SWNOVELXO Chapter 123
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 123
‘Show me.’
Olivia murmured in the darkened space.
‘I said, show me….’
What happened afterward.
What she had done.
What she had done after the faint smile of the vanished Ricardo marked the end of the long viewing. Unable to see the story’s conclusion, Olivia screamed.
She begged to be shown the future, no matter what it took, even if it meant bringing Ricardo back to life or showing her efforts to save him. Clutching the blue window left floating before her, Olivia cried out.
‘Show me…!’
‘You could at least show me some effort. You could at least tell me what I did…’
“Why do you only show Ricardo in pain…!”
Olivia felt wronged.
Every time, the blue window only showed Ricardo sacrificing himself, never showing her repentant self, only a future where Ricardo suffered, leaving Olivia burdened with guilt.
If it had at least shown her regret, her heart wouldn’t have hurt this much.
Like a fool, only after Ricardo died did she realize the meaning of goodbye, and her own image seemed so ugly and foolish.
Knowing her thoughts were selfish, Olivia still pleaded with the blue window.
‘Please, just once…’
Just once, she begged to see herself reflecting on her actions. Kneeling in the dark space, Olivia wept.
‘Please…’
Ricardo’s faint smile kept lingering in her mind.
She was afraid that if she opened her eyes, Ricardo would disappear, and that fear consumed her.
So.
She begged to know the end of the story.
Even if it meant showing her own suffering, Olivia clung to the blue window and screamed.
[Viewing has ended.]
As always, the blue window did not grant her wish.
***
5 a.m., in the Young Lady’s Room.
Waking earlier than usual, I carefully stopped in front of the Young Lady’s room door, where she was likely sleeping soundly.
The reason for my visit was simple.
I thought she might have left the window open while sleeping.
As always, the Young Lady, who never listened to me, would surely have left the window open.
Every time I warned her about catching a cold, she would counter with the highly scientific excuse, “If I don’t open the window, I’ll suffocate and die.” I could never win against her.
‘Now that you mention it, that makes sense,’ I would think, giving in like the pushover butler I was.
Quietly, I tiptoed and opened the Young Lady’s door.
“Knock, knock. Are you there?”
-…
“No one’s here. Then I’ll proceed with unauthorized entry.”
Inside, I saw the Young Lady sleeping soundly. Having stayed up all night nursing me, she seemed utterly exhausted, lying there with her hands neatly folded over her stomach like a corpse in a coffin, breathing evenly.
‘Sleep well.’
In her sleep, the Young Lady looked as beautiful as an angel in heaven. It felt good to have such a pleasant sight early in the morning.
As I reached out to the slightly open window, the Young Lady’s trembling voice softly brushed past my ears.
“Show me…!”
-Startled.
The Young Lady’s eyes were closed.
It seemed she was talking in her sleep, repeatedly asking to be shown something.
Whatever it was she wanted to see, my mind wandered to rather indecent thoughts. Shaking my head to clear them, I finished closing the window.
“Show me…”
“I don’t know what it is, but no.”
“Please… show me.”
The Young Lady, still asleep, looked deeply uneasy.
“Ugh…”
Frowning and looking as though she might burst into tears at any moment, she muttered in her sleep. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, as if she were trapped in a terrible nightmare.
‘What’s wrong with her?’
Worried that she might have caught my cold, I cautiously placed my hand on her forehead, but it felt perfectly normal.
‘No fever.’
The time was now 5:30 a.m.
Perhaps because I had been sick, my body felt remarkably refreshed. The splitting headache was gone, and my energy had returned to normal.
Now that I could resume my duties as a butler, the Young Lady was trapped in a nightmare.
‘There’s nothing I can do about dreams.’
Being born human, I couldn’t perform the dream care that only an incubus could. It was a bit disappointing.
To become a perfect butler, I would have to be reborn first.
‘Crazy bastard.’
I laughed at myself for entertaining such pointless thoughts. It seemed I had truly become a butler.
Had I been lost in these silly thoughts for about ten minutes?
Tears began to stream from the corners of the Young Lady’s eyes.
“I’m sorry…”
What could she be apologizing for?
Was it because I wasn’t a succubus?
The Young Lady, who already possessed a charm that surpassed that of a succubus, offered an apology that brought no comfort whatsoever.
I gently stretched the Young Lady’s chubby cheeks as I fell into thought.
Feeling the soft texture at my fingertips, I was overcome with the urge to bite them, but as a proper butler, I made the difficult decision to restrain myself.
Waking the Young Lady, who was sleeping so soundly, over a mere impulse would not be appropriate.
Besides.
If I woke her now, I wouldn’t be able to touch her cheeks anymore, which would be a shame in its own right.
Smiling pleasantly, I stretched the Young Lady’s cheeks to the side.
“What are you apologizing for? If it’s for sleeping without a blanket, then yes, you’re at fault.”
I pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and stroked her hair.
“Other than that, you have nothing to apologize for.”
Indeed, I thought, there was nothing as amusing as watching the Young Lady sleep. With her mouth shut, she looked just like an angel.
White hair and pale skin.
And an outrageously full chest.
Hmm… maybe not that last part?
Anyway, when her mouth was closed, the Young Lady resembled a foul-tempered tsundere angel, so spending time like this didn’t seem so bad.
