I stayed at the cabin that day and took a proper bath before going to bed, so I thought I was fine.
I sent the wind bird to my parents and told them that I would stay at the cabin overnight. Since it was the daughter's birthday, we were able to share the dinner in the kitchen. I wiped myself down and changed my clothes as soon as I entered the cabin, so I was well prepared.
The next day, my father came to the cabin and peeked into my bedroom because I had told him I was staying there.
I was aware of his presence, but I couldn't get up from the bed. I was actually planning to wait for him at today's work site.
My head feels a little foggy. Strangely, I didn't feel cold at all, and then my father looked into my face.

"Oh, .......

Crack!

You're hot.

My vision suddenly darkened and my father grabbed me by the top half of my head. I wonder if I'm going to get an ironclaw for oversleeping.
I thought he was going to lift me up with my head in his grasp, but he lifted me up with the quilt and put me on his shoulders. He wrapped me in the quilt before carrying me, so I was like a piece of luggage.
After carrying me, my father went down the stairs from the second floor of the hut. The sound of him going down the stairs and the regular shaking of the stairs made me feel sleepy.

I'm sorry for interrupting your work. ......

The wave of drowsiness overwhelmed even my feelings of apology and regret, and I let go of my consciousness.


The next time I woke up, I was in my room at home. The next time I woke up, I found myself in my room at home, feeling relieved at the familiar feeling of my bed, and tilting my head to see how much time had passed.

"Are you awake?

"Mom, you're at .......

I shift my gaze from the ceiling to the side and see my mother. My head was foggy and I opened my mouth, but it was hard to speak.

My throat was ...... dry.

It felt as if all the water in my body had evaporated. I realized that it was difficult to speak because my mouth was also dry. I must have sweated, but I don't feel sticky. Mom must have wiped it off while I was sleeping.

"Here's some water. Do you want some?

".......

I sat up and sat on the bed, and Mom gave me a glass of water from the jug. When I put my mouth on the glass, the water was warm and easy to drink. I think this is called "Shirayu".
I drank the water until I was no longer thirsty. I waited for her to finish drinking, and then she picked up the cup and asked me.

"Would you like some rice?

I do.

She asks if I have an appetite, and I tell her it's no problem, and she smiles and says she'll go get ready. Then she pats me on the head.

I'll wake you up when I'm ready, so go back to sleep.

"Yes.

I obeyed her and pulled the covers over my head again. I think I've slept enough, but when I lie down, my eyelids feel like they're about to fall again.

"Zak. You've been reckless, haven't you?

A voice falls, sounding more amused than scolding. I deny it in my sleep.

"No, I didn't.

I'm only doing what I can. I'm practicing gymnastics because I want to, and I've decided who I'm going to dance with. Besides, Master and Miss Ella have a reasonable schedule.

It was your daughter's birthday yesterday. Didn't you use magic before the bird?

It's .......

I wanted to show her the biggest rainbow I could because the place was nice. I used a lot of magic until the very last minute, but I was able to make the wind bird fly, so I thought I was okay. I wonder if running out of MP lowers one's immunity.

I wonder if running out of MP lowers your immunity... "Each one may not be a big deal, but if you try a little bit harder at everything, it becomes reckless. Zaku always works a little harder than others, right?

He patted me on the head and laughed at me for being just like my father.

You're already working, but you still do something on your days off, don't you?

I wondered if he was referring to Leo's tour, or his part-time job at Daniel's, or the babysitting he was asked to do.
I'm just playing with Leo and the little ones, and the part-time job is half-playing since I get to eat snacks and see the garden. I don't mind babysitting for a while.
I thought of several possibilities, but none of them seemed right. Before I could open my mouth to say no, a finger poked me in the cheek and I couldn't speak.

That's it. The one that just popped into my head is a bit of a stretch.

I raise my eyebrows when my mother points out that I've just come up with a suggestion. I raise my eyebrows, partly because I'm trying to keep my eyelids from falling.
It's frustrating to feel like I'm not strong enough to be reckless just playing around. I'm working out.
I've been working out..." She looked at me and smiled gently.

What are you in a hurry for?

"It's .......

She can tell the frustration in me. Maybe it was because I was in a fever, but I didn't question how she knew.



You'll regret it. ......

