MTO C114

Chapter 114

Other than their encounter with the Stone Hogs, the first day of the expedition passed without incident.

As the setting sun painted the Black Forest in shades of crimson, the party searched for a suitable campsite and unpacked.

The knights skillfully pitched tents and built campfires.

Michel wanted to help.

But every time he tried to carry something as simple as a bucket, the knights frantically waved him away.

“If you truly wish to help us, Your Holiness…”

“Then we’d be grateful if you could offer the blessing before dinner.”

The knights meant it kindly.

To Michel, however…

That request was harder than hauling every bucket of water from a mountain stream.

Throughout the preparations for dinner, Michel agonized over composing a respectable prayer.

Fortunately, by recalling the blessings Barbara usually recited before meals…

He managed to put together something that wasn’t too embarrassing.

Thankfully…

Even though Michel stumbled through the prayer awkwardly, every knight clasped their hands reverently and bowed their heads.

Please don’t tell me I’ll have to do this every time we eat…

Michel silently prayed that they would find the dragon before he ran out of meal prayers.

Dinner consisted of a gamey meat stew and hard bread.

It wasn’t nearly as delicious as the meals at Castle Eglance.

Still…

It was more than enough to warm their bodies against the cold.

That night…

After everything was finished and Michel finally lay down to sleep…

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

He still hadn’t properly spoken with Kaidan today.

They’d exchanged a few words after the battle with the Stone Hogs.

But that hardly counted as a conversation.

I still haven’t thanked him.

For the past few days, Michel had deliberately avoided seeing Kaidan.

Yet now that they were so close…

It felt oddly disappointing that they hadn’t even exchanged greetings.

He’d spotted Kaidan several times after arriving at camp.

But Kaidan had always been in serious discussion with the knights.

Michel couldn’t bring himself to interrupt.

It’s only the first day of the expedition.

There’ll be plenty of chances to talk later.

Comforting himself with that thought…

He closed his eyes.

The thin bedding laid over the hard ground was uncomfortable.

Outside the tent, unfamiliar birds cried into the night.

It was hardly an ideal place to sleep.

Even so…

Tomorrow would be another long day.

He needed the rest.

Fortunately…

Michel was the sort of person who could sleep almost anywhere.

His body, exhausted after an entire day’s journey…

Quickly surrendered to slumber.

“…Come…”

Michel opened his eyes in the darkness.

A faint glow seeped through a small gap in the tent.

Outside…

He could vaguely hear the murmuring voices of the knights mingling with the whisper of the night wind.

“Follow me.”

Everything around him was hazy.

Only that voice rang perfectly clear.

Still half-asleep, Michel blinked and looked around.

Whether because he’d only just awakened…

Or because of the darkness…

He couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from.

“Hurry!”

Ah…

It’s over there.

Without hesitation…

Michel began walking.

Unaware of what he was doing…

He crawled out through the back of the tent instead of the guarded entrance.

The knights standing watch continued chatting idly, never imagining the Saint had wandered away from camp.

“Come here.”

“Quickly.”

“Good.”

“One more step.”

“A little farther.”

“Hurry!”

“Faster!”

The buzzing of tiny insects filled Michel’s ears.

Darkness stretched endlessly before him.

Then…

A joyful melody drifted through the night.

It was calling him.

Michel’s footsteps quickened.

The mysterious song grew louder.

The laughter of boys and girls echoed around him.

Just as he was about to surrender himself completely to the darkness—

Grab!

Someone seized his arm.

Unable to resist the sudden pull, Michel spun around.

At first…

He couldn’t recognize who it was.

But as his eyes adjusted…

He realized it was Kaidan.

His mind cleared instantly.

“Kaidan?”

“Where are you going?”

“Huh?”

“Oh… someone was calling me from over there…”

Michel stopped speaking when he saw Kaidan frown.

He looked toward where Michel had pointed.

There was nothing.

Only endless darkness.

They had also wandered surprisingly far from the campsite.

No one should have been out there.

Was I dreaming?

Michel blinked in confusion.

Kaidan sighed.

Then pulled gently on Michel’s arm.

“Don’t wander around alone.”

“Ow!”

“What is it?”

Michel lifted his left foot with a grimace.

A sharp stone shard was embedded in the middle of his sole.

…I’m not even wearing shoes.

A chill ran down Michel’s spine.

He had walked all this way barefoot…

Without noticing.

Do I… sleepwalk?

Just as he began seriously considering the possibility—

His body suddenly lifted into the air.

“Wah!”

“Stay still.”

Without warning…

Kaidan scooped Michel into his arms.

Michel instinctively struggled.

Kaidan merely tightened his grip.

“N-No!”

“Put me down!”

“I can walk!”

“If you want to wake everyone…”

“Then keep shouting.”

Michel immediately slapped a hand over his own mouth.

The knights had spent the entire day riding.

He didn’t want to disturb their rest.

