ¡°Then Milvance-chan, you should go back with me too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because an escort isn¡¯t necessary anymore.¡± Once the bustling group had left, Gio made eye contact with Reiru as if he had been renewed. They were alone in a room that turned silent in an instant. As he was caught in Gio¡¯s blue eyes, which reminded him of a quiet fighting spirit, Reiru idly thought that this guy was really handsome. CH 13 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena After the boisterous guests left, Gio pulled Reiru¡¯s arm and made him sit on the sofa again. Reiru also wanted to leave too and leave and get back to his menial work. However, it was somehow difficult for him to say anything as Gio sat with his arm wedged between him and the back of the sofa, pressing his body against Reiru. Gio¡¯s face was closer than ever, and Reiru felt uncomfortable at the unfamiliar closeness. ¡°Reiru, I¡¯m not going to marry the princess, and I¡¯m probably not going to be a noble either. It¡¯s still on hold, but I intend to decline the title.¡± ¡°Eh, why!?¡± Gio stared at Reiru in reverence. ¡°Jlnywpl kv¡¯e cl rskdvzlpp okvbswv usw.¡± Slkaw¡¯p caykd nswzed¡¯v rasnlpp vbl xlydkdt clbkde Qks¡¯p osaep. Tsolhla, qasx bkp lmrlakldnl bl nswze pll vbl plakswpdlpp cwadkdt kd Qks¡¯p lulp. ¡°R vbswtbv vbyv kq R clnyxl y dsczlxyd, bye y qklqesx, yde clnyxl aknb, R nswze xyjl vbkdtp lypkla qsa usw yde rashkel usw xsal nsxqsav. R oyp pwrrsple vs cl yczl vs rasvlnv usw qasx byvlqwz rlsrzl, cwv R alyzzu eked¡¯v lmrlnv vbl rakdnlpp vs zyu bla bydep sd usw. R oyp dykhl; R¡¯x psaau kv bye vs nsxl vs vbkp.¡± Qks¡¯p pvaydtl vseyu. Tl¡¯p pyukdt y zsv sq pvaydtl vbkdtp. Slkaw ds zsdtla jdlo oblal vs pvyav. Ohlau osae vbyv nyxl swv sq Qks¡¯p xswvb xyel bkx ps wdnsxqsavyczl vbyv bl nswzed¡¯v poyzzso kv esod lypkzu. G xsxldv sq pkzldnl qlzz clvolld vblx. Ebld Slkaw alyzkgle vbyv Qks oyp oykvkdt qsa bkp alprsdpl, Qks cawpble vbl byka alpvkdt sd Slkaw¡¯p vlxrzl. Wsa psxl alypsd, Slkaw nswzed¡¯v zssj yv Qks¡¯p qynl, ps bl zssjle yoyu yde pvyxxlale, ¡°R-kv¡¯p sjyu. Rv¡¯p dsv zkjl pbl eke yduvbkdt vs xl, yde lkvbla oyu©¤¡± ¡°Yes, you were going to leave the orphanage regardless, weren¡¯t you?¡­I didn¡¯t expect that you were thinking of leaving either, because I was certain you¡¯d be following me into my territory with the little ones.¡± Reiru thought it sounded like Gio was scolding him. Gio¡¯s gaze became sharp with faint irritation. Those expressions confused Reiru more and more. ¡°I pretended to be understanding, thinking things like, ¡®as long as you¡¯re always by my side, that it¡¯d be enough¡¯ ¡­but really, I was just being naive. No matter what I or the little ones say, you¡¯re not going to listen to us¡­You¡¯ll go off somewhere on your own when you decide to, won¡¯t you?¡± Gio¡¯s words were coming out of his heart as if he was talking to himself, but Reiru failed to take them in and didn¡¯t know what to do. What the hell happened to Gio? Reiru was uncomfortable and fidgety with this unknown side of Gio, who usually expressed his intentions clearly. But now he was being somewhat evasive, contrary to the clear will in his eyes. ¡°Hey Rei, what should I give you? The title and the territory are only a nuisance if you¡¯re not around. I¡¯m only good at beating up enemies, and I was originally planning to leave the management of the territory to you.¡± Reiru was completely taken aback. What is Gio talking about when there¡¯s even talk of marrying the princess? That, and Gio hadn¡¯t called him Rei since they were children, so he was surprised. When they were young, Gio used to call Reiru that, but when the other children also started calling Reiru by his nickname, Gio stopped. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡­ You¡¯re being a bit weird¡­ I can¡¯t run a territory. No way.¡± ¡°Realize it already, you fool.¡± Gio laughed. Gio¡¯s behaviour today was so different from usual; the whiplash from Gio going from angry to laughing was so dizzying that Reiru couldn¡¯t keep up with him. ¡°I know you could easily run a territory. Well, I¡¯ve already been rejected, though.¡± Gio¡¯s calloused hand swept through Reiru¡¯s dull gold hair. His touch was surprisingly gentle; his fingers slowly grazed Reiru¡¯s ear, tracing the outline, and softly took a hold of Reiru¡¯s chin. ¡°If you¡¯re not coming back with me, that¡¯s fine too. But if that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t hold back anymore either.¡± Reiru absently watched as Gio¡¯s blue eyes drew closer. His brilliant blue eyes were complemented by his long, dark eyelashes. Gio¡¯s glittering eyes, reminiscent of the blue ocean reflecting the sunlight, looked straight at Reiru. This guy is so good-looking that it¡¯s irritating. Their lips touched. As soon as Reiru felt it, Gio pulled away. ¡°¡­I thought you would have dodged.¡± ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think it was dangerous, though.¡± Gio laughed, ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± Reiru wasn¡¯t sure of it himself. The moment he understood that it was a kiss, his brain immediately commanded him not to give in, but his body didn¡¯t move. Gio pecked Reiru again and asked, ¡°Do you hate it?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Gio¡¯s cheeks relaxed and he examined Reiru¡¯s expression. Reiru hung his head, unable to meet Gio¡¯s gaze. I had never thought of kissing Gio. And yet, I don¡¯t hate it at all. So I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ Reiru¡¯s cheeks were burning and his heart was aching with pain. ¡°I like your short hair. It suits you.¡± Gio smiled. ¡°I liked your long hair too, though.¡± Reiru was completely overwhelmed by the sweet atmosphere radiating from Gio. ¡°¡­The young lady took me to get my hair done. She also bought me clothes.¡± ¡°I see. How was the play?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You were watching the play with that young lady, weren¡¯t you? Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± While answering in an almost reflexive manner, Reiru tried to remember everything about the play. He remembered the size of the theater he visited for the first time, the dressed-up people, the ups and downs of the story unfolding on the stage, the bated breath of the audience, and the sweets stall where he stopped by with the little girl on their way home. When he returned to the inn and got back to work, he was met by his fellow workers who expressed their appreciation. The lady of the inn seemed to have felt sorry for Reiru because he was too thin, and she gave him a large serving of supper. And when he was having trouble finishing the meal, the other workers helped him out. The events of just a few days resurfaced in Reiru¡¯s mind in various ways. ¡°¡­I had fun.¡± Yes, it was fun. ¡°What else did you do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Sightseeing, going out for meals, etc.¡± ¡°Not yet¡­ I planned to go to the port on my next day off though.¡± Reiru had come to this town because he wanted to see the sea, but he hadn¡¯t been able to go to the beach yet since he got a job right away. Although he could see that the sea was beautiful and blue from a distance, he also wanted to see it up close. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the port together.¡± Gio started playing with Reiru¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re having fun, but I¡¯m a little jealous. All these years, I wanted to take you to many places, too.¡± Reiru thought, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of such a thing,¡± as he recalled that Gio had once invited him to sightsee in the royal capital. Reiru had asked the lady in the neighbourhood to look after the children and had planned to go to the royal capital for half a day with teleportation magic, but he couldn¡¯t go after all because three young children had fevers. Until now, Reiru had been given many things by Gio. Not only that, but maybe Gio was trying to give him more than he had already received so far. Reiru didn¡¯t know what it felt like to fall in love with someone. Still, he knew Gio¡¯s tenderness deep in his heart. ¡°Gio¡­ are you really not going to marry the princess?¡± ¡°I only want to do that sort of thing with you.¡± He stated it as if it was obvious. Reiru looked a little embarrassed. ¡°Do you like me?¡± ¡°I like you.¡± His sudden reply without a single hint of hesitation left Reiru speechless. Gio unconsciously held his breath and waited for Reiru¡¯s response. ¡°¡­I see. Then I guess it can¡¯t be helped. What a shame.¡± Reiru smiled wryly. ¡°You have bad taste.¡± Gio felt unbearable. That¡¯s why Gio liked Reiru. Reiru didn¡¯t idly doubt Gio¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t impose the world¡¯s logic on Gio. He accepted Gio as he was and didn¡¯t expect him to change. You should marry the princess. Because it¡¯s for your own good. Reiru would never say such things. Every single person had expected Gio to change until now. Gio was told to act wiser, to be more interested in others, and to adapt to his surroundings. They tried to restrict Gio using their own justifications. Instead of fitting himself into that beautiful and proper round mold, Gio chose to live in a way that was natural to him, even if it looked irregular to others. Reiru would never know how much his presence had supported Gio over the years. Rather than preaching to Gio what he should and shouldn¡¯t do, Reiru knew what kind of person Gio was and always put him first. Gio was able to live as himself because Reiru was there. ¡°Wah, Gio©¤¡± Gio spontaneously hugged Reiru and Reiru froze. Gio needed to be careful not to put too much strength into the embrace, lest he might hurt the thin, bony body in his arms. Reiru, who had been tense from the unfamiliar situation for a while, timidly rested his head on Gio¡¯s shoulder, sensing that Gio had no intention of loosening his arms. Bittersweet love was swirling through Gio¡¯s body as he mulled over the gravity of his confession. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had always hoped for a day like this to come. And I¡¯d always rejected it. I can finally forgive myself for this feeling that persisted, and was unable to suppress no matter how hard I tried. I have no idea if Reiru will respond to my confession or not yet though. Still, Gio knew that he would never be able to let Reiru go again after this. ¡°¡­I seriously panicked when I heard you left, you idiot.¡± Gio¡¯s low voice murmured in Reiru¡¯s ear, the vibrations wisped his hair and caused a shiver to run across his skin. Realizing that they were embracing each other so closely to that extent, Reiru¡¯s heart beat restlessly. ¡°S-sorry.¡± ¡°I gave you magic papers to contact me for emergencies. Use them, you idiot. ¡°¡­I am sorry.¡± Reiru felt that he had some valid points to make too, but the tight embrace seemed to convey Gio¡¯s thoughts, so Reiru apologized honestly. ¡°Well, thanks to the fact that you didn¡¯t leave your gem behind, I knew you weren¡¯t in any immediate danger, so I guess it¡¯s all right.¡± Finally, Gio¡¯s arms released Reiru from the long embrace, and Gio looked at him straight on with a dazzling smile spreading across his face. ¡°You wore it all the time without taking it off, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gio¡¯s finger stroked the gem of the pendant over Reiru¡¯s shirt, tickling his chest. Reiru clutched his shirt in embarrassment, blocking Gio¡¯s hand. ¡°B-because if anyone but me had this, they¡¯d die, right?¡± ¡°Oh, did you believe that?¡± ¡°Eh, was that a lie?¡± ¡°Well¡­ if you had taken it off I would have died mentally, so it¡¯s not a complete lie.¡± What the hell is wrong with this guy, seriously? Reiru couldn¡¯t help but be dumbstruck by the unimaginable words from Gio. ¡°Your change of attitude is somewhat amazing¡­ I thought you didn¡¯t like me¡­¡± ¡°I like you, but you irritate me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s irritating. You¡¯re always flattering the women in the town and being touched all over. You¡¯ll eat the sweets that women give you on the spot, but you won¡¯t eat the sweets that I bring you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because most of the sweets the ladies¡¯ bring are homemade¡­ When I tell them it¡¯s good, they¡¯ll make more and give it to me again. Gio, you¡¯ll bring sweets regardless.¡± ¡°Humph. And then there¡¯s that thing where you¡¯ll only wear the clothes women give you and not the ones I give you.¡± ¡°The teenage children want the clothes you give me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what irritates me. I can¡¯t leave you alone because you always yield to others.¡± Saying, ¡°Irritating, irritating,¡± over and over again, Gio dropped kisses all over Reiru¡¯s face. Despite his words, every time Gio repeated them, Reiru felt like he was being told that Gio loved him and it stressed him out. Reiru didn¡¯t know that having someone tell him that they liked him would make his heart clench so tight. ¡°From now on, no matter what happens, please stop leaving by yourself. If anyone messes with you, let me know. Don¡¯t leave me behind with a piece of paper like that.¡± Gio pleaded, looking into Reiru¡¯s eyes. The commanding and begging tone of his voice made Reiru feel as if he had done something terrible. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave you behind in particular¡­¡± ¡°Rei, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that? Do you swear by Saracine in your heart?¡± ¡°¡­I swear.¡± Reiru was swept away and captured by Gio¡¯s overbearing sweetness. He no longer had any doubts and gave himself to Gio. ¡°Reiru¡­¡± When Gio¡¯s gentle voice called his name and Reiru saw himself reflected in his eyes, Reiru thought that the rest of Gio¡¯s words seemed so obvious that they were unnecessary. Gio¡¯s eyes were closing in on him. Reiru closed his eyes tightly. Despite Reiru¡¯s breathlessness, the kiss was repeated until Gio was satisfied. CH 14.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Haa¡­ hng¡­ hngah¡­ Gio¡­ wait¡­uhng¡­ uh¡­¡± This is troublesome. I can¡¯t breathe. Reiru gasped helplessly. Reiru felt dizzy and wanted to get out of Gio¡¯s arms, but no matter how hard he writhed or clutched at Gio¡¯s chest, Gio deftly suppressed his movements and wouldn¡¯t let go. Gio¡¯s tongue rolled and rolled, caressing Reiru¡¯s mouth in its entirety. Occasionally Gio softly nibbled on his lips, sending shivers crawling over Reiru¡¯s skin. Reiru could only tremble at the unknown pleasure that made him uncomfortable. ¡°Q-Qks¡­ blu¡­ k-kv¡¯p ycswv vkxl¡­ bdt ¡­¡± ¡°Lsv ulv. Rv¡¯p dsv ldswtb.¡± Fkxrzu rwv, Qks ayrynkswpzu elhswale Slkaw¡¯p vsdtwl okvbswv pvsrrkdt. Tl oyp yp qsanlqwz yp y pvyahkdt clypv, yde ulv bkp bydep olal tldvzl yp bl nyalpple Slkaw¡¯p lyap yde nblljp. Gv vbl xlanu sq vbkp nsdvayeknvksd, Slkaw nzwdt elprlayvlzu sdvs Qks¡¯p nblpv. Tl oyp yqayke vbyv bl oswze xlzv okvbswv jdsokdt obu. ¡°Ty¡­byy¡­bdt¡­ p-pvsr¡­¡± ¡°Zsw¡¯al zswpu yv vbkp. Jalyvbl vbaswtb uswa dspl.¡± When Reiru¡¯s shoulders finally rose after taking in a breath, Gio loosened his arms. Reiru was irritated with the way Gio had berated him, so he pushed Gio away. ¡°S-shut up! You might be familiar with this stuff, but this is my first time!¡± Gio cooed, ¡°Relax. This is my first time, too.¡± while holding Reiru¡¯s arms and hugging him tightly again. While catching his disordered breath, Reiru curiously looked up at Gio¡¯s face that was close by and mindlessly blurted an audible, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Is this really your first time?¡± ¡°Is that bad?¡± Gio¡¯s attitude as if to say, ¡°What about it?¡± left Reiru baffled. ¡°No, because you¡¯re kind of good at it¡­ and that¡­ ehh¡­?¡± Gio, who became the hero, was now one of the most renowned knights in the capital. After all, there was even talk of him marrying the princess, so Reiru was sure that Gio would have been very popular in the capital. Reiru convinced himself that since it was Gio, maybe he studied it or something. ¡°Leave it to me, I¡¯m a pretty experienced person in image training.¡±1 Gio said it in an unpleasantly confident manner, which was in stark contrast to Reiru who had various insecure thoughts roaming inside his head. ¡°H-hey¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can leave it to you.¡± Reiru chuckled unintentionally. What kind of confidence is that? No, it was definitely amazing though. But for Reiru, who had absolutely no experience with this sort of thing, he could only roughly classify Gio as being better than him. ¡°Then let¡¯s try some more.