Happy Friday!
「I've also become quite helpful.」
I was applying magic on the wound on Dia's arm. If it were a shallow wound, then with all I've learned until now, it would make a complete recovery. It will take some time though.
Rather than the infirmary, I pulled him into the student council room that was closer, and was in the middle of doing my best to immediately heal him here. Yurii-sama was, was accompanied by His Highness Prince Alan and had hurriedly gone somewhere.
「You've saved me. Just you being here is reassuring.」
「Even if you're heavily wounded, I won't heal you. Don't get hurt so easily.」
A little earlier.
There were sounds of arguing coming from the garden. If you listened carefully, there were also screams that were almost inaudible.
Yurii-sama had sharp ears, so he noticed it immediately, and led me there. On the other side of the thicket was, Dia with his injured arm, and His Highness Prince Alan, and short swords having fallen onto the ground. And then, there were two men who were clearly much more seriously injured than Dia, who had collapsed and groaning.
Dia's short sword had blood on it, so it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened.
Leaving the men to the teachers who happened to be passing by, I had brought him here before even listening to what had happened. That was what had happened.
I have yet to hear about the situation.
「Even so, for you to be able to use short swords so well, you're very skillful, Judias-sama.」
Even though the other party had splendid swordsmanship, Dia had only received a single injury.
「If I received even a single hit, it would be a failing mark. The other party probably didn't have enough experience.」
In that case, that meant that Dia had a lot of experience. It wasn't just practice, most likely real experience as well.
The last time we met, it was exactly what Ryan-sama had said. It was just that he hid it so that it wouldn't make me worried, and was good at dealing with it. DIa had often met with dangerous situations. I'm part of the Count House, so naturally, they would kidnap me as well, and something like that happened frequently, but Dia didn't seem like the type to have something like that happen to him..
「…I made you worry.」
Because we will eventually become husband and wife.
「I too, want to protect you.」
「Even now, I'm being sufficiently protected.」
My head was lightly caressed by, his hand that was not receiving medical treatment.
「When I think of you, I desperately want to live, and for the sake of you paying attention to me, I don't mind exerting myself.」
「If you keep saying something embarrassing like 'because we're young', you will be full of regret from the embarrassment in the future.」
「How malicious…」
I was just giving you advice.
「If you put up too much of a front, sooner or later, you would be misunderstood by women.」
「There's no problem if the other party was Mira. There won't be any misunderstandings. No matter how many expectations you have of me, I will cherish you beyond what you expect of me.」
「Why don't I write that down for you? When you are around the same age as the Duke-sama now, read them altogether. Out loud.」
「That is, even if I'm at Father's age, will you still be with me? Or judging from the time frame, are you implicitly talking about the birth of our child? It's a little embarrassing to be asked if it will be a boy or girl.」
My head hurts.
Because I'm using magic, both of my hands were touching Dia's arm. I couldn't even keep him under control.
「How come you don't know why you irritate people?」
「If I know about it, I will fix it. Also, it's mostly just you who irritates me, so I'm very troubled by it.」
「It's like…this. I shouldn't say this so bluntly. I'm not trying to be calculating, nor is there any malice. Even though there are a lot of self-interested people in the world, the conversations with you are boring.」
In addition to that, he's sensitive in weird places.
What I frequently think of was that, he's someone who can't read the mood… Basically, he's good at assessing the situation, or currying favor with people. However, in his everyday life, especially when he's with someone who he knows, perhaps he's relaxed his mind, but there were many times when his words and actions were grating.
If you calmly looked at it, although it was also a shortcoming in itself, what was I doing just now? I was looking at him as if he were superman, but, there were parts of him that hasn't changed. In the end, my preconceived notion of Dia had distorted.
「You say that I'm a natural airhead, I'm saying this for your sake.」
「Although you're not self-conscious about it.」
If I'm self-conscious about it, then I'm not an airhead, and if I'm being calculating by feigning ignorance, I wouldn't be here right now. Since nobles were, harsh towards impolite people.
「If you're going to say that, then Mira is the same as well.」
「I am, just pretending to be an airhead.」
I'll say that, he was as adorable as a foolish child. It was also difficult to be too clever. Shadow guards would more or less save other people.
Though, if you do too well, you will become arrogant, so there should be a limit to it. Even if you failed, it should be fine to joke around a little when appropriate. He was diligent in his studies and had proper manners when before his superiors.
