Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 338

"Can't we do it in the office? Why does it have to be the newlywed's room…"

It was our room Freed led Brother to. He probably wanted to increase the confidentiality. I understood Freed's intention, but Brother, who didn't know about Cain, was tilting his head.

"I just wanted to meet Cain and talk…"
"Lidi. How much can we say about Cain?"

Freed asked me. I'm Cain's master, so he checked with me.

"Let's see…"
"Princess, it's fine. I'll talk myself."
"Wah…"

While I was thinking of how much to tell Brother, a shadow suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Of course, its identity was Cain. Having Cain appear before him out of nowhere, Brother's eyes went round. Then his expression changed in an instant.

"Y-You! This is the royalty quarter of the Royal Palace! Even if you're Lidi's escort, you entered the Crown Prince and Princess's room without permission――"

Brother's words were right, but they don't apply to Cain. Freed told Brother to calm him.

"Alex, there's no problem. Both I and Lidi accept it. Cain is Lidi's escort, so he's allowed to enter anywhere."
"Enter everywhere… Cain, who are you? Ah! Rather, your eyes!"

Brother stared at Cain's eyes like he saw them for the first time. His eyes were turning back from black to red. Ms. Delris's medicine must've run out just now.
But I thought. Cain came out expecting that. I had such a hunch.

"―― How about I start from the beginning? Lucas. No, Alexei von Vivoir. I'm Cain. Cain Lux Hiyuma. A former Sahaja assassin, Hiyuma clan's successor, Princess is my only master now."
"Former Sahaja assassin? … Red Shinigami!!"

Having suddenly noticed it, Brother pointed at Cain. With his gaze still fixed at Brother, Cain nodded.

"I used to be called that. But, it's different now."
"Eh!? But, your eye color! When we met in town… No, it should've been black before too. How in the world…"
"There exists a secret medicine to change eye color. He uses it. Red eyes are too conspicuous to be Lidi's escort. I decided he better change his eye color to openly escort Lidi."

Freed skillfully explained without mentioning Ms. Delris. Yup, yup, I nodded to that.

"Seriously? So such a medicine exists… Freed, where did you get that kind of thing?"
"The acquisition method is a secret."
"I… see."

Brother shook his head in disbelief… Then he frowned and said "Nn?"

"Wait. Lidi. When you were Freed's fiancée. You skillfully shook off your escorts, didn't you? Was that perhaps…"
"Yup. I asked Cain to take me out."

When I answered honestly, Brother shouted, "It was that!" and held his head.

"I always wondered how somebody as clumsy as you threw them off like a pro. Or rather, hasn't Cain been your escort for quite a long time already?"

Being stared at, I quickly averted my eyes and affirmed.

"Y-Yup. Err, umm… Since late fall last year… If I remember correctly, when you came back home, Older Brother… Right, just when Freed went to fight Tarim, I guess."

When I explained while recalling my meeting with Cain, Brother groaned, "Since then…?" in a low voice. Then he dejectedly dropped his shoulders.

"No way, it's just as we worried. You were reported to try to save a red-eyed man. That was… Cain, right? And, even though I heard he saw with one eye, his both eyes are fine… Haa, after all you made contract with Red Shinigami and became his master, didn't you?"
"E… Ehehe."

When I laughed to gloss over it, Brother scowled at me. Next he turned his eyes to Freed.

"Freed, when did you learn that?"
"I can't tell you precisely, but a while ago. He got in touch with me out of necessity."
"I see. You believe he, Red Shinigami, can't be Lidi's enemy, right?"
"Yeah. I trust Cain enough to leave escorting Lidi to him. I believe he can protect Lidi when I'm not with her."

Freed replied clearly. Brother firmly looked Freed in the eyes and nodded.

"… Got it. If you say so, I'll accept it. But one question. Who else knows about Cain?"
"Besides me… Let's see. It was a coincidence, but Sion knows. And then, black-eyed Cain was introduced as Lidi's escort to the staff of the Japanese café that's preparing to open."
"You didn't tell Old Man? … Nor His Majesty?"
"Cain isn't my subordinate. If I do as I like, Cain won't appear before anybody but Lidi. That's undesirable. I'm grateful I can keep in contact with him. I won't say anything in the future either."
"Keep in contact?"
"We made a telepathic communication contract."
"… I see."

Brother nodded like he realized something. Then his tense expression loosened.

