Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Six months have passed since Hector started coming to Vedito’s apothecary. So far, there’s no sign that the town’s army of lovestruck maidens has found out that he visits the store. We’ve gone out to the forest together a few times with him acting as my guard, but even then, we haven’t been spotted.
That doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. I rein in any creeping complacency and continue serving customers.
I haven’t seen Ky, the eccentric noble and Hector’s close friend, since the day he gave me the ring. Well, it would be stranger if I did run into a noble that often. Even if this town isn’t far from the royal capital, it’s not like it has high-end shops where nobles would come to enjoy shopping. It’s a lively port town, bustling with people, probably a good place to observe the energetic lives of commoners.
「Kyaa! Hector-sama!」
Holding two overstuffed shopping bags in my arms, I turned toward the lively cheers. There, wearing a sweet, alluring smile befitting the「Flower Knight」 was Hector. Even from a distance, I could tell how different his expression was from the one I usually saw.
…No, in the beginning, he wore that same face in front of me too. But not anymore. He still smiles around me, but it no longer feels like he’s deliberately oozing sweetness.
(…The color of pain is stretching. Still hates women as much as ever, huh.)
He suffers from pain in his right hand due to a magical affliction, but thanks to my medicine, it’s eased considerably. So the bluish-purple that looks more pronounced now must be from the mental strain of being surrounded by women he dislikes. The deep indigo of disgust is also stretching, making it clear he’s feeling something completely opposite to the expression he’s showing. …Though with that perfect smile, no one would ever notice just by looking at his face.
(Ah, did he notice?)
For a brief moment, it felt like our eyes met. Maybe he realized I was watching him. And the fact that it wasn’t just my imagination was clear from the sudden extension of pale pink affection and orange joy.
Just making eye contact makes him that happy? The thought amused me a little. It was about the same level of joy as a child spotting their mother coming to pick them up.
Suppressing a laugh, I looked away and continued down the road back to the shop. When I get back, I should check the inventory for tomorrow’s regular day-off customers.
――――
「That wasn’t me ignoring you.」
That was the first thing the customer who came on my forest-day off said.
I tilted my head, not quite understanding, but invited him inside the shop anyway.
「I was surrounded by butterflies, so I couldn’t call out to you.」
「Ah, you mean yesterday?」
He was talking about when our eyes met on my way back from shopping. Since I’d prefer we act like strangers in public, I didn’t mind at all, in fact, I appreciated it, but it seemed to bother Hector.
He casually apologized, saying he was sorry he couldn’t even give me a nod despite making eye contact.
「Please don’t worry about it. It would be more troublesome if you acted familiar with me outside.」
「I see, that’s good then. You left right away, so I thought maybe I’d upset you.」
「…You’re actually quite sensitive, Hector.」
He shrugged exaggeratedly, but the moment I looked above his head and saw the color of his anxiety disappear, it was obvious he felt relieved. Knowing that I could read his feelings, he averted his gaze just slightly. It was only a faint flicker in his eyes, but it seemed he felt a little embarrassed at being seen through. A small trace of rose-colored embarrassment appeared.
And next to it, my attention was drawn to the color of love, still translucent, despite how much time had passed.
(…It’s gotten quite long, and yet he still hasn’t realized it. Maybe it gets harder the older you are.)
I first started seeing that above his head less than a month after we met. And yet nearly half a year has passed since then, and it still hasn’t taken on color. Despite being known around town as a man of many romances, he seems to be a pure-hearted young man who hasn’t even recognized his first love.
「Something wrong?」
「No, I’ll take the empty bottle.」
「Here. I’ll leave it to you, then.」
I’d been staring at the top of his head while thinking. If I never made eye contact at all, he’d naturally wonder where I was looking.
I quickly took the bottles and began washing them, but once a question forms, it’s not something that can be easily forgotten.
「You tend to look past people’s heads… or rather, above them, don’t you, Cyril-san?」
…And so the question came. Well, Hector has probably already figured out most of my ability to see things anyway. There’s no point in trying to hide everything for no reason, so I decided to explain a little. Although I do not plan to tell him I can see emotions.
「I can see possibilities above people’s heads, so my eyes tend to drift there.」
「…Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.」
「Well, I’ve never mentioned it before. By looking at that, I can also judge how severe your injury is, Hector-san. It seems to have improved quite a bit, I’m relieved.」
I wasn’t lying. What I’d been looking at earlier were emotional colors, but I can also see phenomenon colors, manifestations of future possibilities.
When I finished cleaning and refilling the bottles and turned back to him, I froze for a moment in surprise. I could see a long stretch of joy.
The length of an emotional color also reflects the intensity of that emotion.
