CH 35

After the commotion settled down, Shiori ended up living in Kurst’s mansion. Kurst never, never allowed her to sleep under one roof with Roche.

As for Shiori, it was a pleasure to spend the night with him at his house, as it was difficult for Shiori to meet Kurst because they were both busy with work. She somehow remembered her life in Japan. However, the mansion was much larger than Shiori’s one-room apartment.

She commutes to the store by horse-drawn carriage, and when the time is right, Kurst will sometimes pick her up on the way home. However, there is one thing to be aware of here.

When she was chatting with Roche at the store, or when he was teacher her how to prepare a medicine, Kurst, who came to pick her up, would sulk.

Then, in the carriage back to the mansion, Shiori would either have to sacrifice her own lips to fix Kurst’s mood, or utter embarrassing words of love to reassure him. She tries to be a little careful when Kurst comes to pick her up.

On the business side, sales dropped sharply for a while after quitting the back room business, but as Shiori continued her promotion, the number of customers gradually increased at the small shop in the back alley.

Some of them said that they had been curious about this store for a long time, but there were also cases where they were afraid of Roche sitting at the counter and went home. However, she succeeded in bringing some women to the store, thinking that an ordinary woman like Shiori was also there.

As she continued to steadily attract customers, customers who had used the medicine were impressed by it’s effects, and word of mouth gradually increased the reputation of the pharmacy.

Originally, the reason why there were few customers on the front side was because Roche didn’t do and advertising or bartering because the customers on the back side would drop enough money without doing such a thing.

However, to put it the other way around, the quality of the medicine is good, so if you advertise it, customers will come.

She also feels that Roche has changed his way of doing business and has become a little more serious. Shiori was surprised when he apologized to Syllabus and accepted the job from him again.

When Roche apologized for his disrespect, Syllabus happily accepted and said. “Because the medicine I bought before worked well,” and ordered a lot of medicine for the knights again.

As expected of Roche when taking a large order like this. . . it’s like if you fall, you won’t wake up for free. . .

Thanks to these and other efforts, the amount of her salary, which was quite lonely, returned to the same level as before.

She went back to Japan once, explained various things to her parents, and came back.

Her parents were stunned when their daughter, who had been missing for about two months, suddenly appeared at her parents’ house accompanied by two flashy men named Kurst and Garrell.

It time to get people to believe in the existence of another world, and at one point they were almost taken to a mental hospital, and Kurst and Garrell were about to be arrested by the police, but in the end, her parents understood. It seems that they trusted Shiori’s words and Kurst’s sincerity.

However, it seems like they half doubt about the trip to another world. Their daughter, who started dating a cosplay-loving foreigner, was telling a playful lie.

Shiori intends to visit her home from time to time, so she has no choice but to patiently explain that there are things in this world that cannot be proven by science.

+++

“The older you get, the faster the year goes by. . .”

Shiori looked at the blue sky spreading overhead while muttering lines like an old lady. I feel relieved the the blueness of the sky is the same here as it is on Earth.

When she turned her gaze back, in the center of the amphitheater, two knights clad in armor were riding horses, holding spears, and engaged in a serious duel.

Today is the once-a-year sunny stage for the knights. It’s the day of the cavalry match.

A year ago, I thought I was heartbroken.

I saw Kurst at the parade and was told that he had a fiancee. . .

Comparing the situation at that time with the situation now, I realize how happy I am now.

Today, Shiori came to support Kurst’s match as his lover. At the invitation of the king, she was able to enter the arena that commoners were not allowed to enter.

When she looked at the royal seats where the royal family was sitting, she could see the king, the queen, the 9-year-old princess Cattleya, and the concubine holding the prince.

It seems that the king was interested in Shiori because she was the hero Kurst’s lover and because she came from another world, so far she has been called to the castle several times to talk.

Despite Shiori’s nervousness, the king and queen were kind, and Princess Cattleya was very friendly and cute. She is willing to listen to Shiori’s otherworldly tales, as if she were pestering a fairy tale.

Unbeknownst to her, Shiori is now something of a celebrity among some in power.

A woman who stole the heart of a hero who had never had a lover until now, was liked by the princess, had the guardianship of that eccentric magician, a senior noble and elite knight, Schyle, and a doctor belonging to the knight order. For some reason, she was also close to Syllabus, but she herself was not a noble, and had become a mysterious existence.

Even now, the gazes of the aristocrats in this area are glancing at Shiori.

However, Shiori didn’t pay attention to such an impolite gaze – or rather, she simply didn’t notice it. She worked at Roche’s shop in the morning and came straight to the stadium, so she was watching the game among the nobles, who were dressed up, in her usual dress.

Right now, the final game of the tournament was taking place in front of her, in other words, the final match, and it was Kurst and Schyle who were fighting.

In the first match, Shiori was worried about what would happen if Kurst got injured, but now that she’s made it to the final, her worries are almost gone.

Kurst is ridiculously strong. She realized halfway through that there was no one who could hurt him.

Even now, Schyle probably wasn’t weak at all, but even Shiori, who was an amateur, saw the difference in ability. Kurst runs around the arena on horseback, timing out when to beat Schyle. I’m sure the next attack will decide the outcome.

