Fiancée of the Wizard Volume 8 Chapter 5 Part 11
I could not even imagine it. Nevertheless, I hoped that the void in his heart would be filled even a little by my warmth while I hugged him.
In this way, I hugged him for a while. While Noct could not fling me away or hug me back, and completely froze. I separated from him for a while, and patted his head once. Then I looked back.
There was the man who was making an expression as if he did not like the situation. He was staring down at me. Seemingly, he had something to say about my actions. But he had kept silent and not interrupted. Most probably, he had thought of me when doing so. Yet, seemingly he could not contain his emotions to appear in his expressions. I could not help but wryly smile at his childish expression. Eventually, he changed his face back to his usual expressionless face, and shifted his gaze to Noct.
「Noct」
「W, what」
「We are going back to the church in the Schtorenvihein territory. Come with us」
「Wha……!? 」
The man had not interrupted the conversation between Noct and me at all until this point. What the man then said was a statement that excluded all necessary explanation. Upon such sudden statement, Noct lifted his head as if surprised, and I also widened my eyes. What, what on earth had the man just said.
The man continued to look down at us with his usual unfriendly expression. The man would not clumsily further hurt Noct now……or so I thought. However, I was slightly unsure of this. Although this man was very kind, his kindness was quite hard to understand, and it was very limited.
I fearfully braced myself; what was he going to say now. But he did not care about my gaze, and while holding the shard of the demon lord’s core……that now only looked like a roadside rock, he continued.
「My theory has already been proven. I have gotten this too, so there is no issue in all of us going home together」
Both Noct and I did not understand him. Most probably, the theory he is talking about is the theory about Noct that he had submitted to the princess. I somewhat understood this, but I did not know what his theory contained. Hence, I was completely oblivious to how that connected to what he had said;『no issue』.
「Edi, um……」
「I don’t like going through the same ordeal twice. Anyways, all three of us are going home. Everything comes after that. Noct, although you have tons of complaints, shut up for now. I will hear as many of them as you wish later」
It is already decided so. The man repeated. Forgetting the conversation we had, Noct and I looked at each other tilted our heads.
Even I could not be befuddled at how persistent the man was. Hence, obviously Noct would even more confused. My guess was not wrong, because Noct’s yellow eyes widened. While sitting down, Noct tried to back away from the man.
「Obvious I can’t go home with you! 」
It was a scream. He shouted in a voice that sounded as if he was about to cry, and shook his head multiple times.
「Even if I were to accompany you, we are only going to be captured together. I don’t want to die just yet」
What happens to a demon that is caught by the church? I did not need to state that now. Previously, he had been hunted in the mountain by priests. He must painfully know the fear of the experience. At that time when he was younger than now, how fearful had he been? Surely it was painful. Surely it was lonely. I wonder how lonely he was when he had said in relief 「it is finally the end」
「Noct……」
「Don’t touch me! 」
Involuntarily, I called for him while reaching out my hand. He slapped my hand away with his hand. A loud dry sound echoed in the hall. I could not help but hold my reddened and pained hand with my other hand. Then, Noct’s face change to look even more like he was about to cry.
When I smiled to him to convey that I was alright, his face scrunched up even further. What a waste of a splendid and beautiful face it was. My thought was rather out of place. I pondered, moreover, it was troubling because I am the cause of his expressions. With this in mind, I continued gazing at Noct. Noct scrunched his face fruther and shouted.
「And, and, not just that. More importantly……! 」
With a shivering voice, Noct tried to continue with all his might. Yet, he hesitated to end his sentence. It was as if he was saying, why can’t you understand. It was as if he was saying, can you please understand without me having to say it out loud. Nevertheless, both the man and I did not say anything, and waited for him to continue. Then, Noct finally mouth the words.
「That means that I am going to trouble you guys again! 」
The moment Noct shouted so, a large teardrop split from his eyes. This did not stop with just one droplet, but tears started flowing and wet his cheeks. I hurriedly tried to wipe his tears with my hand, but Noct looked away and noiselessly started actually crying. For now, I patted his head while he cried. This time, he did not avoid me. It was not that he had accepted me, but rather plainly, he did not have enough energy left to do so.
While I silently continued rubbing his head, I heard this loud sigh. Hey you, why do you have to further corner him? Noct’s body jolted. While continuing to rub his head, I glared at the man who had sighed. The man shrugged his shoulders.
「That again huh. Even at this stage worrying about others. Had he gotten similar to you, Filmina? 」
「Oh, I do think that this kind of clumsiness is rather similar to you than me」
Even though he would be in a much more dire state, the man always clumsily worried about others rather than himself. I really think that Noct was really similar to how the man worried about me instead of himself.
When I replied like this, the man sighed with exasperation. 「I see, both of us are like that, huh」. Although it was slightly unintentional, I should agree with him here. When I nodded and said, 「Yes indeed」, Noct wiped his tears roughly with the back of his hand. Then with his reddened yellow eyes, he glared at both of us.
「Don’t make fun of me! 」
「Who made fun of you? I am rather praising you」
「Yes indeed」
We both said so with a very serious face. Noct was dumbfounded, and was lost for words. Taking advantage of Noct who did not refute further, the man snorted his nose and crouched beside Noct. The man was looking into Noct’s face. Stared at the morning glow colored eyes, Noct seemed frightened. The man flicked his white finger at Noct’s forehead. Befuddled, Noct held his forehead at the sudden impact. The man said.
「You do not need to worry. I will protect you. With Filmina, that is. Well, though I will have you do something as well」
That is why, come. The man continued. Surely, the man did not intend to listen to any denial from Noct anymore. What an annoying condescending line he had said. There must be slightly kinder ways of saying so. That being said, this was still a rare relatively easy to understand way of saying things for this man.
「Protect you」. Wow. The man will rarely say so in such an honest way.
「With Filmina」, huh. Did that mean he will protect me as well? No, I was probably wrong. Surely, he meant that both of us will protect Noct. With this in mind, I felt happy; so much so that I could not help but naturally smile. While smiling, I deeply nodded at what the man had said. Noct swayed his eyes showing clear confusion, and then looked down.
I grabbed the man’s hand, and held Noct’s hand with my own hand. Although the man seemed slightly surprised, he did not fling my hand away. He then gently held Noct’s hand. While Noct gulped, we both nodded deeply.
「—Can I, believe in you guys? 」
Upon hearing the words that Noct finally mouthed, both the man and I nodded once again. The man said, 「don’t make me say it again」. I pinched the man’s cheek with my other hand. He scrunched his face mightily and slapped away my hand. Upon noticing our interaction, Noct awkwardly, and clumsily laughed. He laughed. Surely, his smile was a more definite answer than anything else.
Now, let us go home as a three……rather, five people together. We have people waiting for us.
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