Chapter 463: The Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye Doesn’t Sleep
Chapter 463: The Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye Doesn’t Sleep
Four in the morning.
“Burp!”
Drinking so much coffee made her burp…
“Ahem… Mr. Himekoji, aren’t you sleeping?”
She coughed lightly twice, as if to hide her embarrassment, then the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye asked with a red face and a puzzled tone.
Mr. Himekoji looked very sleepy.
His eyelids kept fighting each other.
“When Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye sleeps, I’ll sleep.”
Himekoji gulped down a big sip of coffee; as he spoke, the bitter taste of coffee spread fast in his mouth.
He really only liked the super-sweet MAX coffee.
“Mr. Himekoji, you sleep first.”
“You sleep first.”
“Mr. Himekoji, you sleep first!”
The Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye puffed out her cheeks, stubbornly insisting on something, while Mr. Himekoji refused to back down an inch.
“If you sleep, I’ll sleep.”
“I won’t sleep then.”
Was that how it was?
Hearing that answer, Himekoji didn’t feel surprised at all.
The Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye didn’t drink all that coffee because she liked it.
She was only forcing herself to stay awake at night.
“Then I won’t sleep either.”
Himekoji said it plainly and firmly.
“How can that be?”
The Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye was shocked.
“Why not? This is being alone in a room with Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye. I’m super excited. Going twenty-four hours without sleep is easy.”
Himekoji fought back a yawn, forced his eyes wide open, and joked with a smile.
“Mmm~”
She made that shy little sound, then, as if to prove something, the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye raised her voice and insisted loudly,
“I can go for forty-eight hours! Seventy-two hours! Forever!”
She was trying to outdo him in a place like that.
She wouldn’t lose to anyone!
Even Mr. Himekoji, she wouldn’t lose to him.
That’s what her words meant.
More than anyone, she liked him, even more than liking anyone. To not forget this feeling, to remember it firmly, so if it was just staying awake…
She could do it.
She had to do it!
…
“I wish to remember Mr. Himekoji today, tomorrow, the next day, and every day after that.”
There was only one way to make that wish come true—
Keep today going on forever.
Make today turn into tomorrow, then the next day, then every day after that.
Then the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye would live only in today, remember Mr. Himekoji in today, Mr. Himekoji in tomorrow, Mr. Himekoji the next day, and Mr. Himekoji every day after that.
In an endless today, she would remember him firmly forever, like him forever.
So, living only in today was good enough.
Living only in today was just fine.
…
“Then I can stay awake too.”
He said it as a joke, but the look in Himekoji’s bloodshot eyes was real.
“Mr. Himekoji can’t!”
But the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye said no with an equally serious look.
“Why can’t I?”
Himekoji complained with anger, like he felt wronged.
“Because Mr. Himekoji is sick right now!”
“Huh? Did you find out?”
“Eh?”
“The disease that I can’t sleep without seeing you, the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye, fall asleep. Did you find out?”
Himekoji grinned, scratching the back of his head like he was troubled.
“There’s no such disease!”
She figured out he was teasing her, and the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Face went bright red.
“There is.”
But Himekoji nodded, acting very serious.
…
“Mr. Himekoji.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s kiss.”
“Huh?”
“Come on, come on!”
She even moved close to pull his arm and act cute.
It was adorable, but—
“Thunk!”
Himekoji tapped her forehead with his finger.
“I told you, no.”
“Why?”
“Because this is a very important thing. Only with the most important person.”
“Mr. Himekoji is!”
“And something more important…”
Himekoji slowly turned his gaze toward Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye’s face.
“It shouldn’t be done with any particular purpose in mind.”
“…”
For a split second, panic flashed in Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye’s eyes, then she began avoiding Himekoji’s look.
Himekoji continued, his voice gentle and soft.
“A kiss should be beautiful, happy, something to look forward to, right? So don’t wear such a sad, unwilling-to-let-go expression.”
“I… I…”
Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye murmured, lips trembling slightly. Right now, she simply didn’t know what to say.
Was she being that obvious?
Why, in front of Mr. Himekoji, did every hidden feeling seem to get seen through at once?
“It shouldn’t be now.”
