Chapter 113.

The grayish-brown pupils that confronted him, the passionate surge of the first time he’d seen it. Glitter clattered down his cheeks.

But, as always, Ikris was expressionless. Like someone without emotion.

So I couldn’t notice right away. The fact that he’s crying now.

“…… Ikris.”

Tears that flowed like lies on the agency’s face like a doll. I looked blankly at the alien look and managed to squeeze out a voice.

“Are you …… crying now?”

As if truthfully expressing my hard-to-believe feelings, the end of the speech trembled.

“………”

Ikris didn’t say a word, just looked at me with tears in his eyes and didn’t answer. But, above his head, the stark black and red favor gauge bar began to flash dangerously.

With a loud thud, my chest sank. Reflexively, I raised my hand to his cheek.

“Don’t cry, Ikris. Why are you crying.”

Wiping wet tears with my thumb, I coaxed the baby to cry. Then at the same time as him, he chose [8 million gold] from the system window still floating above. After a while, the [Confirm Favorability] next to the Favorability Gauge column turned into a number.

[Favorability 84%].

“…What?”

I looked at the clear white numbers and sucked in a breath. Why, why 84%?

The brain suddenly became insanely crowded. The last time I confirmed it in the glass greenhouse, it was definitely “86%”. I remember it well. But …… For the first time, Ikris’s favorability dropped.

“Please …… tell me.”

At that time, drying his tears also stopped, looking at the determined me, he spoke.” Who is that man?”

Suppressed voice, before it dawned on me.

“…… He is the crown prince.”

I spoke the truth without burden. Then, Ikris’s pupils shook.

“The crown prince ……?”

“Yes.”

He shed tears, but the face that remained unchanged wonderfully captured him at that moment. I immediately saw why he did that. The Crown Prince was responsible for destroying his former country.

“His Highness has something to tell me, so come sit at the Duke’s house for a while. I received it.”

“What did you come to pass on to me?”

Said Ikris, asking.

“I received an ancient relic kept at the palace and information about it.”

I dutifully answered, but hid the fact that I had received the diamond mine. That said, there was no gain. Instead, an acceptable reason was duly added.

“I can ask to do what I want as a prize for winning the hunting contest.”

“…… Why don’t you call the squire, and why did that man bring it directly to the master?” (Ikris.)

But Ikris doesn’t seem too convinced. Furthermore, despite knowing that it was the crown prince of the empire, he didn’t hesitate to say the rude remark of “that man”. I was so shocked that I called out to him, causing him to be confused. He was staring at me without even blinking, so no wonder he felt a little creeped out.

Not knowing what answer to give, I racked my brain as if hesitating.

“…… I’m sick.”

Couldn’t think of a better excuse than that. As expected. Seemingly surprised, Ikris’s eyes became a thousand shades of gray.

“It hurts …… right?”

“That’s why I can’t go to the palace, His Highness is going to see if something’s wrong and came by to convey it.”

“I don’t want to say …… that’s why I didn’t come to see you right away.”

At last the insistent return of the question ceased.

Ikris couldn’t speak. He pursed his lips like someone who doesn’t know what answer to come up with, and after a while asked softly.” Does it hurt very …… much?”

“It might have been too much during the Hunting Competition, I got sick with a cold.”

“That’s why I can’t move a step out of the bed.”

I chanted the lie as if nothing had happened, wondering how my appearance was illuminated by him. I just felt the tingle of warm skin that touched the underside of my hand …….

“Why?”

The stream of water from the hand that wet his cheek began to grow.” Why master, for me ……”

“Don’t you say a word to me every time?”

“Ikris. That’s …….”

“You could also send someone else, or a deacon, to tell me.”

Unlike the still-dull expression, the sadness-filled tone overwhelmed me. There’s nothing to be gained by asking in such a calculating manner.

It might be that I alone have come to a conclusion about such a look, and the hand holding the withered flower crown puts in strength all of a sudden.” I, I said to the master, that kind of value is also ……”

“Shy, don’t be like that.”

I coaxed him back in a panic.

“Getting first place, dang it, let me win, the way the goals are scored, what will become of my face? Hmm?”

“And my present, don’t pinch it.”

I put the giddy hand down with the tears that flowed from Ikris’ eyes and folded the one that was squeezing the flower crown.

“You’re ruining it.”

“It’s wilted and nothing but trash. It needs to be thrown away …….”

“It’s mine, to throw it away or not, that’s a matter of my judgment.”

Pulling his hand from me, he quickly stopped Ikris, who was trying to hide it behind his back. Then his tightly grasping fingers reluctantly unfolded.

In fact, he really didn’t want to give it away, wanted to shake me off though. But he seemed to lose it to me reluctantly, releasing the power in his hand.” He’s cute ………”

The mood seemed to loosen a bit, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Then he managed to remove a bouquet of white flowers from his hand.

How tightly he held it had been pinched halfway through and muttered. If the stem of the flower hadn’t been a little stronger, it would have broken all the way through, reaching the level where it should be thrown away, according to his words. I carefully removed the corolla that could no longer be called a corolla. Soon the withered, all hardened one was slowly lifted up.

“Well. Does it fit?”

Putting the flower crown made by Ikris on my head and smiling the biggest smile possible, I looked back at him. Because he recalled the witnessed story of being laughed at by the Crown Prince’s scroll.

Ikris looked at me silently for a moment.” Why, not good?”

I asked, cocking my head. Ikris shook his head slowly after a considerable amount of time.

“…No.”

“It’s…beautiful, my lord.”

He murmured. There was an illusion that the tear-stained gray eyes were pure cloudiness for a second. Wanted to double-check, but the shimmering dark red goodness gauge bar suddenly caught the eye.

It’s praise that won’t drop any further.”

Recalling the 2% drop in favorability, I narrowed my eyes and smiled.” Great. Thanks.”

“Did you say it’s my favorite flower?”

Memory Watanabe Apricot I asked in a pretense of composure, and Ikris’s head up, which I had been hearing until now, trembled. There was no answer, but he looked slightly red under his eyes. I smiled more intensely than before and opened my mouth.

“I received a gift, so I should return it. Do you need anything else?” Asked like that, he shook his head. Or, strangely enough, he called for a “frequent search for himself” in an attempt to solidify an uneasy position within the Order.” I ……”

But today’s Ikris.

“I want to be the Master’s only Knight.” Not a refusal, but an unsolicited request.

“…… What does that mean?”

With an unexpected answer, I carefully re-examined Ikris. He was only crying and didn’t have time to look.

You mean, for your own personal space?

Hang the ivory shard I gave you around your neck. Looking at the ornate necklace that contrasted with the worn out hanger, I said a little too late.” You are already my knight. And my only knight.”

“Why else would I offer you all the prey I catch?” Vaguely, like a courtship, he said, giggling again. I noticed what I was gazing at. Ikris peeked at the necklace hanging around my neck and replied.

“I don’t actually need these, Master. May I have the necklace again?”

“…… What?”

I was stunned by that statement. As I handed him the necklace, he kissed it and his favorability rating rose dramatically.

So far, the favorability rating had gone up whenever monetary support for a gift had been generously offered. I was pleased with it. Ikris knew it would be, of course. But now his fighting spirit isn’t necessarily there, as if I’m forcibly wrapping them up.” So what do you, what do you want?”

Am I missing something? Feeling uneasy because of that, I asked in a hurry.” I ……”

Ikris hesitated for a moment and immediately looked at me with a clear line of sight and opened her mouth.” I also want to have a sword teacher, master.”