“...?”
When I first heard those words, I didn’t immediately understand what moment he was referring to.
It was a gesture that meant nothing to me.
Belled, who realized that, tightened his grip on me.
“Ah.”
And while I hesitated, he placed my body on his legs.
I blushed as if the place where his strong legs touched was stimulating.
Sigh.
Fortunately, in a place where it was dark enough not to see the redness, Belled kissed my forehead.
The heat that followed touched the tip of my nose and flowed to my ear.
“Don’t you remember whispering like this?”
The heat spread like waves, making my whole body feel hot.
“...Not to me, but to someone else.”
However, the moment I heard those words, I stopped even breathing.
It was because I suddenly remembered when he was talking.
At the banquet hall, when I gave orders to Naberus.
In the middle of the noisy place, I was afraid that Naberus might not hear me properly, and that others might hear ny order, so she approached him and spoke to him.
It was an action that meant nothing to me. But...
...It seemed too close.
My mind seemed to go blank.
“...To Naberus...?”
When I asked as if confirming, Belled did not deny it. Instead, he whispered again.
“What is it about me...?”
Thud.
The lips that had touched my nose slipped down. I lifted my head involuntarily at the ticklish and hot feeling. His kiss slid down onto my delicate and sensitive pastoral skin.
Burying his face on my shoulder, Belled continued.
“What is it about me that made you, even a little uncomfortable?”
I tried to shake my head at those words. There was nothing like that. On the contrary, hadn’t he been infinitely considerate of me?
But Belled’s words weren’t over.
“What is it about me that made you whisper secretly to someone other than me? That bothered me.”
For a moment, his face was revealed again in the light.
His mouth was tightly shut.
I shook my head slightly, then shook my head again.
“How could I have done something wrong?”
Belled was not blaming me but Belled himself.
“There’s nothing like that.”
A person who always seemed perfect.
The manners and consideration that came from his fingertips and words, everything.
A person who seemed perfect, unlike me.
To the point where I couldn’t understand why he was so kind to me. To the point where I didn’t know why you were so kind to me. So much so that he was so dreamlike that I was worried that I might lose that sweet favor, how could he have done something wrong?
I was always afraid that I would get used to the heart and consideration he showed me.
That I would take it for granted.
That I would make a mistake that would lose him.
I held Belled’s shoulder tightly.
With a jolt, the carriage shook again, and when our met eyes, he was smiling.
“...Thank goodness.”
I clearly saw a faint smile spread across his face.
As if spring had come from winter in an instant, that bright smile seemed to melt even myself.
I hugged him as he let out a short sigh.
It seemed I knew why he had been so curious about the contents of the order.
“I couldn’t talk about the order right then and there because it was the devil’s business.”
Then, she suddenly turned to the window.
“It’s unfair!”
The Duke of Orobas’s cry seemed to ring in her ears.
Of course, that sight was refreshing. It made her wonder if she had ever been this evil.
Is it okay to make people feel this way and enjoy it?
Of course, she wasn’t the type of person who thought revenge was all that bad. Berul was a Saintess who was forced to be holy, but she clearly had a desire for revenge and survival.
There was only one thing on her mind.
...He, what would he be like?
“Is there something on your mind?”
And the delicate man immediately noticed the change.
Beryl tried to shake her head slightly. It was a habitual denial.
“....”
But Belled just smiled faintly and looked at her. As if he was going to wait for her to say something.
It was gentler than an interrogation but more than an interrogation.
It made Beryl unable to close her mouth.
Eventually, she opened her mouth.
“About the plan at the banquet hall... I was thinking about Orobas.”
How was he like that?
Is it okay to ask that? Her gaze wavered.
She thought it was fortunate that she was in the carriage. Otherwise, he would have seen her trembling like this.
“Ah, if it’s a plan.”
Belled’s voice reached her as she held back her trembling heart.
“It was good.”
His simple yet clear answer.
“The way you confidently assert your will.”
He smiled faintly and kissed her cheek. Then he gently brushed her lips with his fingertips.
“To the point where I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”
“...”
Berul couldn’t take her eyes off Belled, more than the fingertips that were teasing her as if they were going inside her slightly parted lips. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
Could it mean that you, like me... were happy just by looking at him?
“It’s the same no matter what you do.”
Even if you weren’t confident, even if you were afraid of that place, or even if you showed a different side.
“It would have been the same for me. If that’s what you look like.”
He covered Beryl's face with both hands.
Beryl closed her eyes as her cheeks and ears were covered in his warmth.
