When I was captured, I often had nightmares.
In those dreams, Jeremiah would be angry, exasperated, or distant.
Even though I told myself that it shouldn’t be like that, the anxiety couldn’t be wiped away and always accumulated as a cold lump in my chest.
But now, it has disappeared.
Completely gone, melted and flowed away.
“You’re finally looking at me, Lorraine.”
Then, Jeremiah raised one eyebrow in a troubled manner.
His eyes were angry, but also endlessly gentle. There was no coldness, only relief floating around.
Feeling sorry, happy, and embarrassed all at once, I unconsciously turned my face to the side. But then…
“Nevertheless, my cute fiancée has managed to captivate so many people without even realizing it. I was truly surprised.”
The words that entered my ears didn’t allow me to accept it. Captivate? What on earth was he talking about? I tilted my head slightly while staring into Jeremiah’s eyes.
I don’t remember doing anything like that at all. Not even a tiny bit of it. Before I could ask why, Jeremiah spoke up.
“When you stood up to His Highness, I thought it was bad. I was worried that you would be treated as one of them. But I never thought they would come out to help you.”
“Yes. I was surprised too.”
I nodded while recalling the events that had just happened.
“But I have a feeling about it. They were probably saved by you without even realizing it. You must have solved something that they were struggling with.”
“But all I did was talk with everyone…”
That’s right, all I did was talk. I listened to everyone’s stories and shared a little bit of my own.
And yet, I can’t believe that I saved them.
On the contrary, I even think that I pushed them into a corner and made them end up being captured.
“That was a good thing. Everyone wants to be known and seen for who they are. They were cornered and must have been suffering. Above all, they probably wanted someone to listen to them.”
With Jeremiah’s words, I once again thought of Oji-san and everyone’s faces.
Then, I murmured.
“…If that’s the case, then it’s okay.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it is. I believe it more than anything else. Because I know you the best. Thanks to you, the situation was resolved without anyone getting hurt… You saved them, their hearts. You can be proud of that.”
Jeremiah narrowed his eyes and looked at me while patting my back. His words slowly seeped into me and seemed to heal my wounds just a little bit.
At the very least, Jeremiah accepted me. The fact that he forgave me made me happy.
I felt like I was able to be of some use to everyone, even if it was just a little.
Finally, I reached out and hugged Jeremiah myself. Until then, I was unsure if it was okay to touch him. But even so, he didn’t resist or flinch.
My eyes welled up with tears and I turned my face to the side.
Then, I awkwardly met Lucia’s gaze.
I had completely forgotten that there were other people here.
Feeling embarrassed, I turned my face away again and saw several police officers and Dennis and Emilio walking out of the building with their assistance. There were others who seemed to have been captured as well.
Except for Dennis, most of them were just a little weakened but unharmed.
As I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, Dennis was brought over to us. When she came closer, I could see that she had an incredibly serious expression on her face and tears in her eyes.
“Denny, are you okay?”
I couldn’t help but ask, but she shook her head in response. As I looked at her with a puzzled expression, Dennis suddenly spoke up.
“I’m sorry!”
The people around us flinched at the volume of her apology. She seemed as if she was going to fall on her knees.
“I failed to protect Lorraine-sama even though I was with her. It’s all because of my incompetence. I’m prepared to accept any punishment!”
“…No, more importantly, why are you in such bad shape?”
Jeremiah responded to Dennis’s apology with a sharp tone and asked her a question. I could understand his feelings. Even I wouldn’t have known why she was the only one in such a terrible state if I hadn’t witnessed it myself.
Dennis answered his question with a pained expression on her face.
“I thought I could break the cage that those people had prepared and rescue Lorraine-sama, but it was much stronger than I had imagined and I couldn’t destroy it. I probably got a little hurt during that time.”
“A little…?”
Even Jeremiah’s eyes looked somewhat eerie. While I was wondering what to do, I decided to just watch the situation unfold for now.
“It’s not a big deal. What’s more important is that I caused Lorraine-sama to experience something terrible…I’m truly sorry.”
“Ah, yes…you did disobey my orders and let Lorraine go outside.”
Dennis’s body trembled at Jeremiah’s calm voice as she hung her head deeply. Even so, she didn’t say anything and just waited silently. Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up.
“W-Wait! It’s not Denny’s fault. It’s my fault. Denny opposed it until the end. But I begged her because I really wanted to go.”
“Lorraine, even so, she shouldn’t have disobeyed my orders.”
I tried to think of how to argue back as he spoke in a calm voice. There were many different circumstances at that time. I was hesitant about how to convey that, but help came from nearby right away.
