Late autumn, very clear. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

The lonely moon still hung silently in the quiet night sky.

The cool breeze blew, revealing a slight chill.

The half-withered blades of grass in his hand still have a slight fragrance unique to plants.

However, my mood ......

Alas......

"Huh? Les? Why are you here?! Suddenly, Sakura's surprised voice came from behind her.

"Huh? Cherry? Haven't slept yet? ”

"I was just helping Sister Cana sort out the papers, but why are you here? What about Rusya? Sakura looked around suspiciously, "Why didn't you accompany her?" ”

"The moon is full today, and Rusya has sucked blood and slept." I explained, "She's going to be sleepy after sucking blood." ”

"Oh-" Sakura stepped forward and gently stroked the tooth marks on my neck and asked with concern, "Does it hurt?" ”

"It's fine." I was a little embarrassed, "I've long been used to being bitten by Rusya~ It doesn't hurt." ”

Sakura sneered: "Will you get used to being bitten?" You're really there-okay, why don't you go to sleep, what's going on here? ”

"Nothing, just want to be alone for a while."

“…… What's wrong? Les? She smiled and gently stroked my head with her palm, "You're going to be weird when you send the princess back—what happened?" ”

I laughed to myself, "I can't hide anything from you." ”

"Nonsense! How long have we been together? Sakura knocked me on the head casually and said angrily, "I can see at a glance that little bit of your thoughts, sister—what's there you can't think of?" Talk to your sister! ”

"Huh? Over here? ”

Not far away, Ax walked by with a patrol group, laughing and waving together.

I made a gesture to chase them away.

"Hmm...... It doesn't seem appropriate, you have Rusya sleeping there...... Why don't you come to my room? Sakura had long been accustomed to those bastards liking at our interest, so she didn't mind pulling me up and leaving, "It seems like you haven't been a guest at my sister's place for a long time~"

"Okay."

。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

"Alright, let's talk to my sister!" After entering the house, Sakura made a cup of black tea and handed it to me, and then sat down casually on the bed opposite.

Same habit as before, so nostalgic.

The slightly hot cup in the hand and the tea aroma in it are the same as before.

In the past, every time I came back from a mission, Sakura and I would sit face to face and chat together, be in a daze together, and sleep together.

Of course they didn't sleep together, Sakura had two beds in her bedroom, and many times I was too tired to do anything when I came back from a mission, and I fell asleep across from her without a few words with Sakura.

Because I go on missions very often, I rarely have the opportunity to meet Sakura, so we cherish each other's brief reunion at night when we return, and I regard Sakura as the most reassuring harbor when I return from fighting on the battlefield.

She knows my heart, and I know hers.

But there are so many concerns that we can't confess to each other.

Alas......

"Lacey? What's the fuss? Sakura's words woke me up from my feelings.

"Huh? Yes? Oh! It's nothing! It's just-" I glanced down at the black tea in my hand, and hurriedly covered it up, "I just feel like I haven't drunk your black tea for a long time-"

"How do you feel? It's been a long time! Sakura smiled again, "You used to come to your sister every time you came back, but now you have Rusya-you remember my sister?!" ”

I stuck my tongue out and grimaced.

"Alright, don't make a fuss! What's going on? Sakura smiled and asked.

"It's nothing—" I scratched my head, wording, "yes...... I'm not confident right now. ”

"Huh?"

"You know about the Masked Man, right? I couldn't win at all. ”

"But didn't you come here both times?" Sakura was puzzled.

"I wouldn't have survived without the masked man's suicide and Asshetaro's intervention," I shook my head, and the heaviness of fear crept up my back again, "I almost killed both Rucia and Lagers!" ”

“……”

"Remember the first time I saw Nabal and he said, 'You're naïve, you can't even protect yourself'?" I sighed heavily, "Indeed, no one can protect ...... right now."

"Fool, you're strong now, and only your father can beat you in the Wind Riders now."

"But," I shook my head in disconfidence, "no one can protect it—just like it was four years ago, no one can protect ......."

I don't think it's blurred, and tears of anger drip down the corners of my eyes.

"Maybe ......," I continued to mumble to myself, "maybe that's why Nabal won't tell me where Ogi is, I'm too weak, just like I was four years ago, a piece of shit!" A waste ...... that always brings danger to those around him"

"Fool! You are not allowed to say that about yourself! Sakura suddenly reached out unceremoniously and slapped me on the head, reproaching, "The Lacey I taught is a man who keeps working hard and moving forward!" He is a man who will try to cross even if he encounters setbacks! ――Didn't you promise me that day on the mountain that you must be a man that Ogi can rely on with confidence, a man who can truly protect her, stop her from grief, and give her happiness? Will such a man cringe and lose confidence because of this setback?! ”

“……”

"Remember your agreement? Remember your vows? You're strong! Really strong to say! How many impossible tasks have you accomplished in the past few years? How many times have you saved me on the battlefield? How many of you have helped you? Think about it! Maybe you're weak compared to those masked people right now, but you'll work hard, you'll be stronger than them! - Right?! ”

I didn't answer, just looked back firmly at Sakura's dark eyes full of reproach, and nodded solemnly.

