The Sub-Heroine’s Butler Is a Vicious Bastard

51. Self-study week (4)

Consciousness that was going away.

In the meantime, I saw Koyono cutting down the titantula as if dancing.

For a while, I felt gratitude and pride from her figure who pulled out her sword and protected Arlot.

Knowing her past, I felt a sense of incongruity in her appearance.

‘I couldn’t have overcome the trauma already.’

For Koyono, using a sword means overcoming trauma.

This kind of overcoming was something that could only happen if her favorability was close to 100.

No, even with these game-like events behind…

It was strange that the past, which had haunted him all his life, was overcome so quickly.

“Keugh… ”

In the end, I got up despite feeling extremely exhausted.

Because I had to approach Koyono and check her condition.

“Miss Koyono… Are you okay?”

“ha… ha… ”

Koyono remained frozen in the same posture as she had swung her sword.

It was shaking so much that it could be distinguished with the naked eye.

His expression was messed up, as if he was about to burst into tears.

The eyes that were out of focus reacted to the voice belatedly, but it seemed to be shaking as if something was firmly wrong.

Chae Chaeng-

Soon, with a sharp noise, Koyono let go of the sword.

After that, she collapsed as if her legs had lost strength…

“Koyono-san, Koyono!”

“Ugh… eww… ”

He just trembled while hugging his knees.

He started muttering something with a low moan.

Arlott, who brought a wheelchair belatedly, gets off and kneels on the floor.

She tried hard to grab Koyono’s cheeks and make eye contact, but Koyono just kept avoiding them.

“Your body is fine. Because of the mental illness… ”

“… yes. I see.”

Arlott was not surprised by my words.

On the contrary, he let out a quiet voice as if he knew something.

Did she even know something?

… Now, rather than having such doubts, moving her to a safe place should be the priority.

“I will quickly collect the by-products of Mr. Koyono and the boss monster. Mr. Evan takes care of the princess… As soon as the probation is over, we will start again at the dungeon entrance.”

“… … ”

Evan nods silently and grabs Arlott’s wheelchair.

Manastone of spider monsters, Titandula’s manastone.

Then, quickly push the treasure chest located in one corner of the boss room into the bag.

Feeling a sense of crisis as the trembling on her back is getting worse,

My party and I quickly headed for the dungeon’s exit.

“Has anything happened?”

“okay… He didn’t come out until the end of the night, so he thought something had happened.”

They are gatekeepers who greet the party with worried expressions.

Looking at the sky, wondering how much time has passed, it seems that the sun has already set and night has arrived.

“Did you bring the tent? It’s late at night, so I’d recommend just staying out here.”

“okay. No matter how close to the capital… There is no guarantee that monsters and bandits will not appear.”

I wanted to go to the capital as soon as possible to check Koyono’s condition, but…

The gatekeeper recommended staying overnight because it was late at night.

“… I can’t help it. I will prepare a tent.”

With Evan’s help, they set up a tent and built a campfire.

Arlot covers Koyono with a blanket and is seen talking nonstop.

Despite her efforts, Koyono’s condition did not improve.

Dinner was a simple dry meal.

Everyone was so exhausted that they weren’t even in a state to cook, and the person who would eat the most delicious food was in that state.

Arlott takes care of Koyono’s meals,

I take care of Arlott’s meal.

That appearance reminded me of the dining scene in the dungeon, and it was strangely bitter.

“I can keep… no, cow… ”

“I heard you couldn’t protect it. Thanks to Koyono-san, the Princess…”

“Cheek… Wound…”

Koyono’s helpless gaze turned to Arlott’s cheek.

There, as if scratched by something, there was a clear scar.

“Princess, the scar on your cheek…”

“It’s nothing. More than that, now…”

Arlott’s gaze turned to Koyono.

A clear scar on his cheek.

Maybe that reminded me of the past where I couldn’t protect Hime?

All in all, it happened when I was trying to overcome my trauma.

If not, did she try to protect Arlott even while driving herself?

… I do not know.

The whole situation, and I was just resentful of myself for not being able to properly control it.

“Are you okay, Koyono-san?”

“…I think we should head to the capital as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.”

“I agree. Even before I fell asleep, I looked so bad.”

Arlot helped Koyono sleep in the tent, and the two stood in front of the fire again.

I soaked a cloth with the remaining potion and treated the wound on Arlott’s cheek.

He must have been bitter, but it seemed that he stayed silent to take care of Koyono.

“… I’m not sure, but Koyono-san, is that something related to swords?”

