Leisure Before the Adventure (1)
“Uwaaaaaah!! That guy's pissing me off so much!!”
Was Inadia's situation really that unjust?
Even after I'd verbally torn his soul out, Ashu wasn't satisfied. The moment we got back to the inn, she threw her arms around me and burst into tears.
Who knew that behind Ashu's bright, beaming smile lurked such intense emotions.
Don't mistake it for mere coquetry. Right now, Ashu was digging her nails in, clawing at the back of my armor. This anger was the real deal.
“By the way, Inadia's the leader for this dungeon expedition, right? Is it okay to chew him out like that?”
“I need to settle things with that man once and for all.
You know this too, Kirgil. Inadia was one of my potential fiancés. And he's a walking ball of lust who drags anyone—man or woman—into his bedroom at the first opportunity.”
Whoa, he looks so put-together, but he swings both ways? Can't let my guard down around this guy for entirely different reasons.
“Oh my, why the tension? You're not my type at all, Kirgil, so no need to worry about that.”
“Yeah, yeah, I'm just some lowly yard-sweeping uncle, huh? Damn, that pisses me off—tonight I'm gonna defile the pure and innocent princess!”
“Kirgil, honestly...”
“But seriously, where's this princess you're talking about?”
“...You've got a real talent for making people mad. Hehe.”
Well, now that we're close enough to be open with each other, it's just playful bickering. Though she did nip at me a bit just now.
No matter how bratty she acts, she always ends up lying beside me, hugging me instead of her teddy bear.
Anyway, I'd thrown on something light to sleep in, but Ashu was in her usual elaborate getup.
Not a vampire, but can she really sleep in something that flashy?
...Or is this a signal of some kind?
“Ashu, this might sound weird out of the blue, but... I want to touch your scars more than your smooth skin.”
“I like that too. When your hand touches me, it feels like warm sunlight soaking into my skin.”
“Exactly. That's why. Because you seem to like it. You don't have to act all pure and innocent. Then I wouldn't have an excuse to touch you.”
“Ugh... You. Saying weird stuff all of a sudden.”
“What's there to be embarrassed about now? Hiding under the covers?”
“Keep it up, and I'll be brutally honest too.
A few days ago, when I climbed on top of you and got mad, you said, 'Am I okay?'”
“It was an eye-opener that my face isn't strong enough to overpower a rampaging Ashu.”
“No! Seriously...
Hearing that made me think it was okay to be with you like that. That's when I first realized I liked you.
I thought it would be wrong to force myself on the person I love like that.”
Wait, was I almost raped back then!? By a saintess!?
What the hell kind of light novel—no, web novel title is this!?
I'd click on it right now!
Ashu emerged from the covers again, wrapped her arms around my neck, and gave me a light kiss, carrying the lingering emotion from our talk.
We didn't do anything more special.
It felt fulfilling enough just like that, so I wanted to savor this afterglow for now.
Still, I should probably get her clothes off.
She's got this subtle obsessive streak bordering on madness—she might actually sleep fully dressed like this.
“But Kirgil, why do you keep touching everywhere but the scars, despite what you say? Hmm...”
That might be every man's obsession... madness...
A guy's eyes and hands are inevitably drawn to a woman's soft upper and lower parts. It's an inescapable male fate.
Ashu, despite her words, smiled comfortably and occasionally pinched or nipped at me.
Looking at her face, her switch is about to flip again.
Yesterday's gathering had ended in disaster, so I'd vaguely hoped for something like this.
Pfft!
Break up this mood-ruining farce of a meeting.
But it wasn't that simple.
“All the members are from high-ranking families across the nations. It was basically a diplomatic stage, a gathering to build ties between countries.
I should've known better than to drag you into it, Kirgil.”
“If you couldn't back out, I'd have tagged along somehow. I wanted to check out the dungeon anyway.”
“Kirgil, I've wanted to make you more famous for a while now. Why would I pass up a stage this big?
Bright light blinds you to lesser ones.
On a stage like this, even if you shine, they'll just use you—and in the worst case, pretend it never happened.”
“It's fine. I'm just Ashushikara Princess's lowly porter.”
“......”
What? Why's she blushing and looking embarrassed?
Did I say something weird? Or is she having some weird fantasy?
She's been extra emotional these past few days. Scary if she develops some strange tastes.
That night, things unfolded just as Ashu feared.
As the princess representing the kingdom, you are to accompany Inadia and contribute to the heroic exploits of the heroes from each nation.
It was a concise missive bearing the edict.
Phrased politely as "desired," but once it's an official edict like this, it's basically a command to participate.
