Chapter 43: Night Breeze

I am drawn into his eyes.

Those eyes, filled with sadness, conveyed his feelings for me in a painful way.

(…Seriously, William-sama is in love with me)

When I was looking into those eyes and unconsciously about to respond to William-sama’s feelings,

(Is it really okay?)

The inner me stopped it.

(My feelings are very ambiguous now. Am I just being swayed by William-sama’s sincere feelings?)

I questioned myself.

(Isn’t that very…dishonest to William-sama?)

Thinking so, my head cooled off like I had been doused with cold water.

(Firstly, someone like me is not worthy of William-sama. There must be someone better for William-sama)

I gently remove William-sama’s finger from my cheek and lower my face.

“I am…”

I start to say, but the words get stuck.

(I am about to reject William-sama. That may hurt William-sama. But…)

The cold night wind blows between the two of us.”

(After all, I am not worthy of you)

“I cannot respond to your feelings.”

I said to him in a whisper.

He heard it and said nothing, just remained silent.

After a while, he whispered

“I see…”

Without looking at his face, I held the handle of the spear that I was embracing.

The two of us, not even shifting our bodies, let alone having a conversation.

Only the sound of insects occasionally broke the quiet space as the night piled on.

The next day.

As we were on our way to the place where everyone was staying, we were found by a search party looking for us.

Charlotte and Prince Finlay hugged William-sama with tearful faces.

As I watched this scene, my eyes met with Edward-san, who was standing behind Prince Finlay.

Edward-san did not break his usual expressionless face, but nodded to me as if to comfort me.

I nodded back to him and turned my face back to the three of them.

Charlotte was apologizing over and over, crying,

“I’m sorry for just trying to pick up my handkerchief…!!”

And Prince Finlay was saying,

“I thought it was over…I thought it was over…!!”

While crying loudly.

William-sama gently stroked their heads, comforting them.

In the midst of all this, I almost met William-sama’s eyes.

But just before our eyes met, William-sama turned his face away from me with an indifferent gesture.

I looked at them for a while, but eventually, William-sama’s eyes never met mine.

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