Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 13 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Glasswork

“How are things coming along, Takahiro?”

Someone called out to me as I poked around inside my magic bag. Still on my knees, I turned my head and found Shiran leaning over me.

“I’m just about done. How about you, Shiran?”

“I’ve also just finished.”

Shiran smiled, her face close enough for me to feel her breath. Lately, when she didn’t need it, Shiran had been removing her armor and dressing like a girl, the sword at her waist being her only armament. As she leaned forward, her blonde ponytail came down over her blouse, shining in the window’s sunlight and making me squint.

“At any rate, it’s finally time, isn’t it?” Shiran said. “I hope these talks go well.”

“Seriously.”

Today was the day Shimazu and Iino were supposed to bring back the fruits of this last month’s labors. If things went well, we would start our journey to the imperial capital the following day using Shimazu’s Fairy Ring. We had preparations to make, so I’d been going through our luggage. We’d already decided on who was going.

First were all of my companions. Then there were the few surviving men of Draconia, and Ella. Philip and several Akerian officials were also going to accompany us. Last was Berta.

She’d picked herself back up not too long after Kudou’s visit, which just went to show that she was used to being treated like that. If anything, she’d been more worried about having been too strong with Ayame. Right about now, having reconciled, the two of them were probably basking in the sun in their favorite spot. This would be their last chance for a while once we left for the Empire.

“It’s about time for Miss Shimazu and Miss Iino to arrive if things have gone quickly. Well, considering they’re using the Fairy Ring, they may arrive a day or two later depending on how much mana it consumes. So they told us beforehand, at least,” Shiran said, smiling wryly. “I find it hard to calm down. I know there’s no point in worrying about it. Nothing can be done until we hear of... What is it?”

Shiran blinked in confusion. That was when I realized I’d been staring at her face in a daze. That was a mistake. Quickly coming back to my senses, I waved my hand awkwardly.

“Ah, no. Sorry, it’s nothing,” I said.

“Were you thinking of someone else?” Shiran asked without missing a beat.

I gulped. Seeing my reaction, Shiran’s shoulders shook in laughter.

“Oh, looks like I’m right,” she said.

“How could you tell?”

“Just a hunch. I suppose this is what they call a woman’s intuition? Hee hee. Maybe I’m starting to understand a little more about being a girl.”

She smiled, resembling a blooming flower. No matter how I looked at her, she was the very picture of a young girl in her prime. Even considering her elven features, she was even prettier than before. It might sound strange coming from me, but a girl in love was such a beautiful sight—so much so that I could barely believe such feelings were directed at me.

“I’m not criticizing you or anything,” Shiran said, perhaps because I’d been making an awkward expression without knowing it. “But I’m a little curious. If something is bothering you, could you tell me about it?”

“Well...” I hesitated a little. I hadn’t made much progress on this topic, after all. But after I thought about it, maybe this was a good opportunity. “Right. You might be the only one I can consult about this.”

“I’m the only one?”

“Yeah. Lily and the others wouldn’t get it... Well, no point in standing around. Let’s take a seat.”

Shiran’s undead body didn’t experience any fatigue in the common sense of the word, but making her stand made me feel restless. I urged her on, and we moved to the sofa.

“Lately, something’s been bothering me,” I started after we took a seat next to each other. “There’s something I don’t understand.”

“What, specifically?”

“This might sound weird, but back when you were with the Alliance Knights, was there anyone you really got along with?”

“Hm? Yes. Quite a few,” Shiran answered seriously, even though she found the sudden question unexpected. “They were all comrades-in-arms to whom I entrusted my life. I was a relative veteran among the knights, so I was close with many.”

“Meaning there were naturally men among them.”

“Yes... Oh, um, that said, not in the romantic sense.”

“I know. I’m pretty sure I know better than anyone else how much of a late bloomer you are.”

“Erk... Y-You shouldn’t say stuff like that. Um, it’s embarrassing.”

She grabbed my arm in protest. It was a somewhat childish gesture, a behavior she displayed every now and then, but her fingertips hadn’t the faintest bit of strength in them. She simply touched, shortening the distance between us with affectionate contact. This was the distance between lovers, at least to me.

“Jeez... So, Takahiro? Why do you ask?” she said, pouting a little and looking at me with an upturned eye.

“Mm. Well, how do I put it? This is just a generalization, but...” I started, choosing my words carefully. “For a woman, would you say the distance between us now is normal for a woman when she’s with a man she’s close to? Even if they’re not lovers, I mean.”

Shiran stared at me blankly. “Is this about Mana?”

I was speechless. She was right on the mark. There’d been no point in watching my wording.