Belled could feel her eyelashes flutter. That meant she was nervous.
“...But, I don’t know why you look at me so nervous.”
At that moment, Belled continued. Beryl had no choice but to open her eyes.
“...”
And he was stroking her cheek. With a look that seemed pitiful.
“I don’t want to make you anxious.”
I don’t know what makes you nervous. He said.
“...That.”
Her eyes met Belled’s for a long time as she stopped talking as if she was caught up in something.
Amid the tension that seemed to tighten her heart, Beryl felt as if time had stopped. She could see the green eyes that contained her sparkling in the sunlight. The warmth he gave her, the way he stroked her cheek, and every word he whispered.
It was so good.
I could feel you growing inside me.
Beryl bit her lip. He had grown so much that she was afraid to think of a life without him.
And she realized that it would only grow bigger and bigger like a snowball.
Then. Before that happens.
Maybe, before you completely fill me up.
Before I... think that I would be hurt without you before I think that I would die without you.
Before that scary situation comes.
“...You.”
I have to ask. I have to get an answer.
Beryl unconsciously tightened her hand on his shoulder.
“What do you like about me?”
What do you want me to be? How can I continue to be by your side like this?
What more of me should I show you so that I can... hold your gaze?
“Do you, love me?”
Are you, too, envisioning a future with me?
Belled’s movements stopped at those words.
When I first heard those words, I didn’t immediately understand what moment he was referring to.
It was a gesture that meant nothing to me.
Belled, who realized that, tightened his grip on me.
“Ah.”
And while I hesitated, he placed my body on his legs.
I blushed as if the place where his strong legs touched was stimulating.
Sigh.
Fortunately, in a place where it was dark enough not to see the redness, Belled kissed my forehead.
The heat that followed touched the tip of my nose and flowed to my ear.
“Don’t you remember whispering like this?”
The heat spread like waves, making my whole body feel hot.
“...Not to me, but to someone else.”
However, the moment I heard those words, I stopped even breathing.
It was because I suddenly remembered when he was talking.
At the banquet hall, when I gave orders to Naberus.
In the middle of the noisy place, I was afraid that Naberus might not hear me properly, and that others might hear ny order, so she approached him and spoke to him.
It was an action that meant nothing to me. But...
...It seemed too close.
My mind seemed to go blank.
“...To Naberus...?”
When I asked as if confirming, Belled did not deny it. Instead, he whispered again.
“Would you whisper that to me too?”
Rumble.
The carriage shook, and sunlight streamed in through the slightly opened blinds. Thanks to that, I could see his face for a moment. His eyes were squinted as if he didn’t like something.
“It was too sweet to just watch it reach someone else.”
My blank mind seemed to shake. I let out a short breath.
It was because I was perfectly aware of how I must have looked at him.
“Misunderstanding...”
How, what should I do?
And since I had shown him that way right in front of him, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to have misunderstood.
Wasn’t it too natural, like approaching another man and whispering secrets?
My heart was pounding like crazy. I tried to regain my senses even as I felt dizzy. I had to explain.
“There could have been a misunderstanding. It was really nothing. I didn’t mean anything else...”
What if these words sounded like desperate excuses?
I felt like my words were being tangled.
“I’ll be careful not to do that again.”
Thump, thump, thump...
The jolt of the carriage and the beat of ny heart felt out of sync.
What good was trying so hard to be careful in front of him?
If I made such a critical mistake.
I bit my lip. I was too careless. No matter how kind and considerate he was to me, I couldn’t let my guard down.
What if I seemed like someone who would act like that to other people?
Rumble.
The carriage shook, and sunlight streamed in through the slightly opened blinds. Thanks to that, I could see his face for a moment. His eyes were squinted as if he didn’t like something.
“It was too sweet to just watch it reach someone else.”
My blank mind seemed to shake. I let out a short breath.
It was because I was perfectly aware of how I must have looked at him.
“Misunderstanding...”
How, what should I do?
And since I had shown him that way right in front of him, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to have misunderstood.
Wasn’t it too natural, like approaching another man and whispering secrets?
My heart was pounding like crazy. I tried to regain my senses even as I felt dizzy. I had to explain.
“There could have been a misunderstanding. It was really nothing. I didn’t mean anything else...”
What if these words sounded like desperate excuses?
I felt like my words were being tangled.
“I’ll be careful not to do that again.”
Thump, thump, thump...
The jolt of the carriage and the beat of ny heart felt out of sync.
What good was trying so hard to be careful in front of him?
