I Want to Help You (2)

"Fren. Wake up."

"Mm..."

As always, it was Yusia who woke me. I opened my eyes, and there she was, smiling soft and bright.

And beside her, looking down at me just the same—Servant.

"Hyaaak?!"

"Fren? What's wrong?"

"N-n-no. I-it's nothing."

"Don't tell me you got that startled just from seeing me?"

Yusia looked at me, crestfallen. I shook my head in a hurry.

"No. I think I had a nightmare."

"A nightmare? Was the bed uncomfortable? Should I change it for you?"

"No! It's just... I've been nicking myself on the carving knife a lot lately. I think that's why."

"Which is why I keep telling you to quit carving. Come on. Let's get you washed."

Yusia gathered me up in her arms. I stole glances at Servant.

Yesterday hadn't been a coincidence. Even now he was loitering right at Yusia's side, and she hadn't noticed him at all. If someone with an ability like that had been in the Demon King's army, what would have become of us? A useless porter like me, for one, would no longer be in this world.

Yusia and I reached the bath. And then—

Wh-what, what are you doing?

Servant was trying to come in with us!

Helping me was one thing, but letting him see me naked was a little—! I, I used to be a man, but this body was a woman's now, wasn't it? And Yusia's body... I hated Yusia at the moment, but putting her on display for someone else was a different matter entirely.

Before I knew it, I was screaming.

"G-get ouuuut!"

"Wh-what?"

"Oh?"

Ah. I'd slipped.

Yusia stared at me as if the world had dropped out from under her.

"Fren? Did you just tell me to get out?"

"Th-that's not what I—"

"Then why did you just tell me to leave?"

It wasn't meant for you! I wanted to shout it. But I couldn't. An excuse—I needed an excuse—

Bang!

Yusia drove me back against the wall.

"Hic—?"

"Listen carefully, Fren. This is both my duty and my right. A world where I can't bathe with you doesn't mean anything. So from now on, I never want to hear you tell me to get out. Understand? Answer only yes or no."

"Y-yes."

"Good. You did well. Then let's get these clothes off?"

Yusia caught the hem of my top. Ordinarily I would have thrown my arms up and let her undress me. But Servant was right there beside us! I kept cutting my eyes toward him—the one Yusia couldn't see. And then—

—Is something the matter?

H-huh?

—There seems to be a problem.

T-telepathy? You can use that too?

—Of course. It is between you and me, after all.

What was that supposed to mean? No—more importantly—

Th-then get out of the bath right now!

—Why?

Servant asked as if he truly could not understand.

—I follow you. That is only natural, is it not?

It's a b-bath! I'm going to be completely naked!

—Is that a problem?

It's embarrassing!

—Embarrassing? How strange. I was given to understand that, in the human world, it was not particularly shameful.

Where did you hear that nonsense!

This man called Servant. Something about his common sense was twisted clean out of shape.

"Fren. Lift your arms properly."

"Nngh."

I couldn't hold out any longer. I was on the verge of giving up—of letting some unidentified man see me bare—when—

—Understood. Then I shall wait outside.

Th-thank you!

—Think nothing of it.

With light, pattering steps, Servant left the bath. Only then could I give myself over to Yusia completely.

Yusia, stroking down my back, asked as if puzzled.

"Our little cat is being fussy today."

"I'm not. Let's just hurry up and wash!"

"All right. I'll wash you again today."

"I'm seventeen, you know..."

And sure enough, Yusia scrubbed every last inch of me.

After that, well, the usual day went by.

Through all of it, Servant never left my side. He even slipped around behind Yusia and covered her eyes—he actually did that.

Tea time ended, and my free hour came back around. Servant looked at me with a bright, delighted smile.

"Well? How was it?"

"It's incredible."

Honestly, it seemed proven already. We wouldn't even need the full week. Servant could survive Yusia.

"With a single ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠helper such as myself, your plans will grow all the richer."

"That's certainly true. But not yet."

Slipping past the eyes of Yusia, the Hero, wasn't enough. The Sword of Trust ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was a party of three.

"Tomorrow Kailin has tea with me, and the day after, Aphron. I'll need to watch those, too."

"As you command."

Servant agreed as if it were nothing at all.

"Fren. Aaahn~."

"A-aaahn."

Kailin kneaded my ears from behind while she fed me cake. Beside her, Servant was dancing.

"Fren. Even a porter ought to learn a little self-defense. Like this."

"Y-yes!"

Aphron demonstrated the forms against an imaginary opponent. Next to him, Servant was breakdancing... How did he even know how to do that?

The fourth day since Servant had come. He had proven his ability without holding any of it back.

"Servant."

"Yes. Lady Fren."

"The power you've shown me really is amazing. If you help me, I'll be truly grateful."

He wouldn't die.

"But even so."

Because of what might still happen.

"This is extremely dangerous."

If he died in front of my eyes.

"Even then... will you help me?"

Would I be able to get back up?

I warned him with every scrap of worry and dread I had, but Servant only smiled, light as anything.

"Of course. Lady Fren."

And so I had a new helper.

"Um, but..."

"What is it?"