"That's it~ This is my sister's little Lacey!" Sakura's face smiled with satisfaction, and she knocked me again.

“…… Why will you be knocked on the head whether it is good or bad?! I rubbed my sore head and complained.

"Hey," Sakura returned to her gentle appearance, "You've changed back to the Lacey I knew, my sister is happy~"

"You're happy, I'm hurting to death!" I simply quipped, "Is there a reward for turning back?" ”

"Reward? Hmm......" Sakura tilted her head sideways and thought for a while, then suddenly clasped her hands together and laughed happily, "Yes! Don't you think you're weak? Sister, I'm going to improve your strength now, right? Here, take off your shirt! ”

"Huh? Hoist? How to improve? Why do you have to take off your clothes? "I wondered, but I took off my shirt obediently.

Sakura turned around and took out a boxy stone and a black thing from the box, and then took out an oriental pen - it seems to be called a brush, right?

"You're waiting~" Sakura looked at me with a smile in her eyes, then poured the black tea in her cup on the stone, picked up the black thing and rubbed it repeatedly - gradually the black tea turned into a black liquid.

"What is this?" I couldn't help but ask.

"This? Hehe~" Sakura explained while rubbing, "This is called inkstone, this is called ink, this is called ink, this is a brush, all of which are things used by Oriental people to write, and the Taoist talisman given to you last time was dipped in this ink with this pen~"

With that, she took the brush and dipped it in the black liquid, and then approached me with a wicked smile.

"Hey! Feed! Feed! What are you doing? "I had a sense of foreboding.

"It's nothing, it's nothing~ Hmph! My sister ordered you not to move~ You don't remember my sister and my Taoist magician, right? ~ Draw you a talisman to improve your strength, it will definitely work! Sakura smiled and took a brush and drew it on my heart.

"It's itchy!" It feels so strange that the brush is sweeping around in the heart! But Sakura actually told me not to move in a commanding tone, so I had to endure the discomfort and say the question in my heart, "Isn't the Taoist talisman drawn on paper?" Where is there a drawing on a person? Does it really work? - Sakura, you're not kidding me, are you? ”

"Of course there is~ Aren't many magicians going to draw talismans on their bodies to improve their magic power? The Dao rune painting should have the same effect on the body, right? And didn't you yourself say that my Dao Talisman is very effective, sister? ”

"Then you don't have to draw it on your chest—"

"It's not the chest, it's the heart!" Sakura corrected me, with a very happy look, "After all, my sister has just learned Taoism, and a lot of things are not clear, in fact, I don't know where the painting will be effective, but didn't you say that the Taoist talisman of those Taoist zombies is attached to the heart?" So I guess it works best in the heart position, right? ”

"Hey! Feed! Feed! I'm not a zombie! ”

"So~ I didn't dig out your heart and change it to a talisman, I just drew a talisman outside the heart~ Hey!"

I couldn't help but reach out and rub my nose helplessly: "I always feel that Sakura, you have changed a lot more than before, are you happy to play me?" - I feel like you've all broken the Lagxi ribbon......"

"Don't move! You just raised your hand! It's messed up! Sakura angrily knocked me on the head again, "Redraw again...... I'll go get water and wash it off for you, don't move! ”

"Huh? Still want to draw?! ”

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Although it was playful, Sakura became more and more focused with the brush, and more and more carefully traced the pen on my chest.

Obviously she was just drawing a simple talisman, but tiny beads of sweat gradually oozed from her forehead.

So focused, so serious.

At the same time, he also recited some inexplicable language from time to time - maybe an oriental mantra?

Looking at Sakura's focused and cautious expression, it seems that the brush is not so itchy on the chest.

I don't know how long it took, Sakura finally put down the pen in her hand and let out a long breath: "Whew, it's finally finished-ah!" Don't move! She hurriedly stopped me, who wanted to move my already stiff body, "The ink hasn't dried yet. ”

With that, she puffed up her little mouth and blew carefully on my chest.

“……”

Bursts of fragrance.

It's like a dream.

Looking at Sakura so close in front of me.

So carefully blow the cherry blossoms on my chest.

I didn't feel a throbbing in my heart.

Breathing became rapid.

Just reach out and hug her in your arms.

Just reach out and touch her face.

Just look down to kiss her......

Sakura seemed to notice my abnormality as well, and looked up at me in a daze.

by degrees

Her breathing also became rapid.

Lips trembling slightly,

The body is getting closer and closer.

Looking at the cherry blossoms whose cheeks have turned crimson,

The throbbing in my heart grew stronger and stronger.

Staring into the eyes that have been slightly closed,

I finally couldn't help but lean over—

"Bump!" The door was suddenly pushed open.

Rusya, whose face was pale and panicked, rushed into the room: "Sister Sakura! Sister Sakura! Lacey, Lacey, Lacey, Grey he is gone—yaw! ”

“……”