Chapter 38 - Volume 2 (1/2)

I reflexively straighten myself at the sudden voice that comes from above me. I look up at that all too familiar voice. At the top of the spiral staircase in front of me stands my husband, that man. And that too, with an extreme air of unrest about him.

Just what is this? I can’t help but be suspicious. What is he doing here in the first place? No, well, there’s nothing strange about him being here since this estate is his home. The right way to put it would be ‘what is he doing here at this time?’

No matter what happens, my first words at him coming home are already decided.

「Edi, welcome home.」

「That’s my line.」

「Oh, now that you mention it, that’s right. I’m home.」

「……Welcome home.」

Certainly, he’s the one that came home first so I should be the one to say I’m home. It’s the opposite of what usually happens, so refreshing I can’t help but feel like laughing. But I can’t do that. The atmosphere coming from this man makes me hesitate to laugh. He’s clad in this rattling air, and it seems like I can’t say anything foolish either. ‘Just what is this?’ I assess his attitude, and he descends the staircase to stand in front of me.

「We have to talk.」

Those words are indifferent and short, but I can’t simply read between the lines of the firm intent within them. For some reason, I have a vague…… No, a certain bad feeling about this. I put on a smile with all my might and look up at the man.

「Let’s have dinner before that. I’ll make it right away.」

「It doesn’t matter, we can have it lat–……」

「But you’ve finally come home early for me. Won’t we have dinner slowly and peacefully once in a while?」

I press him further, not letting him finish. He swallows down the words he was about to say, looking down at me. Hehe, he can’t say anything when he always, always comes home late. Or, rather, I won’t let him say anything.

He isn’t dense enough to not realize the implicit meaning in my words. With a sour look on his beautiful face, he nods really reluctantly. Yep, it’s really very well that he’s being so obedient. Although I’m afraid of what comes next, right now it’s my victory.

I smile once again as if making doubly sure, then I head to the kitchen, passing beside him. I feel a gaze at my back as if wanting to say something, piercing through me just like an arrow, but I ignore it. I tell myself, ‘As if I’m going to be moved by that!’ I manage to reach the kitchen, taking out the ingredients I’d bought at the market.

On today’s menu is a stew full of vegetables. I bought these ingredients just for that.

Rolling up my sleeves, I rouse myself up, ‘Come on!’ I nimbly begin my cooking. I’ve made this dish countless times already, there’s no delays at this point. Standing in front of the pot, I slowly stir the stew with a wooden spatula so it won’t burn and get stuck.

The pot filled to the brim with stew makes a tender simmering sound. Yes, now this is the kind of sound I like. A warm sound, completely different from the crying voice I hear in my nightmares.

Listening to that sound as it clears my ears, my eyelids suddenly become heavy. The darkness under my eyelids has been dyed a darker black. In the blink of an eye, I can’t hear the simmering of the pot anymore. What I do hear instead is certainly that crying voice. That crying voice, sunken in despair and grief. Although it’s as if it’s urging me for something, I still can’t figure out what it’s saying.

And then, I’m unable to do anything but watch the spectacle in front of me. Watch the sight of that man and that girl, beautiful like a flower spirit, standing together as if they’ve perfectly been placed there.

「……–i, oi, Filmina!」

I suddenly open my eyes at the voice from nearby. I silently gulp at the sunrise-colored eyes looking at me closely.

「……Y-yes? What happened, Edi?」

「Something awful. Looks like the pot’s burnt, but are you okay?」

「Eh?!」

He’s turned up beside me before I even realized it. At his words, I hurriedly look at where my hand is. The stew has been magnificently burnt, and the savory smell that wafts up to my nose is extremely sad. I thought I’d only dozed off for the blink of an eye, but just what had happened here?

I stiffen, dumbfounded. Beside me, the man snaps his fingers, extinguishing the fire of the magical stone – what we use here in place of the 『past』 world’s cooking stove. As he glances down at me, I drop my shoulders and cast my eyes down.

「Um, Edi. I’m really sorry. I’ll make it again now.」

What kind of a disgrace is this? To think, I’ve made such a simple mistake when I pride myself in housework. I say that, averting my eyes from the scene burnt in my memory. He shakes his head, not angry.

「No, this is fine. I’ll do the rest, you go to the table.」

「But—」

「『But』 I said this is fine.」

「……Alright.」

He’s unapproachable. I’m completely cast away, all I can do is nod. In front of what I’ve done, I can do nothing but dejectedly withdraw.

Exchanging roles with that man, I take out the spoons and forks from the cupboard and sit down at the dining table, waiting for a little while. Before long, he shows up with the stew dish on a tray. Placed in front of me is the stew, scooped out while avoiding the burnt parts. If this was the only stew you saw, white steam rising from it, you wouldn’t think it’s burnt at all.

I admire him for being so clever. He sits down in the chair in front of me. Then he crosses both hands and I do the same, in the prayer pose.

「Thanks to the grace of the goddess, the Most High.」

「Thanks.」

I murmur that word of prayer after his statement, take the spoon in hand and bring the stew to my mouth. It tastes rather decent, considering it’s been burnt. All of this must be thanks to this man for skilfully scooping it out.

——Today hasn’t been going very well, neither at lunch nor just earlier. I end up thinking, ‘if this is how it is, maybe I should just stop being so reckless and tell everything to the man in front of me.’

That may be a regret that’s all too late. But even so, what if that nightmare turns out to be true? What if the rumors are true, and he’s become close to Lunamerie? If so——what am I going to do? What am I supposed to do?

「Filmina.」

「……What is it?」

As we both silently eat the stew, the one who speaks first is that man. I can’t make eye contact for some reason, dropping my gaze to the stew as I reply. He continues, definitely in an indifferent voice.

「There’s something you’re hiding from me.」

It’s not a question, it’s a confirmation full of belief. I can’t help but stop my hand with the spoon in it. I raise my face from the stew to see, sure enough, those sunrise-colored eyes looking straight at me. I’m pierced by that gaze, as if it certainly won’t let me avert my eyes. I don’t know what to do.