Chapter 38

✿

The man who was smiling, showing off his beauty to its fullest opened his lips.

“Last time I asked the Lady a favor. Do you remember?”

“Favor?”

If it’s a favor he asked of me…. What I had forgotten until now came to mind quickly.

“Oh, it was.”

I nodded with a short answer.

Last time he asked that if we met again, I should just call him by his name.

I hesitated for a moment and spoke his name.

“Could I call you Sir Lian?”

“Anything you want. I’m glad you didn’t forget.”

At my words, he smiled as if really happy that I remembered him.

“…There’s no way I’ll forget it.”

Meeting him was something special that didn’t happen in daily life. And there was one more promise I made with him.

‘At that time, I really didn’t know that we would meet again.’

Sitting across from him, he didn’t say anything like he was waiting for me to speak. I thought for a while and soon spoke.

“…My name is Erita.”

It might be possible to give a different name, but I didn’t want to.

At my words, Lian’s mouth opened with a clear smile.

“That’s a pretty name.”

“….Sir Lian.”

Somehow I felt embarrassed and tried to call him, as he was slowly avoiding my gaze.

Then his pupils trembled.

It was for a moment, but I couldn’t miss his appearance because it seems like a reaction from my father and Aaron when we couldn’t see each other.

“…Do you not like your name?”

But as soon as he smiled again, I quietly swallowed my words.

“What brought you here?”

“Well, actually, I like this store quite a bit. It’s a place I used to come to whenever I thought of my mother, but it’s my first time coming back to the capital.”

“Really?”

My eyes widened at his words as I asked.

Of course, since Aaron said that it was a pretty famous place in the capital, it wasn’t impossible, but the coincidence that kept overlapping between us was amazing.

“Yes. My mother liked desserts quite a lot.”

While saying that, Lian’s smiling face seemed somewhat bitter.

In a situation where I could somehow guess, I carefully selected the words I said.

“…Thanks to Sir Lian’s mother, we were able to meet again.”

When I carefully brought it up, he stared at me unknowingly. Then, he burst into a low laugh.

“That’s right. I was able to meet Lady Erita thanks to my mother, so I should be grateful.”

The bitterness of the past was no longer found in his gentle yet smiling tone.

It’s a relief. I thought I had chosen the right words, so I sighed.

He looked at me silently and called my name in a strange tone.

“Lady Erita.”

His call was friendly.

Like my father and Aaron calling me. No, was it a little different from that?

“Yes, Sir Lian?”

“Do you have any plans after this?”

I pondered for a moment at his words, then shook my head.

Because originally I came out without any plans.

“First of all, I came here because I knew this place, but I didn’t know what to do afterwards.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Actually, I came out to refresh my mind because my thoughts are a bit concerning.”

I hadn’t really thought about it while I was talking to him, but anyway, until I left the mansion for the first time, my purpose was to organize my messy head.

When I replied like that, Lian blinked and opened his mouth.

“Then you’re saying you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Yes. I don’t really know the capital.”

I smiled awkwardly and rubbed my cheek.

In response to my answer, Lian looked like he was thinking about something.

“Lady Erita.”

As if he had finished thinking, he raised his gaze and looked into my eyes with a playful smile.

“Then could I borrow Lady Erita’s time for a moment?”

His tone of voice contained enough weight but not burdensome.

It was a cool suggestion.

“…My time?”

“Yes. It’s fate that we met like this.”

“Do you have any plans, Sir Lian?”

At my question, Lian rubbed the handle of the wooden chair with his finger and nodded.

“Actually, I also came out with the same reason as Last Erita. I came here to unwind.”

“Ah…”

The corners of his lips raised to a smile gently. What he said was a very good suggestion for me.

It was quite enjoyable while we were talking, and, as he said, meeting like this was fate.

My thoughts had already shifted.

“Then shall we? Instead, you have to find a place where we’re going. I don’t really know the capital that well.”

As I readily accepted it, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

After asking him first, the positive response seemed unexpected.

“You look surprised.”

“…Actually, I didn’t expect you to accept it so readily.”

