Seeing their casual conversation, Misuzu who was listening couldn’t help but smile wryly.

She had already seen this kind of scenes a few times already in these past few days they were together so she was already used to it.

She then walked towards them, “Are you injured?” Misuzu saw all the blood on his clothes.

Lyle smiled wryly and pointed at the burning corpses of the enemies, “It’s all their blood… Eh, don’t look, these guys look disgusting.”

As if he suddenly realized something, he quickly blocked Misuzu’s view. He didn’t want this pure little girl to see all the blood and violence.

This simple move by him had Misuzu’s heart racing.

However, she immediately shook his head and stopped his hand from covering his eyes. “I’m a princess, so I need to be used to this kind of thing.”

As she said that to Lyle, she pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping off the blood from his face.

Her handkerchief was soft and had a faint smell of flowers.

Because of that, for every time she pressed her handkerchief on Lyle’s face, it absorbed the blood and left behind the smell of flowers.

“Misuzu, there’s no need to go this far. I only need to wash my face you know.”

“No, stay still.”

Misuzu shook her head while smiling and continued to move her handkerchief.

“You were really stupid. There’s no need to fight by yourself … we could have just done it with you!”

“Eh!? Really ? On the second thought, no, things like this should be done by me …”

He directed his gaze to his surroundings.

“…I also get what you’re saying. But, a scary thing is still scary.”

Just what was Lyle looking at? Misuzu followed his gaze. And then―she noticed.

The many looks of terror, directed at him from all sides.

Those who were directing such looks at Lyle, were exactly the students whose lives were supposed to be just saved by him.

“That’s… if Lyle didn’t do it all of them would be killed, so …” Misuzu obviously understand what they are feeling.

However, because she had already saw the real Lyle after spending time with him these past few days, she just can’t feel any fear nor hate towards him.

But that can’t be said to the other people. Especially to those who didn’t know him, they must be feeling extreme fear and disgusts by now.

Because she knows that if she wasn’t saved by Lyle a few times already, or even spent some time with him to understand him better, she would have been one of these people, sitting there, trembling and looking at him in fear.

Knowing that. Misuzu don’t know what to say. She could only bit her lips in frustration.

No words came from Misuzu.

Lyle knew he was the center of attention. He smiled gently and wore a defeated expression.

―They had seen it.

The hard to describe grotesque shape of the aftermath of his battle, that one would hesitate just to say it.

That was exactly why they were scared.

There was no way an existence that could enjoy killing someone and slaughter them like it was nothing … something like that could be someone upright. That was what they probably thought.

Even him would feel fear if he saw something like this for the first time … but for some reason, he didn’t feel anything. It was as if, killing someone was just his second nature … like he was just steeping on some ants crawling in the ground.

And yet …

Just what is going on with him ?

For some reason, he couldn’t understand himself anymore …

“This is fine … not like I can help it.”

“B-but, then… won’t you being ostracized like th-“

“Doesn’t really matter. Not like I want to be praised or idolized by anyone. …”

After saying so, something suddenly flashed inside his mind.

A scene he didn’t know nor remembered happening.

— —

A blurred face of a woman. Although Lyle can’t see her face clearly, the beautiful long silver hair caught his attention.

In front of her was a man, covered in pitch black clothing.

Staring up at him, she burst out in laughter. “You definitely have the wrong idea. You stupid dragon, you’ve misunderstood what I meant.”

“Have I?” The black clothed man smiled.

“What I am thinking is, when you have finished all that you want to do, you only need every day to go sleep in that huge bed. The rest, you can leave to me.

I will cook and make tea for you and tenderly take care of you. So you can rest assured, this princess will keep you from weariness, keep you from darkness, keep you from constant bloodshed, keep you from suffering, keep you from needing to constantly be on the move, and especially ….”

Her eyes sparkled, envisioning this as she gazed up at him like she was looking at her most cherished treasure.

“— keep you from being alone, without anyone to trust and lean upon.”

For some reason, upon seeing this unfamiliar yet familiar scene, Lyle thought the jet black man was her most cherished treasure.

— —

Although Lyle don’t know what this scene was, he somehow felt nostalgic and huge beads of tears fell from his eyes.

Then……

“Sorry, I’m a bit tired. Let me rest a bit,” He said, and toppled.

“Hey!”

Misuzu immediately supported him, but he showed no signs of waking up. As she was surprised by it, she couldn’t support herself properly and also fell, unable to fully support his weight.

“H-Hey, you shouldn’t sleep in such a place!”

He hadn’t planned to, but Lyle was using Misuzu’s chest as a pillow.

Though she looked flustered from the pressure on top of her, she couldn’t move.

“Although you look so thin … …You’re actually heavy!”

No matter how much she pushed at him, he remained inert. For some reason, none of the medical students nearby came over to help. Angry, she struggled to get him off her.

The sound of peaceful breathing.

“Geez……” She sighed.

“Well, you did really well,” Misuzu patted his hair that was roughened by soil.

Although Misuzu was fluttered but she felt happy for some reason. She realized that Lyle was really a person who was overprotective of his family. If anyone dared to hurt the people he cared for, they would certainly suffer his full wrath.

Of course, the feeling of being protected wouldn’t be bad at all.

Although he wasn’t protecting herself right now, Misuzu knew that if someone dared to make fun of her and attack her like this, he would be so angry that his face would turn red like this too.

He would then lost himself just like this time to take revenge and would then slaughter anyone if they hurt her.

Although she had no grounds for this thought, she believe that he would certainly do it.

She herself probably discovered that Lyle’s nature wasn’t bad. He was just too overprotective.

To the level of rushing forward to do the right thing without harboring any doubt.

If only I could replaced Feme’s position … … I would do everything just to make it happen.

She thought as she patted his hair.

And……

“Cough.”

“Huh!? Aaahhhhh! Blood! He’s vomiting blood! Healers ! Get a Healer over here immediately!” Misuzu frantically shouted. Lyle suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood on her chest.

With Misuzu’s panicked voice, the surrounding students finally stirred.

… …

So noisy……

Lyle thought, half asleep and half awake. Although he was feeling faint, he can still perceive anything.

Everything should have been resolve when …

“RRrroooooaoaaaaarrrrrRRRRRR!!!”

“…!? This sound is––!”

Vertically piercing through the clouds, the scream of a beast descended.

From high up in the sky above the injured and tired students, an inhuman intruder suddenly appeared.