PMZ 072 – ★The story of how I cried a little because my unbeaten record was kept.

This also happens to me.

On my day off, I went to the city outskirts to verify the effectiveness of the magic tools that Alice had made.

The results were good, or perhaps a little too good. I feel that it would change the world if such a thing is circulated in the market as it is.

In the end, we settled on the idea that it would be better to reduce the effect a bit, while I secretly felt a little scared because I have witnessed a glimpse of Stuart’s true power.

Before the magic tools could boil water, create wind, cool food, and so on.

But this one is fundamentally different from the others. People using magic tools as an extension of their magic. But no matter how strong your magic is or how much you study it, there is no way you can change the probability of monsters or item drop.

The power of magic tools is so powerful that it can change how the law of the world works.

I don’t know how she did it, but in comparison, it’s no different than controlling a monster.

I felt I understood why the Duke was so stubborn that he will not make weapons. Also, the reason he kept the process secret.

It wasn’t just to monopolize the rights.

I think it’s also to protect the order of the world.

Once again, I realized that my siblings and I had formed a connection with an extraordinary family.

I had no intention of backing down now, but I could feel the nervousness sprouting up.

We will have to support that (future) weak-looking duke sooner or later—the three of us, me, Alice, and Lav.

Later, when we returned to the city, we saw Alice’s former fiancé in a dispute with a vendor. He was a former crown prince of this country.

I once pretended to go in to help him and beat him up, but he probably has no memory of that event.

Alice has been staring at him for a while now and has not moved.

“Hey, Hayato, I…”. 

I know what she’s trying to say. I’m sure she can’t abandon him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked me to help them back then.

“It’s all right. You’ re going to talk, right? shall I come with you?” 

The truth is I didn’t want this talk to happen, but I could understand how Alice felt. He’s in a tatter. If I see my childhood friend like that, I couldn’t leave him alone either.

Alice shook her head slowly.

“Thank you. I’m glad you feel that way, but I’m going alone this time. Hayato, please stay where I can see you.” 

But why? I don’t want you to go alone.

“…You don’t want me to hear your talk?” 

“No, it’s not the case. Hayato is about to be knighted, so I thought it would be best for you to avoid any trouble with the royal family, even if they are currently disowned.”  

“Is that so…”

True,  my position is no longer the same as before.

Should I make some trouble now, the Duke was the one who will get the end of the stick.

I can’t let that happen.

“I understand.”

What the owner says is absolute.

“But if Alice is about to be in danger, I’m thinking of either beating him up or kidnapping Alice and running away. Which one do you prefer?” 

“The kidnap and run one, please.” 

I knew Alice would say so.

But with this, I can listen to her conversation and watch her from a distance. I could even interrupt her if needed.

Alice made her way through the crowd to the center of the commotion.

As Alice called out to His Highness, the onlookers’ attention was drawn to the two of them. A few moments later, the crowd dissipated at once, like scattering spiders.

The two who remained there put their backs to the wall and started talking.

I wonder what they are talking about.

If I wanted to, I could have used magic to eavesdrop, but I knew I shouldn’t have done that, so I held back.

The (former) crown prince of this country and the young lady from Duke’s family.

I know the blood of royalty and noble run in their veins. Still, when they lined up like that, they look like a perfect couple.

Standing beside Alice, you could see His Highness’s pretty face, even if it is now in shambles, and he has the aura of royalty that makes his haughty attitude seem natural.

Every single gesture is arrogant yet elegant. Every single of his movement is almost like a testament that he is born into the royal family.

I wonder why they are breaking up…

I don’t get it, Your Highness. I can’t understand how you could shun such a cute girl like Alice and go for another girl.

Thanks to you, I was able to meet Alice, but I seriously don’t understand you.

Even the true love that you chose after leaving her is nowhere to be found. How can you be alone in a place like this?

I can only pity him.

I truly feel sorry for him.

From what I’ve heard, his father, the king, told him not to come back to the palace until he slays the dragon.

I’m sure he could have done it if he had worked hard with his friends, but the place where the dragon appears is in the valley of the mountain range, which takes three days by carriage at the closest point from here.

