The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 73: In that moment, Hisui’s presence was tinged with a sorrowful indigo hue.

In that moment, Hisui’s presence was tinged with a sorrowful indigo hue.

By the time he realized it, morning had already come.

It had been a time of bliss.

It had also been a time of torture.

Sleeping while holding such a beautiful woman in his arms.

For Cross, there was no doubt it was a special time.

As a man, it was a moment to feel proud.

He felt refreshed and clear-headed.

At the same time, it was also a humiliating time as a man.

Being unable to reach out to the feast right before his eyes filled him with frustration and a deep sense of inadequacy.

Even so, well, it wasn’t all that bad.

The first thing he saw upon waking was Hisui’s face.

She wore a gentle, genuine smile, waiting for him to open his eyes. Seeing that expression, Cross let out a wry laugh at how shallow he was to think, Well… I suppose it was worth the restraint.

“Good morning, Hisui. Did you sleep well?”

Upon hearing those words, Hisui pressed her finger lightly against her cheek.

“You know, I’ve taken off all my makeup right now. Hehe… if I look weird, please forgive me, okay?”

“No way. You’re even more beautiful than you were yesterday. Honestly, I don’t think you need makeup at all.”

“My… you really are good with words, aren’t you?”

“I’m only saying what I truly feel. Now then… since it’s morning, will you tell me about your situation?”

With that, Cross sat up.

Up until yesterday, it had been a time of mere hospitality.

But from now on—though he felt sorry for the so-called village head—this time was for this girl, purely out of meddling.

Cross had no intention of spending it on anything else.

“Yeah… that’s fine. Honestly, it’s not something you can fix, but… I know that entrusting it to you is probably the best choice.”

Hisui smiled serenely as she spoke.

But that face didn’t look like one filled with hope for salvation. It was the face of someone who had already given up.

“…Is it really that serious? I may not look it, but I’ve got quite a few connections, and I think I can handle most things…”

“It’s those connections that are the problem, actually. Well, the details… let’s talk about them after breakfast, okay? I can’t make it as luxurious as last night, but breakfast has its own charm too, so look forward—”

“No, last night was more than enough. Besides, I want to know more about what you usually eat. For breakfast, I’d like to try what you normally have.”

“That’s fine, but… it really isn’t anything fancy, you know?”

“That’s exactly what I want. Think of it as me learning about your everyday life… it’s part of the job.”

“…You just want to eat something different, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Seeing Cross nod so honestly, Hisui let out a small, amused laugh.

“All right, all right. You really are a troublesome man. Well then, let’s start by putting away the bedding. Could you move aside for me?”

“Ah, yeah…”

Conflicting feelings stirred within Cross: relief that he didn’t have to keep holding back anymore, regret that he was losing his chance, and a desire to stay close to her just a little longer.

Seeing this mixed expression, Hisui looked up at him and whispered softly.

“…I don’t mind… even now, you know?”

Her cheeks flushed, her eyes glistening with tears.

An expression that would make anyone want to reach out.

The ideal image of a woman every man dreams of.

But it was a crafted expression, made to please men.

That was exactly why Cross pulled away from the bedding.

“I’ve decided to hold back! More importantly, your problem comes first!”

He shouted out, persuading no one but himself.

Seeing him stubbornly cling to his resolve like a pouting child, Hisui smiled warmly.

“…Really, I’m sorry.”

Seeing her smiling so kindly, Cross couldn’t say anything more.

“Well then, I’ll go prepare our breakfast. Please wait here for a bit.”

After putting away the bedding and setting down a small table, Hisui spoke softly.

Cross nodded.

“Ah, um—”

“It’s okay. I’ll make sure to bring her along.”

Understanding what he was about to say, Hisui replied before he could finish, and Cross simply smiled and nodded in return.

With that, Hisui left the room.

***

Lightly fixing her appearance, Hisui went to call Ellie.

At just the right time, Ellie stepped out of her room, dressed neatly.

Unlike yesterday’s luxurious kimono, she wore a simpler but well-made one.

Seeing Hisui, Ellie bowed her head politely.

“Good morning.”

“Morning. You’re up early and dressed already. Something the matter?”

“No, I was just about to ask about breakfast.”

“Well, perfect timing. Right now, my guest is waiting in my room, so I was going to invite you to eat with us.”

“I see… Hmm, so did my prediction turn out to be wrong?”

Hearing Ellie’s question, Hisui smiled and shook her head.

“Nope. Unfortunately for me, your prediction was spot on.”

“That’s good… or perhaps not so good.”

“Who knows… Whether it’s good or bad, I honestly can’t tell. But well… I feel like today’s meal will taste better than usual.”

“That’s all that matters.”

“By the way, he requested to have what I usually eat for breakfast. Is that okay with you?”

“That’s fine with me.”

“In that case…”

As they chatted, Hisui and Ellie walked down the corridor together at a relaxed pace.

