Notes:
() - Heroine's thoughts, Blue Text - Flashbacks
Zant - Prince of Secundati - Main Story
Chapter 1 - Hidden Face
Kingdom of Spirits, Secundati, Terramater, April...
In the town that I was visiting for the first time, I looked around the area.
(This is the land of the Terramater household that holds the divine protection of the earth spirits. The place where Zant-san is...)
A few days ago, I awakened Zant-san with my ring power. When I got an invitation from Zant-san's older brother, the governing king of Terramater, I paid a visit to the kingdom.
Just as I took a step into the castle, the king showed me in. Although, Zant-san wasn't there. Then, after a while...
Zant: Brother told me that you've arrived.
With his mouth hidden, Zant-san appeared as his refined scarf fluttered.
MC: Zant-san. It's been a while.
I quickly bowed, but just as Zant-san saw me for a moment, he turned his gaze away soon after.
Zant: ...What did you come here for? I already thanked you when you woke me up. Or maybe, are you asking for some kind of reward?
MC: No...
As I was being pierced by his sharp cold gaze, my voice got stuck in my throat.
King: You, this is the princess that saved you! You should at least take your duties as a rule of the household a bit-
Zant: It doesn't matter... This kingdom has you. I'm not really needed.
MC: Ah...
Before I could call out to stop him, he turned his back on me and left the hall.
(I wonder why he has such an impolite attitude. Or what if... There's some kind of reason.)
Feeling worried, I watched him from behind as he disappeared...
......
After that... When the king called over a maid, she gave me a tour inside the castle.
MC: There are so many pretty flowers.
In the place that I was led to inside the castle, there were potted plants that had beautiful flowers in bloom in them. The lightly sweet scent aroused my nose.
MC: Does everyone in Terramater like flowers?
Maid: Yes. It's thanks to Zant-sama for making the ground abundant with his earth powers. Not just flowers, but for crops that are grown to be harvested too.
MC: Zant-san did...?
Maid: Yes, Zant-sama is really kind. Although, he seems a little too kind to me.
(...Is that so?)
I concealed my surprise from the talk about Zant-san that differs the impression that I had of him earlier.
(Zant-san... Just what kind of person is he?)
The bright sunlight was calmly shining over the flowers in the courtyard. When I looked at the flowers that were basking in the sunlight, I began to become curious about Zant-san's true face...
Chapter 2 - A Glimpse of an Expression
After that, when I was taken to the guest room to rest, I opened a window. The warm breeze touched my cheek.
MC: ...The wind feels nice.
When I looked down at the courtyard outside the window...
(Huh? Over there is...)
At the flower bed, Zant-san seems to be talking to the gardener that was wearing a hat.
Zant: ...
I was unable to see his mouth as usual, but there was a peaceful air around him.
(He's completely different from when he was looking at me...)
At that moment...
Zant: !
Zant-san noticed my gaze and looked over here.
MC: Ah...
His expression turned stern soon after.
(I knew it, it seems like he doesn't think too highly of me...)
Feeling sad, my shoulders dropped and...
Zant: ...What?
MC: ...!
When he suddenly spoke to my, my heart jumped.
MC: Ah... Um, can I come over there too?
Unsure on what to say, I said that without thinking. I expected him to refuse, but...
Zant: ...I don't mind.
Zant-san responded bluntly.
I immediately got down and headed to the courtyard.
When I arrived at the courtyard, I heard voices from within it.
Zant: ...In that case, how about you lower the acidity in the ground a little?
Gardener: Let's see, I think we can do that much for now.
Zant-san and the gardener continued their conversation about tinkering with the soil of the flower beds.
(Should I call out to him?)
While watching those two, I...
///Choices///
- Wait until they're done talking (☼)
(I should wait until they're done talking.)
......After a while, Zant-san turned towards me.
- Timidly call out to him (☽)
MC: ...Zant-san.
When I timidly called out to him...
Zant: ...!
Zant-san became a little surprised and turned towards me.
///Choices///
Zant: ...
He gave me a cold look...
Zant: Do you need something?
(I probably shouldn't have come here...)
I was starting to feel regretful, but I pulled myself together and smiled at him.
MC: The courtyard here and the potted plants in the castle too... The flowers are really pretty. The maid told me that it was thanks to you.
Then...
Zant: ...Thank you...
MC: ...
(Just now for a moment, he smiled...)
Just as I was looking at his face, the gardener gently smiled.