I don’t know why he didn’t go there, maybe he has a disagreement with his comrades, or perhaps they have no intention to face the trial from the beginning.

The truth is, there’s no way to know, but in any case, if we look at how assassins frequently attacked him, I guess His Majesty had no intention of letting him live.

I think they didn’t go with the execution route because if he lost his life by defeating the dragon, it would make him look brave and respectable as royalty.

Well. That’s just my own imagination anyway.

Whatever the case may be, I hope that he will stay out of Alice’s life and live peacefully somewhere else.

As I was thinking about this, His Highness grabbed Alice’s wrist and held her back as she tried to leave.

Okay, that’s enough. Your storytime is over.

I walked over to the two of them and held out my hand to Alice.

“Alice, let’s go.”

She grabbed my hand and shook His Highness’ hand away.

It’s not that my heart doesn’t ache. But Alice is mine. I don’t care if she feels sorry for you or not. She’s the only thing I can’t give up.

“Wait! You’re all I’ve got left. Don’t lea…” 

I knew that words would come, But no, she’s mine—my one and only.

I started to walk faster and faster.

“Alice!”

He called out to Alice so loudly that I can’t ignore him anymore, so I decide to run away.

I slipped through the crowds and ran through the city.

I turned many corners and went between buildings.

But there were so many people that it was hard to run. It’s hard to throw him off. 

“What should we do? we can’t escape to my house like this, can we?” 

“We don’t want him to follow us home anyway. I wonder if I can hide somewhere and get away from him. …… Oh, Alice! There!”  

There was a cart parked next to the store selling vegetables.

On top of it, there was a large empty wooden box.

When I was little, I used to hide in it and play with it.

The old man at the store will laugh it off as long as I didn’t break it. I’m sure he’ll lend it to me again this time.

“Let’s hide in there.”

“I knew it! Are you serious?”  

“There’s no other way. Come on! He s gonna catch up to us! Oi sir, let me borrow the box!” 

When the puzzled old man nodded his head, I quickly climbed into the crate.

I dragged Alice into the crate as well, and before I closed the lid, I asked the passersby to keep silent, “Shhh.”

Everyone nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

I slammed the lid shut and hugged Alice inside the box. The box has become so much smaller than I remembered.

But, thank God.

Alice is mine. No one else can have her.

“…Hey Alice, what did you talk about with that guy?” 

It may not be the right time to talk about it, but I feel like it’s the only time to ask.

Alice also replied in a whisper.

“I just told him that I would ask his Majesty if he could at least save his life.” 

“Hmm? Is that really all?

Is it?

“That is all.” 

“Really?” 

Like, maybe we should get back together. There’s that kind of talk, right?

Why haven’t you told me?

As I was trying to figure out how to get her to talk, I noticed that Alice was acting a little strange.

“Hah, hah, ha……….” 

Her breathing was ragged, even though it had been normal just a moment ago.

“Alice…? What’s the matter …………? Are you okay?” 

Her breath is getting louder, and her shoulders are moving up and down a little.

I could feel my skin getting hotter from the close contact of our bodies.

Are you feeling sick ……?

And this change is too sudden. I have a bad feeling about this.

The moment she realized that this was a bit of a problem, Alice quickly removed the chain armor wrapped around her abdomen and stripped it down to a thin blouse.

“Wait, seriously, what’s wrong?”  

As if rushed by something, I grabbed Alice’s hand that started to unbutton her blouse and stopped her.

She looked up and stared at me with moist eyes as if she remembered my existence for the first time there.

Uh…

There is something different about her. This is not the usual Alice.

She’s cute as ever, but she’s got this really… sexy look.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly, put her soft lips on her cheek, and whispered.

“Hey, kiss me.”

I was about to jump out of the box, but my feet moved and made a clatter. I managed to stop myself. Yes, we were in the middle of hiding. And I couldn’t expose Alice in this state to the public eyes. There was no escape.

I pulled my body back as best I could in the cramped box and tried desperately to calm her down.

