Chapter 20

"Then, ──── for me?"

"Yeah, sure. But we are ────, and if ────, let's ────, okay?"

In the flower field, the young me and a handsome boy sat close together, talking very happily. His pitch-black eyes, which gazed at me, were filled with a heat that couldn't be hidden.

Eventually, the boy took my small hand and, as if in a wedding ceremony, placed a ring made of flowers on my finger. My cheeks turned red, and I smiled shyly.

He stroked my blushing cheek and smiled happily as well.

"Don't worry. I'll always like Sadi."

◇◇◇

"…Was that just now a dream…?"

Murmuring this, I got up from the bed. It felt like an unusually realistic dream. I tried hard to remember, but all I could recall was that it was a nostalgic and gentle dream.

After that, I got dressed, had breakfast with my parents, and thanked Harla, Tim, and the guards for their safety. It seems that after they arrived, the knights had exterminated all the beasts.

"It's good that the young lady is safe."

"It's really good that everyone is safe…"

If Tim and the guards hadn't been there, there would have been casualties before the knights arrived, and they were greatly appreciated. Currently, they are investigating the cause of the beasts appearing in the city.

However, that man spoke as if he had deliberately summoned the beasts to separate me from the guards. Could the reason for wanting to kill me be to silence me?

And who is Tabasa, who was apparently supposed to be killed along with me? There are too many things I don't understand.

…Is Gerald talking to the man who took Norman's body right now? I hope it leads to a resolution. While I was embroidering Tim's sword belt in my room to change my mood, I heard:

"Miss, a guest has arrived."

"Who?"

"It's Neil Basset."

"Really? Bring him in immediately."

Upon suddenly hearing that Neil had come to my house, I hastily put away my needle and thread and stood up. Soon, he appeared, holding a large bouquet of flowers and a dazzling smile.

"Sorry for the sudden visit. I heard from Gerald that it was postponed, but I was worried. Here, please take these."

"Thank you."

He said he came to visit me, but I wasn't seriously injured. I just had a slight scrape on my knee.

Still, I decided to properly accept the beautiful flowers and the cake he brought as a gift.

I asked the maid to prepare tea and, once we were alone, I told Neil everything that happened yesterday.

"Oh, you saw that. Gerald has a tendency to do that. He even tried to kill someone there."

I couldn't hide my confusion at his words.

"Kill…?"

"Remember when one of the slaves tried to assault you? Didn't he suddenly disappear after that?"

"…I remember, but…"

About a year ago, one of the slaves who worked in the same place dragged me into a nearby shed and tried to assault me. Gerald came to my rescue immediately, and everything was fine, but it was really, really scary.

Neil said, "Since you saw it, I can talk about it now. I want you to be careful, Sadi."

"He tried to kill that man. He broke all his fingers and toes. If Norman and I hadn't stopped him, he would have killed him."

He was handed over to the guards with a cover story, but Neil didn't know what happened to the man after that.

"Don't look at Sadi like that. Sadi isn't someone you can touch. Sadi is… He kept muttering that. It was so scary, I was really put off."

"Such…"

"That's why I told you to be careful with Gerald."

I didn't know that had happened. Eliza had been comforting me all along.

Even if he was angry on my behalf, breaking all his fingers and toes is not normal.

But when I recalled Gerald's behavior the other day, it didn't seem impossible.

"Why…"

"Because he likes you."

"Wh-what?"

I let out a surprised sound, and Neil lowered his eyebrows.

"Once it gets to that point, it's more like worship or obsession. I don't really understand it, and I don't want to."

"……"

"But it's amazing, isn't it? Gerald doesn't care about appearance or status; he really likes you. Of course, I also really like Sadi."

Neil said this with a childlike smile. I like him and Gerald too.

But I never realized Gerald's feelings. I thought we were just close friends like family.

"I don't think Gerald will do anything bad to you, but you should be careful. People like that can go off the rails once they switch."

"…I understand. Thank you, Neil."

"Mm-hmm."

What face should I show when I see Gerald next? I don't think I can act as usual.

◇◇◇

"Sorry for the sudden visit."

"No, it's fine."

Two days later, the man who visited me was none other than the man I had met at the café. I remember he was with Rufus at the ball.

He introduced himself as Kevin and said he was the deputy leader of the knights and the second son of a baron. After thanking me politely for fixing his sister's stuffed animal, he continued, "Actually…"

"One of my acquaintances is very worried about you."

"Wh-what?"

"About the ice wolf attack in the city."

"Ah, yes."

Actually, the aftermath was more difficult for me. Gerald handled the man, and I kept it a secret from everyone except Neil.

"He was so worried that he couldn't work, and it even affected his eating and sleeping. He wants you to always wear this."

He handed me a ring shaped like a flower. The center had a large diamond, and the petals were adorned with gems, making it clear even to me, who can't appraise such things, that it was a high-quality item.

"It's a magical item for self-defense. It was made by the best magician in the country, so it should work perfectly."

"Wh-what?"

"The details are written here. I understand it might be sudden and concerning, but you can certainly have it checked at the Ministry of Magic."

Moreover, a magical item made by the best magician in the country must be incredibly expensive. I couldn't accept it.

And most importantly, who is the person who is so worried about me that it affects their eating and sleeping? There is only one person I can think of, but Kevin refused to tell me until the end.

In the end, I couldn't refuse when he said, "Think of it as helping someone," and I ended up accepting it.

After seeing Kevin off, I returned to my room and immediately tried on the ring I had just received.

Even I knew that a magical item didn't need such an elaborate design. It felt like he really cared about me.

"…Beautiful."

When I held my hand up to look at it, I couldn't help but sigh at how beautiful it was. It felt so natural, as if it was meant to be on my finger.