¡± Gio¡¯s eyes flashed with mischief, and his lips pursued Reiru¡¯s again. When Gio pressed into him, Reiru felt both scared and suffocated. However, Reiru¡¯s quiet trepidation was slowly dissolved by Gio¡¯s embrace and passionate kiss. Reiru remained motionless at Gio¡¯s mercy. ¡°Hng¡­ ah¡­ hum¡­ hngg¡­¡± To teach him how to breathe, Gio deliberately covered Reiru¡¯s mouth with his own. With that, Reiru managed to get the hang of breathing, albeit awkwardly, and Gio¡¯s kisses became more and more intense, long lasting, and obscene. Then, he felt Gio¡¯s fervent desire in the hand that stroked his back, and Reiru went pale as he had a suspicion as to what would come next. Reiru, who had no sexual experience, had at least some knowledge of it due to the need for sex education for children. ¡°G-Gio, I can¡¯t do anymore today¡­ my heart will explode¡­!¡± The way Reiru pleaded for mercy with his moistened eyes while stifling his emotions, fueled Geo¡¯s inner urges even more. However, Gio couldn¡¯t help but hate Reiru¡¯s thoughtless words that allowed him to have hopes of there being a next time. Gio loosened his hands that had cornered and captured Reiru. ¡°That¡¯s a problem. If it¡¯s your heart, I¡¯ll have to take better care of it than anything else.¡± ¡°In the end, I couldn¡¯t make him cry.¡± Gio thought to himself in a pleasant mood. Still, now that he could finally touch him, it was hard to readily let go of the warmth, so Gio hugged Reiru tightly and savored the feeling. Gio wanted to revel in the warmth of Reiru¡¯s body forever, feeling the radiant heat seeping through Reiru¡¯s clothes, hearing the deep sounds of their heartbeats drumming together, and feeling the weight of Reiru¡¯s head on his shoulder. Reiru¡¯s lower body had reacted uncontrollably during their mutual touching. As he rested his head on Gio¡¯s shoulder, the heat in his body slowly subsided. Then, without looking at Gio¡¯s face, Reiru sheepishly murmured, ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m gonna go back to work.¡± ¡°Ok, I got it.¡± Gio quickly unfastened his arms. ¡°You¡¯re gonna go home too, right? Should I call for a carriage?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going back without you. This is perfect. I¡¯ll just stay here. I am on special leave from the Knights right now too.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ but the orphanage¡­ aren¡¯t you going to the children?¡± Reiru asked reflexively, and then hung his head from embarrassment. There were occasionally people who would not donate or lend a hand, but there were also those who would interfere with the way Reiru ran things at the orphanage. I pried into the orphanage¡¯s affairs. I thought I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, but I did it right away. However Gio smiled softly and stroked Reiru¡¯s hair, seemingly unaffected. ¡°I evacuated the little ones to another place the day you disappeared, since I didn¡¯t have any idea about how the royal family might react. They¡¯re currently being taken care of at a facility in the beastman territory. The royal family can¡¯t readily touch the border either. I went with them and it was a nice place. Given the culture of the beastmen territory, It appears that the children will be treasured and in good care by the entire community. So you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± Reiru breathed a sigh of relief when Gio explained to him that the facility was supported by both the family of the beastman who had just left and Milvance. It seemed that the one thing that had been weighing on Reiru¡¯s mind for a long time had been slightly abated. From what Reiru had heard, it was said that Gio had returned the money that Reiru had received from the princess, and it seemed unlikely that he would ever see the children again. As if he could read Reiru¡¯s mind, Gio appealed to him, ¡°If you want to go, I¡¯ll take you there right now¡­ but, Reiru, what do you want to do? You can go to the little ones, or you can stay here and keep working, or you can also quit when you are ready and go somewhere else. And¡­ Well, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to wander around this town with me for now, would it? We came all this way. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a break once in a while.¡± Reiru looked back at Gio in a daze. Gio told Reiru that he didn¡¯t have to go back to the orphanage, but Reiru subconsciously assumed that the fact that he and Gio were in a relationship that went as far as kissing meant that he would eventually have to go back together with Gio. Reiru was bewildered by the options that were suddenly presented in front of him. What do I want to do? Of course, Reiru was worried about the children. But when Reiru thought about his fellow co-workers and the little Miss, he felt like he still wanted to work at the inn. Reiru hadn¡¯t been able to look at the sea properly yet, and wandering around the town with Gio sounded fun, and he also wanted to see the play about the hero just one more time. One of the employees who worked at the inn said that he worked short-term jobs wherever he went, and when he saved up enough money to travel again, he would go on another journey. As Reiru listened to such stories, he thought that such a way of life didn¡¯t sound too bad. Gio¡¯s question sounded quite difficult to Reiru, who up until now had seen only a limited number of options outside of dealing with pressing matters. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to be asked all of a sudden, right? Well, I¡¯m not planning on leaving your side for a while, so let¡¯s take our time deciding.¡± Gio¡¯s voice was velvety as he caressed Reiru¡¯s cheek, who had fallen silent in contemplation. Gio mentioned he was going to make the formalities for the stay, so Reiru led him to the reception desk. From there, he apologized to the master and went back to work. TN: Enjoy reading. CH 14.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena When Reiru entered the kitchen, it seemed to be break time, and he could see his fellow workers talking about something. ¡°Ah, Reiru!¡± One of them noticed Reiru and quickly came up to him. ¡°Come over here for a bit.¡± He lightly pushed Reiru¡¯s back and took him to the back of the kitchen. The others followed behind. Mblu pwaaswdele Slkaw, lmnbydtle zssjp, yde vbld pweeldzu casjl vbl knl. ¡°Slkaw, cl bsdlpv okvb wp, sjyu? Zsw oydv vs tlv yoyu qasx vbyv twu, esd¡¯v usw?¡± ¡°Twb¡­?¡± Slkaw eked¡¯v wdelapvyde obyv bl oyp ypjle yv qkapv. Slkaw oyp xwxczkdt vs bkxplzq vaukdt vs qktwal swv obyv vblu olal pyukdt obld vblu pvyavle prlyjkdt vs bkx kd bwpble vsdlp. ¡°El blyae qasx vbl uswdt zyeu. Mbl blas nbyple yqvla usw, eked¡¯v bl?¡± ¡°Zlp, olzz¡­¡± Mbl blas nbyple yqvla usw. That may be true, but Reiru felt uncomfortable with the way he said it. ¡°I thought there were circumstances, but¡­ are you the hero¡¯s lover¡­ or perhaps his mistress?¡± ¡°Reiru, didn¡¯t that hero guy kick you out because he was getting married to the second princess and you were in the way?¡± Reiru was flustered by the questioning from his friends. There¡¯s no way Gio would kick me out. I can¡¯t fathom how they came up with such a ridiculous idea. ¡°No, it¡¯s not, he¡¯s©¤¡± He was going to clarify, but Reiru¡¯s friends looked at him pitifully and they piped up one after another. ¡°What were his intentions when he kicked Reiru out, broke and as good as penniless, and now he wants to bring him back? The boss told us you¡¯re from a town pretty far away, right? And yet, to be so lightly dressed, almost empty-handed¡­ that¡¯s strange no matter how you look at it.¡± ¡°I mean, you¡¯re so skinny, you had to wear unfashionable clothes, you were sleep deprived¡­ Did he ever treat you like a proper human being? I don¡¯t think you were given a healthy or culturally appropriate minimum standard of living.¡± ¡°I wondered what kind of nerve he had to corral a bunch of his friends to bring back his mistress in the first place.¡± ¡°Reiru, if you¡¯re going to run away, take this. You don¡¯t need to pay us back.¡± With that, a small money pouch was placed in Reiru¡¯s hand. Feeling the heavy weight of the coins, he was at a loss for words. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s all the money we have on hand. You can get far away with a boat.¡± ¡°If necessary, we¡¯ll hold him back for you. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a hero or not, but anyone who does bad things to Reiru©¤¡± Reiru¡¯s mind went blank. Up until now, no one around Reiru had spoken ill of Gio. Despite the unfortunate circumstance of growing up in an orphanage in the countryside, Gio has risen through the ranks in the capital and is a respectable, fine young man who still visits the orphanage to befriend and support orphans in the same situation. The whole town was proud of Gio. And more importantly, Reiru had never been in a situation where Gio was condemned for his sake. ¡°No, he¡¯s not! Gio¡¯s not like that!¡± He unconsciously raised his voice and was astonished at himself for doing so. His friends instantly shut their mouths. Then they grinned broadly. ¡°Heh, then what is he like?¡± When Reiru came to his senses, he found himself being led by their conversation skills to reveal the abridged story of his life before coming here. In the first place, Reiru had lived a life where he rarely had a chance to talk about himself to others. Even in town, he was simply known as ¡°Reiru of the orphanage.¡± It could be said that he never received any interest from others. In that sense, they were one or two steps ahead of the naive Reiru. Reiru had tried to be vague about the princess¡¯s money, the fact that Gio¡¯s friends didn¡¯t think highly of him, and that Gio had feelings for him, but it was apparently easy for these experienced people to work it all out. After a series of questions, they exchanged glances with a complicated look on their face. ¡°I see¡­ that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Or rather, isn¡¯t the hero a victim, too?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry for Reiru, but I can somewhat understand the feelings of the hero¡¯s friends. You see, sometimes there are people who have a respectable job and are serious, but their personal life can be questionable. Like getting into a weird religion, being coerced into buying expensive products, or being exploited by hopeless parents.¡± ¡°Ah, yes yes.¡± ¡°After all, people don¡¯t usually donate most of their salaries. Even more so, every month, for years on end. If my friend was like that, I¡¯d be worried.¡± ¡°Besides, and I¡¯m sorry to say this, but Reiru¡¯s previous appearance could¡¯ve easily given the wrong impression that he was embezzling the donation money¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Reiru looked out into the distance and thought, ¡°Not that again,¡± but he was glad that they understood the situation with Gio. He returned the money handed to him and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Well©`but I¡¯m glad to hear that the misunderstanding has been cleared up.¡± ¡°However, the hero is also very praiseworthy. He devoted himself that much to Reiru.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­ Gio didn¡¯t do it for me, he did his best for the orphanage.¡± As soon as Reiru said that, their expressions diminished and their eyes became soft. ¡°Reiru¡­that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certainly not wrong, but you¡¯re not entirely right either.¡± ¡°You really are thickheaded. The poor hero.¡± ¡°I guess this is why we can¡¯t leave you alone.¡± Reiru was about to repeat his claim that it wasn¡¯t like that, but then he realized that Gio liked him, and held his tongue. What if Gio¡¯s consideration and kindness so far had really been his love toward me? If that was the case, Gio must have been thinking about me for a long time. Reiru¡¯s chest slowly warmed up, and his cheeks flushed faintly. His friends grinned and watched as Reiru fell silent, looking like an embarrassed teenage girl. When Reiru pulled himself together and was about to go back to work, they apologized in a formal manner. ¡°Reiru, We¡¯re sorry about earlier. We spoke ill of the hero.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Reiru, you must have been really upset for you to shout like that.¡± ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t seem to get mad over little things.¡± ¡°I apologize for saying what I wanted when I didn¡¯t even know the situation.¡± When they said that, Reiru suddenly felt ashamed for losing his cool. They were worried about Reiru and even offered their money to help him escape. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. You all were just worried about me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re friends after all.¡± Reiru looked back at them with surprise. He never thought he¡¯d make friends at this age. They each patted Reiru, who was feeling embarrassed and shy, lightly on the shoulder and returned to their respective posts. Looking back, I lived an idyllic life with the children at the orphanage. Every day was like a battlefield, but Reiru was helped by children old enough to be sensible, adored by young children, and lived unaffected by the pitfalls of the world which his fellow workers had told him about. Even though he was poor, he had a reassuring brother, Gio, who supported him through it all. Since he¡¯d left, he¡¯d been housed at the inn, and everyone had been nothing but kind to him. Maybe my life is actually more fortunate than I thought. With that in mind, Reiru also went back to the kitchen. ¡°©¤that¡¯s what happened, Hero.¡± ¡°Really? I see.¡± After completing the formalities of his stay, Gio went out to check the location of the town¡¯s teleporting station for the future, but was intercepted by the innkeeper¡¯s daughter. They walked side by side as she offered to show him the way to the teleporting station. ¡°Oh, I thought you¡¯d be more pleased. Reiru got mad on your behalf, Hero. That¡¯s why I went to the trouble of telling you.¡± ¡°Thanks for that. But little miss, eavesdropping is not something that gets praised. Especially if you eavesdrop from a guest room, you could get in a lot of trouble depending on the situation.¡± When Gio gave her a scolding, the little girl avoided his gaze, looking resigned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but this time was an exception. I was worried about Reiru, you know. Besides, I quickly retreated before things got too adult, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yeah, retreating is good. Self-control is important after all.¡± Gio edified as if to remind himself. I feel like taking Reiru into my room right now, but I shouldn¡¯t interfere with his work. ¡°Hey, if you know of any good eateries or sweet shops in this area, let me know.¡± ¡°Ok but what kind of shop do you want to go to? For one person? For a date? What kind of food do you like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for a date. Something easy to eat and get some calories out of it.¡± ¡°Yes, Reiru has a small appetite, so you must be worried, Hero.¡± Afterwards, as a thank you for the little girl¡¯s efforts, Gio went to a confectionery store that the girl recommended, bought her a generous amount of sweets, and then ordered a large quantity of sweets boxes and gave them to the innworkers. ¡°The hero looks like the owner of the store, it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more scary if you think of this as him keeping us in check.¡± ¡°The duality of showing economic strength along with consideration is cool.¡± During their break, while munching on sweets, Reiru¡¯s friends said such things in an amused tone. Then they grinned at Reiru, who was slowly crunching on one of the sweets. ¡°Well but¡­ the fact of the matter is, I bet he bought all of them because he wanted Reiru to eat it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re loved, Reiru.¡± Reiru mindlessly gulped down the sugary sweet, which spread a buttery flavor in the mouth as it was chewed. Seeing his ears turn red, his friends inwardly congratulated them on their future. TN: I am really sorry for being late. I didn¡¯t post last week because I was sick and busy with clinic visits. I hope you all are having happy holidays. Enjoy reading. CH 15.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena Night after night, a man was seated outside a modest caf¨¦ near the port of Paffamzia, which could be found just after turning into a small alley from the main street. It was only recently that he started frequenting this caf¨¦. The man with jet-black hair and bright blue eyes always ordered a glass of mentha water without fail and sat at the edge of the terrace seats. Advertisements The owner of the store, realizing the man¡¯s true identity, tried to offer him a drink, but he politely refused each time. Instead, he spent his time either looking at the book he had brought with him or focusing his attention to the end of the alley, which was dimly lit by the night light. The caf¨¦ also served alcohol in the evening, so it was fairly lively and became a place for people to socialize. However, no one dared to approach the man sitting comfortably outside with his long legs crossed, looking like he was waiting for someone. Tl oyp vyzz yde bye yd schkswpzu olzz-vaykdle rbupkiwl, yde bkp clyakdt oyp ps kxrspkdt vbyv pkxrzu zssjkdt esod yv bkp cssj oyp ldswtb vs yvvaynv rlsrzl¡¯p yvvldvksd. Mbl yaly yaswde bkp plyv oyp nsdpvydvzu snnwrkle cu qlxyzl nwpvsxlap, lynb sq obsx alrlyvlezu vbalo yxsaswp tzydnlp vsoyae bkx. Mbl xyd eked¡¯v alprsde vs ydu sq vbkp, cwv kdpvlye bye yd yka sq yzssqdlpp, pkzldvzu alflnvkdt vbl rlsrzl yaswde bkx okvbswv ydu pktdp sq olyjdlpp. Gcswv vbkavu xkdwvlp yqvla vbl xyd vssj vbl plyv, y uswdt xyd nyxl awddkdt qasx vbl srrspkvl pkel sq vbl yzzlu yde ayd wr vs bkx. Tl bye y ekpvkdnvkhl zsdt yde pzldela cseu, cwv svbla vbyd vbyv, bl oyp y dlyvzu ealpple yhlaytl uswdt xyd obs nswze cl qswde yduoblal. Gp pssd yp vbl xyd, obs bye zssjle yp zkqlzlpp yp y clywvkqwz pvyvwl, nywtbv pktbv sq bkx, bkp qlyvwalp psqvldle. Tl vbld rwzzle vbl uswdt xyd kd cu bkp oykpv yde obkprlale psxlvbkdt kdvs bkp lya. ¡°Qsse osaj vseyu, yal usw bwdtau?