"Got it. I won't tell my old man either… Is that fine?"
"Yeah. Sorry for that…"
"No, it started with me noticing Cain and chasing him, so it's my bad. I never would have thought Cain is Red Shinigami and Lidi's escort… No, I considered that Red Shinigami might be working for Lidi, but I didn't think that was Cain. But, thinking of her going to town after becoming the Crown Princess, she certainly needs an escort on the level of Red Shinigami…"
"I can feel safe knowing of Cain and being able to contact him."
"I bet. Together with famous Black Apostate, he's the strongest assassin in Sahaja. Freed, I feel like I understand why you allow Lidi freedom… Nn? But, don't you feel the usual jealousy?"

As Brother asked a natural question, Freed declared calmly.

"You know of Hiyuma clan's loyalty, right? There's no way I'd be jealous of Cain."
"You forbid me from even touching Lidi though…"

Brother said that in dissatisfaction, but I want to tell him.
Despite talking big, Freed is properly jealous of Cain.
He stopped me when I tried to hug Cain after he returned from the distant Sahaja and started to seriously consider removing Cain from the position of my escort after I joked that he may be confused for my lover. I really want to ask him how he is not jealous.
That said, while I'm sorry for Cain, I'm happy that my beloved is jealous, so I'm not particularly troubled by it.
Satisfied with hearing Freed's story, Brother faced Cain.
Then looking into the red eyes, Brother grinned.

"What! I wondered about your red eyes, but ain't they beautiful like jewels! Cain. Nice to meet you. It seems that you know, but I'll introduce myself. Alexei von Vivoir. It seems you always take care of my little sister, but from now on, take care of both of us."
"… Y-Yeah."

Cain made a bewildered face at Brother's bright and straightforward voice.
From Cain's point of view, his red eyes seem like something that's avoided. In fact, he lived that kind of life. But, Ms. Delris, Freed, and Brother aren't people who judge others based on appearance.
While Cain was troubled for what to do by Brother's unexpected reaction, I slapped his back.

"Cain, you understand, right? Older Brother isn't a person who cares about eye color. Well, I'm surprised you became close before I knew it…"
"We didn't really!"

Cain immediately denied. On the contrary, Brother pouted his lips in dissatisfaction.

"Eeh, we didn't?"
"Don't make misleading statements!"
"Is it? We drank together until the day changed. I don't think became close is an exaggeration."
"You were using a pseudonym, so don't talk big like that."

For an instant Cain's words rendered Brother speechless, but he skillfully replied.

"No, I admit that. I shouldn't have used a pseudonym. That's why I thought of introducing myself properly and asking you to be my friend. But you hid such beautiful eye color, so we're even! Let's let bygones be bygones and become friends!"
"… Friends?"

Cain looked at Brother with a face like he heard some incomprehensible words. Brother nodded strongly.

"Yeah! I think we'll get along. Say. The master you were talking about was Lidi, right? As fellows led by the nose by the same person, I feel we'll understand each other."
"… N-No, but you're the son of a ducal house…"
"That doesn't matter! You're attached to Lidi all the time, right? They you should have plenty of opportunities to meet me. Hey! Be friends with me! Let's go drinking again!"

Pressed by Brother, Cain answered despite his confusion.

"Eh, no… I… Look, I have red eyes… And I don't feel like using the medicine to change them when I'm not escorting Princess…"
"Then we just have to drink in my room. I'll tell servants not to get close on that day, so you don't need to worry. Lidi! Isn't that fine once in a while?"
"Eh? Of course, I don't mind since Cain needs time off too…"

This time it's my turn.
But it's the fact I want Cain to have more time off, so I nodded.
Brother smiled triumphantly.

"Alright! I got your master's permission! Cain! Take care of me!"
"Eeeeeeh?"

Overpowered by Brother, Cain looked at me seeking help. I said with my eyes, "Hang in there," to answer him.
I didn't imagine Brother and Cain would become friends, but they might unexpectedly get along.
And one more thing.
Until now Cain had colleagues, but not one friend. I'm sure it's a good thing he can be friends with Brother.

―― Older Brother isn't a bad person.

I'll never say it, but I know he looks after people he recognizes as friends. A person like Brother shouldn't be bad for Cain who's prone to looking down on himself.
I hope he can get used to living in the bright world little by little.
Cain still sees himself as suited for the shade. I'm sure associating with Brother will be a good stimulus for him.

Chapter end