Chapter 148.

My palms tingled and I forgot how to breathe for a moment. I’d been in contact with Ikris several times before, but he’d never openly shown me affection.

‘Not even once.’

I’ve had plenty of people scold me for not coming around too often, but he’s never reached out to me. I gazed at him in surprise and let out a slow sighing breath. It was sudden, but it wasn’t a surprise.

96% would be enough, I guess!

I remembered that in Normal Mode, meeting and physical contact was late because of status restrictions. I nodded my head.

Suddenly it felt warm near my cheeks. Looking up, still staring at my blind eyes, my fingertips tingled with a creepy feeling.

Trying not to show that marvelous feeling, I smiled awkwardly.

“Are you blaming me now? Foul play.”

“It’s not my misfortune or mood that matters to you.”

Ikris, still burying his lips in my palm, returned to his original state after a moment.

“…… So?”

“Just focus on what you should be doing right now.”

“The things I should be doing?”

“Yeah, as you said. You’re my only knight, stronger than anyone else, to guard me.”

“For me, it’s only you, Ikris.”

At that moment, I had the illusion that something flashed in the gray pupils, and then disappeared again in a flash. He lifted his arm and reached up to his cheek, covering my hand. A rush of warmth washed over the back of his cold hand.

I rode it out and ordered him. Not on purpose, but for some reason, urgently.

“Be by my side.”

Until I escape, don’t think about exile or anything like that, stay where you are.

“You would do that, wouldn’t you?”

“Hmm?”

At my urging, Ikris grunted in a low voice.

“I …… I don’t know what my master is thinking.”

“But …… I hope that my master will stop grieving for my master’s tormentor.”

“I’m fine.”

“I will try to make you really well.”

Muttered like a vow. The agitation gradually calmed down.

Yeah. The hero won’t leave without me!

I let out a sigh of relief. Looking at the flashing crimson favor bar, I quickly made a choice.

[System] Subtract [4,000,000 gold] to determine [Ikris]’s favorability. (Remaining gold: 28,000,000 gold)

It was a shock to see the deducted gold, but that instant.

[Favorable Sense 98%]

“…… Ikris.”

2%, finally.

Suddenly choking. I struggled to make a sound.

“For me …… By the way, is there anything else you want to say?”

I felt the immense force of his fingers pressing my hand to my cheek. He opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then said in a sure voice.

“I will let you do it, Master.”

It wasn’t the answer I’d hoped for. It was hard for me to suppress my disappointment and anxiety about Ikris.

Because it hadn’t filled 100% yet.

It’s now just over a week before the Bar Mitzvah. If I work a little harder in the meantime, can I fight for the remaining 2% and the confession of love.

The words revert to [Confirmation of Good Feelings], and I stare blankly, caught up in the moment of such thoughts.

“…… I’ll do that.”

Ikris muttered something again and again like he was talking to himself.

The next day, the Duke surprised me by accepting my defense of leaving the banquet hall first, probably because it was something Penelope often did.

–Even so, just go forward. Tsk, tsk, a bar mitzvah is on the horizon, and you have to treat it like a child.

But one cannot avoid unsatisfactory nagging.

I went to Ikris as often as I could from that day on. But it was hard to raise the remaining 2% of goodwill.

It came to the final stage. Again, I sent gifts, said sweet words, and touched him tenderly while confirming the favorability, but he just looked at me with deep eyes.

In addition, the daily classes prevented the meeting, and gradually looked down on the sword master I hired for the sake of goodwill.

— Why don’t we skip class and go out together today?

One day, I coaxed with a sweet voice, but immediately became embarrassed with an expression and flickering favorability, and immediately changed my words to a joke.

It doesn’t matter either way, keeping an eye on Ikris’ favorability, without realizing it, he became so attached to swordsmanship. This is the main line of the game’s story.

Desperately going to him like that, barely gaining 99% favorability, with only 6 days left in the Bar Mitzvah, it’s getting harder and harder for me to hide my anxiety as time passes without rising to 100%.

Ha …… Even if it gets to 100%, how do I lead him to a confession of love?

I pressed my head, which was in excruciating pain, and fell into a deep agony.

In normal mode, there is no need to worry about this. Because at the right time, he will start preparing for the confession. Even if it didn’t fill up to 100%, the white progress bar turned dark pink, indicating that the confession had already begun.

“Right. So there is such a thing.”

In my haste to fill up the favorability, I forgot about that setting for a moment. The color of the good feeling progress bar.

It’s like this, if the confession proceeds, the good feeling progress bar will also temporarily change color in normal mode. It’s not the same as the difficult mode I experienced.

Is it that important? I don’t care much about the color of the progress bar because the goodwill that directly relates to life is more important.

But now the Ikris thread is coming to an end. Starting to worry about the crimson progress bar on his head.

It can’t be …… What’s crimson, a vengeful heart against the Empire means death, it’s not like that, is it? No way! I shook my head back and forth, curbing the horrible thoughts.99% goodwill was not accounted for either.

Ah…… how the hell do I get up there? With my lips, like that crazy guy?

I don’t know. Biting my lip, I racked my brain. Buckle-

“Miss, it’s Fennel.”

The butler’s visit alerted me.

It was long after dinner time, and a little surprised at the late visit.

“…… Come in.”

With a bang, the door opened. The butler walked in. Entering respectfully, he immediately explained the reason for the visit.

“Miss, the Duke said to enjoy a simple breakfast together tomorrow morning.”

“A …… breakfast?”

“Yes. The retreat from the palace has been delayed because of a meeting of the nobility, and I am told it will be hard work.”

Surprised by the sudden news, I listened to the added words and nodded coldly.

“I know. Of course I’m going to cooperate. Tell him I’ll be up early to get ready.”

“Okay.”

“Then it’s hard work.”

“Ah, and ……”

Having said what he had to say, the butler didn’t go out and hesitated.

“There’s a letter from the palace, miss.”

The hand that was unintentionally flipping through the book stopped for a split second.

“Is it an invitation to a banquet?”

“No. This time it was delivered directly through the Crown Prince’s valet ……”

“Burned.”

I answered without a care in the world.

“Also, not well, appropriately speaking, convalescing.”

“Yes, I see.”

The butler replied hesitantly. Suddenly felt suffocated in the short time it took to answer.

Snapping- After skimming through it roughly, I cover the book in my hand in annoyance.

“Butler, remember in the future, don’t ask such things in the future.”

As if noticing my uncomfortable mood, the butler bowed deeply, made a curtsy, and hurriedly left the room.

The end of a villain is only death