Chapter 31 - Having met you (1/2)

In a room that was dimly lit due to the sun having already gone down, while I was sitting in a chair next to the bed, I got an anxious feeling for yet another time, and rushed to the bedside. Then, I checked the breathing and temperature of the person sleeping there, and let out a sigh of relief.

There was a girl sleeping quietly on a bed in a dorm room.

The person most important to me, Anne Sherry, in this world - Katarina Claes-sama.

Without even the slightest movement, Katarina-sama was deeply sleeping there.

What if her breathing ends up stopping…… What if her body becomes cold……

Being driven by my anxiety, I continued checking her breathing and temperature every ten minutes or so.

It’s already the second day since Katarina-sama’s become like this.

I just kept staying by Katarina-sama’s side, and could hardly even sleep at all. I also didn’t have much of an appetite. My coworker maids told me many times “we’ll take your place and attend to her, so go rest,” but I really didn’t want to switch at all.

When I think that something might happen to Katarina-sama while I’m not by her side…… I’m finding it impossible to leave her side at all.

I held the sleeping Katarina-sama’s hand, and looked at her face.

She has such a lively personality, that even when sleeping she would always move around, and often send the blanket flying with her kicks, at seeing how she was sleeping without moving at all - I intensely felt that this situation was completely abnormal.

Why…… did it become like this……

Two days ago, during midday, Katarina-sama was found collapsed in the garden and brought back to her dorm room here.

What I heard from Prince Jared was, Katarina-sama wasn’t feeling well in the morning so she went to the infirmary to rest, and around the time of lunch break she told the nurse “I’m going to return to the classrooms now.”

And so, since she never arrived at the classrooms in the end, everyone started worrying about her and began searching, and found her collapsed by herself in a corner of the school garden.

However, no matter how much we called out to her there was no reply, so we immediately moved her to the infirmary, and when the doctor checked her condition he said “she’s only sleeping.” But…… After that, no amount of calling out to her would wake her up, and we ended up moving her back to her own dorm room.

And then we had the doctor check her again, but his diagnosis was still “she’s only sleeping.”

Then at seeing how Katarina-sama wasn’t waking up at all, the frustrated Prince Jared used his authority as a prince, and summoned one of the best doctors in the country here.

He’s an elderly doctor who has quite the splendid mustache, and is the one in charge of the royal family’s health, one of the top class doctors in the country. If it’s this person, maybe he’ll be able to do something, is what I hoped, but……

“Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on. No matter how much I examine her, there’s no problems with her body. She might even open her eyes right now, or she might keep sleeping just like this.”

“What will happen if she keeps sleeping just like this?”

Prince Jared asked with a grim expression on his face, and the doctor replied with a deeply sad expression.

“……If she keeps sleeping just like this…… Without being able to eat or drink…… In that case, before long, her life will be in danger.”

“Such a thing!? Such a stupid thing!?” Keith-sama had lost his usual calmness, and was desperately pleading with the doctor.

When I looked to see what had caused a sudden loud noise, it was Prince Jared who had slammed his fist into the wall without having made a sound himself at the impact, and without a sign of his usual smile.

Mary-sama was extremely pale and trembling badly, and it seemed that she might collapse at any moment as well. Prince Alan’s expression was one that I’ve never seen as well, he was so terribly stiff.

Sophia-sama just stood there without saying anything, shedding tears from her eyes. Nico-sama was clenching his fists so tightly that they were changing color.

And so I took in how everyone was doing, and I also felt that I myself would collapse right then and there if I allowed myself to relax.

If Katarina-sama loses her life……

I felt an intense despair from the sudden fact that confronted me.

After that, many other doctors came to see her as well, but the cause was still unknown, and Katarina-sama still wouldn’t wake up.

Once, we asked one of the only light magic users in the entire country who also had the power of healing magic to come visit, but…… The result was still the same.

One day passed, and then another…… There was no sign that Katarina-sama would wake up.

The person that changed me from a tool into a human. The most important person to me in the world.

Even though I had decided to always be by your side and live with you -

I beg you. Katarina-sama, please, please, don’t leave me alone.

I gripped the sleeping Katarina-sama’s hand tightly.

★★★★★★★★

“No, no. Please don’t worry about such a scratch, Prince Jared. Anyways, the scar will be no problem at all because my bangs will hide it anyhow.”