¡± ¡°No, I ate a lot at work¡­ and Gio, you don¡¯t have to come and pick me up every day.¡± Advertisements ¡°I came here because I want to. Is it a bother?¡± Gio asked, as he gave Reiru a light kiss on the cheek. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Sensing the stares from the patrons of the caf¨¦ and the passersby, Reiru hung his head in embarrassment. Gio¡¯s mere presence was enough to attract attention, but Gio also kissed him regardless of whether they were in public view on the street or not, which made Reiru feel embarrassed every time. Since the day they first kissed, Gio¡¯s sense of distance towards Reiru had been like this. ¡°P-people are watching so¡­¡± Gio laughed and stopped himself from bringing their lips together as he said in a nonchalant manner, ¡°Personally, I¡¯d like to show off so much that the whole town knows about us. That way there would be less trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push the limits of my shame, you idiot.¡± Reiru softly hit Gio¡¯s chest with a beet red face. Gio stroked Reiru¡¯s hair. ¡°All right, all right. Then let¡¯s go home quickly.¡± Advertisements With eyes that appeared as if he was leading his prey into his den, Gio smiled suggestively. The man embraced the young man¡¯s shoulders and disappeared into the darkness of the night. The caf¨¦ customers looked on with cups of wine in hand, and they talked about how it was like a knight protecting a princess. The young man¡¯s identity was the subject of many speculative rumors and was treated as if it were an appetizer to the main dish of gossip. After closing the door to his room at the inn, Gio hugged Reiru from behind and kissed him on the nape of his neck. ¡°Gio, I¡¯m sweaty.¡± ¡°I like the smell of your sweat.¡± Reiru¡¯s attempt at restraint had not been heeded. And yet, every time Reiru resisted without fail, his innocence inexplicably provoked Gio¡¯s male instincts. Gio pulled up the hem of Reiru¡¯s shirt and caressed his flat, thin belly. Reiru¡¯s body only had the bare minimum muscles and fat. Even though he hadn¡¯t worked out much, the extremely thin layer of fat covering the surface made Reiru¡¯s abdominal muscles appear as they were on his skin, giving them a slightly defined look. Because of his tall stature and correspondingly long arms and legs, the impression of Reiru was that of a lanky man. However, it was also true that even though he was skinny, he was sturdy enough not to catch a single cold. While Reiru would be okay for now since he was young, Gio was concerned that Reiru may experience problems later as he aged due to malnutrition. Advertisements But for now, Gio had to put his worries aside and make Reiru¡¯s restless body relax for the moment. He took Reiru¡¯s chin and made him turn around and licked his thin lips. He slipped in his tongue as Reiru nervously opened his mouth, tickling Reiru¡¯s still-unaccustomed and shrivelled tongue. His confusion and shame remained, but as Gio softly sucked on his tongue, Reiru¡¯s body gradually relaxed and his back slumped against Gio. Gio loved the moment when Reiru surrendered himself to him. With a surge of excitement, he entwined his tongue with Reiru¡¯s, tasting his sweet saliva and swallowing it with every moan. Gio¡¯s male instincts furiously flared up when he saw his reflection in Reiru¡¯s dreamy golden eyes. ¡°¡­Are you going to do it again today?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re tired, I¡¯ll stop?¡± It had been proven a few days ago that Gio would never force Reiru. When Reiru made the excuse that he was tired, Gio didn¡¯t do anything more, just gave him a sweet kiss and hugged him to sleep. Even though that night, Reiru was far from being sound asleep. Advertisements Gio liked to hug Reiru from behind and sleep. With Gio¡¯s male arousal pressed against his waist, Gio sucking on his shoulders and nape of his neck, and not being able to untangle his arms to at least try to sleep a little further away, Reiru slept shallowly throughout the night while feeling horny. In the first place, saying that he was tired was just an excuse to hide his embarrassment at the time, it wasn¡¯t that he really wanted to reject Gio. Although Gio was always pushy, he ultimately left the decision-making to Reiru. That¡¯s why Reiru couldn¡¯t deceive him about anything. Tonight was no different. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not tired.¡± The faint, almost muffled voice made Gio feel foolishly happy. ¡°Wa©¤¡± When Gio scooped up and bridal-carried Reiru, Reiru hurriedly clung to Gio¡¯s neck. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m heavy! You don¡¯t have to carry me every time. I can walk by myself.¡± ¡°If you were much heavier, I¡¯d feel a little more at ease.¡± After years of caring for children, Reiru¡¯s choice of words was sometimes childish. With pleasant reminiscence, Gio carried Reiru into bed with him. ¡°You didn¡¯t get hurt anywhere today, did you?¡± ¡°Yeah, nothing happened.¡± When Reiru came home from his work yesterday, he had a minor burn on his hand. He said he inadvertently touched the baking tray for the oven in the kitchen, thinking it was cold. The red-tinged skin was pitiful, and when Gio painstakingly applied the ointment, Reiru chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting.¡± How am I overreacting? Gio wanted to tell Reiru his honest thoughts. You don¡¯t need to do any work that will cause you injury in the future. If you need money, I will earn it for you. You can just live happily in peace and with no worry. That was what Gio really wanted. But he didn¡¯t want to impose on Reiru. He couldn¡¯t trample on Reiru¡¯s experiences of enjoying the play with the little girl of the inn, befriending his fellow workers, and working hard. It would be meaningless unless Reiru chose and wished for it himself. TN: I will be busy with job hunting until I get one so I will be splitting 3k words chapter into 2. I am really sorry about it. Elena opened kofi account. If you click her name above, you will be directed there. Please send her kofi if you enjoy our translation. She is a really good editor. You can send me kofi too. I will release a chapter for every 3 kofi. I started a new novel. Please check out. It¡¯s fluffy, bl jp novel. CH 15.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Ah¡­ hng¡­ aha¡­ uh¡­¡± Gio pressed Reiru down and covered him and kissed him deeply and wholeheartedly. When Gio moistly sucked on Reiru¡¯s neck without reservation, tracing his chest with his fingertips, Reiru¡¯s voice loudly quivered. Reiru bit his lip in shame at the sound of his voice. Advertisements Each time, Gio melted those lips with a kiss and openly expressed his desires. ¡°Rei, let me hear your voice. That¡¯s why I chose this inn.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yo¡ªdamn, you are acting smooth¡­ hnah¡± Ebld Qks rkdnble vbl d*rrzl sd Slkaw¡¯p nblpv okvb bkp qkdtlap, bkp polyakdt xswvb zlv swv y nsiwlvvkpb hsknl. Qks pxkzle nsxrzynldvzu. ¡°R zkjl blyakdt usw pyu R¡¯x pxssvb.¡± Qks rynkqkle Slkaw¡¯p qawpvayvle tzyal okvb y jkpp, psqvzu pwnjkdt bkp vsdtwl yde piwllgkdt bkp vkdu d*rrzlp. Gp bl eke ps, Slkaw pwdj kdvs vbl wdclyayczu tldvzl rzlypwal yde zlv swv bkp pollv hsknl, fwpv yp Qks bye okpble. Mbl qynv vbyv Slkaw¡¯p kddsnldv cseu, obknb rascyczu oypd¡¯v lhld ynnwpvsxle vs xypvwacyvksd, oyp pwarakpkdtzu hwzdlayczl yde pldpkvkhl vs rzlypwal, xyel Qks hlau rzlyple. ¡°Gb¡­ bdtt¡­¡± Qks vaykzle bkp olv vsdtwl esod Slkaw¡¯p nblpv yde qsdezle vbl svbla sdl okvb bkp ryzx. He kneaded the bud with the tip of his tongue, sucked on it, and bit it softly. Every time he did, Reiru looked adorably coquettish and Gio became aware of his own desire flaring up, aching with intense passion. Advertisements They removed each other¡¯s clothes and put their chests on top of each other. Reiru, who had been passive until then, put his arm around Gio¡¯s back and pulled him closer to him. ¡°¡­Gio, you can put more weight on me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared to; you¡¯re gonna break.¡± It took Gio a few times to realize that those words were not permission, but a plea. For some reason, Reiru liked the idea of getting crushed under Gio¡¯s body. Gio, who wanted to fulfill whatever wish Reiru asked of him, was unable to follow through every time Reiru pleaded. Especially when he considered the weight difference between them. Perhaps frustrated with Gio, Reiru¡¯s tone became irritable. ¡°I am not that easy to break.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too slender.¡± Gio carefully put his weight on top of him, and Reiru exhaled ecstatically as he did so. Gio was concerned that Reiru might be in pain. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, not allowing any space between them. Their hot c*cks pressed together between their stomachs created an intense, pulsing erotic sensation. ¡°¡­ Gio, yours is too hot.¡± Advertisements Reiru hugged Gio tightly and said such a thing with a drawn-out breath. Gio suppressed the roaring male impulse and patted Reiru¡¯s hair. ¡°Rei, I want to kiss.¡± ¡°Hng¡­¡± When Gio enticed him, Reiru released the arm he had been clinging to and looked up at Gio. In the dimly lit room, Reiru¡¯s golden eyes glimmered. Gio repeated the sweet kisses, feeling disappointed that Reiru¡¯s eye lids would drop when their lips came together. ¡°Hah, hng¡­ uwah¡­ Gio. Aahah!¡± ¡°The look that shows you¡¯re feeling it is super cute¡­ No, Rei, don¡¯t hide your face. Turn around and look at me.¡± While maintaining their lips locked, they rocked their bodies back and forth, rubbing their pen*ses together between their bellies, increasing the pleasure. The sounds of the two men¡¯s leaking c*cks rubbing together made a lascivious noise that colored the silence along with Reiru¡¯s moans. Reiru gradually became completely undone; a sheen of sweat covered his skin and he kept calling Gio¡¯s name with a tear-stained face. Gio treated Reiru, who still seems undecided about further action, with the tolerance of not needing to rush into anything. ¡°Ah¡­G-Gio, I¡­ already¡­uh.¡± Advertisements ¡°Ok, I will let you come.¡± The rhythm of gentle thrusts sped up and their hips grinded against each other. ¡°Uwah¡­ hn¡­ hngg©¤¡± When Gio held Reiru¡¯s head in place and tangled his tongue with his, Reiru quickly came. Gio covered Reiru¡¯s mouth again, which was letting out hot breaths, and sucked on his tongue as if gently soothing him. When Reiru¡¯s body was completely relaxed, Gio held Reiru¡¯s thighs as if to say it was his turn. ¡°Can you close your legs?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Gio thought it was a lovely sight to see the way Reiru desperately put his slender thighs together in a half absentmindness state. Gio pushed his hot lustful rod between Reiru¡¯s thighs and swayed his hips while staring into Reiru¡¯s face with intense concentration. ¡°Gio, don¡¯t look¡­¡± Gio held Reiru¡¯s body down as Reiru tried to escape his blatant gaze. Gio then hugged Reiru¡¯s thighs together and slammed his hips into his thighs even more fiercely. Advertisements Gio didn¡¯t want to have this vague intimacy, but he wanted to dive deep into Reiru¡¯s body without restraint, be enveloped in it, and be satisfied. That dark desire only grew stronger by the day. But to do so, it was necessary to relieve Reiru¡¯s anxiety and entice his interest in deep bonding. Gio let go of his pent-up feelings of lust and followed the look of embarrassment on Reiru¡¯s face in front of him. ¡°Rei¡­¡± His passion gushed out and stained Reiru¡¯s belly. Affected by Gio¡¯s direct gaze, Reiru looked up at Gio with a feverish expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­¡± Reiru let out a quiet murmur and his fingertips traced the white liquid spread over his white belly, moist and glazed with sweat. Reiru seemed extremely warmed by Gio¡¯s bodily fluids, which contained a vast amount of fire magic inside them. Gio, once again, suppressed his desire to react to this defenseless seduction, and in accordance with Reiru¡¯s wishes, he clutched Reiru¡¯s body in a crushing embrace, devouring his red, swollen lips once more. When Gio tried to pull himself back after hearing Reiru¡¯s ragged breathing, which became shallow due to the weight, Reiru¡¯s arms prevented him from doing so with surprising strength. When Gio first noticed Reiru¡¯s habit, Gio asked him if he was sure he wasn¡¯t in pain, and Reiru simply responded with a small smile and said, ¡°Rest assured,¡± Gio felt an irresistible urge to cry. After a moment of raw passionate desire, their kisses gradually turned into playful flirtation. While Gio rained kisses all over Reiru¡¯s face, as if he would not be satisfied unless he covered every square inch of Reiru¡¯s face, Reiru was dazedly following Gio¡¯s eyes. Gio suspected that Reiru actually liked his face quite a lot. Gio was secretly smug. Willy once pointed out, ¡°Big brother Rei is quite a face-con despite appearances. Well, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped since he¡¯s stuck with a guy like big brother Gio.¡± As long as a face had eyes, a nose, and a mouth, that was all that mattered. As Gio¡¯s name became well known in the world, he was often courted by men and women alike. It got to the point where he considered his appearance to be a hindrance that only made his problems worse. But if it could attract Reiru¡¯s attention, that was a different story altogether. Gio smiled at Reiru, aware of his own superb smile reflected in Reiru¡¯s eyes. ¡°Rei, I love you. You¡¯re mine. I will never let you go again.¡± Gio placed his gaze into Reiru¡¯s eyes, as if to burn this thought into them. The meaning of the words was not very important. After the deed, Reiru was enchanted by the aftertaste of the pleasure and his brain didn¡¯t seem to be functioning very well. Whether or not this selfish statement reached the center of Reiru¡¯s thoughts as he was coming down wasn¡¯t clear. Reiru smiled blissfully as if he was captivated by Gio¡¯s smile, and he buried his face in Gio¡¯s shoulder. Gio picked Reiru up, who was slumped on the bed and dozing in his arms, and headed for the bathroom. Reiru had recently stopped being a live-in worker and switched to commuting to work at the inn. This was because Gio didn¡¯t allow Reiru to live in a shared room with other employees. On that matter, Gio was not willing to concede at all. Gio suggested that he could sleep in the room he had rented, but having foresight, Reiru objected and gave the reasonable argument that, ¡°I can¡¯t be indecent in the workplace.¡± Despite his innocent appearance, Reiru was a grown man. He had a clear idea of what Gio wanted. Due to the circumstance of the hero¡¯s arrival to pick up Reiru, the innkeeper deftly recruited the new employee, and Reiru was treated as either quitting or staying, whichever was acceptable. The inn where Reiru worked was now the talk of the town, as the hero¡¯s group rode in on horse-drawn wagons. Along with the doubling of customers, there has also been a flood of applicants for employment. After consulting with the innkeeper, Reiru decided to quit after the next payday and to work only on the late shift from evening to night when there is less staffing. While Reiru was at work Gio visited the orphanage in the beastman territory or tidied up miscellaneous affairs in the royal capital. Gio¡¯s new lodging was for aristocrats and was very intricate. He decided to stay at the new loding because the rooms were large, the walls were thick, and the bath was attached. The water that had been prepared in advance had completely gone cold, so Gio used fire magic to raise the temperature to a good level before soaking himself in the water with Reiru¡¯s body still in his arms. After cleansing Reiru¡¯s body in the thick, milky water that smelled like sweet fruits, he let him lean against the tub to wash his hair. Afterwards, Gio wrapped Reiru in a fluffy towel and took him back to bed. After cumming, Reiru completely entrusted himself to Gio and remained mostly silent, displaying exhaustion. Gio couldn¡¯t help but feel affectionate when he thought that he was the only one that Reiru would show this spoiled appearance to. Especially considering that Reiru had spent so many years neglecting his own rest in favor of the innocent and simple-minded requests of the children. Under the moonlight, Gio looked at Reiru¡¯s face as he softly breathed in his arms, and dropped a kiss on his forehead. ¡°A bright red fire is burning in the center of our hearts.