I Can’t Run Away From the Girl Who Saved Me

35 – Corpse Pickup (2)

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morning came again.

Sylvia woke up rubbing her stiff eyes roughly with the force of crushing them.

Judging by the sunlight shining through the window, the weather today must have been very clear, but unlike the weather, her mood was the worst.

It was because the dream was very wild last night.

Sylvia lowered her eyes and looked at Ash’s face, who was soundly asleep in her arms.

I’ve been holding my arm under his head all night and my arm didn’t tingle at all.

Ash was such a small and light creature.

A slender boy who seemed like he would die just by holding her tightly, was sleeping happily between Sylvia’s arms and arms.

Sylvia, who was grumpy for no reason at that carefree-looking face, lightly covered the sleeping Ash’s nose.

“…fufu”

Ash, who had fallen asleep without knowing the world, stayed still for about 3 seconds, then shook his head and then exhaled through his mouth.

Sylvia smiled and let go of his nose.

Ash rubbed his nose in his sleep and buried his head in Sylvia’s arms.

Ash’s breath ran down Sylvia’s breastbone and tickled the tip of Sylvia’s chin.

Silvia gently patted Ash on the head and whispered very softly.

It wasn’t the words Ash asked to hear, it was a grumbling to himself.

“Why did you say that yesterday and make me have bad dreams?”

Even with such sweet breath of Ash by her side, Sylvia clearly had nightmares.

Of course, it was a bit different from the nightmares I had had before.

Until now, Sylvia’s nightmare had always been someone’s death.

The soldiers who melted without leaving any shape in an instant by the demon king’s magic, and the adventurers who were caught in a wicked trap and scattered.

Colleagues screaming as if their lungs spouting miasma were about to explode, blocking the demon king’s subordinates and shouting to get out of here.

And, when everything was over, Sylvia herself, who collapsed after discovering that everyone was dead.

I arrived with a tired body, but the village of Millwood turned into ruins overnight because of me.

Numerous villagers who cut down the demon lord with their swords.

Seeing a toothless newborn baby crawling with red eyes to kill another child in the bed next to him, and then strangling the child.

Sylvia herself, who was the only one left alive again, realizing that all of this was the curse of the demon king, vomited an animal-like metal sound that was unknown whether it was laughter or crying.

Until now, her nightmares had been guilt.

It was the worst pain inflicted upon her, who wanted to atone for her sins with death, but couldn’t even die because of the damn curse.

However, the nightmare I had last night was different.

It was a nightmare full of fear, not guilt.

A dream in which Ash leaves her.

“…Ash, you stupid idiot.”

They slept together last night and shared a comfortable and warm atmosphere, but nothing had changed.

Still, Sylvia is not Ash’s family.

It was an undeniable fact, as Ash also gave a stern answer that did not suit that part.

In the end, Sylvia still had the anxiety that Ash might leave someday.

Sylvia puffed out her cheeks and pressed her index finger against Ash’s soft cheek.

Ash’s cheek, which was as soft as freshly baked bread, gently embraced Sylvia’s fingers.

Sylvia whispered as she rubbed the back of her hand gently on Ash’s soft cheek, which had been left with red marks from her pressure.

“Now I… I don’t think I can sleep properly without you.”

About a month and a half since Ash came to this forest.

Compared to the four years before that, it was a wonderfully colorful day full of emotions and fidelity.

Ash is very cute and can communicate well, but before that, just one more mouth increased, and the work to be done subtly increased.

The day passed quickly just by thinking about what Ash would cook and what he would like to catch.

Since I have something to focus on, the days when I feel guilty alone have decreased.

Of course, as much as I forgot about them, the guilt that came to me from time to time had grown frighteningly.

The desire for apology and destruction that cannot be resolved without strangling oneself.

Still, Sylvia was grateful that she could not be plagued with guilt every day.

“I… I don’t think I can be alone anymore…”

Sylvia, who locked herself in the forest and waited for the end of her life, tormented by guilt, was sometimes haunted by some fearful thoughts.

The thought was, ‘What if the demon king’s curse prevents death from aging?’ was

I’ve seen him jump off a cliff and break his neck, and I’ve seen him put a knife through his own throat.

I tried to cut off water and food for over half a year, and even submerged in water for five days.

It was all painful enough to kill her, but it never brought her to death.

It did not become undead.

Because in the whole process, I could feel the pain vividly enough to be terrifying.

Surprisingly, the most painful thing I did was to sink in the water.

Not being able to die from being suffocated from not being able to breathe was more painful than having a broken neck or being burned all over.

Of course, even in the physical pain that seemed like it would go crazy, the mental pain caused by that damn guilt still lit up and tortured Sylvia.

