Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 317

"As planned, I'm thinking of going to Ms. Delris's place. I told Freed already."
"Yeah, I've heard."

The witch living in seclusion in the southern town, Ms. Delris, is my friend and a person I've received many favors from. I have time to leisurely talk with her today, so I've been thinking of visiting her house for the first time since getting married.
Last night when I brought it up with Freed, he said with a smile, "You'll be with Cain, right? Then it's okay. Enjoy your visit."
My husband is kind. I love him.
Using Cain's secret art we slipped outside the castle.
It may seem like I could go outside openly since I have permission, but aside from Freed, Cain's existence is a secret, and if I were to go out alone, I'd be stopped by concerned soldiers.
And if I was kindly offered an escort, it would be difficult for me to refuse.
There's no way I could take escorting soldiers to the witch's residence, and it's just my selfishness, but I want to go to town casually.
In the end, I had no choice but to rely on 'Hiyuma's secret art' that Cain's clan is proud of.
I succeeded in leaving, and after confirming nobody was watching, nonchalantly mixed in the crowd of people.
Then I went to the alley leading to Ms. Delris's house and went through the secret passage.
After walking through a mysterious fog for a while, I saw a signboard with a medicine bottle on it and an old single house.

"Good day."
"Enter."

When I gave a greeting through the door, I heard Ms. Delris's reply out of nowhere.
Since it was the usual, I didn't worry about it and opened the door.
I felt relieved by the refreshing scent of medicinal herbs. Ms. Delris is called the 'Medicine Witch' and can handle hundreds of different medicinal herbs.

"Ms. Delris."

When I called her name, I got an answer from downstairs. A small granny covered by a black hood looked up at me.

"It's been a while, Lidi. Come downstairs."
"Yes."

At first glance it's a simple two-story house, but Ms. Delris's house has an atrium from which you can get down to the basement. When I went down the stairs near the entrance, Ms. Delris narrowed her eyes while looking at me.

"It's great you're looking well, Lidi. Was my gift useful?"
"Ah!"
"Hm? What is it?"

When I became lost for words, Ms. Delris looked at me with a mystified face. Unable to stand her gaze, I averted my eyes.
However, it's not something I can avoid saying.

"… with me."
"Nn?"

It seems my mutter didn't reach Ms. Delris. With a flushed face, I told her.

"I'm saying! Even though you specially gave it to me, I'm sorry! I forgot to bring it with me!"
"Huh?"

Ms. Delris was staring at me while blinking her eyes. Despite mumbling, I somehow managed to answer the questioning gaze.
As a matter of fact, as a wedding present Ms. Delris gave me stamina recovery medicine.
Freed is strangely matchless, so even with the Royal Flower it can be hard on me. For my sake, the Medicine Witch, Ms. Delris, specially prepared the medicine in the form of sweets, but I splendidly left it in the castle.
When I noticed, it was too late. In the end, I survived the two weeks of honeymoon with my own strength.
Even if I say so myself, I really did my best.

"Ah! Ahahahahahaha!!"

Ms. Delris listened to the story with her mouth wide open, and then burst into laughter.
Unconsciously, I frowned.
It was awful, so I wish she wouldn't laugh, but I know I reap what I sowed, so I couldn't say anything. If anything, I feel like I wasted Ms. Delris's favor, so the feeling of guilt was stronger.

"Sorry… Even though you specially gave it to me…"

When I lowered my head, Ms. Delris giggled and told me.

"N-No… It's okay if you do as you like with it… but just why… did I… Hah… Hahaha! Even I couldn't predict you'd forget the medicine!"
"… Indeed. Even I never thought I'd forget it."
"Haha… Ahahahaha!"
"Ms. Delris, you're laughing too much."
"No, sorry… but… Hah…"

It was a rare sight to see Ms. Delris laughing while holding her stomach.
But as the cause of the unabashed laugher, I felt like it only added to my mental trauma.

"Uuu…"
"What the heck… I'd have delivered it if you had called for me."

Cain had secretly been laughing too, and while wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, he said so.
He might have a point, but I also had my circumstances.

"… I didn't want to call for you during my honeymoon. Besides… To be honest Cain, I had absolutely no time to call for you after entering the villa."
"Princess… That."
"If you guessed, don't say more."
"Y-Yeah."

Cain's face flushed.
But, I didn't tell a lie. After the wedding, as soon as we entered the bedroom in the villa, Freed was full of energy (I also enjoyed the Military Uniform Festival for the first time in a while. It was fun) and until the scheduled two weeks ended, he loved me so much I had no time to call for Cain.
We completely indulged in it. And once again I thought that it was good that I fell in love with Freed.
Because, I wouldn't want to spend such a hard, intense honeymoon with a person I didn't love. It wouldn't be something I could endure.
Since my partner is the person I love, I could keep up until the end and allow everything.
Marriage would absolutely be impossible with a partner I didn't love.
That's the conclusion I reached.
While I stared off into space recalling my honeymoon, Ms. Delris finished laughing and said.

"Well, in any case, it would be difficult for you to call for Cain. While you secluded yourself with that prince, I had him work hard?"
"Eh? Is that so?"

That's the first time I heard of it. When I confirmed it in surprise, Ms. Delris affirmed with a grin.
On the contrary, Cain made an awfully tired face.

"… Yes. It was so terrible that I erased it from my memory. Please, never again."
"Eh? What happened?"

What the hell happened for Cain, who's known as 'Red Shinigami', to erase it from his memory? Bothered by it, I asked, and he said with a bitter face.

"I was sent to various secluded regions inside and outside the country. Depths of forests where fierce animals live, ruins where monsters dwell. Special medicinal herbs grow there… The worst was when I was told to fetch a medicinal herb that grows in a monster nest. Those monsters were like bears, moreover they acted in group. I thought even I would die…"
"Whoa… Did you get it?"

I thought it would be impossible even for Cain, but he readily said, "Naturally."

"My pride won't allow me to fail. But it was awful."
"You didn't have to go that far… Life is most important, right?"

I became seriously worried, but Cain laughed cheerfully.

"It's alright. But it really was awful. Princess, while you were in the villa, I was allowed to stay over here on the condition of what I talked about. I ended up always being outside and didn't stay a day here though."
"Wow…"

It feels like he was deceived. I felt sorry for him, but Ms. Delris said shamelessly.

"Of course. It's your fault for not coming back quickly."
"Granny, whenever I came back, you always pushed me around to do something 'next'!"
"Did I now?"
"Cruel!!"
"No, but I really was saved. Thanks to it I obtained rare medicinal herbs."

Seeing Ms. Delris nod happily, Cain dejectedly dropped his shoulder. Apparently, he realized anything he said would be a waste of words.
However, Cain's face wasn't seriously displeased, so he was probably happy that Ms. Delris relied on him. Otherwise, I don't think he would have done as told.

Chapter end