If I made such a critical mistake.
I bit my lip. I was too careless. No matter how kind and considerate he was to me, I couldn’t let my guard down.
What if I seemed like someone who would act like that to other people?
I unconsciously tightened my grip.
“I didn’t think you could..."
But I couldn’t find any more excuses. Because it was true.
Would he believe it?
That was when I looked at Belled.
Belled was slowly shaking his head.
“Rather than worrying about that.”
Thud.
As the carriage shook again, Belled wrapped his strong arms around me so that I wouldn’t lose my balance.
Above him, unwavering, I clearly heard his passionate voice.
“I didn’t think you could..."
But I couldn’t find any more excuses. Because it was true.
Would he believe it?
That was when I looked at Belled.
Belled was slowly shaking his head.
“Rather than worrying about that.”
Thud.
As the carriage shook again, Belled wrapped his strong arms around me so that I wouldn’t lose my balance.
Above him, unwavering, I clearly heard his passionate voice.
“What is it about me...?”
Thud.
The lips that had touched my nose slipped down. I lifted my head involuntarily at the ticklish and hot feeling. His kiss slid down onto my delicate and sensitive pastoral skin.
Burying his face on my shoulder, Belled continued.
“What is it about me that made you, even a little uncomfortable?”
I tried to shake my head at those words. There was nothing like that. On the contrary, hadn’t he been infinitely considerate of me?
But Belled’s words weren’t over.
“What is it about me that made you whisper secretly to someone other than me? That bothered me.”
For a moment, his face was revealed again in the light.
His mouth was tightly shut.
I shook my head slightly, then shook my head again.
“How could I have done something wrong?”
Belled was not blaming me but Belled himself.
“There’s nothing like that.”
A person who always seemed perfect.
The manners and consideration that came from his fingertips and words, everything.
A person who seemed perfect, unlike me.
To the point where I couldn’t understand why he was so kind to me. To the point where I didn’t know why you were so kind to me. So much so that he was so dreamlike that I was worried that I might lose that sweet favor, how could he have done something wrong?
I was always afraid that I would get used to the heart and consideration he showed me.
That I would take it for granted.
That I would make a mistake that would lose him.
I held Belled’s shoulder tightly.
With a jolt, the carriage shook again, and when our met eyes, he was smiling.
“...Thank goodness.”
I clearly saw a faint smile spread across his face.
As if spring had come from winter in an instant, that bright smile seemed to melt even myself.
I hugged him as he let out a short sigh.
It seemed I knew why he had been so curious about the contents of the order.
“I couldn’t talk about the order right then and there because it was the devil’s business.”
Because others shouldn’t hear it.
“I told Naberus not to forget to gather energy for the devil.”
To find the benefit. To not give favors for nothing.
Belled let out a low laugh at those words.
He clearly remembered Naberus’s eyes widening in surprise, then smiling happily. He wondered what he had heard.
“Indeed, it was an order that Naberus would be happy about.”
Belled kissed Beryl's forehead again.
He had never doubted Beryl for a moment, but he had been strangely upset when he saw her whispering to Naberus, something he didn’t have.
But now it was over.
“Were you curious?”
“Yes.”
Belled answered Beryl’s question without hesitation. Beryl laughed awkwardly.
A light kiss touched her lips.
“...!”
Belled met her gaze as she opened her eyes wide.
“Isn’t it natural to wonder what you do when I can’t see or hear you?”
“I told Naberus not to forget to gather energy for the devil.”
To find the benefit. To not give favors for nothing.
Belled let out a low laugh at those words.
He clearly remembered Naberus’s eyes widening in surprise, then smiling happily. He wondered what he had heard.
“Indeed, it was an order that Naberus would be happy about.”
Belled kissed Beryl's forehead again.
He had never doubted Beryl for a moment, but he had been strangely upset when he saw her whispering to Naberus, something he didn’t have.
But now it was over.
“Were you curious?”
“Yes.”
Belled answered Beryl’s question without hesitation. Beryl laughed awkwardly.
A light kiss touched her lips.
“...!”
Belled met her gaze as she opened her eyes wide.
“Isn’t it natural to wonder what you do when I can’t see or hear you?”
I don’t want to miss even a single piece of you.
It wasn’t a doubt.
It was just a desire to know and understand you a little more.
When Beryl realized that, her heart had been beating wildly seemed to calm down a little. Belled patted her head.
“Thanks to Beryl’s orders, the energy supply seems to have been smooth.”
