There's No Way the Hot Girls Would Fall for an Ordinary 'Healer NPC' Like Me! ~About How I'm Just Treating the Beat-Up Heroines, But For Some Reason Their Reactions Are Getting Really Weird~ - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: It’s Okay to Run Away Now, Right!

“Leon, it’s getting pretty late, so please use this room.”

A maid showed me the way, and I stepped into one of the guest rooms in the royal palace.

The first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was the bed.

It was huge.

It looked at least twice as big as the one in my room, with crisp white sheets stretched tight across it.

It seemed comfortable to sleep on, but something that wide actually made me feel a little uneasy.

A thick, fluffy carpet covered the floor, so fancy that I hesitated for a second before stepping on it with my shoes still on.

When I walked, my footsteps barely made any sound.

The walls weren’t overly decorated, but there were some gold-trimmed panels and a few landscape paintings I didn’t really understand hanging here and there.

They probably cost a fortune.

Thick curtains hung by the window.

They looked like they could block out every bit of outside light, so the room could stay dark even during the day.

There was also a desk and chair.

Both were solidly built. When I tapped one lightly, it gave a hard, solid thunk.

Definitely not cheap.

…Overall, it was the kind of room that didn’t have anything unnecessary, yet clearly had a lot of money spent on it.

Honestly, it made me feel restless.

My own room back home only had a bed and a shelf, after all.

Even if someone told me to sleep here, I’d probably get so tense that I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep.

For now, I sat down on the edge of the bed.

…It sank under me.

So soft.

Yeah, it felt like sinking into a pair of breasts.

The bed at my house was basically just a board with some cloth thrown over it.

The way my body got wrapped up in all that softness actually made me feel kind of anxious.

“…Is this really something I’m allowed to sleep on?”

It felt more like a room meant only for royalty or something.

What if I accidentally got it dirty?

If they made me pay for damages, I’d have to work my whole life and still wouldn’t be able to cover it.

While thinking stuff like that, I carefully lay down on my back.

…The ceiling was high too.

Way too high.

Well, I guess in a royal palace it’s not really “too high.”

But it still made me feel uneasy.

“…I don’t think I’m gonna be able to sleep.”

I muttered that to myself and closed my eyes.

…

…………

………………

No way.

It was too quiet.

Normally there’d be sounds from outside or noises from the neighbors, but here there was nothing.

That actually made it even more noticeable.

The more I tried to sleep, the more the earlier events kept popping back into my head.

Mireille’s expression… and her last words.

‘…Come to my room again tonight, okay? ♡’

That was the face of someone who was totally ready to go all the way.

It could also mean she wanted to get rid of any outsider who knew the queen had been poisoned.

What the heck am I supposed to do?

Maybe I should just run off to another country right now.

But I’m terrible with directions.

In games I can’t even move around without a minimap.

Besides, at this hour there probably aren’t any carriages running anyway.

…No, it’s impossible.

Running away isn’t even the real issue here.

This is the royal palace.

How many guards do you think are at the gate alone?

Even if I somehow made it outside, what would I do after that?

I’d definitely just get lost somewhere and that would be the end.

Or more importantly…

“…If I run, I’d just look totally suspicious, wouldn’t I?”

In the worst case, I’d get caught.

Actually, I’d probably look suspicious way before that.

I was called here as a healer, and then I sneak out in the middle of the night? No matter how you look at it, that’s bad.

…I’m done for.

There’s a pretty high chance my life ends right here.

At least I hope it’s something painless.

Like a quick snap to the neck.

But I doubt they’d be that merciful—

Knock knock.

“…!?”

A sudden knock on the door.

It’s here.

Way too soon.

I haven’t even mentally prepared yet—no, I’ve never been prepared once in my life!

“Leon, are you there?”

…Huh?

That voice…

“ Alicia…?”

It wasn’t what I was expecting.

And why right at this moment?

“May I come in…?”

“Uh, y-yeah… go ahead.”

As soon as I answered, the door opened slowly.

Standing there was Alicia, who had been teary-eyed just a little while ago.

But now she seemed a bit calmer.

…Or rather, she had the face of someone who’d made up her mind about something.

“Excuse me…”

Alicia stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind her.

Then she looked straight at me.

For some reason, she was standing a little closer than usual.

“Um… is something wrong?”

“…Leon.”

The way she said my name made me straighten up without thinking.

The mood was different from earlier.

Her voice sounded a little more serious.

“Earlier… thank you so much.”

“Oh, no, that was… I just did what any healer would do.”

When I said that, Alicia gave a small shake of her head.

“Even so. I’ll never forget that you saved my mother.”

…Please stop.

When someone thanks me that directly, it just makes me feel embarrassed.

Plus, remembering what happened earlier makes it even more awkward.

“Um… your face is red, you know?”

“Eh?”

I instinctively touched my cheek.

It was hot.

No, this is different.

The room is just warm, that’s all.

Probably.

“…Hehe.”

Alicia let out a soft little laugh.

Her expression was so gentle it was hard to believe she’d been crying not long ago.

…Good.

At least things on this side seem peaceful.

No threat to my life.

Probably.

“So, um…”

Alicia looked away a little, like she was having trouble saying the next part.

What now?

Is there still more?

“I wanted to talk to you a bit… about my mother.”

“…Talk?”

A bad feeling washed over me.

It felt like I’d heard the same line not long ago.

And now it was coming from the daughter.

What is this?

I don’t have any way out.

“Yes. It’s… something only you can help with, Leon…”

“…”

I’m finished.

Completely finished.

My peaceful life ends right here.

“Could you… please listen?”

When she looked at me with those serious eyes, there was no way I could refuse.

“…Yeah.”

I gave up and nodded.

If I can’t run away anyway, it might as well be easier to just accept it from the start.

“My mother has… a chronic condition…”

“…A chronic condition?”

“Yes…”

Alicia let out a slow breath and whispered softly.

“It’s the [Lust Crest]…”