"Since you're helping me, I feel as if I ought to repay you. The thing is, I don't have any money right now."

That was the truth. Everything I'd had was gone, spent the last time I tried to hire thirty helpers. I couldn't offer Servant a single coin.

"Do not concern yourself."

"Why not?"

"Did I not say I had taken up the will of those thirty?"

He chuckled—and then let fall something that crawled up my spine.

"I have already eaten my fill."

"...?"

I didn't understand it in the slightest, but I had the feeling I must not go digging for what lay underneath.

I changed the subject in a hurry.

"Th-there's something else I was wondering, though."

"What is it?"

"I've never seen you eat anything. Are you having snacks when I'm not looking?"

"Ah. I do not eat such things."

"Then what do you eat?"

"I am eating even now."

I'd thought it was a light question. All I received was another answer heavy with meaning.

"I don't get it. Aren't you hungry? Should I set some food aside for you?"

"There is no need. Ah—there is one thing I would like you to do."

"What is it? I'll do it!"

"Embrace me."

Servant opened his arms. For a moment, my mind simply stopped.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"Hold me tightly. I believe that will leave me full."

I'd thought it since the bath, but this person... wasn't he actually an enormous pervert?

Even before I joined the Sword of Trust, this body had drawn plenty of advances. Adventuring was rough work, and male adventurers drooled the moment they laid eyes on a woman. I was small and weak besides, so I'd been dragged off more than once. Every last one of them fainted the moment I cut off what they'd been shoving at me.

Don't tell me Servant was the same sort?

"You appear to be thinking something rather rude."

"Ah, I'm not?"

"I have no other intention. You need only hold me."

"Hmm. If that's all..."

Right. A simple hug couldn't be a problem.

I stepped up to Servant, slipped my arms around his waist, and held him tight. He folded his open arms around me in return.

Ah. There it is again.

Holding him, I felt that same strange familiarity as the first time I had seen him—a presence that was, for reasons I couldn't name, deeply known, and missed. I had meant only to hug him lightly, but before I knew it I was burrowing into his arms.

"Lady Fren. Just a little longer..."

Servant was, for some reason, savoring the taste on his tongue when—

Thud.

Thud. Thud.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.

The whole of the mansion shook.

"Huh?"

"What is this?"

Servant and I both froze, because the source of it was drawing nearer. It wasn't only the tremor. Someone was screaming in a rage. That voice—

"Yusia?"

"Who!"

A shockwave cracked through me, as if I'd been struck in the head from an inch away.

"My Fren!"

By the time she reached the door, it was nearly a shriek.

"Who's touching her!"

Bang!

The door shattered and ceased to be. I stared at Yusia, rigid with cold. Her burning golden eyes fixed on me.

"Fren. Who is it?"

"Wh-what?"

"Who were you embracing! Who!"

"Aagh!"

Every time she shouted, my head split with pain. When I clutched it in both hands, Yusia whipped her gaze around like a madwoman.

"I know you're hiding! Come out! I said come out!"

"Y-Yusia."

"You goddamn bastard! I'll chew you to death, you piece of shit! I'll kill you! I'll kill you dead!"

Yusia roared words so vulgar I had never heard them from her. Trembling, I glanced sidelong at Servant.

He stood perfectly calm. Even with Yusia like that, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there wasn't a trace of fear in him.

I was just thinking that was a relief when Yusia's golden eyes flashed again.

"There?"

"?!"

For the first time, Servant faltered—because her gaze had locked exactly on the place where he stood.

"What is this?"

"I'll kill you!"

Yusia ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thrust a hand into empty air. In the same instant a ring of light bloomed in a circle and closed around it.

"Die!"

Yusia brought the Holy Sword straight down.

Silence settled. At a glance, nothing had changed.

But then the windows shattered.

"Aaaah! What! A bird just split in half and died!"

"The church spire—!"

"Th-the clouds just split clean in two?"

Chaos swept the streets of the capital. A single downward cut had severed everything all the way to the end of that sky. Fortunately the angle had tilted slightly upward, and it seemed no one had died.

"..."

"..."

Yusia dismissed the Holy Sword and steadied her breath. Then, all at once, she pulled me into her arms.

"Fren. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But I had no choice."

She had spoken only a phrase or two, and yet it felt as if dozens of them had driven through my ears.

"Someone was trying to take Fren away. That can't happen. Fren is our companion. So I can't forgive anyone. Not anyone."

Yusia's ragged breath seemed to reach all the way into my lungs.

And so Yusia held me for a long, long time, and would not let go.

It was the same afterward.

She carried me around the mansion in her arms. We ate together, brushed our teeth together, and until I fell asleep she whispered lullabies without end.

And for the first time since I had come to the mansion, I woke in the small hours. I was staring blankly at the ceiling when a voice reached me.

"You could sleep a little longer."

"So you were alive."

Thank goodness. Yusia hadn't fully found Servant after all. She must have swung on instinct alone.

"Only because I threw myself aside in time. Still—the Hero, as expected. Remarkable."

Servant smiled, faint and easy.

"I shall have to restrain myself, where embraces are concerned."