They spent their entire walk home in silent.

Julius had expected the boisterous witch to say something more, but after what he had said, it seemed that they reached an impasse.

Usually, silence would fill one with anxiety, but...

“...”

Julius kept staring at the witch. At that point, it wouldn’t even be considered uncouth—because the witch was closing her eyes the entire time. As such, there was no way for her to find out.

Ame was doing her best to avoid looking at his neck. Although her arm was tightly wound around it, she desperately turned away and kept her distance.

Finding the sight amusing, Julius couldn’t help but secretly laugh along the way.

[]

 “...Julius, aren’t you going to bed?”

Upon being laid onto the bed, that was the first thing the witch said.

Immediately, Julius froze. He could feel his throat becoming dry, as unquenchable thirst surged within him.

However, when he saw that the witch’s gaze was filled with nothing but drowsiness, he soon realized that her question was meant to be taken as it was.

Something within him sank.

“...No, I have to go.”

After hearing that, Ame immediately opened her eyes wide—

“Where to?”

—Julius first response was to turn sideway.

When the fireflies had emerged, the girl was too busy admiring her surroundings to notice.

After it had ended, the forest was too dark for her to see anything.

However, inside a room basking under the brilliant moonlight, he wouldn’t be so lucky.

“...I have to get a shower.”

“This late at night? You’ll just get sick...”

“It’s just part of my habit before going to sleep. Besides, my clothes are dirty...”

He shouldn’t have said the last part, for it attracted the witch’s attention to his attire. Panic welled inside him.

“But, your clothes didn’t seem—”

“—It’s wet due to the grass juice!”

“—Huh, is it wet...?”

“I have to go now! It’s unbearable to stay in the same outfit!”

Julius stormed out of the room, leaving the confused witch alone.

[]

After all was said and done, not returning to that room was probably the best option.

...But after he rushed to the shower, there was one crucial problem—

—namely, the lack of any spare clothes.

As Julius traversed the hall way, his frustration towards his own lack of foresight helped warm him up.

He shall retrieve his clothes and took his leave straight away—

—or so was the plan.

So, what the hell was he doing, kneeling beside the bed?

...It was just—

The figure sleeping on the bed just appeared so sinless, when a witch should be anything but that.

Thus, before he realized it, he was already making his way towards her.

The black-haired girl was sleeping soundly. From the look of it, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to assume that she had fallen asleep right after his hasty getaway.

“To just fall asleep, how careless of you...”

Suddenly, a sense of powerlessness crept upon him.

Her blissful, sleeping, face was also testament to her ignorance.

Be it towards the crisis he had gone through in the past, and also at the present time—the girl was oblivious towards them.

Despite the fact that he had just taken a shower and walked through the chilly hallway half-naked, heat pooled within him.

Although he wouldn’t necessarily label himself as a good person, he believed he had done his best to maintain justice and serve the people.

The good had to be upheld, while the evil had to be vanquished.

The strong had the obligation to protect the weak.

To him, such was the norm.

However.

Towards the defenseless, seemingly innocent, girl sleeping before him, his desires were anything but good, while his urges were anything but to protect.

...This is, most definitely... bad.

One thing that he knew for certain was—

—he had to leave, now.

However, as if possessing a mind of its own, his hand went towards her cheek.

Instead of sublime softness, his fingertips were met with a sensation akin to electricity.

It took him by surprise. Probably because of that, his heart was beating rapidly.

Regardless, it wasn’t enough to stop him.

—if anything;

...More, I want to touch—

It was akin to the whisper of a devil.

What had previously happened on top of the same bed was reenacted vividly in his mind.

It may be a mistake.

She may be oblivious to the entirety of her actions.

Nevertheless, a body that had been devoured by the witch couldn’t return to how it once was.

“...You only have yourself to blame.”

At that moment, he didn’t know whether he was directing it towards the witch—or himself.

The girl’s face, and in particular, her lips, were inching closer.

As their lips were about to overlap—

“—I’m sorry... I’m truly sorry...!”

The girl’s tearful face flashed within his mind.

—I’m about to make her sad.

—Because of me, she will cry again.

The sudden realization hadn’t only stopped him in his track, but also filled him with pain.

...That’s right, towards a sick person, what am I doing?

His rationality finally managed to emerge.

M-more importantly, has her fever subsided?

Julius touched her forehead, and felt that it was slightly hot.

...It’d be better if she had some medicine.

However, there was no medicine to be found in that house.

During his investigation, he had unearthed such fact.

To merely sleep it off seemed to be the witch’s method of recovery until now.

Well, for someone with a regeneration ability, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Towards him, whom was aware of her passive skill, it shouldn’t have mattered.

...But why?

Why does the thought of her suffering for even a second ail him so?

Thus, amidst his surging emotions, Julius made a decision—

—no, he was made to do so, by a force he never knew existed, but had grown into something beyond his control.

“...Let me fetch you some medicines. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”

[]

Thus, Julius went to search for a physician in town.

Fortunately, he could find one despite the ungodly hour.

The shabby hut was located in the outskirts of the town. Regardless of its outward appearance, which was close to being in shamble, its reputation was solid.

Upon entering, Julius immediately halted—

—Bizarre-looking plants which hung all around the house. Vivid-colored concoctions displayed all over the room. Pile of books strewn on the floor...

...But, the most conspicuous one had to be the cauldron at the center of the room.

