Chapter 34

"Miss, Miss. Hurry up and wake up, Master Gerald has arrived."

"Hmm... Gerald... What?!"

I had been sleeping soundly due to the fatigue from the previous day, but I was abruptly woken up by Hara. I quickly snapped back to my senses and jumped out of bed.

He had gone to a place far from the capital, and I had heard it would take two days for a round trip, so why was he here? I hurriedly got dressed and headed to the parlor where he was waiting.

While walking down the hallway, I asked Hara, and she told me that Norman and Eliza had just woken up and were having breakfast in their room. It seemed they were fine, which relieved me.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"No, it's okay. Rather, I'm sorry for waking you up so early."

Gerald smiled as usual and said, "You're cute even when you just woke up."

"But I heard it would take two days. I was surprised to see you here."

"I turned back halfway."

"Did something happen?"

"…Yeah, I guess a lot happened in my mind."

Gerald said this with a self-deprecating smile. Something must have happened to make him turn back halfway.

Still, we managed to save Norman and Eliza safely. We no longer needed to release them from the engagement magic cast by that man, so in the end, it might have been for the best.

"I read the letter. It must have been tough. Are they here now?"

"Yeah. Should I call them?"

"No, it's okay for now."

"Okay...?"

I was a bit caught off guard by his "for now," but I then told Gerald everything I couldn't convey in the letter.

And the most important thing we needed to do now was to take the magical artifact from a woman named Mabel.

Gerald listened attentively, nodding occasionally. He was a great listener, and I remembered how I used to talk to him for long periods in the past.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of help when it mattered."

"No, you were working for us too."

He looked apologetic, but in fact, I had been relying on him too much and leaving everything to him. When I said not to worry, he looked troubled and lowered his eyebrows.

"…But, you came to me first, right?"

"Huh? Yeah, I did."

"I'm glad."

Gerald eventually looked at me straight with his emerald eyes. His expression had become very serious.

"Hey, Sadi."

"Yeah?"

"Once we retrieve that magical artifact from Mabel and everything is resolved, will you marry me?"

"…What?!"

I let out a surprised and breathless sound. Marry Gerald? Was I just proposed to?

I was so taken aback that I couldn't hide my confusion. I forgot to breathe and could only stare back into his beautiful eyes.

"I love you. I've always loved you."

"…"

"I'm serious, so I'd be happy if you could think about it."

Then he smiled, more beautifully than anyone else.

◇◇◇

After that, Gerald met with Norman and Eliza, talked to them for a while, and then left.

"See you later, Sadi. I love you."

He whispered this in my ear as he was leaving. Even now, as we sit in the garden having tea, I'm still flustered.

I had heard about Neil's feelings, but I never expected to be confessed to or proposed to. And why did Gerald choose this moment?

Still, every time I think about that confession, I feel a warmth in my face. It feels like the first time I've been confessed to by someone of the opposite sex.

"Still, I didn't know Gerald had such a beautiful face. Sadi is beautiful too, it was really surprising."

"Y-Yeah."

"Sadi has a reputation as a villainess, and Gerald is known as a womanizer, right? It must have been tough."

"Yeah, a little."

They still seem unsettled by this life, and I can understand their feelings all too well.

It hurts to know they can't return to their families immediately, but they say they are happy just to be able to live like this. By the way, Neil is coming to our house tomorrow at noon.

"Besides, Lord Rufus is such a wonderful person, isn't he?"

"I think so too. He's really kind."

"Hey, is there really nothing going on between you two?"

"…?"

I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning of her question. They both smiled as if they had come to a conclusion.

"Well, that's just like Sadi."

"I thought so."

When I asked what they meant, they evaded the question. That day, I couldn't stop thinking about Gerald's words and couldn't come up with a good plan to take the magical artifact.

…The next night, I received a letter from Rufus. It said he wanted to go somewhere together and asked me to make time immediately. It also mentioned that he had gone to the residence where the Archbishop used to live yesterday, and that "I think the Archbishop has returned to his original body."

The message was written in neat, masculine handwriting.