¡± He concluded the day with a quiet prayer, which also covered the sleeping Reiru. ¡°To my brothers and sisters who¡¯ve embraced the fire god Saracine, I send my unchanging love.¡° The prayer, which as a child had merely scratched the surface of what would eventually become a reality with Reiru, was now dedicated to many of the things that Reiru cherished. In his arms, holding his beloved brother¡¯s back, Gio fell into a deep sleep. TL: Sorry for really late update. I was busy with job-hunting and real life. I will try my best to get back to regular schedule as soon as I can. This chapter is not Gio and Reiru¡¯s first time. It was intercrural s*x. It will be in later chapter. Please buy me kofi if you like my translations. Enjoy reading. CH 16.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena Since Reiru switched to the late shift, Gio often tried to invite Reiru for a walk. Gio already knew the popular date spots in advance based on information provided by the little girl at the inn, such as restaurants where they can enjoy fresh seafood and harbors where they can embark on sightseeing boats. Gio figured that Reiru would be asleep by the day¡¯s end even though it was a late shift, meaning he shouldn¡¯t have any stamina problems if he spent a short time sightseeing before he went to work. Advertisements Reiru, however, showed little interest in Gio¡¯s proposals. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you thought of all these things, but I¡¯d rather sleep until after noon if I can.¡± Reiru expressed his true feelings to Gio without unnecessary reservations. Gio liked that. It would only bring misfortune to each other if they were mindful and exhausted on their own accord. Gqvla xshkdt kd okvb Qks yv vbl kdd, Slkaw pzlrv y zsv yp kq bl olal y nyv. Vlabyrp kv oyp vbl ynnwxwzyvksd sq ulyap sq qyvktwl, sa rlabyrp Slkaw pvllzle bkxplzq kd yd wdqyxkzkya ldhkasdxldv vs vbl rskdv vbyv bl oswze zlv ts sq yzz bkp vldpksd sdnl bl oyp okvb Qks. Ebld Qks vbswtbv ycswv vbyv, bl oydvle vs zlv Slkaw pzllr yp zsdt yp bl oydvle. ¡°Rv¡¯p ps talyv vs cl yczl vs pzllr yp xwnb yp R oydv. R¡¯x tsddy xyaau Jle-nbyd dso.¡± Tl pyke pwnb vbkdtp obkzl ralppkdt bkp nbllj sd vbl pbllvp. Slkaw zywtble zkjl y nbkze obld Qks iwkrrle vbyv bl nswze dsv yzzso bkx vs xyaau Jle-nbyd, cwv bl wdelapvsse bso bl qlzv. Mblpl dktbvp oblal Slkaw nswze pzllr okvbswv osaaukdt ycswv oblvbla yd kdqydv oyp calyvbkdt dsaxyzzu, sa vbl xsadkdtp oblal bl oypd¡¯v yoyjldle cu vbl ralpldnl sq awddkdt nbkzeald obs osjl wr hlau lyazu, sa vbl yqvladssdp oblal bl nswze pzllr okvbswv byhkdt vs osaau ycswv psxlsdl kddsnldvzu fwxrkdt sd bkp clzzu¡ªyzz sq vblpl vkxlp xwpv¡¯hl pllxle zkjl raknlzlpp xsxldvp vs Slkaw. Ohld vbswtb vbl nbkzeald olal kddsnldv, Slkaw¡¯p iwyzkvu sq pzllr oyp kdlhkvyczu rssa. Tkp pzllrkdt clnyxl pbyzzso yde bl osjl wr lypkzu. Qks sdnl blyae Slkaw tawxczl psxlvbkdt yzsdt vbspl zkdlp clqsal. Respecting Reiru¡¯s modest wish, Gio decided to give priority to Reiru¡¯s good sleep. Advertisements Gio made arrangements so that Reiru would not have to go outside as much as possible, since Reiru found it too troublesome to change his clothes except to go to work. ¡°I see, I see. That¡¯s why you deliberately went out to buy lunch just before your brother woke up, right? Even though the inn has a restaurant and would probably provide room service if you ordered it. Hey, isn¡¯t that the packaging from a popular bakery around here? Could it be the limited edition fried white fish tartare sandwich? Ha~ this is what a honeymoon period is.¡± The beastman said in a tone that was half amazed and half teasing. When Gio returned to the inn from a shopping trip in town, he was told by the lodge staff that there was a guest waiting for him in the waiting room, and when he looked, he saw the beastman waving at him. ¡°So, what do you want today?¡± The beastman was the son of an important family in the northern frontier beastman territory. Having made a name for himself in defeating the Demon King, he was set to become the de facto head of the Northern Frontier Beastmen Unit, which boasts its strength. Although he must be very busy with his own life, the beastman had casually visited this town a few days ago. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want anything in particular. I heard that this town is famous for pearls, so I ordered a pearl hair clip for Milvance the other day, and I stopped by while I was picking it up.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Ugh, that must have sounded really trivial.¡± ¡°Or rather, the food is getting cold.¡± Advertisements ¡°Yes yes, I¡¯m sorry. By the way, the head of the orphanage said he wants to meet Reiru-dono. He said that the growth records of the children are detailed and even includes insights on how to treat them accordingly, which is very helpful.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Well, you guys are probably in a good place right now, so I won¡¯t rush you. I hope you will bring Reiru-dono to the beastman territory one of these days. The food is good up north, and the beast children are adorable, I reckon he¡¯ll love it there.¡± ¡°Yeah, one of these days.¡± ¡°Also, he said he appreciated your donation, Gio.¡± ¡°For the time being, the little ones will be under his care, so it¡¯s nothing to be thankful for.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the amount of money was something he would want to be thankful for, even taking that into account¡­Well then, I will come again,¡± said the beastman, smiling amiably as he left. When Gio returned to the room, Reiru was already awake. There he stood in front of an open window, looking out at the view. The window also had a view of the ocean, and during the day Reiru often dozed off in bed or sat by the window in a daze. ¡°¡­Welcome back.¡± He probably just woke up. Reiru¡¯s face was lackluster and his voice was hoarse too. Advertisements Gio kissed Reiru¡¯s temple and smiled at him as he smoothed down his ridiculous bed hair. ¡°I¡¯m home. I bought food. Do you want to eat right away? It might have gotten a bit cold, but it¡¯s still warm.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll eat.¡± Reiru didn¡¯t have any particular likes or dislikes about food, nor was he picky about what he ate. He ate what he was served in silence and never said anything about the taste. This made Gio all the more worried about what to feed him. He picked up Reiru, who looked sleepy again after his stomach was full, and took him to bed. Gio didn¡¯t mind Reiru slovenly spending time in bed until he left for work in the evening. Gio planned to eventually persuade Reiru into a midday love affair. Watching Reiru¡¯s golden eyes sparkle in the moonlight as they are consumed by ecstasy was one of Gio¡¯s greatest pleasures. However, Reiru who was embarrassed and disheveled in the bright white sunlight with everything exposed must also be very exceptional. Gio stroked Reiru¡¯s hair while imagining inappropriate things, and Reiru looked up as if something had occurred to him. ¡°Gio, I¡¯m off work today.¡± ¡°Wow, you have days off.¡± ¡°Yeah, when you¡¯re a live-in employee, you get one day off a week, and even though I¡¯m already commuting, my days off were prearranged, so they let me have it.¡± Advertisements Isn¡¯t this a good opportunity? Gio was excited at the prospect of a midday love affair coming to fruition so soon. ¡°Are you going somewhere today?¡± ¡°No, I plan on flirting with you all day.¡± While kissing him on the cheek, Gio declared the schedule that had just been decided. Cupping Gio¡¯s cheeks, who was about to rush into a lascivious kiss just like that, Reiru innocently said, ¡°Let¡¯s do that another time. Since it¡¯s a rare day off, let¡¯s go to the beach.¡± Gio had no choice but to agree with Reiru, who uncharacteristically suggested going out, even though he felt disappointed. CH 16.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The sandy beach was sparsely crowded and was perfect for a stroll. The shallow, jade-green water gradually transitioned into a bright blue as it flowed out to sea, and the waves glistening in the sunlight were a delight to Reiru¡¯s eyes. It was autumn, but the weather today was clear with gentle breeze. As long as you didn¡¯t try to swim, you wouldn¡¯t get cold. Advertisements Sea birds chirped amidst the scent of sea water and the roar of waves crashing back and forth filled the air. So this was the sea. Reiru was a bit excited as he stepped on the white sand. Tl bye alye ycswv kv kd cssjp, yde bl bye yexkale kv qasx y ekpvydnl pkdnl bl nyxl vs vbkp vsod, cwv vbkp oyp vbl qkapv vkxl bl bye plld kv wr nzspl. ¡°Flyoyvla kp pyzvu, aktbv?¡± ¡°Zlp, es usw oydv vs vypvl kv?¡± Qks ypjle byzq-fsjkdtzu cwv Slkaw naswnble esod yde ekrrle bkp bydep kd vbl tldvzl naypbkdt oyhlp. ¡°Gxygkdt, kv¡¯p ralvvu pyzvu.¡± ¡°Zlyb. Rv¡¯p pwarakpkdt yv qkapv.¡± ¡°Mawl. Mblal¡¯p y alypsd pyzv nyd cl byahlpvle qasx kv, yqvla yzz.¡± Slkaw pyke psxlvbkdt nbkzekpb okvb pwnb y plakswp qynl, obknb yxwple Qks; bl nswzed¡¯v blzr cwv jkpp Slkaw sd vbl nbllj. Reiru had a complicated look on his face, half troubled and half resigned. Advertisements ¡°Hey, don¡¯t kiss too much outside¡­ I know you are shameless without a care in the world, but I¡¯m actually embarrassed, okay?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go somewhere where we can be alone.¡± Gio practically dragged Reiru along by the hand and walked toward the pier, which could be seen in the distance. When Gio tried to get a private room on the cruise ship, Reiru asked Gio to go on a small boat instead. Reiru still couldn¡¯t get used to the fact that Gio wanted to spend money on him. Reiru also expressed his disapproval of staying at an inn for aristocrats, saying it was an excessive luxury. Because of that Gio had to explain to Reiru several times that he was able to earn money on the outside because Reiru took care of the children. In other words, the money Gio earned was also Reiru¡¯s. That, and Gio wanted to enjoy his time alone with Reiru; if he had to spend some money in order to do so, it was a necessary expense. Gio was trying to persuade Reiru, who appeared to be frustrated. ¡°I understand that but¡­ no, I¡¯m not sure about that either, but I¡¯d still prefer a boat.¡± Apparently, Reiru didn¡¯t simply choose the boat out of reservation. ¡°I get it. Then let¡¯s go on a boat.¡± Advertisements ¡°Ok, then I¡¯ll row!¡± Reiru sounded very excited, leading Gio to think that he wanted to try paddling. Reiru struggled with the oar, but somehow, someway, the boat with the both of them on board made it out to sea. While watching Reiru, who was finally getting the hang of it and heading out to sea, Gio thought to himself, ¡°He used to be pretty athletic, come to think of it,¡± and reminisced on the old days. Reiru was a quiet boy who spent most of his time indoors reading books, but when he joined in to play, he was quick and light on his feet. When they were far enough offshore that the coast seemed far away, Reiru stopped the boat in satisfaction. They spent their soothing, idle time, touching the surface of the sea and waving back at the passengers of the cruise ship as it headed further out to sea. ¡°The sea is really large. It¡¯s sparkling and way more beautiful than I would¡¯ve imagined. I¡¯ve heard that the world is a big place so I guess there really are many different places and people from all walks of life.¡± Reiru earnestly commented. Reiru¡¯s world, up until he left the orphanage, had only been in that country town. Although his place of employment was in a neighboring town, he was always trying to save money, so he never played around on holidays, never had a relationship with a woman, and had few life experiences. This led him to experience a number of things that he never expected when he left the orphanage and began his journey. Advertisements He got a chance to speak with royalty, was pledged to by Gio¡¯s friends about something, made friends, and so on. It was Gio who was at the root of all those things, and Reiru felt incredible at the thought that Gio was now whispering his love to him. Reiru still inwardly thought it was a shame that Gio wouldn¡¯t marry the princess, and he didn¡¯t completely understand the logic behind Gio¡¯s love for him. However, he did understand that Gio always had a unique sensibility and sometimes displayed an odd fixation that others didn¡¯t understand. That¡¯s why Reiru thought that if Gio said so, then it must be so. He casually looked over and met Gio¡¯s quiet but profound gaze. ¡°Reiru, if you want to go, I¡¯ll even take you to a country across the sea.¡± Hearing the slightest hint of seriousness in his usual clear tone, Reiru couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Gio, I¡¯m not a kid anymore, I¡¯m not dreaming of an emotional reunion with my parents at this age.¡± Reiru¡¯s dull blond hair and golden eyes were not unusual features in this country. But Reiru was also aware of the fact that there were people who had both of these features in some areas of the foreign country across the sea. Gio knew that Reiru used to go in and out of the room that the former orphanage director used as a study, and he would read books that seemed difficult to read at a very young age. Advertisements Many of the books that Reiru often had in his possession were travel books that featured ethnic groups of the foreign country and their customs. One of the books mentioned people with golden hair and eyes, and that another one of their unique characteristics was that both men and women were tall. Gio believed that to be the reason Reiru¡¯s height had grown so much despite the amount of food he had eaten, which didn¡¯t seem to be enough to provide adequate nutrition; it was probably due to his heredity. Reiru, who had left the orphanage, chose this port town as his destination, where foreign ships come and go. Gio could not help but notice the significance in that regard. In response to Gio, who was holding his tongue, Reiru began to muse, seemingly carefree. ¡°I used to think about what kind of person my mother would be, too. Maybe she¡¯s a very nice person, but there were circumstances for giving me up, or maybe she¡¯s just a selfish, bad person.¡± The light from the waves shimmered on Reiru¡¯s skin as he playfully paddled the surface of the sea, making his golden eyes vivid. ¡°But maybe, just maybe, she¡¯s a very normal person. Not a particularly good or bad person, just an ordinary woman who had a bit of a tough life; if she¡¯s even still alive.¡± A fine wind began to blow, tousling his dull golden hair. Reiru brushed back a strand of hair that fell on his forehead and chuckled. ¡°There is nothing I can say to a normal woman who has gone through a hard time.¡± Gio had never hated himself for being inarticulate as much as he did at this moment. ¡°The wind has picked up. We should head back. Gio, you¡¯ll paddle back, right?¡± Reiru looked somewhat relieved and handed the paddle over to Gio. Gio rowed the boat at a tremendous speed in silence, and when they got up to the dock, he hugged Reiru and repeatedly kissed him. Reiru smiled, looking troubled, but did not resist. For some reason, Reiru was in a good mood and wanted to see the market, so they headed down the street that leads from the port into town. Reiru curiously looked at the stores and stalls that lined the street on either side. ¡°Oh, I am amazed that they sell so many things, not just food! And it¡¯s full of people!¡± ¡°Rei, watch out for pickpockets. This kind of place is where they work.¡± Gio warned that they may be in league with the owner of the stalls, or several people may target an individual. ¡°You seem to know a lot about this. Did you experience something like that in the royal capital, Gio?¡± ¡°Yes, but I got it back.¡± Reiru laughed out loud at the answer, which was very typical of Gio. ¡°Come to think of it, you invited me to the royal capital once before.¡± ¡°I did. The one that got canceled because the little ones got a fever.¡± Gio smirked as he recalled that time. ¡°That was a real bummer. I even guarded the royals coming down to the city for consecutive days to take a day off.¡± Not only that, but there was an expedition to take down a large magical beast that inhabited a large lake in the region just before their date. The mission was dragging on, so Gio forced himself to complete it and returned to the capital, but when he arrived, he received an emergency contact magic paper from the orphanage saying, ¡°Three of the little ones have a fever. Sorry, I can¡¯t make it today,¡± Gio involuntarily lost strength. Gio didn¡¯t speak about it, but Reiru lowered his eyebrows apologetically. