kori

貴方のためなら

If it’s for you

Episode 1

[Velis Villa, Private Room]

The night of the last day, after a week of training at Velis… As I lay in bed reflecting on the events of the past seven days... I couldn’t fall asleep easily. Throughout this training period, I felt like I was able to see the worries and conflicts of the butlers... and their growth up close. However... All the butlers continue to hone themselves in order to fulfill their mission... What about me, as their Lord? I wonder if there is something I can do for the butlers… When I think about it… Even as the night grew late, I couldn't fall asleep.

For now, maybe I’ll go drink some water…

After drinking water from the kitchen, I was about to return to my room when… I felt someone was about to come out from another room. The door quietly opened and the person who came out was... Beren.

Aruji: Beren…?

Beren: Eh… arujisama? You’re still awake. …Could it be that you can’t sleep?

Aruji: Yeah…

Beren: I see… In truth, it’s the same for me.

Aruji: Beren too?

Beren: Yeah… So I was thinking of going for a walk until I felt sleepy. …Actually, I haven’t been sleeping well this past few days… Ah. It's not that I'm not feeling well, so don't worry. Rather, it’s the opposite. I feel like I want to move my body more. I think it was thanks to the training camp that I was able to face my own feelings. Hehe... I have more than enough energy, if I may say so myself. Of course, not all my worries have disappeared... I’m grateful to Lucas-san and arujisama.

Aruji: I haven’t done anything.

Beren: That’s not true. Just having someone listen helped me a lot. Oops… I’m sorry for talking a lot at this hour. I'll walk you to your room, arujisama. I hope you can sleep well.

Beren said he would send me back. I instead, felt more awake than I had been moments ago. He said “Not all my worries have disappeared.” So maybe that’s the reason he couldn’t fall asleep. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do for Beren… If even just listening to him could help him... I wanted to do that at the very least.

Aruji: Can I take a walk with you?

Beren: Eh, you want to go with me? ...Of course I don't mind...  But isn't it time for you to go to bed?

Aruji: I don’t think I can fall asleep yet.

Beren:… is that so. Understood. Then until you get sleepy… Let’s talk together while taking a walk on the beach.

Aruji: Yeah.

[Velis Beach]

Under the starlight… The teo of us walked along the deserted beach. Although we had said we would talk while walking...  The silence and beauty of the beach at night left me speechless. It seems that it’s the same for Beren. Only the pleasant sound of footsteps on the sand and the waves enveloped the two of us.

Beren: The beach at night… Come to think of it previously... I remember walking on the beach with Goetia like this...

Aruji: With Goetia-san?

Beren: Yeah. I think it was when I was in my early 20s. I'm not too sure about my memories of what happened before and after I made a contract with the devil... As for memories from before that... I feel like I remember quite a bit. ...I remember that day, together with everyone from the orphanage... We had come to the beach for our annual swim. That night, Goetia and I... We walked along the beach and talked about various things. "I want to quickly make a contract with the devil quickly,” I said.

Aruji: A contract with the devil…

Beren: Yeah… I said before that I wanted to lighten Goetia’s burden. But making a contract with the devil carries the risk of losing your life...  He couldn't make up his mind for a while. So I set a condition with Goetia. “If I win a mock battle, please let me make a contract.”

Aruji: If you win a mock battle?

Beren: Hehe… I thought that if I became stronger, Goetia wouldn't be able to complain.  Well… It took me nearly 10 years to beat Goetia after that. However, its wasn’t that I became stronger… It was because Goetia’s body had weakened.

Aruji: Is that so…

Beren: Yeah. But during those 10 years, Goetia made the “magic suit”. Thanks to that, my body wasn’t affected by the devil… I was able to fight angels, but… …Saying I would follow in Goetia’s footsteps, I fell asleep a few years later. …I truly feel sorry for Goetia and Berrien.

Aruji: Beren…

Beren: Oops. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but complain. It’s just… When I think of the hardships that Goetia and Berrien went through while fighting alone for a long time... I feel like I have to do my best to not lose to those two. ...To be honest... I heard that Berrien had been fighting alone in my place for nearly 100 years... I felt gratitude and a deep sense of remorse... And at the same time, I held a profound respect for him. …My pride as an older brother was hurt a little. Just a small part of it, if I do say so myself. But for me… It was my pride that I was the one who followed in Goetia’s footsteps. I truly felt remorseful that Berrien had to take on that role. I feel a bit presumptuous talking to him like I’m his older brother, the way I used to...

Aruji: I’m sure Berrien wouldn’t mind.

Beren: …Yeah. I thought the same too. Berrien is that kind of person… Besides, if my attitude were to change from the past... I feel like Berrien would be sad too. At the very least, I'll do that much as an older brother... I'll be the "Beren" he sees of me.

Aruji: You’re a great older brother.

Beren: Hehe… Thank you, arujisama. …Well, I know how I can regain my pride back. I want to get stronger little by little, gain more confidence... To be able to hold my head high and act like a big brother again, like I used to. Since I've been given another chance to live… I'm going to challenge myself again, like I used to.

Aruji: I’ll be rooting for you, Beren.

Beren: Thank you. I’m very happy to hear arujisama say that.

Aruji: All I can do is support you.

Beren: Even that is enough, arujisama. It really helps me a lot. Well then... I guess I've talked too long. We should go to bed soon. …Shall we head back to our room?

Aruji: …I guess so.

Beren: Yeah… Thank you for listening to me, arujisama.

