Chapter 205
I’m bored.
I’m lonely.
I’m feeling alone.
The teacher has only stepped out for a moment for work, but the room has quickly fallen silent and become dull. I know it won’t take long, and that he will return soon…
“…so lonely.”
Every time the teacher is absent, I feel his absence acutely. The memory of him gently stroking my cheek and us kissing a moment ago keeps coming back to me.
‘I should have made it last a little longer…’
If I had, the sensation of his lips would have lingered a bit longer, and I would have felt less lonely. Usually, I don’t feel this lonely, but I think it’s because I’m bedridden right now.
“I wonder when he will come back….”
I hope he comes back soon.
So that we can talk,
so he can smile at me,
so he can stroke my hair,
and caress my cheek.
Even if I unconsciously try to stroke my own cheek with my hand, it doesn’t feel like what the teacher did. The only thing I can do is wait for the teacher endlessly.
“…….”
Ding!
Feeling too lonely by myself, I rang the bell. I shouldn’t be doing this since I’m not a child, but since I’m a patient, isn’t it a little excusable?
“Your Majesty, did you call for me?”
Cecili, with her fox-like ears perked up, entered. Seeing her fluffy tail swaying, I felt a little more at ease.
“Do you need anything?”
“No, just…”
“Mm? Oh, I see.”
Cecili smiled gently. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been together for a long time; she picked up on my thoughts too quickly. With a smile still on her face, she approached me and sat next to me.
“Being bedridden is a lonely affair. I’ll stay here until Nahun arrives.”
“…You don’t have to stay that long.”
“Hehe, okay.”
Though it didn’t feel completely fulfilling, it was still better having Cecili by my side. A little time passed, and I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide.
“Teacher?”
“Yes?”
I felt something similar to the teacher’s magic. Wanting to see him, I was convinced that it was his magic, so I told Cecili.
“I think the teacher has arrived. He seems to be in the hallway.”
“I’ll check.”
Cecili stood up and slightly opened the door.
“Is he here?”
“…Your Majesty, there’s no one here.”
“Huh? I clearly felt some magic.”
“Huh? Magic?”
There was no way I could have misinterpreted the magic. I am particularly sensitive to people’s magic, and I could certainly recognize the teacher’s magic.
“…Oh?”
Now that I thought about it, I didn’t know why I wasn’t sure. If it were the teacher’s magic, there shouldn’t be any reason for confusion.
Cecili looked at me with slightly perplexed eyes. I scratched my cheek awkwardly and spoke.
“Um… I guess I must have misinterpreted.”
Though there was no way I could have misinterpreted, I said it to put Cecili at ease. After all, it wouldn’t be because I’m going crazy from missing the teacher.
“It seems like you really miss Nahun.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m bedridden… I feel that way.”
As I answered, I once again focused on the hallway, but I couldn’t feel the magic that was similar to the teacher’s anymore.
If the teacher didn’t come… then what was that?
—
“Teacher!”
As soon as Nahun returned, Seere greeted him warmly. Just as Cecili had stepped out momentarily for work, Nahun arrived perfectly.
She who had welcomed Nahun with a bright smile suddenly froze in her expression.
“…What is that woman?”
“She’s going to work as a weapons researcher for our legion. Say hello, Ariana. She will be your lord, Seere von Debata.”
“Hello, Your Majesty Seere.”
Seeing Ariana greet him politely, Seere tilted her head and spoke.
“Isn’t she a subordinate of Phynox?”
“I brought her because she seemed useful.”
“But, um… why do I feel the teacher’s magic from that woman?”
“Oh, that’s because of this.”
Nahun pointed to Ariana’s forehead. Then a sinister symbol appeared above her forehead.
“…What is that?”
“It’s a magic of servitude. A kind of brainwashing.”
“Did it really need to go that far?”
“We don’t have a dedicated weapon developer in our legion. We have blacksmiths, but they only create weapons, not invent artillery.”
“What has she created?”
“Remember the strange magic cannon used by the Phynox alliance? She made that all by herself.”
With Nahun’s explanation, Seere finally seemed to understand.
“She did it all by herself?”
“The development was all her. Right?”
“Yes, Master. During the development stage, I did it entirely on my own and only received help from blacksmiths during the design and production of prototypes.”
Seere nodded slightly. It seemed Nahun had sufficient reason to want to keep her under his command forcefully.
“Then which legion should we assign her to?”
“Let’s not assign her to a legion, but allow her to focus on research.”
“She used to be a close general of Phynox, doesn’t she have considerable skill?”
“Well, I’m not so sure. Her loyalty might be commendable, but…”
Nahun spoke rather harshly.
“I wonder if her skill is worth mentioning. It’s better to use her just as a researcher.”
