He licks his lips, tongue trailing across the saliva. I feel that mysterious shiver once more running down the flat of my back.
“No, d-didn’t I tell you to stop already?!!”
Summoning my remaining strength, I head-butt Alfred’s forehead.
“Ouch—”
The moment he flinches, the strength pinning me down diminishes.
Seizing the opportunity, I pull back my hands, which had been restricted. I shove his heavy body off of me and crawl out of the bed. Then I flash that brat a sideways glance. He’s still holding his forehead. Serves him right.
W-what the heck just happened?
Seriously, what the heck?
Why? Since when did it become like this?
Everything happens in a flash. One moment I’m dashing out of the room, and in the other I’m rushing down the stairs—
“Waaahhh… Ah, Lian-sama!”
“Sniff. ahhh, L-Lian-sha—!”
These kids are crying, faces red and wet with tears. Looking at them makes me want to cry too.
I’m so confused, and I can’t even think at this point.
“Eh…? Ah, w-what happened…? Why’s everyone crying so much…?”
As soon as I reach the bottom of the stairs, they run and cling to me.
“I-I’m sorry Lian-sama…! Al-nii found us…”
“Al-nii didn’t listen to us when we told him not to take Lian-sama away…”
“You know, w-we did our best to hide you!”
“B-But, we failed—!”
I shake my head. “Uh, ah, no, that’s wrong… T-this is my fault. It was because I was not careful. It’s not you guys’ fault, so don’t worry about it. Don’t cry…”
After I sit on the floor, I hug the kids close to me.
Once again, I feel my eyes tearing up.
“B-but—”
“Since he found you—”
“Will you not come over anymore?”
“T-That kind of thing…” I scratch my head.
“No?”
“You’ll still come, right?”
“We can play together again? Take a nap together?”
“We ca—”
Someone stomps on the stairs and I jump with a start. Although I want to run away, the kids cling to me, their heads just reaching my knees.
Mind in a frenzy, I freeze. Then from my peripheral vision I see a pair of polished and expensive-looking shoes held toward me.
Those are my shoes.
Now that I think about it, I didn’t put on my shoes before rushing out the room. Currently, only a thin layer of socks separates my feet from the floor. I mean, I was so flustered back then so it couldn’t be helped, okay?
“…Your shoes. You left without putting it on.”
Avoiding his gaze as much as possible, I accept them with trembling hands.
Alfred sucks in a breath as if he’s relieved, dropping to sit behind me.
“…Sorry. My bad. I overdid it.”
YOU ARE READING
Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death
Storie d'amore"Please, I implore you to save the world." This is what a goddess in white says to me in a pure-white space. Such is the standard line that suggests the game is about to begin. Please say this stirring line to boys and girls with sparkling eyes! It'...