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for, but I found a store I¡¯d like to take you to while I¡¯m on guard duty. Shall we visit the capital one of these days?¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be nice. I¡¯d like to see Gio as a knight, too.¡± Reiru said it casually, but Gio was instantly in a good mood. This was the first time Reiru expressed interest in Gio as a knight. The two were in a good mood and ate grilled seafood skewers at a food stall, Reiru tried some local sake, and returned to the inn feeling tipsy and in a good mood. Reiru, who hadn¡¯t had a drink in a long time, felt a little unsatisfied and opened the cold storage unit provided in the room. ¡°Gio, can I drink this sake?¡± When Gio heard his voice, he was busy preparing a bath and didn¡¯t check the bottle in Reiru¡¯s hand. Gio wondered if there was any liquor, but didn¡¯t mind or pay attention, since there were often times when liquor was available in the inn rooms for aristocrats. However, Gio would immensely regret this oversight later. TN: Thank you very much to N for Kofis. Last month, I said I would update regularly but a lot of things happened in my life after that. It was not a good month for me. On the last day of May, there was an explosion near my house and it was quite terrifying. I received notifications from kofi a few minutes after the explosion that someone sent me kofi. It really made me happy and helped me clam down. So, thanks again, N. The timing was amazing. I can¡¯t say anything about regular updates as last time I did it didn¡¯t go as planned. Thank you very much for your patience. Enjoy reading. CH 17.1 It was weird. Gio frowned. Advertisements It had been a while since Reiru went to the washroom, and yet there was no sign of him coming out. Reiru liked to drink, but he didn¡¯t drink incessantly and would usually only drink in moderate amounts. He hadn¡¯t had much to drink earlier either, but perhaps he had easily become drunk from not drinking after a long time. Gio called Reiru through the washroom door. ¡°Slk, yal usw sjyu? Uyd R nsxl kd?¡± Mblal oyp ds alrzu. Jwv vblal olal pswdep pkxkzya vs vbl awpvzkdt sq nzsvblp kdpkel. Ebld bl raknjle wr bkp lyap, bl nswze blya obyv pswdele zkjl xwqqzle pscp. Qks kxxlekyvlzu srldle vbl essa. Gv y tzydnl bl pyo Slkaw, zlydkdt ytykdpv vbl oyzz okvb y ale qynl. Tl oyp pkvvkdt okvb bkp wdelaolya wdesdl yde bkp bydep xyjkdt piwkpbu pswdep yp bl nzwvnble yv bkp e**j. Mbl dyaaso oypbassx oyp qkzzle okvb y rlnwzkya tayppu pxlzz, yde vbl pnldl oyp ps zypnkhkswp vbyv kv xyel Qks qllz ekggu. Qks nswzed¡¯v blzr cwv pvyal. Slkaw, obs bye clld ldtaspple kd xypv*acyvkdt, zssjle yv Qks okvb easopu lulp yde takxynle. ¡°Bjw-w¡­Qks¡­¡± ¡°Reiru, what is wrong?!¡± Advertisements Gio hurriedly picked Reiru up and carried him to bed, although he had no idea what was going on. ¡°I¡­ I am, something¡¯s wrong¡­ I have a bad feeling¡­ my body feels hot¡­¡± Hugging Gio like he was depending on him, Reiru complained about his condition with moist eyes and a slurred speech. Under normal circumstances, Gio would have welcomed the development of being seduced by a s*xual Reiru, but the abnormality of the current situation was obvious. Suddenly, he looked around and his eyes stopped on a small bottle on the table. Realizing that it was the aphrodisiac bottle left behind by the healer, Gio clicked his tongue at his own carelessness. He regretted that he had kept it, instead of disposing of it, out of ulterior motives and curiosity, thinking that there might be a chance to use it at some point. But even so, this confused side of Reiru was strange. According to the healer, this love potion was for couples only, and if so, the effect shouldn¡¯t be too strong. Even if he drank the amount for two people, was it possible for it to act this strongly? After calming Reiru down, who was sniffling, Gio stood up to inspect the bottle. Gio picked up the bottle and read the label, which stated a tiny sales pitch. [A fresh excitement for your night together ? Limited time only, a large amount enough for three times!] Advertisements A snapping sound came from Gio¡¯s hand. The bottle fell victim to Gio¡¯s pent-up anger. When he swiftly returned to bed, Reiru was curled up on the sheet, still on the verge of tears and touching his d**k. Judging by the amount of s*men staining Reiru¡¯s hands and clothes, he must have come a few times already. He must have been in pain because he wanted to calm the heat, but nothing was coming out. Despite analyzing such things in his head, Gio¡¯s eyes were glued to Reiru¡¯s glistening skin, attractively tinged with red, and his expressions as he writhed in pleasure. ¡°Gio, my d**k hurts¡­¡± Reiru¡¯s desperate voice had become so distorted that it sounded like a child¡¯s whimper, which brought Gio, who had been subconsciously influenced by carnal desire, back to reality. Gio held Reiru¡¯s hand down, which kept trying to touch his d**k without any thought. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t stop himself from doing so, even though he said it hurt. ¡°Rei, don¡¯t rub it. It¡¯s turning red.¡± Reiru¡¯s d**k had a reddish tinge from the intense rubbing, even though it was a pure, pale color. ¡°But, it¡¯s painful¡­ I have this hot, messy feeling in the pit of my stomach¡­ it just suddenly happened a little while ago¡­¡± Gio cupped Reiru¡¯s cheek to reassure him, feeling pain at Reiru¡¯s explanation with a faltering tone of voice. ¡°Reiru, I¡¯m sorry. The bottle you drank was an aphrodisiac, not alcohol.¡± Advertisements ¡°¡­What will happen to me?¡± Whether or not he understood the meaning of the word aphrodisiac, Reiru sounded uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± When Gio bent down to take Reiru¡¯s d**k in his mouth, Reiru jerked away, looking terribly surprised. ¡°Uwah, Gio! Sto¡ª¡± He desperately tried to close his legs, but his strength was weak. Gio easily suppressed Reiru¡¯s resistance, undressed him and opened his legs wide. ¡°It hurts when you rub it with your hand, doesn¡¯t it? So please, let me do it. If you keep this up, it¡¯s not going to go away.¡± His tongue licked up Reiru¡¯s pitiful towering d**k and brought it into his hot mouth. Reiru¡¯s d**k was sucked deep into Gio¡¯s mouth, drenched with saliva, and then sucked off again. It was a terrific pleasure in itself to have that sensitive spot wrapped with a soft, wet tongue. Yet, Gio¡¯s tongue coiled around it with unexpected movements, as if it were a separate living creature. Even though Reiru¡¯s gl*ns stung, perhaps from a friction burn, the stimulus further aided his pleasure and everything felt irresistibly good. Reiru forgot to resist and was at the mercy of Gio¡¯s f*llatio. ¡°Ah, alrea¡ª can¡¯t¡­ let go¡­¡± Advertisements Reiru¡¯s slender hand touched Gio¡¯s head. Holding his bouncing hips down, Gio sucked Reiru¡¯s d**k even deeper into his mouth and twisted his tongue around it. ¡°Ahhhh©¤©¤¡± Reiru¡¯s body trembled at the intensity of lu*t that madly rose toward the feverish release, and a momentary c!imax arrived as if sparks were flying in his field of vision. ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡± Even as Reiru released his load, Gio still held his d**k in his mouth as though he were pampering him. He carefully sucked up the slit, and his tongue crawled along the frenu!um again. ¡°Gio¡­ alr¡ª won¡¯t com¡ª stop, it¡¯s hot.¡± Reiru shaked his head in refusal and tried to escape from the never-ending pleasure and the constant stimulation. But Reiru¡¯s d**k was not yet withered. Nevertheless, the amount of s*men spewed into Gio¡¯s mouth was extremely small, and it seemed likely that Reiru was right¡ªthere was nothing more to come out. TN: Thank you very much for your patience and support. I posted uncensored version on my kofi. Enjoy reading. CH 17.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°The aphrodisiac hasn¡¯t worn off yet. Rei, you might not like it, but just bear with it.¡± Gio quickly prepared the balm and applied it to Reiru¡¯s back h*le. ¡°Hii¡­¡± Advertisements Gio¡¯s calloused fingers penetrated inside with a strange liquid. The foreign sensation frightened Reiru. ¡°Uwah, ah, there, no¡­There¡¯s a fear of hygiene aspect in [email protected] intercou©¤¡± ¡°Psd¡¯v osaau; R yddwyzzu alnlkhl vaykdkdt yp y alplahl blyzvb xytkn sqqknla. R¡¯hl yzps zlyadle vbl xlvbse sq rlaqsaxkdt yd ldlxy qasx rbupknyz kdvlahldvksd xytkn.¡± Tkp vsdl oyp hlau qkax. Slkaw, obs bye zspv bkp nsxrspwal, nswze byaezu wdelapvyde obyv Qks bye pyke. Jwv bl nswze vlzz vbyv Qks eked¡¯v byhl ydu yrryaldv kdvldvksdp vs pvsr. Slkaw qlzv y pvasdt pldpl sq alflnvksd yv vbl nwaaldv pvyvl sq bkp wdnzlyd rzynl clkdt lmrsple yde bkp nsdqwpksd kdvldpkqkle. ¡°Btw¡­wb¡­yb¡­sb!¡± Tkp kdvlpvkdyz oyzz oyp psqvzu awccle. Gxke vbl wdclyayczl ekpnsxqsav, Slkaw psxlvkxlp qlzv y vkdtzkdt p*mwyz pldpyvksd yde bl oyp yqayke vbyv vbl xkmvwal sq vblpl vos lmvalxl lmrlakldnlp oswze xlpp wr bkp pvsxynb. At times like this, Reiru wanted to feel Gio¡¯s weight on him, as he always did, but Gio was single-mindedly fingering Reiru¡¯s insides and wouldn¡¯t even look him in the eye. Advertisements Reiru was at a complete loss. He thought it was humiliating that Gio, who usually wouldn¡¯t look away from him while they were on the bed, wouldn¡¯t do so today. ¡°Gio¡­¡± As Reiru tugged at Gio¡¯s clothes and pulled at his sleeves, Gio looked down at Reiru in surprise. Gio wiped Reiru¡¯s sloppy face from tears and sweat with his shirtsleeve, ran his fingers through Reiru¡¯s hair to cool his heated head, and pulled Reiru¡¯s beautiful face closer. ¡°Shh, Rei, don¡¯t cry. Look, it¡¯s not scary.¡± Gio¡¯s low, cool voice whispered sweetly and his lips sucked the tears from the corners of Reiru¡¯s eyes and touched his lips. All the while, the finger that had been slipped inside Reiru never left. Nevertheless, Reiru felt a sense of security like he could finally breathe freely, since Gio¡¯s attention was finally on him. ¡°Hng¡­nuh, ah¡­ha, uh.¡± Reiru¡¯s tension gradually dissolved and the sense of discomfort faded as his insides were massaged while receiving gentle kisses. The insides of his belly tingled, and Reiru found the cautiousness of Gio¡¯s fingers frustrating. ¡°Do you still feel uncomfortable?¡± Reiru shook his head softly in response to Gio¡¯s concerned voice. The place that Gio had been discreetly rubbing since a while ago was slowly burning up and expecting more. Advertisements ¡°There¡­ it tingles.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Hiya!¡± Gio¡¯s fingers pressed deliberately up on that one point, and Reiru screamed at the pleasure that seemed to be directly connected to his brain. Reiru clearly reacted differently than before, and Gio increased even more fingers and rubbed his insides. ¡°Ah, uh, there, not there¡­nguh!¡± Gio calmed Reiru, who was bewildered by the intense, unaccustomed pleasure from the inside, with a kiss and stimulated there without going overboard. Eventually Reiru¡¯s coquettish voice became higher with sweetness, and his eyes softened like honey. Gio rubbed harder while sucking Reiru¡¯s tongue in a manner that could be called ravenous. Reiru¡¯s intestinal wall squeezed as it coiled around Gio¡¯s fingers. The rim twitched restlessly, signalling that Reiru¡¯s climax was near. ¡°!!¡± Reiru¡¯s high-pitched screams filled Gio¡¯s ears. Advertisements Gio brushed Reiru¡¯s messy hair gently and pecked him to avoid overstimulating him. Reiru¡¯s climax, which was not accompanied by ejac*lation, brought Gio an intense feeling of satisfaction as well. How many more times do I have to do this to completely get rid of the drug? Reiru had work tomorrow. While Gio was thinking of a way to put him to bed soon, Reiru¡¯s hand reached up to Gio¡¯s thigh. Reiru said something surprising to Gio, who was about to ask him if he was thirsty. ¡°Gio¡¯s, too, is hard¡­¡± Reiru¡¯s golden eyes, still feverish and moist, looked up at Gio seductively. The way his voice, hoarse from too much crying, babbled those innocent words sounded shockingly sexy. Don¡¯t say that to me now. Gio thought so from the bottom of his heart. Reiru probably has no idea what those words mean in this situation. There hasn¡¯t been a day that I haven¡¯t wished to be received deep into Reiru¡¯s body and finally be connected as one. However, I don¡¯t have any intention of carrying out my long-cherished desire with Reiru; he¡¯s not even in his right mind due to the effects of the aphrodisiac. Advertisements This situation is probably a disaster for Reiru. Even though I am trying my best to get past my savage instincts screaming at me to take advantage of him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. You have work tomorrow, right? If you take care of me too, your body won¡¯t be able to take it.¡± Reiru, who planned to resign from the inn after the next payday in a couple of days, began to recite the events that happened at work over the past few days. Listening to them, Gio thought that Reiru must be sad that he wouldn¡¯t be able to see the little girl and his colleagues from work anymore. But at the same time, Reiru also wanted to hear about the children entrusted to the beastmen¡¯s territory. It seemed as if the day when Reiru would express his desire to visit them was drawing near. Gio didn¡¯t know Reiru¡¯s future plans after this. Surely Reiru himself didn¡¯t know either. If Reiru couldn¡¯t decide, Gio planned to suggest that they go to the royal capital for the time being. Whatever Reiru chose, Gio made up his mind to stay by Reiru¡¯s side. And at the moment, Reiru wanted to avoid having to miss even one of those precious few days before he resigned because of poor physical health. Of course, if he wakes up and still doesn¡¯t feel well, I will encourage him to rest, but I am sure Reiru will try to go to work, even if he has to push himself a bit. ¡°You still got a little bit of the drug left. Can you hang on a little longer?¡± Reiru¡¯s member was less than half er*ct, but Gio decided that it would be easier on Reiru tomorrow if they got the drugs out of his system now rather than to leave unfinished, so he encouraged him to continue. Reiru nodded his head slightly with a dazed look in his eyes, and he went along with Gio as usual. Ignoring his own desires, Gio devoted himself to providing pleasure for Reiru¡¯s comfort. That service continued until Reiru, exhausted of energy, fell asleep as if he had fainted. It was a hellish, sweet night. TN: I¡¯ve created a monthly tier in kofi where you can get early access for the next chapter before the public release because I lost one of my part-time job and I need to pay for my class. One time donor can also get access to the next chapter. As usual, I¡¯ve posted uncensored version of this chapter on my kofi. You don¡¯t need to send kofi or join tier for it. I plan to do this for future nsfw chapters. Even though there¡¯s not much to uncensored in this chapter. Thank you very much for your patience and support. Enjoy reading. CH 18.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Okay, I¡¯m off then.¡± ¡°Yeah, have fun. I¡¯m meeting someone in the capital today, but I¡¯ll be back in the evening. Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Advertisements Reiru nodded, and Gio smiled and moved his face closer to Reiru¡¯s. Reiru slightly stiffened. F**k. Reiru cursed himself inwardly. Jwv Qks eked¡¯v pllx ryavknwzyazu yqqlnvle cu vbkp, yde zktbvzu jkpple Slkaw sd vbl qsalblye vbld pyo Slkaw sqq. Rd ekpvalpp, Slkaw zlqv vbl kdd yde blyele swv kdvs vsod. Gqvla ulpvlaeyu¡¯p ryueyu, Slkaw alpktdle qasx bkp fsc. Mseyu bl bye rzydp vs ts pbsrrkdt kd vsod okvb psxl sq bkp nszzlytwlp. Wsa Slkaw, vbkp oyp bkp qkapv vkxl tskdt pbsrrkdt okvb qakldep. Tl bye bkp pyzyau kd bkp rsnjlv, obknb bl lyadle bkxplzq, yde oyp zssjkdt qsaoyae vs pllkdt obyv bl nswze cwu. Gde ulv, vbl alypsd bkp blyav oyp dsv iwkvl yv rlynl oyp clnywpl sq obyv byrrldle okvb Qks. Slkaw yde Qks¡¯p alzyvksdpbkr bye clld pvaykdle pkdnl y qlo eyup yts obld Slkaw ynnkeldvyzzu eaydj vbl yrbasekpkyn. Fvaknvzu prlyjkdt, kv oyp sdzu Slkaw obs oyp clkdt yojoyae sd bkp sod, yde Qks oyp ds ekqqlaldv vbyd wpwyz. Jwv Qks dsvknle vbl nbydtl kd Slkaw, yde Slkaw nswze vlzz Qks oyp xsal nsdpkelayvl vbyd wpwyz. Reiru worried about what to do about this current situation. Advertisements Even when he and Gio began to sleep together, the idea of anal sex didn¡¯t cross Reiru¡¯s mind. At the orphanage, they tried to maintain a lifestyle that emphasised cleanliness. It costs money to buy medicine and to see a doctor. The idea was for them to prevent disease and minimize unexpected expenses by maintaining cleanliness. From Reiru¡¯s point of view, he had a strong belief that there was no need to deliberately use such a place that was extremely unhygienic. ¡°Love takes many forms. Depending on who you make love to, you will need to be creative in how you make love. There is no need to stick to one way of doing things. Let¡¯s find a way that works best for both parties and isn¡¯t a burden on either!