Volume 7 Chapter 3 Part 14
Fiancée of the Wizard
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Translation by burnt.marshmallows
Editing by Team Foxsunes
「It’s about your future「aim」, that we talked about before. 」
「Aim?」
Before I knew it, Noct had wiped the smile off his face and went back to being expressionless. He echoed my words, with his head tilted. Yes. His「aim」, in other words, his future. Last night, that man volunteered to talk about it, but I was the one who decided to keep Noct here in the first place. That was why I had to fulfill the responsibility for my actions. As I repeated that to myself again, I looked back into Noct’s eyes.
「We finally worked it out. As long as it’s alright with you, Edi and I were thinking that it’d be good for you to go stay with our friend. 」
Noct didn’t say anything. He stayed there in silence and waited for me to continue. Leaving him be, I continued to speak, although a bit too fast.
「It’s located slightly far away from the Royal Capital, but do you know about it? It’s a place called Schtorenvihein region.」
「……By Schtorenvihein, do you mean the hero?」
「Ah, you know about it?」
「Of course I do.」
「I’m sorry. Of course you would.」
Noct’s words sounded like there was quite a bit of shock embedded in it. In response, I agreed, smiling wryly. True, I was asking quite a dumb question.
There was probably no one in not just this country, but the whole world who didn’t know the name of Yulifalet Lila Schtorenvihein. Even amongst the heroes who saved the world, he was the 「hero」, a central figure who was chosen by the holy sword. Within the day that we decided to keep Noct, that man and I had discussed it before we asked for the Hero’s opinion on whether he could take Noct in. His reply finally came a few days before.
A letter had come, in which the hero wrote something to the effect of 「If you think that my place is good, I’ll make preparations for taking him in. 」.「He really is a people-pleaser who likes to take up troublesome things.」is what that man said. Although we were the ones who asked for the favor, I couldn’t deny what that man said. Even though that man had gotten a verbal agreement from Noct, making him swear that he wouldn’t hurt anyone from now on, Noct was still a demon, the enemy of humans. For the Hero to accept him with open arms, the Hero really was a good person. Although it may be a weakness of his, I thought that it was also one of his greatest merits.
That same hero was, without a doubt, the one who brought ruin to the indisputable leader of the demons, the demon lord. Seeing how Noct behaved, it didn’t seem that he held any strong resentment about it, but it probably wasn’t possible for him to not feel anything about it at all. I knew that there was a high chance that he’d reject it. As a testament to that, Noct seemed to be deep in thought, with his face downcast, not saying a word.
It was something that that man and I moved forward with by ourselves. Not only that, the conditions were very disadvantageous towards Noct. As I thought, I shouldn’t have said it. As that thought entered my head, Noct finally looked up again.
「……Have I been a nuisance to Filmina and the others?」
「Of course not!」
In response to his small question, I suddenly got really worked up and replied loudly. Noct gasped, surprised. I took up his hand that had stiffened from the shock with both my hands and held it tightly.
Even though Noct remained expressionless, in those beautiful, citrine-like, yellow eyes of his, I could definitely see that he was hurt. I didn’t mean to cause him to make a face like this. That was all the more why, even though it might just sound like an excuse to him, I continued with vigor.
「Of course I’d want you to stay here forever if it were possible. But that probably wouldn’t do you any good.」
In the first place, we wouldn’t have hid him in the first place. We knew how abnormal it was to take in a demon, based on the reactions that people around had even towards that man, who was a human.
Every day spent in the mansion with Noct was so much fun. Of course, it was reassuring just having my wet nurse around, but this time made me realize that this mansion was too large for only that man, my wet nurse, and I to stay in. Even though it was completely natural for me to spend my time alone before that man came home. There was no doubt that if I were made to stay here by myself, I would feel unbearably lonely.
Thinking about it like that, I really couldn’t wait for the day that the baby would be born. And if possible, I wanted Noct to be there then too. I didn’t know when it started, but I had started to think about that.
But that was just me being selfish. No matter how large the mansion was, and no matter whether we could guarantee him clothing, food and a roof over his head, I’d feel guilty for trapping a young boy like him in this mansion forever. He himself hadn’t said anything, but there was no way that he didn’t feel at least slightly bored. Maybe Noct would feel less suffocated in the Schtorenvihein region. That’s what I thought.
「Sir Yuli……the Hero is a very lovely and trustworthy person. He’s someone who can treat people fairly, regardless of whether they are human or demon. We’ve already explained the situation to him, so there’s no doubt that he can make you better.」
When we first sent a letter asking whether he would take in Noctーa demon boy, the Hero had first answered with 「Let me think about it」. He didn’t decide immediately by replying with「Of course I would!」or anything like that. That was why I could trust him. The Hero had properly thought through the risks of having a demon boy under his care before expressing that he would 「take him in」. I was very thankful for his goodwill.
The Hero was a person who accepted even the Pure Black Magic-User, someone who was instinctively feared by all. Not only that, the Hero believed in him, and openly announced that they were good friends, without being afraid of what others had to say. He was the one who started something like the「Agedilus Happiness Protection Alliance」with me. He would probably……no, he definitely will take good care of Noct. I was sure that, instead of being enclosed in a mansion in the Royal Capital, Noct would be able to live a more free and easy life.
That was probably just my own selfish thinking. It was probably just what was convenient for me. I knew that it wasn’t that simple in real life. But even so, I was sure that if it were with that kind Hero, this kind boy would surely.
Noct didn’t reply immediately to my words. His eyes swayed as if he were lost, before he whispered: 「Let me think about it.」
In response to that, I nodded and replied: 「Think about it slowly and decide.」. I knew from the beginning that it wasn’t a decision that Noct could make so easily. Luckily, the Hero wrote in his letter that he didn’t need an immediate reply. I felt bad about relying on him so much, but I was going to indulge in his words.
As I silently whispered that in my heart, Noct just cleared up the book and quill pen he laid on the table in a rush. As soon as he stood up, holding everything, he started to return to his room. I called out to him from behind, 「Wait a moment」
「There’s one other thing. Is that alright with you?」
「Is there still something else?」
Turning around, Noct asked in a voice even stiffer than before. I regained my composure and gave him a gentle smile in return.
「You don’t need to brace yourself like that. It’s not anything serious this time. Could you close your eyes for a while?」
「What’s that about?」
「It’s alright. I won’t do anything mean. Hey, just a little bit.」
Please. As I clasped my hands together and pleaded, Noct reluctantly turned his body around and closed those yellow eyes of his.
「Is this alright?」
「Yes. Here you go.」
I took out the thing from the paper bag that I had secretly hidden in the shadows of the sofa and placed it on Noct’s neck. Perhaps he was started by the sensation, as Noct opened his eyes immediately. He then looked down at the thing on his neck, as his eyes opened wide.
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