“Is that so?”
Seere glanced at Ariana. Even when Nahun was speaking derogatorily about her skills right in front of her, there was not a hint of displeasure on Ariana’s face.
‘Really, she seems like she’s been hypnotized or something.’
Seere looked at her for a moment and spoke.
“So, is it Ariana?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Could you step outside and wait? I have something to discuss with the teacher.”
Seere gave the instruction now. It was to test how Ariana would react. Ariana reacted to Seere’s words….
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
She complied surprisingly well. As Ariana opened the door and left per the order, Seere asked Nahun.
“She listens well even though she isn’t the one under the brainwashing.”
“I told her in advance that I needed to receive her. So, Ariana considers your words equal to mine.”
“Hmm….”
Seere lightly touched her chin and muttered to herself.
“That means she can hypnotize others at any time like that. She could also take women like that…”
“…Not quite. This magic can only target a maximum of two or three people simultaneously.”
Since it was a significantly stronger brainwashing magic compared to the curses cast on humans to turn them into slaves, there was a limit on its application scope.
“Why would you think of another woman when you have me?”
“…What?”
For a moment, as Seere seemed flustered, Nahun lightly laughed and approached her, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“You’re bold when you approach, but you get flustered when I sometimes come this close.”
“Ah… I-I don’t dislike it or anything.”
“I know.”
Nahun reached out his hand and gently stroked Seere’s cheek. She flinched slightly at the touch, which was quite cute.
Her slightly reddened cheeks and the charmingly protruding lips, possibly from shyness, while still seeming to enjoy Nahun’s caress, was unmistakably the image of a girl in love.
“……Wait.”
“Yes?”
Suddenly, Nahun wore a serious expression and pulled Seere tightly into his embrace. Seere was taken aback by the sudden and bold contact, but Nahun’s intention was not for mere physical contact.
While holding Seere, he reached his hand back and grabbed something protruding from the wall. Seere turned her head slightly to see what Nahun had caught and felt a shock.
“Te-Teacher… what is that?!”
There was a strangely shaped bug. It was so large that even though it was caught in Nahun’s grip, its head and tail were protruding out. Upon closer inspection, it resembled a large, oddly-shaped grasshopper.
“Oh?”
Then Seere felt puzzled. The magic she felt from Nahun just a moment ago, similar to when she was with Cecili, was also present in this bug.
Nahun quickly burned it with his magic and revealed his heightened alertness.
“Who are you?”
Nahun lightly lifted Seere in one arm. As if to protect her, Nahun enveloped her, making her blush as she nestled against him.
Nahun stared at the wall where the insect had protruded. It seemed there were no more reactions. Nothing else emerged. However, Nahun still spread out his magic and examined the wall to see if anything suspicious remained.
Seere felt the magic emanating from Nahun all over her body and spoke.
“Your magic has recovered quite a bit.”
“I’m still quite lacking.”
“Still, I’m glad.”
Fortunately, there weren’t any hidden creatures or such in the wall. Nahun relieved, sat Seere back on the bed.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. But um….”
“Mm?”
“When I felt the bug that you burned just now… why did it feel like it had a magic similar to the teacher’s?”
“…Did it feel similar to my magic?”
“Yes.”
Nahun slightly furrowed his brow. Then he took a moment to ponder Seere’s words. He already knew that Seere was particularly sensitive to magic. If Seere felt something similar to Nahun’s magic from the bug a moment ago, it was highly likely it wasn’t a misunderstanding.
“…The locust?”
At that moment, he recalled the word ‘locust’ while thinking of the grasshopper. Nahun searched through his memories, and he could think of a being closely related to it. A powerful demon like himself who had similar magic and commanded locusts.
“…Seere.”
“Yes?”
“I’m uneasy leaving you alone to move. Is there any discomfort in your movements?”
“I don’t have any discomfort, but….”
“Then let’s go together.”
“What? Where to?”
At Seere’s question, Nahun spoke with a serious expression.
“It’s just a guess, but I think we should head to the 41st floor.”
Nahun thought that the being he had in mind would likely head to the 41st floor, which was the same place where his closest aide, Mephistopheles, had perished.
Nahun draped a coat over Seere and helped her put on shoes, finishing her simple preparations for going out. Seere tilted her head and asked.
“Is there something on the 41st floor?”
Nahun nodded in response to her question.
“There’s a possibility that an unwelcome guest has come. Since some of their subordinates were hiding in this room, I can’t ensure they won’t harm you, so I must keep you by my side.”
“Who is this guest?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but….”
Nahun spoke about the being he had in mind.
“The king of locusts, the great demon Beelzebub. It’s possible that the master of Mephistopheles you dealt with has appeared.”