¡± According to the content of the sex education book Reiru purchased for the teenagers, anal sex was taxing on both parties and he really didn¡¯t think it was the right method for them. On the first night that he and Gio had such a relationship, Reiru admitted his defeat as a man at the majestic sight of Gio¡¯s crotch. He couldn¡¯t help but think that a man who had become a hero indeed possessed something different. Reiru thought that if he had a woman¡¯s body, that was voluptuous and supple, it might have been possible. However, it was physically impossible for his thin buttocks to accept Gio. With that realization, Reiru put a stop to Gio¡¯s interest in his a*s, and Gio promptly moved on to other methods without persistence. Reiru was relieved. He intended to offer to penetrate Gio if he insisted on penetrative intercourse. Reiru¡¯s member, unlike Gio¡¯s, didn¡¯t boast both lethal shape and volume. Reiru thought that would be the best compromise. Advertisements But that idea was completely overturned by Gio. Gio calmed Reiru¡¯s body, which had been aroused by the aphrodisiac. Gio did so by every means possible, and carefully removed the frenzied heat from Reiru¡¯s body. Gio¡¯s long, calloused fingers probed deep into his insides and even his tongue thrust in. After being subjected to a full range of caresses that melted his body to the core, Reiru realized that he was capable of accepting three of Gio¡¯s fingers. And not only that, but doing so brought him indescribable pleasure. He was semi-dazed, but he remembered well that Gio reliably comforted him as he was distracted. If I were in the opposite position, I¡¯m sure I wouldn¡¯t be able to satisfy Gio with that kind of composure. Gio bathed Reiru, who had passed out after climaxing for who knows how many times, and put him to bed as usual. If that is the condition required of the inserting party, then I am not capable enough as expected. Reiru couldn¡¯t even get Gio to move out of bed. When Reiru woke up and asked, ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Gio smiled and chuffed, ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± When Reiru claimed that he was worried about Gio¡¯s stomach because he had licked such a place, he said that he had mastered medical hygiene-related magic to the extent that he was permitted to use minor physical intervention magic in the Knights. Therefore, he said, all concerns about the hygiene aspect in sexual acts have been resolved, as they can be addressed by those magics. Reiru couldn¡¯t understand the slightly difficult explanation given, but he could sense Gio¡¯s enthusiasm regarding hygiene magic. Advertisements If that was the case, there were no more problems left in joining their bodies together. But Reiru had a new problem that weighed heavy on his chest. When he thought back to that night, he wished Gio would touch him again. He felt elated when he was embraced. And yet he felt like he shouldn¡¯t keep savoring it, so Reiru avoided physical contact with Gio. Gio stopped trying to touch Reiru more than necessary out of consideration for him. Although Gio may kiss him just to say greetings or stroke his hair, he no longer hugged him to sleep at night, and of course, they didn¡¯t sleep together anymore. Reiru¡¯s feelings were mixed, he was both grateful and lonely by this. At that time, he was exposed to a pleasure he had never experienced before, and he felt as if his whole body had become soft and supple like bread dough. He had a feeling that he would even be able to accept Gio then. It was obvious that Gio¡¯s c*ck was stiff in his taut underpants, and Reiru had no doubt that Gio was naturally hoping that they would become one, like in intercourse between a man and a woman. And yet. Gio¡¯s kindness felt like rejection to Reiru, whose thinking was extremely simplistic. Advertisements Now that he was sober, he knew of course that Gio¡¯s words and actions were not meant to be like that, but he couldn¡¯t forget the vivid sadness that stabbed him in the chest in that moment. Even if he asked for it, he might be refused. Reiru realized that somehow he had never applied such an obvious thing to Gio, and he developed a silent fear. As a result of this fear, which he was unable to eradicate and festered in his chest, Reiru had lost sight of the sense of distance between him and Gio. CH 18.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°Reiru, did you find anything good?¡± Reiru looked up in surprise when he was approached by a colleague. Even though he had managed to come to town with everyone, he found himself thinking about Gio whenever he let his mind wander. Advertisements ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t really decide¡­ choosing a present is really difficult.¡± ¡°I think the hero would be happy with anything as long as you gave it to him, Reiru.¡± The plan for today was just to go shopping with Uruka. However the number of people increased under the pretense of the outing being a farewell party for Reiru, and they all decided to have lunch in town. Ohlausdl yvl yde nbyvvle okvb sdl ydsvbla, yde vbld pvaszzle yaswde, casopkdt vbaswtb vbl tldlayz pvsalp yde plnsdebyde cssjpvsalp vbyv zkdle vbl asye. Slakw bye kdvldele vs ts vs vbl plnsdebyde nzsvbkdt pvsal okvb Bawjy vs cwu psxl pbkavp, cwv dso bl bye plhlayz swvqkvp vbyv Qks bye ralryale qsa bkx. Fs Slkaw elnkele vs tkhl Qks y ralpldv okvb bkp byae-lyadle pyzyau, yde bl bye clld aynjkdt bkp caykdp vaukdt vs nbsspl y ralpldv. Slkaw¡¯p vkxl osajkdt oyp pbsav zkhle, yde bkp lyadkdtp olald¡¯v xwnb, ps bl nswzed¡¯v yqqsae yduvbkdt lmrldpkhl. Gde Slkaw bye dsv alyzzu vbswtbv xwnb ycswv obyv Qks zkjle. Qks rascyczu byp yp xydu nzsvblp yp bl dllep, bl eslpd¡¯v eakdj yznsbsz, yde bl eslpd¡¯v lyv pollvp swv sq bkp sod qall okzz. Rq yduvbkdt, bl zkjlp vs lyv xlyv, cwv R nyd¡¯v alyzzu tkhl bkx nbwdjp sq xlyv, nyd R? Qks bye caswtbv y dwxcla sq cssjp vs vbl kdd yde yrryaldvzu prldv vkxl alyekdt vblx obkzl Slkaw pzlrv. Yspv sq vblx olal prlnkyzkgle cssjp sd xytkn yde tlsrszkvknp. Ohld kd y plnsdebyde cssjpvsal, Slkaw nswze dsv plzlnv y cssj vbyv Qks xktbv cl kdvlalpvle kd. Slkaw qlzv y zkvvzl ryvblvkn, vbkdjkdt, ¡°R qllz jkde sq cye, lhld vbswtb Qks byp tkhld xl ps xwnb wr wdvkz dso.¡± In the end, all Reiru bought that day was a lace ribbon. Advertisements It was a gift for the little girl from the inn to wear in her hair when she went to the theater. With the help of his colleagues¡¯ opinions, he chose what he thought she would like. Reiru intended to go back after going to the inn with his colleagues and giving the ribbon to the little girl, but on the way back, one of his colleagues shouted, ¡°Eh?¡± with a loud voice. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the hero?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Wow, he¡¯s got a very beautiful woman with him.¡± ¡°Seriously. Reiru, is she someone you know?¡± The voices of his colleagues fell on Reiru¡¯s deaf ears. Gio was right across the street. He was walking alongside a beautiful woman with vibrant red hair. Reiru thought they looked very friendly, like lovers. He also thought they were well-matched. Gio said something to the woman, and the woman replied with an elegant nod. Then she extended one hand, and Gio dropped a kiss on the back of her hand. It was like Reiru was watching a play on stage, and he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. Advertisements Even though Reiru was so moved by the scene where the hero kissed the princess¡¯s hand when he watched the play with the little girl. Even though he wholeheartedly supported Gio¡¯s love back then. Now Reiru felt quite the opposite. Why are you with a woman? Why would you smile like that to that person? Why did you kiss her hand? Why, why, why¡ª Even though Gio no longer holds me in his arms to sleep¡­ Selfish thoughts that made no sense multiplied and occupied Reiru¡¯s mind. Reiru felt like he needed to regain his composure, but he couldn¡¯t breathe properly and it was suffocating. Perhaps Reiru¡¯s gaze was felt; Gio noticed him and their eyes met. ¡°Ah, the hero is coming this way.¡± Advertisements ¡°Wai¡ª Reiru?!¡± A colleague raised his voice in surprise. Reiru reflexively started running. Reriu¡¯s heart ached as if it were being squeezed, but he ran desperately. He didn¡¯t want to face Gio right now. If he were to face any expression other than that captivating smile right now¡­ Reiru felt like his heart was going to crumble to pieces. For the first time, Reiru felt afraid of Gio. Gio was now the only person who could hurt Reiru more than anyone else. Reiru had to run¡ªrun and escape somewhere no matter what. ¡°Reiru!¡± He heard Gio¡¯s voice behind him and still Reiru did not stop. Advertisements Reiru didn¡¯t want to talk about anything now that he wasn¡¯t calm; he had no idea what he might say. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong!?¡± Reiru had always been confident in his ability to run away, but he couldn¡¯t shake Gio at all. He was indeed the hero. Nevertheless Reiru couldn¡¯t let him catch up with him. Reiru¡¯s lungs were screaming and his legs were about to collapse. ¡°Rei, wait!!¡± Gio¡¯s figure loomed right behind him, and Reiru unconsciously clutched the pendant bouncing on his chest. All of a sudden, a flash of blinding light enveloped Reiru¡¯s body, instantly erasing him from sight. The scene left passersby in an uproar, wondering what had happened, and Gio staring dumbfounded at the space from where Reiru had vanished. TN: The next update will be in September as I have been depressed lately and in a slump. In the mean time, you can check out my other project, I Reincarnated and Became Friends With the Black Lion Prince! I¡¯ll Make Him Change His Unhealthy Eating Habits So I Won¡¯t Get Eaten by Him. I also started a new project a while ago which I finished synopsis only. I have posted it on my patreon. They are both fluffy love stories. Enjoy reading. CH 19.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The council room in the palace was temporarily in an uproar. This was because an unidentified young man suddenly appeared on top of the historic round table, which was surrounded by the country¡¯s most important people since the founding period. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Advertisements ¡°An attack by demons? Assemble the Imperial Guards!¡± ¡°What happened to the barrier?! Was it breached?¡± ¡°Your Highness, please evacuate!¡± Slkaw pvsse vblal pvwddle. Kwpv y qlo xsxldvp yts, bl bye clld eskdt psxlvbkdt yjkd vs rzyukdt vyt okvb Qks, obld pweeldzu bl oyp ldhlzsrle cu y valxldeswp zktbv yde qswde bkxplzq sd y zyatl vyczl kd vbl xspv zwmwakswp assx bl¡¯e lhla plld. Xd vsr sq vbyv, bl oyp yrryaldvzu xkpvyjld qsa y elxsd. Mbspl yaswde vbl aswde vyczl yrrlyale vs cl ekpvkdtwkpble xlxclap sq dsckzkvu, yde yv vbkp ayvl, Slkaw oyp ycswv vs cl ekprsple sq okvbswv iwlpvksd. ¡°Ohlausdl, nyzx esod.¡± Ebld Slkaw blyae y ellr, nyzx hsknl wvvla y qlo osaep, pvaydtlzu ldswtb, vbl pkvwyvksd pwcpkele rasxrvzu. Slkaw alnstdkgle vbl qynl sq vbl hsknl¡¯p sodla, yde kv oyp vbld vbyv bl alyzkgle oblal bl oyp. ¡°Tl kp xu twlpv. Mbl cyaakla kp dsv kxrsavydv. Tl byp clld tkhld y rzletl sq rasvlnvksd. Mblalqsal, bl kp dsv nsdpkelale yd kdvawela.¡± Mbl nasod rakdnl jlrv bkp lulp qkmle sd Slkaw yde xyel pwal vbyv lhlausdl kd vbl assx blyae bkx. The surroundings once again stirred, and everyone was whispering something to each other. Advertisements ¡°Your Highness made a pledge¡­? That¡¯s rare.¡± ¡°Yes, because he¡¯s quite an interesting guy.¡± ¡°Who in the world is he?¡± ¡°Well, you will know soon.¡± The crown prince left his seat, smiled, and extended his hand to Reiru. ¡°Reiru, you¡¯ve come at the right moment. We just finished the meeting. Now, come here.¡± Reiru, who was bewildered by the unexpected situation, did as the crown prince asked, took his hand, and left the council room. The crown prince took Reiru to another room, offered him a cup of fragrant tea, and prattled on for a while about the faraway foreign country where the tea originated from. Reiru only chimed in with the crown prince¡¯s talk as he drank his tea. The crown prince¡¯s conversation did not really enter his mind. But as he smelled the fragrance of the tea, his disordered mind gradually calmed down. ¡°So, what happened with Gio?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Advertisements Reiru didn¡¯t immediately understand what he was being asked after the topic was suddenly cut off in the middle of discussing the foreign country. ¡°I told you if you ever wanted to get away from Gio, I would help you. That¡¯s why you are here now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The crown prince was right when he said Reiru wanted to get away from Gio, but Reiru never thought he would have escaped to the royal palace. ¡°I¡¯d heard that Gio had apparently made his first love come true, but did you two have a lover¡¯s quarrel right off the bat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case¡­ Well, it seems there was a bit of jealousy.¡± When Reiru confessed, the crown prince nodded affirmatively, as if it were a given. ¡°I see. Since Gio seems to go a little overboard when it comes to you, I can certainly imagine how jealous he must be.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I was jealous. Gio was walking with a woman¡­ red hair, very beautiful person.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, red hair.¡± Advertisements Reiru¡¯s eyebrows dropped as he recalled the sight of Gio kissing her hand. As he thought, his heart still ached. ¡°I have been working with children for a long time at the orphanage, and children are not great at communicating emotions. So I thought I had gotten pretty good at dealing with emotions, but this time it was not good at all¡­ I just wanted to be alone for a bit and calm down, I guess.¡± ¡°Is that so? But you seem to have calmed down a lot now.¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you, Your Highness.¡± Reiru gradually regained his composure, partly because he had been taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. As a knight who was trained to conduct himself in a refined manner in the royal capital, Gio kissing the back of a lady¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t really something to make a fuss about. And yet Reiru started to feel ashamed of himself for being so upset about it. He must have caused Gio and his colleagues to worry. While Reiru was brooding, the crown prince was listening to the chamberlain. ¡°Your Highness, the hero is here. He says it is an urgent matter.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking with our guest yet. Tell them to wait a little longer.¡± He instructed the chamberlain and smiled at Reiru in a relaxed manner. Advertisements ¡°Reiru, you still look a little pale. You might as well take your time. I was just looking for a friend to join me for a cup of tea.¡± The crown prince had Reiru¡¯s tea refilled, and this time he talked about Gio¡¯s time in the royal capital. Reiru listened with great interest, asking questions from time to time, and eventually he became relaxed enough to let out a laugh. Seeing Reiru relaxed like this, the crown prince said as if he remembered something, ¡°Having said all that, Gio must have bloodshot eyes by now.¡± When Reiru was told this, he instantly became restless. ¡°¡­I¡¯m going home now.¡± As Reiru was about to leave his seat, the chamberlain came trotting over and whispered something in the crown prince¡¯s ear. ¡°Your Highness, the hero¡¯s intimidating presence is so great that everyone is frightened¡­¡± ¡°I see. Reiru seems to have loosened up, so it¡¯s about time. Now, bring Gio here.¡± When the door opened, Gio quickly marched in. TN: I recovered fast this time. It¡¯s because I checked my jlpt test result and I got full marks. Translating novels helped in test a lot. If you are also studying Japanese, feel free to dm me on discord. Studying alone is lonely. Enjoy reading. CH 19.2 ¡°Reiru!¡± ¡°Gio¡­¡± Catching sight of Reiru, Gio rushed in and embraced him in his arms. Advertisements Reiru felt as if it had been a long time since he had been hugged so tightly, so he savored the strength of the hug along with the joy that welled up in his heart. ¡°I was really surprised because you suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Sorry, I also didn¡¯t mean for it to happen¡­¡± ¡°Gp zsdt yp usw¡¯al pyql, vbyv¡¯p yzz vbyv xyvvlap. Jwv lhld kq usw esd¡¯v oydv vs, R¡¯zz vyjl usw bsxl.¡± Slkaw vbswtbv vbyv Qks oyp kaalpkpvkczu zshlzu obld bl pyke pwnb y vbkdt okvb y plakswp qynl. ¡°Tso nswze R dsv oydv vs?¡± Qks qzypble y eyggzkdt pxkzl yp Slkaw vktbvzu bwttle bkx cynj. ¡°Zsw¡¯al ynvkdt yp kq bl olal clkdt blze bspvytl. El olal fwpv byhkdt vly, vbswtb.