The Female Hero Party That Exiled Me, All of Them Are Mentally Broken - Chapter 6

Night fell over the frontier town of Dead End.

I went back to my room at the inn and sat down on the soft bed, letting out a deep sigh. After all the chaos at the guild, I was finally alone. That helped me calm down a little.

In the quiet room, I slowly sorted through everything that had happened today. Their tears came back to my mind, and that desperate confession.

“I see. They acted like villains on purpose, so I wouldn’t die on the battlefield.”

It was a clumsy way to protect me. But deep down, they were still kind.

I didn’t hate them at all. Not even a little. Instead, I felt something warm in my chest like sunlight. They had tried to protect me with their lives. That kindness meant more than anything.

I was just truly happy that we were able to meet again like this.

Then.

Knock, knock.

A soft sound echoed through the quiet room.

I opened the wooden door. Yuria stood there, fresh out of the bath. She wore only a loose and simple outfit. A sweet soap scent and gentle warmth drifted toward me.

“Al.”

As soon as she stepped inside, Yuria collapsed at my feet. Her shining golden hair fell around her face as she covered it with both hands and began to cry.

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, Al. I said such horrible things. I hurt you so badly. I’m the worst. Please, just hit me as hard as you can.”

I truly didn’t mind what she had said. But she looked like she had fallen into deep darkness. She kept apologizing, her shoulders shaking as if she was scared of everything.

It hurt to see her like that.

“It’s okay, Yuria. Please look at me.”

Feeling unsure what to do, I gently reached out and placed my hand on her head. Her hair was still a little damp. I slowly and softly stroked it.

“I know you did it because you cared about me.”

“Al…”

“I’m not upset at all. And I’m really happy that we can be friends again.”

As if washing away all the harsh words from the past, I forgave her with all the warmth in my heart.

◇

The moment she heard his gentle voice, Yuria’s shaking stopped completely.

(I hurt him so badly.)

She had called him useless, pushed him away, and left sharp wounds that should have completely broken his heart.

(And yet… he isn’t angry at me. He’s hiding his pain and being so kind, so… so gentle. Al is such a kind and sad person…)

Even though his heart must be screaming, he’s pretending everything’s fine, just to comfort her.

(If I stay by his side, I have to protect him forever…)

Inside Yuria’s mind, her enormous guilt melted into an intense love. The little bit of reason she had left completely snapped.

(I like him. Like, like, like, like, like, like.)

When Yuria looked up, the despair that had filled her eyes was gone. In its place was a heavy love burning in her gaze, a pure and all-consuming love.

(Al really is my destiny. He’s my one and only prince who came for me…)

“Really? You forgive me? Aaah, Al, you’re so kind. I like you, like, like, like, like, like.”

Like she had been launched by a spring, Yuria jumped up and pushed Alphonse onto the bed. The old springs creaked under the sudden weight.

The heavy guilt that had been holding her back was gone. Her love had no brakes left.

“Since we’ve made up, I can do anything, right? I’ve been holding back, your smell and your warmth, I want it all.”

Yuria leaned over and buried her face in the crook of Alphonse’s neck. She breathed in deeply and crazily while smelling him through the shirt. Her chest pressed against him, their skin warming as they touched on the small bed.

“W-wait, Yuria. This is way too close.”

Alphonse twisted and grabbed the sheets in a panic.

But his childhood friend’s reckless love had already gone too far to be stopped by anything so small.