If simply listening to him is truly helping Beren... As his lord, I couldn't be happier. Hoping that Beren would be able sleep soundly until the next morning... I also went back to bed in my room.

･──✽──୨୧──✽──･

Episode 2

Several days after the the training ended… I came to the beach during the day, guided by Beren. There was an improvised bar counter set up… A hammock was also hanging in the shade of a nearly palm tree.

Aruji: This is…

Beren: Hehe.. I prepared it because I wanted to heal arujisama. Well, here's the menu. Please order your favorite drink. Whether it's a special cocktail or a tropical juice... I'll make whatever you like.

The handwritten menu lists the names of various drinks... Each one is accompanied by an explanation. Among the menu item… My eyes were drawn to “Today’s recommendation.” “Special original juice”… The description reads, "A flavor that satisfies the feeling of wanting to be helpful to everyone." It was almost as if… It was named just for me, someone who “wants to be helpful to all the butlers”.

Aruji: This “recommendation”…

Beren: Ah. As expected of arujisama, you have a good eye. It's an original juice made with plenty of sweet fruit. But the best thing about it isn't the taste... I hope that arujisama, who is kind to everyone, won’t end up hurting themselves with that very kindness...  — I made with that wish in mind. Recently, arujisama hasn’t been sleeping very well. Maybe… after watching us train, they started to feel something. That’s what I was thinking. For example... "Everyone around me is growing, but is it really okay for me to stay the same?"

I couldn’t hide my surprise at Beren, who was able to accurately predicted my feelings. I never told anyone about this… How did he know?

Beren: Hmm… Could it be that my guess was right?

Aruji: …But, how?

Beren: Hmm... To be honest, it's just a hunch I have… The other day, when I was talking with arujisama… I thought, “Maybe they felt the same way I did”.

Aruji: Felt the same way as Beren…

Beren: Yeah… I guess it’s that anxious, panicked feeling you get when everyone around you seems to be moving ahead without you. "I want to be more helpful to everyone... But what can someone like me do right now?" …I felt the same way when I first woke up. So, somehow, I felt like I could understand how arujisama felt. …And if that is how arujisama feels… I thought maybe it’s also my role to clear up that misunderstanding.

Aruji: Misunderstanding…?

Beren: Yeah… If arujisama were to see all the butlers growing and improving... You might be feeling like you’re the only one being left behind... There's absolutely no need to feel that way. …Because we are already receiving so much from arujisama.

Aruji: From me…?

Beren: Yeah… Who do you think we are fighting for in the first place? To protect humanity… Of course, there’s that sense of duty too, but… We’re human, too. It’s hard to risk our lives when we can’t even imagine the faces of the people we’re meant to protect. At times like that, the faces that come to mind are those of the comrades they live with... And that of arujisama. So for arujisama, there is no need for you to try harder than you have now. Just having arujisama here, gives us strength.

Aruji: Just by being here…

If what Beren said is true, that would be very appreciated but… Watching everyone working so hard up close, and yet being told it's okay to do nothing... I still can't help but feel guilty toward everyone.

Beren: Hehe… I guess it wasn’t the best way to say it. I want arujisama go be by my side, cheering me on. And if possible… If you take good care of yourself, it would really help us too. If our arujisama, whom we're supposed to protect, looks so gloomy... we can’t help but worry too. That being said, arujisama…

Aruji: Hm?

Beren: Today, until arujisama is back to their usual, energetic self... I’m going to spoil you to your heart’s content. Come now, arujisama. First, have a seat in the shade and drink some juice. If it gets hot, just let me know — I’ll fan you. See? I even have this big leaf ready.

Aruji: I’d feel bad…

Beren: Not at all — it’s not bad in the slightest. It would make me very happy if I can help heal arujisama’s fatigue. If I can be of help to arujisama, I’ll be able to gain more confidence. So, you’ll let me… right?

…If Beren says it like that, I can’t really keep holding back any further. I gave up resisting and decided to quietly give in to Beren, who was good at spoiling me.

Aruji: ...Well then, I'll take you up on your offer.

Beren: Hehe… Thank you, arujisama. Here, have some juice. It's nice and cold.

Aruji: Thank you.

When I took a sip of Beren’s special original juice... a refreshing aroma and sweetness passed through along with the cold sensation. …The balance of sweetness and tartness was exquisite the point where you’d think that he must have made many prototypes before coming up with this flavor. At the same time… I couldn’t help but feel that it was almost a waste to enjoy this alone.

Aruji: Beren, you should drink too.

Beren: Eh… me?

Aruji: That would be more healing for me too.

I gently rocked the hammock and told Beren to relax. At first Beren looked surprised… but, his expression immediately turned to a smile.

Beren: Hehe…

That’s not fair, arujisama. If you say it like that, I can’t refuse, right?

Aruji: Let’s both relax, okay?

After the two of us exchanged smiles... Beren prepares a glass of juice for himself. Then, looking somewhat happy, he sat down on the hammock.

Beren: …….. …What a beautiful sea…

Aruji: …Yeah.

From time to time, we take a sip of our drinks... and the two of us gaze absentmindedly at the deep blue sea. Neither of us said much, but...  Still, we sat next to each other, looking at the same scenery... I felt that even without words, it was as if our gentle feelings were being understood by each other…

Beren: …Arujisama. …I’ll do my best.

Aruji: Yeah, I’ll be rooting for you.

Beren: Hehe.. thank you. Arujisama too… Take good care of yourself.

Aruji: …I know.