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Chapter 50 Part 4 – Alisa and Scarlet in the previous「108 times」. The Queen and the Maiden of Salvation. Malice is like a burning fire.

I will move out of this place and take up residence in the royal palace in the near future since I have become the queen. When that happens, she will not be able to visit me as casually as before. I will be so busy with the queen’s duties that it will be difficult for me to even see Alisa.
Alisa was afraid that I might forget her.

「…… You’re such an idiot. There’s no way I would forget a foolish girl like Alisa, even if I wanted to ……」

I bent down and wiped her tears as her nose turned red.
Her method is ridiculous and a great nuisance, but still, Alisa’s feelings that she likes me is true.

This girl is a troublemaker, but I’m just as much of a troublemaker as Alisa. There are always more than a dozen people who want me dead. Because Alisa is always attached to me, she has been in danger many times as a result of her involvement with me. A normal person would not be able to endure it. In fact, almost all of the people who have approached me in order to become my friend have moved away from me when they learned of the serious dangers that come alongside me.
And yet, Alisa never left my side, no matter how long it has been. No matter how many times she has been nearly killed, she still stayed by my side with a big smile on her face. For more than ten years now.

Suddenly I felt a surge of love for Alisa and I hugged her. Alisa timidly put her hand on my back.

「…… Really!? …… You really won’t forget about Alisa!?」

I sighed.

「You know, you’re asking too much to expect me to forget you after what you did to me. Don’t worry, I probably won’t forget you until the day I die ……」

「…… Scar …… let …… samaa ……!!」

I gently stroked Alisa’s back and hair as she clung to me and whimpered.

…… Why do you like me so much?
You really are an idiot.
If I were a man, I would take you in and take care of you for the rest of your life, but I am a woman. So, you have to find a good man and settle down quickly. Although I’m very annoyed with you, I wish that you’ll be happy.

「…… Alisa, is there anything you want me to do?」

I hesitated for a moment, then made up my mind and spoke to Alisa.

Even if it was something that crossed the line, I would grant it, as long as it was something I could tolerate. Aside from my father, Matzo, and Ethelreed, who were my guardians, there was no one who loved me as much as Alisa did. At least in the end, I wanted to respond to her feelings.

But Alisa, contrary to my expectations, did not make any sexual wishes. After staring at me with a serious expression on her face, as if she were a different person from usual, she said.

「…… Then, let me sleep on your lap. It’s okay even if it’s only for a short moment, so talk to me.」

She looked down and muttered softly.
I was prepared for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it was a total let-down. I probably had a flabbergasted, stupid expression. As a virgin, it took a lot of courage for me to take the plunge.
…… Because of that, I didn’t realize that Alisa had referred to herself as 「me」.

「Are you really okay with a lap pillow?」

I asked her, suspecting that I had misheard her, but she nodded her head in agreement.

「…… W-Wait a moment. I’ll get ready ……」

I won’t be able to give her a lap pillow in this inflated dress.
I lifted up the hem of the robe and skirt and fastened them with buttons attached to the clothes so that they would not slip down. When the skirt lost its inflated state, the fabric would sag to the floor, so this was done in order to prevent that. Then, I put my hands around the back waist and removed the pannier, the inner framework that makes the dress inflated. Originally, a noblewoman’s dress was not designed to be easily put on and taken off, but I learned from my previous experience when I was attacked by an assassin disguised as a maid and have modified my dress so that I can wear it by myself. The dress uses a lot of buttons instead of strings. I swung the skirt violently and dropped the pannier at my feet.

S-Somehow I feel embarrassed ……

「…… Okay, here you go ……」

I sat down on the edge of the long sofa that also served as a napping spot and nudged Alisa with a tap on my lap.

「…… Aha, thank you ……」

Both ends of Alisa’s lips lifted up.
I was horrified.
Eh, this girl, did she ever smile like this? Wasn’t she kind of scary just now?

Alisa slid over and sat down next to me on the sofa, laying her head on my lap. Her dress was not wrinkled at all because she skillfully handled the hem while moving. Alisa’s skirt was also supposed to be inflated with pannier, but it did not hinder her from lying down, but rather changed the shape of the bulge nicely. The framework must have been made of good quality bamboo that bends well, although this is not very common in Hydrangea. Just before placing her head on my lap, she brushed her blond hair to one side. Her white, beautiful nape struck my eyes.

I was taken aback and rubbed my eyes.

She was just lying down on the sofa, but her every gesture was so elegant that I couldn’t help but become fascinated. Above all, she was gorgeous. It was as if she was dancing. I couldn’t believe I was seeing that foolish Alisa.

This is strange. Am I too tired? I can’t believe my heart is fluttering because of Alisa ……

Alisa should have been chatting cheerfully as usual, but she remained strangely silent, which made me feel even more strange.

「…… Alisa, just say something. It’s so awkward for two women to be doing a lap pillow in silence the whole time. It couldn’t be that you are engrossed in sniffing my scent right? Ahahaha ……」

I tried to make a joke, but Alisa remained silent.

「Ahaha, aha …… ahaha ……」

My feigned laughter faded before Alisa’s silence.

…… S-Stop it!! This makes me look like an excessively self-conscious idiot!!

Hidden by her abundant blond hair, Alisa’s expression was invisible as she laid quietly.

「…… Ali …… sa ……?」

I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine and was scared.

Alisa was currently not acting like the usual Alisa at all. I wondered if the person I was giving a lap pillow to was really Alisa.
I was afraid that something unknown had appeared from the darkness and was pretending to be Alisa, snickering behind the blond hair. Could it be that the real Alisa has been devoured by this thing?

I was suddenly seized by this bizarre idea and I felt thirsty from nervousness. The darkness of the night and the space between us alone stirred my imagination in an unpleasant direction.
I was tempted to bend down and look at Alisa’s face.

I still wonder. If I had seen Alisa’s expression right then …… would I have noticed something? I don’t know now. Because the silence was soon broken.

While I was hesitating, Alisa made a slight movement and spoke.

「…… I wish this moment would last forever. I wish time didn’t pass ……」

It sounded melancholic and not like what Alisa would say.
Still, I was relieved to hear Alisa’s voice and stroked her hair.

「You’re so foolish. Alisa, if time did not pass, there would be no sorrow, but there would be no joy either.」

Alisa and I talked about our memories.

I did most of the talking and Alisa only nodded, but I was filled with nostalgia. My youth had always been filled with a series of grueling battles for the throne of queen. I was always on my guard, trying to be the ideal me.

But only when I was with Alisa, when she pushed me around and was chattering around me, was I able to be my short-tempered, moody self.

「…… The time I spent with you was extremely troublesome, but it was a lot of fun. Even if I become the queen, I will never forget you. So you should not forget me either. Thank you for everything.」