Why, this place looks more like a witch’s dwelling than the one at home...

“...Who is it?”

His instinct as a knight templar urged him to seize that place. However, before he could surrender to said urge—

—From the back of the room, an old man, who looked like the nicest person on earth, appeared.

Looking at how he struggled to make his way amidst the towers of books, Julius instinctively tried to help the old man.

Before that could happen—

“—Oh, you are...!”

The old man seemed to have recognized Julius, despite the fact that it was their first meeting.

Certainly, it wouldn’t be strange for a townsperson to recognize a knight templar or two.

“—Why, if it isn’t the noble lady’s companion!”

...However, the conversation had taken an unexpected turn.

“...’Noble lady’?”

...Strange.

Be it in the past, or at the present time, Julius didn’t recall ever serving any noble lady.

“Oh, right! That’s supposed to be a secret! Pardon me, but you’re Ame’s acquaintance, aren’t you?”

“That’s true...” Julius answered while masking his confusion.

...What kind of backstory has the witch invented for herself?

The old man remarked empathically.

“For such a high-born, it must be rough, having to fend for oneself...”

“Indeed...”

Julius could only give a vague affirmation, for there was simply nothing to add.

In the first place, was it truly a mere fiction?

While nothing about her attitude suggested that she was of a noble birth, it’d certainly explain where all her wealth had come from.

Regardless, for an aristocrat to be forced to withdrew within a dangerous forest, without a single chaperon...

As a former noble himself, Julius could attest to a few reasons as to why such a thing could occur—and none of it was good.

He could be exaggerating, but the truth could also be much worse.

Julius knew nothing of the witch’s pain—

—at the same time, pain was all he ever caused for her.

“—Well, as long as she enjoys her recreational time in there, everything’s good! I can totally see why one can’t resist the urge for a bit of risky gambling in their life! I, myself, would also like a chance to study the demon habitat in person!”

...So, she’s just one of those reckless aristocrats who believe they’re invincible just because they’re wealthy!!

Being caught off guard by the witch’s randomness once again, Julius regretted every second he spent sympathizing for her.

“So, I take it that Ame is in a dire need?”

The old man inquired.

“That’s right. How did you know?”

“Hahaha, it’s a jest! Last time, she was the one who frantically went to my place because of her precious acquaintance. Due to the fact that you’re here instead of her, I just concluded that the roles have been reversed!”

“...’Precious... acquaintance?’”

Deep down, Julius had already made a connection.

“Yes, so how’s my ultimate concoction? That ointment is made from the rare plants that can only be found within the depth of Forest Helleborus. Because of that, it took the witch some time to procure all the necessary ingredients!”

The fact that the witch would go above and beyond just to salvage a minor injury she had inflicted on him no longer came off as surprising.

No longer able to avert his gaze from the truth, he had no choice but to look directly at her kindness.

Had he realized it sooner, everything could’ve been different.

...Now that it had come to this, a sunken hollowness was all that it earned him.

Concealing the crippling desolation within his chest, Julius asked in a firm tone.

“I’d like to request something of you...”

[]

“...—up, Anicca...”

In a coaxing tone, someone had called for her.

The witch’s eyes fluttered open, and within her blurry vision, a man could be seen.

He was smiling, and for a moment, it was as if the sun had risen.

However, after blinking a few times, she confirmed that the sky was still dark.

“...Julius? What’s wrong?”

The witch sluggishly tried to sit up.

“I’m sorry for having disturbed your rest. I’ve brought a medicine for you.”

Despite her drowsiness, she could see that he was remorseful. Also, like he said, there was a pill within his hand—presumably to help ease her fever.

At the verge of dawn, the knight templar went out just to search for her medicine.

...The real question was—why?

She also didn’t understand why he was acting so sweet all of the sudden.

After she had stared at the pill for some time, Julius hastily remarked.

“I understand your suspicion—...No, it’s only natural for you to feel that way, considering everything I had done. If it’ll help, I’ll take one right before your eyes at this very moment—”

“—No, it’s nothing like that... it’s just, you don’t have to...”

She wanted to point out why he didn’t have to, but her groggy mind failed her.

Then, in a dispirited tone, as if he was in an endless struggle, Julius answered.

“It is as you say. I don’t have to—but I can’t just leave you alone.”

Rather than something he had decided, the last part sounded like something he had conceded.

“...I see.” The witch answered despondently as she took the pill from his hand.

Julius immediately presented her with a cup of water, and as he did so—

“—Strange, isn’t it?”

Before she put the medicine inside her mouth, the witch responded.

“Indeed.”

Perhaps, it was the last act of kindness.

Afterwards, she felt bleary once again, to which the knight templar advised her to go back to sleep.

“—Julius.”

“What is it?”

The knight templar, whom was draping a blanket over her, answered gently.

“...No, it’s nothing.”

Judging from how he was clad in his knightly attire from top to bottom, it wasn’t likely that he was about to retire for the day anytime soon.

“...I need to go somewhere after this. Have a good rest, my Ms. Witch.”

“Don’t overexert yourself, okay.”

“I won’t.”

“Be sure to rest properly afterwards.”

“I will. Then, I’ll be seeing you.”

If he knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t.

The witch knew that he was more than capable to fend off for himself.

The witch stared at his departing figure until she could no longer fend off the invitation to the land of slumber.