The Encounter Between the Forsaken Healing Magic’s Beloved Child and the Betrayed Black Dragon Princess of Calamity - 21

Chapter 21: If This Is a Dream, Please Don’t Wake Me Up

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“Okay, with this… Everything should go smoothly.”

Having finished compiling all the countermeasures for the Royal Selection, I nodded firmly to myself. The only thing left was deciding when to head to Mountain Duflussweise, or to be precise, to the Dragroar Kingdom. 

“I wish we could have some way to know the situation in the kingdom…”

“That’s easier said than done. We can’t afford to make careless moves and risk weakening our forces. After all, we only have four people on Mer-san’s side, including myself… Well, though I’m pretty much use-“

“No. Even if Gil-kun is the one saying it, I still won’t allow anyone to belittle Gil-kun.”

Frowning, Mer-san placed her index finger against my lips to stop me from speaking any further.

…Indeed. Calling myself useless like that would mean trampling on Mer-san’s feelings, since she had recognized my value herself.

“Mer-san… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine as long as you understand. …Or so I’d like to say, but it seems some punishment is in order.”

“Ehh!?”

I was trembling with fear upon hearing that. Meanwhile, Mer-san was laughing mischievously. 

Wha-What kind of punishment I will need to receive…?

“Ahem. Alright. I will announce your punishment now.”

“Ye-Yes…”

“Tonight, Gil-kun will be my body pillow.”

“Bo-Body pillow?!”

That… Does that mean I’ll be sleeping with Mer-san?!”

“We-Well! Although I’m still a child, I’m still a man, so… I-I think it’s not appropriate for me to sleep together with Mer-san… I mean…. Tha-That’s….”

“Precisely. Gil-kun is still a little child, so there’s no problem. Besides, you will be safe and sound if you sleep within the safety of my embrace. No matter what enemies might appear, I will slain them all.”

“T-That’s…”

The Dark Forest was teeming with dangerous monsters and on top of that, we might get ambushed by assailants sent by Klaus. In a sense, Mer-san had a point, but… 

N-No! I’m already ten years old, you know?! This is not appropriate!

“Muuu… Here!”

“Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-?!”

Seeing me hesitating, Mer-san quickly hugged me and fell onto the ground with me. 

Su-Sure, maybe Mer-san thinks of me as a child, but… Wha-What should I do now…

“There’s no escaping me now. Gil-kun, you will sleep with me, just like this.”

“Auuu…”

I-It was so embarrassing. Not to mention, Mer-san smelled so good. She was so soft and so warm…

No. I can’t. I’m too nervous to sleep. 

“It can’t be helped. Since it seems you can’t sleep, should we talk for a bit?”

“Talk?”

“Yes… Let’s see… Ah.”

Mer-san seemed to be thinking before she suddenly came up with something. 

“Actually, my father took me to a human city when I was little.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yes♪… Though, this was over five hundred years ago. I don’t think that country still exists.”

Wait a minute. If she was a little child over five hundred years ago… Then…

How old is Mer-san now…?

“…Gil-kun? You know that you must never ask a woman’s age, right?”

“Ri-Right”

Mer-san gave me a sharp look as she warned me. I instinctively straightened my back in response. I must never talk about her age. Ever. 

“Good. Anyway, that city was located south of here, along the coast…”

Mer-san told me many stories about her trip to that human city. She talked about how the main street was crowded with people, and how there were many shops lined the sides of the road. There was a beautiful fountain in the center of the city. The water was cold and refreshing. She also mentioned how she got separated from her father and in a fit of panic, she was about to transform into a dragon to search from the sky, but fortunately, her father found her and hurriedly stopped her. 

“Fufu… Father was so surprised back then.”

“Well, of course. Who would’ve thought you’d try to transform into a dragon in a bustling town filled with so many humans… I was worried as well.”

“…Who said you could join in on our conversation?”

“Ugh…”

Based on Mer-san’s story, it seemed Conrad-san was also there too. 

“Conrad-san, what was Mer-san like when she was a child?”

“She was absolutely adorable, cuter than anyone else!”

I asked him a question and Conrad-san eagerly chipped in. 

“However, as you can tell from that story, she was quite the mischievous one… Always running off somewhere, playing pranks and causing trouble for the servants…”

“As for that part, not much has changed. She’s still the same in that regard.”

“-?! Conrad! Elsa!”

Seemingly embarrassed by the nostalgic stories, Mer-san shouted and hurriedly tried to stop Elsa-san and Conrad-san from speaking. But… I noticed how gentle their eyes became when Conrad-san and Elsa-san were talking about Mer-san. 

“Ahaha~ Well, I guess I can see that. Mer-san  can be a bit mischievous sometimes.”

“Even you, Gil-kun!? Geez! Enough!”

Mer-san gently tapped my chest repeatedly. Even though Mer-san looked like a very mature woman, but at times like this, I felt like she wasn’t much different from me. 

“But, I also think this side of Mer-san is very charming and wonderful.”

“H-Huh?! Gi-Gil-kun, what are you talking about!?”

Flustered, Mer-san’s cheeks turned bright red. Seeing her like this, Conrad-san and I laughed, while Elsa-san seemed to be holding back her laughter from the way she was covering her mouth with her hand and turning her face away.

“Ehehe~ I’m so happy. THis is the first time I ever talked with someone like this.”

“Gil-kun…”

“Oh? What’s this? Gilbert-dono, are you not good at talking with people?”

“No, not that… It’s just… Until now, I never had anyone to talk to…”

I kept receiving many fun and happy experiences since I arrived in the Dark Forest. I met Mer-san, the first person to ever acknowledge me and she even told me I wasn’t useless… 

If this is a dream, then please don’t wake me up. Please let me continue dreaming this happy dream forever.

I wished in my heart as I found myself lulled by Mer-san’s comforting warmth and fell into a peaceful sleep.

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