I want to get a little more nervous, but. . .

Shiori complained extravagantly. But she’d rather watch a boring match than have Kurst hurt himself.

Shiori described the match as ‘boring’, but it seems that the evaluations of those around her are different. Surrounded by loud cheers, Shiori knew the match was over.

“The hero’s victory!”

“It’s lovely!”

“No, Master Schyle was also quite skilled, but should I call him a hero?”

The people around her share their thoughts.

Schyle, who fell off his horse after being hit by Kurst, threw off the helmet that covered his head and lay on the ground with frustrated, but pleasantly tired look on his face.

Shiori nodded in her heart when the woman next to her commented that Kurst was ‘lovely’.

*Sure he was cool. Even though he was clad in silver armor, I could sense his fearlessness and bravery.*

She once again wondered if such a perfect person could be her lover.

*Let’s celebrate when we get home today. I’ll make Kurst’s favorite menu and bake egg tarts for dessert.*

With that in mind, she stood up from her seat and turned her gaze to Kurst in the stadium once again before returning. He held out his hand to Schyle, and after the hand was coldly removed – Schyle’s attitude was the same as ever – but he didn’t seem to care at all, and this time he began to look around the audience.

Kurst took off his helmet and brushed his lightly sweaty hair, and the woman next to her blushed and let out a sigh.

Shiori’s face also blushed unintentionally. That sex appeal is a deadly weapon.

Are you looking for someone?

Kurst looked out over the audience while riding a horse. His line of sight never settles in one place, and he is constantly moving.

However, it seemed that the person he was looking for could not be found no matter how much time passed, and Kurst’s eyes, which were shining with excitement at first, gradually became stained with despair.

A disappointed, hurt face. Even if it’s wrong, it’s not the expression of a knight who won the cavalry match.

Maybe I’m the one you’re looking for?

Shiori finally realized that possibility. She didn’t realize it sooner because she still hasn’t quite come to grips with the happy reality that she’s the lover of that perfect Kurst.

Feeling embarrassed if she misunderstood, Shiori raised her voice and called Kurst.

“Kurst!”

However, her voice was quickly drowned out by the cheers of the crowd around her. The distance to Kurst in the center of the stadium is far, and there is no was he can hear it.

She thought. . .

The moment Shiori called out his name, Kurst, who was facing in the opposite direction, turned around and looked straight at her.

Even though the venue was quite lively and noisy, it was astonishing that Kurst was able to hear Shiori’s voice out of the crowd.

She raised her voice while thinking that there was no way he would notice her, so she was startled when he turned around.

“Kurst”

This time, she said it in a low voice and waved her hand slightly while paying attention to the eyes around her.

Shiori’s eyes are almost blinded by his somewhat innocent, popping smile. She may have become accustomed to Roche, who is always with her, and has become accustomed to his ill-natured, somewhat irritating smile.

Kurst seems happy that Shiori came here to watch his match, so he manipulates his horse and runs towards her.

At first, Shiori was a little hesitant when she heard about this cavalry match and was told by Kurst to come and see it. She knew that all the audience were nobles and big merchants, so she was timid whether she should go to such a place.

Kurst also knew that Shiori didn’t want to come, so he might have been worried about whether she really came to see him today.

But seeing that happy face made Shiori think it was a good thing she came to support him. She was kind of overjoyed, and she naturally smiled back.

But that was all Shiori could afford.

Kurst came running towards her while riding a horse and looked up at Shiori who was sitting in the middle of the audience.

“Shiori!”

He called out and reached out his hand.

All eyes in the arena gathered on Shiori at once. The cheers stopped, replaced by a roar.

Despite Shiori’s freezing, kurst’s hand is still outstretched as if to say, “Come here.”

In this situation, does Kurst want me to go to him?

Shiori cowered in embarrassment from being in the spotlight. He’s used to standing out, so maybe he doesn’t think anything of it, but for Shiori, who’s not a hero and has lived a normal life, she didn’t want to be the center of attention for so many people. . .Cold sweat flows from shame and tension.

I want to ignore Kurst’s hand and run away from this place, but that would make him too pitiful. Even those eyes that stare at me with expectation, I can’t resist.

She uses the stairs to go down to the bottom of the auditorium. If I go down in a hurry, I’m going to trip, so slowly.

The height of the spectator railings was about the same height of Kurst’s face on horseback in the arena. Since he is in a lower position, she inevitably looks down.

Shiori, blushing at the gazes of those around her, took Kurst’s hand and smiled awkwardly, congratulating him on his victory.

“Congratulations.”

At that moment, Kurst smiles happily again and pulls Shiori’s hand.

“Wah. . .!?”

When Shiori closed her eyes while thinking she was going to fall, she was already in Kurst’s arms.

Thanks to Kurst’s proper reception, Shiori was not shocked, but suddenly the weight of one person was added, and the horse seemed to be a little surprised. Lifting its front leg lightly, it kicked the ground of the stadium and ran.

Shiori, who was not used to riding horses, screamed and hugged Kurst, but Kurst skillfully manipulated the reins and soothed Shiori and his beloved horse with a calm demeanor.

