Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 83 - Return to Daily Life 2

"Brother~ time to wake up."

Aisha's voice drifted into my ears through a haze.

My mind was already awake. My eyes refused to cooperate.

What's the word for this again? Sleeping in.

It had been nearly a year since we came back from the labyrinth, and winter had returned before I'd done it even once. So why couldn't I drag myself up today?

"Brother?"

"I'm up......"

My mouth moved. The words came out tired.

Then a forehead pressed against mine. I cracked my eyes open. Aisha's face was right there, close enough to feel her breath.

"Brother! You're sick!"

"Mm......? I just feel a little worn out, that's all......"

"That's what happens when brother stays up so late every night! Didn't we already say that Zenith-mother's case is going to be hard to find? Brother, don't push yourself so hard."

She talked while casting a healing spell on me.

The fatigue pulled back a little. I still felt wrung out.

"I just couldn't sleep. I had nothing else to do......"

"You've caught a cold and you have a fever. The healing magic should have brought it down, but I'm going to school to request leave for you. Sylphie-sister and Roxy-sister will come look after you later."

"Mm...... ah, doesn't Roxy have class?"

"Brother~ Roxy-sister is not the kind of person who'd leave her beloved at home just for some unimportant class."

"Leave at home...... that's a rough way to put it...... I'm fine, really. Just a little tired."

I pushed myself up out of bed.

Aisha stared at me.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just think brother isn't as strong as he used to be~"

"Eh!?"

"Is that surprising? Brother has barely been training, hasn't he?"

Fair point.

This whole year had been nothing but chasing Zenith's case. Following a lead to some distant place, arriving to find the condition didn't match, turning straight around and coming home. Over and over. Training had fallen by the wayside.

"Brother...... do you really have to keep going?"

"Yeah. I have to."

"Alright. If brother says so."

Aisha hopped off the bed.

"I'll get your leave sorted at school and let Miss Nanahoshi know as well."

"Mm. Go ahead."

I watched her until she was gone, then lay back down.

......

Some time passed. I'm not sure how much. Then a warm hand closed gently around mine.

I opened my eyes. Sylphie was sitting at the edge of my bed.

"Morning. Ready to eat something?"

"Mm......"

"Roxy's making it now. Just a little longer, okay?"

"Roxy...... she didn't go to school?"

"Rudeus is sick. That makes Rudeus more important."

Sylphie smiled and touched my cheek softly with her palm.

"Aisha already healed me. I'm mostly fine."

"But you're still exhausted, aren't you? Sick or not, you need to actually rest."

Exhausted.

Maybe a little.

A year, and Zenith's condition hadn't moved even a fraction. Telling myself I wasn't tired would have been a lie.

I visited her from time to time. Her face was always the same. Vacant. Distant.

And Paul was struggling. He hadn't reached for alcohol or tobacco, but the hollowness behind his eyes was impossible to miss. He always put on a cheerful front when I came by. That almost made it harder to watch.

I let myself feel the warmth of Sylphie's hand, and I closed my eyes.

"I think I might be a little tired......"

"Rudeus...... if there really is no way forward......"

"Don't worry, Sylphie. When it's time to give up, I'll give up. You know that."

I said it before she could finish.

I didn't know why, but I didn't want to hear the rest of that sentence.

It's only been one year. We spent years searching for Zenith in the first place. One year doesn't mean it's over.

Sylphie looked at me. She didn't say anything.

The silence sat between us, and I couldn't find a way to fill it.

Then Roxy came in carrying a bowl of porridge.

She was wearing her house pajamas. They made her look even smaller than usual.

"Rudeus~ I made porridge! I don't make it very often, so give it a try. I had a little taste myself and I think it turned out okay."

The strange mood that had been building in the room dissolved the instant she walked through the door.

With both of them watching, I wrapped my hands around the warm bowl and drank.

"Well? Does it suit you?"

"Your cooking is getting better and better, Teacher Roxy."

"Hmph hmph~ naturally~ And! Stop calling me teacher. Just use my name."

"Force of habit...... thank you, Roxy."

"You're welcome~"

When I finished, Sylphie collected the dishes and brought them back to the kitchen. Then she came back and sat down again.

The two of them stayed. Roxy opened a textbook. Sylphie just looked at me, somewhere else in her thoughts.

"Uh......"

"What is it?"

"I'm a little embarrassed."

"Oh? Embarrassed just from being watched by two fiancées?"

Roxy closed her textbook, stood up, and walked over.

Then she pulled back my blanket and climbed right in.

"Sylphie, come in too~ it's warm in here."

She waved her over.

Sylphie laughed quietly and slipped in as well.

We hadn't done anything this year. But this kind of closeness had become normal somewhere along the way.

"You'll catch it."

"Don't worry~ the Demon Race almost never gets sick~"

"Same for the Long-Ear Race."

Is that actually how it works? Their constitutions are really that sturdy?

Part of my brain was still turning that over. The rest of me had already stopped thinking.

Not that anything was going to come of it.

"Hmph hmph? Rudeus~"

"What?"

"Still playing it cool. Let's see how long that lasts~"

Roxy's face was flushed red while she said it. Sylphie had gone quiet entirely, which meant she was even worse off.

You're both clearly just as embarrassed, you know.

"Let's sleep. The weather's nice today."

"True. It's so cozy like this. It'd be perfect if Rudeus could clear his head a little."

"If two adorable fiancées crawled into my bed and I had absolutely no reaction, that would be the real tragedy."

"Mm...... fair enough."

Sylphie, for some reason, seemed genuinely pleased by that.

"Rudeus~ you really don't want to......?"

Roxy's voice came out soft and a little blurry.

I did want to. But guilt took up most of the space.

The hope of Zenith waking up was slim. But it had only been a year.

"Roxy."

"Mm?"

I pulled her close and pressed my lips gently to hers.

"Just this, for now."

"Oh......"

Roxy turned away, her face red. I shifted and kissed Sylphie too.

"Let's sleep."

I closed my eyes.

The warmth around me deepened, and I drifted off.

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