Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 305

After eating the first in a long time dinner with my family, I returned to my room.
It's only been a few months since I stayed in this room, and yet it feels like it's someone else's. Books on the bookshelf, dresses in the closet, jewelry box in the cabinet, everything is mine, and yet I can't settle down.

"Was this room so big…?"

Talking strictly about the size, Freed's room is much more spacious than mine. And yet, for some reason, to me this room now feels wide and empty.

"Is it because Freed isn't here…?"

I'm seriously ill to be lonely even though we're only apart for one night. It was the same when I stayed in Mother-in-law's room, even though I was okay during daytime, come night the feeling of loneliness grew much stronger, and I ended up thinking about Freed.
Freed. My fiancé.
Just the other day he celebrated his birthday and became twenty-two years old. It wasn't a national celebration, but it was my lover's birthday, so I did my best in various ways.
I remembered that time. Recalling Freed's happy smiles one after another, I grew lonelier.

"… Haa. I don't feel like sleeping."
"What, Princess? Missing the Crown Prince?"
"Wah…!"

Cain suddenly appeared before me. He didn't jump from the ceiling, so I suppose he leapt here using the secret art, but he surprised me.

"W-What is it…? It's quite late… Perhaps something happened?"

I didn't expect Cain to come at all. When I asked him in a fluster, he shook his head.

"Nothing did. Princess, I'm your guard, right? Night is a dangerous time, so how could I leave Princess alone? The Crown Prince told me to never take my eyes off you too."

As Freed's name came up, I blinked my eyes.

"Freed did?"
"Yeah, he told me to guard you properly. Of course, I'd still do it even if he didn't."

Cain complained, but his face was saying he wasn't so discontent.

"… It looks like you two are quite close."

I happily nodded, but for some reason Cain scrunched his eyebrows.

"Not really? We aren't close, we just have to cooperate because you keep being reckless, Princess."
"Reckless, you say…"

I thought Father and Brother had been cruel during daytime, but Cain went and said that with a serious face.

"If not reckless, how about troublemaker? Princess, just by walking you attract every possible trouble, right? I don't want to work together with royalty, but it's not the situation to be saying that. If I don't accept what help I can get, I'll have all sorts of trouble."
"E… Err, yup."

As he ended his speech as if to ask if I understand, I gave him a small nod.

"Well Princess, it's not something you need to worry about. We'll deal with it on our own, so Princess, please keep doing as you like. Restricting master's actions is a second-rate conduct. Anyway, that's why I came to guard you. Princess, the guards at your place are excellent, but after all, they are nothing compared to me or the Crown Prince."
"…"

The comparison is much too unfair. When I spontaneously fell silent, Cain laughed, "That's how it is."

"I'm guarding you, so if anything happens, call me. Laters."
"Ah…"

Together with those words he disappeared. As always, he puts ninjas to shame.
But it's the fact that because I met him, my loneliness has lifted up a little.
I'll meet Freed tomorrow. I can't keep being depressed.

"Alright, it's my rare homecoming, so let's do what I can only do here. I'll sleep when I'm sleepy. That's fine, right!"

I pulled myself together, headed for the bookshelf, and took out a book I'd only read part way through. When I flipped the pages, I remember its content.

"Let's finish reading this and go to sleep."

If I go to the castle library, I'll find the same book, but if possible, I want to read this book in my room.
I lied down on the bed and continued reading. I liked this book from the start, so I entered the world of the book in the twinkling of an eye.
While taking occasional breaks when a maid brought me tea, I read through it.

"… Haa, it was interesting. Ah, come to think of it. I left some embroidery undone…"

I placed the finished book on the bedside table. This time I recalled the embroidery I'd left undone.
It was already the middle of the night, but I couldn't forget about it after recalling it.

"… I'll just quickly check it."

I opened the drawer and took out the embroidery.

"Aah, did I sew that far? It looks almost complete…"

The handkerchief I had been embroidering turned out to be near completion. If I do my best, I might finish by morning. And thinking that I could complete it, I couldn't sit still.

"Just a little… Just little… See? I'll finish it right away."

With these words I took out my favorite needlework tools. I threaded the needle I'd ordered for this embroidery and immersed myself in embroidering.

"Hah!"

When I cut the thread and looked at the result with satisfaction, I returned to my senses. In a fluster I looked up at the clock. It's middle of the night… Or rather, won't it be dawn soon?

"Crap. I really need to go to sleep soon…"

If I go to bed now, I can secure a few hours of sleep. But this time I recalled an unfinished recipe.
I have a secret notebook where I write recipes from my previous life. If I think of anything, I scribble it to one day reproduce it. If I remember correctly, I stopped that in a bad place too…

"Uuu… Uuuu…"

I'm itching to do it. Once I get something in my mind, I can't get it out.

"… Like this I won't be able to sleep anyway, so let's just finish writing down the unfinished recipe."

I don't know why I'm making excuses.
However, what's the most troubling is that I'm too used to staying up late.
The current situation is that I and Freed embrace each other until morning every day. Falling asleep after dawn breaks… is not unusual. I sleep soundly in the morning, so I don't lack sleep, but I'm definitely used to staying awake at night. Especially since I didn't have sex today, I have too much energy. I'm not sleepy at all.

"Crap… To be affected like this…"

While sighing, I took out the recipe book and pen. I checked what I'd written.

"Hmph. Ah, I forgot this. I was thinking of making it the next time. Ah, I'm lacking ingredients for this…"

I was writing while muttering. When it comes to my beloved cooking, I can't help getting engrossed.

"Milady, are you awake?"
"Hah!"

In the end, I didn't separate from the recipe book until a maid came to wake me up.

Chapter end