Chapter 148

The tickling sensation of my palms made me forget how to breathe a little while. I've been in contact with Eclise many times before.

But has he ever so openly expressed his affection for me? 'Never.'

I've been begging him to come often, but never once did he reach out to me first. Staring at him with astonished eyes, I slowly breathed out a sigh.

It was sudden, but not surprising. '96% is enough.'

Even in the normal mode, I nodded, thinking of the late meeting and skinship due to identity restrictions.

Suddenly it stung near my cheek.

When I looked up, the tip of my finger was a little prickly, with a blind look still nailed to me. A chilling sensation flowed through my spine.

I laughed awkwardly, trying not to express the queer feeling. "Are you blaming me now? You're so rude."

"...."

"It's not about my unhappiness or mood that matters to you."

Eclise, who was still burying his lips in my palm, turned his head back long after. "Then?"

"Focus on what you have to do now." "What do I have to do?"

"Yes, you're my only knight, as you say. You have to be stronger than anyone else and protect me." ""

"You're the only one for me, Eclise."

At that moment, I had the illusion that I was suddenly stuck in his gray pupil and disappeared. He slowly raised his arm and covered my hand on his cheek.

Hot heat was felt over the back of my cool hand.

I gave him orders with all my might. I didn't mean it, but somehow a desperate voice popped out. "Stay by my side."

Until I escape.

Don't think about asylum, just stay still. "You're gonna do that for me, right?" ""

"Huh?"

Eclise whispered at my urging.

"I don't knowwhat you're thinking."

"...."

"ButI don't want you to be sad about the people who are bothering you anymore."

"I'm fine."

"I'll try to make sure you're really okay. "

As I swore many times, my heart gradually subsided after my whispering voice. 'Yes, the ML wouldn't leave me behind.'

I was relieved.

And the blinking dark red-colored favoritibility that looked at me I made a choice.

Subtract [14 million gold] to check the favorability of [Eclise] (Remaining funds: 28,000, 000 gold)

I was scared by the shrinking 'remaining funds'. But it was snap.

[Favorability 98%]

"Eclise." 2%.

'Finally.'

My throat was suddenly choked up. I spoke with difficulty. "Is thereanything else you want to say to me?"

Then, gwaak-.

I could feel the strong force of pressing a finger on his cheek.

He darted his lips and hesitated for a moment, and said in a familiar and sure voice. "I'll make that happen, Master."

It wasn't the answer I wanted.

I managed to contain the disappointment and nervousness that was creeping up. 'It's because it's not 100% full yet.'

A little over a week until the coming-of-age ceremony.

If I try a little more in it, I will be able to win the remaining 2% and the confession that he love me.

At the time of the thought, staring blankly at the letter above his head, which has been changed back to [Check the favorability].

"I'lldo that for you."

Eclise murmured to himself again.

*****

The next day, the Duke accepted my excuse that I was unexpectedly ill and left the banquet hall first. It seemed like Penelope had already done it so frequently.

-But tell me you are going forward and go. Chasing, how long will you be so childish with your coming- of-age ceremony just around the corner?

But the nagging, full of disapproval, was inevitable.

I've been looking for Eclise as often as I could since that day. However, it was difficult to raise the favorability of the remaining 2%. Maybe it's at the end.

Sometimes I gave him the gifts, sometimes I put honey on my tongue and whispered pleasant words.

Even though I gently touched and stroked himself to check his favorability, he only looked at me with his darkened eyes.

In addition, daily classes interrupted our meeting.

It was a swordsman teacher that I gave him for my favorability, but it was getting on my nerves.

-Shall we skip class today and hang out together? One day, I decided and begged with a sweet voice.

However, I immediately changed my words, saying it was a joke with a perplexing look and a blinking favorability.

Eclise, who was very contemplative and said that it didn't matter, came to consider a new swordsmanship so important.

It was the original track of the game story.

When I went to visit him with such a spirit, I finally got the [Favorability 99%] and the ceremony was only 6 days left.

As time went on and it didn't go up to '100%', it was increasingly difficult for me to hide my anxiety. 'Howcan I induce him to say "I love you" even if he he has 100% of favorability?'

I'm like a throbbing. I held onto my sick head and fell into deep anguish. There was no need to worry about this in normal mode.

When the time came, he went over to the confession route.

Even if 100% was not completely filled, the white gauge bar turned dark pink, signaling that it was ready to confess.

"That's right. Come to think of it, there was something like that."

I thought of a setup that I had forgotten because I was in a hurry to fill in my favorability. 'The color of the favorability gauge bar.'

I did. As the confession route progressed, the favorability gauge bar in normal mode temporarily changed color.

It wasn't like the hard mode I'm experiencing now, but.....

'Is it that important?'

I haven't really cared much about the color of the gauge bar so far. Because the affinity directly related to life was much more important. But now, with the ending of the Eclise route.

The "black red" floating on his head has become a passion.

'No waythe dark red color doesn't means death out of revenge for the empire, right?'

I shook my head, saying, 'Naughty, Naughty!' and uttered a terrible thought.

If so, 99% of the favorability is not explained

'1%How the hell do I raise it? Do I have to push my lips in like that madman?'

It was when I was biting my lips without knowing it and was rolling my head insanely.

Hnock knock.

"My lady, this is Fennel."

The butler's visit awakened me.

I was a little surprised by the rather late visit, which was quite past dinner time. "Come in."

As soon as I let him in, the door opened and the butler stepped inside. After he politely greeted, he immediately revealed his reason for visiting.

"My lady, the Duke told me to have a light breakfast together tomorrow morning." "Breakfast?"

"Yes. He says dinner will be difficult because of the recent delay in his exit due to the aristocratic meeting."

I was puzzled by the sudden news, and I nodded my head at the additional words. "I see. Of course I'll get it right. Tell him I'll get up early and get ready."

"Yes, my lady."

"Well then, good work." "Oh, and"

Even after he said what he had to say, the butler hesitated. "There's another letter from the Imperial Palace, my lady."

The hand, which was trying to turn the pages of the book carelessly. "Is it a banquet invitation?"

"No. This time, he delivered it directly through a servant working at the Crown Prince's palace"

"Burn it."

I answered without a single thought.

"And I'm not feeling well, so just says I'm recuperating." "Yes, my lady."

The butler replied hesitatingly.

The short interval to the answer suddenly felt suffocating.

Tak- I ended up covering up the book I was trying to read roughtly and making it annoying. "That's what the butler does without asking."

The butler bowed deeply and left the room, as if he had noticed my watery temper.