The Hero is Standing in My Way - Chapter 43

Chapter 43

“Ah….”

I was momentarily stupefied. My heart was pounding and I felt like it was falling to the ground. I’ve never made this mistake before.

It was a fact that no one knew Siegfried was going to leave after the monster subjugation was over – even Siegfried himself. His return as the war hero was something I had only read in the novel. At this time, it was impossible for Siegfried to have made a decision to go to war as he had only made one, that is the monster subjugation.

I raised the corners of my lips awkwardly. I made a mistake. How should I wrap this?  

“That… was what Your Highness told me before. You said that you came down to the Ellifritz not only to subdue monsters, but to also leave a good impression on the nobility.”

“I did.” Siegfried replied with a grim expression.

I continued to speak.

“I thought that it naturally doesn’t only apply to the South, but also to the other regions of the Empire. There were many territories that periodically subdue monsters, but they usually start around wintertime…. The Empire is troubled by the barbarians in the East these days, I thought that you may be participating in that….”

“I never really thought about it. Now that I heard about it, that doesn’t seem like a bad idea.” Siegfried opened his lips in slight wonder.

I somehow passed the crisis. I sighed in relief.

“But by any chance.”

Siegfried then opened his mouth again so I looked at him in surprise. His eyes narrowed.

“You mean, you’re not telling me to go there on purpose, right? Why? Are you not happy with me?”

“Th, that can’t be….”

Why are you listening in a twisted way? I think I’ll have to listen to him for the rest of my life telling me, ‘Isn’t that fellow undesirable?’ Siegfried had a strange way of holding grudges for a long time.

“Why would I dislike Your Highness when I received a farm as a gift? I still have a conscience.”

“You don’t seem to like it very much though.”

“What is? The farm?”

“Yes. Honestly, I’m still concerned about how many times you turned it down. I wonder if I was forcing you too much.”

Well, I don’t really blame him when I was the one who made a fuss in front of the nobles asking him why he gave me the farm. I could have refused Siegfried if only I had only quietly called him out, but it was somehow quite rude to refuse a gift from a Prince, as what the other nobles said.

“No. Anyway, didn’t I receive that very thankfully? You even remembered what I said very well.”

Too well at that. 

Of course, I did say that he should appeal with his looks and wealth, but I really had no idea it would turn out like that. He had a good brain since he was the Male Lead. I have to be careful from now on whenever I say something to Siegfried.

“Of course. What you say is always deeply engraved in my heart.”

“No… you don’t need to do that.”

“So, in the future, don’t try to say no first.”

After Siegfried said that with his chin on the back of his hand, oddly enough, I pictured the adult Siegfried I saw on my hallucination and my heart strangely thumped. I looked at his softly folded eyes and nodded.

“The Eastern Front. I don’t think that’s a bad plan, but Your Highness, the battlefield is different from subjugating monsters. Why don’t you consider it a little more?”

Around the time the food we ordered arrived one by one, Abbysion said that while quietly sipping wine. Siegfried pondered for a moment with his chin resting on the table.

“I know that it wasn’t about making a light decision, of course. Defeating barbarians would definitely be a great help to me – under the assumption that I will return alive.”

“… I was just saying stuff randomly Your Highness. Please don’t take it too seriously.”

“I know that, too.”

Siegfried smiled slightly.

You won’t die even if you go to war. You’re the main character. 

My words were blocked up my throat, but of course, it wasn’t something I should tell him. But still, can’t I say something else?

Siegfried looked as solitary as that time we hadn’t met each other yet. He even did a lot of good work in the subjugation. I hurriedly got up from my seat. The plates clashed against each other and made a loud noise.

“I, I believe in you…! You’ll surely come back alive and well if Your Highness goes to the battlefield!”

“… Ah, faith and comfort.”

“Yes…!”

Siegfried looked up at me silently. I clenched my fist and pretended to cheer him up, and then he burst into laughter as if he really couldn’t help it.

“Thanks. You are the only one who can say this.”

Ack, don’t look at me as if I am lovely. I can’t help but imagine the adult Siegfried coming back from the battlefield and hugging me. And by then, he will have a lovely heroine by his side….

