Chapter 134: Tears After the Battle

After detaching Reysir Daudabina and sending him to Hailga, I moved my steps toward where Liolikin was.

Liolikin had been sent flying by the monster’s attack while trying to protect me.

It was only morally right for me to show him some concern.

Besides, the auditorium entrance was still blocked, so I couldn’t leave this place right away anyway.

“Myaang, nyanya, nyat!”

Yor was checking on Liolikin’s condition on my behalf, since I had been caught by the Protagonist of Another Novel.

Then, as I approached, he welcomed me with a lively meow.

In one hand, he held an empty potion bottle, and with the other, he gave a firm thumbs up.

‘Does he mean there’s nothing to worry about because he took proper measures before it was too late?’

For the record, the potion was, of course, something I had purchased in advance to prepare for today.

Still, I doubted anyone would suspect me of foreseeing this incident.

Since this Possession Body belongs to the young master of a high-ranking Dukedom, it wouldn’t be strange for me to carry one or two expensive potions at all times.

Everyone would likely just overlook it as nothing out of the ordinary.

“Were you seriously injured?”

“I, I fainted for a m-moment because I hit my head on the floor the w-wrong way, but it wasn’t a s-serious injury..!

If I h-hadn’t hit my head, I w-would have been able to jump r-right back up…

Ah! B-but it did h-hurt, it did…!

Not j-just my head, but my arms r-really throbbed every time I b-blocked an attack….

The s-shock was so bad my stomach f-felt like it was turning inside out…

I was incredibly s-scared, but….”

He seemed to be claiming that although he unluckily fainted this time, his skills as a guard were by no means lacking.

At the same time, he was trying to appeal to me to worry about him and find him commendable for getting hurt while protecting me.

Whether his words were contradictory or not, the way he appealed to two opposing points at once was very much like Liolikin.

“Still, you look fine now.”

“Ye, yes…! It’s thanks to Y-Yor giving me a p-potion…! S-so now I’m c-completely fine!”

That’s a relief.

Only after confirming Liolikin’s safety was I able to feel completely at ease.

It finally sank in that this incident had come to an end.

No one died.

Even though the plan went awry because the professors didn’t step in.

The gap between the dizziness I felt then and the relief I felt now was so large that the strength left my legs, and I slumped down without realizing it.

“U-uh… A-are you okay?”

I was not okay at all.

Since it was as good as being caught having been tense all this time, I felt embarrassed.

I wanted to get up immediately, but I gave up because I thought it would be even more embarrassing if I fell again.

Anyway, Liolikin was also sitting on the floor, so it was more comfortable to keep sitting to talk to him.

I opened my mouth, trying my best to manage my expression as if nothing were wrong.

“Of course I’m fine. Because you protected me.”

“Ah…! R-right…! I, I protected Karbaldr…!!”

Liolikin seemed to show a moment of concern, but after hearing my answer, he wore an expression that went beyond pride and into being deeply moved.

Just as I had belatedly realized the incident ended safely without anyone being sacrificed.

He must have realized it just now as well.

That while everyone else was feeling fear and running away.

He alone stood in front of the terrifying monster.

And by doing so, he achieved the result of protecting someone else’s life.

‘When Hard finds out about today’s events, he’ll probably send a gift to Liolikin.

Maybe to Reysir Daudabina as well.

Since he’s a Duke in name, he can’t possibly leave those who saved his son’s life without any reward.’

However, in episode 128, Liolikin said that he didn’t want a reward from the Dukedom, but rather my praise.

And today, he had done something truly worthy of praise.

So, I decided to provide the reward he truly desired.

“Yes, you protected me. From a giant and terrifying monster. It was a very courageous act.”

“R…, Right…!! I was very c-courageous!!!”

“Everyone here will think so. No one will be able to call you a coward anymore!”

“……!!”

“So from now on, don’t think of yourself as a coward, and live with confidence. While you’re at it, try to fix your habit of stuttering too.”

“Ye, yes…! I w…ill do that..!!”

The power of praise was truly great.

While valuing the courage he showed today, I slipped in a suggestion to fix his stuttering, and Liolikin immediately showed an effort to improve his way of speaking.

As expected, what he needed was confidence and someone’s recognition.

“Meow, Meooow~!”

When my conversation with Liolikin ended, Yor wound himself around my body as if he had been waiting, letting out a cry that sounded a bit grumpy.

It was as if he were protesting, or perhaps pestering me for something……

“Yor, you were also really brave and amazing. To think you could make that giant monster feel afraid….”

“Myaang, Myang~”

Just in case, I offered words of praise, and Yor wagged his tail, looking very happy.

It seems this was indeed what he wanted.

Even though I was planning to praise him plenty in the carriage back to the Possession Body’s Capital, and Yor probably guessed that.

He must have wanted to be praised in front of others.

“D-didn’t I tell… you? Yor can d-drive away most guys just with his g-glance. It wasn’t because I’m a coward that I was s-scared…!”

It seems this one felt very wronged about being treated like a scaredy-cat who was afraid of a kitten (though it’s actually a Dragon) all this time.

I briefly contemplated whether I should apologize for the misunderstanding.

But no matter how I thought about it, the one I should apologize to wasn’t Liolikin, but Yor.

‘Surely Yor must have noticed.

