Chapter 16

"Is it Rivo and Sophie? Are you newlyweds?"

Smiling charmingly, the two blushed furiously.

Oh, how cute! Please, madam, spare us.

Well then.

Rivo? Sophie? Don't worry, it's not a slip of the tongue or a misunderstanding; it's about Rivois and Sophiria.

On this day, after a late breakfast, the wise black horse Matcha, who carried their luggage without being led, walked alongside Rivois, and Sophiria walked next to him. They strolled towards the town.

As Rivois had laughed, saying they would take a leisurely journey, he walked slowly to match Sophiria's pace.

Sophiria, raised to be a lady in every way, was not used to walking, but she hadn't trained in vain. Moreover, the laced boots Rivois had prepared for her through a servant were very light and easy to walk in. With the cooperation of the two walking slowly, she could walk without much effort.

The conversation along the way was, to put it bluntly, trivial.

Sophiria didn't like sweet things, while Rivois did.

Sophiria couldn't stand heights, while Rivois enjoyed climbing them.

Sophiria loved reading books, while Rivois didn't like reading.

In short, they were complete opposites.

From Sophiria's perspective, whether viewed from the front or the back, since she had never done it before, she didn't know, but Rivois was beautiful from every angle—above, diagonally, and below. She didn't even think they were the same species. She was smiling happily to get to know Rivois, but Rivois seemed somewhat dejected. What? You get dejected over that? How cute.

"Um, by the way, um, Miss Sophiria?"

"Yes?"

Suddenly, Rivois started speaking somewhat hesitantly, and Sophiria tilted her head.

Matcha swayed her tail.

"Um, well, nobles often have long names, don't they?"

"Yes, that's true."

Sophiria and Rivois.

Their names weren't that long, but they were names not commonly found among commoners or adventurers.

Indeed, they might not be suitable for fleeing. Sophiria nodded.

"Will you use aliases?"

"Yes, that's right. But, um, if the name is too different from our real names, we might react slowly or not well to it."

"Yes, that's true."

Indeed, Sophiria nodded, but Matcha whinnied softly, and Rivois, with a red face, replied that it was noisy.

Sophiria, who didn't understand their conversation, tilted her head but felt that what Rivois said made sense. After all, if she were called "Chocolate," she wouldn't be able to respond immediately and would feel awkward. At least "Pancetta" would be better. Oh, that's not what he meant?

"Um, so, if you could call me Rivo, that would be great."

With a red face, Rivois laughed. Ah, how cute. Sophiria nodded.

"Mr. Rivo, then."

"!"

Suddenly, Rivois turned even redder, as if a sound had been made.

Is he okay? His face was so red it was worrying.

"Um, well, it's not much different, but, um, Rivi was a nickname my mother used, so, um, I thought it might be a bit, um, inappropriate."

Rivois laughed, and Sophiria blinked.

Nickname.

It's a nickname.

Huh? What's a nickname?

Sophiria flipped through her mental dictionary. Then, her second brain went off with a fanfare and confetti.

Announcement! A nickname is a term of endearment used between close people!

"!!!"

A sound probably came from Sophiria too.

Rivois, no, Rivo, with cheeks as red as hers, pressed them with both hands and groaned.

"Can, can I, call you, that...?"

Sophiria's voice was almost inaudible. Rivo, realizing that Sophiria had understood the meaning of "nickname," and why he had been hesitant, took a deep breath.

Then, he nodded firmly.

"Please, call me. If possible, without the honorifics..."

Well, yeah. After all, traveling together as "Mr. Rivo" and "Miss Sophiria" would be suspicious.

Rivo asking to be called without honorifics probably didn't have any deep meaning, but Sophiria was at a loss for words. Matcha's small whinny, though incomprehensible, made her nod in agreement. There must be some feeling towards her, some deep reading, some expectation.

Sophiria gripped the shoulder strap of the bag Rivois had prepared for her.

A light and sturdy bag.

Not just the bag.

Compared to the heavy, elaborate dress, the light and cute dress and the light, sturdy laced boots. The items, words, and smiles given to take her away.

Sophiria wanted to believe in them but was terribly afraid.

It was a fear like climbing a high staircase step by step or jumping from a high place.

But if she said it, Rivois, Rivo, would surely smile cutely.

After all, despite his beautiful face that could conquer the world, he showed such a face to someone like Sophiria. There was no choice but to climb the stairs or ladder and jump.

Sophiria stared into Rivo's purple eyes, which were like scattered stars.

"Then, please call me Sophie too!"

"Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Sophie... sama..."

It sounded like a song.

Sophiria, no, Sophie, laughed.

"Can you call me again?"

"Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Su... Sophie... sama..."

No, no.

The "Su" is too much. It feels like a rhythm.

"Mr. Rivo, no, Rivo, don't you think it's better without the honorifics?"

"......!!! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no