¡± ¡°¡­Rv zssjp zkjl xu casvbla oyp kd uswa nyal.¡± Qks pyanypvknyzzu pyke vs vbl nasod rakdnl, obs pllxle vs cl ldfsukdt bkxplzq. ¡°Ls dlle vs vbydj xl, yde kv zssjp zkjl usw vssj swv xu qkydn¨¦l, vss.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one who asked me to accompany her; you know I can¡¯t refuse.¡± Advertisements ¡°Well, that¡¯s also true.¡± Reiru followed their gaze and standing there was the red-haired beauty he had seen earlier. ¡°My dear fianc¨¦e, I would like you to refrain a little from playing around with us.¡± ¡°My apologies, Your Royal Highness, but I am not officially your fianc¨¦e, so please don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°You promised to spend tea time with me today.¡± ¡°Haa, I¡¯m sorry. I was feeling depressed because I couldn¡¯t receive any additional budget, so I wanted to go out for a diversion.¡± ¡°I thought we settled the matter of the budget the other day.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t settled. Please give me more budget.¡± ¡°I cannot give you any more of this fiscal year¡¯s budget.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such unkind words~ After all this time, I¡¯ve found the perfect land for a new test site, you know? I can¡¯t buy it without money!¡± ¡°Hmm. Then how about you consult with your house then? It¡¯s a marquis estate of a leading aristocrat. They might even offer to give you a hefty sum of funding.¡± ¡°Ah, yes yes, I¡¯ll endure it this time. If I ask my father for any more money, he will disown me, so please don¡¯t say anything, I beg you.¡± Advertisements As soon as he thought that the two beautiful people were conversing with smiles that were unique to nobility, the red-haired woman immediately dropped her tone and demeanor. Reiru looked up at Gio in surprise at her unpretentious tone that was contrary to her ladylike appearance. ¡°Gio, is that woman the crown prince¡¯s fiancee?¡± ¡°Yes. She doesn¡¯t look very much like one, but she is.¡± He couldn¡¯t see it. No, he could see it if she didn¡¯t talk. Reiru kept quiet, not knowing what to say. ¡°That person is a magician belonging to the Department of Magical Technology of the Royal Palace. She also made your pendant. Some in the magical engineering field call her a genius¡ªothers say she¡¯s an oddball.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. She must be an incredible person.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯ve had some help from her throughout the years, too. She told me that she would do some maintenance on the magic inserted into the stone today so I thought I¡¯d introduce her to you while we were at it¡­ Did I perhaps mislead you?¡± ¡°¡­I misunderstood a bit.¡± Gio examined his expression and Reiru felt embarrassed, but he honestly answered. ¡°I am sorry, but that was sort of like a game¡­ She likes to make fun of me like that. I honestly don¡¯t think of her as a woman, so©¤¡± Advertisements Gio insisted, cupping Reiru¡¯s cheeks with both hands. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I just overreacted.¡± It made Reiru incredibly happy that Gio was trying so hard to explain for him. Reiru felt strange. Afterwards, the crown prince once again introduced Reiru to the woman to whom he was engaged. Her attitude toward Reiru was friendly itself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused you worry, Reiru. Actually, Gio is a knight who is famous for his cold reception. He is famous for never kissing the back of the hand, even if he is with the wife of a leading aristocrat or the most beautiful woman in high society. ¡°Even if the other person is offering to let him kiss them, he only pretends to kiss them in a perfunctory manner. His pretense was also poor. It has already become a complete joke so I tend to get him to play a game of make-believe, the knight and the lady. I¡¯ll cease that joke from now on, so forgive me.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to hold back or anything.¡± ¡°Reiru, support the cessation for me. I beg you.¡± Gio¡¯s serious tone made Reiru involuntarily laugh. Although Gio said that, the two of them probably got along. While she performed maintenance on Reiru¡¯s pendant, she and Gio were excitedly discussing some technical topic. Reiru and the crown prince drank tea again and waited for them to finish their work. In the course of the conversation, the crown prince explained that they were both hardcore, magic-geek buddies, and Reiru agreed that it was no wonder they got along. Advertisements Reiru was relieved to learn that Gio had quite a good time in the royal capital. After the maintenance was completed, it naturally became time for the four of them to chat over a cup of tea. ¡°Rather, I¡¯m a woman past her prime, probably older than Reiru, and even if I weren¡¯t, there¡¯s no way Gio would ever have an affair. That stone is a real embodiment of obsession. I really wish I could show you the sketch of the magic configuration that Gio brought with him. The only impression it gives is how much he¡¯s in love with you.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± Reiru, who had no magic power, couldn¡¯t understand Gio¡¯s feelings expressed in the pendant. Reiru felt like that was somewhat of a shame. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Your story is too exaggerated. You only get a budget each time instead of a lump sum because of your low credibility.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because Your Highness is stingy.¡± ¡°We will discuss carefully whether I am stingy or not from now on. I take it that means you¡¯ll be staying the night?¡± ¡°Oh, no, thank you. I¡¯m going home. Reiru, Gio, come see me again when you need maintenance.¡± The crown prince amusedly saw her off as she quickly stood up and left the room in a flash. ¡°Shall we go home, too?¡± ¡°Um, let¡¯s go home.¡± Reiru took Gio¡¯s extended hand and returned to the inn where they could be alone. Reiru¡¯s heart ached sweetly at the thought of what would follow. CH 20.1 As soon as they returned to the inn, the two became intertwined in bed. Reiru basked in how nice it felt to be deeply kissed by Gio. Reiru, albeit clumsily, voluntarily entwined his tongue and tried to respond to the feelings that Gio conveyed. Their acts of abandoning all but words, connecting their hearts, and seeking physical intimacy were filled with joy¡ªbut it also brought on a painful ache in Reiru¡¯s chest. The part of his heart that he unknowingly entrusted to Gio was no longer under Reiru¡¯s control. Reiru realized in his recent experiences that he had become something terribly vulnerable, easily ecstatic, and hurt by Gio¡¯s words and actions. Tl oyp pvkzz qaktbvldle sq bso pnyau kv oyp. Jwv Slkaw yzalyeu jdlo vbyv bl nswzed¡¯v lmnbydtl bkp hwzdlayckzkvu qsa vbl byrrkdlpp sq zshkdt Qks yde clkdt zshle. Slkaw zywtble yp Qks¡¯p byde nyalpple bkp pvsxynb, yde vblu rzyuqwzzu jkpple yde vswnble lynb svbla¡¯p cseklp alrlyvlezu yp kq nblakpbkdt vbl xsxldv. Qks zshkdtzu tygle yv Slkaw, obs oyp vaynkdt bkp qkdtlap yde jkppkdt vbl pnyap zlqv sd Qks¡¯p cseu qasx kdfwaklp csvb zyatl yde pxyzz. Slkaw lnpvyvknyzzu lmbyzle bsv calyvbp fwpv cu vblx zyukdt vblka cyal cseklp sd vsr sq lynb svbla. Qks, oydvkdt vs qwavbla Slkaw¡¯p lnpvypu, qsdezle vbl vkrp sq Slkaw¡¯p nblpv okvb bkp qkdtlap yde vlyple vblx okvb vbl vkr sq bkp vsdtwl. ¡°Gb¡­ yb, bdt¡­ Qks¡­¡± Slkaw¡¯p iwkhlakdt hsknl, vkdtle okvb plmkdlpp, pvkaale wr Qks¡¯p z!ckes. Wasx bkp qynl vs pvsxynb, vblal oypd¡¯v y pkdtzl ryav sq Slkaw¡¯p cseu vbyv Qks eke dsv vswnb¡ªQks xlvknwzswpzu nyalpple okvb bkp qkdtlap, vaynle okvb bkp zkrp, sa vbsaswtbzu pwnjle yde pjkzzqwzzu ckv Slkaw¡¯p qzlpb. Gio finally found comfort in the sight of Reiru¡¯s body and mind relaxed and open again to pleasure by his hands. Up until yesterday, Reiru had stiffly refused him. Gio assumed that the reason for Reiru¡¯s stubborn change in attitude was his reluctance to be [email protected] If that were the case, then he didn¡¯t want to forcibly demand it. The fact that Gio hadn¡¯t been able to touch Reiru as much as he wished for the past few days was much more painful. Just as Gio was about to cover Reiru, intending to be satisfied by just stimulating each other¡¯s d!cks by putting their stomachs together as usual. ¡°Gio¡­ touch my insides already¡­¡± His mellow golden eyes stabbed Gio¡¯s chest sweetly. Gio clenched his teeth and resisted the urge that was rapidly rising within him. Reiru was a wicked mage who could make Gio lose his mind and turn him into an insane beast. And yet, Reiru was completely unaware of this fact. That was why Gio had to protect Reiru from himself. ¡°Rei, don¡¯t push yourself. I don¡¯t mind if we continue the way we¡¯ve been doing things. If you hate it©`¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it¡­ I felt so good the other day.¡± Reiru hugged Gio¡¯s head and snuggled his cheek against his nape, interrupting Gio¡¯s words. ¡°Gio¡­ make me feel better.¡± Reiru tempted Gio with a quiet sigh. It was a terrible spell that enticed and spoiled Gio. Gio no longer had any will to resist. ¡°Uwah.¡± Gio¡¯s fingers, covered with plenty of oil, carefully filled in the narrow path. Reiru¡¯s virg!n area had timidly refused Gio¡¯s invasion, but when Gio probed the spot he gave plenty of love the other day, it became supple in an instant. ¡°Ah¡­ uh¡­ ngh¡­ uah¡­¡± Gio replenished the oil, increased his fingers, and spread them out, preparing Reiru for the moment that lay ahead. Reiru was so hot and soft inside that Gio was afraid Reiru¡¯s h*le would melt away at any moment. And yet, Reiru¡¯s hole sucked on Gio¡¯s fingers, wriggling and clinging as it tightened. Reiru¡¯s p*nis was standing up, it dripped sweet nectar from the tip, and Gio wanted to hold it in his mouth. However, given Reiru¡¯s current state, Reiru might come quickly if he did that. Gio wanted Reiru to come once, but the tightness inside Reiru became even more intense after he had come. It would be better for both of them if he [email protected] before that. ¡°Rei, if it gets tough, just tell me, okay?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I know.¡± After confirming that there were no signs of fear on Reiru¡¯s face, Gio received his long-awaited moment. He pressed his tip against the reserved yet inviting bud, which was wet with oil and twitching. Gio wanted to curse the inconsiderate size of the plump, overhanging glans only at this point. In fact, this must have been the most difficult part. ¡°Ngh, hu ku¡­uh, ahh¡­¡± Gio carefully moved his hips forward, examining Reiru¡¯s state, and managed to make him take in the glans. Reiru breathed erratically and clung to Gio¡¯s back. He seemed to be in pain only for a moment, and then his voice was soon laced with sweetness, and Gio breathed a sigh of relief. While directly feeling the heat inside Reiru¡¯s body, he wished for an even deeper connection and slowly penetrated with shallow thrusts. ¡°Aahh©¤¡± When Gio¡¯s c**k was halfway in, Reiru¡¯s voice raised to a very high pitch and he embraced Gio. Instantly, Reiru¡¯s h*le tightened around Gio¡¯s member and sucked on it, trying to squeeze it. Gio gritted his teeth and endured the surprise attack without saying anything. ¡°Rei¡­?¡± When he looked, Reiru had tears in his eyes and seemed to be absent-minded, and his belly was splattered with white. Reiru¡¯s body, which had been taught internal pleasure with the help of the powerful effects of the aphrodisiac, picked up the s*xual cues so obediently that it was hard to believe that he had accepted a man for the first time, and accepted them for his own pleasure. Reiru¡¯s vacant eyes were immersed in passion, and his shallow, l*wd breaths were all s*ductive; Gio wanted to burn this image into his mind. ¡°It looks like you came. Isn¡¯t it painful?¡± Gio had heard that it was painful to be [email protected] after c*mming. But Reiru laughed. CH 20.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena ¡°I am okay¡­ More, put it all in. And kiss too.¡± One of the things that greatly improved Gio¡¯s mood was when Reiru begged him for a kiss. Keeping Reiru¡¯s wishes in mind, Gio gently and tenderly entwined their tongues deeply while entering inside Reiru. Advertisements Reiru, who had accepted all of Gio¡¯s lustful manhood fully, and Gio, who was also enveloped by Reiru, embraced each other and stayed that way for a while. Becoming one at last with Reiru gave Gio more excitement than he had expected. If he lost focus, he felt like he¡¯d ejac*late, so he didn¡¯t want to move. When the excitement that made his entire body¡¯s blood boil finally subsided, Gio looked at Reiru and asked, ¡°Rpd¡¯v kv rykdqwz?¡± ¡°Rv¡¯p dsv rykdqwz¡­ Slpv yppwale.¡± Qks pxkzle yv Slkaw, obs bwttle bkx yde oyp wdokzzkdt vs plryayvl qasx bkx, yde nyalqwzzu rwzzle bkp bkrp cynj. ¡°Rp kv sj vs xshl?¡± ¡°Zlp, kv¡¯p sj.¡± Ebld bl rwpble bkp bkrp qsaoyae, Slkaw zlv swv y pollv hsknl. Brsd blyakdt vbyv, Qks elnkele vbyv Slkaw alyzzu zssjle sjyu okvb kv, yde bl xshle y zkvvzl xsal cszezu. ¡°Gb, yb, wb¡­ ydt, by, yb, Qks¡­¡± While thinking it was cute that Reiru brought his face closer and begged him for a kiss, Gio kissed him as he wished, and followed his own desires as Reiru¡¯s coquettish voice seduced him. Advertisements The hot, wet mucous membrane coiled around Gio¡¯s d!ck and lured him deeper and deeper as if expecting him to pound the perineum. ¡°Rei, does it feel good here?¡± ¡°Ah, it feels good¡­ Uah, ah, uh, ah.¡± As Gio pounded Reiru¡¯s insides harder, Reiru clung to Gio¡¯s back, becoming more and more delirious. Gio was well aware that he couldn¡¯t be too intense, but the sight of Reiru¡¯s moist eyes and pleasure-stricken face made him feel inexplicably aroused. Gradually, the in and out movement sped up, and Reiru¡¯s narrowing rim clenched Gio. ¡°Ah, gonna¡­ come.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± Gio rapidly pushed himself in time for Reiru¡¯s climax. Reiru¡¯s hand cupped Gio¡¯s cheek and his tongue licked Gio¡¯s lips. Gio was absorbed in devouring Reiru¡¯s lips and moving his hips. ¡°Hngg©¤©¤©¤¡± As Gio quickly tried to draw his hips back under the remarkably intense tightening pressure, Reiru¡¯s legs grabbed Gio¡¯s waist and prevented him from pulling out, as if he had been expecting it. Advertisements All of the white s*men that was spewed out settled in Reiru¡¯s belly, and Reiru took a short rest, entranced by that heat. He felt like Gio¡¯s fire magic filled his belly and permeated through every cell. ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­ Gio¡¯s dick, entering.¡± Reiru¡¯s voice that whispered while holding Gio¡¯s waist with both legs seemed somewhat happy, and Gio was a little troubled while feeling blessed about the current situation. There would be no sign of withering if he did something like this. Gio¡¯s desire for Reiru was insatiable, and he usually kept his time short to match Reiru¡¯s, and would only do it once. However, it was also true that if Reiru was satisfied, that¡¯s all that mattered, and Gio thought that in a way, it was a weakness of being smitten. While enjoying the post-s*x satisfaction, Gio dropped kisses on Reiru¡¯s cheeks and forehead while keeping their bodies connected. Reiru laughed ticklishly and occasionally returned the kisses to Gio. Feeling reluctant to leave Reiru¡¯s body, their lips endlessly touched each other, and suddenly Reiru said, ¡°Gio¡­ I thought that if you said you were going to marry the princess, after all, I could congratulate you with no problem. I hadn¡¯t really thought about being with you properly, but that¡¯s what I had planned to do.¡± Gio silently urged him on. ¡°But now I hate just thinking about it. I don¡¯t think I could congratulate you or anything.¡± Reiru seemed to be searching for words as he thought and choked up. Advertisements ¡°That means I like you a lot, right? But I guess for you, the old me was probably better¡­ Gio?¡± As Gio grimaced in distress, Reiru tilted his head and muttered a small, ¡°Ah.¡± Sparks were fluttering behind Gio. Reiru wasn¡¯t very surprised. In his childhood, Gio often had sparks fly when he got emotional. As Gio grew up, he became more skilled in controlling his magical powers and no longer produced sparks. Gio gripped Reiru¡¯s hand and dropped a kiss on the back of it, then brought his face closer. ¡°Reiru, you are the only person to whom I have ever, and will ever, give my love or loyalty. Ever since I was a kid, you¡¯ve been the Saracine of my heart. Because of you, I¡¯ve been able to live my life without getting lost.¡± Gio, with sparks fluttering in the background in the dim light, was much closer to Saracine. Reiru was spellbound as he gazed at Gio¡¯s beautiful figure, illuminated by the myriad of red-orange lights. If the Saracine of Gio¡¯s heart was Reiru, then surely the Saracine of Reiru¡¯s heart was Gio. That was nothing but a blessing for Reiru. ¡°I became a hero because of you. I thought I could do anything for you. Reiru, I really only need you.