CH 42

Chapter 42 (Stay still. I’m going to take it off)

Thank you Yuu for the kofi~

“Doha!”

As soon as Lariette felt the vibration, she raised her voice and called out Doha’s name. She hurriedly stretched out her hand towards him.

It didn’t look like she was asking for help. Rather, her purple eyes flickered as if worried about him. She seemed to remember the last time the building suddenly collapsed.

For Doha, it was just absurd that a hand approached him as if to protect him. She must have seen the skills, but her unchanging attitude was disconcerting.

“Hold it, Rie.”

Doha took her hand and placed it on his arm. Then, with one hand, he grabbed her shoulder and supported it.

Crek-

The ground continued to tremble softly. Lariette was suspicious of the earthquake for a while, but for that reason, the atmosphere around her was strange.

It felt familiar and unfamiliar. She tried to figure out the identity of the energy, but it was not easy because she was nervous.

On the other hand, Doha was not very nervous. Rather, one corner of his mouth was slightly raised, like something very satisfying.

Because it was an aura that was all too familiar to him. A warm, tickling, sweet energy like cotton candy. It was Lariette’s.

Originally, it was not unreasonable to confuse Lariette because he felt less of his own than the mana of others.

‘If you have this kind of energy….’

Doha took a step back while holding Lariette’s shoulder. Lariette, who suddenly moved all at once, let out a gasp and unintentionally slammed her head into his chest.

But without time to think about getting out of that embarrassing posture, a huge tree trunk suddenly rose from where they were standing.

“What, what!”

The magic I did? Lariette took a deep breath and thought.

However, the stem was too thick and large for that. It seemed like it would be three times the usual one.

And before I could even think about it, stems rose from all over the vacant lot.

There seemed to be dozens. All of them, thick and large, grew taller than Doha and soared high into the sky.

Lariette stiffened her body, fearing that something might pop out under her feet, but fortunately, that didn’t happen. In the first place, it was because Doha quickly grasped all the energy and led her to a safe position.

It was only after the lush tree trunks had grown as tall as a hundred-year-old tree that the sound of the ground stopped shaking.

‘Is this what I did?’

Lariette opened her mouth blankly and looked around. It was an unbelievable result.

How could she, who used to make only a couple of tree trunks, grow so many trees that it fills the vacant lot! Besides, she only needs to listen to the explanation once!

It felt like my heart was overflowing with my own greatness.

“Doha! I must be a genius!”

Lariette said while looking up at Doha with an excessively twinkling gaze. It was said that geniuses die quickly, and that’s why she contracted an incurable disease.

“It seems so… Isn’t it too close, Rie?”

Doha replied with his eyes bent like a fox.

That’s right, his body was quite close to supporting me, but when I raised my face, even though the distance was close, it was too close.

Originally, he would have enjoyed it, but  today he mentioned it, when the face of his smiling brightly with raised eyebrows like a puppy looked too close, strangely, the thought of falling off filled her head.

Even in the situation just before she died, her calm heart was beating hastily, and at first glance, it seemed that her face was warming up.

It was an uncharacteristic reaction, but Doha dismissed it as “a joy of finding a very liked prey.”

“Oh, sorry! I’m so excited. But I really do look like a genius?!”

Lariette casually apologized as if it was nothing special and continued to brag.

Realizing that she was the only one nervous and excited, Doha narrowed his eyes and looked down at Lariette with a proud expression. I didn’t feel very well.

“Yes, you are a genius.”

“Isn’t it? You agree too, right? There’s nothing more Doha can teach me about this! hahaha!”

Lariette erased the word humility from my mind and began to be arrogant. It felt like her nose was going to hit the sky at any moment.

Doha gave a sullen smile and broke the bridge of her nose.

“I’m going to teach you. There’s a long way to go. You don’t even know the range of the magic attack.”

“That… That’s all I need to learn!”

“Only that? Rie, if you use it so slowly and extensively in real life, you’re instantly dead. What to do in a dangerous situation, where to aim, and how to escape. How to recognize and avoid restraints. Can you tell me more?”

There’s still a lot left. Doha added, smiling beautifully.

Lauriette shut her mouth. It was half joking and arrogant, but it was even more embarrassing because it was also half sincere.

It was even more embarrassing when I remembered the memory of being tied up and helplessly kidnapped a while ago. As he said, there was still a long way to go to learn in order to survive alone without relying on anyone.

“Teacher, please continue to take good care of me!”

The determined will in Lariette’s purple eyes blazed brightly.

* * *

The magic control class in Doha continued until the sun began to set.

I only learned one day, but when the class was over, Lariette’s mana control was significantly better than in the morning.

It was because Doha taught her well, and Lariette was also very good at learning. It was surprising that such a genius had never been properly taught at Duke Blanche.

‘I didn’t know she was this good or… I’m sure she wasn’t interested at all.’

Doha thought as he drove Lariette back to the carriage.

It was even more ridiculous to think of the foolish son of Blanche, who desperately begged for his life. The Duke of Blanche must have no brains to prioritize his son over this gem.

Doha slowly turned his head to the side and looked at Lariette.

Her pink hair fluttered beautifully in the setting sun. And when I looked at the round forehead, pointed nose, and red lips that were exposed between them, strangely, my heart ached again.

Is it because I wanted to have it because I saw how genius she was today? Although it was time to get tired of her, Doha opened his mouth, thinking that his interest did not disappear and that it would last for a long time.

“By the way, Rie. did you hear that  there is a pretty interesting festival held in Isis.”

“Festival? What festival?”

Lariette asked, moving vigorously.

Isis was a small town located very close to the capital. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard rumors that it’s beautiful.

Doha somehow managed to get her out and went to the festival with her.

“It’s a flower festival, but at night there is a beautiful night market and a masked party.”