It was all knowledge that he gained thanks to being born into that family.
「…maa, I do often think that you're clever.」
「Thank you very much. That's why, I'm actually not so foolish. The two people that you defeated. Who those two people are, I had not forgotten to interrogate you.」
Blinking his eyes, Dia smiled, trying to gloss it over.
「If you're so clever, then you should know that it was Alan's assassin.」
「I, who is much cleverer than you think, am afraid that that's not it.」
Were the two people who had collapsed in the late twenties, or perhaps they were in their teens. They shouldn't be nobles. Their clothes were not high quality. If they were nobles, they have thrown away their shame, did they wear rags so as to not stand out, or were they unable to throw away their shame and wore their usual high quality clothing? If they're professional assassins, then they should wear something that's not expensive that puts emphasis on being easier to move in, when on a mission. It was obvious that they were half-baked. It was as if they were commoners who, with the money that they prepared beforehand, bought clothing that were a little extravagant.
Based on the body structures, they have muscles, but to be honest, it was about the same as the mischievous drunkards in town that act violent sometimes.
「If they wanted to kill someone of His Highness Prince Alan's status, then there should be better assassins coming. Moreover, the kind of person who would even think to kill His Highness Prince Alan would understand the gravity of the issue and should not have prepared such perfunctory assassins.」
It should've been like that up until now.
Also, if it was an experienced person, they would've made sure that it was successful so that they wouldn't be suspected of being the culprit. I don't know what the circumstances of the assassins were, but they should be people who were just getting by. And so, Dia and His Highness Prince Alan dealt with it quietly, so that it didn't cause an uproar.
This time, for them to be discovered like that by Yurii-sama and I, it could be considered as thanks to the ineptitude of the other party.
「Based on those two people's appearances and the weapons that they had, they should've been assassins. However, who were they targeting?」
What I was thinking was,
「Was it not Yurii-sama?」
「Your cleverness is one of your charms. There's no need for you, to get too deeply involved in this.」
I was wrong in thinking that it would be safe if we were within the school. Of course there would be guards, as well as eyes and ears everywhere. When push comes to shove, there will surely be people from the castle stealthily watching over Yurii-sama's surroundings. When Dia's not around, it's a secret from Yurii-sama, but there were people that were selected by His Majesty protecting him.
His meals should not be poisoned, so pretending to cool it down for him, they always tasted it for poison, and I had thought that there wouldn't be anything that would endanger Yurii-sama's life.
However,
「In order to protect that child's safety, the ones appointed by His Majesty was my family? Do you think that you can feign ignorance?」
「If so, what can you do?」
His sharp gaze was turned towards me, and my heart skipped a beat.
「According to my knowledge, there's nothing you can do. On the contrary, act naturally, and don't needlessly put His Highness Prince Yurii in danger.」
The wound on his arm has completely healed, so I moved my hand away.
「I said some harsh things, but I, want to protect both His Highness Prince Yurii and Mira.」
「…those people were targeting Yurii-sama. Surely, they should be the town's handymen who were blinded by the large sum of money and took on the request, right? You and His Highness Prince Alan, discovered those people who were bewildered by the big job and were acting suspicious, and you who realized what their goal was while exchanging blows with them…」
「Mira.」
He caught my hand, that had moved away. It didn't give off an affectionate feeling of a lover, it was as if he was chiding a child who had done something wrong.
「That is, do you want to know because you're simply curious? If that's the case, stop it.」
「You're wrong! Certainly, the things that I am able to do is only a little, however, even if I know this, when it comes down to it, I can be the shield.」
「If that's the case, even more so! You, are you going to take Mira away from me?」
Standing up, Dia wasn't, calm like he usually was, and was trembling a little.
What I said was probably, mostly correct. Therefore, it made Dia, all the more flustered.
「Do you, want to take away my reason for living?」
「Something like that, I was, only saying that I would do that if it ever came to that…」
「Both Alan and I, are doing this so that you two won't get hurt. So that you don't do anything foolish. However, what am I supposed to do if you feel that way? Not yet, even if it were at the point where treatment was possible, you would probably be unaware of it and sacrifice yourself.」
「I won't. That kind of thing…」
「How can you say for sure? I know what kind of person you are. More so than you yourself. Gentle, and calm, however, when you become emotional, you won't be able to see what's around you.」
I can't feel my hand. He's holding onto to it too tightly.
