Chapter 142
“Seere.”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t it too dangerous here?”
“What’s wrong with it? There are so many people around.”
“That’s true, but…”
Nahun and Seere were on a small boat. Nahun was gently rowing, producing creaky sounds, as the two drifted on the river.
This place was one of the famous tourist spots in Germanium, the Spreezer River that runs through it. They were taking a boat ride on the not very wide Spreezer River.
Especially in the evening, riding this boat was famous because the night sky in Germanium showed many constellations, allowing people to observe beautiful star patterns.
But what was the problem?
What Nahun was worried about was that this place was the Spreezer River. The Spreezer River not only ran through Germanium but was also a natural fortress that protected the Imperial Palace. So it meant that the palace was nearby.
Charlotte von Bismarck, the sharp lioness, could appear at any moment. That worried Nahun.
“You won’t get caught. No one knows our faces,” she said.
Nahun felt a pang of unease. He had never disclosed having met Charlotte von Bismarck to anyone. Of course, he didn’t know Seere’s face, but she knew his…
‘…If that woman forgets, I’ll cut off my wrist.’
There was no way a person would forget someone they had seen once. As Nahun was having such thoughts, Seere squinted her eyes.
“Teacher, are you thinking about another woman?”
“W-What are you talking about?”
How could she know this? Sometimes Seere’s intuition was frightening.
“Focus on me. This is my time to shine, after all.”
“…Alright, I’m sorry.”
“You’re not just apologizing with words, are you?”
Seere slightly lifted herself off the seat and moved closer to Nahun.
“I’d like you to show it with your actions.”
“…What do you want me to do?”
“Well…”
Seere placed her hand over Nahun’s hand that was holding the oar. As Nahun let go of the oar, Seere guided his hand directly toward her chest.
“Wait! Where are you pulling me…!”
Nahun was flustered. However, what he feared did not happen. Seere, seeing Nahun’s startled expression, laughed as if it were amusing and guided his hand back over her head instead.
“Please pet me.”
“Seere….”
“It was just a joke~! Don’t get too angry.”
“Ha.”
Nahun sighed. With a cutesy voice and a beaming smile, how could he possibly retaliate against such a face?
With no other choice, Nahun complied with what Seere wanted. As he gently patted her soft hair, Seere beamed back in delight.
‘If only she had a tail…’
She would probably be wagging it like a puppy. The thought crossed his mind, as Seere was smiling blissfully.
“……”
It was puzzling. One could ask what was so puzzling, but it was merely confronting a question that should have been obvious long ago.
He had only patted her head. No matter how much Seere liked being petted… it should have been clear upon ordinary reflection.
No real dog would react this joyfully just because it was being petted. It was too excessive a reaction.
‘Indeed…’
Seeing such a reaction, it was evident that Seere’s feelings for Nahun were not purely affection or love.
What she harbored for Nahun was not innocent affection or love. It was a complex and murky feeling intertwining an obsession and dependency on the father she had lost in her childhood.
Nahun briefly glanced up at the sky. Unlike the blue moon of the demon world, a large yellow moon shone brightly, surrounded by twinkling stars.
“…Seere.”
“Yes?”
“You said you liked me.”
Seere’s eyes widened slightly, and her face flushed. Stammering, she managed to say a word.
“…I love you.”
She looked like a girl deeply in love, yet the murky feelings dipped low in her eyes, settled heavily like sediment that wouldn’t easily wash away.
“…Alright, anyway… you’re saying you see me rationally.”
“Yes…”
“But the truth is that’s not all, is it?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Can you say that your feelings for me are purely innocent love?”
At Nahun’s question, Seere looked puzzled. Nahun continued.
“If you wish, I can be a stand-in for your father.”
The reason Nahun brought this up was that the two roles Seere desired from him could never coexist.
Seere wanted Nahun to be a fatherly figure, as she unconsciously longed for her father, who had left her in her childhood.
Nahun could willingly fill that role. As a teacher and her protector, he could act in place of the father she had lost.
However, if Seere wanted him to play that role… she shouldn’t expect anything more than that.
“But while doing that role, I cannot be your lover.”
“What do you mean? You make it complicated, teacher….”
“Under no circumstance should a father date his daughter.”
Seere’s eyes widened in shock.
If Nahun was to take on the role of her father, naturally, he had to reject the kind of love Seere craved.
What father would date his daughter? Even if one existed, it wouldn’t be normal.
“You are asking for two things from me that cannot coexist.”
“No, I really like you, teacher. My feelings are not a lie.”
