Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 54 - Piggybacked

After crying my heart out, I rubbed my reddened eyes and walked through the secret passage together with the group.

Even though the exit inside the “Angel’s Breath” jewelry shop had been destroyed, the secret passage system was still working perfectly, which let me feel relieved.

“Put me down now. I can walk on my own.”

“Alright.”

“Hey, human Grand Duke. Put me down too, will you?”

“Understood. If your pride was hurt, I apologize.”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant!”

Ruth and Benedict also got off Michael’s and Aston’s backs and started walking on their own two feet.

I wanted to walk by myself too, but maybe because of everything that had happened, my body and mind were exhausted, and my legs wouldn’t move easily.

I tried to get up after crying my eyes out, but I couldn’t properly stand on my feet, which left me flustered.

“……Why can’t I stand up?”

Zero, who seemed to find my head more comfortable than my shoulder, rolled around using my hair as a bed and spoke.

「You’re really worn out. Your fatigue has hit its limit and your body’s taken a toll. You need to rest.」

‘Still, if I walk on my own, we’ll get there faster.’

And there was no way I was going to be carried like baggage.

Groaning, I tried to stand up using my sniper-rifle-shaped water gun as a cane, when someone politely reached out a hand to me.

“If it’s not an inconvenience, I would like to escort Duke Kitten.”

The owner of the outstretched hand was the Whitewood Grand Duke, Aston Clitter.

There was a faint tension on his face.

“……Right now?”

“Yes.”

“Am I going to be carried like luggage too?”

I really didn’t want that.

I didn’t want to be hauled around like a sack of grain. If I went in such an uncomfortable position, I’d probably throw up halfway there.

“No. Since Duke Kitten is a woman, I will make sure to carry you carefully, with proper courtesy toward a lady.”

‘He’s not going to princess-carry me, right……?’

I really hoped not. Aston did look exactly like my type, but we had only met for the first time today.

On top of that, I was currently acting as one of the central figures leading many people, so I didn’t want to show weakness.

More than anything…… Aston, who was deeply doubtful about his own existence, felt like a mirror reflecting myself, which made me uncomfortable.

‘I thought it’d be fine if he saw me badly for meddling and telling him not to die.’

Judging by his attitude, though, it didn’t seem like he disliked me.

Still, a refusal was a refusal.

“……I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline. I’ll walk on my own.”

‘It’s more comfortable to do it myself.’

Something like this, I should be able to handle without anyone’s help……

Thud.

“……Ugh.”

I tried to stand while leaning on the water gun and the wall of the passage, but failed. I slid down awkwardly and sprawled on the ground, and I was too embarrassed to lift my head.

Zero, who had safely hopped down from my head, snickered.

「Such a strong sense of pride. You could’ve just taken the Northern Grand Duke’s hand and stood up.」

‘Shut up…….’

He acts like an ally and then turns annoying, so one day I really want to bite him hard. That enemy-like little rat. Just because he’s cute doesn’t mean everything’s forgiven.

‘Ngh.’

After setting off a bomb, my appearance had already become a mess. When I wiped my cheek, soot came off. My once bright outfit was torn in several places and stained with dirt.

The floor of the secret passage was bare soil, and since I’d fallen face-first, it was obvious I looked even more filthy, like a beggar.

“……Seriously, what rotten luck.”

I was just thinking it would be nice if I had wet wipes.

As I sat there weakly slumped over, Aston reached out his hand to me again.

“Please use this.”

What he was holding was a handkerchief.

A plain cotton handkerchief with no patterns or designs at all.

It was far too modest for someone with the lofty title of Grand Duke to be carrying around. The edges were even frayed—if another noble lady had received it, she might have slapped him and demanded to know what he thought she was.

But I stared at the handkerchief for a moment, then accepted it gratefully.

“……Thank you.”

‘Refusing such a small kindness would be rude.’

He was a man with a zero-percent chance of ever being registered as a party member, not even mentioned in S.Flower Road, but he was still someone who could be helpful as a collaborator.

So, thinking I didn’t need to avoid Aston too much—and simply not wanting to stay dirty—I took the handkerchief.

Wipe, wipe. It wasn’t silk, but it was more than enough to brush off the dirt from my fall.

‘When I get back, Rina’s going to nag me endlessly.’

I’d gone well past the two or three hours I originally planned. Since it was nearly sunset, the servants at the mansion were probably just waiting for me to return.

It would be hard to erase all traces of where I’d gone, but still, I wanted to go back looking as decent as possible.

I didn’t want to make anyone worry.

‘Looks like the soot won’t come off completely.’

“It’d be nice if there were some water…….”

But I couldn’t use Ruth’s magic for something so personal.

That would trample on Ruth’s pride. And Ruth had come to help me—he wasn’t someone beneath me that I could treat carelessly—so I swallowed my regret and tried to stand up again.

“I can do it—”

“If it’s just a simple cleaning spell, I can do that.”

Cutting off Ruth, who was about to say something, Aston made the offer.

“……Really?”

“My cousin Jacqueline said it’s useful in everyday life, so I learned it.”

“Oh.”

If it was magic learned from smart Jacqueline, then it was trustworthy.