It felt much easier to talk today than it had yesterday, and Ellie was sure that feeling wasn’t just in her imagination.

“And… what’s this?”

Cross asked as he poked at a hard, crescent-shaped item with his fork.

“Takuwan. Pickled radish… um… pickles, basically.”

“I see…”

As he popped it into his mouth, his eyes widened.

Salty, sour…

His face twisted in agony as he quickly washed it down with hot tea, forcing himself to swallow it.

It was clearly not to his taste.

“Aah… Cross-san, you really have a child’s palate, don’t you?”

Ellie munched on the same pickles, speaking casually.

“How about this one?”

Hisui pointed to another white, crescent-shaped item.

Cross shook his head fearfully.

“It’s okay. That’s fish paste.”

Hearing that, Cross cautiously bit into the kamaboko.

“…Oh, this is good.”

“Right? Even scraps taste great when we use good ingredients.”

“Yeah. This I could eat all day.”

“Fufu… eat as much as you like.”

Smiling brightly, Hisui gently moved a piece of tamagoyaki towards him.

Ellie continued her meal silently, practicing her chopstick skills, unfazed by Hisui’s kindness towards Cross.

Onigiri, pickles, leftover pieces of tamagoyaki, and plain miso soup.

Leftovers from the dishes prepared for the guests.

That was Hisui’s usual breakfast.

“…Pretty meager compared to what I imagined.”

Hisui laughed cheerfully at Cross’s words.

“That’s how it is, right? I mean, not everyone here is treated like royalty.”

“No, no. We’re the women who carry the burden of this paradise. Paradise wouldn’t neglect its own guardians. Most girls get much better food.”

“Then this meal is…?”

“My share. Not that anyone’s treating me badly. It’s just… leaving leftovers feels wasteful, right?”

She smiled like a mischievous child.

“I see. So I’ve been recruited to help clean up the leftovers?”

“Don’t be mad~”

With a playful smile, she raised her hands above her head in mock surrender.

“I’m not mad. It just makes me think… you’re really a good person, Hisui.”

“Flatter me all you want, it won’t get you anything.”

“That’s a shame.”

Spreading his arms wide in a joking gesture, Cross then shifted his expression to something serious, staring at Hisui intently.

“Now… will you finally tell me?”

“…Fine. It seems you really won’t back down.”

She let out a lonely, resigned laugh.

After a brief pause, Hisui glanced at Ellie.

“And you, Ellie. You don’t know anything about this, right? Are you following along?”

“I’m just guessing… but I assume Hisui-san has some kind of trouble, and Cross-san, wanting to look cool, said he’d help. Now she’s about to tell us what that trouble is… is that right?”

“…How do you know everything from start to finish?”

“Well… it’s Cross-san we’re talking about.”

Ellie smiled sweetly.

“I’m lucky to have a servant who understands me so well.”

“If you think so, could you treat me a bit more like an actual servant? Well… that wouldn’t be like you, though.”

“I’m trying.”

Ellie simply sighed at his reply, though her expression was gentle, not at all displeased.

“Aww, how cute… Well then, shall I begin?”

With a slightly sulky expression, Hisui stood up.

“There’s a place where I can talk. Follow me quietly, will you?”

Cross and Ellie both nodded.

***

Led by Hisui, they walked through the lavish halls, gazing at her back as they followed.

Everyone they passed was a beautiful woman.

Some had horns, some had wings, some had a single eye, some had multiple arms, some had different skin colors.

Yet all of them bowed with the same warm smile.

Cross and Ellie bowed back as they slowly made their way forward, until Hisui finally stopped in front of a door.

Unlike the sliding doors of the other rooms, this one was hinged, with a golden doorknob, like those found in demon lords’ castles or human royal chambers.

Without knocking, Hisui stepped inside.

She put on a coat hanging by the door, concealing her kimono beneath a dignified uniform resembling military attire, and took a seat at the personal table within.

“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Gyokuran, the head of this village known as Hourai. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The woman who had called herself Hisui no longer spoke with the same regional affectations. Her words were clear, dignified, accompanied by a refined business smile.

“…Eh… eeh…”

For once, Cross was left speechless, and Ellie’s face stiffened in shock.

“So… even someone as troublesome as me… can you still help me?”

She asked with a sly smile, eyes flickering between wanting to push him away and wanting to cling to him.

But for Cross, there was only one possible answer.

“Of course. If it’s to make a beautiful woman smile, I’ll go to any lengths. …Though, being the village head, huh… looks like it’ll be Ellie who’s more useful here.”

Cross knew nothing of politics.

He was perceptive of people’s feelings, good with children, and skilled with his hands.

But he was uneducated, foolish, lustful, and completely ignorant when it came to governance.

“Yes. I’ll do what I can to support my master where his reach falls short.”

“That’s how it is. So, Hisui… no, Gyokuran. What do you need from me? What will make you smile?”

Hearing those words, Gyokuran’s expression softened into one that was both overjoyed and on the verge of tears.