I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm going to do it. If that's the case, then all I can do is to at least do what's right in front of me and be a person that I can be proud of.
I don't know if I can meet the deadline for my promise to become a full-fledged gardener. If I don't do everything I can, I'm sure my daughter, who's so much stronger than I am, will soon leave me behind.
I'm tired of regretting the things I didn't do.

"Don't worry.

Mom says in a gentle voice. She said it in a gentle voice, not very strong, but it sounded almost convincing.

You'll be fine. Just sleep and don't think about it until you're better.

I see.

I mumble inaudibly. I fell asleep, reassured that I would be okay if Mom said so.


And for two whole days, I slept almost all the time except for meals. I went to see a doctor in the neighborhood, but he said I would recover if I rested. When I told him that it was caused by a fall into the pond, the doctor's grandfather had an indescribable expression on his face, wondering why such a thing happened at this time of the year.
On the morning of the third day, I claimed to be feeling better, but Mom put her hand on my forehead and told me to rest again today just in case I had a slight fever. Because of Mom's decision, Dad went to work at Ernst's alone.
If I had been asleep, I would have been fine, but since my head was clear and my body was not dull, I was free. I had slept enough and didn't feel like lying down in bed, so I took advantage of the fact that I was alone in my room to stretch and then do some muscle training.

Oh.

While I was doing my muscle training, I suddenly remembered. A while ago, I met Annika-sama at work and she was worried about my complexion.
I thought it was because she thought I was a sickly Elias, but maybe she was just worried about whether I was tired or not, like my mother.
I didn't realize that, and I told him that I was fine.

I'm sorry about that. ......

I think I should apologize next time I see her. I'll bring something to thank him for his concern.
After I finished the set that Master had assigned me, I went downstairs to talk to my mother because I had nothing else to do.

"Mom, is there anything I can do to help?

Zak. You haven't been sitting still, have you?

She turned around and said in a disgusted voice.

I'm tired of sleeping all the time. I'm tired of sleeping all the time. My body is getting slow and I want to do something.

I don't blame you.

She must have known that I wouldn't be quiet, because she asked me to pick up the groceries for her.
I put on my warm clothes and left the house, it was a beautiful sunny day. I stretched once in the sunshine and started walking. After being cooped up in the house for two days, it felt good to be outside, even if the air was cold.
As I entered the market street, there were as many people as ever. It was still early in the afternoon, so it was easy to walk around, but at noon, lines formed at the popular restaurants, and sandwich stores opened for a limited time, making it difficult to walk against the flow of people.
As I recall, the lady at the grocery store told me that they sell sandwiches in cooperation with a bakery and a butcher store. It is said that the sandwich stalls are set up only during lunch time to advertise their products. It's a very strong business spirit.
I have to go to the grocery store on my list of errands, so I'll go there early and buy something. Decide on the order of stores to visit and change the direction of travel.

"Zaku .......

A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks and I turned around.
But when I turned around, there was no sign of the voice, only a wave of people passing by.

"............ Miss ......?

There's no way I'm in this place. But I don't think I misheard the lady's voice.
I felt a chilling sensation at the fact that I could hear her voice but could not see her.
I looked around in the direction where the voice came from. Then, for a brief moment, I saw a flash of lightning in the sky around the alleyway.
I immediately headed for the alley where I saw the lightning. A bolt from the blue is no joke. She's never attacked anyone before, no matter how strong her magic is, but to sense lightning magic at this time is just awful.
The exact location of the lightning spirit was traced in the direction it was attracted to.

"Miss!

In a deserted alleyway, I found the young lady and Ms. Katrin flanked by five men.
Katrin-san was trembling and holding out her arms as a shield to protect her from the three men in front of her. A semicircular membrane of lightning was stretched out to further protect her. It must have been put up by the young lady while she was hiding behind Ms. Catrin.
In the event you're not sure what to do, there are a few things you can do.
The moment I saw those tear-stained blue eyes, my head turned bright red.

The ......

I'm not sure what to say.　Keep your head on a swivel!

