Chapter 59 - Volume 4

Request: Wolf’s POV and Lovey-Dovey

I realized with a start that Lycoris, who was walking forward, was walking slower than her usual. When I studied her carefully, I saw she had furrowed her brows slightly the instant her right foot touched the ground.
「Lycoris？」
Hearing the firm tone in my voice, her expression looked liked a child caught doing mischief. She had an anxious expression on her face that seemed to say 『what if he gets really angry?』.
If she knows I can’t act stern when she was making that expression, then I think I’ll be just a little vexed.
「What happened to your right foot？」
「Ah, uhm, it’s not a big deal or anything……」
As Lycoris said that, her gaze roamed to the sides. An action that seemed to unconsciously ask someone for help, but unfortunately, it was just the two of us right now. Because of an errand we were tasked to do by the teachers, we had headed to a place that didn’t have many of the regular students on our way back home. It was out of the way of the area of activity of many of the students, so there weren’t any pedestrian traffic.
Having remembered this as well, Lycoris looked resigned.
「It seems my new shoes don’t quite fit. The size should have been just right but it’s a little tight on the heel……」
I knitted my brows. Though I’d like to have a word with the person who made her shoes, there was a bigger problem than that. It was the fact that she’d tried to hide it from me.
「……for now, why don’t you take off your shoe」
When I kneeled down and said this, so that she’d hold onto my shoulder for support, Lycoris reached out her hand shyly.
Once I got her to remove her shoe, I saw that her heel had certainly swollen red, it wasn’t enough to turn into a wound, but it was warm to the touch.
「Sorry, Wolf. I was thinking I’d just bear with it a little until we get back to the dorm. … I mean, even if I ask you to leave me here and bring back another pair–」
「I’ll firmly object」
「See?」
「It can be settled if I carry you」
I thought it was quite a reasonable suggestion, but she immediately shook her head.
「No, that would be too much. I’d feel too guilty. To put it bluntly, I don’t think my weight is something that can be easily picked up.……And I’ve been gaining weight recently. Even if you say you’ve been training, I’m also pretty tall. Frankly, I am a big woman, after all. So……」
「Lycoris. I’ll be straight with you, I want to hold you in my arms and carry you. …That’s why, your response should just be whether you’ll『 allow』 or 『refuse』 it」
She turned red and mumbled a tiny 「Uu……」 .
There was another little dispute over whether to carry her on my back or in front, but it was easy to persuade her who felt obliged to 『receiving assistance』 .
Held up in my arms, Lycoris appeared to be troubled over what to do with her arms that were moving freely while she was stiff with nervousness.
「……Lycoris. It’s easier if you put as much of your weight on me」
Having nothing to lose, I went ahead and said it.
Surprisingly, she quickly nodded, and leaned a bit of her weight to lean on my shoulder. It seemed I might end up saying something unnecessary if I opened my mouth, so I wordlessly carried her and started walking.
When we made a bit of progress, she spoke to me at a position close to my ear.
「Hey, Wolf, uhm… so what do you think of this?」
「Hm?　……Let’s see. I feel this moment is much more satisfying than having the world in my hand」
「A-a magnificent answer like that wasn’t what I expected ……aren’t I heavy？」
Aah, so she was concerned over that.
「Let’s see, I doubt I could run very long if you tell me to dash with all my might while holding you in my arms… but if I’m simply walking with some rest in between, I could probably climb a mountain like this」
Upon my honest reply, Lycoris looked pleased and she let out a small breath of relief.
「I don’t think you’re heavy at all, though」
「Mhmmm. But you should know that women want to have men tell them 『you’re light as a feather』」
I imagined a situation exactly like her words and shuddered. I unintentionally added strength to the arms holding her.
「Wolf?」
「……No, I just… can’t help but be scared if you were that light. You might end up flying with the wind」
After taking in my words, she giggled in my arms.
「… sorry for laughing. It’s just… it’s really like you to say something like that…」
When she said that with a light and easy-going tone, I began to laugh.
Having lost her nervousness, Lycoris wrapped her slender arms around my neck. Appearing to embrace me, she allowed me to carry her whole weight. It seems she pressed her face on my collar to hide the smile on her face.
It came to no surprise that I lost composure at having her warm, tender touch offered to me quite innocently.
Even then, her laughter did not cease, its light vibration transmitted to me.
Honestly.
What I have in my hands right now was much more splendid than world domination.
Though she told me to act a little more spoiled, I’ve long been spoiled rotten by her. With her kind voice and bright smile, I’ve always gotten spoiled. This might be what it’s like to have a mother.
–But, she wasn’t my mother.
「Lycoris」
「Yeah. What is it?」
「Would it be better to go to the medical office? 」
「Yeah. But it’s a pretty long way to go, isn’t it. Will you be okay?」
「Of course」
When I smiled, Lycoris had an expression that looked at ease.
「――But, it certainly is quite a distance」
「Thought so, shall I get down? If you lend me your shoulder, I can hop on a foot！」
I, of course, had no plans to let her down at all.
「It’s alright. I plan to safely deliver you until we get there. That’s why, if I accomplish this duty…… could you give me a tiny bit of reward？」
With the hidden meaning in the way I said those words, Lycoris stopped moving in surprise.
But even as I waited awhile, she didn’t remove those warm arms that were wrapped in my neck. She didn’t even ask to be let down. But her white cheeks, her neck, they turned so red that it couldn’t be concealed.
I also thought I’d like to punish her a little for hiding the matter about the shoe sore from me.
–And, quite frankly, I also like her embarrassed face very much.
My lover told me 「it’s okay to act spoiled」.
Isn’t it human nature to want to know how 『spoiled』 I can go?
Author’ note:
Just as the title says, the topic is 『Wolf’s POV』 and 『being lovey-dovey』. I wonder if this feel is okay? This request is probably the most requested that I get.
Wolf’s POV really is hard. I’d like to think that I have no idea why that is, but it’s probably because Wolf doesn’t have the attribute to be a straight man. I like to summon Shade for the straight-man role.
It’s hard, but I really enjoyed writing it. Thank you very much for everyone who requested this!