“But there’s nothing here. It’s not just that old man, you know. I was saved by you too.”
“Wha-why?”
I turned my gaze to where the voice came from and was surprised.
I was so surprised that it felt like the world had turned upside down. That’s because, along with the owner of the voice, several others were gathered there.
All of them were people I had talked to before, and I could see Paolo in the back. When our eyes met, he looked a little embarrassed and turned his face away.
I stared at the scene in amazement.
I never dreamed that so many people would move for me, someone as insignificant as myself. After all, what I did was such a small thing.
I couldn’t find the words to say.
This must be what true speechlessness feels like. I thought that without even thinking about it.
“Well, even if you ask why… I’m surprised by what I’m doing too. After all, I know that if I come out like this, I’ll be caught… but I still thought it was okay.”
She shrugged her shoulders with a wry smile and said.
Everyone had a similar expression on their faces. I just stared at them intently and repeated “why” in my mind. But since nothing else came to mind, there was nothing else to do.
Then suddenly there was applause. It was only one person clapping. I looked over there.
“Excellent, just as you said. Frankly, they seem like such decent people that I have a hard time understanding how they could have caused such a situation.
The prince said with that annoying smile on his face.
I should remember his name by now, but I had no intention of recalling it because it seemed silly to call him by his name with reverence.
“Well then, as promised.”
The prince said coldly and looked at those who were unsure of what to do behind him.
Just that was enough to make them all start moving at once.
Without giving any specific instructions, they captured everyone who had come out for me and the others who were fighting back.
All I could do was stare at them in amazement.
——It’s the same.
I’m just like everyone else, a powerless human being.
It might have been me over there. Thinking of that, I felt a sense of regret.
When I was feeling helpless, Cassini suddenly raised his voice.
“Miss Lorraine, don’t blame yourself. What you have in your hands now is something you grabbed with your own power. I’m telling you, so there’s no mistake.”
I was surprised and turned my face towards them, and there was Cassini with a calm face that I had never seen before. Paolo was also nearby, looking somewhat apologetic. When he saw me, he smiled sadly and quickly turned his face away.
There was a strong determination floating there.
Soon, the police and the prince arrived near me and caught the man who had been holding Lucia’s arm. Lucia was also released at the same time, and the prince looked straight at me and said, “Thank you for your cooperation. Thanks to you, the damage here was considerably reduced.”
“…You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”
Without pretending anything, I glared at the beautiful face that was much higher than mine.
The owner of that face nodded with a sneaky smile.
“Of course… Ah, here comes ‘him’ who followed us worrying about you. Well then, excuse me.”
The prince lightly raised his hand and walked away and passed ‘him’ as he approaches me.
After staring at the prince’s back, I tried to look at ‘him’ standing in front of me. But I couldn’t.
“Lorraine.”
My name was called with a deep sigh of relief mixed in.
My hand that I had clenched in front of my chest trembled involuntarily.
My legs had lost their sensation and felt like they could no longer support my body. I took a deep breath. I thought that if I breathed in the cold air, I would calm down a little. But I couldn’t calm down at all.
Because I didn’t know what kind of expression to make. It didn’t feel right to be happy about it honestly. First of all, I had to apologize with all my might.
It was my fault that it turned out like this.
So, I should raise my face quickly and apologize, but I couldn’t even do that.
I was so scared.
In a subtle silence, I stared at the stone pavement at my feet that had deteriorated over the years.
Suddenly, a shadow fell there and I was hugged before I realized it.
My head went blank, and I forgot to breathe and stiffened my body.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
The voice I had wanted to hear for so long came from above my head. With the relief that seeped through that voice, I was finally able to breathe.
At that moment, Jeremiah’s scent filled my nostrils, and I suddenly felt embarrassed. To hide that feeling, I finally said the words I had been thinking of saying.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Seriously. You don’t usually do something like this. You suddenly took an outrageous action… You…”
He held me with much stronger force than usual, and my back hurt.
I wanted to apologize again, but I couldn’t do it like this. Jeremiah continued.
“I was surprised earlier too. I never thought you would confront His Highness like that. He may have a gentle tone and demeanor, but he’s a scary person.”
“I-I see…”
I was annoyed, but I didn’t think he was scary at all.
In other words, he underestimated me. That’s probably how it looked from his perspective, like a child trying to intimidate him.
“Oh, I couldn’t do it if it were me.”
Jeremiah laughed a little.
Finally, I was able to lift my face there.
In my field of vision was the face that I had longed to see so much. That face was a little tired, but still beautiful and smiling kindly.
I felt as if my frozen and stiffened heart was slowly melting away.