“Is that what’s been bothering you?” Shiran asked. “I suppose asking monsters what a normal girl is like won’t get you an answer... Although, I can’t say I’ve lived much like a normal girl either.”

Shiran’s one eye had a curious glint to it.

“In any case, that’s unexpected,” she remarked. “I’ve always watched over the two of you, thinking you’re close and enjoy each other’s company. Did she do something to displease you?”

“No, nothing of the sort,” I answered. “Not in the least. That’s why I’m stumped.”

“What do you mean?”

Shiran looked puzzled. It was a little hard to talk about, but it was meaningless to dodge the question at this point.

“How do I put it...? It’s ’cause I’m a man.”

“That you are.”

“When she approaches me so defenselessly, it sometimes makes my heart thump.”

“Mana is very attractive. Is that not normal?” Shiran asked, looking more and more confused.

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “But that reaction comes from seeing her as the opposite sex.”

“Aah, so that’s what you mean,” Shiran said, coming to an understanding. “I get it. You don’t want her to see your response as that of a man, because of her androphobia.”

Shiran didn’t know the full details of what had happened to Katou before coming to Fort Tilia, but having traveled with her for so long, she knew Katou’s current circumstances. Shiran likely had a rough idea of what’d led to this.

“I understand what you’re saying, but I believe it’s fine if it’s you,” she continued, speaking as if she truly found my behavior strange. “The two of you have built more than enough of a bond for it to be fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re worrying needlessly,” she answered, not a shadow of a doubt on her face.

“I see...”

I didn’t have any words to deny her. We weren’t connected by the mental path, but I sensed something tangible between me and Katou.

“You’re probably right,” I said.

“Then...”

“But I don’t want to hurt Katou, even if there’s only the slightest chance.”

Shiran was about to say something, but held her tongue.

“I don’t want to do that. Never again...”

“Takahiro...”

This might’ve been the first time I’d spoken truthfully about this with anyone.

“Once in the past, I did something horribly unreasonable to Katou,” I said. “That’s why I never want to hurt her again.”

I regretted it. The greater this feeling grew between me and Katou, the deeper my regret rooted itself.

“I met Katou back when I distrusted everyone, right after the Colony’s collapse. Back then, I just couldn’t trust her, even though that must’ve been the time when she needed help the most.”

“But you saved her, didn’t you? That’s what I heard.”

“I won’t deny that, but that’s a separate matter. I should’ve done more for her, yet I didn’t.”

Of course, I could only consider this after the fact, but now that I recognized it, I couldn’t stop regretting my past decisions.

“Katou is a good girl, so even in that situation, she saved us—even though it must have been so hard on her already... Honestly, it’s a miracle she didn’t break then. When I think of the possibility that she might’ve, I feel shivers deep in my heart.”

“Is that so?” Shiran said, nodding. “I always wondered why you’re so indecisive when it comes to Mana, but now I understand. You see her as a fragile piece of glasswork. You nearly witnessed her break, so you can’t help but feel that she has to be handled with deliberate care.”

“You might be right.”

Only someone who’d been watching us all this time could say that. The expression felt appropriate, so I agreed with her. However, Shiran’s next words were far more ambiguous, accompanied by a bitter smile.

“At any rate, ‘a good girl,’ you say? So that’s how you think of her... The glasswork’s heart fails to convey what’s within, so as a result, it will have to be said aloud.”

“Shiran?”

“No, it’s nothing. Any more than that would be unasked for.” Shiran shook her head, then put a finger to her lips as if remembering something. “But, right... It’s a rare opportunity to have you come to me for this kind of advice. I suppose it’s all right to help just a little.”

After thinking it over for a bit, Shiran suddenly smiled. Her transparent blue pupil stared right into my eyes.

“Takahiro. You asked whether it was normal for Mana to act intimately with you.”

“Yeah...”

“Unfortunately, I cannot say anything for certain. I’ve always been a knight, so even by the laxest of standards, I haven’t lived like a girl. Plus, the worlds we were born in differ. That’s why this is no more than my personal opinion.”

After that long preface, Shiran gave me her genuine thoughts.

“To Mana, I believe that sense of distance isn’t normal.”

I stiffened, but Shiran kept going as if she’d expected my reaction.

“This is just my personal impression. I don’t know what happened between the two of you in the past. My background differs from Mana’s, so this is just how I see it. Therefore, please take it with a grain of salt.”

Shiran and Katou had very little in common, and Shiran was aware of how little weight her words held on this topic, which was exactly why she presumed to speak about it.

“However, if what I’m saying is correct, then what would you do, Takahiro?”