I’m starting to feel blue all of a sudden. I sat back down on my chair with drooping shoulders. Siegfried pushed the plate of duck meat in front of me which was my favorite. Before I knew it, our conversation went back to our usual conversation.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“Wow, the water is so clear.” I shouted with a slight surprise.

The beach in the village was a very clear emerald color. The Corte Village was only a day ride away on a horse but was inhabited by monsters, this place however was very peaceful. There weren’t any three-eyed crows but cute seagulls flying around. I loved the sea in this town.

“What is this? Is it garbage?”

“No. It’s a seashell.”

“It is my first time seeing this. Oh, it’s broken.”

I was on the beach now with Siegfried. Just how much he had been looking forward to looking around in the village that he came down to the front door and waited for me in the morning. The problem was that we didn’t set a definite time to meet. Siegfried couldn’t naturally go and wake me up, so he was alone and looking at the stairs wondering when I would come down.

Just thinking about it made me laugh a little. I think he looks a little cute too. 

“It’s because Your Highness is putting too much energy in it.”

I looked at the tiny crumbling shell he was holding. Siegfried touched the sandy beach with his toes as if he was fascinated to see it indent with every step he took.

“That’s why I told you to take off your shoes.”

“It’s better to shake off the sand than have the sand in your shoes.”

Siegfried nodded and brushed off the broken shell. It was very pleasant to look at the sea with a good-looking boy. The smile never left my face like that, until Siegfried said something out of nowhere.

“I wonder how much this ocean is.”

“…? What is that suddenly…?”

I was a little perplexed. I had the urge to look inside Siegfried’s head for a moment. Just what was he thinking about to come up with something like that? This bourgeois person.

“I think you like it.”

His answer was simple and clear. Siegfried is definitely still hanged on the word wealth show. For a moment there, I also wonder how much this endless ocean could be, then I realize that it was a needless worry.

“The sea does not belong to anyone. It cannot be bought or sold.”

“Then what about the village?”

“The village…. Uhm, I don’t know. This village does not belong to any territory.”

“Then that means it can be bought.”

“Are you going to buy it and give it to me?”

“Yeah.” Siegfried said without blinking an eye.

I knew his scale was a little different, but this wasn’t it.

“I, it’s alright. I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t accept this.”

“But you don’t see my heart. Surely, there should be something left aside.”

It was completely true that I couldn’t refute him, but I also don’t want to encourage his excessive spending after I had only just received an expensive farm from him. Siegfried would become the Emperor after all, so wouldn’t this village be also his? Doesn’t that mean he doesn’t have to buy this with money now?

“But how can the sea…? It’s really alright. I know Your Highness is wealthy. You appealed to me enough already.”

“I won’t stop with appealing, but just to be more certain….”

“Oh, Your Highness. Isn’t it time for the puppet show to start soon?”

The puppet show was perfect for distracting Siegfried. He glanced at the crowds gathering near the square.

“Seems like it.”

Siegfried’s cheeks were slightly flushed. Just how much had he been looking forward to the puppet show? I quickly grabbed and dragged him away for fear that he would rather buy the sea again or turn the village to something I own.

“Let’s go. It will be fun, won’t it?”

Siegfried was obediently brought back by me. We brushed the sand off of our feet and fixed our shoes.

There were quite a lot of people as it was just after lunch. We settled down a little farther away from the stage. The puppet show began soon after. Siegfried was fortunately focused on the puppet show as if he had completely forgotten about buying the village.

He was indeed still a child, I thought as I watched the female doll spin on the male doll’s bely and kick it.

It was around the time when the first part of the play was ending, Siegfried stood up. I looked up at him.

“The second part will start in a bit if you wait a little bit more.”

“I have some things to do.”

“What? But Your Highness is already doing something here.”

What do you mean, we only arrived here yesterday? I looked at him with puzzled eyes. Siegfried moved his mouth slightly as if he was about to explain something, then turned his back.

(T/N: Thank you for the ko-fi for this series! Additional chapters would be uploaded by next week, probably five of them if I am not that busy, thanks to my mountain of activities. Thank you for your patience and support! Love you all!