Even his usual smile seemed somehow brighter. …In any case, he was apparently extremely happy.
I exchanged the payment that was already ready on the table and medicine bottles, completing the transaction for now. After that, it had become our routine to take a short break, chat a little, and then have him head home. …Lately, I’ve started to think we might actually be something like friends.
Well, we only see each other this often because he needs to regularly buy medicine. Once he’s fully healed, we probably won’t meet much anymore.
「Recently, the pain has almost completely gone away.」
As he said that, opening and closing his right hand, I nodded.
He was probably so happy because I’d just mentioned his recovery. With the medicine, he should already be at a point where he feels almost no pain, so it made sense.
The day he no longer needs my medicine is near.
It’s a little lonely to think he’ll stop coming every week, but it’s also something to celebrate.
「Isn’t it about time to start functional recovery training? By the time you no longer need my medicine, you should be able to hold a sword again.」
「Wow, really? That’s great to hear.」
「Yes. It shouldn’t even take another half year. I’m really glad. You won’t have to spend money on medicine anymore, and you won’t need to come all the way to the apothecary on your day off either…」
The moment the long stretch of joy disappeared, I was so startled I stopped speaking. I had meant to say, 「It will get a bit lonely, but congratulations」 but the words wouldn’t come.
The orange joy that had stretched so vividly vanished in an instant, replaced by the color of sadness. Despite such a drastic emotional shift, his expression remained a charming smile. The disconnect was jarring. …It had been a while since he’d shown me that face.
「Don’t say things like that, Cyril-chan. We’ve gotten so close, and I’d be really sad. Sure, I won’t have any business at an apothecary anymore, but still…」
(…I see. When he makes that face, he’s suppressing his emotions.)
Seeing someone who was clearly sad forcing a smile and even changing how he addressed me to act cheerful made my chest ache a little. I hadn’t intended to become friends, but that doesn’t mean he felt the same way. I’d known he felt some affection for me, yet my earlier words sounded like I was pushing him away. I was now regretting how harsh I’d been.
…Maybe it’s time I stopped stubbornly avoiding friendships just because I always have. Even if I can’t see my own predicted lines, I’m aware that I’ve gotten closer with Hector.
I don’t dislike him. Once I understood his troublesome personality, I even found spending time with him enjoyable. He’s kept quiet about my abilities, and as long as I continue to be careful, I can keep hiding the fact that I’m a healing mage.
It would be troublesome if the town’s girls found out, but as long as we continue as we have, it’s unlikely. And even if they did, I could proudly say there’s nothing improper between us. …Though I’d probably still be the target of jealousy. But I think I’m prepared for that now.
At the very least, becoming friends, that much I can probably manage. Whether he’ll accept that after I’ve hurt him… I don’t know.
「I’m sorry. That was inconsiderate.」
「You don’t have to apologize. It was just a joke.」
「No, I did hurt you. So I’m sorry.」
I bowed deeply, my forehead nearly touching the table. When I finally raised my head, Hector was smiling, but unnaturally so, the corners of his mouth lifted too high. I could tell he was suppressing various emotions visible in his predicted lines. But at least he didn’t seem sad anymore, which relieved me a little.
「Because of this ability, I’ve tried not to make friends. So I was trying not to get close to you either…」
「Huh… I thought we were already friends.」
「…That’s what you normally think, right? I’m sorry, I’ve been avoiding thinking about it until now…」
Hector had already considered me a friend. What I’d said earlier, coming from someone he thought of that way, must have sounded like 「Don’t come unless you have business」. No wonder it hurt him.
And now, I’d dealt another blow by revealing that I hadn’t thought of him the same way. …After eighteen years without forming any friendships, it’s no surprise I lack social grace.
「…But from what you’re saying, Cyril-san… does that mean you’ll be friends with me?」
「Well… yes. If you’re okay with that, Hector-san…」
「Haha. I’ve never seen you look so troubled, Cyril-san… Alright then, since I want you to think of me as a friend, let me properly ask again?」
Before taking his outstretched left hand, I glanced at his predicted lines.
Though I’d thought he might hate me now, the pale pink affection I saw there had grown slightly longer than before.
Relieved, I couldn’t help but smile as I took his hand.
「Let’s get along, Hector-san.」
The next moment, the sight that leapt into my vision made me freeze, still smiling.
The color of love above his head, long translucent until now, suddenly filled with color all at once.
People say there’s a moment when someone falls in love, but what I saw was the color deepening from the base upward. If anything, it felt more like a moment of rising.
Well, perhaps this wasn’t the moment he fell in love, but the moment he became aware of it.
(…I see. So it was me.)
Being able to see people’s love… can be quite troublesome.
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