Shigure - Prince of Mei - Main Story

Shigure - Prince of Mei - Main Story

Chapter 1 - Him in the Rain

I could hear the sound of rain hitting the ground in my ears... Enveloped in an ongoing downpour, this kingdom became shrouded by a slightly dark atmosphere. Kingdom of Darkness, Mei... 

When Shigure-san properly invited me, I headed to the castle. 

(The rain is getting stronger.) 

As several raindrops were trinkling down the umbrella, it increased soon after. Feeling uneasy, my walking pace became faster before I knew it. 

(I need to hurry.) 

Just as I was getting close to the path that's near the castle... 

(Is that... Shigure-san?) 

Within the darkness, I saw Shigure-san with a warm air around him. 

(Shigure-san is getting wet.) 

As Shigure-san was without an umbrella, he was crouched down on the side of the road. When I walked up to him, I softly held out my umbrella to him. 

MC: Shigure-san, what's going on? You don't have an umbrella. 

Shigure: Ah... MC... 

When I spoke to him, Shigure-san looked at me with a bit of a troubled smile. In his arms, he was holding a puppy with an injured leg. 

MC: ...A puppy? 

Shigure: Yeah, it looked like he injured his leg from going into a ditch. 

Shigure-san smiled bashfully. 

Shigure: Thank you for the umbrella. You're going to get wet. 

His stiff smile shined underneath the dark sky. The puppy in his arms licked the waterdrops on his cheek. 

Shigure: Haha... That tickles. 

(What a gentle smile.) 

His clothes that have gotten wet were black, but to me, Shigure-san's smile made it look like he was in the sunlight... 

Chapter 2 - Something Important to Him

As the rain continued to gently pour down... 

MC: Shigure-san, you're really wet... Aren't you cold? 

Waterdrops were still dripping down from Shigure-san's hair. 

Shigure: The rain came pouring down as I was in the middle of a walk... I thought about going home until I found him. He was crying so frailly, so I got worried... 

At that moment, the puppy dug his claws into Shigure-san's arm. 

Shigure: Ow...

The scratch on top of Shigure-san's hand became slightly red. 

MC: Shigure-san, are you okay!? 

Shigure: Yeah... This sort of thing is no big deal. 

As Shigure-san softly petted the puppy that was struggling, he looked at it affectionately. 

(Even though it looks like it hurts.) 

Shigure: We need to hurry and give him some treatment... 

He gently stroked the injured puppy's leg. 

When we hurried to the castle... 

MC: There... This'll do.

Puppy: Woof!

After giving the puppy some treatment in Shigure-san's room, he started running around the room energetically. 

MC: Ah. 

The puppy jumped on Shigure-san's bed and messed up the sheets and then, it started chewing on the carpet next. 

Shigure: Hey... Wait... Don't...!

As Shigure-san furrowed his brow troubledly, he chased the puppy that was making a mess to a corner of the room. 

Shigure: Aa~ah... But, it's good that he's feeling better. 

MC: N-Nothing broke, right? 

Shigure: Yeah, it's fine... I guess. 

(He looks more happy than angry somehow.) 

Then, suddenly, we heard the sound of something falling. When we turned towards that sound, the puppy made a dagger that was put on display fall from the desk. 

Shigure: Ah...!

For the first time, Shigure-san made a panicked look. 

Shigure: Don't do that!

The puppy looked interested in the dagger and wouldn't leave it alone... Then, he held it in his mouth and went outside. 

Shigure: Aah... How troubling. 

///Choices///

- Let's go after him (☼)

MC: Let's go after him, Shigure-san!

Shigure: Ah... No, it's fine... 

Shigure-san stared at the door that was wide open.

- What was that? (☽)

MC: What was that? 

Shigure: That was... something important. 

Shigure-san showed a complicated look. 

MC: Then, we need to go after him!

///Choices///

Just as I was about to go after the puppy, he gently grabbed my wrist. 

Shigure: Ah, s-sorry!

When he suddenly lets go of my wrist in a panic, Shigure-san tightly crossed his arms as if he was protecting himself. 

Shigure: ...It's okay. I don't really need it... 

(He doesn't need it?) 

Shigure: That dagger was something my father gave me. I'm always scared, so... He wanted me to become more manly. 

