I heard that you were staying in bed since you weren’t feeling well. And yet, seeing you standing here in the night air, I can’t help but think that you’re an idiot who doesn’t think」
” To go that far, even for me….” was what Kazuki thought.
From here, he didn’t continue with a -「I, it’s not like I’m worried about you, alright!?」, but as expected, Harold was scum who didn’t have even a little bit of naive nature like a tsundere. He had a despicable nature, but that was how he was.
Even Kazuki didn’t want Harold to change into a mass produced tsundere.
Even just by imagining it, his hairs stood on end.
「………」
「Don’t just keep standing there, return to your room. As for me, I’ll feel relieved if you just go back home like that itself」
Even though the words which didn’t seem to be very concerned were hurled at her, Erika was still looking downwards without any signs of movement.
「…….Oi, don’t simply keep quiet. Speak something」
Towards Harold’s mouth which was starting to get irritated, Kazuki felt as though it was someone else’s problem. It could also be called as resignation.
Erika was still keeping quiet, but fundamentally, she was a very understanding child. Deciding that if he continued speaking any more than this, he would just be hurting the girl who wasn’t offering any resistance, Kazuki finished the talk.
It was probably just that she was very young compared to in the game, and she couldn’t be frank in front of a person who held prejudice. She would probably understand what Kazuki was trying to say after Harold leaves and she becomes a bit calm.
「Fuh, Well fine. Even if your condition grows worse, I don’t care」
Then why did Kazuki (Harold) go past her after speaking words which would make one want to ask why he even talked to her.
But unexpectedly, Erika stopped him.
「……..Please wait」
「What?」
「I have something that I want to ask about」
Her voice sounded very uneasy, but as though she had resolved herself, she was staring at Harold.
Thinking whether there was any question which made her stop him so spiritedly, Kazuki inwardly tilted his neck.
His doubt was cleared away by the next words she spoke.
「There is a rumor that you burnt a servant to death. Is that true?」
(Ah, it’s about that, huh)
Kazuki calmly accepted Erika’s question. He wasn’t flustered or agitated.
This was because 2 week ago when he had guided Erika, at that time itself he had felt that it would shortly be exposed. Since Kazuki and his parents didn’t feel like hiding it. Rather, there were no signs of it not getting exposed.
And from the start, the answer regarding that was already decided.
「No, you’re wrong」
「Then……..!」
When Harold clearly denied it, Erika stepped forward with an expression as though she was glad.
The girl, who seemed as though she had discovered a strand of hope, was pushed down to the bottom of hell by Kazuki (Harold).
「I killed the servant and her daughter, the 2 of them. Well, no matter how many people are killed, it doesn’t make a difference unless they are people who would be talked about in military stories」
A complete change from joy, as though she had heard something couldn’t believe………..no, as though she had heard something didn’t want to believe, Erika’s eyes widened.
「Why…….? For what reason was such a thing……..」
Sadness, rage, despair.
Somehow pushing down the various feelings that were boiling up inside, Erika tried to probe into Harold’s true motives.
But the words which came back from him were only those which completely mangled her heart.
「No particular reason. If I had to tell, it’s because she got on my nerves」
Harold coolly told that he killed her because he was a bit displeased with her.
Erika didn’t understand even in the slightest how he could easily take lives for just a reason like that. As a human, that was a “shouldn’t be able to understand” line of thinking.
「Those 2 were nothing more than livestock. Depending on my mood, I can let them live or kill them as I please, right?」
「………Enough already」
「So that the daughter wouldn’t be left all alone in the world, I showed mercy and killed them together. Rather, she might be thankful」
「Stop it, please………!」
「After all, they were inferior species. From the moment they were born, something like freedom–」
Pan- a sound rang out.
The cause was Erika’s palm and Harold’s cheek.
To the statement that discriminated against people who didn’t have the blood of nobles, as 『Inferior species』, Erika’s patience crossed its limits.