Maydare Volume 1 Chapter 11 - The Descendant of the Worst Witch in the World (Part 1)

 Shit goes down in this chapter! It's probably the longest one yet

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Thor. Yes. I named him.

Even if it was unconscious, even if I had no memory of my previous life at that time, the other me within myself must have told it to me at that time.

This person’s destined name.

Thor walked up to me quietly, without blinking.

“Ah…”

As for me, for some reason, I automatically backed away.

And then I picked up my dress and ran away as fast as I could.

“!?”

Thor must be surprised.

I didn't even know why I ran away. Maybe I wasn’t mentally prepared to face Thor because he appeared so suddenly.

No, that wasn’t it. It was something I kept running away from since earlier. 

I was afraid. Even though I wanted to see him so badly, I was afraid of facing Thor and finding out what my feelings really were.

In this way, even now, the me of my previous life suddenly peeks out.

I was a coward, running away from what was important to me, unable to convey anything in words.

Even though I wasn’t that girl from my past life anymore…

“Ow, it hurts!”

My foot that lost its shoe stepped on a sharp rock or something.

“Well, that’s to be expected when you run around a rose garden without your shoes. You’re as hopeless as ever.”

Thor was Thor, and he had already caught up to me as I ran away.

After I behaved suspiciously from being flustered, I dragged my foot along and hid behind a tree nearby.

It was so obvious. It was so obvious.

“Why did you run away, milady?”

Thor asked from the other side of the tree trunk. My heart was thumping wildly.

“Because…”

Because, because…

“Do you hate me now?”

A somewhat sad and heartrending voice.

That would never happen… Without thinking, I peeked out from behind the trunk.

“Of course not, Thor! I, I just…”

“Got you.”

Darn, it was a trap…!

Thor firmly gripped my shoulder, a sly and impertinent grin on his face.

He hadn’t changed. He hadn’t changed at all, this man!

“Ah, aaaah….”

I felt the energy drain out of my body, and I sank down on the spot.

Thor knelt down in front of me, who was unable to stand up, met my eyes just like when we were kids, and extended his hand to me in a knightly manner.

“It’s been a long time, Young Mistress Makia.”

“...”

I was still speechless, just staring at Thor’s outstretched hand. I poked at his manly hand in confusion, bewilderment, and a little bit of fear.

It was like when I encountered a strange insect or animal.

“Why are you poking at my hand?”

“Well, that’s because I was wondering if you were the real Thor. It’s not like I’m finally starting to see things or anything.”

“You know that now!?”

And then Thor couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into laughter.

“Ahaha. As expected of Milady.”

Then, he was laughing while clutching his stomach, as though a balloon had burst.

He looked quite mature, but his laugh was exactly Thor, and I reaffirmed that the knight in front of me was the real Thor.

“...Why are you here? Weren’t you dancing?”

I asked in a reserved voice.

“Ah, when we were dancing, there was a lady who splendidly ran out of the hall, and then I saw that very nostalgic red hair. I thought it might be possible...and before I knew it…”

“Are you sure that’s alright? You’re one of the stars of the ball, aren’t you?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m...not really good with places like that.”

It was just like Thor to say that.

“Also, I picked this up on the stairs. It’s yours, right, milady?”

Thor showed me my silver shoe.

“Yes…! Yes, that’s mine! Aah, thank goodness~. It came off when I was running away, so I left it where it was.”

“Why...did you want to run away from me that badly?”

“...”

With a sad look on his face, Thor took my bare foot in his hand, checked it for cuts, and then gently slipped it into my silver shoe. I stepped on something sharp earlier, but it seemed that I wasn’t hurt.

When Thor, with downcast eyes, glanced up at me, I let out an “Ah” and looked down.

“Why won’t you meet my eyes?”

“B-Because, Thor...you’ve become a lot more mature. And, you’ve become handsome.”

“...”

“I ran away from you because if I met you, I’d be like this...I won’t be able to keep calm, and I’d be trembling all over.”

Aaaaagh, what was with that maiden-like reply? Thor is probably at a loss for words!

I haven’t been like myself since earlier. I was losing my bearings.

I’ve seen Thor’s face every day before, and we were always together!

I pushed him around, he teased me, and we made sarcastic jabs at each other, but we both did the same amount of good and bad things, and we huddled together and drank milk coffee. 

We were that close!

“Milady. That’s my line.”

“...Eh?”

I unconsciously looked up, and Thor was staring at me somewhat somberly.

“I hardly recognized you, milady. You’ve become too beautiful.”

