Hiiro (44)
"Excuse me, Your Highness, Lord Hitachimaru."
Someone suddenly appeared between me and Naruhito, and I instinctively reached for the area around my waist where I usually kept my gun.
Since I was still in my loungewear, the gun wasn't there, and cold sweat ran down my back.
Hitachimaru's killing intent swelled up and quickly dissipated.
He was probably too surprised and had entered an attack stance.
The person who appeared was unaffected by the killing intent of someone said to be the strongest of this era, and skillfully supported Naruhito as he knocked on the door.
In a better mood, Naruhito walked with their support.
Actually, he was almost entirely relying on the support to walk, but it was done so subtly that it was hard to notice for both him and those around him.
"Ichinose, huh..."
The covert group under Akemi. For some reason, they're working happily at this detached palace.
They're convenient, and since Akemi trusts them, I left them alone, but they seem to be formidable. And Naruhito is getting too attached to them...
Following Naruhito, I entered Sai's room.
Hitachimaru followed as well, still rubbing the back of his neck and looking cautious.
"Sai. Did you eat?"
Naruhito, leaning his upper body on the bed, spoke to the lying-down Sai.
"Naruhito. You've come to see me again."
Sai answered wearily, opening his eyes. He looked thin and pale. I had heard he had his surgery before Naruhito and that it was successful.
"Did you eat?"
"I don't have much appetite."
"I was thinking of giving you some ice."
"Ice?"
"Because it's tasty."
"Ice, you say?"
"Isn't it delicious?"
"Cold ice, right?"
"Yeah. Hiiro wouldn't give it to me."
"I see..."
Ice is a treat for Naruhito, but Sai probably doesn't understand what it means to him.
"And the candy melted too."
"Naruhito, you like candy, don't you?"
"I hid one piece."
"Candy?"
"Yeah. Hiiro said I shouldn't eat it and threw it away."
"That's unfortunate."
"Yeah... I wanted to give it to Sai. But it's gone... Sorry."
"You wanted to give the candy to me?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't it your precious treasure?"
"Because Sai doesn't look well."
Sai smiled deeply and looked at Naruhito.
A hand, thin from being under the covers, reached out and patted Naruhito's head.
Ah, I see. To Naruhito, candy was a treasure. He wasn't getting much of it because it would make him lose his appetite, and I thought he ate it immediately because he liked it so much.
It must have been a candy he treasured and saved despite wanting to eat it.
I regret throwing it away. I should have given him a replacement first.
What do you think about this chapter?