Those words directed my thoughts to the one thing I’d been trying not to think about this entire time. It was as if the rusty gears of my mind had started turning.

“What would I do...?”

Urged by her words, I hypothesized the outcome. I gave thought to what I hadn’t thought of at all. What if Katou’s intimacy toward me wasn’t normal for friends? What if it was special? In other words, what if I was special to her? That was impossible—that was what I’d been telling myself.

I’d been hell bent on the idea that simply thinking that would bring harm to her, but what if that wasn’t the case? What if I’d only been swayed by my own presumptions to the point where the distance between us had shrunk so much that I could no longer remain ignorant of it? If that was the case, then—

“Oh man...”

I’d frozen for a good ten seconds. Realizing this, I let out a huge sigh and leaned back into the sofa.

“I guess that answer was obvious if I had to ask for advice about it,” I said.

I hadn’t expected it. It was careless of me to ask for advice without thinking things through this far.

“Given your personality, if such circumstances existed, then there’s not much you could’ve done about it,” Shiran said with an air of understanding. “But Mana’s feelings aren’t the only important thing here. If the time comes, what will you do? What will you feel? What will you want to do? I believe that’s important too.”

“You’re right. It’s exactly as you say.”

If Lily or Rose had told me this, it would’ve carried the weight of those who knew of our history, but coming from Shiran, it became entirely hypothetical. In that case, what Katou felt wasn’t the problem. The core of this matter was about me now.

If that came to be, how would I act? No. More precisely, what did I think of Katou? That was what Shiran was asking me.

“So? What’s your answer?” Shiran asked.

I stayed reclined against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. I’d never even thought about it before, so I didn’t really know. Until now, that would’ve been fine, but since Shiran had pointed it out to me, I could consider it.

Katou’s happy and bashful smile came to mind. We’d overcome harsh times together. Our bond had deepened to the point that she was definitely one of the closest people to my heart. The times our hands touched, the times she acted defenseless... If that was what all that meant...

“Looks like you found your answer,” Shiran said.

I hadn’t said anything. Was I that easy to read?

“I didn’t think I was this fickle...” I said, putting my hand over my eyes.

“Fickle, is it? Hee hee. You?” Shiran said cheerfully. “If that’s the case, I must give thanks to your fickleness. I’m your third, after all.”

“Shiran...”

“I’m joking. I know. That isn’t what it is at all.” Shiran giggled and took my hand. “This world is far too harsh. Death is always right by us. That is especially the case for us, as we face many hardships. By overcoming these, we all become one with you at our core. Driven to the end of our rope, we seek a place to heal our wounds, to find peace of mind, to deepen our bonds, and to pursue affection from the opposite sex. That is the natural flow of events. What’s more, our way of life is approved of in this world.”

She wrapped my hand in both of hers and lovingly stroked it. It was as if she were trying to get a physical sense for the feelings we had for each other.

“The feelings you have for Mana are the same, Takahiro,” she continued. “That is to say nothing of the cruelty the two of you suffered when the Colony collapsed. That makes those feelings all the more prominent. I sometimes find myself frustrated that I didn’t know you back then, that the two of you have a special bond because of it.”

“Shiran...”

“I understand that you cannot completely throw away the sense of values you have from your old world. Even so, by saying Lily and the others are your servants, you’ve somehow come to grips with a change in these values, right? That’s why I understand how you might feel that it’d be especially taboo to feel the same not for a servant, but for a fellow visitor. The circumstances and events of her past might also play into why you feel like it would be so wrong.”

Shiran knew the situation more than well enough, hence her accuracy despite it being conjecture.

“However, even if you pretend not to see it, that doesn’t mean your feelings will go away,” she concluded.

“You...have a point there.”

I nodded and closed my eyes. I thought long and hard as I directed my focus to this feeling in my heart. Even now, I didn’t think I yearned for Katou as a woman, because when I looked at her, I remembered the cruel events in that hut and the dead eyes she’d had at the time.

Shiran had said I treated her like a piece of glasswork. Maybe a part of me saw Katou as something sacred that should never be touched. But if that was all a misapprehension, if Katou hoped for such things... Refusing her just because she was a visitor would be stupid.

“Thanks, Shiran. I’ve got it all sorted out now.”

I opened my eyes, now full of gratitude for the girl before me. After having this talk, when the time came, I wouldn’t hesitate anymore.

“There’s no need to thank me. Mana is my precious companion too,” Shiran said, then glanced at the sword at her waist. “With this, I hope I can repay her kindness from back then.”

Shiran narrowed her eye as if remembering something. Maybe something had happened between her and Katou.

