Chapter 284 – Within the Closed World

 

 

Caroline is still frightened, while she trembles in my arms.

 

『It would be better if you left her rest』

「I agree, I should take her back to the church……no, I should take her to my mansion」

『Umu. The place you are confident to describe as safe should be good』

 

Eleanor had the same opinion.

I’m interested in those who are targeting Caroline. Interested in the sense of looking forward to it.

That comes from the dangerous smell that I whiffed during this attack.

 

The more fun it is for me and Eleanor, the frightening it would be for Caroline.

Naturally, I can’t let her return to the church. A place that is definitely safe is good.

 

My mansion. I should let Nana guard her as well.

Both in the sense of strength and loyalty.

 

The place where Nana is would be the safest one.

 

『But it’s safest with Otou-san right?』

「That’s true. Good girl Hikari, you’re so smart〜」

『Ehehe〜』

 

I took my Warp Feather while listening to Hikari’s cute laughter and warped to my mansion.

The bedroom in my mansion. I should call Nana here.

 

I first called Miu to call Nana.

 

「Did you call for me, Master」

「Yeah, sorry to trouble you. Can you tell Nanaーー」

「Kyaaaaa!」

 

Caroline suddenly screamed.

She was just trembling in my arms up until now, but the instant she saw Miu, she screamed and her trembling worsened.

 

「What’s the matter, Caroline!」

「No……don’t come closer……」

「E-Ehh?」

 

Miu was confused by Caroline’s fright and blatant rejection.

I know that Miu did not do anything, so I could understand why she’d feel confused.

 

The one I don’t understand is why Caroline became more frightened when she saw Miu.

 

「What happened?」

「Noooooo!」

 

Colaria who heard the commotion entered the room. She also made Caroline frightened.

 

「I-I’m sorry! I……eh?」

 

Colaria was confused too. Caroline became even more scared and clung on me tighter.

 

『Maybe……』

「What?」

『Maybe, she is frightened by everything that she sees through her eyes?』

「Everything that she sees?」

『This is only my speculation. She look as if she is frightened by all kinds of existence』

「Is it from the shock from being kidnapped……?」

『Most probably. Shouldn’t you consider go to a place with no people, not here in your mansion?』

「Let me see……」

 

I thought for a moment and decided to use a different measure.

Although I’ve never done it before, I should be able to do it.

 

I imagined “that” and released my aura from Eleanor.

The aura completely enveloped Caroline.

 

『Camouflage aura? Even if you do thatーー』

「It’s the opposite.」 I’m not making her invisible to everyone else, I’m making everyone else invisible to her」

『ーーHmm?』

 

Eleanor seemed confused. I ignored her for the meantime and talked to Caroline.

 

「Caroline, open your eyes」

「Eh?」

「Are you still scared?」

「……ah! There’s no one else anymore, other than God」

「I see」

「Oh God……」

 

Caroline called me and clung to me stronger.

 

I enveloped Caroline with an aura, one that makes her unable to see those who are weaker than me.

I improvised my camouflage aura, using it to have the opposite effects for the first time, but it looks like it worked.

 

☆

 

I embraced the frightened Caroline within my arms and continuously warped to many places.

 

To Helene.

To Rica.

To Aura.

To Fiona and Marie.

To Selene.

And to Delfina.

 

I warped to where my women were, asking them who are in the top of politics and wealth to investigate the church’s movements.

 

After doing so, I returned to my mansion.

I relaxed in the courtyard of my mansion with Caroline still in my arms.

 

Caroline seemed so frightened before, but she finally looked like she has calmed down.

She should be in a world where she could only see me. Normally, it would’ve been scary instead.

 

Something that is frequently told in storiesーーa world where you and only a few others exist. No one else.

A normal person would’ve started panicking, but Caroline had a face of complete relief in that world.

 

『Kukuku, what a strange girl she is』

「The way her mind works is probably different than other people」

『I understand now why you have yet to take her purity』

「Un?」

『What? You didn’t notice?』

 

Eleanor said while rolling her eyes.

 

『She is just after that kicking princess, so the more of the reason that it is impossible』

「……ahh」

 

After hearing her said that much, I finally realized.

The thing that I myself didn’t notice. The thing that I’ve been unconsciously avoiding.

 

I slept with the nuns before, but I didn’t do it with Caroline who seemed to be deeply attached to me.

That is because she’s completely dependent and reliant to me.

 

Although I feel happy being the target of her affection, she is being too dependent on me that I can’t be happy for everything.

 

The kicking princess Eleanor mentionedーーSelene.

She is someone who completely changed from a useless girl to a good woman. So after seeing her, for good and for bad, I can’t make love with Caroline.

 

I don’t want toーーI “still”, don’t want to.

 

I didn’t notice it myself, but Eleanor pointed it out to me.

 

『You’ve become quite a gourmet』

「That might be true」

『Her looks are not lacking though』

「Well of course」

『How about taking her right now? For example, Io also started to grow after you slept with her. This girl might be the same as her』

「Let me see」

 

I hesitated. What Eleanor said was reasonable.

Except for being completely reliant on me, Caroline is a beautiful girl that would gather attention from anyone.

If it was before I became too used to this, I might’ve not hesitated at all.

 

「Uhm, Master」

「Un?」

 

I looked up and saw Miu in front of me.

I saw Miu in the corner of my eye, in the second floor of the mansion, and in the other side of the window.

 

All of them were moving in a natural way. It looks like she had completely mastered using the Puppet Master.

I became happy seeing her growth. At the same time, Caroline seemed a bit moreーーno, I should stop.

 

「What’s the matter」

「There’s something I would like Master to see」

「Right, what is it」

 

I nodded and made Miu continue.

Suddenly, Caroline raised her head and looked up.

 

She looked completely calm by now, but her eyes gradually widened.

 

「Kyaaaaaaa!」

 

She screamed.

 

「Wait Caroline, Miu isーー」

 

The next instant, my body moved.

There was no explanation, doubt, nor confirmation.

My body moved skipping all the process that should’ve been in between.

 

The reason for that, it’s only because my intuition told me.

 

I unsheathed Eleanor andーー

 

☆

 

It was a calm moment that seemed as if she was within the cradle of her mother’s arms.

 

A place that can be called the safest in the face of the earth. Caroline regained her composure being protected within Kakeru’s arms.

 

A world where she can only see Kakeru. It was a world that felt like it was a dream.

There was no noises. Only Kakeru exists.

 

Caroline was relieved being in that world.

 

But suddenly, she felt a presence and looked up. She saw someone she doesn’t know.

It was an animal-eared girl wearing maid clothes.

 

A noise.

 

A noise that suddenly interrupted the world where she can only see Kakeru.

Caroline was frightened. She was scared by the fact that she might be kidnapped once again.

 

She raised a scream. A scream that was prompted by fear.

 

The next instant, Kakeru unsheathed his Demon Sword and swung it towards the enemy.

 

*Gakiiiiiiiinーーー*

 

A metallic sound that pierces the ears and sparks flying.

Kakeru’s face was grinning.

 

Caroline has only few interactions with other people, so she doesn’t know.

The expression of the man she is looking at is classified generally as a “villainous grin”.

 

However, it gave Caroline a sense of protection.

 

The appearance of the injured beastkin girl blurred and disappeared once again.

Kakeru was embracing Caroline as he swung his sword, but.

 

With the world turning back to where she could only see Kakeru, Caroline was relieved and clung to him tightly.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 283 – Kujibiki Tokushou – Chapter 285