“Th-then… if you don’t mind, please do it, Grand Duke.”

When I showed interest, Aston looked at me with a faint smile.

“Huh?”

‘Did he just smile?’

I rubbed my eyes and looked at Aston again, but his lips were drawn in a straight line.

‘…Did I imagine it?’

Right, there’s no way someone I once grabbed by the collar would smile at me.

What a ridiculous misunderstanding.

As I mocked myself internally, Aston began to chant a spell.

『Be clean.』

Dozens of tiny droplets swirled around me, and soon I was fluffy and clean again, just like when we first set out.

“Woooow!”

“Are you satisfied?”

“Totally! The best!”

I gave him two big thumbs up, and Aston waved it off modestly, saying it was nothing.

“Thank you. I felt really gross……. Ah, now I need to stand up—damn it.”

I tried again and again to get up, but my legs wouldn’t listen to my brain and kept slipping.

“Nngh.”

‘Do I have no choice but to at least get supported?’

As I hesitated, Aston asked again,

“……You look like you’re having a hard time. May I escort you, Duke?”

“Hmm…… how would you do that?”

In response to my question, Aston turned his broad back toward me.

“Please get on my back. I’ll carry you until we reach the Kitten Ducal Estate.”

‘Th-that’s tempting.’

It wasn’t a princess carry, and it wasn’t being hauled like luggage either. Just a normal piggyback—human, comfortable.

“A-ahem! Then…… excuse me.”

“As much as you like.”

I staggered over and got on Aston’s back.

“……You’re very light.”

“I’m average weight, you know.”

“No. I think you should eat more and gain some weight.”

‘Are you my mom……?’

With me securely on his back, Aston walked steadily without showing any strain.

Leaning against his back was incredibly comfortable, and little by little, sleep washed over me.

“Hwaaam.”

「Yawning makes you look ugly.」

At some point, Zero had climbed back onto my shoulder and was cracking sunflower seeds as a snack. He wasn’t even a real hamster—what a ridiculous little guy.

‘Shut up. Unless you want to become dried rat jerky.’

「I’m just bored…….」

‘I’m tired. Go play with Benedict’s spirits or something. I’m sleepy. I don’t have the energy to joke around with you.’

「They’re too chatty. And they treat even a trainee constellation like me with full respect, like I’m a god.」

‘Not my problem. Do whatever. Go away.’

Nod, nod. My head swayed. My half-closed eyelids felt heavy.

‘But earlier, wasn’t Ruth trying to say something……?’

Remembering Ruth’s unfinished words a bit late, I asked,

“Mr. Ruth…… weren’t you trying to tell me something earlier?”

My sleepy voice was slurred and mumbled.

Through my blinking vision, I saw Ruth’s dark-blue hair.

“……No. It was nothing important.”

“Really?”

“……Yes.”

For some reason, Ruth looked slightly frustrated.

‘What’s bothering him?’

Ah, could it be because Aston didn’t use the cleaning spell on Ruth and the others……?

With that question, I passed out completely.

‘So warm…….’

Leaning against a solid shoulder, I fell asleep and dreamed a happy dream for the first time in a long while.

A peaceful moment from before the accident—when Mom and Dad held me tight and sang me a lullaby.

〈Sleep well, my baby.〉

〈The birds and the little lambs on the front hill and back hill are all sleeping too…….〉

Voices full of love. Warm hands. The gentle, calming sensation of someone softly stroking my hair.

Things I lost a very long time ago.

‘Mom, Dad…….’

I miss you so much. I’m really struggling.

I want to go back to the home where everyone is waiting…….

‘Why didn’t you take me with you?’

Then I wouldn’t have had to feel lonely at all…….

‘I’m sorry I survived alone.’

And being alone is just so lonely.

I swallowed the words that could never reach them. Even in a dream, I didn’t want to see my parents’ expressions twist in pain.

〈Sleep well, my baby…….〉

Drunk on that almost-illusory warmth in a cruel dream that would disappear when I woke up, I fell into a soft, quiet sleep.

 

 

****

 

 

Perhaps because she was so exhausted, Elizabeth Keaton couldn’t fight off her drowsiness and fell fast asleep.

“Mom……. Dad…….”

“…….”

“Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone…….”

A single clear tear slipped down between Elizabeth’s silver eyelashes as she murmured sadly in her sleep.

Adjusting his hold so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable, Aston was reminded of his own childhood, when he had desperately repeated similar words.

〈F-father! I didn’t do that! Please believe me!〉

〈Silence. Captain of the Knights, remove that child at once.〉

〈Father! Father! Please don’t abandon me! Please!〉

‘……An unpleasant memory.’

It was shortly after his beloved mother had passed away, when he was falsely accused and unjustly driven out of the imperial palace.

He shouted until his throat was raw, insisting on his innocence and begging not to be abandoned, but his father—the Emperor—closed his eyes and ears.

‘Was this woman in a situation similar to mine?’

He had often heard that Duke Keaton didn’t care much for his troublesome daughter.

‘Even so… does she miss him that much?’

Aston found himself wanting to comfort the woman who only revealed her fragile inner self in her dreams.

A sense of compassion—one he had never once allowed himself—was quietly beginning to bloom.