MC: If it was a gift from your father, then we need to get it back. 

Shigure: It's okay, I'm fine...

Shigure-san interrupted me by declaring that. 

MC: Shigure-san... 

Shigure: I'm weak... So, it's impossible for me to be manly. 

When Shigure-san murmured those few words as he smiled softly, he looked somewhat sad. 

The sound of the ongoing rain made my heart noisy... 

Chapter 3 - Even If You're Not Brave

From the window, the bright sparkling sunlight was shining into the room... 

(Did the rain stop?)

When I opened the window and looked up at the sky, the soft sunlight was shining through the gaps of the clouds. 

MC: It cleared up. 

Shigure-san narrowed his eyes as he looked at the clear sky. 

Shigure: How pretty... I like it when the sky is clear. 

Shigure-san affectionately looked at the light that was coming in from the gaps of the clouds. 

Shigure: It's always raining in this kingdom, so there are clouds... Which makes it dark. Clear days brightens up this kingdom... That's why I like them. 

Shigure-san, who doesn't say much, was being a bit more talkative. 

(Shigure-san looks happy. That's good.) 

-Flashback-

Shigure: I'm weak... So, it's impossible for me to be manly.

-Flashback-

As Shigure-san was talking so cheerfully, he didn't sound sad like before anymore. With him being like that, I... 

///Choices///

- Let's go look for the puppy (☽)

MC: Shigure-san, shall we go look for the puppy? 

Shigure: Eh...

MC: He went off with the dagger, so isn't it important? We need to go look for it. It's clear outside too. 

When I responded with a smile, Shigure-san made a troubled look. 

- Shall we go outside? (☼)

MC: Shall we go outside? 

Shigure: Eh...

MC: The rain has lifted, so I'm sure that it'll feel nice. We might find the puppy too. 

When I said that with a smile, Shigure-san looked down. 

///Choices///

Shigure: Yeah... I guess. 

Shigure-san looked at me shyly. 

Shigure: ...Let's try going outside. 

(That's good...) 

We left the castle and went outside... 

......

In the flower field after the rain, waterdrops were sparkling brightly on the flower petals. 

(Pretty. I'm glad that we went outside.) 

Shigure-san was feeling the same way and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the view. 

MC: I love it when the rain gets lifted. 

When I murmured that, Shigure-san looked at me with a surprised expression. 

(Did I say something strange?) 

MC: Uh... If it weren't for the raindrops, they wouldn't be sparkling so brightly like this. Also, the cool air feels really nice. 

Shigure: It's beautiful because the rain has lifted... The rain... I never thought about it like that. 

MC: Shigure-san? 

Shigure: Rain can show the world's beauty... Thinking that way can make rain a good thing. 

As Shigure-san looked like a boy that has discovered something new, he turned towards me with a bright smile. At that moment... 

Shigure: Byaaah!!!

Along with Shigure-san screaming, he fell forward. What I saw was... 

Puppy: Woof!

The puppy from before was hiding in the flower field and jumped towards Shigure-san's feet. 

MC: It's the puppy from before!

The puppy no longer had the dagger in his mouth. 

MC: There, there. That's a good boy, do you think that you can take us to where the dagger is? 

As I gently petted the puppy's head, I said that softly... 

Puppy: Woof!

He energetically barked and went off somewhere. 

MC: Ah! Wait! Shigure-san, let's follow him! Shigure-san...?

Shigure-san was still crouched down as he was out of breath with a pale face. 

MC: Ah...

Then, the puppy went into the forest. 

MC: ...There he goes. Shigure-san, are you okay? 

I held out my hand, but he only hung his head down. 

MC: Shigure-san? Are you really o-

Shigure: I'm useless... 

MC: Eh? 

Shigure-san murmured that as his voice was slightly trembling. 

Shigure: I'm so pathetic. Even though I'm a man. I'm not brave like the princes from other kingdoms. Since I'm a crybaby... My father got fed up with me. 

When Shigure-san lightly sighed, his shoulders dropped as he looked down. 

(Shigure-san...) 

///Choices///

- That's okay (☼)

MC: Even so, isn't that okay? 

Shigure: MC...? 

- That's not true (☽)

MC: I don't think that's true.

