Translator: Adel

Editor: Evelet

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 102: Hermit of Endsk (XI)

From the team: We’d like to give a big thank you to AuzerBlade for giving the team beverage money for a matcha-fix and a boba-fix. So as promised, here is a double release! We thank you all for reading and supporting us. Enjoy!

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As soon as Vio realized what was happening, he shoved Karam away.

“Whaaa-wha-wha, what are you doing!”

He realized he had been kissed. He felt his skin crawl with disgust. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand but still did not understand what Karam had meant by “something like this.”

“I’m a man! Have you mistaken me for a woman?”

“Haha, I’m entirely aware… It doesn’t matter that you are a man; I fell in love with you at first sight.” 

“一Love at first sight…”

Despite the explanation, Vio still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

He couldn’t understand what Karam was thinking, but Vio distanced himself from Karam.

“That’s how beautiful you are. It doesn’t matter that you are a man. I only used the old man as bait to get you here, because you kept avoiding me.”

It seemed Karam had realized that he was being avoided after all.

No, no, I have a problem with this! thought Vio.

Vio started putting it together in his mind and he could now see the situation clearly. He tried to remain calm.

“Oh, I see, so you prefer men? I’m sorry, but I prefer women, so I cannot accept your feelings.”

“It’s okay. You’ll get used to it.” 

Karam’s eyes showed no hint of joking as he stared at Vio; the look was terrifying.

Vio’s conversation with Jill earlier suddenly popped into his mind.

‘You won’t have all of us protecting you, so I thought you could at least have this much, young master. If you feel you are in danger, use it immediately.’

Was it possible that Jill had seen this coming? Vio didn’t falter as he took the magic circle from his pocket and slammed it against Karam’s arm.

“Spirits, I call forth!”

He shouted the incantation for the spell, and a crackling sound filled the room. The air in the room had been stained golden with light as bright as the sun.

Vio coldly looked down at Karam, who was lying on the floor motionless.

“…No matter what gender I am, the way you behaved is unforgivable. Even if I were a woman, that was vile.”

Vio spoke in a low voice with venom dripping from every word. He regained his composure before going to the window and calling Legion and the others waiting outside.

＊＊＊＊＊

“Lord Violant, are you okay?”

Legion rushed to the room to find Karam motionless on the floor and hurried over to Vio.

“No, I am not okay,” Vio answered painfully.

“What?!” He gave a sidelong glance at a very flustered Legion before staring at Jill with watery eyes. 

“Jill, if you knew, why would you have not warned me more clearly?”

“I have humbly told the young master that he is very attractive, so he should be careful of not only women but also men who might fall in love with him. Were you not listening?”

“Ugh.”

Vio fell silent at Jill’s sharp riposte. 

Vio had, in fact, been warned in advance and had not prepared for the situation at all. After all, due to his agoraphobia, he had shut himself in at the estate, so there were no times when he met and talked to women who didn’t work for him. Even though he was warned that men too would fall in love with him, all he could think was, What would make them fall in love with me?

“I thought there was a chance that danger would occur, but since the young master always seems to overlook and underestimate these types of situations, I thought I might provide a small countermeasure just in case… Was this not a proper thing to do?” 

“Sure, I did end up using the magic, but…”

Vio’s mouth trembled as he spoke the words painfully. Karam was as Jill expected, but it was too difficult for Vio to admit that Karam kissed him. 

“Well, more importantly, Mr. Zora needs help!”

“Huh?”

Jill quickly walked over to Zora at the same time Legion approached Vio.

“Lord Violant, what did you mean when you said you’re not okay? What happened to you?”

“Just be quiet; nothing happened!”

“It’s just as I thought. He did something to you!”

Vio tried to lie his way out of the situation but it wasn’t working. Legion grabbed him by the shoulders and stared into his eyes with a serious look.

Looking into Legion’s brown eyes, Vio gave in. He replied in a low voice with a dejected tone.