The lady who found me scolded me for almost loosening up in relief. It's not a good idea to unleash the thunder when you can't break through the current situation. Thanks to the film of lightning, the men are keeping a certain distance from the ladies.
I shouted at her, and she got scared, but she pulled herself together and kept the lightning membrane in place.
Three in front of me, two behind the girls. The one in the back has a relaxed expression and an eye that is used to looking down on people, so he must be the master or at least the leader of the group.
Whether they were kidnappers or abductees, they certainly had harmful intentions. Since they are all well-built and have been taken to an unpopulated place, there is a high possibility that they have been kidnapped for ransom or human trafficking.
It would be difficult for them to escape now, when I'm still on my guard as a child.

What the hell is this ......?

The first thing I do is throw a reasonably sized rock that I picked up along the way, aiming it between the eyes of the three people in front of me. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.


She stumbled past the men, holding her face in her hands, and rushed towards the ladies.

Miss Katrin, Miss, get down!

Ms. Catrin immediately crouched down to protect the young lady, holding her in her arms.
As I ran, I threw a stone between the eyes of the two women in the back.

"Agh!

"Aaah!

It passed through the lady's lightning membrane, so the stone was covered with lightning and had the effect of a stun gun. The two men fell down, screaming as if they were shocked.

"...... Mr. Isak.

"Ms. Catrin, can you run with your daughter?

I knew I was being cruel, but I kneeled down, looked her in the eye, and asked.
She grasped my trembling hand, took a deep breath and suppressed her trembling.

"Yes, .......

Nodding strongly, Katrin picked up her daughter and said, "Excuse me. She also grabbed Katrin's hand tightly.

I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

I reminded her first and then held out my hand to Katrin. Of course, when I passed through the lightning membrane in between, I felt a stabbing pain that was stronger than numbness.

"Zak, my hand is ......!

"......!" "Forget it!　Katrin, I can't feel a thing, can you grab my hand?

The young lady reacted with a scream, but I nudged her not to break the spell and asked Katrin to take her hand. I don't have any sensation, so if I grab it, I might use the wrong amount of force. Well, I'm not sure if I can do it because I feel numb, but we're both wearing gloves, so I don't think I'll have to worry about electrocution.

I'll lead you to the place where the people are, so don't let go until then.

"Yes, sir.

I saw that Katrin had grabbed my hand, and the three of us headed back the way we came. Thanks to the lady's lightning film, the men were electrocuted and slowed down as we passed by.
I don't know if there are any others, so I don't feel safe even though the men are not pursuing us. I ran at a speed that I was careful not to trip Ms. Catlin. With the young lady in my arms, I can't go very fast, but it's better than not hurrying.
The moment I reach the original market street, I shout.

I shouted, "They're kidnappers, someone call the soldiers!

About half of the people in the street reacted to my voice and looked at me. The lady was so startled by my shout that she released her lightning membrane.
After that, it was quick. Some of the shopkeepers came out, someone went to call the soldiers, and a couple of men with ropes in their hands went to capture her at the end of the alley I had described. A lady who was passing by, worried about Katrin and the young lady, followed me until the soldiers arrived.
It felt like it took a long time to get away, but it must have been a matter of minutes. I was so relieved that I just sat there until the soldiers arrived.
When the soldiers arrived, the young lady and Ms. Catrin were taken to the nearest soldier's station for protection. I was taken along with them for questioning.
During the interview, the soldier's uncle, concerned about the injury to my arm, sent a medic to see me. He warned me not to crush the burn near my wrist because it would cause a lot of swelling. I don't know what to do. When I look at it, I feel like I'm itching to smash it. I'll do my best and be patient. The numbness in my hand will go away in a while. I was told to come back later for a checkup just in case.
During the interview, I was not sure if I should just be a passerby, but I wanted to contact my mother, so I honestly told her my identity. The soldier scolded me for being a reckless child, and promised to inform my mother.
The girls were to wait in the guardroom until they were picked up, and the soldier's uncle, who was a servant of the family he served, said he would be worried about me.
The ladies were drinking a hot drink in a small but comfortable room that looked like a reception room. From the sweet smell in the air, it was probably cocoa.

"Zak.......

When I entered the room, the young lady blindingly put down her cup of cocoa with a clatter and rushed towards me.

I'm sure you'll be fine.　My hands are .........

I'm fine. It's just a little numb.

It's just a little numb." Taking advantage of the fact that I couldn't see the bandage on my sleeve, I smiled and waved my hand at him. You just got what you deserved for sticking your hand into a defensive spell. So I hope you don't mind.
She looked at my hands and eyes alternately, as if trying to figure out what I meant. She seemed a little confused, but relieved that I was okay.
When I looked at Katrin, her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

"You did a great job, Katrin-san. You did great.

