* * *
“Do you still like me even after all this?” I asked while smoking a cigarette. “Are you really going to follow me tomorrow?”
She would run away, for sure, especially after showing such a thing to a girl with no immunity.
However, Danae muttered with a flushed face. “Why do you think I’m still sitting here?”
“…So you’re really determined to go with me?”
“Yes.”
Is she crazy? I began to doubt Danae’s mental state. It seemed like she was completely smitten, blind to everything else.
“You… Do you even know what that means?”
“Huh?”
“Following me means you have to deal with all of this.”
“W-Why is that?”
Oh, you naive saintess. Right now, I might be doing this alone while looking at your face, but do you think you can just sit back and watch after we leave together?
“…Anyway, my feelings haven’t changed.”
At those words, I let out a snort.
Danae’s gaze was still the same as before. I’m really going to ruin her life.
“Out saintess has quite the unique taste.”
“Don’t mock someone’s taste.”
Zap. She glares at me. Of course, it wasn’t the least bit threatening.
I laughed involuntarily but then froze in surprise. What’s this? For the first time, I felt an emotion I had never experienced before. But soon, I admitted it and inhaled my cigarette with a hollow look.
I’m screwed. Damn it. How embarrassing, to be swayed by such feelings at this age. Even if this girl is naively innocent, shouldn’t I be immune to such emotions?
Danae thinks she’s fallen for me because I saved her. If she found out all of it was an act…
From now on, no matter what, I have to keep it hidden. Originally, I thought it wouldn’t matter if I got caught after seducing her and taking her vault. But the fact that I was even thinking such ridiculous thoughts was already proof that I was screwed.
I looked into the void, laughing as I exhaled smoke.
I’m really screwed.
* * *
Afterward, I had a long conversation with Danae.
“I want to know more about you, Lord Ignis.”
That’s what Danae said.
She wasn’t a child anymore. We were just chatting in bed.
“So, you didn’t know? Never heard my nickname?”
“… I’ve heard people call you a horny b*stard.”
“It’s embarrassing compared to the beautiful nickname of Saintess Danae. Isn’t that right, holy Saintess Danae?”
“Stop it. I hate that nickname.”
“Why? It’s a great honor for a saintess like you to fancy a b*stard like me.”
“Stop joking around.”
Although I said it as a joke, my words were sincere.
Even so, lying in bed together made my desire keep building up. But I restrained myself.
This must be her first time. I didn’t want Danae to experience it in such a rushed manner in a place like this. Somewhere better than here… Yes, like a palace overlooking the sea, or a villa with a view of the sunset, somewhere beautiful like that. Danae deserved a place like that.
I found it strange that I was thinking this way. Originally, I wasn’t the type of person to care about such things…
“There’s a secret vault in this room? Really?”
Not only that, but now we were lying in bed, chatting about trivial things.
“Yeah. This was my room when I was a kid. It’s been vacant until now. So, it seems no one has found it yet?”
“How fascinating. Where is the secret vault?”
“That’s.”
Obviously, it’s a secret. Did you think I’d tell you?
“Creating such a secret place, Lord Ignis, you must have been a mischievous child. How cute.”
“…”
But well… It wouldn’t hurt to tell her, right? After all, she’s going to leave with me tomorrow. Besides, those sparkling eyes wanted to know more about me. If I didn’t tell her, she would surely be disappointed.
I didn’t want to see that. So, I told Danae. It was something I had never told anyone in my entire life. Truly, what a strange night.
“Feeling sleepy now?”
“A bit.”
“Then let’s sleep. We’re leaving tomorrow, remember?”
“Right. We did say that.”
“Good night.”
I was so sleepy that I couldn’t stand it anymore. It made me close my eyes. When I opened my eyes tomorrow, my life would be completely different. Funnily enough, I was looking forward to it…
“…Done?”
“Yeah, almost.”
But what was that sound? I blinked dazedly.
“It’s properly erased.”
“How fascinating.”
What’s that?
White hair.
Danae, the girl, is sitting on the leather sofa. And next to her was…
“I’ve erased this side too.”
Danae’s handsome secretary.
“Good job, Lethe.”
I couldn’t understand. What were Danae and her secretary doing there? This was my bedroom. Just a moment ago, I was talking with Danae in bed and then fell asleep, right?
“Then, I’ll be off first.”
“Okay.”
The secretary bowed and left the room. Click, the door closed.
“Hey.” Holding my aching head, I got up. “What, are you, doing, right now?” but my head hurt so much that my words didn’t come out properly.
“What the hell.”
At that moment, my words were cut off. A scripture. Danae was holding a scripture in her hand.
I barely managed to get up and strode over. Then I snatched the scripture from Danae’s hand.
“What’s this, Danae?” My voice was hoarse as I spat out my words. “Where did you find this?”
“…From the place you told me about.”
The place I mentioned? Ah. Before falling asleep, on the bed. I casually mentioned the location of the secret vault…
“But.”
Danae looked at me with an annoyed expression. “Can’t you just go back to sleep?”
“…”
I stared at her, unable to comprehend what I had just heard.
“Why did you wake up again when you barely managed to fall asleep?”
I wondered if it was a dream. Otherwise, why would Danae look at me like that? Just a moment ago, she was looking at me with eyes full of love… Why is she looking at me like I’m trash now?
Feeling disoriented, I rubbed my face. Then, I noticed something through my fingers.
The wine glass on the desk. Danae’s glass was still full. She hadn’t drunk a single drop.
“Ha.”
A massive shiver engulfed me. A cruel and merciless truth struck my head like an axe.
“Ha, ha, ha.” It hurt so much that I could only laugh with a dazed expression.
Danae smiled irritably in response. “Just sleep. Aren’t you sleepy?”
At that moment, there was a sound of glass breaking. Something, the first thing I had ever truly possessed, began to creak. In those cracks, the woman smiled softly.
“Go to sleep, okay?”
It shattered into pieces.
* * *
Dana’s POV
Ignis was indeed a monster.
Even after taking strong sleeping pills?
It was said to be strong enough to put an elephant to sleep and dangerous enough to threaten a normal person’s life. But I didn’t hesitate to mix it into the wine. Even so, this man drank a whole bottle and only fell asleep three hours later. And woke up after just 30 minutes!
“Ah!”
Ignis grabbed my wrist. Thud! I was thrown against the bookshelf opposite.
“You.”
His breath was hot. Ignis was breathing so violently that it seemed like he might have a seizure.
I was amazed. To regain such strength after taking that pill, it was certain that this man’s stamina was better than an elephant’s.
“You, did you.”
The next moment, Ignis roughly grabbed my hair. He brought his distorted face close like a beast.
“Did you, deceive me?”
“…”
“Tell me. Did you deceive me?”
Ignis’s voice trembled mercilessly. His eyes were bloodshot, and his eyelids were red. Was it the aftereffect of the sleeping pill? Or was it the shock? Either way, it didn’t matter.
“You’re the one who deceived me, aren’t you, Lord Ignis?”
“…What?”
“The carriage attack, it was your staged play, wasn’t it?”
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