The horse quickly regained its composure and, following Kurst’s direction, began to run at a leisurely pace around the field.

But Shiori was still upset.

“I, can I get down now? Or rather, I’m getting a lot of attention. . .”

Shiori, who is a timid person, is always worried about the gaze of the audience around her. She was embarrassed and she leaned against his body to hide behind Kurst. She is in an unstable position sitting sideways, so she is afraid of falling of the horse.

Kurst didn’t understand Shiori’s fear and embarrassment, or perhaps he knew everything about it and was using it. He was in a good mood.

“What are you so happy about?”

When Shiori raised her head and asked, Kurst frowned for a moment.

“I won’t let you say you forgot. If I win this tournament, you promised to marry me.”

“Ah. . . ah”

I couldn’t say I forgot.

But Shiori didn’t forget about it because it didn’t matter. She didn’t hate Kurst’s crushing defeat, and she was going to marry him whether he won or not, so she didn’t really care.

He proposed to her about a month ago – actually, the marriage proposal itself had been made right after they met again, but he waited until the pharmacy got back on track – what is it like to honestly say ‘yes’? She became embarrassed and lightheartedly said, “Well, why don’t you win the cavalry match in a month’s time?”

“I want to show off my wife.”

Kurst said that with a very nice smile and continued running across the stadium while holding Shiori.

I wish I hadn’t said things like, “If you win,” because I was in a good mood. I didn’t have any intention of refusing the marriage proposal, so I should have accepted it obediently on that occasion. Shiori regretted from the bottom of her heart. That way, the joy of Kurst would have settled in that place, and today’s shameful play would have been avoided.

Shiori slowly looked around the audience. Their reactions vary. There must have been many people who knew about the rumors of Shiori’s for a long time, but even so, their eyes widened in shock at the sight of the usually calm and hard-working hero sending a sweet smile to a woman. . .

Even so, some people cheered, and a young woman even threw jealous glances at them.

If this is the case, maybe I should have dressed up too.

Shiori groaned in her mind. Even though she was wearing a dress, she thought she had chosen something neat and pretty, but the women around her were all wearing dresses, and many of them were wearing hats with flowers on their heads.

Kurst said that it doesn’t matter what kind of clothes she wore, and there doesn’t seem to be a particular dress code, but she regretted that she should have dressed up a little more.

I don’t care how people look at me because I’m poorly dressed, but I don’t want to cause trouble for Kurst.

It would dbe nice if people didn’t think that it wasn’t worth it for a hero to give even one dress to his lover.

A person is what’s on the inside, but from now on, Shiori thinks she should pay more attention to her appearance.

Kurst is both a noble and a hero of this country. Shiori also has the title of ‘Mrs. Orfeld’ or ‘wife of a hero’. If she were to become his wife, she would no longer be just an ordinary pharmacist, and there would be more opportunities for her to dress up and go out.

I think it’s a little annoying, but in order to be a woman worthy of Kurst, and not to embarrass him, I can endure at least the restraints of a tight-fitting dress and a painful corset.

Luckily, or rather, I have a lot of dresses and accessories in my closet that were gifted to me by the overly rewarding Kurst. I should take advantage of it.

While Shiori was thinking about such things, Kurst continued to run along the spectator seats in the wide stadium, as is to show off his relationship with his new wife, just as he said earlier, “I want to show off my wife.”

When Shiori got used to the vibration on horseback, she suddenly looked at the seats for honored guests, and saw the king looking at her and laughing heartily. It’s far away, so she couldn’t even hear the laughter, but she can see the white teeth with his mouth wide open.

And next to him, Princess Cattleya seems to be pointing at her and saying something to the queen. She may be complaining, “There’s Shiori!”

In addition, behind the royal family, she was able to discover the figure of a magician dressed in a full red costume. She didn’t think he was in the audience until just a little while ago, but she wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly appeared because Garrell is always out of sight.

The jewelry around his neck and ears shone brightly in the sunlight, making him much more flashy than the dressed-up women around him.

He watches Kurst with a satisfied smile.

And in contrast to that, Schyle, who had been fighting Kurst until just now, was dissatisfied. He’s already on his feet now, holding his spear and staring at them – or rather, glaring at Kurst.

Do you think that if Kurst gets too excited and frolics, he’ll throw me off the horse?

But for today, I want you to let me down. Shiori thought so. Kurst isn’t just basking in the joy of winning. . . . Same as myself.

“I’m happy.”

Kurst said while manipulating the reins with a lively expression. When Shiori looked up, there was a clear blue sky above Kurst’s head, which seemed to express his joy.

A clear sky with no clouds.

Shiori smiled involuntarily.

“I’m happy too.”

Happy to have Kurst next to me when I wake up in the morning.The happiness of living in the same world, breathing the same air, under the same sky.

And happy that it will continue forever.

Shiori put her hands around Kurst’s body and hugged him tightly.

. . . Surely, the two of us will never be separated again.

Feeling the warmth of Kurst and the gentle breeze caressing her cheeks, Shiori narrowed her eyes in happiness.