The Hero and the Wish
I bid farewell to the elderly lady, and I met up with Carolina and the others.
Carolina ordered stewed vegetables and fried fish; Little Elan ordered sweet curry.
Jinwen poked out his head from Carolina’s chest pocket to tear off a strip of fried fish. He sprinkled his fish with salt and ate it. After he swallowed it, he continued to lick his fingers.
Carolina put ground pepper on her fish to eat.
This is the kind of cooking that Zhai He could do, but I could not. I cannot make food, so while on the road, Carolina and the others would try their hand at making food. Sometimes they would make things that were extremely spicy.
“Ah~~As expected, good food is the best” said everybody’s expressions.
Because I had finished eating, I sat at the table without saying a word.
“Gulp. We heard from the innkeeper that the royal family is on tour.”
Suddenly, Carolina spoke.
“Is that so.”
I said lightly, like a soft breeze and pale clouds.
“We understand what you’re going through, Leon.”
My ears rang with Mademoiselle Phantom’s voice.
Although I could not see her, I could hear her voice. This was probably just something a ghost could do.
I shifted my gaze unnaturally.
Anyway, I’m the one to blame.
They were probably going to say “I didn’t think you were that kind of person, Leon” or something like that. Afterall, their most respected person, Zhai He, used this body that was so hated by people. When they found out about that, they definitely wouldn’t be pleased with me.
After all, those things were all my fault.
Thus, even if they criticized me, I will seriously apologize.
Even if there is no use in apologizing.
“I never thought that you would protect a demon, Leon. You’re very alike with Zhai He in that respect.”
Carolina tore of the fin of the fish while speaking.
“Leon, do you really want to see that princess?”
Elan looked at me with curiosity.
No.
Nonononono.
Why’d she say it like that.
Shouldn’t that normally be said sarcastically?
“Sorry, Leon.”
Just as I thought this, Mademoiselle Phantom took the lead to apologize.
“I had said some excessive things too you before. We are all sorry. When we were unable to accept Zhai He’s disappearance, we should not have taken it out on you. We forgot that there is still someone waiting for you.”
My heart twisted into a ball, and sadness filled my chest.
“No…..”
I pressed my forehead, and said with anguish:
“It’s me…..”
“Though I don’t know why you saved that demon, we believe that you are not a bad person. We won’t say anything like ‘We’re waiting for Zhai He to return’ again.”
Mademoiselle Phantom’s voice reverberated in my ears.
“But don’t you guys bear a grudge against me? If someone finds out that I live, I will definitely be killed. Then Zhai He will really die.”
“He ge, he……”
Elan lowered her head.
“Huw.a.n.g, Uncle won’t die that easily!”
Carolina let out a small shriek of surprise when Jinwen speedily jumped out of the pocket, landed on the table and clambered over towards me, pouncing on the inside of my cloak.
I nervously looked at the surroundings, but there seemed to be no one who noticed him.
I felt an itch around my neck. Little Jinwen had grabbed onto my clothes and climbed near my neck and hit me with his fist.
A fist that didn’t hurt or tickle.
“Uncle said that he and I were friends. Bendaye will wait for him. He definitely did not abandon bendaye and run off of on his own. But bendaye does not also want you to disappear. So work hard!!”
His little ears rubbed up against my skin, making my neck itch.
“What Jinwen said is true. We will help you.”
Mademoiselle Phantom spoke from the side.
This response made me feel even more ashamed. If they knew that I had already fought back against Zhai He returning to this body, if they knew that I was such a selfish person, they definitely would be bitterly disappointed with me. I wanted to live. This feeling could not be regarded as shameful, but to these people who sincerely cared about my sadness, it could not be justified.
“I just hope to see her again….after that, I will probably leave.”
I sighed:
“Of course, I know I don’t have the qualifications to say something like this. I’m not worthy of Ailee, and I’m not worthy of you guys. I only want to ask your forgiveness. I’m not clinging to life in this world, I just want……”
“We understand.”
Mademoiselle Phantom’s voice was full of forgiveness.
Carolina and Little Elan wore smiles.
“If it was Master, he wouldn’t be able to just ignore you. RIght now, Master is not here so we will help you.”
“He ge already said that he wouldn’t be here one day, that he hoped Little Elan will be able to be independent. So I will work hard!”
Such great companions.
Zhai He, you really are a great person. And your companions have the same kind hearts. They even forgave someone filthy like me.
You should have more happiness.
Happiness that is too dazzling for me.