「Please don't overdo it.」
「I won't overdo it. Aren't you the one who's overdoing it?」
Like this, I turned my head closer to him, something like me telling him what to do, I can not even count how many times until now that I've done that.
「If it’s you who’s protecting us, then who will protect you? You, even though you try to fight and sacrifice yourself. Even though you don’t understand my feelings.」
While saying this, I wanted to sigh at my selfishness. Even though Dia was, doing his best for Yurii-sama and I, to say something like this.
When I’m emotional, there’s no need to be calm. It’s as Dia had said.
「Would you be sad, if I wasn’t there?」
「…isn't it obvious…?」
「It’s the same for me. I would be sad if Dia wasn’t there. I would hate it. I would hate it if you were to fight all by yourself. I won’t die arbitrarily. Please. Let me help…」
Don’t take everything on by yourself.
「Don’t you think that you intervening, will increase my worries all the more?」
「That's…」
「My Mira has always been mature for her age, and I have never been able to win an argument. You always make a good point and talk me down.」
He gripped my shoulder. I had already forgotten about my injury, but, because he did that, it hurt.
「But Mira. Only this you can not help with. No matter how good a point that you make, it's not something you should know about. From now on, even if it goes against your morals, I will never expose you to any danger. Please. From now on, it's fine if you don't listen to any of my requests anymore. That's why, don't make a move on your own. Even if it's for my sake, for His Highness Prince Yurii's sake, or any of your other important people's sakes, don't do anything that would put you in danger as it were natural.」
He had a bitter look on his face. Even though my injury had healed just a while ago. He was making a bitter face as if he were hurting somewhere.
「…if I move as I like, will I be hated by you, I wonder.」
「No. However, it would be sufficient enough for me to lose the willpower to live.」
That’s not good.
「…if that's the case, then promise me. Stay with me forever.」
「Mira…do you understand?」
「Yes…」
I won’t go look into it on my own, and I won’t ask Dia and His Highness Prince Alan about it.
…but then…
「It is my selfishness in inferring what had happened by chance as a result of my actions.」
My absent-minded mutterings should not have been heard by Dia. Because it would be strange for him to hug me so happily if he had heard it.
I'm sorry.
Today, I was able to ascertain what I had needed to know no matter what. It was most certainly something, that you or His Highness Prince Alan were not aware of. The cruel possibility, that I can not tell you about.
Perhaps, I will also help, and protect Dia.
「Dia…it hurts…」
「Mira…, thank you, I love you.」
「No…, don't kiss me in this kind of place…!」
Beshin, a nice sound resounded.
His Highness Prince Alan who had arrived, hit DIa's head.
「The fool who doesn't know his place needs to leave.」
「Isn't it because of me that you're not injured?」
「EVen if I was by myself, I could take care of it if it were only that much, what a patronizing retainer.」
His Highness Prince Alan leisurely shook his head while laughing scornfully.
Beside His Highness Prince Alan was, Yurii-sama who was looking up at Dia while gasping for air.
「Oi! The idiot over there! Eat this.」
Here, Yurii-sama said that while presenting several leaves.
「What is it? This is.」
「They’re medicinal herbs, aren't they, Yurii-sama?」
If I'm not mistaken…it was different from the ones that Yurii-sama were growing. While it may be true that they're adorable when the flowers bloom, these were the medicinal herbs that Matilda was growing.
Its effects were…um…
「The curing of poison was…」
It should be an ingredient for an antidote that completely cured weak poisons.
「They might've smeared something onto the swords. This is just to be sure. Even if they smear it on, if you were cut and didn't collapse, it wouldn't be a potent poison, so just this is enough!」
Then him running out in the spur of the moment, was to get this medicinal herb?
「What a kind child…!」
「Thank you very much, Your Highness….」
Cramming the leaves into Dia's mouth when he bent down, Yurii-sama was, doing his best to explain the medicinal herb.
Something like how it would be effective even if you ate it as is, but it tasted bad if eaten like that. Or how it is fine even if DIa didn't cook it.
Good medicines taste bitter. It's probably effective, but it seems to be bitter due to it being raw. I knew that Dia was enduring it when I saw him grimacing.
「Next time, if you do something shameless to Mira, Alan will throw you in jail!!」
Just where did he learn a word like 'shameless'?