Chapter 11 (1/2)

Chapter 11

I opened my eyes .

My golden wrinkled hair blocked most of my vision . I pushed my golden hair back allowing me to see . Fumu, It seems like I had a good sleep .

I stretched out my body while yawning . A koki* sound came from my hip .

As I bent my neck I looked around, hmm there is no one in the room . It seems that Alto went off to somewhere .

While rubbing my half-awake eyes I brushed out my unkempt hair, putting it to a simple hair style . Although I am not particularly a person that cares about their appearance, I am a woman and I feel like I at least need to take care of myself . It’s rude to be too unsightly when with people .

I looked out the window to see that the sky has reddened, it seems to be the evening already . Apparently I unintentionally slept for quite awhile . Though my body feels light,and my head is now clear .

I guess I was frustrated in the morning . Thinking back on it, every time I saw Alto’s face a bizarre pang would pop-up, now I am somewhat more settled down . In the morning though, why was I so angry?

Perhaps because I was looked at in strange eyes, It may have damaged my att.i.tude towards Alto . However he has saved me many times from the devil king’s army .

The awkwardness did go up by a certain degree .

. . . Fuuu~ With a sigh I arranged my thoughts . Yea, It’s alright . I will no be conscious of it being strange anymore . Me and Alto are just partymembers . There should be no more problems when we meet in the future—

“ I’m back,Fio . Were you awake?”

“Wyaa!”

Suddenly I hear Alto’s voice who seemed to have return . I unintentionally leaked out a scared noise .

What was, “Wyaa”?

“ . . . . . Fio, Is something wrong?”

“N-nothing! Where were you?”

“Getting money . This village has a flea market here . If I sell my gauntlets we may be able to earn enough money to rent out private rooms in the future,So can I ask you to negotiate tomorrow?”

“I-is that so? Alright . Leave it to me . ”

I see, The morning me I was pretty upset so I guess I gave him a lot of trouble about sharing a room . I must have really seemed nervous about it . Though considering common sense there should be no reason to worry . Alto hasn’t taken any drugs so there are no risk of me being attacked . Besides just the potential doing what he wants to a beautiful woman .

“

. . . . Yes, don’t be afraid Fio . I just want to talk to you a little . Will it be okay to talk about last night?”

“Oh, oh ok . Besides I am not afraid . ”

“ . . . Is that so?”

Alto’s att.i.tude towards me feels stiff . Is he feeling dejection from this morning?

. . . . . I have to apologize properly to him . It isn’t his fault it was the drugs fault, and he is also always helping me . It’s my fault how I handled it .

Besides, Alto was restraining himself so much that his arm was wounded, and it was only until I gave him permission . I even told him not to remember anything about it .

. . . . If anything though, this guys preference for dealing pain though . I don’t know what to do about that .

Both me and Alto took our meals from the hotel without saying anything silently . I tried to be able to say my apology about how I was acting in the morning, but Alto seems to be broody over something, like he is about to say something .

Some time ago, Alto said something about, talking about last night . Perhaps he is about to say the same thing I am about to say . At that time I will also apologize .

Then we’ll laugh about it and forgive and forget . Yeah, that’ll work .

I need to get along with the leader Alto-san . It makes my position in the party way easier .  When I return to the kingdom though, the four girls will always be with him, so it would be impossible to talk . So tonight I will mend our relations.h.i.+p .

I was thinking about it while still a bit sleepy, silently slurping rice porridge .

Alto eye still hung while brooding over the matter . Then I realized that at night we’ll be alone .

. . . . With this guy .

“Uh, Alto-san . Aren’t you a bit close?”

“It is not close, It is a suitable distance . ”

“Eh,ehh . . . ?”

Alto said he wanted to talk about something tonight, so we went to sit down . We bought some cheap Sake and Alto got a chair and sat it right in front of the bed where I was seated . Me and Alto were facing each other .

. . . . However, all of the

the sudden, he left his seat . He stood up and sat right next to me acting naturally .

This is very close, our shoulders are touching . Touching ! ! Do you even consider this ! !

Alto is brooding next to me again . Perhaps he is choosing his next words . Though there is such little s.p.a.ce between us for there to be a proper atmosphere .

Wait, is he going to talk about it from this distance? Are you that insensitive? Do you truly not mind?

Alto’s shoulder is are around at the height of my ears . Now that I notice it, If I lean my head on his shoulder we could do that cla.s.sic head on shoulder pillow . Such a height difference .

. . . . . This train of thought is dangerous . I need to calm down .

It felt like time froze, until it was finally broken by Alto opening his mouth .

“ . . . From now on, I want to talk with you Fio honestly, about what happened yesterday . Sorry but I can’t just forget about it . ”

I did not see that coming . It seems that Alto was really troubled about what happened yesterday . I’ll just quickly dismiss such stupid concerns .

“I don’t mind Alto . I can say so with confidence . Yesterday Alto, It could not be helped?”

“ . . . . Hey Fio . Can I ask you one thing?”

“W-what?”

——-Was yesterday his first time?

That is the question he asked with serious eyes . I did not expect this question, how should I respond?

It isn’t wise to fiddle with Alto’s sense of responsibility by affirming it . However it’s bad for Alto who is asking so seriously to just lie to him . If that’s the case then .

“ . . . . . I refuse to answer . ”

I don’t have to answer .

“ . . . . . I understand Fio . I’m sorry . ”

“Why are you apologizing, didn’t I just say it couldn’t be helped?”

“No . The influence of that drug may have existed but I was moving with my own will . ”

“Your own will?”