Overlord - The Lizardmen Heroes - Куганэ Маруяма (читать книги без txt) 📗

“...Please marry me.”

…...

…...?

……?!

“...Ha?!”

For an instant, Crusch doubted her ears.

“Actually, this was not my original purpose for coming here. I fully know that this should wait until after my objective is completed. But I can’t lie to my heart. You may laugh at this foolish male.”

“A...a...ah... ha.”

These were words which she had never heard since the moment of her birth, and ought to have no relevance to her. Her thoughts were torn to shreds in a turbulent storm, scattering all over the place and as such she couldn't organize them.

Towards such a flustered Crusch, Zaryusu revealed a forced smile and continued to speak:

“I apologize, I don’t know what to say, we are currently facing a contingency. Your response can wait until this is over.”

“Uh, ha...haha.”

Finally able to piece together her psyche and successfully resume her thoughts, Crusch regained her composure. However upon immediately recalling Zaryusu’s words from a moment ago, her thoughts once again slipped into disarray.

Crusch tried to secretly take a peek at the male’s face in front of her which had an extremely calm expression.

Saying something like that to me, but he’s still so calm… Perhaps he frequently proposes to other people?! Or perhaps he is already accustomed to this having been proposed so often? …Although he certainly is rather dashing… Ah, what am I thinking! This is part of his plan, it must be, intending to control me, making a proposal to me and proclaiming love. P-p-proposing to someone like me...

She, who had never had the experience of being treated as a female, was unable to keep her cool and failed to notice that the tip of Zaryusu’s tail was also slightly trembling. The man in front of her was also using strength of will to control his emotions from displaying themselves.

That was why a period of silence resulted. Both individuals required some silent time to allow the exuberance to settle.

Barely ten minutes later, it seemed possible to finally return to the original topic at hand.

Crusch intended to ask Zaryusu again for the reason for his visit, but remembered the words from earlier.

...Just how do you bring that up!

With a slap, Crusch’s tail hit the floorboards. The male in front of her flinched, almost as if he was the one who was struck.

This action was too impolite, and Crusch panicked inside.

Even if he was only a traveler, the other person was also a tribe representative… and furthermore not just any ordinary lizardman, but the hero who wielded Frost Pain. Impoliteness towards such a person could surely not be forgiven.

But this is your fault! What’s more, say something!

Zaryusu was in fact reflecting in embarrassment on his rash action, and had chosen to remain silent. However Crusch, who was preoccupied with her emotions as if she was putting a lid over an active volcano, did not notice this at all.

The silence continued, but since this was not a solution to the current situation, Crusch who had realised this decided that it was best to change the topic.

“Since you are not fearful of my body, perhaps it is not surprising that you are a hero?”

Towards Crusch’s barbed words, Zaryusu wore a look of confusion that showed he was clueless as to what she was saying.

Crusch also wondered just what exactly she was thinking.

“Not afraid of my albino body, I mean.”

“...It’s like the white snow that covers the top of the mountain range.”

“...Eh?”

“...A beautiful colour.”

Of course, she had never heard this line once in her life.

W-What is this male saying!

The internal pressure building up within Crusch reached a point at which it could no longer be contained, and the lid holding it in was blown off with this single phrase. Whilst Crusch was lost in the chaos of her own thoughts, Zaryusu smoothly reached out and stroked her scales. Their bright colour was of a polished beauty… and on those slightly cool scales his hands moved downwards like water in a flowing river.

Hiss! It was a short warning noise, but something else was mixed within her breath as well.

It gave both the chance to regain some of their lost composure.

The two realized what was just done to her and what he just did subconsciously. Their entire bodies trembled. Why did I do that? Why did I let him? Doubt became anxiety, and anxiety led to confusion.

As a result, two tails slammed the floor, violently enough to shake the hut.

Then both of them looked at each other, and confirmed the status of the other’s tail. As if time had stopped, both tails stopped moving.

“……”

“……”

The atmosphere was heavy, or perhaps better described as nervousness. Silence fell upon the two individuals, followed by the two secretly stealing glances at each other. Finally managing to get her thoughts in order, Crusch asked him with an icy gaze, determined to detect any lies in his words.

“...Why did you… all of a sudden?”

Although Crush had trouble expressing her thoughts in words, Zaryusu appeared to have understood as he replied honestly and without hesitation.

“It was love at first sight. Besides, death may result from the war this time, and I do not wish to leave any regrets behind.”

This simple honesty, his words that hid none of his emotions made Crusch momentarily lost for words. However, there was a part that she just could not relate to.

“...Even the wielder of that famous Frost Pain is prepared to die in battle?”

“Correct. The opponent is an incomprehensible enemy, one which cannot be taken lightly… Have you seen the monster that acted as the messenger? The one which came to our settlement had this appearance...”

Crusch accepted the illustration which Zaryusu passed over, and nodded after giving it a cursory glance.

“Yes. It was the exact same monster.”

“Do you know what kind of monster that was?”

“No. Including me, no one in the tribe had any idea.”