Chapter 47: Stunned

The following day Garen approached me while I was relaxing in my room.

“According to the Demon King, Mika is being pursued by the Goddess Kas’uan’s.”

“Thanks for worrying about me, but she’s looking for me in my world right now, so I’m fine.”

It’s reassuring to know that someone cares about you. Actually, it might be best to marry and settle down in this world.

“I will protect you, Mika.”

“T-Thank you.”

It’s very nice of him to say that, but is Garen the type of person who would openly say something like that? Maybe things have changed in five years. When I was confused, Garen looked straight at me.

“… Mika, do you remember? I asked you to escape with me to a neighboring country.”

“I remember.”

What’s wrong with that?

“My feelings haven’t changed—I still love Mika, perhaps even more than before.”

“…Eh?”

Oh, he claims to love you… Does this imply that he really loves me? True, I thought the previous words sounded like a proposal, but it was a situation, and I thought they came from necessity.

My cheeks get hot all at once when I understand it.

“Will you marry me, Mika?”

“Eh…?”

Garen gave me a flower bouquet. The bouquet was made up of large red roses. My body temperature rose as a result of the sweet smell of the roses and the proposal.

But Garen can’t know—the only way for me to be truly safe is to get married. So why…

“I know Mika is no longer interested in me. But I don’t want to lose you again. I intend to make you happy. You don’t have to answer me right now. So please, think about a future with me…?”

■□■

Night. I lie in bed, but I can’t sleep with Garen’s words running through my head.

Whether I marry or not, I can’t return to my world without the power of the Shrine Maiden. If that’s the case, marrying Garen, who thankfully said he could marry me, is for my safety and possibly the best way to stop causing any more trouble to the Demon King and the others.

But… I’m not ready to say goodbye to the people I left behind in my home world. And I still think it’s too soon to get married.

I’m at a loss for what to do.

I close my eyes, but I don’t feel tired, so I go for a walk. I exit the room quietly so as not to disturb anyone.

As I walk down the corridor, I notice how lovely the moonlight is. I then notice a familiar figure.

“Your Majesty?”

“Shrine Maiden.”

The figure was the Demon King—the Demon King appears to have been gazing at the moon.

“What are you doing up so late for, did you have a dream about the Goddess Kas’uan’s?”

the Demon King looks worriedly at my face, which I quickly deny.

“No, I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking.”

“I see. Me too.”

the Demon King is young, but he’s a ruler… and now that the Goddess Kas’uan’s’s seal has been broken, he’ll have a lot more to worry about than I do.

We spent some time looking at the moon together. We were both silent, but it wasn’t an awkward silence but rather a pleasant one. I’m curious what the Demon King would do in this situation. In the moonlight, the Demon King’s silvery-white hair gleamed, and he looked so──

“What’s wrong, Shrine Maiden?”

I caught sight of the Demon King’s profile and met his crimson eyes. I felt like I was being sucked into a pool of blood-red ink.

“..”

“Shrine Maiden?”

When it calls to me again, I’m taken aback.

“N-No, it’s nothing.”

I was just looking at the Demon King. My heart is pounding, and I quickly avert my gaze.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Following our conversation, I leave the Demon Lord and return to my room. After speaking with the Demon King, I feel a little more at ease, but the problem remains unresolved.

…I’m at a loss for what to do.