There's no point unless you consider the standpoint of the other person.
Even if you have good intentions, you have no business forcing someone against their wishes.
Furthermore, this time you were forcing things in an undeniably wrong direction.
Nobody would wish for that.
"Rudeus-sama, you are included in the [house] she was thinking about."
"What do you mean by that?"
"She was also thinking about you while doing this."
About me.
If that's the case, then why did this happen?
How did it turn out like this?
I don't get it.
Someone explain this to me.
"Please believe me. I understand from looking into her eyes."
Right.
Her power as a miko.
By looking into someone's eyes, she can see their memories.
In other words, Claire had a reason for doing this.
I don't know what that reason could possibly be, though.
"Claire-san, about Miko-sama's words, could you please explain? I don't understand your reasons."
"There's nothing to explain, I have no idea what she's talking about. I'm sure even Miko-sama tells lies. I've never given someone like you any thought at all."
A standoffish attitude.
That's it.
Cliff, Miko-sama.
No matter how much you try to cover for her, even I can't give in to that.
Certainly, there are a few things I'm reluctant about...
However, let's just put an end to this.
"I have no intention of reconciling with someone who never tried to get along with me from the very beginning..."
As I said that with a sigh, Claire once again nodded with a prim face.
Cliff looked at me with a painful face, and the miko put on a sorrowful expression.
Therese gave Claire a glance, Belmondo began to move, Zenith---
---Before I realized it, Zenith was standing in front of me.
"..."
She slapped me on the cheek.
There was no power in it.
A weak strike that left no marks.
"Huh?"
However, for some reason it hurt.
It feels like the place I was struck is heating up.
"...!"
Tears suddenly started gushing out.
Before I could understand why, Zenith had passed by my side.
When I turned around, there was the handcuffed Carlyle, who was watching over the course of events before leaving the room.
Since he was behind me, I never saw his facial expression until now.
However, on his face was a complicated expression mixing worry, impatience, and regret.
He was also struck.
As expected, a powerless open-handed slap.
Zenith walked with an unsteady and unreliable gait.
Nobody stopped her.
Not the Church Knights, not the Temple Knights, nobody.
Zenith walked the room in which time had stopped.
Finally, she stood in front of Claire.
She slowly raised her hand, and with an open hand...
No, it wasn't a slap.
She was touching Claire's cheeks with both hands.
As if trying to look through it, she stared at Claire's face from close up.
From my position, I can't perceive Zenith's facial expression.
However, Claire who could see Zenith's face underwent a dramatic change.
First, she opened her eyes wide.
After that, her lips quivered.
Her cheeks, her shoulders, her body, all trembled.
When the shivering reached her fingertips, as if slowly being moved by those trembles, both of Claire's hands rose, and grasped Zenith's hands as if to envelop them.
"O... A... Aa... Aaaaah..."