Gardener: The earth power that Zant-sama uses is amazing. That's because out of all the successors among the household-
Zant: Don't say such pointless stuff, I just have some knowledge that's related to the earth.
When Zant-san said that softly, he turned towards me.
Zant: ...Sorry about what happened in the hall.
While brushing away some dirt off his hands, Zant-san muttered that.
Zant: ...
His clear blue eyes moved as he took a few glances at me.
(Zant-san...?)
Although, at that moment, Zant-san left the courtyard.
Gardener: Oh.
As Zant-san was acting like that, the gardener looked at him softly...
Chapter 3 - Zant's Past
-Flashback-
Zant: ...Sorry about what happened in the hall.
-Flashback-
After Zant-san left the courtyard...
MC: Um... Did I hurt his feelings somehow?
When I nervously asked the gardener that...
Gardener: Hoho. Not at all. You made Zant-sama happy.
(Happy...?)
When I thought back to Zant-san's expression, I saw that he had already disappeared at that moment and the gardener sighed.
Gardener: ...He has such a sad past. Ever since that incident...
MC: Incident...? Did something happen to him?
Gardener: ...
The gardener took off his hat and placed it on his chest as he looked down.
Gardener: Back then when Zant-sama was still young... In a vast area behind the castle, where a small shrine resides, the ground there became soft... When Zant-sama's parents went to go preserve it... They lost their lives.
MC: ...!
Gardener: Ever since then, Zant-sama has been in low spirits...
I waited for the gardener to continue speaking, but he shook his head. When the gardener looked down sadly, I thought about what was in Zant-san's mind...
......
As the evening sunlight was shining in from the hallway window...
(To think that something like that has happened...)
When I remembered what the gardener said, my chest tightened. At that moment...
Zant: ...What's wrong?
When I turned around, Zant-san was standing there with a puzzled look.
MC: Zant-san...
///Choices///
- Talk to him (☼)
MC: Um... Can we talk for a bit?
Zant: ...You want to waste your time?
After Zant-san murmured that deeply, he looked away from me as if he wasn't interested.
- Look into his eyes (☽)
MC: ...
As I was unable to bring out any words to speak with, I looked into Zant-san's eyes as the evening sunlight tinged them with red and made them shine.
Zant: ...What?
///Choices///
MC: ...Earlier, I heard some things about your from the gardener.
I boldly began to tell him about it...
Zant: So?
MC: Eh...?
Zant: ...
After saying just that, it became silent. I noticed the sound of a clock coming from a room that was near the corner.
Zant: ...
Then, Zant-san looked down and sighed.
Zant: I can take a guess of what you heard. Is it about the land of the small shrine?
MC: ...
Zant: ...It's obviously showing on your face.
When his eyes looked up the next moment, he took a glance at me and looked down again.
Zant: So, what do you want to say?
///Choices///
- I'm worried about Zant-san (☽)
MC: I'm worried about you...
Zant: ...!
Zant-san's eyes made a sharp intense look from my words.
- - Stay silent (☼)
MC: ...
I became silent from his harsh tone.
Zant: ...
While looking at me like that, Zant-san sighed again.
///Choices///
Zant: ...It's a topic that doesn't concern you.
His sad sounding voice made my heart ache for some reason.
MC: Zant-san...
Before I knew it, I reached out to him and...
Zant: You don't need to worry about me!
He pushed my hand away roughly.
MC: ...
After he shouted that as he strongly pushed my hand away, Zant-san made a surprised look.
Zant: S-Sorry. But, don't worry about me anymore.
MC: Wait, Zant-sa-
But, Zant-san disappeared into the hallway soon after.
(Why...)
When I moved my gaze towards the courtyard, the flowers swayed from the breeze as they were getting hit by the evening sunlight.
(The power that Zant-san's land holds, despite that it could make flowers bloom so beautifully...)
Feeling rejected, I couldn't help, but feel pain rising...
Chapter 4 - The Distance to You
-Flashback-
Zant: You don't need to worry about me!
-Flashback-
The next day... When I sat down on a bench in the courtyard while feeling down, Zant-san's older brother noticed me and came over.
King: That's quite a long face.
MC: Your Majesty... I'm sorry, I was thinking about something a little.
King: Is it about Zant?
MC: How do you know?
King: ...
Zant-san's older brother didn't say anything and smiled sadly. A little bit of time has passed and then...
King: ...Is it about the incident?