“But there’s nothing here. It’s not just that old man, you know. I was saved by you too.”
“Wha-why?”
I turned my gaze to where the voice came from and was surprised.
I was so surprised that it felt like the world had turned upside down. That’s because, along with the owner of the voice, several others were gathered there.
All of them were people I had talked to before, and I could see Paolo in the back. When our eyes met, he looked a little embarrassed and turned his face away.
I stared at the scene in amazement.
I never dreamed that so many people would move for me, someone as insignificant as myself. After all, what I did was such a small thing.
I couldn’t find the words to say.
This must be what true speechlessness feels like. I thought that without even thinking about it.
“Well, even if you ask why… I’m surprised by what I’m doing too. After all, I know that if I come out like this, I’ll be caught… but I still thought it was okay.”
She shrugged her shoulders with a wry smile and said.
Everyone had a similar expression on their faces. I just stared at them intently and repeated “why” in my mind. But since nothing else came to mind, there was nothing else to do.
Then suddenly there was applause. It was only one person clapping. I looked over there.
“Excellent, just as you said. Frankly, they seem like such decent people that I have a hard time understanding how they could have caused such a situation.
The prince said with that annoying smile on his face.
I should remember his name by now, but I had no intention of recalling it because it seemed silly to call him by his name with reverence.
“Well then, as promised.”
The prince said coldly and looked at those who were unsure of what to do behind him.
Just that was enough to make them all start moving at once.
Without giving any specific instructions, they captured everyone who had come out for me and the others who were fighting back.
All I could do was stare at them in amazement.
——It’s the same.
I’m just like everyone else, a powerless human being.
It might have been me over there. Thinking of that, I felt a sense of regret.
When I was feeling helpless, Cassini suddenly raised his voice.
“Miss Lorraine, don’t blame yourself. What you have in your hands now is something you grabbed with your own power. I’m telling you, so there’s no mistake.”
I was surprised and turned my face towards them, and there was Cassini with a calm face that I had never seen before. Paolo was also nearby, looking somewhat apologetic. When he saw me, he smiled sadly and quickly turned his face away.
There was a strong determination floating there.
Soon, the police and the prince arrived near me and caught the man who had been holding Lucia’s arm. Lucia was also released at the same time, and the prince looked straight at me and said, “Thank you for your cooperation. Thanks to you, the damage here was considerably reduced.”
“…You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”
Without pretending anything, I glared at the beautiful face that was much higher than mine.
The owner of that face nodded with a sneaky smile.
“Of course… Ah, here comes ‘him’ who followed us worrying about you. Well then, excuse me.”
The prince lightly raised his hand and walked away and passed ‘him’ as he approaches me.
After staring at the prince’s back, I tried to look at ‘him’ standing in front of me. But I couldn’t.
“Lorraine.”
My name was called with a deep sigh of relief mixed in.
My hand that I had clenched in front of my chest trembled involuntarily.
My legs had lost their sensation and felt like they could no longer support my body. I took a deep breath. I thought that if I breathed in the cold air, I would calm down a little. But I couldn’t calm down at all.
Because I didn’t know what kind of expression to make. It didn’t feel right to be happy about it honestly. First of all, I had to apologize with all my might.
It was my fault that it turned out like this.
So, I should raise my face quickly and apologize, but I couldn’t even do that.
I was so scared.
In a subtle silence, I stared at the stone pavement at my feet that had deteriorated over the years.
Suddenly, a shadow fell there and I was hugged before I realized it.
My head went blank, and I forgot to breathe and stiffened my body.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
The voice I had wanted to hear for so long came from above my head. With the relief that seeped through that voice, I was finally able to breathe.
At that moment, Jeremiah’s scent filled my nostrils, and I suddenly felt embarrassed. To hide that feeling, I finally said the words I had been thinking of saying.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Seriously. You don’t usually do something like this. You suddenly took an outrageous action… You…”
He held me with much stronger force than usual, and my back hurt.
I wanted to apologize again, but I couldn’t do it like this. Jeremiah continued.
“I was surprised earlier too. I never thought you would confront His Highness like that. He may have a gentle tone and demeanor, but he’s a scary person.”
“I-I see…”
I was annoyed, but I didn’t think he was scary at all.
In other words, he underestimated me. That’s probably how it looked from his perspective, like a child trying to intimidate him.
“Oh, I couldn’t do it if it were me.”
Jeremiah laughed a little.
Finally, I was able to lift my face there.
In my field of vision was the face that I had longed to see so much. That face was a little tired, but still beautiful and smiling kindly.
I felt as if my frozen and stiffened heart was slowly melting away.
