In the joint training, Abel beat a knight of the 3rd platoon in the final and won easily with his vivid sword judgment. Gilbert then returned to the second platoon's office, encouraged by the magical knights of each platoon. In the office, my colleagues have already written their daily report and are about to go home. Abel seemed to be cleaning up the paperwork at the back desk.
"Thank you for your hard work. Will the deputy captain stay?"
With an innocent smile, Gilbert was asked by a junior who lost to a knight of the Third Platoon in the semi-finals. Gilbert wonders what to do. If there was nothing to do, it was common for Abel and him to clean up the paper work that had accumulated during the joint training. Gilbert couldn't decide right away because Sophia, who was at home, passed through his mind. I told you to rest, but are you sleeping properly? Her delicate and unreliable figure was very light, unlike that of Gilbert, and her eyes, which shone with magic, were as deep green as a forest.
"── Oh, good. You can go home today."
Abel simply stopped moving his hand holding the pen and raised his face. Gilbert and Abel stared at each other. Gilbert conceded his defeat and looked away. Abel noticed this change.
"Captain, but ──"
"It's rare for you to be lost in your thoughts even for a moment."
Gilbert was slightly reluctant to accept Abel's consideration. His colleagues pretended not to see Gilbert's unusual behavior. Gilbert wanted to argue but he knew it would be for naught.
"Then, I accept your words."
Gilbert ran his pen through the daily report and immediately finished writing the report. He put it on Abel's desk and greeted him, and he left the office earlier than any of his colleagues there. His legs were moving faster on the way back without him realizing it. Even so, the Sun sets earlier during autumn, and by the time he got home in a carriage in front of the royal castle, the sun had set.
"── I have returned."
"Welcome back, Gilbert-sama."
When Gilbert got out of the carriage, he handed his luggage to Hans, who was waiting for him, passed through the front door held by the maid, and entered the house.
"What is Miss Sophia doing?"
Gilbert immediately asked what he was interested in. Hans answered as he walked.
"Yes, she's taking a rest in your room. She must have been very tired."
Gilbert thinks of Sophia last night after listening to Hans' words. Recently, it's getting colder at night.
"──Is that so?"
Gilbert opened the door of his room to take a shower and change his clothes. There are three rooms in a row, starting with a room that can be used as a private guest room, then a private room, and lastly, a bedroom from the entrance side. The bedroom has a bathroom and is modestly decorated with a sleeping porch. It was smaller than the manor house, but it was large enough to be the Family Head's room.
We opened the doors in order. Hans put his luggage in the room in front of him and backed away to make sure it was time to eat. Gilbert stopped slightly as he opened the bedroom door. He felt hesitant when he thought that Sophia was resting inside. Still, he was worried and decided to check on her. He knocked the door slightly and turned the door knob.
No light was turned on in the room, and the dazzling white moonlight was shining through the large window of the porch. I closed the door and visually checked the bed, but there was no evidence of it being used. The sheets were unused. Gilbert wondered where Sophia was and walked indoors. After passing the bed, he was amazed at the lump of cloth that appeared in an unexpected place and stopped.
"──Why are you sleeping in such a place..."
Sophia was in the shadow of the bed, curled up on the carpet, wrapped in a futon and breathing heavily. After looking at it, he realized that the futon that was folded on the sofa for one person is gone. A deep sigh leaked from Gilbert's mouth, partly because no one was there. Gilbert was starting to tire after all the events that had taken place earlier. He put his hand on his temples. I could only think that I had made a mistake in refraining. However, I had to do so probably because Sophia had some troubles so far.
Gilbert walked up to sleeping Sophia and gently touched her hand clasping the end of her knee(Kneecaps) with his fingertips to prevent her from waking up. Even if he closed his eyes and tried to sense the fluctuations of magical power, he still couldn't understand anything about Sophia. He just knew that her hands were cold and the room would get even colder at night.
When Gilbert let go, he rolled up the duvet on the bed, put his hands under Sophia's back and knees, and lifted her gently. Her knees moves away from her hand and hit the ground lightly . Gilbert gently laid Sophia on the bed, ignoring the guilt he was feeling as if he had done something wrong. When he was hanging the futon, Sophia's mouth which was closed, relaxed slightly.
Gilbert touched her face involuntarily and was confused by his own actions.. How long has it been since I've had such warm feelings towards others? When Gilbert had a change of clothes, he opened the bathroom door and quickly left the bedroom to change.
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TL- I was going to release a chapter yesterday but wasn't feeling well.
Please point out any mistakes I have made.
Thanks for the chapter
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