Chapter 343 - 343: A Date with Miena?

The girl opened her lips as if wanting to say something.

But she immediately swallowed the words.

Because Irina's profile was looking far too far away.

"…!!"

After hesitation.

Irina had begun running as if getting an idea.

The sound of shoes kicking cobblestones rang unnaturally large in her ears.

"Irina-chan!?"

"Wait, where are you going!?"

From behind she heard her companions' voices stopping her.

Even so her feet did not stop.

If she did not chase here she would surely regret it for life.

Was it to say thanks.

Was it to complain.

Or did she only want him to look this way once more.

Even she herself did not know.

"Rigel! Wait!!"

Irina who ran at full speed immediately caught up to the carriage.

Miena who read the air temporarily stopped the carriage.

"Oi oi, what's wrong?"

Rigel leaned out from the side of the carriage and rounded his eyes.

Rarely it was a face as if truly taken by surprise.

But that too was an instant and immediately returned to his usual light smile.

Irina moved her shoulders up and down large and desperately settled her breathing.

Then she raised her face.

"I'll wait!"

"…What do you mean?"

"I want to follow your journey. …But you're not interested in someone like me anymore. Right?"

"Well, yeah."

Rigel acknowledged it readily.

The cheat skill [Rape] he held grew by violating various women in a wide variety of situations.

That also matched his own tastes.

The play of violating Irina for the first time was greatly enjoyable, and the rape after that was not bad either.

However it was also fact that he had started to get bored.

Irina had sensed that change.

"That's why you'll wait?"

"…D-don't get the wrong idea! My collar is still valid even after being removed, that's all! I actually hate someone like you but… I have no choice!!"

Her voice was trembling.

But there was certain will there.

Seeing through even Rigel's warped tastes she was still trying not to let him forget her.

At that endearingness Rigel laughed looking amused.

"You really are an interesting one. Well, I'll strive to live up to expectations as much as I can."

"I won't lose to a pervert like you."

"Ooh scary scary."

Rigel said it jokingly.

Then he signaled Miena with his eyes.

The carriage slowly began moving again.

"See ya."

Rigel waved last.

This was goodbye.

"I'll be waiting… you rape idiot."

Irina muttered small.

Then she turned on her heel and returned to her companions.

—-

The next town was lively even before passing through the gate.

Probably because it was at a moderate distance from the capital of the Gousel marquis territory.

Those heading toward the territorial capital and those leaving both caught their breath here, arranged their loads, and loosened their purse strings.

On the cobblestone main street stalls lined up, and the sweet smell of baked sweets mixed with the smell of spice-seasoned skewers.

Travelers, merchants, adventurers, town girls.

The flow of people never ceased, and even the sound of carriage wheels was swallowed by that stir.

"We'll stay one night in this town."

Rigel told Miena and had the carriage stopped in front of the inn.

The inn was in a place a little recessed from the main street.

On the old wooden sign a lion's profile worn by wind was carved.

"Yes. Then arrangements for the stable and rooms—"

"Let's finish that quickly."

Saying that Rigel got down from the carriage and called to a boy who seemed to be an inn errand boy.

"I'll leave the horse and carriage. Two rooms."

"Yes, understood!"

The boy hurriedly received the reins and pulled the carriage toward the stable.

Miena saw that off looking a little unsettled.

"Miena, you come this way."

"Eh?"

"Today we'll look at the town. You come along too."

"M-me?"

"Who else is there."

Returned as if obvious Miena made a slightly troubled face.

But faster than she searched for a reason to refuse Rigel was already walking.

"W-wait please…!"

She hurriedly chased at a half-run.

When they entered the crowd Miena naturally dropped three steps behind Rigel.

A habit soaked in as a slave, probably.

But on a street lively like a festival if she let her guard down even a little the distance immediately opened.

"Oi."

"Yes."

"Don't walk that far behind. You'll get separated."

Saying that Rigel lightly gripped Miena's wrist.

"…"

Miena's shoulder jumped small.

She had not tried to flee.

She was only still unused to being touched by someone.

"If you hate it say so."

"I-I don't… hate it."

"Then walk."

"Yes…"

Pulled by the wrist Miena lined up beside Rigel.

Footsteps that were stiff at first softened little by little while her eyes were stolen by the stall splendor.

"Um, Master. What is this?"

Where she stopped her feet was a glasswork stall.

Ornaments modeled on small birds, flowers, and fish glittered receiving the evening sun.

"Just decorations, right."

"…They're beautiful."

"Do you want one?"

"N-no! I don't mean that. I was only looking…"

At the timing of hurriedly shaking her head Miena's hair fell on her cheek.

She clenched both hands small before her chest and denied many times.

Glancing at her like that Rigel called to the shopkeeper.

"Give me this blue bird."

"Thanks!"

"Eh."

With practiced movement the shopkeeper pinched up one small glass bird from on the cloth.

Though blue it was not mere blue.

Around the neck it was the color of clear sky, and the wing tips were deep like a lake.

Such a glass bird was placed koron on Miena's palm.

"Eh… um, Master?"

"Hold it. Don't drop it."

"…Yes."

Miena gently wrapped it with both hands.

As if protecting a real small bird.

"Thank you."

"It's cheap. Not enough to thank me for."

"But to me… it's very precious."

The voice was small.

But even in the stir of the crowd it reached Rigel's ears strangely clearly.

After that the two ate skewers and drank sweet fruit water.

Rigel bought roughly and Miena received it in a fluster.

Each time she timidly looked up at Rigel.

"Is it all right to receive this much."

"Eat when you can eat. Travel is that kind of thing."

"Master is used to travel."

Miena dropped her gaze to the cup of fruit water and gently stroked the rim with her fingertip.

"I… always thought going somewhere was scary."

"Scary?"

"Yes. I thought even if I went to an unknown place nothing would change. Bought by someone, ordered by someone… just that."

"Is it different now?"

When Rigel asked back Miena raised her face a little.

Beyond the crowd a red evening sun was sinking at the edge of the roofs.

That light faintly dyed her eyelashes.

"I still don't understand well. But… today's town is beautiful."

"That's not the town being beautiful."

"Eh?"

"Only that your eyes got a little better."

"My eyes?"

"Aa. If you look only down in fear you see only cobblestones. If you raise your face you see stalls, people, and the sky too."

Rigel only said it casually.

He had no intention of a clever comfort.

But Miena received those words as if precious and dropped her gaze to the glass bird at her chest.

"…Master is a mysterious person."

"Is that praise?"

"Probably… yes."

"Probably, huh."

When Rigel laughed Miena also laughed only a very little.

Awkward.

But it was the first natural smile she showed.

When the sun tilted and fire entered the streetlamps the two returned to the inn.

"Tired?"

"A little. But it was fun."

"I see."

Rigel said only that and put a hand on the inn door.

"Um, Master."

Miena stopped that back.

"What."

"Next town too… may I walk a little?"

It was a reserved voice.

Not an order, a wish.

Probably for her even putting that in her mouth required great courage.

Rigel turned and looked at Miena for a while.

"If I feel like it."

"Yes."

It was an ambiguous reply.

But Miena even so nodded looking happy.

At her chest the blue glass bird swayed small.

Receiving the night streetlamps that light shone for only an instant like real feathers.