Why, Can't You Eat? - Chapter 77
Translator and Editor: Effe and Yonnee
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Chapter 77
When I came up the stairs, Ares was standing in front of the locked door. At first glance, his profile looked very gloomy, but unlike usual, he didn’t seem to notice that I was there. I quietly approached him.
“Ares, what are you doing here?”
“L-Lady. Did it go well? Um, it’s been a while.”
“Are you here to say hello?”
“There’s that, and I just, uh, I, I wanted to see…”
Ares spoke timidly, and his cheeks turned red. I was momentarily taken aback by his uncharacteristically direct words. I pursed my lips in awkwardness, then opened the door without a word to let him in.
“Come on in.”
“Ah, yes.”
A faint scent wafted from inside the library where scented candles were burning. I guided him to the sofa on one side and I sat down across from him.
It seemed like he had something he wanted to say, but after hesitating, he hardened his expression and opened his mouth as if he had made a firm decision.
“Lady.”
“Yes.”
“That! Umm.”
“…….”
“Well, I don’t think I’ve spoken properly…”
Ares looked at me with a gloomy face and lowered his head. I just watched him quietly without urging him to answer. A short silence continued for a few minutes.
“It was a mess back then.”
“Back then?”
“Yes, the day that you were angry. Ah, it seems a little strange when I say it like this. So, the day you were sad because we, um, lied…?”
“Yes.”
“Because of the situation, I couldn’t apologize properly, and suddenly confessed like that.”
The memories of that day, which I had been trying hard to suppress, began to come back to me again due to Ares’ words.
…The voices of the commanders confessing that they fell in love at first sight or that they liked me.
“…Yes.”
My voice started trembling. I was filled with shame, embarrassment, and intense emotions, and the promise I made to Lilith that I had made without realizing it passed through my mind. And Ares spoke calmly, as if he had taken a difficult step.
“I said it back then too. It’s true that I fell in love at first sight because you were pretty. I’ve lived my life thinking that I wasn’t interested in women, but that’s not true. As it turned out, my eyes had standards that were much too high.”
He looked very relieved. It felt strange for him to talk so honestly. Maybe it’s because I’ve only seen people who say no when I say, ‘You like me because I’m pretty,’ as if they’ve heard something very insulting.
“You may have noticed, but I, um, enjoyed spending nights together with you. But I couldn’t express it honestly. …I feel so pathetic. I was always pretending to be good or not, and justifying it by saying I didn’t do it because I wanted to.”
The green eyes that looked straight at me did not waver even an inch. He squeezed the hand on his knee tightly. The situation was different, but it was similar to how I felt. That’s why I couldn’t stop him.
“Lady Lily, I’ve liked you for a long time. Ever since we first met.”
“…….”
“I understand that you are suspicious because the reason was impure. Even if I were in Lady’s position, I would definitely have done that. But you know. No matter what you look like I, I love you.”
“Ares.”
“Uh, yes.”
“…I’m also embarrassed to hear it, so I’ll ask you to keep it simple. Otherwise she might come out.”
My throat was already hot even now. His face was as red as mine, so he nodded vigorously, cleared his throat, and spoke again.
“Lady, I, um, whatever you look like, I’m fine with it. Yes, this is for sure.”
“You like my face, right?”
“I, I like everything now! Actually, I didn’t hate it… when you force me to do that.”
“What?!”
You didn’t hate it? As I unconsciously pulled back and made a face, Ares suddenly threw up his hands in embarrassment.
“I didn’t mean that! Just, I was glad that you wanted me.”
“Ah, right. Riiiight.”
The conversation ended with some awkwardness left behind. I wasn’t as uncomfortable with his confession as I thought. Because it wasn’t me that Ares’ heart was turning to right now.
“Even when I think about it, I’m not an attractive man. I’m neither tactful nor decisive, and I think I have more disadvantages than advantages. I also don’t think you would be happy to hear this, Lady… I knew it, but I still felt like I would regret it if I didn’t say it. I’m sorry for acting so selfishly.”
“Well, I feel a little sorry to say this in this situation. I don’t think that you really like me, Sir Ares.”
“Uh? N. no! I really like you…….”
“The one you really like isn’t Lily, who is working as a maid in the imperial palace, but Lily, the succubus. Honest and emotional, and like you said, she wants you.”
“…….”
Ares’ eyes wavered as I continued my calm words. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to say this if I hadn’t talked properly with Endymion before this.
“I’m the same person, but still different. You’ve experienced it yourself, so you know what I’m talking about. There may be similarities, but our personalities and values are truly separate.”
I finished my words firmly and lowered my head. Maybe it’s a good thing that it turned out this way. I took a long breath and licked my dry lips, expecting him to be very confused. But Ares was staring at me with a surprisingly calm face.
“Maybe so.”
“No, not maybe…”
“But either way, it’s still you, after all. Even if you have different personalities and different values, you are still the same person. Whether you are a succubus or not, it doesn’t change that you are the same person.”
“But I’m not the person you like. I can’t act like that.”