Shigure: ...MC.

///Choices///

 I remembered when Shigure-san saved the puppy as he was being hit by the rain. 

-Flashback-

Shigure: Yeah, it looked like he injured his leg from going into a ditch. 

---

Shigure: He was crying so frailly, so I got worried... 

-Flashback-

MC: You don't need to be brave... You're a wonderful person, Shigure-san. 

Shigure: MC... That's the first time I've been told that. 

When Shigure-san looked at my face, he happily smiled. 

Shigure: That fella, it looks like his leg is okay now. That's good. 

(See... Like this, Shigure-san is a kind person.) 

His smile shined brightly underneath the sun. It made me think that the world was beautiful after the rain wholeheartedly... 

Chapter 4 - Bringing Out Courage

After that... While following the puppy with Shigure-san, we went into the forest. 

MC: Where could he have gone to? 

I looked around the area... 

Puppy: Woof!

From within the forest, the puppy ran towards me and Shigure-san as he wagged his tail. 

MC: Good, we found you. Hey, where's Shigure-san's dagger? It's important. 

Shigure: ... 

When the puppy barked, he glanced towards us and went off somewhere. 

MC: Where are you going? 

Puppy: Woof!

The puppy turned towards us once more with a persistent look... Then, we went inside the forest. 

MC: Somehow, it feels like he's telling us to go with him. 

Shigure: I guess so... 

MC: Let's go!

Just as we were about to follow the puppy... 

Shigure: H-Hey. Why do you care about the dagger so much? 

Why, he says... 

///Choices///

- Because it's important to Shigure-san (☽)

MC: Because it's important to you, Shigure-san. 

Shigure: ...Even though I told you not to worry about it. 

MC: You shouldn't give up. 

I smiled as I said that. 

Shigure: ...I guess so. 

Even Shigure-san smiled softly. 

- Because you were troubled about it (☼)

MC: Because you seemed troubled about it, Shigure-san. 

Shigure-san widened his eyes, but... 

Shigure: ...I see, thank you. Sorry. 

He looked at me and smiled softly. 

MC: P-Please don't apologize. 

Shigure: ...S-Sorry. 

MC: There, you did it again. 

We smiled at each other. 

///Choices///

Then, we went along with the puppy and headed into the forest. 

......

When we went into the forest, there was a small hole that the puppy dug up. 

(There are flowers, some fruit and broken toys too...) 

It seemed to be a spot where the puppy hides his treasures. The puppy hopped around us proudly. 

(I wonder if he's trying to make us proud... Hm...?) 

MC: Ah...!

In the hole, I found Shigure-san's dagger. 

Shigure: So, it was hidden in here... 

MC: It's good that we found it!

Shigure: Yeah. It's thanks to you, MC. 

When Shigure-san said that and was about to pick up the dagger... The puppy growled. 

Shigure: ...

Shigure-san trembled and backed away from the puppy. 

MC: Shigure-san, you can do it!

Shigure: O-Okay. 

Shigure-san strongly nodded with determination. 

Shigure: Won't you... give it back? 

Shigure-san looked at the puppy gently. 

Puppy: ...

Then, the puppy slightly sat down. 

Shigure: May I...? 

As a response, the puppy licked his hand. 

Shigure: ...T-Thank you!

Shigure-san's cheeks turned red as he looked at me happily. 

MC: That's good. 

Shigure: Yeah. 

Once the dagger was returned to Shigure-san, I sighed in relief and... 

Shigure: ...!?

Shigure-san started looking around. 

(Is something wrong?) 

Suddenly, Shigure-san pulled my shoulder. 

MC: ...!

Just as my heartbeat became fast, I felt my cheeks becoming hot. 

(Shigure-san...?) 

There was a panicked look in Shigure-san's eyes. When I followed his gaze... 

MC: ...!

From the shadow of a thriving tree, we heard a beastlike sound. 

Shigure: It's a wolf...!

MC: A wolf!? 

The growl became louder. 

(Is it coming here? I'm scared...) 

Without thinking, I tightly gripped Shigure-san's sleeve... 

Shigure: ...

He was shaking more than me. 

Shigure: S-Stay close to me.

Even so, Shigure-san held my shoulder and wouldn't let go... 

Sun End

Moon End