７２
The rases were taken to the Daryss mansion’s kitchen. Haruka also leaves the room. I just hope that he doesn’t go back home.
[Will Haruka be okay?]
[Worry about yourself.]
[Okay. But I’m not in pain anywhere. I just can’t move.]
[Being unable to move is like a side effect. According to Olphynn, your body’s functions will gradually return.]
That’s what I heard from Haruka’ too. When I was carried in here, my heart apparently stopped beating. My life was saved thanks to the Priests’ powers but it seems that they prioritized the minimum necessity for me to live, and put off things like broken bones for later.
[As I thought, it was Olphynn, right? The one who saved me.]
[It wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t him.]
Upon saying that, Saine intently looked at me and gently stroked my hair.
[I told you many times before. If you’re in trouble, tell me first.]
[Okay…… But, regarding the Reincarnators and their husbands, no one can interfere between them, right?]
[Even so. You must tell me first. Don’t move impulsively by yourself.]
How could it have turned out if I consulted Saine? Could it have ended calmly? Did I do something unnecessary and cause a big trouble? When I got depressed, Saine kissed me.
[Forget things that are already done. Just be careful from now on. Just know that what you did isn’t wrong.]
[It’s not wrong?]
[Yeah. Had I gone around to talk to some people, things might have been over. Because you took action, you may have saved him.1]
I breathe a sigh of relief.
[What will happen to Haruka from now on? Is Haruka’s old man angry?]
[I don’t think he has the energy to worry about that.]
Saine chuckled.
[Why?]
[Because I beat him half to death.]
Upon being told that so smoothly, I look up at Saine.
[Really? Why?]
[Didn’t I say it before? If someone hits you, I’ll kill him.]
It sounds familiar. But I didn’t think that he’d really do it. This world is full of men so many things can get rough, but it’s not a lawless place.
[Saine, is it okay? Like, you won’t get charged with a crime?]
[I won’t. He’s the one who lifted his fist first. He laid a hand against my Reincarnator, no one will say anything no matter what I do to him. Besides…… I failed to kill him.]
[Uhm…… could it be that you seriously tried to kill him?]
[Of course. I would have had Dole not stopped me.]
Haruka said about offsetting each other in a roundabout manner, was it because Saine held his ground? This, he would probably really be charged with a crime if he actually ended up killing him.
I am totally grateful to Dole who stopped him.
[I see…… it’s okay as long as you’re unharmed. How’s Kyui? While I was being beaten viciously, it was under my clothes at that time so I’m worried. Did Kyui get hit?]
[It escaped and is safe. It’s at home right now. There’s a barrier in this mansion where the priests are all over the place. It’s dangerous even at its size.]
[It escaped. What a relief~. I’ve been worried about Kyui this entire time, you know? But I can’t ask Haruka. I’m glad that it’s fine. Saine, are you feeding it?]
[I am. I feed it the leaves in the garden.]
I wonder if it’ll get fat if it only eats sugar leaves. But thinking about what else it can eat, there’s only salt. Was it after I used up all the turnips in the garden? Kyui can only seem to eat those two. I can’t imagine Saine going to the market and cooking food at home either.
But anyway, I’m so glad that Saine, Kyui, and Haruka are all safe. I could finally truly rest assured.
I unknowingly fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, Saine was also sleeping beside me. It’s my first time seeing Saine asleep. He usually goes to be after me and wakes up before me.
Saine is still a good man even when sleeping. I raise my moveable right hand and stroke Saine’s nose bridge with my fingertip. I touch his cheek, then his eyebrows. But he doesn’t wake up. When I slowly touched his lips, he popped it inside his mouth. In that state, a hot tongue starts licking my finger.
[You sleeping raccoon.]2
When I said that, Saine slowly opened his eyelids. I peek at his pitch-black eyes.
[What does that mean?]
[Raccoons and foxes deceive people. It’s a folklore I used to hear often.]
[Raccoon……]
[Raccoons, it doesn’t exist here, huh? The place I used to live in was quite rural you see, and raccoon dogs ran around the school grounds. But it’s not uncommon at all.]
When I laughed with a ‘haha’, Saine’s eyebrows frowned, probably because he couldn’t imagine it.
[You see, I remembered my previous life. I was only able to live up to 15 years old. If I’m starting here as a 15-year old, rather than calling this my second life, this is still my first life. I feel as if the life that I thought was over is being resumed.]
[I see. That’s why you’re so child-like.]
Saine’s thick fingers are playing with my bangs.
[Am I childish?]
[Yeah. Your astounding side, that is.]
I remember it so I couldn’t say anything.
[But you’re inexhaustibly interesting. Watching you is enjoyable.]
Saine slowly approached me and gave me a deep kiss.
I like it when Saine’s hot tongue roams around inside my mouth. It strokes my teeth and entangles with my tongue. I want to hold him tight whenever I’m kissing with Saine. But since only my right hand is free, I can’t hug him. I put my moving right arm around Saine’s back, but suddenly the big body left and my arm fell.
[More.]
When I chased after him with my eyes, Saine came closer again. But he avoids the crucial lips and instead only rains kisses on parts like my forehead, cheeks, and neck. I can’t move my neck either, so I hit Saine’s back with my only movable right hand.
[No. Not there.]
[Then where?]
[On my lips. The deep kind. Then, hug me tightly.]
[The last part can’t be done.]
[Why?]
When I looked at him with accusing eyes, Saine’s eyes were laughing.
Saine’s pitch-black eyes. I was scared of them when I just arrived here. I thought that they were always grumpy and angry, and it felt as if they could see through all my secrets.
But now, I love Saine’s eyes. Although they’re pitch-black, they’re warm. There are also times when I can see stars in his eyes. They may just be reflections of light, but they look like stars.
Saine stroked my hair as his black eyes were laughing.
[It may not be painful but your bones are broken. Since they saved your life first, fixing your body’s mobility will start after. Until then, you must not move your body.]
[Ugh~~~~]
When I groaned because I couldn’t move, Saine laughed and kissed me. This time, on the lips, deeply. Because he hung over my body without putting any pressure on it, I put my right arm around his back to hug him. I’m so glad that my tongue can also move. I can entwine it with Saine’s as much as we can because of that.
We were french-kissing until dinner was brought in.
1 – TN: In my understanding, Haruka might have died if he(S) talked to other people about the issue because it would have taken a long time. MC saved Haruka because he got there on time. Please correct me if I’m wrong. 「ああ。俺があちこちに話を通して動いていたら、全てが終わってしまっていたかもしれん。お前が動いたから、助かったのかもしれん」
2- 狸寝入り(raccoon+sleep) means to pretend to sleep. For the context of MC’s explanation, I put the literal translation.