“What, what are you talking about. I was plenty cute before, wasn’t I!”

“Well, that’s true. But you are much, much more beautiful now than you were then.”

“...”

Huh, Thor was acting strange as well. I couldn’t believe he was honestly praising me.

“Why are you tilting your head?”

“Eh? Well, you...you’re like that too. When did you get so good at flattery?”

With a puzzled face, Thor said, “I wasn’t flattering you, though.”

“N-no, that’s not it. I just...wanted to say you’ve become fine and respectable.”

I was poking my fingers together, a childhood habit. Thor chuckled.

“I’ve spent the last two years learning about chivalry and aristocratic etiquette in the Order of the Royal Palace. But even so, I’m still told that I’m impolite and don’t speak enough.”

He sat down next to me, with the tree trunk at his back. There was no one here except for Thor and me. 

Thor was silent for a while. 

“As expected, I feel relaxed when I’m next to you, milady.”

“...Is that so?”

“Yes. I miss Deliafield. Those empty heathlands, that majestic sky no one knows, the Salt Forest that was like the ends of the world...But you were there, and there was a mansion I wanted to go back to. I don’t know how many times I thought about returning to that place…”

Those words, spoken quietly, were not flattery but seemed to come from Thor’s heart.

When we were separated, I didn’t know anything about Thor’s feelings, but he must have been confused and suffered a lot.

I wasn’t the only one who was sad.

“That’s right, milady. Since we’re here, let’s dance. We can hear the music from here.”

“Huh? Here?”

“I may not look it, but I have gotten a lot better at dancing. As an adopted son of the Bigreitz family, I was trained in the ways of the aristocracy. ...Here, stand up.”

Thor helped me stand, and formally invited me to dance.

“Miss Makia O’Drielle. Will you dance with me?”

“...Yes. Of course, Mr. Thor Bigreitz.”

I will also accept it as a noble lady. I felt like I was getting back to normal.

We weren’t under the sparkly lights of the chandelier, but it was romantic and not bad at all to dance in that mystical night where moonlight poured down on us, surrounded by fragrant roses.

It was too quiet a waltz.

I thought this when I saw him dance in the hall a while ago, but Thor really had improved a lot.

It was very natural and comfortable to be together with him. I felt like crying for some reason.

“Milady, you’re still wearing those earrings, I see. Even though they’re cheap stones.”

While we were dancing, Thor noticed my earrings.

“Of course! They’re very important to me. Because I had these, I…”

“...Milady?”

“You know, Thor. I came here to see you.”

Although I was still a little flustered, I somehow managed to put together the words.

“In order to meet you, I worked hard in magic school. Because after how we parted like that, I…”

I really wanted to see you badly.

I’m sorry I ran away and made you look sad earlier.

It happened when I was about to continue with that.

“Thor! There you are!”

The person who appeared, as if to interrupt my words, was Miss Airi, wearing a light blue dress.

She saw me and went “Ah…” with a perplexed look on her face, but quickly ran over to Thor.

“You’re awful, leaving me in the middle of our dance and going off somewhere! I was so embarrassed!”

“I’m truly sorry, Lady Airi...I-”

“I practiced so hard for this day! So that I won’t step on your feet. And yet…”

With tears brimming in her eyes, Miss Airi looked like she was about to cry.

Thor put his hands on her thin shoulders and apologized to her many times.

“But, I guess it can’t be helped. If the other person is your precious ex-master…”

“...”

Miss Airi turned her face towards me. Our eyes met.

It was a strong-willed gaze that seemed to be searching me somehow…

“You’re Miss Makia O’Drielle, yes? I heard a lot about you from Thor. That’s why when I saw you on that island before, I knew who you were right away.”

And then, she linked her arms behind her back and brought her face close to mine.

“I invited you to the palace because Thor wanted to see you.”

She made a charming smile.

It was a mannerism of the Tanaka-san I knew so well, and I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

“I truly don’t know how to express my gratitude. Thank you, Lady Airi.”

“No. I’m the one who was helped. Besides, I wanted to confirm a little  something too.”

“...?”

“Let’s go back to the great hall. Lionel has left for his knight patrols, and Gil has to be with the foreign guests. It’s boring without you there, Thor. Come, you too, Miss Makia!”

Airi spun her dress lightly and pulled on Thor’s hand. I followed them, walking a step behind, back to the hall.

I almost never walked with Thor’s back facing me before.

I felt like this hinted at me and Thor’s current positions.

Right now, the girl who should be by his side is not me, but Miss Airi.

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