“…He kissed me.”

“Kissed?!”

“Hey, you’re being too loud!”

Legion started to yell hysterically, and Vio quickly clamped both of his hands over Legion’s mouth to shut him up.

“…What was that you said?”

Vio felt a cold chill in the air, which crept across his skin. Jill had a terrifying smile plastered on his face. Zora was behind him, freed from his ropes, and gave an awkward-looking shrug.

Jill had set Zora free quicker than Vio had hoped and had overheard Legion. Despite the smile on Jill’s face, it was clear that he was livid.

Since Karam was unconscious and Jill was unable to remonstrate him, Vio headed to Zora’s house and knowingly left Jill to deal with the aftermath..

“I’m sorry. Because I got kidnapped, I got you involved in, uhh, stuff.”

“Don’t say anymore, please.”

“Yes, but because you were worried I might be sick, you came over to help me. If you hadn’t done that, you would have been more vigilant. As a fellow man, I feel bad for you.” 

“That’s why! No more, please stop talking!”

Vio uncontrollably raised his voice at Zora, who was offering a heartfelt apology. Even though it had happened only moments ago, Vio considered the incident a part of his dark past that he’d only like to forget.

Vio was overwhelmed and held his head in his hands. Zora stopped mentioning what had just happened and poured tea for everyone instead.

“Ugh”

Vio sighed heavily, but Legion looked miserable too.

“What are you depressed about?”

“I should have argued to come with you anyways… I regret that I didn’t.”

“But I was going to meet Mr. Zora.”

Zora sat at the opposite side of the table, which was wedged in the side of the kitchen and doubled as a dining area. The space felt somewhat cramped.

“I’m really sorry about that. I did want to meet and talk with you, but I was caught on my way there. The only thing I can really say is that it was bad timing.”

Jill had been worried that the meeting was a lie, so he had gone to Zora’s house before the agreed-upon appointment. When Jill visited Zora’s house before the meeting, he was told Zora had gone to the meeting as well, so he hadn’t become suspicious. 

It was just as Zora said. It was bad timing.

“What about me?” asked Zora.

Vio’s head raised up in a flash, and he perked up a bit. Zora nodded.

“Yeah, aren’t you the one who made the steamer in the shrine garden? After seeing that, it made me very curious as to what kind of person you are. I really hate aristocrats, so I don’t want to have any sort of connection to them,” Zora said as he threw the sugar cubes into his tea and continued, “I used to work in the literature building. A power struggle broke out among some nobles, and I got enveloped in it. Because of that, my wife died. So then I came here.”

“Well, if that’s the reason, I don’t blame you.”

It was a good reason to hate people in power. Vio’s rising spirits sank again, and he drank his tea after heaving a sigh. 

“But as my son-in-law and grandson said, you’re a bit different from the rest of them. I didn’t think you would worry about me at all or even try to help me in today’s situation.”

“…I was just scared you might be having a seizure. I’m glad nothing happened.”

Zora had complimented him, but Vio was busy being devastated by his own stupidity.

“In that case, you should just think of this as a dog bite and forget about it.”¹

“Have you ever had another man force themself on you?”

“…Well, that is… Life is long. Many different things can happen.”

Zora made a gesture off into the distance and looked away. Apparently, he must have also had a similar experience.

Now all three of them sighed.

“Forget about all that. For now, I think I’d rather have a chat with you.”

“Yes, let’s do that. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Violant Lesserhain. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“I am Zora Confield. Please, make yourself comfortable. You should have some of these sweets.”

Unlike his very imposing appearance, it appeared he had a sweet tooth. He took the candy off the shelf and offered it to Vio and Legion.

It was a cookie with lemon jam.

While they nibbled away at the cookies, Vio and Zora chattered away about the steamer, spirit magic, and miscellaneous magical goods.

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Translator’s Note: Okay so we’re killing Karam, right? I mean, obviously he needs to die, right?