MC: Yes... I heard the full details about it.
King: I see.
His brother quietly closed his eyes.
King: The time when our parents went to the land of the small shrine... I was with Zant. To preserve the soft ground, we used the earth power. Although, Zant and I were still young, so we were unable to use it well. The strong power that he holds went out of control...
(Something like that...)
When he talked about the painful story that far, he opened his eyes...
King: ...He's actually a kind child. Although, he's not that good at expressing himself well. So... Please, I want you to get along with him.
MC: Your Majesty...
King: Also, I want that damaged child to open up his heart again. I'm aware of what he says to people. But, if it's you... I feel that I can trust you.
His pained expression shows that he's really worried about Zant-san.
MC: ...Okay.
When I hesitantly nodded, Zant-san's brother furrowed his brow apologetically.
......
Then, the next day... As the sky was blue and perfectly clear, the sunlight shined down upon the land brightly.
I found Zant-san doing some gardening in the courtyard.
MC: Hello.
Zant: ...
His robust arms were slightly dirty from touching the ground so much. When I sat down next to Zant-san as he was silent, I looked at his hands.
MC: Such gentle hands, the flowers must be happy too.
Zant: ...That doesn't concern you.
Zant-san responded curtly as usual. Although, I...
///Choices///
- Slowly approach him (☽)
I continued to stay beside him closely as he was watering the flowers.
Zant: ...
Only a gentle breeze through the quiet courtyard.
- Talk to him patiently (☼)
MC: I asked His Majesty about the tasty vegetables that grow from the fertilized soil in this kingdom. Next time, do you think that you can show me the fields?
Zant: ...
MC: ...Will that be possible?
Zant: Not really, if you want to see it, then do as you like.
///Choices///
After that too, Zant-san barely spoke, but...
Zant: When you're digging into the ground, it's best to do it this deep. We have this fence to secure the ground. So that weeds won't grow.
As I've been catching glimpses of his gentle expression during the time I'm with him, I noticed that he's been doing it more often... Feeling happy from that, I continued talking to him...
One day as those days went by...
When I saw Zant-san in the vegetable garden, I watched him tending to the vegetables that he's been looking after this whole time. Then, by the time the sun was hanging over in the middle of the sky...
Zant: You... What do you want?
Zant-san suddenly spoke to me...
Chapter 5 - Warm and Clumsy...
-Flashback-
Zant: You... What do you want?
-Flashback-
Zant-san suddenly spoke to me.
Zant: If you're free, you can do something else. Yet, why do you go through the trouble into worrying about me?
MC: That's...
Zant: ...
As if he was coldly ripping me apart, his brow furrowed troubledly.
Zant: Perhaps... Is it because my brother asked you to?
MC: !
Zant: So, you took me into consideration. Am I wrong?
When he looked at me in pain...
///Choices///
- That's right (☼)
MC: That's right... Bue, I'm curious myself too. About you.
Zant: !
When I told Zant-san that, his eyes widened a little.
- No (☽)
MC: N-No...
When I frantically said that...
Zant: You, your face is showing what you're saying.
I noticed that Zant-san was smiling amusedly a little.
///Choices///
Zant: Well, that's fine... I don't care that you've taken me into consideration for so long.
When he said that somewhat defeatedly, I bit my lip.
Zant: ...Come on, you're making a pained look again. I'm the one who caused you to make such a face, right? ...It doesn't really matter to me. The same goes for you.
(That's...)
As the sun was up high in the sky, it's light shined brightly on the vegetables in the garden. Although, my heart couldn't help, but feel pain...
MC: Please... Don't say something like that.
When I brought out those words, Zant-san quickly pushed up his scarf.
Zant: Sorry... I've made you make an even more troubling face. It's fine... You don't have to worry about me.
MC: Ah...
Then... As I was looking down, he placed his large hand on my head. His hand that gently gave love to the flowers and the earth was showing consideration towards me.
(Such a warm hand...)
My heart began to become noisy from his hand that was larger than I thought. When I raised my gaze, I looked at his face...
Zant: ...
His eyes that were filled with kindness and sadness were focused on me. As my chest tightened firmly, I was unable to swallow my own words.
Zant: ...
He gently petted my head as if he was handling something fragile.
Zant: I'm not good with this sort of thing...
Despite that he was using his hand clumsily, it felt really comforting... All I could think of was how I wanted to feel Zant-san's warm hand forever...
Add comment
Comments