Chapter 33 Farewell To Mornica
A few days after I regained consciousness, I was finally able to walk around a bit, so I decided to return to the Granbell territory.
The family doctor of the Belmonts suggested that I take it a bit slower since the long journey would still be tough, but I really wanted to get home quickly and see Father and Mother.
So, after saying my goodbyes, I was about to get into the carriage with the support of my Elder Brother, using crutches when...
"W-wait, please!"
I was stopped by Monica.
"Oh, Lady Monica! It's been a while. You look well, which is a relief."
Actually, this was the first time I had seen Monica since the monster attack.
I had spent about a week here after regaining consciousness, but I hadn't had the chance to meet her.
I had heard that she was fine and had no injuries, but I couldn't feel at ease until I saw her face.
I was glad to see she was okay.
"Well, that's because Ms. Yumie protected me, of course..."
"Ahaha... I was just running around randomly. It was my Elder Brother who helped me."
Honestly, if it weren't for him, I would have definitely died.
I didn't say that because I knew it would worry Monica.
...But, even after more than a week, I still couldn't walk on my own without crutches, so it wasn't much different.
As I expected, Monica bowed her head with a guilty expression.
"I'm so sorry. Because of my foolish actions, I put you through this..."
"What are you talking about? Lady Monica, you just planned a picnic, right? You didn't do anything wrong."
This incident happened because the people who were using the monsters for dark dealings were cornered by the investigation team, including my Elder Brother and the prince, and in their desperation, they unleashed the monsters that ended up coming our way.
In the Belmont family's territory, secret wrongdoings were taking place, and since their daughter almost got involved, the head of the Belmont family was furious.
It seems he is working with the prince to crush all the underhanded dealings.
"I'm glad things turned out well for now," said the prince. He looked pretty tired, so I guess there were a lot of things going on behind the scenes. Being royalty seems tough.
...Anyway, to get back on track, Monica is just an unfortunate victim who happened to get caught up in this.
She's in the same position as me, so I don't think I need to worry about it.
But for her, it must feel different.
Monica shook her head vigorously.
"No, that's not it!! I never thought there would be monsters in that place. But I thought, since wild beasts appear there, if I could drive them away with my magic, I could show Ms. Yumie my skills and get back at you... It's true that I had such wicked thoughts!!"
...Ah, so that's why Monica seemed oddly calm when the bear appeared.
In other words, Monica chose that place because she wanted to look cool in front of the other young ladies.
"Because of such a silly reason, I put Ms. Yumie and everyone else in danger... I'm really... sorry..."
Overwhelmed by guilt, Monica started to cry.
When I glanced at Elder Brother, he looked a bit angry but didn't say anything.
It seems I can decide what to do.
Then, I know exactly what I want to say.
"Lady Monica, I──whoa, whoa!?"
"Ms. Yumie!?"
As I tried to walk over to Monica, I tripped because of the unfamiliar crutches.
Monica, who was right in front of me, caught my falling body.
"What are you doing!? It's dangerous, so hold on to Mr. Neil properly!!"
"I-I'm sorry. But I couldn't just leave Lady Monica crying."
I reached out to Monica, who was supporting me while looking angry, and wiped her tears.
I smiled at Monica, who was wide-eyed in surprise.
"I said it before, but Lady Monica did nothing wrong. Plus, when we heard there was a bear, Lady Monica was the first to stand up. That was really cool."
"But I... I had magic to fight properly, yet all I could do was run away..."
"The reason all the young ladies who gathered were able to escape together without scattering was because they trusted Lady Monica. They believed that being by your side was safe, and that's why this incident was resolved without anyone getting hurt. I think that's something to be proud of."
In reality, if everyone had panicked and acted chaotically, no matter how much I tried to draw attention, it might have been useless.
The fact that it didn't happen was thanks to the trust Monica had built up over time.
"And I prefer Lady Monica's usual confident and sharp look over her crying face. It's beautiful and cool."
"Wow."
A dazed sound escaped Monica's lips.
Still, I continued speaking.
"I told you, I would protect Lady Monica. If Lady Monica is crying like that, all my efforts would be in vain. So, please smile. Your smile is the one reward I've always wanted."
"Right?" I said, trying to reassure Monica. Gradually, her face turned red, and she turned away, pouting.
"W-Why would I be able to smile after you say something like that!? A-Are you an idiot!?"
"Idiot!?"
I was so shocked that I slumped my shoulders.
After all my efforts to comfort her, I got called an idiot... Maybe my lines were a bit too cheesy...?
Thinking about it made me suddenly feel embarrassed.
Is there no magic to erase memories?
"...So, please forgive me with a different reward."
"Huh?"
Monica turned around and kissed my forehead.
Not only that, but she also held me tightly, not just "supporting" my body.
"I have certainly received your loyalty. As your lifelong master, I will be with you until the end."
...Is this a continuation of the knight's oath we did before?
It's quite different from what I know, but it felt like she was expressing her agreement and establishing a master-servant relationship with those words.
"Yes, thank you, Lady Monica."
I replied, and after stepping away from Monica, I headed towards Elder Brother.
As I waved goodbye to Monica, Elder Brother muttered.
"Yumie... even if the other person is a girl, I won't accept it so easily, okay?"
"...Huh?"
I tilted my head, not understanding what he was talking about.
While I was like that, Elder Brother ruffled my hair and guided me towards the carriage.
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