Chapter 129: Selfish
Because Felica said to explain quickly, I began explaining simply.
It was an event during the war, about half a year ago.
Our unit rescued and protected sisters who were thought to have been abducted at a private house.
After various things with the "sisters living nearby," we brought them to the royal capital and parted.
At my simple explanation Felica nodded as if understanding, sighed, and spoke.
"I see... Because it involves classified information, it’s ’sisters living nearby’."
"Yeah, because the outward appearance is bad."
Both then and now, if rumors spread that a princess was abducted, one never knows what hindrance it would cause to the country’s friendly relations.
Therefore we are pushing through that we protected "sisters living nearby."
Felica seemed convinced, but Lea asked with a grinning smile.
"Did Raide save them?"
"Certainly the very first one who charged into the private house and saved them was me. But the ones who annihilated the remaining remnants were the unit."
"Aha, so that’s why you said the unit saved them?"
"...Yeah."
"Nhahaha! That’s a stretch!"
Felica smiled wryly with an exasperated look, and Lea laughed enjoyably.
Looking at the two’s reactions I let out a large, tired sigh.
Perhaps convinced, the two grabbed one of my hands each intending to enter the royal capital.
I smiled, nodded, and the three of us walked toward the city gate.
I told the truth; Lea’s nose should not smell the scent of a lie.
Regarding the princess rescue story, in the original story Raide did not save them.
Originally another unit captain should have rescued them.
But that one was too much of a scum.
In fact he was the perpetrator of the abduction and a collaborator with the neighboring country.
I learned it out of my curiosity, going to see what kind of man he was.
I immediately reported to the captain and Taylor, hurriedly charged into the private house.
And the true story is that we rescued the two princesses.
Making it classified is also because the outward appearance is bad, but also to hide that there was a collaborator within our own country.
Therefore I cannot simply say we rescued them, and we are passing it off as "sisters living nearby."
Even though they understand that, they dig into it, so it’s troublesome.
If asked whether I like or dislike it I like it, but I want them to stop trying to make me talk about that.
When we entered the royal capital I spotted the figures of Mayor and the others who were probably performing charitable activities.
When Mayor and the others confirmed my figure they ran up at a light trot and began crying with tears falling.
I comforted them and apologized for making them worry.
Somehow Mayor and the others stopped crying and smiled, forgiving me.
Looking at the crying faces of Mayor and the others I engraved in my heart that next time I would do better.
The nearby soldiers who saw the scene with Mayor and the others teased me, and I was troubled.
I promised to meet Mayor and the others again on a later day and parted there for the time being.
Because Felica also had to take command of the postwar processing, I headed to the Suzuya inn with Lea.
I felt unpleasant from the rain and Blue Slime liquid and wanted to take off my clothes, and wanted to enter the bath quickly.
The fact that the rain had stopped was the least of consolations.
While talking about trivial things with Lea we arrived at the inn; Erika, Elysia, Nimi and the others were waiting outside for me.
When I said I was home and apologized, everyone smiled with exasperated looks and forgave me.
But I ended up sensing an atmosphere that they had been worried, and I reflected intensely.
The time was 8 PM at night.
I entered the bath, removed the fatigue, and ate Nimi’s home cooking.
And now I am sitting on the living room sofa, taking a breath of relief.
Perhaps the fatigue has suddenly surged now; I am unbearably sleepy.
Too many things happened today...
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Nimi..."
From Nimi who sat beside me, perhaps just out of the bath, came the good scent of soap.
Nimi who smiled overflowing with maternal instincts peered into my face while swaying her breasts.
I heard that when one is tired the lower part becomes energetic, but when too tired it does not even react.
No, it probably reacts, but sexual desire does not well up.
Just... I want to be healed.
I pulled Nimi’s body close, buried my face in her neck, and inhaled Nimi’s scent.
The calming scent of Nimi and the scent of soap.
"Ahn, Raide... You worked hard."
"Yeah..."
"And I’m glad you returned safely."
"Nn..."
Listening to Nimi’s calm voice, even though it is a sofa, drowsiness assaults me with a uto uto.
Nimi was hugging me back, but she released her body and gave me a lap pillow.
I laid my body sideways and placed my head on her soft thighs; when I nuzzled my cheek Nimi made a ticklish voice.
Smiling with eyes that looked at a beloved person, she gently stroked my head, and drowsiness assaulted me further.
"It’s fine if you sleep just like that, okay?"
"I’m sorry..."
"Fufu, good night."
"Go...od ni..."
At the moment of falling asleep, a soft sensation touched my face and lips.
The sweet, nostalgic scent and the sensation of having my head stroked felt good.
Nimi kissed Raide who was peacefully breathing on her lap.
He returned safely, without even getting injured.
Through the letters she had received reports of the entire process, but she still could not feel at ease without seeing his figure.
Beloved, her own lover.
If Raide died, her own heart would probably break.
Not only herself — Elysia and Lucia too, all the lovers.
That much we love Raide, and do not want to let him go.
A large reason for creating [Cuddle Bell] was to surround him so that he would not leave.
To make the him who sacrifices himself to protect something return no matter what.
Support is also that, but if the number of precious people is increased he will come back.
"Is it... selfish?"
"There’s no such thing."
The words she should have murmured so that no one would hear were picked up; Nimi was surprised and looked to the side.
Pafa was standing there smiling softly; then she approached, sat down, and peered into Raide’s face.
To the hand stroking Raide’s head Pafa gently placed one hand and looked up at Nimi’s face.
The softly smiling Pafa was as usual, yet somehow different; Nimi ended up worrying.
"Pafa?"
"I was thinking the same."
"You..."
"Ni...mi?"
Before she knew it Pafa was speaking in her usual halting words.
Smiling back at the smiling Pafa, she stroked her head with the free hand.
Pafa who narrowed her eyes as if feeling good returned to her usual state; Nimi breathed a sigh of relief.
She does not know what that just now was, but Nimi’s heart had become somewhat lighter from Pafa’s words.
Then looking at Raide’s sleeping face she smiled troubledly.
"Truly, a lover who never lets one get bored."
Being together with Raide who causes mysterious things.
Murmuring that, Nimi gave Raide a gentle kiss.
The scent of roses brushed my nose, and I woke.
The morning sun coming in from the window was dazzling; I blinked many times.
I remember up to having Nimi give me a lap pillow, but have no memory after that.
In other words, I slept just like that on the sofa...
"You have awakened, haven’t you?"
"...Erika?"
Raising my voice and face, at the same time I noticed that my head was resting on something soft.
Erika smiled gently and was stroking my hair with a gentle touch.
Even raising my head I do not wake; how tired was I.
The reason I can see Erika’s face is probably because she is leaning against the sofa.
Otherwise before peering at the face the sensation of large breasts should be covering my face.
I smiled back at Erika’s expression; Erika told me that the academy is closed.
Well, of course.
There might be victims of the stampede among the students’ families.
I let out a small sigh, stretched one hand to Erika’s cheek, and spoke.
"I made you worry."
"I heard yesterday. I do not have so small a capacity as to rehash a finished story, you know?"
To Erika who narrowed her eyes and smiled I smiled troubledly, stroked her cheek once, and directed my eyes outside the window.
I’m glad the rain ended; I dislike gloomy atmospheres.
Besides, if it has stopped one can see the state of the plain.