The ruler was a queen, not a king. My old-school male-dominant mindset hadn't fully adjusted yet.
We'd only greeted the heroes from various nations yesterday, and now an edict arrives in a single day. Suspiciously fast.
Inadia probably sent the letter the moment he spotted Ashu, seeing his chance.
But including Inadia's name in the edict really bugs me.
Official documents and diplomacy don't include meaningless words. Even small ones hide deep intent.
Ashu called Inadia a lump of lust. Pairing her with a guy with that kind of reputation?
Maybe they see her as a tool or prize to lock down a powerful knight order.
Not marriage or engagement, but hoping for a scandal in some secluded spot outside the city?
Seems my speculation wasn't off-base.
Since receiving the letter that evening, Ashu had burrowed under the covers on the bed and stayed glum all day.
That's why she tried to avoid Inadia with a straight face when we first saw him. Makes sense she'd pit me against him.
If she'd had circumstances like this, she should've just told me straight up.
Watching her huddled under the blanket, I could imagine her as a child.
After abuse from her parents, she'd hidden her tears or endured the pain secretly under the covers like that.
I'd put off writing a reply, but when Ashu wouldn't come out, I slipped under the covers myself.
Seeing her sobbing into her teddy bear felt like a glimpse of her younger self. It hurt my heart.
“Ashu, come here.”
Only then did Ashu lift her face from the teddy.
Her eyes were red and swollen—she'd been crying again.
Not wanting to show it, she buried her face back in the doll, so I pulled her closer, letting her wipe her wet face on my chest.
Finally, she opened her trembling lips.
“I hate Mom's attention so much. It's horrifying.
It's like a thick curtain blocking the light I barely found. Only now... only now... Kirgil is like this... sob... hic...”
In the end, Ashu burst into tears against my chest.
When we first met, she'd never shown such weakness. It wasn't that her heart suddenly softened—she'd just bottled it up, hiding under covers like this before.
Agnes had said it: you need someone to lean on to afford that luxury. Wishing she'd lean on me instead of the covers now, I pulled her tighter into my arms.
She doesn't just dislike her mom—she's terrified of her.
The noble obligations I'd forgotten resurfaced.
Ferio, as a count's daughter, wasn't free of them. As a princess, Ashu must have even heavier ones.
That's why she wanted to make me famous.
Ferio did the same for similar reasons.
Noble obligations...
When I first came to this world, adventure was all I thought about. But as relationships formed, my path grew clearer.
Call it belated, but I hate a world without chances for young people.
This world has youths like Kras who lose opportunities to meaningless deaths, and others who lose them even without dying.
I can't save all the world's youth, but I don't want to see it happen to those in front of me or around me.
...It just bugs me.
Just me having honor and fame creates new opportunities for others. Now, I have no reason to refuse—in fact, I want it.
“Ashu, during this adventure, if the chance comes, will you be the judge or witness for my rematch?”
“...Huh?”
“Losing on purpose to Inadia back then pisses me off now. If I'd known your situation, I wouldn't have.”
Only then did Ashu stop crying and look up.
“Maybe from now on, I'll start bragging everywhere.”
With that, I wiped her tears.
“Really... Kirgil, you have no idea how brightly you shine in my eyes right now. The light I saw at the Kalderan Cathedral is right here in front of me, in my arms.”
“Hey, hey, weird metaphors again. Probably just love goggles, right?”
Ow ow ow!! She's biting again!
Ashu keeps saying embarrassing stuff, hard to just listen quietly.
My inner chuunibyou is going, 'This is a bit much...' and cringing!
Ashu released my arms and pressed her forehead to mine, like checking my temperature.
A serious expression, like she was about to swear an oath.
“No matter how far this light drifts, it's crystal clear to me in the darkness. I'll chase it to the end, like finding an escape.”
She spoke with the saintess of Kalderan's pious posture and tone, befitting one symbolizing heavenly light.
But Ashu, please... Chuunibyou lines are cool on stage, scary up close.
Time to voice my honest feelings.
“...God, what do I do?
She's glaring at me. A scary girl's obsessively fixated on me. Just now, she even threatened to hunt me down anywhere. Too scared to go anywhere alone.”
Ashu finally smiled instead of crying, accepting my 'prayer.'
With the merciful expression of a mother goddess understanding all, she squeezed me tight.
But... Ashu, your hug's a bit too strong...
Gahhh it huuurts!!
I won't run! I said I won't!!
Still, Ashu, you look better like this—angrily honest—than forcing smiles or tears.