Chapter 22
“It’s only been a few days. Hardly a ‘long time.’”
“It has been a week and three days! How could you…!”
“Was it? Sorry. I’ve been busy. Haven’t had time to think about other people’s lives.”
“…‘Other people’? Did you just call me ‘other people’?!”
Of course you’re “other” people.
She bit back the words dancing on her tongue and gave a bland smile.
It meant, take the hint and leave already, but Menelaon, as usual, was oblivious.
“Did you prepare this tea for me? Hah, how thoughtful. I shall personally—”
“No! That’s for Lady Nerva!”
“…Ha.”
“If you’re that desperate, eat this broken one.”
“……”
For a few days, it had been a relief not to see him. But just when she’d think he’d finally forgotten about her, he would pop up out of nowhere and start bothering her again.
It had gotten to the point where she was tired of seeing Menelaon’s shadow.
* * *
“—You’re taking quite a while.”
“Kyaa!!”
A quiet evening.
She had just stepped out of the shower when someone was sitting squarely on her bed.
“You, you…”
She barely stopped herself from screaming again, stammering in shock.
“How did you even get in here?!”
The intruder was Menelaon.
Unlike that day when he wore his gleaming golden light armor [1], today he was in casual clothes, his front half-unbuttoned all the way to his navel.
“There’s no place in Metis I can’t enter… Except, perhaps, your mind. But…”
Trailing off, Menelaon gave a slow grin.
She hadn’t thought that ridiculously handsome face was even capable of such a lecherous smile.
“Tonight, I suppose I can enter your body. Huhu, come here, Linne.”
“Ack!! Get out! Get out right now, you pervert!!”
She hurled a pillow at him and shrieked like a fire alarm.
But thanks to the palace’s thorough soundproofing so good they could train with catapults indoors, not a soul heard her.
“Don’t make a fuss. We’ve spent the night together before, haven’t we?”
He rose from the bed and strode toward her.
“Come now. As your fiancé, I command you. Come into my arms and embrace me.”
“Who the hell says I’m your fiancée?!”
“You’re being unusually difficult tonight. Then I shall just—oof!”
As Menelaon reached to pull off the towel wrapped around her, Elinne panicked and kicked him in the g***n.
They say even a mouse will bite when cornered.
Her kick was so fierce that his body, easily a head taller than hers, collapsed to the floor with a thud.
Normally she’d be wiped out just from morning strolls with Paris, so where that sudden strength came from, she had no idea.
“Guh… ugh… Elinne, how dare you…”
As Menelaon writhed on the floor clutching his g***n, she took the chance to hastily form a makeshift outfit using Arachne’s power, then bolted from the room.
The more she thought about it, the more stunned she was.
That palace wing was built exclusively for female heroes!
No wonder the suitors had never gotten further than shouting through the window.
But how the hell did he get in?! He’s even more insane than I thought!
This was beyond tolerable.
“Lady Nerva!!”
* * *
It was the next day again.
According to the news, Menelaon had returned to his homeland.
Metis, being a land that thrived on the power of war and wisdom, constantly sought new talent.
Nerva recruited mercenaries with promises of wealth and glory.
So long as one was capable, race and origin didn’t matter.
As a result, many of Metis’s heroes hailed from elsewhere, most having converted allegiance.
But the benevolent Nerva occasionally allowed soldiers to visit their homelands, under the guise of reward leave, of course.
It seemed Menelaon had been granted one too.
“Menelaon earned great merit in the last battle. He’s been given a reward leave and has returned to his country for a time.”
Reward leave, my a*s. That was exile.
Knowing the real story, she could only gape in disbelief.
“This is from Menelaon. He asked me to give it to you.”
Helmen, looking suspiciously amused, handed her a letter.
To my dearest Elinne,
My Linne. I write to you, fearing your lovely face might be ruined from weeping through sleepless nights, worrying for me.
Though your outrageous actions startled and alarmed me, I am unharmed.
Had it been anyone else, I’d have struck down divine judgment. But my love for you is greater, so I forgive you generously.
We shall meet again soon. When we do, I’ll treat you more gently.
—Your fiancé, Menelaon.
…Would be nice if he just stayed gone forever.
Staring at the nauseatingly flowery handwriting, Elinne could only grimace.
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