...... No, not at all.

You'll be able to get a lot more out of this. She looks timid, but she is strong. If she had cowered in that situation, she wouldn't have been able to escape.
Katrin's eyes were a little moist and she was humble. Her face was filled with apology.
The reason for her apology is just what I would have expected. I turned my gaze back to the young lady and asked her earnestly.

I looked back at her and asked seriously, "So, what was she doing there?

She looked at me and shook her shoulders.

"I was going to ............ visit Zaku at .......

"You didn't tell anyone and you didn't have an escort?

...... You've been to downtown before, haven't you, Roy?

The lady objected, but I replied quietly.



"Leo's not quiet, he's got guards. He's here because he can defend himself to some degree.

When the young lady was silent, Katrin tried to defend her, but asked her to remain silent with a look.
She kneeled down to make eye contact with the young lady, who turned over silently as if to endure. He gently wrapped his hands around the fists he was making.

"Miss.

When I called out to her, she looked at me fearfully, but made eye contact. I look back into her pale blue eyes and tell her.

"Miss, I want you to know that you are beautiful and pretty.

"......?

Listen.

She misunderstands that I'm making fun of her and her cheeks turn red, but I tell her with my eyes that I'm serious.

I'm sure you're not the only one. But to people who don't know her, she's still beautiful and pretty.

The girl who doesn't understand my intentions becomes suspicious.

I know you're beautiful and pretty, but to people who don't know you, you're still beautiful and pretty. Didn't you see how scary their eyes were today?

She shivered once and nodded slightly, as if she remembered the eyes that did not see her as a human being.

"Some people who don't know you don't know you're the same person. So take care of yourself.

...... I won't be rash anymore.

Yeah. Thank you.

After biting her bottom lip once, she said with determination. I smiled, relieved to hear her answer.
Just in time, I'll tell you about it.

"You know, girl. I've been wanting to ask you to come downtown for a long time.

"Yeah, .......

But you can't guarantee her safety. Anyway, I thought it might help if I got stronger, so I ...... had Mr. Heinz train me.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of an idiot.

But that wasn't enough. I should have told her and we could have thought about it together. ...... I'm sorry I scared you.

If I had told her what I was thinking first, she wouldn't have been so reckless. That's the price I pay for not bothering to let her in on my disturbing conversation. I feel so pathetic that I can't even laugh at myself.
The young lady shakes her head and denies it. She's blaming herself for this.
Noticing that the numbness in her hands has weakened, I grab her wrapped hands as tightly as I can without hurting her. I can feel her body heat slowly rising.

I was working out, but I really ...... wished I wasn't.

I'm glad that my training was like a club activity and not actually useful. I didn't have the slightest desire to make use of the abilities I gained. I didn't need to be useful for the rest of my life.
I didn't know what kind of expression to give to the girl, so I put my forehead on her shoulder so that she couldn't see my face.

I was scared.

I thought you were going to disappear. That's what I was so afraid of.
When I found her, my head turned red with rage, almost murderous rage at the men, but that was to dispel the fear.
I could lose the warmth that was now in my hands.
I don't want to be afraid like this anymore.

"I'm sorry, ....... I'm sorry, Zaku.

I could feel the vibration across my forehead. I looked up and saw the young lady's face as she cried.

I'm not going to make Zak cry again. ......

I'm not going to make Zaku cry again." With a tear-stained face, she squeaked and said something very manly.

The one crying is you, young lady.

I couldn't help but laugh.
I stroked her head, feeling bad for making her cry, even though she had been holding it in until now.

"You were scared, too, weren't you?

"It was scary. ......

I tried to calm her down, but it seemed to have the opposite effect, as more tears welled up in her eyes and she broke them. Then she pressed her forehead against my chest and started crying.
As if to make sure I was there, she grabbed my clothes and I patted her on the back to let her know it was okay.
I patted her on the back to let her know it was okay. I stayed with her until she calmed down, and then she fell asleep. She grabbed her clothes and wouldn't let go, so I carried her and sat with her on the couch where she had been sitting. Ms. Catrin wet a handkerchief and cooled her eyes.
Just as she was wondering what to do, the door opened and a familiar face appeared behind the guiding soldier.