Apparently satisfied…

Kaidan carried him back toward camp.

This is exactly why he keeps calling me paper-thin.

Michel’s pride took a hit.

He wasn’t a three-year-old child.

Being carried around like this was humiliating.

He lowered his head.

Embarrassingly enough…

Kaidan’s embrace felt strangely secure.

“C-Captain!”

The knights warming themselves around the campfire shot to their feet in surprise when Kaidan appeared carrying Michel.

“Search the surrounding area.”

“Sir?”

“Y-Yes!”

The knights looked curiously at Michel in Kaidan’s arms.

But no one questioned the order.

They immediately departed to patrol the area.

Kaidan carried Michel into the tent.

“Wait here.”

Leaving only those words behind…

He walked back outside.

A short while later…

He returned carrying ointment and bandages.

After lighting the lantern hanging inside the tent…

He sat down and took hold of Michel’s injured foot.

“I’ll do it!”

Michel quickly tried to pull his foot away.

Kaidan simply tightened his grip.

“Please.”

“Just stay still.”

Michel froze.

There was something about Kaidan’s voice.

It was low.

Exhausted.

The sharp expression illuminated by the lantern looked unusually strained.

He was forcing himself not to get angry.

…Understandably.

Still…

I can do it myself…

In the end…

Michel stopped resisting and left his foot in Kaidan’s hands.

Kaidan’s hands were so large…

They made Michel’s feet look unusually small.

He didn’t particularly like that.

Unfortunately…

His growing years were long behind him.

Still…

They were strong enough feet to send a Stone Hog flying with a single kick.

Kaidan carefully cleaned the sole with a damp cloth.

Then generously applied ointment.

The wound wasn’t serious.

It didn’t sting.

It didn’t hurt.

“Hng…”

The problem was…

Whenever Kaidan’s rough fingertips brushed the arch of his foot…

It tickled.

Michel unconsciously tensed his stomach.

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles hurt, desperately trying not to accidentally kick Kaidan.

Things became especially dangerous whenever Kaidan lifted his foot higher to inspect it more closely.

It was just a little stone.

Why is he acting like it’s such a catastrophe?

Minor injuries were an unavoidable part of life for anyone who exercised regularly.

Yet…

The same man who had casually slaughtered dozens of monsters…

Was now treating a tiny scratch on Michel’s foot as though it were a mortal wound.

It was both awkward…

And strangely frustrating.

If I weren’t the Saint…

Would he still worry this much?

The thought dampened his mood.

He couldn’t tell whether he was irritated by Kaidan’s overprotectiveness…

Or by something else entirely.

“Go to sleep.”

Before Michel realized it…

Kaidan had even wrapped the perfectly healthy-looking foot in bandages.

He stood up, clearly intending to leave.

Panicked…

Michel grabbed the edge of Kaidan’s cloak.

“W-Wait.”

But after stopping him…

He had no idea what to say.

His lips merely opened and closed like a fish.

The longer Kaidan silently looked down at him…

The drier Michel’s throat became.

His eyelids trembled faintly.

Truthfully…

Michel was simply reluctant to let the moment end.

After all…

It was a rare chance for the two of them to talk alone.

But…

It was far too late at night for casual conversation.

And nothing particularly important came to mind.

Get a grip.

You’re not on a picnic.

Eventually…

Michel slowly released Kaidan’s cloak.

He was just about to wish him good night…

When Kaidan quietly sat back down.

Michel blinked.

“Hm?”

“Don’t worry.”

“Just go to sleep.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll stay here…”

“Until sunrise.”

For a moment…

Michel simply stared.

Then a possibility flashed through his mind.

…Does he think I’m afraid to sleep alone?

What an absurd misunderstanding.

He wasn’t nine years old.

He was twenty-nine.

He’d long since outgrown being afraid of the dark.

And yet…

The words I’m fine wouldn’t come out.

Thanks to the knights…

Michel had been given the largest and most comfortable tent in the camp.

Wouldn’t it be a waste to enjoy such a nice place all by himself?

Kaidan probably had an equally good tent.

But somehow…

That wasn’t the point.

Michel quickly lay back down.

“Then you should lie down too.”

“You need sleep.”

“…No.”

“You’re not going to sleep?”

“I’ll manage.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

The somewhat curt reply made Michel wrinkle his nose.

Still…

Without another complaint…

He quietly pulled the blanket over himself.

Perhaps…

Kaidan simply wasn’t the type who could sleep with another person nearby.

If that were the case…

Michel probably should have insisted he return to his own tent.

But he didn’t.

“Thank you.”

Honestly…

Knowing that someone who disliked being around others was willing to stay beside him until he fell asleep…

Made him unexpectedly happy.

Maybe living with children is making me childish too.

While Michel absentmindedly touched his warm cheeks…

Kaidan quietly extinguished the lantern…

As though telling him to rest comfortably.