CH 167

And I wondered what she would say… With a laugh, I answered, “Yes. Don’t tell me that you believed that too, Robur?”

“Well, even if you weren’t in a relationship, I thought His Excellency liked you. He shows such interest in you, doesn’t he?”

First the kids, now it was Robur… Considering how everyone thought the same, it was certain there was an issue with Mayer Knox’s attitude… And the most infuriating thing was that the man himself couldn’t admit it. “I’m sure he looks after me because I’m so weak,” I said. “It must be his first time having a weak yet useful subordinate. The weakest is normally the priest, but here in the Dark Knights, Reverend August is the elite priest, after all.”

“Hmm…” Robur fidgeted with her chin, not seeming particularly convinced. “Alright. Let’s say he’s concerned because you’re weak. That’s why he put August next to you and even assigned me… And because that’s not enough, he comes checking on you every break time. And even tempts you into drinking together.”

“Haha… The captain does have a bit of trouble controlling the distance he should keep.”

I tried to evade the subject awkwardly, but Robur didn’t give it up easily. “That’s what I mean. When a man who’s been keeping a huge distance from other people suddenly closes it completely when it comes to a certain individual… Is it because he’s unable to control himself, or because he doesn’t want to?”

All I could do was laugh as a response to her meaningful words. I got what she was talking about, but there really wasn’t anything between me and Mayer. The only reason why he gave me the special treatment was because I had memories of the first playthrough. Also, because I could use the element conversion spell, but I couldn’t reveal these things. Embarrassing though it may be, I had no choice but to be forthwith on this. “It just so happens that I asked about it myself. Whether he likes me or not.”

“What did he say?”

“What do you think? Of course, he said that he’s never looked at me as a woman. And that he doesn’t have any romantic feelings either.”

“You believe that?” Robur snorted.

“He looked serious, you know? Told me not to say ridiculous things. And he even said he’d support me if I had someone I like.”

I shrugged, showing I had nothing more to say. Realizing I didn’t want to continue this topic, Robur refrained from asking further. Instead, she clicked her tongue, shaking her head as she said, “His Excellency might’ve said he’d support your love for someone else or whatnot but don’t believe in that too much.”

“I don’t expect much truth in that.”

“Right. And if you do end up dating another man, make absolutely sure to keep it secret from His Excellency.”

“A secret?”

“He could kill your man in secret, don’t you think?” Robur bared her teeth in a menacing smile that made me smile awkwardly and scan the surroundings. Thankfully, no one was listening in on us.

“Surely not,” I whispered.

“I doubt he’d go so far. The man did say he had no romantic feelings. But if the truth is that His Excellency is unaware of his real feelings… You never know what a man will do when he’s gone mad from jealousy yet doesn’t even know his own heart, right?” Robur gave a hearty laugh. Her words were based on the premise that Mayer liked me, so that would never happen. But why did I feel so uncomfortable?

In the end, I had to leave the training room with a bad feeling in my guts.