The Hero is Standing in My Way - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

“You’re already done eating?”

Abbysion looked up at me and asked when I stood up after eating. Half of the food that was on his plate didn’t disappear while he was talking to the knights. The condition of my plate was no different, so it was only natural that he would feel suspicious.

“I’m not very hungry.”

“You’re lying. Are you intentionally emptying your stomach to eat grapes?”

“I can eat them right now, and what can you do? No, you’re right. I should go now and see for myself.”

“There aren’t any more.”

One of the nobles said as if it was a pity. I lightly smiled at him.

“I’m tired, so I’m going up now.”

The nobleman didn’t hold me back anymore when  pretended to yawn, covering my mouth with my hand and blinking my eyes. I bid the party goodbye and went upstairs. I was thinking of going straight out of the entrance hall to fetch a priest. The temple at the village might be closed already as it was already late, but that was a problem that could easily be solved with some money. I can’t leave Siegfried’s scratched face like that just because it was a waste of money.

I stand near the front door and took out my wallet to check how much was left. Had I known  that something like this would happen, I would’ve brought some more jewels as I initially planned. Even in this small town, a pries with divine power to heal wounds without leaving a scar would surely raise the price.

– Creak, creak.

I was thinking whether I should go up to my room to get some more money and how can I convince the priest effectively, when I heard the sound of the wooden stairs. I turned my head just to see Siegfried holding the pillar and watching me.

…You aren’t thinking that you were hiding your body now, right?

Even though he was young, his physique was rather large so the pillar wasn’t that big enough to hide him.

“……”

“……”

I stared at Siegfried without a word. He looked restless for some reason, but his eyes opened wide with surprise as soon as our gazes met. When I saw that, I was convinced Siegfried really thought he could hide behind the pillar. Tsk, tsk, I looked at him with a little bit of pity.

“Don’t worry Your Highness, I’m on my way to call a priest now. Didn’t you find me because of your cheek?”

It was me who spoke first. Siegfried didn’t hastily approached me even though he was looking at me with eyes that means he has a lot to say.

I asked Siegfried, tapping my cheek, and he nodded quickly. Then he tilted his head to the side as if remembering what I had said.

“……..Priest?”

“It shouldn’t leave a scar on a pretty face.”

“I don’t think the wound is so bad that it leaves a scar.”

“But still, we won’t know in the future, right? I was very nervous during dinner.”

I’m afraid you’ll use that wound in a weird way.

Fortunately, Siegfried’s face brightened as if he didn’t understand me at all. He raised his eyebrow slightly, happy that I was worried about him.

“There is no need to bring a priest.”

“Um, really?”

“Yes.” Siegfried said quite firmly.

Then I felt relieved.

“Is this what you wanted to say at the dining?”

“Huh…? No.”

I wish I could tell if it was right or not. My brows slightly frowned.

“No?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Siegfried shut his mouth. He came out from behind the pillar and approached me.

“You were really cool today.”

“I know.”

Siegfried wiggled his hands and murmured. To be honest, it wasn’t something he should say to me after I hit him, but fine, I’ll accept his compliment for now.

“And…….”

“And?”

I took a step closer to Siegfried and asked him. He hesitated and avoided my gaze. What does he want to say? Since I slapped him on the cheek, it doesn’t matter what he says except for taking responsibility of him for life. Of course, I don’t think he’s gonna say that, so I felt a little more confident.

“I am waiting.”

“…a person was waiting.”

But did my confidence go too far? I made Siegfried take a step back unknowingly. Siegfried retreated as I continued to approach him, and because the hallway leading to the entrance hall was very narrow, his back quickly hit the wall.

“I am still waiting.”

I reached out to the wall. Maybe it was because Siegfried kept glancing through the gap between him and me, my hair rubbed against his chin. He looked down at my hair that was tickling him, breathed in as if making a big decision, and held his breath.

“Come to think of it, you saved me again, but I don’t think I said thank you. I was very concerned by it all day long.”

“…….Ah.”

Siegfried said shyly with his eyes closed. His cheeks, reflected in the candlelight, were dyed red. He smiled proudly instead of answering me.  I felt something difficult to describe, but I couldn’t find any words to reply him.

As I smiled, Siegfried looked at me, surprised. Then he narrowed his eyes at me and asked, “Have we really met before?”

“…Really, Your Highness.”

I felt ridiculous and lowered my hands as if slipping on the wall. I think he asked that question twice already.

“I already told you, but that’s not how it works. Wouldn’t it be better if you showed off your wealth and beauty?”

“My beauty is of no use to you.”

Isn’t it impossible for you to not know already that it wasn’t the case? Not once or twice have I fallen in love with Siegfried’s beauty, but I decided not to say it out loud. Siegfried was a very intelligent person.

But in fact, I also couldn’t just shook off Siegfried saying nonsense. To be honest, I also experienced some unusual of feeling out of place and déjà vu in recent years. I was certain with my thought that Siegfried will be possessed by the Siren, because I already know the contents of the novel.

It would be ambiguous to explain, but it was also different from that. When the thought that ‘Siegfried must be going that way after being beaten by a Siren’, he really was.  I was sure I didn’t remember these very fine details, but now I don’t know anymore.

The same goes for Eisa. Why was the scene where he stepped on a Young Lady’s wrist so clear as if I had seen it myself? Am I confusing fiction with reality because of the memories of my previous life? No, it was a bit odd to say that. Let’s just pretend that this was because we drank too much wine. Thinking too complicated things will only make my head ache.

“I’m seriously asking. Have you really, never met me before?”

“… I don’t know either.”

I dragged the end of my words. I have never visited the archipelago in my life as Ariel. I also know that Siegfried had never left the Imperial Palace until he came down to Ellifritz. So, where on earth did we meet? 

Questions started to fill my hear one after another, and my head ache at the same time. I felt like my head was going to break, so I closed my eyes tightly. I opened my eyes again. I felt more tired than I thought. I felt very sleepy as if I was crazily drunk.

“I’m going to go to sleep. Your Highness should also sleep earlier.”

Siegfried looked like he wanted to talk to me a little more, but I didn’t want to.

It would be ambiguous of me to take a day off because I made Siegfried sullen that had his head down and quickly turned away. I quickly walked toward the monster’s habitat and followed the party late.

The subjugation was in full swing upon my arrival. Since Siegfried was now in charge of the daily pay, it seemed like there would be no problems without me.

I noticed that Siegfried was flying when I entered the monster’s habitat while slaughtering other monsters. He was really flying. Did someone teach him how to get on the back of the monster crow. 

“Aaaaaaahh!”

As I was watching Siegfried’s One Man Show, I heard a scream from nearby. I turned my head in surprise.

“Count Parrera!”

“It’s Paresa!”

Someone nearby quickly corrected me. No, it didn’t matter that I called the wrong name now.

“Anyway!”

Count Paresa, who took care of me last night so I can wash first, was struggling against a crow as his shoulder was injured.