When he spoke in a somewhat bewildered tone, I replied with a little awkward smile.

I used to be so fussy before. But there are also innocent corners that I didn’t expect.

A playful reply came out of his response.

“Haha, what? Sir Lian suggested it first.”

As soon as I responded, he smiled and nodded.

“That’s right.”

Lian looked satisfied.

“Okay. So shall we go now?”

It would be nice to sit and talk, but the weather’s unusually nice today.

“Was that so? Then I’ll guide you.”

So we got up from our seats. I went first to the cashier.

Then, behind me, Lian, who was painted in surprise, followed.

He looks like a big puppy.

“Thank you! Please come again next time.”

After saying goodbye to the staff, I left the store.

Perhaps it was close to noon, but the sun rising in the middle of the clear sky was shining right above our heads.

‘As I thought earlier, the weather seems really nice today. ‘

“Fortunately, the sun seems to be on our side today. It’s a pretty lucky day.”

At his witty words, I smiled and glanced at him.

To this handsome man who’s not good enough to hide his feelings, he was quite gentle. So there was another person like Aaron that exists here.

“Sir Lian, you must be popular.”

“What?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Because I don’t believe you if you deny it.”

“You could tell that easily?”

Lian looked at me with a relaxed smile over his subtle tone. The tip of his eyes was slightly curved.

“Really honestly?”

I squinted at him and asked back.

“…No. I was wrong.”

At my reaction, he burst out laughing and shook his head.

“I mean it sincerely.”

“It seemed so.”

Lian glanced at me awkwardly and nodded.

“Okay. Of course.”

“Well, let’s go first. It’s best to hurry, because midday and sunset are the most appropriate time to settle.”

Lian, who turned around, politely reached out to me. It was a gesture for the escort.

“Then shall we go?”

“The knight’s escort. It’s an honor.”

I replied playfully and placed my hand gently over his hand.

His large hands were warm even in the cold winter days that were coming to an end.

✿

Lian walked slowly to my stride.

My hands were covered in black leather gloves that were much larger than my size.

On the other hand, Lian’s hands walking next to me remained white.

“Sir Lian, don’t your hands get cold?”

“I’m fine. My body tends to have a lot of heat.”

After responding calmly, he slightly waved his hand, which had not changed at all. Walking for a while, Lian pulled out his glove in my hand, which became cold.

Even after I refused saying it was okay, he managed to put the gloves on me.

He seemed to be more stubborn than I thought in this area. As a result, though, it was a good thing for me.

“Are you okay, Lady?”

Hearing his words, I clenched and opened the slightly awkward-looking hand a couple of times.

“Of course. It’s warm thanks to the gloves handed over by a gentleman.”

We were exchanging casual conversations, and when we made eye contact, we burst into laughter, no matter who came first.

It was only our second meeting, but it was enough to know that he was a good person.

Until a while ago, both sides, which were full of buildings, were changing to a quiet place.

“Do you by any chance hate high places?”

I shook my head at his question.

“I don’t hate it. I rather like it.”

‘I’ve always liked high places. To be exact, the scenery you see from up above there.’

I feel refreshed whenever I see the unobstructed, open scenery. I liked it more because I could forget all my situations at that moment.

“It seems that the place we’re going now is a high place.”

“Well, it’s kind of like that. I’m glad you like it.”

He smiled brightly at my words.

As we talked and walked, it was after a long distance from the lively downtown area. It’s not like I’ve been walking for a long time.

“We’ve arrived. I hope you like it.”

Then he stopped walking as he spoke.

“This…”

I could guess, but when I saw the scenery that came into view, I exclaimed.

“From here you have a panoramic view of the capital. It’s one of the best places to come when you’re feeling down.”

I nodded blankly at Lian’s explanation.

The scenery with the buildings of the capital spread out was more spectacular than I expected.

Even though the hill we had climbed wasn’t that high.

“…Sir Lian.”

“Yes, Lady Erita.”

A friendly reply came. I smiled broadly and turned to the man standing behind me.

“Thank you for bringing me here. I really liked it.”