I Picked up a Corrupted Heroine (The Secret Boss), and When I Spoiled Her, She Became Uncontrollably Affectionate With Me - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Saint of the Moon Confesses Her Feelings

“—Why do you care so much about me?”

In the next moment, her blue eyes stared sharply at me.

Crap. From Alicia’s point of view, I’m just a random nobody she doesn’t know. Of course she’d find it weird if some stranger keeps asking about her.

…What excuse should I give?

“Just so you know, lies don’t work on me.”

“!? ”

“I’ve been tricked a lot in the past. So… I won’t let anyone fool me anymore.”

Those words weren’t a bluff. She really meant it.

In the original story, after this event Alicia becomes able to see through lies.

I completely forgot…! Then I can’t make up any excuses.

“…Why are you staying quiet? Is there some reason you can’t tell me?”

“That’s…”

I like you. That was the honest truth.

If I just said it, it would feel better. But…

It would probably destroy any chance I have with Alicia.

After all, this is our first meeting. No way she’d accept a confession from someone she just met.

She’d probably just think I’m creepy and pull away.

In that case—

“…Alicia, you’re the Saint. If you disappear, the hero party’s fighting strength drops, and in the worst case the world could get destroyed, right?”

“Hmm…?”

Alicia stared right into my eyes, blinked slowly, and spoke.

“…Half lie, half truth? You thought mixing in some truth would get past me?”

“Wha…!? You can even tell that…!?”

Mix a little truth in with the lie. In the original story, that method should have worked on Alicia’s insight…!?

Her powers of observation are clearly stronger than in the original…

“Come on, what’s the real truth? Even though this is our first meeting, why do you care about me so much?”

“T-That’s…”

So if there’s even a little lie mixed in, she’ll see through it.

Then I should just tell the full truth. I’ve never told anyone this before… but I have no choice.

“Alicia, I know most of the future of this world.”

“F-Future?”

My words must have been too unexpected. Alicia’s eyes went wide and she blinked over and over.

Then she muttered in a daze.

“You’re… not lying?”

“No. It’s not a lie.”

Having knowledge of the original story is pretty much the same as knowing the rough future of the world. At least that’s how I see it.

So it’s not a lie.

“Something like that… But! How does that become a reason to care about me?”

“Because you were fated to destroy the world.”

“Eh.”

“You might not know this, but you have the power of a witch hidden inside you that can destroy the world.”

“!? N-No way…”

Alicia was badly shaken.

She probably never imagined she had a witch’s power inside her.

At this point… I have to tell her everything.

“If the hero didn’t save you, your witch power would awaken and you were fated to destroy the world… That’s why when I heard you went missing, I couldn’t stop worrying about you.”

“……It’s not a lie…”

Yeah, none of it was a lie. But there were things I hid.

Alicia’s power can see through lies, but it can’t see through things that are simply “hidden.”

“U… Ah…”

Alicia let out a silent scream, her shoulders dropped heavily, and she looked down.

…Did I hurt her? Yeah, of course. Telling someone they might have become a being that destroys the world would make anyone depressed…

“A-Alicia… I’m sorry. I said things I shouldn’t have…”

“…No, it’s fine. I was the one who asked, so you don’t need to apologize at all, Asta.”

With that, Alicia lifted her face—

“Hehe.”

For some reason, she laughed. But it wasn’t a gentle smile. It looked more like she was mocking herself.

“Ah geez… I got the wrong idea again and expected too much all by myself…”

“…?”

“I thought all the pieces fit… that you were way too high-class for me, that you already had someone… everything.”

“W-What are you talking about…?”

“It’s nothing. I just made a stupid misunderstanding all on my own. You really don’t need to worry about it.”

A single tear spilled from Alicia’s eye.

Without thinking, I took her hand and wrapped it in both of mine. Her hand was trembling.

But… I didn’t understand why, so I could only stay quiet and keep holding it.

――◇――◇――◇――

[Alicia side]

“…It’s nothing. I just made a stupid misunderstanding all on my own. You really don’t need to worry about it.”

A tear fell to the ground and made a small stain.

I got the wrong idea again, didn’t I?

“Why do you care so much about me?”

That’s what I asked Asta. No, it wasn’t really a question… It was closer to certainty.

Asta likes Saint Alicia.

I was sure of it from his words and actions.

“Way too high-class” fits because Alicia is a Saint and the adopted daughter of a powerful noble.

“Already has someone” also fits because everyone thinks the hero and Saint are supposed to get married.

But the biggest reason I became certain was how abnormally obsessed he seemed with Saint Alicia.

Today, when he heard Saint Alicia was missing, Asta looked so worried it seemed like he was about to search the whole world. Plus, when he saw me as Alicia, his face lit up like he’d never been happier and his voice got a little higher.

Ah… I’ve been misunderstanding this whole time…!

That’s what I thought, and I felt so happy. But in the end, it was all a misunderstanding.

He got worried when he heard I was missing because he was scared I might turn into a witch and destroy the world.

He looked happy when he saw me because he found out I hadn’t become a witch.

His obsession with Saint Alicia was… to prevent the world from being destroyed.

It was all, all just my misunderstanding.

“…Asta…”

I gently placed my hand on Asta’s cheek.

It hurts so much I can barely breathe. I want you this badly, but you’re always looking straight at someone else.

Maybe I should just use my witch power and take him by force…

“Ah geez… No. I shouldn’t be thinking things like this…”

I quickly stood up from the bench.

If I stay by his side now, I feel like I’ll do something wrong.

“Alicia… what’s wrong…?”

“Sorry. I have to go back soon.”

I answered without turning around.

This is probably the last time I’ll meet him in this form.

“W-Wait, Alicia—!”

Asta desperately tried to stop me. He’s probably worried that without me the hero party will be in trouble.

I kept walking without paying attention.

But… since it’s the last time anyway, maybe I should say it. He’ll probably be bothered hearing this from someone he just met, but it’s payback for making me get my hopes up so much.

“Asta.”

I stopped before the corner, turned around to face him, and smiled as softly as I could so it would stay in his memory—

“I love you from the bottom of my heart.”

I confessed.

Then I quickly turned the corner without waiting for a reply, covered my ears, and left the spot.