I'm sorry I'm late.

"My Lord.

The Duke has come with his master, the butler Heinz, to pick up the young lady. Katrin stood up immediately and bowed by the sofa. But with the young lady clinging to me, I couldn't move and didn't know what to do.
The duke, approaching with fluid steps, dropped to one knee and traced the outline of the sleeping lady's face with his palm.

"Poor ......, you must have been so scared.

The duke placed his lips around the young lady's swollen eyes as if to console her.
The duke's words brought a deep sense of guilt to her heart. He bites his lip tightly and ties his mouth shut.

I'm glad you're okay, Isak. You did well to escape.



"Yeah, .......

I was expecting to be scolded, but I was stroked on the head and pouted.
The duke smiled, wondering at my reaction.

"Katrin and Isak are both important servants in my family. How can I not be glad that they are safe?

I was surprised, because I hadn't expected him to worry about me. The duke was just smiling kindly, but he looked so reliable. At the same time, I felt embarrassed because I realized that I was just a child.

Thank you for ....... I'm sorry for worrying you.

My cheeks were burning, but I managed to say thank you. The reason for the fever was also happiness. I was glad to be in the service of the Ernst family.
The Duke smiled contentedly at my reply, and then, I don't know how he untied his hands, but he easily let go of my daughter and stood up with her in his arms.

Now, I'm going to leave because I want to put Dia first.

I stood up and stood straight.

I stood up and stood straight. "Yes, thank you!

I folded my body at a right angle, and the Duke's funny laugh fell.

The Duke's laughter fell.

"Well, Duke, .......

When I stopped him impatiently, the duke turned around with graceful movements.

What is it?

I know you're a busy man, but I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time.　I'm sure you're busy, but I'd like to talk to you about something.

"All right. I'll see you later.

After the duke and his friends left, I exhaled softly, relieved that they had agreed.


The duke was surprisingly quick to arrange a time for me to meet him, and I was summoned in the evening when I went to work the next day.
My teacher led me to the Duke's study. The atmosphere was like a school principal's office, making me nervous. I have the impression that only people who have done great things or people who have done very bad things are invited to the headmaster's office. In my previous life, I was neither, so I've never been in there.
I greeted him and entered, and the Duke laughed and said there was no need to be nervous. When I saw the sparkling duke, I felt a little relaxed, thinking that there is no such thing as a young principal. Even indoors, the Duke's blond hair was dazzling.

"So, what's the story?

The duke asked smilingly from behind his study desk.

Before I go any further, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday!

I bow my head and apologize.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

I was apologizing to him, and as I was trying to argue with him with my head down, I heard him blurt out.
I looked up and saw the duke, who was chuckling and laughing. I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant.

"Um, ......?

"No, I'm sorry. I just thought you were a good boy.

I don't feel like I'm being complimented, even though he says it with a laugh.

I'm the one who made the decision to stay with Isak. In fact, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm the one who should have taught her to manage risk. Via was angry with me for being like her.

The Duke chuckles. If you say it like that, I can't keep apologizing.
As if to say, "This is the end of the matter," the Duke broke off the conversation.

Now, what is it you want to talk about?

The young lady ...... needs an escort for Master Lydia.

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.
The duke rolled his eyes, the same pale blue as the young lady's.

"Why is that?

I heard that ...... Mr. Heinz is going to have an escort. I don't want anything like yesterday to happen again, so I'd like you to expedite that as much as possible.

"No?

No, I don't.

I can't think too hard. So I thought, if I can't do it alone, I shouldn't do it alone. That's it.

"Well, ......, you don't like it?

The duke laughed again, repeating what I had said. The lady gets angry when I make a fool of myself, but I wonder if it's funny to the Duke. I thought I was being rather serious, but...
After laughing for a moment, the Duke opened his mouth.

All right. I'll consider it. But I was also thinking that we should move up the timing.

Thank you very much!

The duke's answer made my face glow.

...... You don't say you'll protect him?

What?　It's more important that your daughter be able to smile.

It was more of a murmur than a question, but I couldn't help but reply, "What are you talking about?
The Duke rolled his eyes and laughed again when I puzzled him. The Duke rolled his eyes and laughed again, and gave me the same assessment, "You're a good boy.