The ‘workers’ of Vine who accompanied Naberus while dealing with the monsters around him faithfully carried out their work.
Judging from their bright expressions, it was clear that there had been a definite harvest.
That energy would be refined into magic near Vine’s Hell Gate and save many demons.
“It was a banquet that we gained a lot thanks to Beryl.”
Belled hugged her close and patted the back of her head.
“So you can relax.”
It seemed that he keenly noticed the strength that she had unconsciously exerted.
Only then did Beryl release the tension from her shoulders.
“...”
It wasn’t a doubt.
It was just a desire to know and understand you a little more.
When Beryl realized that, her heart had been beating wildly seemed to calm down a little. Belled patted her head.
“Thanks to Beryl’s orders, the energy supply seems to have been smooth.”
The ‘workers’ of Vine who accompanied Naberus while dealing with the monsters around him faithfully carried out their work.
Judging from their bright expressions, it was clear that there had been a definite harvest.
That energy would be refined into magic near Vine’s Hell Gate and save many demons.
“It was a banquet that we gained a lot thanks to Beryl.”
Belled hugged her close and patted the back of her head.
“So you can relax.”
It seemed that he keenly noticed the strength that she had unconsciously exerted.
Only then did Beryl release the tension from her shoulders.
“...”
Then, she suddenly turned to the window.
“It’s unfair!”
The Duke of Orobas’s cry seemed to ring in her ears.
Of course, that sight was refreshing. It made her wonder if she had ever been this evil.
Is it okay to make people feel this way and enjoy it?
Of course, she wasn’t the type of person who thought revenge was all that bad. Berul was a Saintess who was forced to be holy, but she clearly had a desire for revenge and survival.
There was only one thing on her mind.
...He, what would he be like?
“Is there something on your mind?”
And the delicate man immediately noticed the change.
Beryl tried to shake her head slightly. It was a habitual denial.
“....”
But Belled just smiled faintly and looked at her. As if he was going to wait for her to say something.
It was gentler than an interrogation but more than an interrogation.
It made Beryl unable to close her mouth.
Eventually, she opened her mouth.
“About the plan at the banquet hall... I was thinking about Orobas.”
How was he like that?
Is it okay to ask that? Her gaze wavered.
She thought it was fortunate that she was in the carriage. Otherwise, he would have seen her trembling like this.
“Ah, if it’s a plan.”
Belled’s voice reached her as she held back her trembling heart.
“It was good.”
His simple yet clear answer.
“The way you confidently assert your will.”
He smiled faintly and kissed her cheek. Then he gently brushed her lips with his fingertips.
“To the point where I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”
“...”
Berul couldn’t take her eyes off Belled, more than the fingertips that were teasing her as if they were going inside her slightly parted lips. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
Could it mean that you, like me... were happy just by looking at him?
“It’s the same no matter what you do.”
Even if you weren’t confident, even if you were afraid of that place, or even if you showed a different side.
“It would have been the same for me. If that’s what you look like.”
He covered Beryl's face with both hands.
Beryl closed her eyes as her cheeks and ears were covered in his warmth.
Belled could feel her eyelashes flutter. That meant she was nervous.
“...But, I don’t know why you look at me so nervous.”
At that moment, Belled continued. Beryl had no choice but to open her eyes.
“...”
She couldn’t help but look at him, feeling nervous as if her heart was going to tighten, wondering if his neat voice would become cold.
And he was stroking her cheek. With a look that seemed pitiful.
“I don’t want to make you anxious.”
I don’t know what makes you nervous. He said.
“...That.”
Her eyes met Belled’s for a long time as she stopped talking as if she was caught up in something.
Amid the tension that seemed to tighten her heart, Beryl felt as if time had stopped. She could see the green eyes that contained her sparkling in the sunlight. The warmth he gave her, the way he stroked her cheek, and every word he whispered.
It was so good.
I could feel you growing inside me.
Beryl bit her lip. He had grown so much that she was afraid to think of a life without him.
And she realized that it would only grow bigger and bigger like a snowball.
Then. Before that happens.
Maybe, before you completely fill me up.
Before I... think that I would be hurt without you before I think that I would die without you.
Before that scary situation comes.
“...You.”
I have to ask. I have to get an answer.
Beryl unconsciously tightened her hand on his shoulder.
“What do you like about me?”
What do you want me to be? How can I continue to be by your side like this?
What more of me should I show you so that I can... hold your gaze?
“Do you, love me?”
Are you, too, envisioning a future with me?
Belled’s movements stopped at those words.
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