When I was captured, I often had nightmares.
In those dreams, Jeremiah would be angry, exasperated, or distant.
Even though I told myself that it shouldn’t be like that, the anxiety couldn’t be wiped away and always accumulated as a cold lump in my chest.
But now, it has disappeared.
Completely gone, melted and flowed away.
“You’re finally looking at me, Lorraine.”
Then, Jeremiah raised one eyebrow in a troubled manner.
His eyes were angry, but also endlessly gentle. There was no coldness, only relief floating around.
Feeling sorry, happy, and embarrassed all at once, I unconsciously turned my face to the side. But then…
“Nevertheless, my cute fiancée has managed to captivate so many people without even realizing it. I was truly surprised.”
The words that entered my ears didn’t allow me to accept it. Captivate? What on earth was he talking about? I tilted my head slightly while staring into Jeremiah’s eyes.
I don’t remember doing anything like that at all. Not even a tiny bit of it. Before I could ask why, Jeremiah spoke up.
“When you stood up to His Highness, I thought it was bad. I was worried that you would be treated as one of them. But I never thought they would come out to help you.”
“Yes. I was surprised too.”
I nodded while recalling the events that had just happened.
“But I have a feeling about it. They were probably saved by you without even realizing it. You must have solved something that they were struggling with.”
“But all I did was talk with everyone…”
That’s right, all I did was talk. I listened to everyone’s stories and shared a little bit of my own.
And yet, I can’t believe that I saved them.
On the contrary, I even think that I pushed them into a corner and made them end up being captured.
“That was a good thing. Everyone wants to be known and seen for who they are. They were cornered and must have been suffering. Above all, they probably wanted someone to listen to them.”
With Jeremiah’s words, I once again thought of Oji-san and everyone’s faces.
Then, I murmured.
“…If that’s the case, then it’s okay.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it is. I believe it more than anything else. Because I know you the best. Thanks to you, the situation was resolved without anyone getting hurt… You saved them, their hearts. You can be proud of that.”
Jeremiah narrowed his eyes and looked at me while patting my back. His words slowly seeped into me and seemed to heal my wounds just a little bit.
At the very least, Jeremiah accepted me. The fact that he forgave me made me happy.
I felt like I was able to be of some use to everyone, even if it was just a little.
Finally, I reached out and hugged Jeremiah myself. Until then, I was unsure if it was okay to touch him. But even so, he didn’t resist or flinch.
My eyes welled up with tears and I turned my face to the side.
Then, I awkwardly met Lucia’s gaze.
I had completely forgotten that there were other people here.
Feeling embarrassed, I turned my face away again and saw several police officers and Dennis and Emilio walking out of the building with their assistance. There were others who seemed to have been captured as well.
Except for Dennis, most of them were just a little weakened but unharmed.
As I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, Dennis was brought over to us. When she came closer, I could see that she had an incredibly serious expression on her face and tears in her eyes.
“Denny, are you okay?”
I couldn’t help but ask, but she shook her head in response. As I looked at her with a puzzled expression, Dennis suddenly spoke up.
“I’m sorry!”
The people around us flinched at the volume of her apology. She seemed as if she was going to fall on her knees.
“I failed to protect Lorraine-sama even though I was with her. It’s all because of my incompetence. I’m prepared to accept any punishment!”
“…No, more importantly, why are you in such bad shape?”
Jeremiah responded to Dennis’s apology with a sharp tone and asked her a question. I could understand his feelings. Even I wouldn’t have known why she was the only one in such a terrible state if I hadn’t witnessed it myself.
Dennis answered his question with a pained expression on her face.
“I thought I could break the cage that those people had prepared and rescue Lorraine-sama, but it was much stronger than I had imagined and I couldn’t destroy it. I probably got a little hurt during that time.”
“A little…?”
Even Jeremiah’s eyes looked somewhat eerie. While I was wondering what to do, I decided to just watch the situation unfold for now.
“It’s not a big deal. What’s more important is that I caused Lorraine-sama to experience something terrible…I’m truly sorry.”
“Ah, yes…you did disobey my orders and let Lorraine go outside.”
Dennis’s body trembled at Jeremiah’s calm voice as she hung her head deeply. Even so, she didn’t say anything and just waited silently. Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up.
“W-Wait! It’s not Denny’s fault. It’s my fault. Denny opposed it until the end. But I begged her because I really wanted to go.”
“Lorraine, even so, she shouldn’t have disobeyed my orders.”
I tried to think of how to argue back as he spoke in a calm voice. There were many different circumstances at that time. I was hesitant about how to convey that, but help came from nearby right away.