There was even a time when he impulsively tried to cut out his own brain.

That’s why Ash was very precious to her.

An existence that soothes loneliness, makes you forget your guilt, and provides something to immerse yourself in.

Although they had only been together for a month and a half, Sylvia did not seem to be able to endure a single day of life without Ash.

Sylvia quietly whispered the words she had been pondering all day yesterday.

“…How can I become a family with you?”

In fact, it occurred to Sylvia that she had found the clue when Ash asked her to sleep with her last night.

Another way to become a family, and, except for adoption, is almost the only way for non-blood related people to become a family.

love.

married couple.

“I already knew, but…”

Of course, Sylvia wasn’t very sure that Ash liked her.

I heard the secret whispers of the adventurers I used to hang out with,

She knew very well that a tall, muscular woman like herself would not attract many men.

Most men preferred a small, charming girl like Maria.

In addition, the problem was that even Sylvia herself was not sure whether she liked Ash.

She just thought it would be nice to live with Ash forever.

No, more precisely, I hated not being able to live with Ash.

Of course, what else could it be if it wasn’t love, Sylvia was not aware of it herself.

Still, Sylvia definitely felt something yesterday.

I was relieved when Ash apologized, and when he hugged Sylvia with all his might, my heart was pounding.

“married couple…”

Ash said yesterday.

Sharing the same experiences and feeling the same emotions in the same space at the same time.

that’s family

Sylvia thought that love was not the same.

Romance is also something that blooms between being together in time and space.

If so, the reason why he and Ash can’t become a family is because they haven’t been able to share enough time yet.

Conversely, it also means that it is a problem that time will solve.

Sylvia was imagining a future for the two of them to build together with Ash while listening to Ash’s family stories last night.

Until the story of the fiancé came out.

＊

yesternight.

The evil words that came out of Ash’s mouth had driven away all the drowsiness at once.

“what?”

“…hmm? Mr. Sylvia?”

Sylvia lifted Ash’s chin with one finger.

Ash, lying on his side in Sylvia’s arms, forcibly looked up at her face.

Ash saw those ominous red eyes twinkling in the darkness that warmed the comfort.

“Why are you…?”

“Do you have a fiancée?”

“Uh… is that so…? Oh, I didn’t have an engagement ceremony, so I’m not an official fiancee.”

“… Details.”

Ash explained with a puzzled expression.

After receiving the title of baron, the count proposed an engagement to welcome Ash into the family.

It was said that he would have adopted Ash if he had not received the title of baron, so this must have been due to the pure good intentions of the count.

Of course, only verbal promises were made and there was no official engagement ceremony.

In the first place, it is said that the process was not going well because the young lady who was to be his fiancée was not in the manor.

To Ash, Young-ae was his sister’s friend and had known him since childhood, but it didn’t seem like there was a spark of romance between the two.

“In the first place, that older sister probably doesn’t like me very much.”

“… Why do you think so?”

“Uh… when I was… young…”

“hmm?”

“I once ran away with a… lizard attached to my sister’s back.”

“…”

“…”

For a reason so stupid, Sylvia was speechless for a moment.

All I could think was, ‘Ah, Ash must have been quite naughty when he was younger’.

“… swimming,”

“… her,”

“hehehe, you must still be afraid of lizards.”

right!

Sylvia lightly clenched her fist and lightly hit Ash on the head.

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I swung my wrist lightly and squeezed it lightly, but the sound rang louder than expected.

“Guak!”

“You were surprised.”

“Ah… what is it?”

Ash asked, rubbing his hair with a teary face.

Sylvia opened her mouth slowly.

“…that’s not a fiancée.”

“yes? why?”

“Anyway, no. It wouldn’t have been if the engagement ceremony hadn’t happened. you idiot”

“Ah… is that so?”

Ash asked like an idiot.

Sylvia burst into irritation.

“What, did you want to marry her so much?”

“No, it’s not like that… I just wanted to be a family with the Countess…”

“I can’t do it anymore.”

Sylvia cut it off.

Perhaps she said it too coldly without even realizing it, she lightly regretted it.

It was a remark that did not consider Ash, who ran away recklessly to live in a situation where he did not know what danger might befall the count’s family who helped his family.

Sylvia carefully looked down at Ash.

Ash burrowed into Sylvia’s arms with a pouting face and made a groaning sound.

“… I know.”

“… huh.”

Even though she hadn’t eaten much, she felt a bit stuffy inside, but Sylvia calmly hugged Ash, who had just come into her arms, and patted him on the forehead she had just slapped.

Sylvia, who had already run away from sleep, wanted to hear more of Ash’s story.

However, now Ash was the limit.

He was asleep in Sylvia’s arms before he knew it, breathing quietly and evenly.

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