“I know what you wanted to say. I mean. In fact, when you got angry, I decided that I must confess my feelings for you.”
The look of him hesitating, as if embarrassed just a moment ago, was no longer visible.
“If the feelings I felt for the girl who came to me in the form of a succubus were fabricated, then it is entirely my heart to think that the girl who is not a succubus is lovely. I liked the way she wanted me. But you know, also the way she looked straight at me when she just quietly listened to my stories.”
He was definitely talking about the time that he and Regulus visited me every day. We didn’t have a special conversation, but I listened quietly to his stories. And whenever our eyes met, Ares would smile shyly.
“Even though it was something you could not do, you blamed yourself and said sorry, saying it was your fault.”
When Ares figured out my identity, I recalled the story we shared in the hospital room. He felt guilty that Spiruna was destroyed by their hands and that I lost the ring because of it.
“I also like the way you smile as if you’re embarrassed. I love seeing your face blush and get embarrassed. And, I remember that you kept apologizing to me that day.”
“…That day?”
“The night when you suddenly came to visit. At that time, I thought it was strange that you suddenly acted like you had changed.”
“Well, I’m sorry about that time, Ares. Really.”
My face became hot. Ares shook his head and chewed his lips and struggled to speak,
“No! Do you remember that I said I was sorry before you left? I lied like that, but you, well, for some reason… But I’m grateful and sorry for letting you go. Well, this was a bit long, but in short, what I want to say is the same as what I said earlier. It is true that the reason was impure and that I fell in love with the succubus Lily at first sight, but I also like the normal Lily.”
“…….”
“I guess emotions really get bigger at some point. When you suddenly disappeared, I realized how I felt, and when you got so angry, I wanted to tell you somehow.”
“Even if I don’t plan on accepting it?”
“Yes, it’s okay if you don’t accept it… I don’t think I’ll lose, honestly. Oh, that doesn’t mean I’m being unreasonable! I just want you to remember that I am here if you ever feel like giving your heart to anyone.”
I’ve wanted to say this all along. Ares muttered that and smiled brightly. It was a more blatant and pure confession than anyone else’s. My heart pounded a little.
“You said so, Lady. If we like you, shouldn’t we think about changing your mind? You’re right. So from now on, I will do my best to make you feel like staying in the palace.”
“…What?”
“But first, I think we need to know what your tastes are like. I was embarrassed because I didn’t know anything. So, do you have a favorite snack? Cake, chocolate, candy?”
Ares asked with shining eyes, as if he would wave his tail vigorously if he had one. I was caught up in the mood and opened my mouth without realizing it.
“Well, I don’t really like sweet things.”
“Oh, really? Then what do you like?”
“Nuts and fruits…?”
“What are your hobbies?”
“Nothing much. I do read books sometimes, though.”
“What do you do on your days off?”
“Just wander around the palace. Well, spend time at a park with a fountain.”
“I see. You like nuts and fruits, but you don’t like sweets, right?”
“Ah yes.”
“You read books sometimes, but you don’t have any hobbies that you enjoy.”
“Yes.”
“On your days off, you just spend time walking.”
“Yes.”
“Then, go out with me on this day off.”
“Yes. …What?”
Ares grinned as he locked eyes with me.
No, wait a minute.
The rapid-fire conversation ended in a strange way. Ares spoke with a flushed face as my eyes widened and fluttered.
“It’s a date, okay?”
“No, that…”
“You told me to try and change your mind. So, why not give me that chance?”
“…….”
“Grandfather Marsein couldn’t even confess his feelings. He got scared of being rejected. But even throughout the years, he kept regretting it. I should have at least tried talking. Even if I end up being miserable, I think I’ll at least try to hold on so I don’t have any regrets. There were a lot of letters left that he couldn’t send to your grandmother. I think he passed away without being able to dispose of it.”
“So, are you going to hang on so you don’t have any regrets even if you get miserable?”
“Yes.”
“You’re really so silly, Sir Ares.”
I smiled at the words he muttered. I was burdened by his feelings for me and tried to push them away because they were not the feelings I wanted. I thought it was easy because it was an emotion he built up easily, so I thought he would give up if I accepted it dryly and calmly.
It was the first time this person looked at me with such a calm face. After watching him without any hesitation, I sighed and couldn’t help but smile faintly.
“All right. Then please give me a good date.”
“Truly?!”
“Yes. But I don’t know any place outside the palace. I’ve never even seen it before, so please take good care of me.”
“Yes! Don’t worry. Then, Lady, will you be okay with going out with me on a date in three days?”
“Yes, I will tell Odil that I’ll take that day off.”
A smile spread across Ares’ face, which was flushed with excitement. At that moment, my lower abdomen suddenly throbbed. It was a different type of sensation than when I was excited due to lack of essence, but it quickly subsided.
What was that? As I was unconsciously pressing my stomach, Ares, who was excited, spoke up. It’s probably no big deal. So I raised my head.
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HeathBar
Awwwwwwww. He’s such a shy boy. :3