“I never said it was a lie. If one side were a lie, I wouldn’t even be discussing this.”
Nahun let go of Seere’s head, speaking somewhat coolly.
“The problem is that everyone is sincere.”
“……”
Nahun looked at Seere. She appeared slightly confused. Naturally, she had never consciously realized she wanted such roles from Nahun, so she would understandably be confused.
“Sort your thoughts out.”
“…I think of you as my teacher. The only father I have is the late Seir von Debata.”
“But you wanted me to play that role, and you still do. Am I wrong?”
“……Is that not permitted?”
“It’s not that it’s not permitted. The two roles you wish for me cannot coexist. You need to give up one.”
“I refuse.”
“What?”
Seere, who had been confused, had suddenly regained her composure. With wide eyes, she spoke to Nahun.
“You’re trying to brush this situation aside by saying you want me to see you as a father.”
“I’m being serious…”
“That’s a fallacy.”
“What?”
“Just because I wish for such a role doesn’t mean you truly become my father, does it? No, right?”
That was… true. But Nahun’s point was about something different.
“It’s not that, you must know this is about mindset and such, right?”
“Even if you’re not really going to be my father, what difference does it make? If you were actually my father, it would be a problem according to your own words… but you’re not, right?”
Seere smiled brightly.
“You could be both my husband and a father-like figure.”
“Husband!? Suddenly this is getting out of hand!?”
“Now that we’re on this topic, what’s left to hide?”
Seere abruptly stood up, causing the boat to sway significantly, and Nahun grabbed the edge to maintain his balance.
“Even if you try to enchant me with such words, it’s useless. During the eight years that you’ve been gone, I’ve already firmed my resolve.”
“…Huh?”
“You asked what I desired from you. Let me be clear.”
Bang!
The boat swayed again significantly. Seere had pushed Nahun down. She gently overlapped her hand with his, leaning over him, their faces close.
“Even if you wish for a grand outcome, I’m really not interested in becoming someone exceptional. I’m not looking for that kind of flawlessness that fairy tales depict.”
“…!”
Nahun was shocked. The words flowing from Seere’s lips were too familiar. Slightly different, but undeniably those lines…
“I only wish for one thing from you.”
Every word from Seere carried deep emotion.
“Even if I seem a bit lacking, a little strange, even if I creak a bit…”
Nahun could clearly see the murky feelings welling in Seere’s eyes being washed away by some wave. That was…
“I still want to love you deeply.”
It was a wave called love.
#
As Nahun sat dazed, staring at her, Seere managed a slight smile. She released their intertwined hands and slowly got back into her seat.
Though Seere had moved aside, Nahun remained on the ground for a while, not rising. In fact, he didn’t feel like getting up.
“……”
While he had spoken about fatherhood and such, it wasn’t incorrect. Indeed, Seere did have feelings that made her dependent on Nahun.
But now, Nahun had realized those feelings were merely a small fraction. Seere was holding back as much as she could. The affection she typically displayed was only a part of it.
Nahun lightly covered his face with his hand. The blessing of the darkness from the night was thankfully covering his face. After a while, Seere called out to him.
“Teacher.”
“Uh, um, yes….”
“I’m not expecting an answer immediately. So please don’t feel too uncomfortable. I didn’t say that to make you uneasy. I was just demonstrating how sincere my feelings were since you were making strange remarks.”
Upon hearing that, Nahun straightened himself and sat up. He then resumed rowing, making creaky sounds.
“…I never said that. I was just admiring the night sky for a moment.”
“Heh, is that so? Then tell me about that constellation.”
“It’s different from what you see in the demon world, anyway?”
“Still, I’m curious.”
Nahun paused rowing. He looked at the sky. Nahun wasn’t very knowledgeable about constellations, but he had some basic understanding.
“That constellation is called the Summer Triangle. If you connect the brightest stars you see over there, it forms a triangle.”
“It does.”
“The reason you should first know the Summer Triangle is that it makes it easier to find other constellations. Do you see the bottom tip of the triangle?”
“Yes.”
“From there, if you connect the stars in a diamond shape, and lower it down to that bright star, that’s the constellation Aquila.”
Nahun explained the constellations based on his knowledge. Seere listened quietly while looking at the stars, then glanced at Nahun.
“…What’s wrong?”
“Did I perhaps sink into your heart a bit?”
“Not at all.”
“What a pity…”
Yet, Seere was smiling. She understood Nahun’s mannerisms better than anyone. The way he usually looked at her versus the way he looked now…
Was distinctly different.