And so, it’s been seven years since the day she said that while smiling at me. My all-important fiancee, Katarina Claes.

This funny girl had appeared in front of me when I had been forgotten by everyone in the royal palace and was spending every day bored to death.

While spending time with this girl who had hilarious actions, words, and hobbies - My world that was completely boring drab grey became filled with vivid colors instead.

In my boredom, I hadn’t even known any other feelings besides boredom. What’s happy, what’s fun, Katarina taught everything to me that didn’t know anything. Jealousy and pain as well…… They’re all emotions I never would have experienced if I hadn’t met Katarina.

After the seven years I’ve spent with Katarina since meeting her, I don’t want to return to that grey, boring life without Katarina anymore.

At first, I had ulterior motives for getting engaged to her. However, before I realized it, I began to love the person known as Katarina Claes more than anyone else in the world.

Since she was innately a harem protagonist, there were many people that loved her hanging around her, but…… I have no intention of ever giving her up to anyone else, since she’s already in my grasp, I’m definitely never going to let go.

And yet…… For such a thing to have happened……

Even though I know that danger is approaching Katarina right now…… I can’t do anything to protect her. I’m filled with strong regret and remorse.

Katarina might have become this way because of dark magic. That’s what I thought, and I even had a light magic user come here, but…… In the end, we learned nothing. “If it’s a strong light magic user, we might find something out” is what I thought, but…… The only person who has even stronger light magic, Maria Campbell, still remains missing. The situation wasn’t improving at all.

I’m so frustrated at how powerless I am and that there’s nothing I can do…… I punched the wall with all my might, and clenched my swelling fist tightly.

★★★★★★★★

“Keith, because we have become siblings now, it’s fine to just call me nee-san.”

It’s been seven years since she said so while smiling and holding her hand out to me. Even so, I remember that day as clearly as if it were yesterday.

I was reviled as a monster, and would always hug my knees alone by myself in my dark room. Then, such a warm hand reached out to me.

She told me “I’ll always be with you” with a smile on her face and brought me out from my dark room into such a bright world. My all-important stepsister, Katarina Claes.

I have more than just brotherly affections for her warm smile and gentleness, she’s the most important person to me in the world.

We’ll be together forever, and I had always intended to keep being together with her. There’s no way that I’ll let her so-called fiance Prince Jared have her so easily.

I’ve vowed that I would definitely protect her with my own hands. For that purpose, I desperately learned swordsmanship and magic, as well as how to become a proper noble. Everything was all in order to be able to protect her myself.

And yet……

Why did it come to this…… Why wasn’t I together with her at that time…… Even though I had vowed that I would definitely protect her……

Regret was surging up within me.

When I became the Claes family’s adopted son at eight years old, nee-san was always by my side whenever times were difficult, and she always smiled gently towards me.

Right now, I want to see that gentle smile so much……

I don’t want to lose Katarina……

I tried to stop my body from shaking.

★★★★★★★★

“Mary, you have a green thumb! It means your hands have a special talent for growing plants! Yep, you and your green thumb are an amazing, special existence!”

She held both my hands tightly as she said so on that day, I still remember it clearly. I was just a cowardly wimp, always running away with my head down. I really hated how I was.

To such a me, Katarina Claes called me an amazing, special existence. I was so, so happy.

My older sisters would call me “dirty,” and I also hated my auburn hair and eyes - When Katarina said she loved it, and told me it was pretty I began to like it as well.

In order to stand by Katarina’s side, and become a splendid lady, I worked really hard.

Honestly speaking, many times over, I almost gave up. But, because Katarina was together with me, and said she liked me and that I was important to her, I was able to keep going.

Everything that Mary Hunt is today is all because Katarina Claes was beside me.

And so, from now on as well, I always wanted to be by her side forever. What’s more, to the point where I really want to steal her away from her fiance, she’s my favorite, most important person.

And yet……

Seeing how Katarina was sleeping there so quietly almost as if she had died already, things were going dark before my eyes, and I desperately braced myself the best I could.

At this rate…… I can’t just keep feeling down like this……

I’m Katarina Claes’s close friend, Mary Hunt. I’m different from that weak girl I was before!

If there’s anything that I can do for Katarina now, it’s…… I fixed my posture, and raised my head.