All I Wanted Was Affection and Donations from the Beautiful Girls Who Left the Orphanage... sobs - 13 [Leon's Perspective]

Chapter 13 [Leon’s Perspective]

Only the conclusion, I’ll write.

I failed, failed, failed, failed, failed, failed, failed, b*obs, failed, failed, b*obs, failed.

My plea to at least be allowed to decorate, as persistent as natto’s stickiness, was rejected with disdain. It’s tough.

Because I persisted too much, I was overwhelmed by her fierce attitude, saying, “Just don’t do anything, Leon-chan! Do you intend to embarrass me!?”

…What the heck! There’s no need to say it like that!! Let me at least decorate!

Things were better in the past.

When they were young, they were overjoyed just by me making them a ring.

But now that they’ve become indispensable people in the royal capital, this is what I get.

Damn it! I’m getting angry again!

What do you mean, “Do you intend to embarrass me?” I’m the one who feels embarrassed for getting so worked up over something like this!

Origami is one of my few specialties, you know?

If that’s sealed away, I’ll just go from being the lecherous director who’s good at origami to a plain lecherous director.

I want to go back to those days when I was praised by young girls just for folding a crane.

I want to return to those days when a paper crown I made with origami suddenly started an auction, fetching millions.

While sulking by the river,

“What’s with you… are you feeling down?”

I was approached from behind.

I knew without turning around. This voice belongs to the Sword Saint, Rebecca.

Fiery red hair, eyes reminiscent of a bird of prey. A tall, well-toned body.

Yet, she doesn’t forget to assert her femininity, a greedy trait indeed.

With a mere combat power of three, I, nothing but trash, stand no chance against her.

“Don’t be so down. We’ll graduate when we turn sixteen. Isn’t that what you decided?”

“That’s true, but…”

It seemed that Rebecca believed I had come to the riverside mourning my impending separation from everyone.

She is a pure force of martial power, with a touch of battle frenzy. Being able to wield her skills in the capital, where the elite gather, she was one of the first to accept the idea of graduation.

It’s not like the capital and the orphanage are on opposite sides of the Earth. According to Rebecca, if one runs non-stop, it’s a week’s journey.

A week of non-stop running…?

Is she a gorilla? No, just a muscle-brain.

How far does she think it is between the capital and here? Is she silly?

I wanted to point out many things, but Rebecca didn’t know.

She didn’t realize that far from mourning my separation from the Divine Seven, I actually wanted it.

That I was sulking by the river and drawing pictures with my finger because I was upset about being deprived of decorating!

“Ah… enough! I can’t stand watching this! Here, this is better!”

Rebecca, misunderstanding something, moved swiftly to my side and grabbed my trembling hand.

Interlacing her fingers with mine like a lover.

This is an unexpected boon.

My hand was trembling because I was desperate to do origami, but now, it doesn’t matter. The warmth of her hand is the only truth. If she holds my hand like this, anything is fine.

…Woohoooo!

Rebecca’s hand is so soft!!

In this wide world, how many men can intertwine their fingers with those of a national treasure who wields the holy sword? Lucky me!

Ah, parting with everyone from Divine Seven is so hard, so sad, I might cry. So, it’s okay to enjoy the feel of your hand more, right? I’m not waiting for an answer!

Rebecca’s hands, being those of a swordsman, were covered in many scars and calluses.

They could easily be healed with healing magic, but—

“…Ah, don’t focus too much on the feel of my hand, okay? I’m not like the other kids—”

Maybe because I touched her scars and calluses.

Even as a Sword Saint, she’s a girl. She mustn’t have good feelings about her scarred hands.

Rebecca’s grip on my hand weakened.

No, don’t do that. Please don’t.

Right now, I’m heartbroken after being expelled from the squad by Shion. The warmth of skin is essential! Only body heat can melt my frozen heart!

I grip Rebecca’s hand back, as if pursuing her.

“Eh, hey…!”

Seeing her confused—or maybe embarrassed—I rack my brains.

How can I keep holding this hand? No, what should I say to get her to grasp and wield my holy sword with this hand?

My son—the Excalibur, a sword of promised victory, is a treasured weapon.

It’s a wild horse that can only be held by top-tier S-class beauties.

