When the Villain Joined the Knights to Avoid Doom Flags, but Somehow the Heroines Started Approaching Him - Chapter 44: After the Battle

Chapter 44: After the Battle

Well, it’s not like this wasn’t expected. Pain is pain, no matter how much you try to act tough.

As Yulis watched Haku collapse to the ground, completely spent, he also let himself drop and lay flat on the ground.

(Ah… this hurts so bad…)

It wasn’t that he didn’t feel pain.

Haku’s magic was like a mirror—everything you did came back to you.

Even though he had defeated Haku, the pain from every blow still lingered.

Yulis could endure it, but now that he didn’t need to hold back anymore, tears welled up in his eyes.

(Why did I go all out in an event that wasn’t even part of the script? Didn’t I leave the academy to avoid stuff like this?)

Was this another consequence of all the heroines who should’ve been attending the academy instead gathering here?

As he gazed at the beautiful moonlit sky, tears still in his eyes, Yulis quietly lamented his situation.

(And seriously… what’s going to happen to all the academy events from here on?)

Haku wasn’t part of the original scenario, so his absence likely didn’t matter.

But what about those twin girls who had the role of mid-bosses?

Yulis had already explained their magic to Iris and Celia beforehand.

He wasn’t sure how things had played out, but considering the twins’ abilities and the strength of Iris and Celia, it was hard to imagine them losing.

By now, they had probably won their fight.

If that was the case, the characters meant to push the protagonist’s growth were now gone.

What would happen to the scenario that was supposed to unfold? What would become of the protagonist and their journey?

(…Oh well. Those types can just sweat, cry, and fall in love as they create a new story for themselves. I’m not interested in that kind of thing anyway.)

After all, Yulis had joined the knights specifically to avoid being dragged into the protagonist’s events.

Whatever happened to them didn’t matter to him as long as it didn’t affect his own safety.

As long as Luna kept him informed about their situation, he could avoid getting involved in the future.

With that decided, Yulis continued to gaze at the night sky, tears of pain still welling in his eyes—

“Um… Sir Yulis?”

Suddenly, someone peeked into his line of sight.

Fia’s overly elegant face came into view, her expression full of concern.

“Are… are you alright?”

“…I think it would look cooler if I just said ‘I’m fine.’”

“Starting with a preface like that defeats the purpose of sounding cool, though.”

And she was absolutely right.

“I’m fine, but what about Lieselotte? She looked pretty out of it when she went down.”

“Lady Lieselotte is unconscious right now. I managed to apply some light healing magic as first aid, so her life isn’t in any immediate danger.”

“…I see.”

Lieselotte was safe.

There was no sign of further attackers coming their way.

If Iris and the others had defeated the twins, then this escort event was, for now, successfully resolved.

Relief washed over Yulis’s chest. His body still hurt, though.

But—

“I’m so sorry.”

Fia gently reached out and wiped the tears welling up in the corners of Yulis’s eyes.

“It’s because of me that you got hurt this badly…”

While Yulis wasn’t gravely injured, his clothes and skin were in tatters, with blood seeping through in places.

On top of that, considering the feedback from Haku’s magic, his body had likely sustained internal injuries from his heavy-handed fighting style.

Fia must have sensed all this pain. Her overly elegant face showed clear guilt, her emotions written plainly across her features.

So—

“It’s my job as your escort, after all.”

Yulis sat up slowly and reached out to place a hand on Fia’s head.

“That’s our job. The value of life isn’t equal. Yours is higher, and as long as you’re alive, no one can complain. So, there’s no need for you to feel guilty.”

That’s the essence of being an escort.

Even if it means getting hurt, the priority is to protect the one you’re tasked with defending. If necessary, you put your own life on the line.

There’s no reason to apologize for that.

From the moment she was born a princess, Fia’s life held more value than anyone else’s in the kingdom.

“I… I see… You’re right.”

As Yulis gently patted her head, Fia seemed to accept his words, trying to convince herself.

Yet, her expression still showed traces of doubt, a lingering sense of unease.

Yulis, noticing this, looked slightly troubled as he observed her face.

How could he make this girl in front of him smile?

The thought crossed his mind naturally, almost instinctively.

After pondering for a moment, Yulis hesitated but eventually spoke.

“Ah… but, well… there’s another reason too, you know.”

“Huh…?”

“I mean, if a girl’s in danger, isn’t it natural for a guy to want to clench his fists and step in?”

Fia blinked in surprise at his words.

And then—

“That’s why, back then, I made you a promise—that I’d help you so you could keep smiling.”

Thump.

Suddenly, and unmistakably, Fia’s heart skipped a beat.

“If a grand, overly formal reason doesn’t sit well with you, then would you accept it as just the pride of a simple guy like me?”

“…”

“I’m not really used to saying stuff like this, so I don’t even know if I’m saying it right…”

Aware of how awkward and embarrassing his words sounded, Yulis scratched his cheek lightly, his expression a bit flustered.

Seeing him like this, for some reason—or no, she already knew the reason.

The reason she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

(…He’s)

He’s changed.

He wasn’t the same as the person she had briefly met at those parties long ago.

More than that, he felt different from anyone else.

Unlike the men who approached her because of her status as a princess or her appearance, Yulis wasn’t like that.

Even though he seemed to want to keep his distance, there was a kindness in him that he couldn’t completely hide.

(And he directed that kindness toward someone like me, who he barely even knows.)

—Who else would go so far as to clench their fists and fight just for her sake?

Not for duty or obligation, but purely for Fia as a person.

Maybe, somewhere in this world, someone else like that might exist.

But right now, standing before her, was Yulis Blanche.

(Ah… it’s no use. I’ve already…)

She realized it now.

The true nature of this pounding in her chest.

The image of him in her feverish gaze, his kindness and his actions—they gave her no other explanation.

“Oh, but wait! If possible, I’d really appreciate it if this debt of gratitude could be repaid by transferring me somewhere far away—”

“Sir Yulis.”

Just as Yulis was about to finish his sentence, Fia’s voice interrupted him.

Puzzled by her sudden words, Yulis barely had time to process what was happening before Fia’s hand slowly reached toward his face.

“From this moment on… could you keep what happens a secret from everyone?”

“Mmff!?”

Before he could respond, Fia’s elegant face leaned in close—and a soft, warm sensation brushed against his lips.

“H-Hey!?”

In a reflex, Yulis pulled back, quickly putting some distance between them.

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand what had just happened—on the contrary, he understood all too well.

And that made it even harder for him to process.

The fact that this had been done to him by such a stunning girl made his mind spiral into chaos.

But meanwhile, the person responsible—Fia—calmly pulled her hand away from Yulis’s face.

“Thank you, Sir Yulis.”

With eyes shimmering with warmth and cheeks flushed red, she spoke firmly to him:

“I… have fallen for you, Sir Yulis.”

In that moment, the expression she wore—the radiant, captivating smile—was exactly the one Yulis had secretly hoped to see.