“No, Alice, let’s just calm down, okay? There’s definitely something wrong with you.” 

I could tell that my voice was getting ridiculously impatient.

This is a foul play.

I can’t pretend to be okay. Impossible.

“No? I just want a kiss, please.” 

“It’s not like I don’t want it….! but I don’t know if I should do it in a box like this. Well, I don’t mind, but Alice…” 

I try my best to keep my face away from her, but it’s futile.

*chu**chu* Alice’s lips were chasing me from my neck to my face, and I thought I was going to met my end here.

“That’ s fine then. Please face me.” 

The angel is tempting me like a devil.

I don’t know why I have to put up with this. Is it okay to be swept by the momentum like this? Is it…?

No, no, no, hold up. She’s not normal. Everything is not normal, no matter how you look at it.

There must be a reason why she’s like this.

The symptoms are similar to drunk people.

Ah. That’s it.

Killer Bee’s honey wine.

It was just a sip, and she seemed fine afterward, so I let my guard down.

BUT WHY NOW?

She rubbed her cheek against my face and then kissed me right next to my lips.

“St-stop this?” There’s a limit to how much I can take!

Don’t do this!

But if I’m bent to this, I lose. I’ve never lost to anyone except in rock-paper-scissors. I can’t let my unbeaten record be broken here.

“…… No! You’re not normal right now! You’ll regret this later!”

Many said that drunks usually regret the actions they took afterward.

Especially if you are a woman, it’s not uncommon to hear that a man took advantage of you when you were not normal, and they ended up crying.

I can’t let Alice go through that. I had to stop her.

I couldn’t hide anymore, and a battle began inside the box. We make a rattling sound inside the box, but I couldn’t afford to worry about it anymore.

I pushed her shoulders back in desperation, but Alice came at me relentlessly. Thanks to this, her blouse is about to come off. I don’t know where to push anymore.

I let go of her shoulder, almost in tears, and she hugs me tightly.

God, I can’t do this anymore.

There’s no escape, no stopping either.

I shut my eyes and ask myself the same question.

Isn’t it okay if I lose this one already?

The only time people regret things they did after getting drunk is if the person you’re with isn’t your target, right?

If that’s the case, I’m safe, aren’t I?

I don’t care about an unbeaten record. That’s just self-justification. I’d welcomed to be beaten by Alice.

–I’m hungry {raw can also be read as: I’ve made up my mind.}

But I have to be sure.

I opened my eyes and asked Alice how much serious I can be.

“… Are you sure you want to do this?” 

I ask Alice’s rational side, which may still be in there somewhere.

If I see even a hint of hesitation in her, I will stop.

Alice gave a small nod.

She did not hesitate even a little.

Then.

I put my arms around her back and hugged her close.

When I put our foreheads together, Alice smiled happily and said.

“I love you, Hayato.”

The cupid’s arrows like words pierce my heart one after another.

My heart is already a pincushion.

“I also love you very much. I really love you.” 

Our lips touched each other – not. 

Just before that kiss happened.  

“Do you guys think you can hide here?”

The lid is flipped off, and the light shines into our eyes.

After coming to a complete halt, Alice and I froze for a moment and then looked up at His Highness. Our eyes met with His Highness’s stunned expression.

The lid immediately slammed back down.

“… Hey, owner.” 

“Yes, sir?!” 

“I’m sorry for the trouble. I’m afraid you’re going to have to ship this box.” 

“Ship it, sir? Where to?”

“Hell.” 

I cried a little in front of Alice as she gently fixed her messy clothes.

I’ve already in hell, Your Highness.

I wanted you to open it either a little earlier or a little later.

TL notes:

I feel you, bro, I feel ya…

Ah yeah, I’m back, not as fast as I would to but I’m back.

How is my week? Terrible! first last week news come and hit me like a truck, now my laptop is behaving like a rascal, the keyboard is keep pressing “=” and “alt” button while the wifi on, then turn to normal when the wifi is off, I could still work o it but it’s very2 annoying situation for me. I might need to bring it to service sooner or later, if anyone had ever similar experiences let me know the solution, I appreciate it.