Chapter 86
"Please... save us."
Despite the somewhat abrupt words, I felt elation rather than bewilderment.
I was barely hiding my hideously twisted lips.
I had been wondering if she would take the bait soon anyway.
Since she moved exactly as intended, I couldn't hold back my smile due to my joyful mood.
I had to forcibly erase the ominous atmosphere.
"Ahem."
A light fake cough.
While I was wearing a normal mask, Charlotte, who had been hesitating, suddenly added a few words.
She seemed to be gauging my reaction.
"I know too. You might wonder what I'm talking about. But I'm sincere when I say I need help."
It was a rather fresh reaction.
Originally she was a character who never showed emotions.
Charlotte was always a character who flowed quietly with an expressionless face, not wavering, not saddening, not angering.
She seemed to resemble the tranquility of a calm lake.
-Huhu... It's been an enjoyable play until now.
-There will be no more petty acting. I've already achieved the goal I wanted to accomplish.
-From now on, I will realize that person's will.
The moment Yuda betrayed them in the latter half of the original work.
While the other children were shocked, only Charlotte stood with a calm expression.
Perhaps because of such lifeless reactions.
Among players, there was even slander treating Charlotte as a robot.
It was a meme classified as a banner in the game.
[Category: Free Board]
[Title: I really don't understand people who like Charlotte]
Do you get attached to machines?
I'm not usually picky about things
But a robot is a bit...
[Are you not even treating her as human now lol]
-> You've turned the kid into a machine
-> But it's understandable. Even a real robot would probably have more expressions than her.
-> For real, she's expressionless all the time
-> That's what's attractive
-> Tag:emotionless
-> Oh.
[The fact is that she's a character who ranks in the top 3 in popularity polls every time despite such slander]
-> Does everyone see the princess's performance as dick?
-> Doesn't she get weaker towards the end? She's ultimately a loser from the past era
-> Take that back...!! What you just said......!!!
[So is Charlotte a robot vacuum cleaner when she holds a broom?]
-> Greatly delightful meow
[To say she's a robot... You who don't know the beauty of Gundam are pitiful]
-> ?
-> ?
-> You really need to leave
I remember it was quite a popular meme that I used often too.
When uploading videos featuring Charlotte, I would always add slander in huge letters.
As she was a popular character, it was good for drawing attention.
"Help... It's sensitive content, but I can explain if you want."
Anyway,
That girl who was so blunt was now shaking her voice as if anxious.
Even this would be calm by normal standards, but considering Charlotte's baseline, it was an extremely shaken appearance.
Her rarely wavering blue pupils proved it.
'As expected.'
Was it because it was related to the Rose?
Even her gaze seemed earnest.
I tidied my ominous lips.
Adding a light smile, I interrupted the hesitating girl's words.
"You don't need to say it."
She took the bait heavily.
It seemed my performance against the thought entity had properly taken effect.
Though I had committed it flashily aiming for this situation, I didn't expect such a proper reaction to come.
It must mean the situation was that desperate.
"I already know without hearing the explanation. The help Your Highness mentioned must certainly be about the Rose."
"How did you...?"
"I have sharp ears."
"......"
The girl looked up blankly as if at a loss for words.
I smiled gently with my eyes.
Then I slowly brought my face close.
Stopping beside her snow-white ear, I whispered in a faint voice.
"I'll gladly help you. If that is your request."
The chilling voice wrapped around the girl's neck.
At the tip of the crafty tongue, the seduction that swallowed the shaking opponent melted.
A snake tightening around the prey's throat.
"Your Highness just needs to trust me."
My innocent little prince.
Before I knew it, it was the stage of binding her for gaslighting.
I held a cold smile.
"Yes... thank you."
Even in the midst of that.
Charlotte only nodded her head.
***
After the events at the cathedral ended, we returned to our respective places.
The mission was successfully concluded.
We had safely rescued the missing collaborator.
Medro was immediately transferred to headquarters.
When she regained consciousness and recovered her body, we planned to question her in more detail about what happened in this incident.
The Vice Commander agreed to submit a report on this process.
I made a separate appointment with the princess.
Charlotte's eyes sparkled at the words offering help, and she soon accepted the proposal without any suspicion.
I shook hands while hiding my dark inner thoughts.
-I look forward to working with you.