“… … ”

“Mr. Koyono told me everything. Even the things of the past, and the things you comforted them.”

“I see… I see.”

“So, if you feel guilty… I hope you don’t.”

Arlott took my hand as he was treating the wound.

Maybe it was because of being at the bonfire for a long time, the touch on my stomach was warmer than usual.

“Koyono was grateful. Schmidt gave her the courage to stand up again. That’s why…!”

Arlott’s eyes shimmer in the bonfire.

For a while, it loses its light and disappears.

At the end of those eyes, there was a tent where Koyono was sleeping.

“…I guess I’ll have to hear this from Koyono myself.”

She swallowed the words and turned the wheelchair into the tent.

The situation brought two tents to separate women and men.

Evan in the men’s tent fell asleep early, probably from exhaustion, while Koyono was having a hard time falling asleep in the women’s tent.

After helping her to settle down next to Koyono, I got out of the tent.

“Good night, princess.”

“Yeah, good night Schmitz too.”

The gatekeepers work 24 hours a day, so it didn’t seem necessary to set up a separate vigil.

… Of course, I plan on taking a nap in case of an unexpected situation.

It was me who fell into a light sleep, seated next to Evan, who was sleeping unaware of the world.

* * *

Koyono had a dream.

It was a nightmare that I hadn’t had for a while after leaving the ordeal.

Koyono looked around.

She knelt down in the gymnasium of Heirin Castle.

There were people around her who raised their voices and shed bloody tears.

They were the people of the castle who rebuked Koyono for failing to protect Hime.

“Aren’t you ashamed, Torino Koyono?”

“If you have a mouth, at least speak.”

“You have to cut your throat right now, right now!”

The one Koyono couldn’t protect was Hime.

She, a noble and noble being, as a warrior, had abandoned her and ran away.

“I won’t talk too long.”

A terrifying shadow casts before his eyes.

The one who looked down at her with disgust while wearing samurai armor…

It was none other than Koyono’s father.

“Have seppuku.”

He declared this to Koyono.

Then, as if a father threw it away, he handed her something.

It was the same sword he wielded throughout his life to protect Hime.

“If you have at least a conscience, spill your intestines and die right here.”

A father’s gaze at his daughter.

It sank in a degree of coolness I had never seen before.

Koyono couldn’t stand the gaze and pulled out her sword.

However

“… Whoops.”

The sword he drew vigorously failed to cut her stomach.

The quivering sword left a long bloodstain on Koyono’s stomach, but it was not enough to kill the viscera.

“Bitch without a conscience… !”

“Are you still a samurai after all?”

“Are you going to abandon bushido and become a disgrace to the family?!”

This was followed by curses and saliva directed at her, and stones of all sizes.

Koyono thought as she felt the weight of those things that were a little too heavy for her, who was about 10 years old.

Soon this nightmare will end.

So, Koyono awoke from her dream.

When I got up, a cold sweat broke out on my back.

Soon after, she remembered that she was not in Heian Castle, but in a remote dungeon in the south.

Arlott was sleeping soundly next to her.

“… I couldn’t die in my dream this time either.”

It didn’t matter who was in the tent.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a nightmare that hasn’t changed at all.

That fact weighed heavily on Koyono’s shoulders.

I carefully watched the wound on Arlott’s cheek.

I’m sure if Koyono hadn’t stepped forward, I’d have been killed by the spider.

Arlott survived thanks to Koyono stopping the spider.

But that was all.

I spent several years saying that I would protect someone with a shield, but…

Neither he nor the content of his dreams have changed.

… Something will be different this time. I had some false hopes, though.

“… haha… ”

I felt like I was stuck in the sand.

A sandy beach from which you cannot escape no matter how hard you struggle.

If you just try to overcome the past, it will suddenly swallow you up,

He was a shameless guy who spit it out casually.

It’s a thing of the past to say that it’s painful enough to die, or that I’d rather die.

Because she didn’t even have the courage to die.

He just showed himself helpless and knelt down.

The past that appeared every time she raised her sword was such an existence to her.

“… If you don’t do this… The girl… ”

Koyono told herself and left the tent.

I moved carefully lest Arlott wake up.

My body, which was constantly shaking, staggered involuntarily.

After walking for a long time into the nearby forest, Koyono unwrapped the bandages wrapped around her wrist.

Soon, the dagger in my hand glistened in the moonlight-

Her habit begins to engrave oblique lines on her wrist, which has been healing in full swing.