I Was Reincarnated as a Duke as a Matter of Course, So I Bought a Slave on a Whim and Now There’s No Turning Back - 18

Chapter 18: Quiet Appreciation

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

It smelled faintly of medicine. When I opened my eyes, there was a white ceiling.

Wait a second… Am I completely alive?

My body temperature, the sensation in my hands… I squinted at the brightness. I was alive. I knew that immediately. And then, at the edge of my vision, there was a familiar silhouette.

“…Yuka?”

My voice was raspier than I expected. The shadow moved instantly. The sound of a chair creaking followed, and the presence of someone drawing near.

“…Luka-sama,” A short reply in a voice that sounded like it was on the verge of tears. Yuka was dressed as usual in a wrinkle-free maid uniform. It looked like she didn’t have any major injuries, thank goodness. That fact alone made the tightness in the depths of my chest loosen just a bit.

“Ah…”

I thought I had to say something. But my head wasn’t spinning very well. In the end, what came out was…

“…I’m sorry.”

Just a meaningless apology like that. Hearing it, Yuka’s movements came to a halt.

“If only I could have done a little more…”

It felt like I was about to come up with flimsy excuse, so I stopped halfway through.

“…Really, I’m sorry.”

For a while, there was no answer. Did I say something to offend her…?

“…Luka-sama, please do not apologize.”

But what came back were those words, laced with regret. It was a low voice, almost like a groan. Her voice was a bit rougher than usual. I couldn’t find the right words to reply. In fact, I didn’t know what to say at times like this.

“…Please do not apologize.”

She repeated it over and over. Yuka remained standing right beside me, her face cast downward. Her fists were clenched tightly over her knees.

“It is strange for you to apologize, Luka-sama.”

Though she sounded detached, I could tell her voice was trembling.

“…Protecting you is my duty.”

I thought a maid’s duty was serving and caretaking, though?

“And yet—”

Her words choked up there.

“…I, because of me,” A single tear fell with a plop. Crap, I made her cry. I hurriedly shook my head.

“No, that’s wrong—”

“It is not wrong.”

Yuka said, cutting me off.

“It is not wrong.”

She looked up. Her eyes had turned red, but she wasn’t letting the tears flow.

“I have decided that I will stand in front of you, Luka-sama.”

The girl’s beautifully refined face drew closer.

“Therefore—”

Again, her voice became slightly lower.

“Please… stop leaving me behind to step forward yourself. …I’m scared.”

Those words sank into my chest. It wasn’t anger, nor was it an accusation. Just her honest feelings.

I feel like I’ve done something awful.

“Watching you get hurt, Luka-sama… I cannot endure it.”

For a while, I couldn’t say anything. In the back of my mind, that moment flickered back to life. Yuka’s back and her unwavering flames of protection. And myself, pushing past that to step out in front.

I don’t regret it, though.

“…Sor—”

I started to say it again but stopped. Instead, I let out a breath and wove my words.

“Look, even though I’m supposed to protect you, Yuka, I was the one being protected the whole time, right?”

Yuka’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

“If things stay like that, you’ll be the only one getting hurt.”

Averting my eyes, I continued.

“I can’t have that. I have my own sense of stubbornness and pride.”

Like not making the people I treasure cry. I failed at that just now, though.

Yuka said nothing to those words. But I could tell that the tension in her shoulders had eased slightly.

“So…”

I said as quietly as possible.

“Next time, I won’t act on my own. Though I will definitely protect you, Yuka.”

It was closer to a declaration than a promise. It was something I decided for myself, at the very least.

“…Still, if you hate the idea of me getting hurt to protect you, then we should just protect each other together.”

Yuka was silent for a while. Then, she took a small breath.

“…That’s unfair.”

A muttered, childlike remark.

“Saying it like that is so unfair of you.”

For just an instant, our eyes met.

“…But,” Softly, so very softly. “In that case… yes.”

Hearing those words, the depths of my chest felt a warm glow.

She’s really changed. For me, it’s a happy change.

Yuka sat back down in the chair right next to my bed. However, the distance between us was just a tiny bit closer than usual. I had been hospitalized for a broken bone in my previous life too, but back then there wasn’t a beautiful girl by my side. 

This alone is an “advantage”—a total Reincarnation Advantage, seriously.

For a while, a quiet time flowed by. Yuka remained seated right beside me without saying anything. But the strained atmosphere from earlier had thinned out a little.

“…Oh, that’s right.”

As if remembering, I opened my mouth.

“What about Elysia, or Kaiel… or Allen?”

Yuka is a given, of course, but everyone needs to be safe.

Yuka’s gaze wavered for just a split second. But she immediately returned to her usual attendant’s expression.

“Yes. Everyone’s lives are not in danger.”

Hearing that, my chest felt significantly lighter.

“Elysia-sama is… Well…”

She paused for a beat as if she was choosing her words carefully.

