PMEVBO 91

I washed my face since I was already in the bathroom.

Iser had already returned and was setting the table by the time I came out. Iser’s gaze fell on my sleeves, which I’d rolled up to my elbows. To be precise, he looked at the red marks he’d left underneath them.

“…Did you wash up?”

I noticed his gaze and started to pull my sleeves down to hide my arms, but then I changed my mind and left them alone. Only then did he slowly raise his gaze. I smiled when our eyes met.

“I just washed my face.”

A long, paper-wrapped lump sat on the table. I only realized the lump was the bread I was always served once I saw the familiar wooden board underneath it. I sat in front of it out of habit.

“They’re swapped. This one’s yours.”

Iser sat opposite me and spoke as he swapped his plate with mine. I couldn’t open my mouth because I was flustered the moment I saw the salad, which looked like it was meant for guards. I looked at Iser a beat late.

“…Why are you giving this to me?”

“You’ll get tired of eating the same thing every day. Both you and I will.”

“What? But you…”

I trailed off and shut my mouth. Iser’s words sounded reasonable. But that ​stolen content​wasn’t actually the case. Because…

…You can’t taste anything.

Maybe my thoughts showed on my face, because Iser gave a smile.

“You’re right. Actually, I wanted you to eat something different.”

“…”

“I’m fine even if I don’t eat, and everything tastes the same to me.”

My heart ached more because his expression was so calm.

There’s so much delicious food in the world, what am I going to do with him?

I placed my chin on the table and watched him with a heavy heart. Instead, Iser smiled softly as if he were the one comforting me and stroked my arm gently. I felt every bit of his touch on my bare skin since my sleeves were rolled up. My eyelids fluttered because I knew how hot this cool body temperature had become at dawn.

“Even if I can’t taste, I loved everything you made for me.”

His flushed lower eyelids looked lovely. I eventually let out a soft chuckle.

…Ah, now that I think about it, I heard something similar six years ago.

You’re the one who made it. And I’m eating it with you… so I like anything.

I fiddled with Iser’s palm and kissed the back of his hand. Iser flinched at that moment. I chuckled as I let go of his hand.

“Then should I make something for you?”

“Yes?”

I pulled the wooden board that was in front of Iser toward me. I unwrapped the paper, took out the bread, and peeled off the crust with a knife.

He might not be able to taste, but he’ll still feel the texture.

I sliced the bread’s side, which was softer, and spread it out on the paper. I spread a thin layer of salad dressing, then added the vegetables, ham, and scrambled eggs from the salad. I wrapped the now-fat bread back in the paper and cut it in half.

I picked the bigger and better-looking half and held it out to Iser.

“Here, this is yours.”

Iser took the sandwich half I offered with a slightly dazed expression.

I felt ridiculous for acting so proud when I’d only assembled perfectly good food. I tried to act natural as I lifted my portion and tapped it lightly against his, like a toast.

Just as I was about to take a bite, Iser spoke up after being silent for a long time.

“You can eat it all. As you know, I…”

“You don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to eat. I’m just giving it to you because I want to.”

Six years ago, I knew Iser didn’t need to eat, but I didn’t know he couldn’t taste. That was why I’d fussed over his meals… looking back, I think I was being stubbornly pushy without even knowing the truth.

If I didn’t need to eat and couldn’t even taste, I wouldn’t be interested in eating either.

But Iser said he liked the food I made. Well, he might’ve just been saying that, but…

“I want to give you half of whatever food I get.”

“…Why?”

“Because I just want to.”

Iser averted his eyes when I looked at him with a smile. Maybe it was the candlelight, but his eye areas and ear tips looked a bit red.

I took a bite of the sandwich. Peeling off the crust was worth it. It’d be a lie to say it wasn’t tough, but it wasn’t bad. The sauce was similar to honey mustard, so it went well with the ham and scrambled eggs inside.

But…

It’s a bit salty.

The culprit was the scrambled eggs. They were saltier than the ham.

