"No… that's the weird part! It almost felt like I wasn't fighting him! And about me winning... Now that I think about it, there was something off with the whole thing! It was… it was like he decided that it was enough and let me beat him… Young Miss… is… is it possible that he also knows the future?"
"!"
The future hero started speculating and glanced at the girl next to him, his eyes widening as he saw her make a shocked expression.
"N-no way…! R-Rotsard Vallhall would definitely try to make use of the story or go against it like the petty third-rate villain he is! Since he is supposed to die, he wouldn't actually be capable of that kind of sacrifice!"
But soon she shook her head and waved her hand dismissively while declaring.
"...not if he actually follows what he says and only puts on an appearance to match how his character acts in the story…"
"!!!"
Justin muttered under his breath, but Amelia still heard him and ended up stunned by the idea.
"..."
"...!"
As such, she almost involuntarily ended up turning and looking towards Rotsard, and both of them ended up making eye contact that was quickly broken by Rotsard tensing up and looking away.
"Damn…! We need to keep it low! We were making so much of a ruckus that even he was staring!"
That made Amelia regain some of her cool and she hurriedly leaned in to whisper to Justin.
"Hmm? Oh. No. Not really. That's normal."
"...eh…?"
The future hero discreetly glanced around to make sure whether they are the center of attention or not, before shaking his head and assuring, causing Amelia to let out a confused squeak.
"He never stopped glancing over at you, you know? Even since the duel last year. He only stopped being obvious with it."
"EH!?"
Justin added, causing Amelia to let out a much louder gasp.
"...that's why I started asking you about him in the first place. He clearly never lost interest…"
"?!?!"
The future hero put up his shoulders defensively and muttered, causing Amelia to stare at him wide-eyed.
"H-he keeps looking at… me…?"
Amelia let out a tiny gasp and blushed slightly…
"Wait…! How would YOU know that he keeps glancing at me? Wouldn't YOU have to looking at him all the time!?"
"!!!"
But soon enough, she straightened her back and asked in an accusatory tone, causing the future hero's face to turn bright red as he haphazardly looked away.
At the same time…
"Hohoo~?"
"...it's not like that…"
The kitchen hand boy looked between Rotsard and Amelia and let out an amused chuckle that got an immediate response out of the bleached-blond-haired youth.
A shockingly timid one, too.
Well… more upset than timid.
"I'm not saying anything. Just making an observation."
Sensing a surprised weakness, the kitchen hand boy became intrigued and shrugged his shoulders, acting all dismissive.
"No, really. I already have a fiancee who loves me dearly. I owe her my love too…"
"Oh... oh dear…"
Rotsard shook his head and said while putting down the last rib, making the kitchen hand boy's eyes widen.
"I want her to be happy, make the best kind of memories together while we still can… wh-while we're still in the Academy together, I mean! Because she's in the sixth year now."
"..."
The youth let out a somber sigh before flinching and awkwardly adding unnecessary context that only made his words suspicious, although, truth be told, the kitchen hand boy seemed already concerned even from before those words were spoken.
"Even a carnivore like you has a heart, you know? And a heart desires what a heart desires."
"...that's a romantic way to say it… but I'm just a scum… Mira is such a lovely girl, but I… haaah…"
The boy pointed out with an all-knowing expression, making Rotsard breathe out before letting out a heavy, self-deprecating sigh.
"But, I'm really trying, you know? I'll continue to make her as happy as I can for as long as I can…!"
"Because… that's what you BELIEVE to be the right thing to do, and not what you WANT, though…?"
Rotsard closed his eyes and took a deep breath before declaring and picking up the rib, but the kitchen hand boy did not wait even a second before asking with only a bit of hesitation.
"..."
The boy's words made Rotsard freeze up… then the youth blinked, and put the rib back down.
"Huh. Back when you kept waiting for that little maid with a meal every day, even when she stopped showing up, I already figured out that you might be the type to care about others more than you show… But I certainly didn't take you for a self-sacrificing type of guy."
"...."
The kitchen hand boy let out a surprised voice before saying with a soft smile, while the bleached-blond-haired youth remained silent.
"That wasn't a praise, by the way. Self-preservation is the basic instinct of every living being, you know? Do you think that disregarding your own feelings and faking different ones will not mess you up?"
"...it doesn't matter… Some things are worth sacrificing yourself for."
The two of them sure seemed like they were talking, but only one of them understood both of their setences… but since Rotsard spotted the shadowy figure in the corner of his vision, he knew he was already saying too much to wrong person.
He wasn't supposed to be a hero or a well-known martyr.
He was Rotsard Vallhall, a third-rate villain, a stepping stone for the actual hero.
He was never meant to be happy.
He was never supposed to have anyone except for Mira Vultress mourn him when he's gone.
At least that what the deofol should beleive that Rotsard thinks...!
*crunch*
The bleached-blond-haired youth grabbed the last rib and chomped down on it, crushing the bone together with the tender meat.
"So… how was it today?"
The kitchen boy realized that the conversation was over and changed the subject.
"Disgusting, but a little less than usual, I guess. Maybe."
"UGH! You tasteless carnivore! What was I even expecting?!"
Rotsard took a piece of bread, cleaned the plate with it, and munched it down too before standing up and scoffing at the kitchen hand boy and making him turn red and groan at him in disbelief.