A conclusion closer to a beginning than an end.
Leaving behind the fierce dawn air, we took steps returning to the academy.
My body felt heavy, probably because I had stayed up all night.
It was fortunate that it was the weekend at least.
Instead of going to lectures, I could rest in the dormitory.
Also to recover the fallen output.
I spent time holed up in my room.
As I was quietly going about my daily life in the study, suddenly the fox standing beside me spoke up.
It was a voice that seemed to have made a decision after hesitation.
"...Um."
A gaze I had felt for a while.
I put down the book I was reading and answered.
"What is it, Miss Irene?"
"I was wondering if you're okay."
"Hmm?"
"You said you used a lot of power this time too."
"Well... I didn't use much. Since I had to save Miss Medro who was tainted by demonic energy."
"Does your body hurt... or anything?"
Deep black pupils sunk in.
She seemed to be worried.
There had been appearances shown until now.
I had coughed up blood in front of Irene before, and during the school trip I had even fallen into unconsciousness for three days, so in her eyes I seemed endlessly precarious.
I shrugged lightly to reassure her.
"Rather, I feel light enough to fly away."
"Really...?"
"Of course."
"That's good then."
The fox quietly acquiesced.
I stroked her tail with an endearing feeling.
The girl seemed to silently accept the touch, then soon parted her closed lips again.
Her pupils were fixed on my slightly rolled up sleeve.
"There... scars."
"Ah."
Disheveled sleeves.
The end of scars could be seen through it.
I belatedly realized and tried to tidy my appearance, but Irene's firmly moving hand stopped it.
The fox was staring this way with an ambiguous expression.
"Miss Irene?"
"......"
Though I gently called out to the girl, there was no answer returning.
She only held onto my sleeve.
What kind of thoughts was she sunk in?
After a moment of silence passed.
Irene broke the continuing silence.
"You."
"Yes?"
"...Have you ever thought about wearing more comfortable clothes?"
Neatly worn formal attire.
The girl asked, pointing at the stuffy outfit.
The pitch black fabric covered my whole body without gaps, so that no bare skin would show.
It was to hide the scars.
"You're always wearing uncomfortable clothes. Even if it can't be helped outside, I was thinking there's no need to do so in the dormitory."
"......"
"There's only you and me here anyway."
I grasped the intention behind her words.
The reason I insisted on formal wear was to hide the scars.
They were traces too unsightly to expose.
Though I endured the discomfort every time, I had to maintain a neat appearance.
'But.'
Irene now knew about the scars.
That's why she was saying this.
Asking if I couldn't be more comfortable at least in the dormitory.
Since there were only the two of us in the room, and we both knew about the scars, she was saying it would be okay to have them exposed.
It seemed she had thought a lot about it one way or another since nursing me that time.
"...Well."
I opened my mouth while hesitating.
I smiled awkwardly.
As if contemplating how to react.
After letting out a sigh for a while, I then voiced the part I was concerned about.
"Comfortable clothes are good of course, but I should think of the person living together first."
"What do you mean...?"
"Miss Irene might find it unpleasant. As you've seen before, my body isn't just a little unsightly......"
"Absolutely not."
As I was continuing my words as if throwing self-deprecating jokes, a sudden clear word cut off my waist.
Irene raised both hands to hold my cheeks.
Then she turned my head to make me look at her.
"Miss Irene...?"
There were black pupils looking at me.
Eyes blinking transparently.
It was a strangely sulky expression.
The girl brought her face close just like that.
Our lukewarm breaths mixed, and we could feel each other's body heat at this distance.
Lips that seemed about to overlap spoke.
"I absolutely don't think that way."
A firm voice.
She recited as if without a single trace of lie.
"Since I decided to rely on you, I'll accept any appearance of yours."
"......"
"I'm not disgusted at all. Even the scars remaining on your body are part of you who I decided to follow."
The fox whispered calmly.
Before I knew it, she had lowered her head and was touching her forehead to mine.
"So... it's okay to be comfortable in front of me."
"......"
Perhaps due to the unexpected reaction?
I was frozen still.
The warmth transmitted from the touching skin.
In the subtly dyeing body scent, I had to keep silent for a while.
Irene who wouldn't let go easily.
In the end, I was only able to be released after saying I would try wearing different clothes sometimes.
The fox nodded while wagging her tail happily.