The chefs responsible for the guards’ meals went on vacation during the banquet week. So, the officers on duty had to cook their own meals according to the manual during that time. I remembered this because the scene where Isabelle from the original story sat in despair before burnt eggs and ham was quite memorable.

Iser probably made this too.

My eyes met Iser’s immediately when I looked up from the sandwich. Iser asked with a subtly awkward expression.

“…Is the taste weird?”

“No, it’s delicious.”

I took another bite of the sandwich with an unbothered expression.

“You must’ve worked hard to make this. Thank you.”

“…”

“Thanks to you, I’m eating something like this here.”

It wasn’t a lie that it was delicious. It felt good to eat something with such a strong flavor after living on bland bread for so long. I finished the sandwich quickly. Iser, who had been hesitant, had also eaten about half of his share.

It’d been six years since I’d seen Iser eat. He was still the embodiment of etiquette. He ate without dropping a single breadcrumb or getting a drop of sauce on his mouth, and he didn’t make a sound. It was almost like an acrobatic performance.

I chuckled and placed my chin on my hand, watching him.

***

After a late breakfast, I was slowly being led to my cell. Iser, who had been hugging me tightly from behind, rubbed his face against my shoulder.

“I’m scared.”

“…Scared of what?”

“I’m scared to be alone. Can’t you stay with me a little longer?”

Ah, being alone…

But wasn’t this guy quite mature about being alone six years ago?

…Ah, wait, maybe he did hate being alone.

I patted his arms, which were wrapped around my waist, and answered.

“Alright, I’ll stay with you.”

I should do it since he asked. It wasn’t difficult.

I knew that someone could only visit a floor with the permission of the officer on duty during the banquet week. Iser knew that too, so he’d probably [visit our site]been making this request since last night. However, I decided to wear my prison uniform and connect the Talicord to my neck just in case. Then Iser changed into his guard uniform as well.

Iser headed to the office with me trailing right behind him.

Just like the duty officer’s breakroom, it was my first time visiting the office. The sight of desks lined up in the spacious office reminded me of a study cafe. Iser’s spot was one of the better ones since there was a small sofa behind it.

I sat on the sofa. I must’ve developed a habit of curling up since I’d lived on the floor of my cell. The posture of sitting with my legs hanging down felt awkward. I wanted to put both my feet on the sofa, but I refrained because I was worried I’d get the white sofa dirty.

I leaned forward and placed my chin on my hand, staring at Iser’s back. It was my first time seeing him handle paperwork since we always met inside the cell. Everything from dipping the pen in ink to turning the pages was perfectly meticulous.

I should start preparing a plan for the main quest soon.

Actually, I’d found a way to get to Chepony Castle a long time ago.

The neck restraint connected to the wall via the talicord didn’t move with me when I broke into Iser’s quarters with the Guidance skill last time.

Maybe I could move with just my body and leave the restraints behind if I connected the other ones to the wall and used the Guidance skill?

I’ll be able to avoid the excessive bleeding ending from the original story that way.

But the problem was that I didn’t have any other plans. I didn’t have a fixed location now, so I didn’t know how I’d return after finishing the quest, or what I should say to Iser in the first place… It was overwhelming.

Then Iser asked in a soft voice as he dipped his pen nib in ink.

“Aren’t you bored?”

I quickly lowered my hand, which I’d unconsciously brought to my mouth, and answered.

“…I’m not bored.”

I didn’t have time to be bored because my head was full of worries about the main quest. But I wouldn’t have been bored even if I’d been spacing out without a single thought.

Spacing out and doing nothing was what I’d been doing for six years. I couldn’t be bored when I was looking at a living person instead of the pitch-black ceiling I always saw.

…Especially when it was Iser.

“Should I give you something to read?”

“I’m afraid of books.”

I wasn’t a fan of books originally, but I was sick of them now after possessing someone in this world. Iser, who was still moving his pen, chuckled as if he thought I was joking.

“I’ll just watch you.”

“But that’s not fun.”

“No, it is. You’re the most fun.”

Iser’s pen came to a halt when I replied with a smirk.

It happened then.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

A loud bell began to toll.