“She was a bit distraught, but she is calm now.”

“…I see.”

I remembered that scene. The screaming voice, the hand desperately reached out.

I’m certainly loved.. I’m quite the sinful man, aren’t I? Heh. (self-importance over 9000).

“Kaiel-sama has only slight magical exhaustion. Allen-sama also has no major injuries.”

I asked for their names one by one as if confirming each. Everyone was alive and well.

Seriously, thank God.

“I see… that’s good then.”

That honest thought leaked from my mouth. Yuka also nodded slightly.

“Everyone was very worried about you, Luka-sama.”

“…I bet.”

I gave a wry smile. If they hadn’t been worried, I’d probably be in shock. Even I wouldn’t be able to stop worrying if the positions were reversed.

“I will inform them later that you have awakened.”

There was a short silence after those words. Yuka lowered her gaze before speaking.

“…Would it be best if I called for him?”

“Him?”

“Fazil-sama.”

Ah, my brother. Don’t need him, don’t need him at all.

“Is he here? Or rather, I’m late in asking, but where is this?”

“It is the academy’s infirmary. Fazil-sama was here until just a moment ago.”

Whoa, even though it’s an academy, this room puts real hospitals to shame.

Yuka took a step back and gave a light bow.

“Then, I shall go call him.”

“…Thanks, Yuka.”

When I said that, she quietly left the room. Hearing the sound of the door closing, I looked up at the ceiling.

Tch, you better be grateful for Yuka’s thoughtfulness, Nii-san.

…Even so, I’m really alive.

I think I was cut pretty deeply, and while my recovery was probably thanks to magical treatment, there was no pain and no scars from the healing.

Then, after a little while.

“Hey there, Survivor-san.”

A familiar, light voice. I already knew who it was, but when I turned my gaze, there he was.

“Fazil-niisan…”

My brother’s figure was there, arms crossed and leaning against the wall.

“Man, I’m glad.”

That was the first thing he said.

This guy is so lighthearted.

“I know, right?”

“Isn’t that reaction a bit light?”

“If I made it heavy, it would just be more exhausting, wouldn’t it?”

He gave a broad grin. It was my brother’s usual face.

It’s reassuring… but also a little annoying.

“Anyway, glad you’re alive more than anything.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

“So nonchalant.”

Look who’s talking?

Nii-san came to the side of the bed and peered into my face.

“…Your complexion is as terrible as always.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Yep.”

Okay, I’m gonna smack him.

“Well, anyway, it’s a job well done considering you almost died.”

“Are you praising me?”

“I’m praising you, I’m praising you.”

So half-assed. Better than him being heavy about it, though.

“…Luka.”

His voice became a bit serious.

“W-what is it?”

When I asked, Fazil-niisan shrugged his shoulders.

“Ah—er, it’s about Noin-niisan…”

Ah, I wasn’t really thinking about it, but did he bring it up out of consideration since he didn’t come to visit? Noin-niisan—the brother to both me and Fazil-niisan, which makes him our eldest. We met often when I was small, and though we couldn’t have conversations, I remember his face.

“Right now, he’s looking into various things for your sake.”

The academy, the attack, the barrier, the intruders. With all this lined up, it really is an “Otherworld Academy Suspense” story.

And Nii-san was the kind of person who solved those things. I knew because Mother and Father were happy about it. Apparently, it had already been decided that Nii-san would join the knights directly under the Royal Family.

“He said he couldn’t come to visit.”

“No, it’s encouraging if Noin-niisan is investigating them for me.”

“He said, 『I’m prioritizing that for now.』”

That was exactly the kind of line he would say.

“Well, he was worried, you know?”

“Is that true?”

“Probably.”

What do you mean “probably”?

“He said he might show his face later once things settle down.”

“I understand.”

That was enough for me. Nii-san was at the academy too, even if there was some distance between us, I still felt like I’d run into him somewhere. 

Fazil-niisan’s face turned slightly dark.

“This time was a disaster.”

“Yeah.”

“But, you survived well.”

For an instant, his gaze became sharp.

“Though you were way too reckless.”

“…Yes.”

“Don’t do it again. I’m not good at having my blood run cold.”

Saying just that, Nii-san’s tone returned to normal.

“Well, anyway, rest for now.”

“I will even if you didn’t tell me.”

My body was still sluggish even now. Even sitting up was a struggle.

“Then, I’m heading back.”

“Oh, already?”

It’s not like I want you to stay or anything! (Tsundere)

“If I stay any longer, someone’s gonna start crying again.”

Oh right, that was a thing.

“See ya, stay on bed rest~.”

“Yeah.”

Fazil-niisan gave a light wave and left the room.

 In the now quiet room, I let out a breath.

I’m still alive, and there are people I managed to protect. I couldn’t protect everything, but for me, I think it’s enough.

That reality alone remained in the depths of my chest.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー