We didn’t exchange a lot of words, but our conversation didn’t get bogged down or become awkward, and the time I spent with Illness-san passed very peacefully.
When I felt that our wine and snacks were almost finished, I called out to Illness-san.
[……Illness-san.]
[Yeeeees?]
[Thank you for getting along with my selfishness today. If an opportunity like this comes up again…… may I invite you again?][Of couuuuurse. At that timeeee, I’ll happily join you agaiiiiiin.]
Perhaps…… even in the future, Illness-san would probably return the salary I gave her to me in a manner similar to what happened this time. Knowing this, I asked her if she wouldn’t mind if I asked her to hang out again, to which Illness-san agreed.
I’m happy to spend time with her like this because it makes me feel at ease, but I still feel helpless…… or rather, I really feel like I wasn’t able to return the work Illness-san does for me.
[……How should I say this…… It feels like I’m always the one being cared after by Illness-san, don’t you think?]
Was it because I felt that way? Such words suddenly came out of my mouth.
I have been indebted to Illness-san so much that I couldn’t even list all of them out. However, I don’t feel like I’ve been able to repay her in any way. Even the salary she received this time also ended up coming back to me.
Even though these words were filled with such thoughts……[No~~ I don’t think that’s the case at all.]
[……Eh?]
Clearly denying my words, Illness-san shook her head.
Then, Illness-san slightly smiled…… and as her normally unfocused eyes focused and stared straight into my eyes, she continued.
[Just as youuuuu feel like you’ve received lots of things from meeeee, I have alsooooo received lots of things from Kaito-samaaaaa.]
[……Is that so?]
Her beautiful black eyes that stared at me, almost as if they were sucking me in, had kindness in them that made me feel warm.
[For exampleeee, Kaito-samaaaa always says “Thank you” to me. riiiiiight?]
[……Ehh?]
[Taking care of Kaito-sama is my jooooob, and so to speak, all the things I did under your service is a matter of couuuuuurse. Howeveeeer, whenever I bring your laundryyyy, or make you teaaaaa, you were aaaaaaaalways…… telling me “Thank you”.]
Saying those words, Illness-san paused for a moment, and gave me a smile that was different from her usual peculiar smile…… a deep smile filled with heartfelt happiness.
[……It may be a trivial thing to Kaito-samaaaaa. But to meeeee, those few words were enough to make me inexplicably happyyyyy. This is just one exampleeeee, but in addition to thaaaaat, I have received many other things from Kaito-samaaaa that it’s too many to couuuuuunt.]
[……Illness-san.]
[This is whyyyy I also want to give many things back to Kaito-samaaaaa. This is whyyyy I want to make Kaito-sama happyyyyy.]
The face of Illness-san, illuminated with the Lighting Magic Tool, is something that I can’t take my eyes off…… She looked dazzlingly beautiful, and I could tell that she definitely meant what she said.
She looked really dazzling that the words “Holy Mother” seemed to fit her. If she said such a thing, there’s no way I can say anything more.
With the conversation stopped once I was at a loss for words, Illness-san quickly stood up from the sofa she was sitting on.
And then, taking out a large…… cape-like thing from her magic box, she draped it over my shoulders.
[……It’s going to be a littleeeeeee chilly this evening. Please get some sleep before it gets too laaaaaate.]
[……Yes. Ummm, errr, thank you.]
[No, no~~ For the fun momeeeeent, thank you very muuuuuuch.]
Saying that, Illness-san smiled again and quickly cleaned up our glasses and plates, and deeply bowing her head, she left the room.
After I saw her off, I found my eyes drift towards the cape that Illness-san had draped over me.
I’ve received a hand-knitted lap blanket from Illness-san before, and this cape has a similar feel to it, so I’m guessing Illness-san also knitted this for me.
As I was thinking that…… I suddenly noticed the three red roses and leaves embroidered on the inner part of the cape.
……Arehh? Why is it embroidered on the inside? It doesn’t seem like this cape is reversible though……
Being that Illness-san was the one who embroidered it, I don’t think this was a mistake, but I still don’t know the reason why. Illness-san is a modest person, so isn’t it possible that she embroidered it on the inside so that it would be less noticeable?
Come to think of it, Illness-san always wears a tie with a rose around her neck, so perhaps, she likes roses. If that’s the case, I guess I’ll remember this detail well.
Roses are a special kind of flower, and the language of flowers changes depending on the color and number of roses.
Red roses symbolize “love”, white roses symbolize “purity”, yellow roses symbolize “friendship” and so on.
Among them, the meaning of the red rose changes depending on how many leaves it has.
In the language of flowers, the leaves of the red rose means “I wish you happiness”, which is exactly in line with Illness’ character.
However, the flower that was embroidered on the inner part of the cape that was given to Kaito held another meaning.
The rose is a flower that symbolizes love…… It was a special kind of flower that “when given to someone, the meaning it held changes depending on the number of roses you give”.
For example……
One rose means “love at first sight”.
Thirteen roses means “eternal friendship”.
Fifty roses means “perpetual love”.
In this way, the language of flowers changes not only by the color, but with the number of roses given.
And when one is given three red roses, in the language of flowers, it holds the meaning————-
———— “I love you”.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [You should have just went with “Drinking with Illness②” here!!! You forcibly changed that d*mned title, and now, you’re changing it back!? There’s not even a single party in here! Just because you forgot to add the “①” in the last time doesn’t mean you have to force that title in!]
? ? ? : [……: Intermission: Illness.]
Serious-senpai : [……Eh? No way, you’re still going on with Illness? Stop……. Please give me a break already. I’m already tattered by the violence of her heroine power……]
