Chapter 95

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The liar of the nest...

For a moment, I didn't understand what Lily had said.

It wasn't because it was different from what I had expected, but rather because something else made me tense.

"..."

I was trapped between the wall and the door, unable to do anything, but I thought Lily shouldn't have noticed I was here.

Still, Lily said my name.

"...I'm a liar..."

I muttered in a voice so low that no one could hear it.

And at the same time, I thought.

What lie did I tell Lily?

I desperately tried to recall my memories.

But no matter how much I thought, nothing came to mind.

"...Liar of the nest...!!"

Lily's scream echoed again.

What lie was Lily talking about?

--- No.

I really couldn't think of it.

I couldn't help grinding my teeth in frustration.

"...Liar...!"

During this time, Lily continued to mutter.

"...Lily, what happened?"

At that moment, it seemed the Demon King had finally decided to ask Lily.

This was a great relief to me, as it felt like I might be able to escape the current confusing situation.

"..."

There was still no response from Lily.

Even this short moment of waiting felt very long to me.

The door in front of me seemed to have become a bit heavier.

"--- Princess"

Finally, Lily whispered.

"...?"

But honestly, that didn't tell me anything.

What did that mean?

"Princess?"

The Demon King seemed to have the same thought and asked Lily.

"..."

And again, silence.

I could feel the tension in my hands.

"...Nest is---"

How much time had passed?

Finally, Lily's small mouth opened.

"--- Envious of the princess."

--- What?

What did I say...?

Lily said that and fell silent again.

I couldn't help but stare at the door where Lily was.

"...So, that's why, even though Lily became the princess...!!"

At that moment, Lily's voice reached my ears again.

I tried to trace my memories again, relying on Lily's words.

--- I remember.

This is probably what Lily is talking about.

It was the night before Lily disappeared.

"...I asked you before, Nest, you're envious of the princess, right...?"

"...Yeah, I'm envious...?"

I answered Lily, who asked me while I was half-asleep.

...Actually, I had remembered this when I was trying to recall my memories earlier.

But I didn't think this was the reason, so I dismissed it.

No one would think such a thing could be the reason.

But for Lily, it wasn't just 'such a thing.'

It was just that.

"...Ha...ha..."

I couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

How many times do I have to mess up?

That's why you keep saying it, right?

Think about Lily's feelings---

I know it's pointless to say it now, but why couldn't I realize it then?

If Lily hadn't said it herself, I would never have realized it, and that makes me hate myself.

"--- Lily, are you an unwanted child?"

--- No, don't say that.

"Would it be better if you just stayed quiet here...?"

It's not Lily's fault.

"Probably, it would be better, right?"

Please don't say anything more...

"Nest, you don't like Lily, right...?"

Lily's hoarse voice pierced my ears unpleasantly.

At that moment, something inside me, something hot that had been swirling in my chest, welled up.

"Shut up!!!"

Before I knew it, I was shouting.

I wasn't saying it to Lily.

I wasn't saying it to Parfait, the Demon King, or the Demon King's wife.

I was saying it to myself, who couldn't understand Lily's feelings.

To myself, who made Lily think such things.

To myself, who made Lily do this.

And most of all, to myself, who made Lily cry.

"Enough, you're in the way!!!"

I tried with all my might to escape from my current trapped situation.

"Heal!!!"

If I was tired, I immediately used a recovery spell, focusing only on getting out.

Creak---

I felt a slight movement right after that.

But no matter how much I pushed after that, it didn't budge at all.

Tap, tap---

At that moment, I heard someone's footsteps.

But I ignored it and continued to try to get out.

"--- Huh?"

Suddenly, the door in front of me was lifted by someone.

"--- Nest?"

Finally, I was freed from between the door and the wall, and in front of me was Lily, her eyes wide open, looking at me.