I wanted to be a champion of justice—or perhaps, a champion of skillful techniques.

“―Why hesitate? The scars on these hands are like medals, earned from the desire to become stronger. The calluses that have formed, the rough and peeled skin, are all evidence of Rebecca wielding her sword to protect someone.To be allowed to touch—no, to hold such hands, is something I respect, not something I dislike. So, Rebecca, will you hold my hand back?”

Maybe I’m a genius?

And why are girls’ hands so soft, squishy, and warm?

Happiness hormones, whoosh!

Dopamine, flooding in!

“…Hmm. So you did remember after all.”

Eh, remember what?

“You know. I’ve always been quick to fight since I was young. I was always violent, right?”

Yeah, I remember that. You used to beat up those low-ranking noble brats.

Do you know? I had to apologize profusely, along with Hibiki-san. When we went to apologize, they demanded that I let them get cozy with my potential wife, Hibiki-san. So, I tried to punch them, got countered, and then Hibiki-san went berserk—It was really a mess!

If Hibiki-san hadn’t taken care of me when I was beaten up—if I hadn’t felt the sensation of her side breast against my shoulder when she lent it to me—I might have vanished. In conclusion, Hibiki-san’s breasts, way too soft! I wonder if she’ll let me touch them? Probably not, huh?

Well, most of the time, it was those noble brats acting all high and mighty, using their parents’ power as a shield. Deep down, I thought, “She should have broken their ribs, not just their nose.”

“There was a time when you didn’t like how some noble’s kids were harassing Eris, and I beat them up, right? I still vividly remember what you told me back then, even now that I’ve been appointed as ‘King Arthur.'”

What did I say again?

Eh, Rebecca? What’s wrong? Your grip is getting strong—ouch, ouch, ouch! It hurts! I said to hold back, but this is too strong! You must have a grip strength of a hundred kilos! You could crush an apple with one hand!

Ah, but the softness of your hand is coming through directly—what is this? It hurts but feels good. A new frontier. Leon, I can handle the pain.

But I’m tearing up. I’m a boy, after all.

“—You should have broken not just their nose but their ribs as well. Fufu. That’s what you said, the great sage, right?”

Ah, I said that out loud, didn’t I? This mouth is the source of disaster. I should be careful. It’s not too late, right?…Not too late, right?

“Then you told me my hands were very beautiful. They were proof of my effort to become stronger. You said Rebecca, who wielded them to protect someone dear, was fit to be a knight.”

Rebecca smiles teasingly at me.

Sorry, I don’t remember at all.

Maybe Rebecca and I were just ‘one-week friends’?

“That effort—that power—shows its true worth when used to protect someone dear. You should use it without hesitation when the time comes. But you also told me not to make the mistake of thinking that silence through violence is acceptable.”

Did I say that? Ah, I feel like I might have said something like that.

Indeed, I was annoyed at the snobs bothering Eris-tan, but if she kept breaking their noses, I wouldn’t have enough brains to spare.

No, if bowing this useless head of mine could get me forgiveness, I would do it any number of times.

Apologizing and being forgiven is the best cost performance.

However, it wouldn’t be good for Rebecca, with her knightly talents, to gain a bad reputation because of that.

She needs to earn money as a swordsman and donate to the orphanage.

Rebecca turns to me with a faintly flushed face.

Eh, wait, wait—!

Could it be that kind of mood is developing!? Flirting by the river’s edge!?

No, Rebecca. Everyone will hear my voice. But if you ask me with such a passionate gaze―

“Hey, show me that thing. I haven’t seen it in a while.”

Sure, if my holy sword is fine, you can observe it as much as you—Huh? That thing?

“I want to see Leon’s sword-drawing technique. Please.”

Could any man refuse a beautiful woman’s pleading gaze? No, there’s no such man.

…But.

Darn it! I thought she was just a muscle-brain! I thought Rebecca was all brawn!

She raised my hopes and then dashed them!

Of course! Rebecca is now a Sword Saint. She must have realized my sham sword-drawing technique.

Oh no! To think I’d be coerced like this just before graduation! Ah, so not only Shion but Rebecca has given up on me too.

Rebecca’s intention must be to make me perform my sham sword-drawing technique in front of her grown-up self and admit that I was deceiving her in her childhood! 

How cruel!