“…”
Facing Himekoji’s soft gaze, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye felt as if her throat was blocked. No sound could come out.
Mr. Himekoji’s gaze was wet, clear, and soft like water.
“Things like this… can happen any time later. After Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye experiences more of life, meets more people and things… you might not necessarily choose someone like me again.”
“I will choose Mr. Himekoji!”
Hearing that, she argued back without even thinking.
“It must be Mr. Himekoji!”
Firm, certain, and absolutely definite.
“Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye, your taste in men… really is awful.”
Himekoji shook his head helplessly, but a slow smile spread on his face.
“Nonsense! Mr. Himekoji, you are the best!”
“Well… haven’t you basically never interacted with any opposite-sex besides me? So, you should wait to form that conclusion after comparing.”
“I have!”
Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye puffed out her cheeks, looking displeased, as if Himekoji was underestimating her.
“Huh?”
Himekoji instinctively made a surprised sound.
“I’ve interacted with Brave too!”
“Alright… I guess daily fighting kind of counts as interacting…”
“Mr. Himekoji is ten thousand times handsomer than him!”
“No, even if you say that…”
Himekoji touched the scars covering his face now. At the same time, the image of Brave’s standard, perfect harem-protagonist handsome face popped into his mind.
In terms of looks… this is the first loss since getting the System!
It really hurt.
But… what could he do? The other guy had a System too.
“Mr. Himekoji is the most handsome!”
“Alright, alright. Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye is the prettiest.”
Himekoji acted on the principle of trading compliments, returning the favor.
“R… really?”
However, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye seemed very pleased. She covered her flushed cheeks, both shy and happy, sneaking a peek at Himekoji, wanting confirmation again.
“Of course it’s true.”
“Hehe.”
Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye smiled, eyes slightly curving down, adding a childish, kid-like feel.
“What a shame though, Mr. Himekoji missed the chance to take the prettiest girl’s first kiss.”
“Huh? Really? Is it too late to regret it now?”
Himekoji saw she was joking, so he played along, wearing a look of both regret and surprise on his face.
“Hmph! Too late~”
The happiness and ease in her tone clearly weren’t fake.
But…
“Why are you crying, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye?”
“Of course it’s because I’m so happy! Meeting Mr. Himekoji… I… I feel so blessed!”
“Is that so?”
If that was the reason, Himekoji felt relieved.
“Then… why are you crying too, Mr. Himekoji?”
“Huh? Me?”
Himekoji slowly raised his hand, seeming to realize belatedly, and lightly touched his own cheek.
He really was crying.
Hot tear tracks were marking one side – the left side.
Because only his left eye was crying.
Under the Bandage, the molten gold-flecked pupil silently shed tears alongside Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye.
This eye was, symmetrically, exactly the same as Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye’s right eye.
Originally, it should have belonged to Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye.
But now, due to a plot skill, it had taken root in Himekoji’s left eye socket.
“Why is Mr. Himekoji crying too?”
“Because Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye was crying.”
…
“Mr. Himekoji, please close your eyes.”
“Huh?”
Though a bit puzzled, he instinctively obeyed.
Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye quietly leaned closer to Himekoji, standing on her tiptoes.
“I’m sorry, Rikka… can I borrow you for two more days?”
“Just two days…”
Making this silent plea, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye pressed her slightly trembling lips, resolutely, onto Himekoji’s cheek.
It wasn’t a kiss on the lips. It was a kiss on the cheek.
So, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye was still Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye. Maybe greedy, maybe selfish… she still wanted to borrow Rikka’s body, to stay by Himekoji’s side a little longer.
Just two days! Two days was all she needed!
When the time came, she would absolutely, contentedly, gladly return the body to its owner.
“Goodnight, Mr. Himekoji.”
Before the soft touch fully registered on his cheek, overwhelming sleepiness surged forward. A quiet voice whispered beside his ear.
Thus, his head dipped heavily. Himekoji completely lost consciousness and sank into sleep.
“Not sleeping properly won’t do, you know.”
Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye gently lifted Himekoji’s head and placed it on her lap.
Then, like that, she spent the whole night, watching Himekoji’s peaceful, sleeping face.
A blissful smile appeared on her lips.
…
…