In response, I only nodded at them, saying, “Excuse me for intrudin’ in your home.” It was pathetic, but even that rude greeting was all I could manage in my current state.
“You don’t get to see that every day, Feil. That was the highest form of greeting a subject can get,” Cyril told me.
“Was it? Looks like this son of a farmer’s goin’ up in the world.”
I didn’t get to openly celebrate, though.
Sasha had begun to scowl as she watched Cyril and Myfila return me to the couch. What’s up with her…? I thought until she finally admonished me.
“Please don’t bring a canteen into the royal castle, Feil Fonaf.”
Apparently, she wasn’t looking at us but at my leather canteen on the couch. So she’d figured out that I’d refused the hospitality from the castle and been drinking water this entire time.
“You really are just so…”
She let out a long sigh as though she’d given up.
Internally, I was a little worried I’d be in trouble for a while…
“I suppose you never change, Feil Fonaf.”
Whether she knew what I’d been thinking or not, she sighed and suddenly smiled, which made my eyes go wide for a second.
“I’m simply glad you’re in good health,” she said.
“Same to you. ’Specially since you’ve been out five days after goin’ to explain things to your old man.”
“I was being held captive by the royal physicians, more like. I insisted I was fine, but they were scrupulous about their examinations. I head home to Raddermark tomorrow.”
“That’s good. Then I gotta work hard to get back, too.”
“…”
Then she addressed the two girls who were accompanying her. “Mireille, Dorothea, I’d like to be alone.” They didn’t say anything in particular as they bowed deeply before leaving the room.
“Cyril, I want to go to the bathroom. Come with me?” Myfila said.
“The castle is very easy to get lost in,” Cyril commented.
Then right after the two servants had left, the two of them had that conversation and headed out themselves.
“But the restroom’s right outside the room,” I said.
“You haven’t heard? The Azure Chamber in this castle is supposed to be the most beautiful toilet in the world.”
Sasha thanked their retreating backs as Cyril lightly lifted a hand in response.
The door slammed shut.
Before I knew it, Sasha and I were alone together in the gigantic guest room.
“…”
I couldn’t really understand the situation I was in. Still buried in the leather couch, I silently looked up at Sasha.
…………
Then after ten seconds of silence where we could hear even each other’s breathing, I finally heard the rustle of clothes.
And just as I was about to yelp in surprise, Sasha was kneeling in front of me.
“Oh, brave hero, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
That’s right. Sasha Shidoh Zultania, third princess of the land of Shidoh who wasn’t supposed to kneel to anybody, was on her knees over the carpet now. Not only that, but she held her hands over her chest…almost as though she were praying to a god.
“And I don’t thank you simply as Princess Sasha Shidoh Zultania, but as a fellow summoner. I’m proud of you.”
“What?”
“Thank you, Summoner Feil Fonaf. Conqueror of legends.”
Sasha’s jewellike amethyst eyes were trained on me and only me.
“I grant Shidoh’s blessings upon your future. Because you were the one to summon Pandora, because you never gave up…the world, Raddermark, and I were all saved.”
I was speechless.
I felt pride and gratefulness, embarrassment and guilt, and sentimental like I’d seen the most beautiful thing in the world—but also anger that I had no way of telling my parents about this honor that I was receiving.
My voice escaped me for a while as I felt all those emotions welling up inside me…
“I’m grateful,” I finally murmured, then right after that, I blustered out a cut-off silly laugh for a moment. “But who’s supposed to be the hero here? We both were reckless.”
I met Sasha’s eyes.
“You created a situation where we could kill the Angel-Eater, Sasha. Only reason Pandora could punch the Angel-Eater was ’cause you merged with her to give her back her original form.”
I probably was giving Sasha the same exact look she was giving me.
It was the peaceful smile of people who’d put every effort they could into a situation. The smile of relief for people who had overcome a day of catastrophe to get to today. We were smiling tenderly at each other, both praising each other.
“We all did everythin’ we were capable of doin’,” I said.
“Still, I’d like to reward you for your accomplishment.”
Suddenly, Sasha stood up and sat next to me. We were close enough that our shoulders would touch if we shifted slightly. Sasha’s long, lustrous hair, her pearl-like skin, and her sweet roselike scent wafted toward me.
“What prize shall I foist on you, then?”
“How ’bout a manga?”
“Huh?”
She likely hadn’t been expecting an immediate reply. She looked at me with slight surprise.
I looked back at her from the corner of my eye.
“That romance manga about the apothecarist. You said you’d lend it to me before. Your recommended it, didn’t ya?”
“…And here I thought you didn’t read manga?”
“I’ve been lyin’ around every day, so might as well read it now.”
“…”
“The main character’s name was Akasha? Rifris’s drawings were pretty spiffy, too.”
“…All right. I’m sure you won’t be able to read it in that state, so I’ll sit next to you for all fifteen volumes and turn the pages for you.”
Now Sasha was blurting out nonsense suddenly. My voice cracked as I stopped her.
“Th-that’s all right. Just the manga’ll do.”
But the next moment, Sasha was reaching out and doing whatever she wanted with me while I couldn’t move.