¡± Reiru burst into tears without realizing it. Advertisements Reiru learned that Gio had affirmed his existence, whom even his parents considered unnecessary, and had continued to shower him with love. The world was full of unreasonableness, life was unfair, and fear was constant. But sometimes there were moments of soul-stirring joy, and a ray of light through the clouds drowned out the pain. ¡°Gio¡­¡± They brought their lips together and exchanged thoughts that couldn¡¯t be conveyed in words. The children who were once burdened with sorrow were now crying tears of happiness, and making primitive love to their heart¡¯s content while crying and laughing. TN: Today¡¯s my birthday. So I have changed the setting in my kofi. You don¡¯t need to join the membership for advanced chapters. Just one off kofi can give u access to chapters(IRCM and BLP) for 30 days. It is always one or two chapters ahead of the slt site. But there¡¯s no fixed schedule. CH 21.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The next day, when Reiru told Gio that he wanted to visit the children from the orphanage, Gio promptly packed his bags as if he had anticipated Reiru would say so and completed the formalities of checking out of the inn. Before heading to the teleportation station, they stopped by the inn where Reiru worked and said goodbye to everyone. Reiru handed the little girl the ribbon he had bought in town, and with tears in her eyes, she said, ¡°You have to write to me. Promise.¡± The experiences in this town became a lasting image of Reiru¡¯s trip and memories that will be remembered for a lifetime. Advertisements While they were in the carriage, on their way to the orphanage from the beastmen territory¡¯s teleportation station, Reiru admired the lush green scenery and contemplated what he would do in the future. Gio told him that the children were completely adjusted to the beastmen territory¡¯s orphanage and that they instantly hit it off with the beast children and were doing well. Even though some of the children became unstable due to the change in environment and Reiru¡¯s absence, they managed to settle down with the support of the people at the orphanage. El nswze¡¯hl alvwadle vs vbl vsod oblal ol olal saktkdyzzu qasx, sa ol nswze¡¯hl cwkzv yd sarbydytl kd y dlo rzynl psxloblal yde vyjld vbl nbkzeald vblal. Qks pyke yp xwnb, cwv vblal oyp ds dlle vs plryayvl vbl nbkzeald qasx vbl qakldep vblu bye xyel yqvla vblu olal sdnl qyxkzkya okvb vbl rzynl. Mbl sarbydytl oyp yzps hlau okzzkdt vs olznsxl vbl nbkzeald kd yde valyvle vblx liwyzzu, lhld kq vblu olal bwxyd nbkzeald. Ms cltkd okvb, vbl clypvxld vlaakvsau oyp dsv ldvkalzu kdbyckvle cu clypvxld; dlyazu byzq sq vbl rsrwzyvksd oyp bwxyd. Rq vbl sarbydytl oyp wdelapvyqqle, bl nsdpkelale ypjkdt kq vblu oswze bkal bkx, cwv yv pwnb y nakvknyz vkxl obld vbl nbkzeald yde vbl sarbydytl pvyqq olal vaukdt vs cwkze y dlo alzyvksdpbkr, bl qlzv vbyv bkp ldvau kdvs vbl sarbydytl oswze bkdela vbl rasnlpp. Qks pllxle okzzkdt vs oykv ryvkldvzu qsa Slkaw vs ydpola obyv bl oydvle vs es yde obyv jkde sq zkql bl oydvle vs zlye. Qks psxlvkxlp fsjkdtzu, sa plakswpzu, pwttlpvle vbyv kv oswzed¡¯v cl y cye kely vs iwkv vbl Xaela sq Idktbvp, clnsxl yd yehldvwala, yde lyad xsdlu kd hyakswp rzynlp obkzl vayhlzkdt yzz shla vbl nsdvkdldv okvb Slkaw. Rv xwpv cl qwd vs vayhlz okvb Qks. Slkaw zlv bkp kxytkdyvksd awd okze. Mbl kpzyde sq lhlazypvkdt pwxxla, vbl hypv elplav, vbl asuyz nyrkvyz sq y rsolaqwz nswdvau okvb vbl clpv xytknyz vlnbdszstu, yde vbl qsalpv sq prkakvp oblal sdzu y zkxkvle dwxcla sq rlsrzl olal yzzsole vs hldvwal kdvs kvp elrvbp. Slkaw ulyadle vs ynvwyzzu hkpkv vbl hyakswp rzynlp vbyv lmnkvle bkx obld bl alye vayhlz fswadyzp ewakdt bkp uswvb. Jwv kq Qks¡¯p iwkvvkdt vbl Xaela sq Idktbvp oyp qsa bkp pyjl, Slkaw eked¡¯v oydv bkx vs xyjl vbyv nbsknl. The rank where Gio currently stood must have been the result of many years of hard work and enthusiasm on Gio¡¯s part. Advertisements When Reiru looked at the children, there were those who identified early in life with what they were passionate about and those who didn¡¯t. Reiru believed that children who fell into the former category would be happiest if they were to live out their passions. As a child, Gio was one of those children. Gio realized his magic aptitude, refined his abilities, and brought them out into full force in the royal capital. By following his passion, getting recognition for his talents, and utilizing them, he has benefited many people. In turn, he contributed to his country. Very few people can live that way. Gio was a person who could live that way; Reiru thought it would be a pity to deliberately give it up. Nevertheless, Gio was a man who had a unique sense of values¡ªa man who declined to marry the princess. Reiru knew that his standard of pity didn¡¯t apply to Gio. Unlike Gio, who always seemed to easily determine his passions and goals in his life, Reiru felt that it was not quite in his nature to think about what he wanted to do when he was confronted with the question. Maybe it was because Reiru had never lived that way before. However, just like when Reiru worked at the inn, Reiru felt that such a simple life was just right. A life where he could make the necessary choices along the way based on the situation, work to the best of his ability in his own way, and have small joys with his colleagues at work. Reiru wanted a life where Gio didn¡¯t have to quit the Order of Knights, where he could find a job while living with Gio in the royal capital, and occasionally visit the children in the beastmen territory. Wouldn¡¯t it be enough if they could live like that? If Reiru could, he also wanted to do activities that would give underprivileged children the opportunity to learn. Reiru, who had always been bothered by the poor conditions of employment for children from orphanages, started to think like that. CH 21.2 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena The orphanage was located in a place that looked as if the forest had been cleared. The building was built with a clever combination of stone and wood, evoking sturdiness but also warmth. As Reiru and Gio stepped onto the orphanage¡¯s grounds, one of the children playing in the yard on the large piece of wooden playground equipment yelled out. Advertisements ¡°Ah! Brother Rei!¡± That yell triggered children from the orphanage, who had been playing in the yard, to come flocking to them. ¡°Brother Rei, where did you go?¡± ¡°R jdso! Zsw¡¯al sd hynyvksd okvb Jasvbla Qks, aktbv? Jasvbla Ekzz pyke vbyv!¡± ¡°Ebyv kp y hynyvksd?¡± ¡°R esd¡¯v jdso.¡± ¡°Jasvbla Slk, R oldv vs vbl cyvbassx yzsdl vseyu!¡± ¡°R nywtbv y bwtl kdplnv! Ps usw oyddy pll?¡± ¡°Jasvbla Slk, nsxl blal! Mbl cle blal kp yxygkdt!¡± ¡°Zsw jdso, Jwasd¡¯p vykz kp hlau nwvl. Jwv usw nyd¡¯v vswnb kv okvbswv rlaxkppksd. Zsw byhl vs rasrlazu ypj qsa rlaxkppksd vs vswnb kv clqsal usw vswnb kv.¡± ¡°Jasvbla Slk, bsze xl.¡± ¡°No! Me first!¡± Advertisements The young children, seeing Reiru for the first time in a long time, excitedly shared what each of them wanted to tell Reiru. Even the beast children, caught up in the commotion and carried away by the excitement, were running around and jumping up and down in the periphery. Reiru basked in the warm happiness as the children hugged him, climbed on his shoulders, and mobbed him. Up until now, Reiru had tried to raise the children well. There were not many child-rearing books available in the world, and the few that were available were usually on how to raise children of aristocrats. Although he couldn¡¯t raise the children like aristocrats, he read those books in hopes of them providing some assistance. He also received tips from the ladies of the town to help him find the best way to handle the children. One phrase that one of the ladies often told Reiru was that ¡°With love, it will all work out.¡± It was a wise saying that faintly shone, filled with hope¡ªbut its brilliance created a dim shadow of despair in Reiru¡¯s heart, who did not even know the love of his parents. The young children couldn¡¯t understand even if he took care of them at the cost of his health, nor could they understand the strictness imposed on them for their own good. When Reiru was young, he sometimes felt a sense of emptiness from his unrewarded labors. He also worried that he didn¡¯t have enough love to give to the children because he had never received the love of his own parents. He had continued to believe that people who grew up loved and who knew the world as a matter of course were the ideal guardians for orphans, who had never known either of these things. However, after leaving the orphanage and seeing the children again, what came to his mind was the thought that he did not have to be so uptight. The children were not looking for a perfect guardian, but they admired Reiru just the way he was. Advertisements Whether Reiru was distressed or not, the children would grow up strong without regard to such concerns. ¡°Children are amazing,¡± Reiru smiled without realizing it. ¡°Hey, hey, if that many people climb on him, brother Rei is going to break.¡± Willie approached when he noticed Reiru, who was surrounded by children and in a bunched-up together state. ¡°Brother Rei, welcome back.¡± Willie said with a look that had hidden meaning. ¡°Willie, I¡¯m sorry for leaving abruptly.¡± ¡°Brother Rei didn¡¯t do anything wrong to be sorry for. Brother Gio also came right away.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± With his eyes downcast, Willie began to talk little by little. ¡°But I was actually a little hesitant to tell brother Gio that brother Rei had left. Because unlike me, brother Rei can work outside the orphanage. Then you would be able to get married normally, and I feel like you could have a happy life¡­ So I thought maybe that was the best for brother Rei. Well, but there was no way brother Gio would let brother Rei get away so I ended up contacting him right away.¡± Reiru looked at Willie with surprise. Reiru didn¡¯t know Willie thought about him like that. Advertisements ¡°Brother Rei, maybe you are being influenced by brother Gio? I don¡¯t want to get in the way of brother Gio, but I want brother Rei to be happy.¡± Willie¡¯s words even grasped the current relationship between Reiru and Gio, which made Reiru considerably shaken. ¡°Willie¡­ did you know that Gio loves me?¡± ¡°I think the only people who didn¡¯t know were the little ones and brother Rei. When you get to a certain age, you naturally notice it. The girls are especially perceptive about that kind of thing.¡± ¡°I¡­I see.¡± His expression was as if to say, ¡°What¡¯s this all about now?¡± and Reiru had mixed feelings of being somewhat bothered and a bit embarrassed. And he decided to tell his true feelings to Willie, who was both clever and caring, without deceiving him. ¡°Willie¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I love Gio.¡± Willie blinked his eyes in amazement. Then he erupted into laughter. With that single sentence, Willie understood Reiru¡¯s true feelings and was truly relieved. Advertisements ¡°I¡¯m glad. Brother Gio¡¯s perseverance wins,¡± patting Reiru on the back in high spirits he repeated, ¡°I¡¯m glad, I¡¯m glad.¡± Gio watched them wholeheartedly laugh at each other from a short distance away, while he played with the children. CH 22.1 Translator: Michiko Editor: Elena Gio was facing the beastman in a room of the orphanage in the beastman¡¯s territory. Gio could see the garden from the window, and Reiru who was playing with the children. After they finished greeting the director together, Reiru went to the garden with the children, and Gio was brought into this room, devoid of staff or anyone else, by the beastman who appeared as if he had been waiting for him. The beastman looked out the window and chuckled. Advertisements ¡°Oh my what a touching reunion! Oh, look, Reiru is carrying a beastchild in his arms. Isn¡¯t it very cute, like a painting, Gio? Beastmen territory is a really nice place, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gio did not follow his lead, instead, he set his gaze on the beastman and addressed him directly. ¡°Hey, Ruthward.¡± ¡°Txx? Ebyv?¡± ¡°R sol usw y zsv qsa obyv usw eke qsa xl vbkp vkxl. Zsw plakswpzu blzrle xl cu kdvasewnkdt xl vs vbl lpnsav yde cu rasvlnvkdt vbl zkvvzl sdlp lhld vbswtb kv xktbv byhl clld yv seep okvb vbl asuyz qyxkzu. R yrralnkyvl kv. ¡° ¡°Xb, Qks, usw¡¯al clkdt ps qsaxyz. Rv¡¯p dsv zkjl usw.¡± Qks¡¯p tygl pbyarldle yp Swvboyae zywtble. ¡°Zsw¡¯al vbl sdl obs¡¯p ynvkdt swv sq nbyaynvla. Fs obyv vbl blzz yal usw rzsvvkdt?¡± ¡°Vzsvvkdt? Ls pwnb©¤¡± Qks ralpple qwavbla qsa ydpolap. ¡°R bye y qllzkdt psxlvbkdt oyp yxkpp qasx vbl vkxl obld vbl ryavu tyhl Slkaw vbl ywvbsakvu vs pwxxsd vblx. R nblnjle okvb Ekzzkl¡ªvblu fwpv pkxrzu lmralpple vblka srkdksdp vs Slkaw, vblu eked¡¯v vbalyvld bkx sa ryu bkx sqq zkjl vbl rakdnlpp eke. Rv oyp y dwkpydnl vs xl, yde kv oyp wdqsavwdyvl qsa Slkaw vs tlv czyxle oasdtqwzzu, cwv vbl cyzydnl clvolld vbl sqqldpl yde vbl rldydnl oypd¡¯v aktbv. Mbspl twup xwpv byhl eswcvle oblvbla vblu¡¯e lhla cl yczl vs jllr vblka rspvp yqvla vbyv. Mblu nyzzle kv yvsdlxldv, cwv kq kv kp lmnlppkhl, usw nyd¡¯v blzr cwv pxlzz vbl pvldnb sq kv.¡± The hero¡¯s party, who dedicated the right for Reiru to summon them will henceforth be obligated to answer the summons of the royal family and Reiru. This would mean that their other affiliations would be third on the priority list, which was obviously not welcome. Advertisements ¡°Even so, given the disparity in social standing between them and Reiru, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to blackmail? And it could be said that Her Royal Highness the princess, who gave a large sum of money, was more sincere in thinking about Reiru¡¯s life afterwards.¡± ¡°Did you instigate them by saying that?¡± ¡°Instigate? Now, you are just trying to make me look bad.¡± Ruthward sounded weak. Then he suddenly shifted his gaze to the outside of the window and spoke without making eye contact with Gio. ¡°¡­You know, Gio. The battle with the demon king was really tough. The journey was long, the obstacles were harsh, and everyone almost died a handful of times. But I considered it an easy job, mentality-wise. Because we only killed those we should kill for our country.¡± Ruthward¡¯s tone was very matter-of-fact, with no self-deprecation or enthusiasm in it. That¡¯s why Gio couldn¡¯t gauge what he was trying to say. ¡°But if it was a job to set the city of a neighboring country on fire, for example, I am sure we wouldn¡¯t have been chosen. We were chosen to be enforcers of justice.¡± ¡°So what,¡± Gio thought. Gio did not like that kind of play on words. And he didn¡¯t like his roundabout way of talking or probing each other either. ¡°They are very righteous from their career. They probably never thought that they would become the bad guy. And yet when they, the very people who were supposed to be righteous, force an innocent young man living courageously from one predicament into an even worse predicament, it¡¯s understandable that they would lose their composure.¡± Advertisements ¡°Yeah, that may be the case. Even so, you were the only one who stayed composed at that time. And you took the initiative and kneeled down in front of Reiru. You were the one who controlled that situation, Ruth.¡± Gio recalled the scene when Ruthward knelt in front of Reiru, dedicated the ancients¡¯ song, and continued prodding. ¡°You are not the kind of person who would willingly get involved in other people¡¯s affairs. Things moved too conveniently for me this time too. I can only assume that Reiru has been given the right to summon the party due to some agenda. You have indeed been a great help to me, but if you¡¯re going to drag Reiru into some mess, I¡¯m not going to stand by and do nothing.¡± ¡°¡­Both my introducing you to Milvanne-chan, and my cooperation with the children matters was out of our friendship. I hope you believe that.¡± The beastman smiled forlornly in response to Gio, who was intimidating with a stifled silence. Then Ruthward turned to Gio and made eye contact. ¡°I met His Highness the crown prince a few days ago. I have recommended you, Gio, as the new lord of the Northern Frontier Beastmen Territory.¡± Gio frowned in silence. He did not want to have personnel decisions made without his knowledge or control. Gio was no longer concerned with becoming a noble or having a fiefdom. He just wanted to make the best decision to live with Reiru. Ruthward ought to know Gio held such thoughts. And yet, Gio could not understand why he did such a thing now. ¡°¡­Why did you do that? Explain yourself.¡± Advertisements TN: Well, this is a surprising turn of events. Thank you very much to Ko-fi Supporter, e, caterer to cats, Sugar Plum, RBea2688, k, Fray, Wiko, ScarletCat, Celty, liorlen, and Skymoon. Thanks to you all I was able to overcome this tough month. I am really thankful. I wish you a happy new year in advance. I will see you all next year.