Colt was betrayed by a cat, and the Chick was left to snooze. According to Fluff, it would be sleeping until the end of the year. But that didn't matter.
Inside his and Mina's room, Colt was on the floor kneeling. His head was touching the floor, and Mina was looking down upon him as she sat on the bed.
Fluff was by her side, with its head down, ready to serve like the bastard that it was.
"Fluff, tell me what my Darling said again?"
[He spoke of wanting to deliver you lies, your Majesty. He wanted me to help him think of a lie.]
Colt was cursing Fluff down to its very soul, 'You traitor, how dare you say such things just to save your fat ass? Just wait, I'll make sure to get you back for this!]
[…but this Partner of mine was only doing so to avoid worrying you. He worries about your current self and the child you bear; his expression was twisting as he asked for my opinion, a sign he didn't want to lie.
[His reasoning for going to the Magical Beast Forest stands; he went there to find a suitable gift for Hylda. He wishes only the best for his family, and as it was Hylda's first birthday as his daughter. My Partner also felt terrible for not giving Filla a proper gift, so he was hoping to turn that around with Hylda…]
'I love you, you fucking bastard.' Colt's mind made a complete 180; his love for Fluff had increased. It would appear he had not been abandoned altogether. He almost cried.
Mina listened to Fluff and snorted at its words. However, moments later, she failed to continue her anger. With a flick of her wrist, she cast a healing spell and completely healed him.
Mina sighed, "I can't stay mad at you, Darling. What you did was to make our children happy, but what I'm mad about is you sneaking out without my knowledge. You know how much I hate lying, and considering your track record of having assassins on your neck, it would have been possible for so many to attack you."
Mina was right, and indeed, Colt managed to pull through this time around by having the Chick sacrifice a lot. He ended getting beaten up and bled everywhere.
Colt failed to say anything or even raise his head. He had nothing to argue about, Mina was only worried about him, and she was in the right for being mad. The reason why he was kneeling didn't even have to do with her being obsessive but because her fiance had done something utterly stupid.
Colt…felt like an asshole. In the end, he left without saying anything, masking it as him trying to control his body and getting stronger for everyone's sake. However, that was just him rushing things to reach the end result quickly.
Yes, he did improve by leaps and bounds, but at what return? Almost having everyone killed by some rampaging Monster? He reckoned that his priorities weren't even to make Hylda happy but for the sake of his mission to help others.
He had once mocked Hero's for acting stupid and rash, and yet he had done what he said he wouldn't. Colt…could only sigh at this realization of his stupidity and idiocy.
"You're right; it was all my fault. I shouldn't have gone out alone. If I had told Father about this, he would have gone with us and looked after us…I am sorry for worrying you, my Dear." Colt said with his head still held down.
Mina slowly got on Colt's level and helped him raised his head. Mina leaned over to give him a hug, "Darling, as I said, I do not know what kind of burden you carry. I heard from Light that you were asked to help the people; I know that you are in a rush…but please, don't take it upon yourself to do everything alone. Helping others is good, but do not sacrifice yourself, for if you die, everyone who cares and loves you will miss your presence. We don't need a martyr; we need you…alive."
Mina's words struck Colt's heart. Her tone was not sorrowful, angry, or even annoyed. It was simply filled with warmth.
'In my pursuit of trying to better the lives of others, he put them in even graver danger. I failed to see what���s right from what's wrong…what's efficient to what's stupid, dammit. I need to stop doing such idiocy.'
The Goddess asked Colt to become everyone's Light. He thought it would not affect his thoughts, but it appears that it had. Since he was asked of this, he began to change his ways. He reacted differently to troubles and became headstrong.
He sometimes even acts before he thinks, something he disagreed on. Colt failed to see his mistake, for he believed everything he was doing was correct.
If he helps others, then everyone would be happy.
Colt was wrong, and his view was flawed, and Mina once again was the one who illuminated the way to the correct path. And as he hugged her back, he whispered to her, "Thank you, my Dear."
"Mm…"
Colt had finally matured.
Vol. 3 End.