Grateful for her advice, I suddenly changed the topic. “Oh, but Shiran, you’re misunderstanding just one thing here.”

“Huh?”

I put my free hand against Shiran’s cheek.

“You said you’re frustrated that you didn’t know me back then, that you feel a special bond between Katou and me. You’ve got that wrong,” I said. Shiran looked surprised but didn’t resist. “There’s no need to feel like that. You’re special to me too, Shiran.”

“Takahiro...”

With my hand still on her cheek, I moved my thumb over her soft lips. I traced their contour, and her tongue peeked out to lick my finger. Shiran’s eye narrowed and stared at me. The two of us closed our eyes, leaned closer, and—

“Takahiro!” Shiran jolted backward and turned toward the window.

“Yeah! I know!”

It was all so sudden, but I immediately took action too. I followed Shiran as she ran to the window and looked outside.

“Shiran, that was...”

“Someone was watching us. I don’t know for how long, though.”

“Thought so.”

In that instant, I’d also sensed someone’s gaze. It was possible they’d been watching for longer than that. I’d only sensed them after their presence became more pronounced. I’d moved right away, but nobody was in sight. We had no choice but to give up on looking for them.

“Did you see who it was?” Shiran asked.

“No. All I saw was a shadow jumping down from the tree.”

This was the second floor. They’d apparently climbed up a tree a short distance away to peek through the window. That said, it was far darker inside than outside. At that distance, it was questionable whether they could see anything. Still, it was a problem that someone had been watching us from out there.

“It was a girl with a ponytail,” Shiran said. “Judging by her facial features, I believe she’s a visitor much like you. I didn’t recognize her.”

“A visitor...”

I unintentionally groaned. The first people to come to mind were the two girls who were supposed to arrive today, Iino and Shimazu. Shiran said she didn’t recognize this girl, though. I hadn’t heard of any other visitors coming, and if there had been a sudden guest, the Akerian royal family would’ve let me know right away. Seeing as how that hadn’t happened, this one must’ve been an intruder.

“We need to tell everyone,” I said.

“Yes, let’s hurry.”

This was an emergency. I took Shiran and left the room. We needed to act as if this was the worst-case scenario—that the intruder was a cheater who was hostile toward us. Just in case, we needed to act as a group.

“Ooh, My Lord, what’s the matter?” Gerbera asked.

“We have to talk. Come with us.”

For now, I had to gather all my nearby companions. Lily was in the library, Katou and Rose were watching the children, and Ayame and Berta were elsewhere. After I quickly explained things to Gerbera, we went down to the first floor. That was where I saw an unexpected face.

“Ah, Majima.”

Iino was there with Shimazu. They were on their way to see us, Philip and several others with them.

“You’re here already?” I asked.

“Yes. We arrived a little while ago,” Iino answered.

Something seemed off. Iino’s expression looked troubled yet angry.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“There’s just a little something I need your help with,” she said with a bitter look. “Another girl insisted on coming along, but the moment I took my eyes off her, she vanished. We’re looking for—”

“Ah! Yuna-senpai!”

A loud voice echoed down the hallway. I turned around and spotted a petite girl. She wore a uniform much like Iino and Shimazu, her short ponytail swaying behind her.

“Ah.”

Shiran tried to speak, but Iino’s angry yelling drowned her out.

“Aah! There you are! Where the heck did you run off to?!”

“My bad!” the girl yelled back as she ran over to us. She glanced at Shiran as she passed and flashed a grin. She looked really cheerful, and her expression held no malice. “It’s been like, just a few minutes, huh?”

“You’re...”

“I totally didn’t think you’d spot me. Aha. Sorry for, like, surprising you,” she said, then turned to me. “I mean, I was just kinda curious what the rumored Majima-senpai was like.”

“Hey, Aoi? What did you do?” Iino said, glaring at the girl.

“Hang on... Aoi?”

Just as I caught on, the girl called Aoi brightened.

“Mana!”

Perhaps having heard the commotion, Katou and Rose came to see what was going on. Aoi ran right toward them.

“Aoi?!” Katou cried in shock.

Rose had been on guard for an instant, but she relaxed once she saw that this was Katou’s acquaintance. As a result, Aoi had a clear path to her friend.

“Mana! Long time no see!”

“Hyah?!”

She kept up her momentum and hugged Katou.

“Mana! I missed you so much!” Aoi yelled, overcome with emotion.

Iino sighed next to me.

“Hey, Iino.”

“I know. I’m feeling exhausted for some reason, but I’ll introduce you,” Iino said, then turned to me. “This is Mitarai Aoi—the Stalwart Snow White.”