Chapter 42

Thank you for the bookmark rating.

I wrote this in a rush, so it's probably messed up.

I might fix it later m(_ _)m

What should I do about this...

It's not the kind of situation where I can say, "Just kidding, hehe," now...

No matter how I think about it, the situation has gotten worse than before...

"......u...u...!..."

She's still pressing her face against my back and crying.

I want to pull out the sword and treat the wound, but...

"......I'm sorry...!!...I'm sorry...!!...It's my fault...!!"

I don't understand what Aura is thinking or what she's apologizing for.

The only thing I can say is that if I don't say it was a joke soon, things will get really bad.

...Okay, I should say it now!

"......u...u... Nest...!!"

But just as I was about to say it was a joke, my name was called, and I ended up not saying it.

"......I...I...!!...Until now...I've done...so many terrible things...!!"

That's true. Like the day I brought Torue, right?

"......I'm sorry...I was wrong...!!...So...come back...!!"

There's nothing to come back from; I haven't gone anywhere.

Ah, this is really bad. If I don't say it soon, I might really get killed later.

But I don't even know when I should leave.

"......Today...I heard I would be freed from slavery...I thought...I would be abandoned...!!"

...I didn't think she was thinking that...

I just said it because I thought being a slave would be inconvenient...

But, thinking about it, Aura might be fine even if she's not with me.

"......I just wanted...to be by Nest's side...!!"

...Why is it 'me'?

I don't think I did anything special; I just did normal things.

I want to know why she wants to be with me.

"......Even from now on...I want to be with you...Nest...!!"

Aura, who keeps rubbing her head against my back.

I can't tell her it's dangerous because the sword is still in, so I just keep pretending to be dead.

"......Don't leave me...!!...Now...I can say anything...!!...Even things I've never said...!!"

...What could it be that Aura couldn't say to me?

It's not something like, "Your nose hair was showing," right...? No, that's not it!?

"......I...I...Nest..."

Ah, is it okay to hear this? Or is it not okay...?

"―――――――――I love you...I couldn't say it for so long...I...I love Nest!!"

―――Aura loves me...?

I'm her master, and she's my slave; there's no reason for her to like me...

Actually, this is the first time a girl has said she likes me.

"......I love you...I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!!"

This is the first time I've been told I'm loved so much.

After that, it seemed like she calmed down a bit, and the force with which she clung to my back weakened.

"......Since I've told you how much I love you...wake up already...!!"

I thought so, but the force increased again.

If I wake up, I think Aura will get angry...

But if I keep pretending to be dead, I might fall behind Vaise.

Plus, I want to treat the wound soon.

I decided to wake up, prepared to be scolded.

Just as I made that decision, Aura pulled out the sword that was stuck in my back.

"......If this is the last time...could you indulge me one more time...?"

For some reason, Aura started to turn me over onto my back. By the way, I have my eyes closed.

...What is this last indulgence...?

"Nest..."

...My name was called, but nothing seemed to happen.

If I'm going to wake up, now is the time...

And the moment I quietly opened my eyes――――――

―――――――――I was kissed by Aura.

Not on the cheek like Asuha did, but on the mouth.

Aura's eyes were closed, and she didn't realize I was awake.

...The kiss has continued for tens of seconds without ending, and I'm just confused.

After a few more seconds.

Finally, the kiss started to show signs of ending.

...Aura opens her eyes.

Naturally, our eyes meet...

"Wh...what...?"

Aura visibly stiffened. She has the same confused look as me.

"Good morning?"

Since I can't stay like this forever, I tentatively call out to her.

"Eh. ...Eh!?"

Aura's face turned bright red, and she moved away from me.

"W-Why!? I-I did tell you to wake up...What's going on!?"

She doesn't seem to know what to do now that I'm alive.

"Calm down, Aura. This is..."

"Th-This...?"

There's only one thing I need to say to calm Aura down now.

"――It was a joke, hehe"