Confession

“Yuri, why don’t you sleep in the bed upstairs? I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“I-I can’t let you do that! Then I’ll sleep here.”

“Don’t worry about it. I actually feel more comfortable on the sofa.”

“Um… the bed is big, so couldn’t we just sleep together?”

“No. I can’t sleep unless I’m alone.”

If I slept beside her, I knew I would lose all self-control.

Honestly, I had absolutely no confidence that I could hold myself back anymore.

For some reason, however, Yuri froze as though she had been deeply hurt.

Then she apologized to me in a trembling voice, looking as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

“I-I’m sorry… I wasn’t being considerate. Van got angry at me about the same thing before.”

Considerate?

Huh…? What did she mean?

Why was Yuri apologizing??

And why did she look so sad?

“The Hero got angry at you? What happened?”

“When I tried to sleep in the same tent… he told me to get out.”

“What are you talking about? When you’re camping, there are times when you have no choice but to sleep in the same tent.”

“He said he couldn’t sleep with me there. He told me I was in the way and to go somewhere else… so whenever we were adventuring, I always slept outside the tent.”

That damn Hero!!!

How could he call a companion who worked so hard for him a nuisance!?

And he made her sleep outside!?

He probably just wanted to keep the cute girls inside the tent and throw Yuri out because he thought she was a boy!

I see… But I had just said something similar to what that Hero had told her.

I grabbed Yuri by both shoulders and shook my head fiercely.

“I’m not refusing to sleep beside you because you’re in the way!”

“I know. You’re different from Van, Roy. You’ve lived alone for a long time, after all. It’s difficult for you to sleep beside someone else, right?”

“No! That’s not it!!”

“You don’t have to worry about my feelings… I’ve been relying on you too much…”

“No, that’s not it!! That isn’t the reason!!”

After shaking my head vehemently, I impulsively pulled Yuri into a tight embrace.

I was an idiot.

Without considering how she must have felt after being neglected by the Hero for so long, I had said something that sounded like I was rejecting her.

Unless I made myself perfectly clear, Yuri would never understand.

“I… love you.”

“Yeah… I know… You’re kind, Roy. I know you care about me because you feel responsible for protecting me.”

“That’s not what I mean! I don’t love you as someone I have to protect. I love you romantically!”

“Huh…!?”

I released her from my embrace, placed my hands on her shoulders, and lowered my head.

Then I forced the words out in a strained voice.

“That’s why, if we sleep in the same bed, I’ll end up wanting you as a woman.”

“R-Roy…”

Yuri’s eyes widened in surprise.

She silently lowered her gaze.

Ahh, great. Had I scared her off?

I spoke to her with a self-deprecating smile.

“That’s what I meant when I said I couldn’t sleep beside you. I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. You take the bed.”

“…”

Yuri said nothing.

Or rather, she probably did not know what to say.

She had lived as a boy all this time. This was probably the first time someone of the opposite sex had confessed to her.

It was only natural that she would be shaken.

I unfolded the sofa into a bed, pulled a blanket over myself, and lay down.

Yuri went to the bedroom upstairs.

Things had become awkward.

But I could not hide my feelings forever.

And if I concealed them and ended up sharing a bed with her anyway, I had absolutely no confidence that I could maintain my self-control.

Once this job was finished, I would probably have to help Yuri find a new place to live.

Even though I really wanted us to spend a little more time together.

“Um… Roy.”

Yuri, who I thought had gone to sleep upstairs, had somehow returned.

My body jerked in surprise.

Don’t turn around.

If I turned around and saw Yuri right now, I would turn into a wolf.

“Um… I still feel bad about sleeping alone in that huge bed.”

“I told you not to worry about it. I said I prefer the sofa, remember?”

“…Would it really be wrong if we slept in the same bed?”

Yuri asked in an extremely quiet voice, and I clicked my tongue.

Hadn’t I just explained myself!?

Did she still not understand!?

I was telling her I might pounce on her if we did!?

I sprang upright, intending to tell Yuri exactly that.

But the words never came.

—!!???

Before I could speak, Yuri threw herself against my chest.

She wrapped her arms around my back and hugged me tightly.

W-W-W-What did this mean!?

She knew how I felt, and she was still embracing me.

“Is it… really no good?”

At Yuri’s trembling question, I opened and closed my mouth like a fish for several seconds.

Could it be… could it really be… that she was inviting me?

Yuri was?

Her eyes were moist, and her cheeks had turned bright red with embarrassment.

She was clearly mortified, yet she had still done something this bold. For a girl who had never experienced romance before, she was surprisingly daring.

Then again, maybe her lack of experience was exactly why she could be so bold.

“Of course it isn’t wrong…!! But are you sure? With an old guy like me?”

“R-Roy, you’re not an old guy! You’re really handsome, and you’re strong and kind.”

“Handsome? Me?”

“You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever met! I love you too, Roy! I mean… romantically.”

When Yuri confessed with her entire face glowing red, I almost shouted.

Are your eyes working properly!?

There are countless guys younger and better-looking than me!!

But Yuri raised her head and looked at me with such a wistful expression.

I covered my eyes with one hand, stared up at the ceiling, and took a deep breath.

There was no longer any reason to reject her feelings.

Yuri had truly been looking at me all this time.

She had gathered her courage to tell me how she felt, so I needed to find the courage to answer her properly.

I lowered my hand and gently touched her cheek.

Then I gazed into her blue-purple eyes and spoke quietly.

“Remember when you asked what I wanted as a birthday present?”

“Yeah. You said it was something embarrassing… Wait… then what you wanted was…”

“Yeah. I want you.”

I pulled Yuri into an even tighter embrace.

Her body was so soft and slender that it was hard to believe she had fought her way through life as an adventurer.

Still hardly able to believe this was real, I pressed my lips against Yuri’s.

Her lips were soft too.

For an instant, I noticed a faintly sweet, floral fragrance.

Perfume?

No, it was far too subtle to be perfume.

It smelled like natural flowers.

How strange. Why did Yuri’s body carry a scent like that?

And I knew this fragrance.

I was certain I had encountered it in my previous life… but I could not remember.

Whenever I tried, it felt as though mist covered that part of my memories.

And that faintly sweet fragrance mercilessly chipped away at my remaining self-control.

Damn… I wanted to push her down right here, but I needed to calm down.

At least carry her properly to the bedroom first.

I pulled my lips away and lifted Yuri into my arms before heading toward the bedroom.

Was she cold… or perhaps frightened? Yuri’s body was trembling slightly.

“Tell me if you don’t want this.”

“I don’t. I’m just nervous because it’s my first time.”

When we reached the bedroom, I gently laid Yuri down on the bed.

Then I took off the bathrobe I was wearing and climbed onto the bed as well.

Supporting myself on all fours, I leaned close to Yuri’s ear and whispered.

“Yuri, will you become my wife?”

“Yes… From today on, I’m your wife, Roy.”

Affection welled up inside me when Yuri nodded without hesitation.

Then I lowered myself over her and kissed her once more.

I was incredibly happy.

I had been united with the person I loved.

What more could I possibly ask for?

If this happiness could continue, I would do anything to protect it.

From today onward, Yuri was my wife.

There was absolutely no way I would ever hand her back to that Hero!!