That I didn’t truly believe those words from Liolikin.

That’s why he didn’t properly explain how he could stop the Boss Monster’s movements during the strategy meeting!’

How sorrowful it must have been for him that his owner didn’t recognize his greatness.

“I’m sorry, Yor. I should have believed in your abilities…”

“Meow, Nyaong, Myaaat, Myamyang Nyaooo~!”

“Right. From now on, I will never doubt your abilities.”

“Nyaang, Nyaang”

Yor accepted my apology very generously.

The fact that he did was so joyful that I hugged and stroked my great and wonderful baby Dragon tightly, when suddenly the Yeouiju bracelet on my wrist caught my eye.

After the Original Protagonist defeated the Boss Monster, the Yeouiju had switched to silent mode, so I had momentarily forgotten its existence.

“Thanks for this bead, too. It must be a precious item, so thank you for lending it to me.”

“Myaa~, Mya~”

I showed my wrist to Yor, indicating that he could take it back now.

However, instead of returning the bracelet to its original form, Yor lightly patted my wrist where the bracelet was worn.

As if telling me I could continue to keep it.

Knowing how important the Yeouiju is to a Dragon, a wave of emotion like a tidal wave washed over me.

But unfortunately, it was impossible to fully surrender myself to that surging tide right now.

Not only were there too many eyes watching us…

“Hic, ugh….”

It was because Vigdis had squatted down next to me, sobbing.

Even putting aside the fact that we had to appear to maintain a smooth engagement in the eyes of others.

I simply couldn’t ignore the situation itself.

“Why on earth are you crying?”

“That’s because, Kar almost died…!”

It couldn’t be because she was afraid that if her fiancé died like this, she would end up being sold off in marriage to a 70-year-old man, right?

Even though I am trying to keep a psychological distance from the main characters of the Original Work.

Still, I can’t go beyond ignoring the heart of someone who worries about me and actually condemn them, can I?

Therefore, I decided not to arbitrarily distort Vigdis’s words and to take them exactly as they were.

As a result, I felt very awkward and didn’t know how to respond.

“Well, that is…. As a result, I didn’t die, so isn’t it fine…?”

“Huaaaaaang!”

At the very least, I knew very well that I had chosen the wrong answer.

Thinking I should have just kept my mouth shut, I tried handing her a handkerchief without a word this time.

Fortunately, it was effective.

Vigdis’s crying reduced back to the level of sobbing.

“Hic, ugh…. I’m sorry…”

“An apology is unnecessary. A monster suddenly popped out and tried to kill your fiancé, so it’s natural to cry out of fear and shock…”

“It’s not that…, hic! It’s because I didn’t do anything by myself…”

Unconvincing words flowed from Vigdis’s mouth.

Because she helped the Original Protagonist regain his senses by slapping him, I was able to be safe now.

So when I explained that, Vigdis shook her head vigorously, denying her contribution.

“I could only do something like that…! Even with that weak body, Kar attracted the monster’s attention to save Hailga, didn’t you?”

“That’s… um……”

“Liolikin blocked the monster to protect such a Kar… But even though I have a Defense-type Ability like Liolikin, I was too scared to step forward…

I had no choice but to hold onto Reysir Daudabina, who clearly wasn’t in good condition, and beg him to please fight…

That was so, so sinful…”

Certainly, from a medical perspective, Vigdis’s actions were very dangerous.

Right after Reysir Daudabina defeated the Boss Monster.

The reason she clung to me, pouring out words of self-reproach and acting spoiled by asking me to be kind to her, might have been because of that.

Even though she barely managed to come to her senses, her reason hadn’t returned.

But…

“Vigdis. You did the best you could do at that time, and that produced the best result. Do not deny even that fact.”

“St-still… even young Yor was a big help….”

“Yor is a great being by birth, so do not dare to compare yourself.”

“……”

“Don’t compare yourself to Liolikin, who has trained his body for a very long time either.

Moreover, unlike Liolikin’s ability, which creates armor out of Aether to wear over his body, yours is the kind that strengthens the body itself, isn’t it?

But your physical body, which serves as the foundation, hasn’t been sufficiently trained.

You wouldn’t have been able to withstand the monster’s attack.”

When I praised Yor’s greatness, Vigdis looked dumbfounded for a moment, but at the following words, she wore a frustrated expression and bit her lip tightly.

Since she seemed to be blaming herself for not being able to do anything despite having a defense-type ability, I only explained that she had made a wise judgment.

It seems I ended up only stimulating her sense of helplessness instead.

“You aren’t the only one in this place who couldn’t step forward directly.

In fact, the absolute majority were like that.

Not to mention the upperclassmen, but even the professors.

So there’s no need for you to feel ashamed.

Didn’t you at least put in a desperate effort to solve the problem indirectly?”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

“If you feel as if you weren’t of any help.

If your heart is heavy and you feel sorry today, then you just have to work hard to become stronger from now on.

If you do that, you won’t have to desperately cling to someone else to fight in your stead, and you’ll be able to step forward proudly yourself.”

“I…, I’m really going to try.

Much more than I’ve ever done before.

So, if something like today happens again, I’ll fight alongside you..!”

Even while still dripping tears.

Vigdis clenched her hands into fists and stated her aspirations with quite a determined face.