Slime Reincarnation

Chapter 103: Let’s Break Free from the Princess’s Love

I kept holding Cassina and stroking her head until she stopped crying. My current form, by the way, wasn’t Yabe Hiroki but Derone Mk. II. Because of that, Princess Cassina was actually taller than me right now. So even though she’d thrown herself at me crying, she was now kneeling on the floor to hug me. Only the tips of the tentacles stroking her head had shifted into the shape of a palm, out of consideration that a tentacle probably wouldn’t feel very nice against her skin.

"Lord Yabe, truly... truly, thank you so much."

Having finally calmed down, Princess Cassina turned her tear streaked face into a smile and lifted her head slightly. But her arms didn’t let go of me.

"Don’t worry about it. I told you, didn’t I? I’ll bear all your burdens for you. All you need to do is live your life following your heart."

At my words, Princess Cassina’s tears started flowing again. But this time, instead of burying her face like before, she kept looking straight at me. ...Do I even have eyes? Oh, right, I do. Irina poked one with her finger once. I hope they look cute, like big round ones.

"Fufu... you really are wonderful, Lord Yabe. Earlier was too hasty, but surely it’s fine now. Would you consider taking me as yours, Lord Yabe?"

Princess Cassina showed a smile that bloomed like a flower. From the soft, moonlike beauty of before, she now radiated something more like the sun, strong and dazzling, perhaps from the joy of her wounds being healed.

"I know very well just how beautiful you are. And there’s no way I wouldn’t be happy that someone like you has feelings for me. But as you can see, I’m a bit different from a human being..."

I mean, I was currently Derone Mk. II. Even I found it a little surprising that she’d come on to me like this in this form.

"Come to think of it, is that so? I believe you called yourself a spirit king earlier..."

Whoa! She actually remembered that. Honestly, even I think that was a bit much. Spirit king, of all things...

"I don’t really know what I am myself. My journey to find myself still has no end in sight."

I said this with a wry laugh.

"I see... is that so. If you don’t mind, I would like to stay by your side until you find yourself, and help however I can."

She was really pushing hard here.

"I haven’t even been granted a noble title, and I doubt the king would ever give his permission."

I pointed out something rather obvious.

"I am the cursed child shut away in a tower. If handled properly, I believe something could be arranged. And considering the kingdom’s interests, there’s no reason not to form a marriage bond with someone of your caliber."

Princess Cassina smiled, a smile that somehow carried real weight behind it. This was, I suppose, exactly what you’d expect from a princess.

I slipped smoothly out of Princess Cassina’s embrace and stepped backward out through the window into the air.

"Y, Lord Yabe!"

Princess Cassina ran to the window frame, still unclothed.

Flapping my wings, floating in the air, I spoke gently to her.

"You are no longer a caged canary. Now you can spread your own wings and fly into the open sky... Be happy. You are free now."

I beat my wings and slowly drifted away from the window.

"Lord Yabe! I need your strength to fly through the sky! It’s because you’re beside me that I can spread my wings! Pl, please don’t go! Take me with you!"

Cassina called out, nearly crying. Not as a princess, but simply as a woman, her feelings genuinely moved me. But I couldn’t take her with me right now. After all, she was the princess of this kingdom.

"You deserve to be happy, so very happy, more than anyone. You can spread your wings. Even without me by your side."

I said this and turned my back to her. Then, keeping the wings, I shifted back into the form of Yabe Hiroki.

"Lord Yabe!"

I gave a quick wave of my hand and flew off. I could hear her voice calling for me, but I flew away without looking back.

"Are you sure about this?"

The chick captain asked.

"If I took her home with me right now, I’d just be a kidnapper."

I forced myself to act cheerful.

I got back to the Coluna Frontier Count’s residence at dawn, entering my own room directly through the window.

"Hm!?"

Someone was sleeping in my bed.

"Rina, huh."

She was curled up on my bed, sleeping like a cat. I poked her cheek.

"Fumyu."

Rina mumbled something in her sleep.

"..."

She was sleeping in her dress again today. I couldn’t help but lift up the hem of her skirt slightly.

"Good, she’s properly wearing underwear."

It seemed she’d gone to sleep with her underwear on properly today. I carefully put the skirt back down.

"Yeah, gotta make sure a slave is wearing proper underwear, that’s just necessary, yep."

I muttered this to no one in particular. I quietly slipped into bed, trying not to wake Rina. But,

"Fuoo! Mashter!"

With what sounded like it should have made a crashing noise, she latched firmly onto me just as I was trying to lie down beside her.

"Whoa!?"

"Fuooooo! Mashter! Mashter!"

Rina clung to me, rubbing her face against mine.

"Hey, hold on, Rina..."

I tried to speak to her, hoping she’d calm down, since she was clinging to me so tightly, but...

"Fumyu..."

"You’re asleep!"

That was a seriously high energy thing to say in your sleep!

"Are you really asleep?"

I poked her cheek, pinched it gently.

"Fumyu myu myu myu~"

But she really did seem to be asleep. Even with that much strength in her grip.

"Maybe she gets lonely being by herself..."

Thinking that, my chest ached a little as I remembered Princess Cassina crying out that she wanted to stay together with me.

"Anyway, let’s just sleep, even if just for a bit..."

Stroking Rina’s head, I pulled the blanket over myself.