“So, what should I make for breakfast today?”
I didn’t want to see the Young Lady crying.
Just.
There didn’t seem to be any particular reason.
***
Suddenly.
The Young Lady, who had been crying for a long time, stared blankly at the ceiling with empty eyes. Her gaze, filled with complicated emotions, remained fixed on the ceiling as she let out a deep sigh that seemed to sink the earth.
‘Hmm…’
The usual air raid alarm didn’t sound. The patriot who worried about the Empire’s safety every morning must have deemed today’s Empire secure. She refrained from her usual noisy morning greetings.
Instead, she was concerned about someone else’s safety.
“Ricardo…”
What is this?
‘This kind of flirting makes a butler’s heart race.’
Truly, when it came to toying with people’s hearts, she was a master villainess.
“Ricaaardooo…”
With her eyes half-open, the Young Lady was searching for me.
Seemingly unaware of my presence beside her, she called my name in a hoarse voice, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Where are you…?”
It seemed she had a nightmare.
Not a nightmare with ghosts, but one involving me, haunting her through the long night.
Did she dream that I abandoned her? Or perhaps that I had died?
Her expression was filled with sorrow.
I knew it was wrong to think this way, but hearing her first words after waking from a nightmare be my name made my heart race.
“I’m sorry…”
The Young Lady’s shoulders trembled delicately.
“I’m sorry, so please come back quickly… okay?”
I placed my hand on top of the Young Lady’s head. As my fingers brushed against her soft, fluffy hair, the trembling in her shoulders began to subside.
Chicken-droplet tears rolled down her cheeks and soaked her pillow.
“Huh…?”
Her pupils quivered. Perhaps startled by my unexpected presence, her eyes darted around, searching for me in a flurry.
To the right.
To the left.
And then, her gaze met mine as I sat by her bedside.
Her trembling eyes reflected my image, as if she were seeing a ghost.
Slowly, little by little. Though my figure was obscured by the curtains, she stared at me without blinking, as if determined not to forget this sight.
I gave her a gentle smile and placed my hand on her forehead.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
“…”
“What kind of nightmare made you cry so much? I was worried you might collapse from dehydration, Young Lady.”
The Young Lady bit her lip and repeatedly clenched and unclenched her tiny fists, as if she had something she wanted to say.
“You know… Ricardo.”
“Yes.”
“I…”
“Yes, Young Lady, you…”
“I missed you so much, Ricardo.”
I covered her eyes with my hand, avoiding her gaze. My face burned. I wasn’t used to sudden advances from a silver-haired beauty.
“Young Lady. How many times have I told you? This kind of flirting makes a butler’s…”
The Young Lady interrupted me with a trembling voice.
“I was afraid that when I opened my eyes, you wouldn’t be here…”
Like a child waking from a bad dream and searching for their mother, she spoke to me in a sorrowful tone.
“I was scared you’d abandon me, Ricardo.”
“Why would I abandon you, Young Lady? I still have unpaid salary to collect, and playing with you is quite entertaining.”
“But still…”
She mumbled, sounding upset.
“I have nothing to offer you.”
I naturally pinched her cheek. Her tear-streaked face was damp to the touch.
“You can take your time and repay me later. Just stop being picky with your food, eat fewer snacks, and swear less. That’s more than enough for me.”
Her glistening cheek didn’t feel as pleasant as when she wasn’t crying.
So.
“Please don’t cry.”
I wished she wouldn’t cry.
“Crying won’t get you more chocolate.”
Her eyes grew moist again. As if she still had tears left to shed, she sniffled and trembled, her shoulders shaking.
I smiled as I wiped away her endless tears with my sleeve, wondering if her tiny body housed a water tank.
“Stop crying. If you cry any more, you won’t be able to open your eyes.”
“But… but… Ricardo…”
“It’s okay. I’m right here.”
The Young Lady sniffled loudly and looked at me.
“Don’t get sick.”
“Yes.”
“Stay healthy every day.”
“Where could you find someone as healthy as me… Oh. Wait, never mind. I was sick yesterday, so maybe I’m a little fragile.”
“Don’t be picky with your food.”
“That’s something you should work on, Young Lady.”
“Just listen…!”
The Young Lady grumbled at me in frustration. They say laughing after crying can make sensitive spots flare up, so I held back a silly joke and covered my mouth.
Now was the time to listen to her.
“I’ll stay quiet.”
Still sniffling, the Young Lady muttered softly.
“And if you say you’re not sick again this time… I’ll really get upset.”
“Yes, I promise.”
“It’s a promise.”
She extended her tear-soaked hand toward me. Though it was smeared with runny nose and looked a bit “ugh,” I figured comforting her after a nightmare was worth it.
I pressed my thumb against her finger as if sealing a promise and nodded.
“Yes.”
Time passed in a warm and cheerful atmosphere.
Once her tears had stopped, the Young Lady sat up and glared at me.
“Ricardo.”
“Yes.”
In a cold voice, she said.
“Take it off.”
“?”
“I need to check if you’re really not hurt.”
“I’ll sue you for sexual harassment.”
“Eeeek…! Take it off!”
Wrapping my arms around myself shyly, I replied with a mischievous smile.
“No.”