n

n

nZoemi felt as if someone has punched him in the stomach – a horrible experience that he was far too familiar with in the early childhood in the slums...

nThis whole situation happened because of him!

nEven if his slow realization about the event playing out of order could be pushed on the mana depleted brain of his – then the attempt of creating a brand new event with the use of the knowledge about the game was conceived with the full brainpower available to him – he should have realized that messing with the script might result in an unexpected occurrence such as that!

nNot to mention that he wasted so much time away from Miriette's side by injecting himself in the event between Reo and Xeonith...!

nNo matter how much he liked the green-haired boy as a character - who was he supposed to protect? Reo? Or his master?

nThe answer was obvious!

n

"P-please, forgive me, lady Espine! I'm so sorry, so very sorry...!

"

nThe heroine yelped from behind Surou but that only made Miriette angrier.

n

"You don't get to be sorry! All of the hard work put into preparing that food was for nothing! All because of you! I don't care anymore!

"

nMiriette stopped struggling and instead just pointed her arm at the heroine – not caring in the slightest that the blue-haired second prince was in the way of her spell.

n

"Automatic wind slash!

"

n*click*

nThe dark-haired girl called and snapped her fingers.

nIn the next second, a green orb the size of a basketball ball appeared hovering in front of her – away from Horeo's reach.

nThe surface of the orb was constantly twitching and fluctuating as if something violent and unpredictable wanted to break free from it at all cost

n

"Miriette, for all that is holy- think what you are doing!

"

nShouted terrified Horeo, pulling the girl away – but even though Miriette was moved – the green orb stayed in place...

n|OH FOR F-!|

n

"...what...?!

"

n

"How?!

"

nUnbeknownst to the black-haired boy, his body got enveloped by the thinnest layer of shadow as if he suddenly got under the shade of a gigantic tree – even though he was still running in full sunlight – and he charged forward leaving the bewildered Veo and Teo - WHO WERE USING EARTH ENCHANTS – behind!

n*WHAM*

nStill – the sudden burst of speed wasn't that good – as the unaccustomed to it scarred attendant ended up tripping and tumbled the rest of the way, as the shade left his body just as suddenly as it appeared...

n

"?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!

"

n

"My lady...! Stop...! I beg of you...!

"

n

"Zoemi...?!

"

nThe black-haired attendant luckily ended up just when he wanted to stop if he didn't trip – exactly between the two pairs – and gasped, standing up and ignoring the pain in his limbs.

n

"My lady – it's just some food! I will prepare more as many times as you wish – so please – cease your anger...!

"

nZoemi's chest was quickly rising and falling in the rhythm of his heavy breaths.

nThere was absolutely no mana left in Zoemi's body and he squeezed out all of his physical abilities just to get there on time so his shirt was sticking to his body from sweat as his hair was really messy - but nonetheless - he was standing in front of his master with his arms spread out and a determined expression.

nThe threatening green orb was pulsating mere inches in front of his face but he did not care at all, treating it as nothing but normal air – though...

n...that recklessness might have more to do with the mana depletion state...

n

"Zoemi...!?

"

nMiriette opened her mouth in shock, staring at her exhausted dusty attendant with green stains on his uniform caused by tumbling on the grass.

n

"My lady...! Please... Calm... Down...

"

nZoemi was slowly regaining his breath but had trouble with speaking properly.

n

"B-but, look at what she did, the food you pre...

"

n

"My lady..! Everything's fine! Yo... Your servant will just prepare something else...! Please... Just let it go...!

"

nZoemi lowered his head and begged Miriette.

n

"But...!

"

nThe dark-haired girl opened her mouth but after seeing her pleading attendant she bit her lip and closed her mouth, looking miserable, as if ashamed that she caused the black-haired boy to push himself that far...

n*...haaaaa....*

nThe green orb above her dissipated with a sound similar to a person loudly breathing out the air from their lungs and Miriette's arm fell limply to her side.

n

"...

"

nRealizing that there was no reason to hold her back anymore, the gold-haired prince sighed with relief and gently put his fiancee down.

n

"I'm sorry...

"

nMiriette turned her head away and looked down so it wasn't obvious who was she apologizing to – Zoemi or the Surou and heroine pair – either way, the dark-haired girl was blinking really fast and her eyes were becoming slightly red.

n

"Ah! No! That's not it!

"

nZoemi got agitated because he thought that his master was apologizing for her unbecoming behavior – and as he was convinced that it was all his fault – the scarred attendant had no intentions of letting her bear the responsibility.

nHe hurriedly turned around and kneeled before the second prince.

n

"My prince! Please don't hold it against lady Miriette, my master is not a bad person! This whole situation is my fault! If I hadn't told her about this place she wouldn't come here!

"

nZoemi had no time – and neither mind clear enough – to come up with some clever ploy against the capture target whom he found suspicious – so he went with the best apology he could come up with at the moment.

n

"If anyone is to blame, it is I who you should despise!

"

nHe bowed his head deeply.

n-Please, don't condemn my master-

nWas the very obvious message he was sending to the blue-haired second prince.

nThe black-haired attendant was so worried about Miriette's future that he didn't care that he was throwing himself under a speeding bus by telling an influential noble to hate him.

n

"N-no. It's okay... all well that ends well...

"

nSurou trembled glancing at the dark-haired girl standing by his older brother, and looking back at the pleading scarred attendant.

nThe blue-haired second prince might have been shaken, but he wasn't stupid nor evil – he had no trouble noticing when he was being saved – and this time he was saved big time.

n

"It's okay, right...?

"

n

"Yes, my prince!

"

nThe heroine hurriedly turned away from the basket and nodded at the second prince before she turned to Zoemi without standing up, and bowed down to him.

n

"Th-thank you for the help, my lord...

"

nShe mumbled in a shaken tone, sounding relieved but still slightly scared.

n