The Reincarnated Villainess Whose Romantic Trauma From Her Past Life Is Too Strong Is Sweetly and Painfully Doted On by the Prince of the Neighboring Country - Chapter 26

Cherie shuddered as she watched the black panther emerge from a rift in space.

“Cherie, get back.”

As the panther appeared, Salute who had been holding Cherie in one arm to protect her immediately moved her behind him.

(Why—? Why hasn’t the boss character been defeated?)

While shielded by Salute, Cherie’s mind raced. That black panther was a creature born from the manifestation of miasma residue after the Maiden of the Flower Succession blooms a Purification Flower.

Which meant…?

Because Lily’s purification was half-baked, they had retreated from the area without even defeating the boss!

(A-Aren’t they being way too sloppy with their work…?!)

In reality, Lily had left satisfied, believing her purification was perfect—convinced, even, that it was so perfect that the boss monster didn’t even bother to show up. She hadn’t considered for a single second the possibility that the boss hadn’t appeared simply because her skills were insufficient to finish the job.

While Cherie stood stunned by the situation, Salute reached into his tunic, pulled out a single branch, and thrust it into the ground.

—It was a peach blossom.

As the branch, tipped with vibrant pink flowers, was planted in the earth, a dazzling light overflowed from Salute’s hand. Along with the light, he pulled a single sword from the soil.

(—The Heavenly Blade of Floral Creation.)

It was a skill that only Salute could use, even in the original game. It wasn’t a matter of buffing a metal sword with flower magic; it was the ultimate blade that transformed the plant itself into a weapon. On the hilt, which still bore traces of its branch-like origin, tiny peach blossoms bloomed delicately.

When Salute swung the sword, a spray of miasma resembling blood erupted from the corrupted black panther, all without harming the surrounding vegetation.

The flower language of the peach blossom is “Invincible.”

True to its meaning, the slashes unleashed from that blade were sharper and heavier than any sword on earth. While Cherie was captivated by Salute’s fluid sword dance, the boss-class black panther born from the miasma was cleaved in two in an instant, scattering miserably into a black mist.

A slender, supple physique and beautiful swordsmanship unleashed from those arms.

His golden hair fluttered softly in tandem with his movements.

As the boss fell, Salute turned his ephemeral profile toward her. The sword in his palm transformed into petals, as if released to the heavens, and vanished into the sky.

Combined with Salute’s sheer beauty, the sequence of events felt like a dream-like frame taken straight from a movie scene.

“Are you alright? Cherie.”

Salute turned around and approached her, his face full of concern.

Cherie, who had been momentarily entranced by him, finally snapped out of it. “I-I’m fine,” she managed to reply.

(…O-Oh no. Lord Salute was so handsome I completely dazed out for a second…)

That was how much the sight she had witnessed made her heart flutter. As Cherie tried to suppress the palpitations racing against her will, the approaching Salute spoke up.

“…’I’m fine’ is not the right answer.”

With a grumpy expression, he reached out and pinched Cherie’s cheek.

“L-Lord Salute…”

“It’s not ‘Lord Salute,’ either. That was completely dangerous. Why did you try to come here alone and leave me behind?”

“I… I’m sorry…”

She wanted to explain that it had never been like this before, but ultimately, since things had turned dangerous this time, no excuse would hold water. Cherie herself was heartfully glad that Salute had been with her today, so she could do nothing but offer a sincere apology while he pinched her cheek.

“From now on, whenever you come to clean up after that piece of trash, you are absolutely not to come alone. You must always tell me. Understood?”

“U-Understood…”

When Cherie raised both hands in a gesture of surrender to get him to release her cheek, Salute let go, looking satisfied. “Good.”

Then, as if feeling a deep sense of relief, he pulled Cherie into a tight hug.

“I’m so glad that nothing happened to you.”

Cherie felt no lechery or ulterior motives in his embrace; she truly felt that he had been worried about her from the bottom of his heart.

Feeling her heart warm at the fact that there was someone who cared for her so deeply, Cherie tentatively reached her hands around to Salute’s back.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt either, Lord Salute.”

They comforted one another.

—How long had it been since someone had held her?

The warmth of another person, felt after so long, made Cherie feel like she might just start to cry.