“Really? It’s gonna be fun!”

“Really? Then come out…”

After hearing Lariette’s bright answer, Doha smiled satisfactorily and tried to bring the topic out. It was a suggestion to come and see the festival together as a friend.

But before he could finish speaking, her clear voice continued.

“Is it perfect for going on a date with Asrazan? Thank you so much, Doha! After all, Doha is the best!”

As expected of my dating teacher! Lariette closed her eyes beautifully and muttered with a smile.

She still believed that Doha had made a major contribution to linking her with Asrazan.

Lariette’s face was as bright as a flower blooming in spring, while Doha’s smile became as cold as frost in the middle of winter. It was because the corners of his mouth were raised and his eyes were not smiling.

However, there was nothing he could say otherwise in this situation, who is playing as ‘Friend’.

So, Doha struggled to calm the rising displeasure and jealousy, and skillfully replied that it was nothing.

Lariette, not recognizing that his face had been twisted until the end, said goodbye and returned to the Duke of Kandel in a carriage.

Surprisingly, as soon as she arrived at the mansion and got off the carriage, she found Asrazan getting out of the carriage on the other side. He looked like he had just returned.

“Asrazan! We arrived at the same time again! It must be fate!”

“… It could be.”

Asrazan answered with a soft smile on his face.

And one of Ranoche’s knights, who knew everything, hid in the shadows and pretended to cough. It was because his master was too shy and cheesy.

In fact, Asrazan had already arrived thirty minutes before. However, he refused to enter the mansion immediately and stood firm in the carriage.

Just to hear about that fate! He pretended not to be, and he seemed to like what he had heard the last time.

“Asrazan, I have a place I want to go. Will you come with me?”

“Yes.”

When Lariette asked him as they went up the stairs of the mansion, Asrazan said without hesitation. The speed of answering was so fast that Lariette continued with a smile.

“Haha, do you know where to answer me right away?”

“Wherever it is.”

Asrazan was sincere. If Lariette offered to walk into the boiling lava, I wouldn’t refuse it either.

Huh- Lariette made a subtle sound and skimmed through Asrazan’s outfit.

A white bandage was wrapped inside a black shirt, and a long uniform coat was worn over the shirt. It wasn’t much different from what I saw the first time.

“Let’s go in and talk.”

Because it might be long. Lariette added in a low voice.

Both of them had eaten dinner, so they went back to their room and adjusted their appearance.

Lariette, who had changed into her indoor clothes, went straight to Asrazan’s room, and Asrazan, who had become accustomed to the visit, had already prepared light refreshments on the table.

He had changed into his home shirt, and still had a bandage wrapped around his neck. Even though the purification of the upper body curse has already been completed.

Lariette naturally sat down next to him and took a teacup in his hand. The faint scent of tea was fragrant.

After drenching her throat with hot tea, she immediately brought up the topic.

“They say they have a flower festival in Isis.”

“Festival… you mean?”

Asrazan’s face, which had only been bright, quickly darkened. It was too much of a challenge for him, who was still unable to go out into the city.

“Yes. There is also a pretty night market and a masked party. Let’s go together tomorrow!”

You said you had a free schedule for tomorrow, right? Lariette asked politely.

Asrazan could not answer right away and was silent. He was resentful of his mouth when he said he would go anywhere with her.

His curse had not yet been completely cleansed. It was not easy for him to walk to places with a lot of people.

Asrazan lowered his head and licked his rough lips. A low voice leaked from between his lips.

“I… Curse.”

“Since you’re already okayz huh?”

“Yes?”

To the sudden question, Asrazan asked softly. Lariette looked at him with a calm gaze and continued.

“When can you go there? From the day the curse was completely cleansed? Can you really go there?”

This time he didn’t answer. Because he wasn’t sure.

Lariette turned and looked at Asrazan with her head lowered. Then, without hesitation, she stretched out her hand.

Wrath-!

A small but fierce grip mercilessly opened Asrazan’s shirt. The button was ripped off and the bandaged body was revealed.

“What…!”

“Stay still, I’m going to take it off.”

Asrazan was startled and his ears reddened. However, Lariette did not stop and began to unravel the bandages that covered his upper body.

Illustration 

Every time soft fingers rubbed against his chest and stomach, Asrazan trembled. I wanted to run away, but that was impossible because she grabbed his arm with one hand.

“Can you see it?”

Lariette forced the Duke of Kandel to undress and opened her mouth casually.

“There were no traces of the curse left on the shriveled upper body.”

She pointed her finger where the curse had been. As she said, his upper body had no curse anymore.

“Even so, the bandage was wrapped all the way to the end of the chin. If I purify your body, can you really go among people?”

Probably not. Asrazan already knew that.

I was used to not being able to mix with people anyway, so I thought it would be okay if the situation didn’t change. But in the end, this thought was no less than a cowardly escape.

It seemed that the odor I had on myself these days was much reduced. Plus, I don’t even need a bandage up to my neck, so maybe I won’t get a lot of attention.

“I won’t force you to do a lot at once. We go late, visit the night market, and wear masks all the time.”

“…….”

“Will you come with me, Asrazan?”

Lariette smiled and asked again. Holding the bandage that wrapped Asrazan’s body tightly in her hand.

Asrazan replied slowly, thinking that it was as if she was holding his leash.

“Yes. I will go with you.”

When giving this answer, Asrazan expected that the next day he would be very nervous in the crowd. It’s impossible to cut off civilians just because their eyes are offended, so there’s nothing he can do about it.

But with her, something unexpected always happened.

On the day of the festival of Isis, Asrazan drew his sword against a civilian who had not uttered any insults to him for the first time.

“Miss, please go out with me.”

He dared to snatch Lariette in front of me, but I couldn’t stay still.