Chapter 22

A song could be heard.

It was warm, soft, and gentle. It was a song like that.

It made her heart tickle, wondering if this was what a lullaby was like.

She wanted to listen more, but it also felt wasteful to keep her eyes closed, so Sophie slowly opened them.

The first thing that entered her hazy mind was a beautiful person standing by the window, bathed in the bright light.

Huh? An angel?

Even after blinking a few times, the person who seemed too beautiful to be real smiled at Sophie when she looked up from her hands.

"Ah, you're awake?"

My eyes are going to pop out!

Overwhelmed by the divine beauty that seemed to carry the light, Sophie instinctively squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn’t used to such beauty.

However, she realized that this would mean ignoring Livio, so she opened her eyes again and sat up.

Still, she regretted not keeping her eyes closed a bit longer. She really wanted to listen more, which was quite disappointing.

Sophie suppressed a sigh and pushed her long hair, which clung to her body, behind her ear.

"Good morning...?"

"Yes, good morning."

The smile on that beautiful face made Sophie’s body turn red with embarrassment as she remembered what had happened before she fell asleep. She must be tougher than she thought to fall asleep like that.

Thinking about the silly face she must have made while sleeping, she wanted to jump out of the window right away, but such a rash act would also require courage.

Deciding not to waste Livio’s consideration, Sophie got out of bed.

"Would you like to eat? You haven't eaten anything since morning."

What Livio offered was an apple pie.

Not the kind that looks down on you with a haughty air, as if to say, "I'm expensive and top-quality," but a lumpy, large apple pie that winked and said, "I'm home cooking."

Sophie didn’t usually like sweets, but this one, she wanted to try.

She nodded and moved to the sink to wash her face.

Saliva... wasn’t dripping. Good.

When she returned to the room, a teacup was steaming next to the apple pie on the table. Surprised, she looked at Livio, who smiled and said, "Please."

No, "please"?

Sophie knew no man who would make tea, let alone for a woman. It was as unlikely as the castle suddenly splitting in half. Unlikely, but there he was, dressed and smiling.

"...I thought the same thing yesterday morning... Being able to make tea and cook... Livio, you're amazing."

Hearing this, Livio looked puzzled for a moment before laughing.

"It's a great honor to receive such praise, but I think there are many men like that in the knight's order. It's normal to do things for yourself. There are no maids or butlers to serve us."

The tea in the break room is brought by everyone, but it becomes unclear who brought what, and guessing the type of tea leaves becomes a form of communication.

Sophie imagined a large knight twisting his neck with a teacup in hand and laughed.

"The steeping time and temperature vary depending on the tea leaves, and I'm not very good at such delicate things, so sometimes the taste is terrible. But no one organizes it, and it just keeps increasing, so it never improves. We're all just a bunch of idiots."

Laughing, Livio poured a very delicious tea.

Remembering the late breakfast in the dappled sunlight from yesterday, Sophie’s heart warmed.

Livio rested his cheek on his hand.

"What kind of tea leaves do you think it is?"

Livio smiled mischievously, and Sophie laughed.

"Darjeeling."

"Correct. As expected, you’re not one to play games."

Laughing happily, Livio lifted his teacup.

Sophie cut the pie with a fork.

The moment she put a bite-sized piece in her mouth, the sweet aroma of cinnamon and apple spread! It was a joy she had never felt from the elegant and cute pastries made by top pastry chefs, and Sophie was moved.

"It's delicious!"

"The innkeeper here is a great cook. I ate three of them."

That’s too much. Hmm, but it’s cute, so it’s okay.

Besides, she could understand the urge to keep eating. Sophie nodded.

"If you want more, just let me know. They’re served in the hall."

With a sweet smile, Livio offered, but Sophie vaguely nodded, thinking one was enough.

"By the way,"

Livio, who had been watching Sophie finish the pie with a smile, began to speak while pouring tea into her cup.

"I was just looking at the map. Do you have any places you want to go or any preferences for our next destination?"

Places I want to go... Places I want to go.

Even at the tea parties Sophie didn’t like, such topics often came up. Someone’s territory, some resort, and the ladies would giggle and suggest places. Sophie couldn’t say, "I don’t have the luxury to think about places I want to go," so she would randomly mention the names of some of the villas. It was a bit tricky to remember which one she had mentioned last time, as she was just talking randomly.

She couldn’t give such an answer to Livio. Frowning, she hesitated, and Livio laughed.

"Don’t think too hard. A journey without a destination can be fun too. It’s also enjoyable to have a goal, like something you want to eat or see."

"Something I want to eat."

That. That would be wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Absolutely great. After all, Sophie had just awakened to the joy of food. She didn’t want to eat everything in the world, but the thought of undiscovered delicacies made her heart leap.

"Ah."

"Ah?"

What should she do?

Sophie hesitated about the idea that came to mind.

It wasn’t something she absolutely had to do. She didn’t know the specific name of the dish or the country. She wondered if it was worth mentioning, and Livio, noticing her hesitation, tilted his head.

"Don’t swallow it, Sophie. Okay?"

"!"

So unfair.

So, so unfair. Look, world. A bit of a frown, a tilt of the head, and despite being bigger than Sophie, he’s looking up at her. What? How does he do that?? She couldn’t understand the mechanics. It’s sly. It’s cute. Hah, I see. No wonder the heroes in popular romance novels fall in love just because the heroine looks up at them. The attraction is intense. The only beautiful knight with unchanging charm. Impossible to resist.

Sophie couldn’t imitate it, but it was fine. She was happy.

Sophie, slightly averting her gaze, spoke. Guess what I want to see but can’t see.

"H, I heard there’s a spicy red soup in the eastern country, and I’ve been curious about it for a long time."

Livio blinked.

You’re a foodie. You can’t go all the way to such a distant place just for that. It’s ridiculous.

Livio didn’t say it. He couldn’t say it.

Still, it was hard for Sophie to express her personal wishes and feelings to someone.

Her chest tightened, leaving reason behind.

She almost clenched her hands in her lap, and then,

"That’s great!"

"!"

Blueberry stardust sparkled.

"I’m also interested in the tea named after matcha, and that spicy soup! Oh, it sounds so fun."

With a smile, Livio looked so happy that Sophie almost cried.

Sparkle, sparkle, the light overflowed, and then, "Ah, but..." it cast a shadow.

Seeing his face, which looked difficult to speak and anxious, Sophie’s heart fluttered.

Livio, lowering his eyebrows, looked up and said with his well-shaped lips,

"I’m not good with spicy food, so I might show you my weak side, but please don’t hate me for it."

Sophie couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"Impossible!"

After all, the rule is not to say, "When are you ever not handsome?" A contest to determine Livio’s most handsome moments.