Chapter 39

✿

Lian stared at me blankly for a moment. The same expression that made me a little flustered.

But that’s just for a while.

“You’re welcome.”

As soon as I heard his answer, I replied with a gentle smile.

“Your expression seems somewhat strange.”

“Well, let’s say I was touched by your words.”

At that clever reaction, I squinted at him.

“Are you touched by that?”

“Well that’s because I’m surprisingly sensitive.” Then after saying that, Lian shrugged and smiled.

I also smiled gently, with my eyes curved at his bland answer.

Although we met only twice, I vaguely knew that Lian was rarely embarrassed.

“You don’t have to dig it up too much.”

I don’t know much about him yet, so it might just be my thoughts, but he’s probably right.

“Well, that’s right. First of all, let’s leave it that way.”

Smiling sweetly, I turned around and slowly walked towards the end of the hill.

“Be careful. It’s like the edge of a cliff over there.”

Next to me, Lian strode along.

“I know. I’m only going to cover that tree over there.”

At first, I thought it was a hill, but this place was like a small cliff.

And at the edge of such a cliff, a large tree was firmly rooted.

“I think it’s an old tree. It’s very thick.”

I said in a slightly startled tone pointing at the tree, which was much bigger than I expected.

The thick trunk of the tree was barely able to wrap around three or four adults.

Lian, who leaned obliquely against the tree, replied.

“I heard that it has existed for over three hundred years.”

“Three hundred years?”

“Yes, there’s a story related to the tree. Do you want to listen to it?”

It was a pretty tempting offer.

“As long as it’s not an excuse.”

I rolled my eyes and nodded. There was no time to be bored when I’m with him.

“Then we’d better sit down and talk for a while.”

Lian looked around and took off his cape, folded it a couple of times, and laid it on a suitable place under the tree.

I asked with a look of concern at his behavior.

“Wasn’t it cold if you took off your cape? I could just sit on the ground.”

Even though it was the end of winter, the air was still cold.

“I don’t feel cold very much, so it’s fine.”

“But still…”

“It’s really okay, so don’t worry. My stomach is also strong, I can handle this kind of cold.”

Lian smiled lightly as if saying he was really okay and shrugged.

“…Thank you. Then excuse me for a moment.”

If I don’t sit down, I’ll have to keep standing, so I couldn’t help but to sit down. Then Lian sat down next to me with an appropriate distance.

“I think Sir Lian was surprisingly stubborn.”

“Haha! I’ve never heard that before.”

At my words, Lian’s eyes widened and responded lightly.

‘Yes, you told me to sit on your cape even if I said I’d sit on the ground.’

“Don’t lie.”

“It’s true.”

As I sat down on the dry grass, I blew my finger across his cheeks.

My magic that surrounded him glowed red for a moment, then disappeared quickly.

“Do you feel warm now?”

Glancing at Lian I smiled with my eyes twinkling looking at him.

At my question, he stared blankly at me for a moment, then finally opened his mouth with the corners of his lips twitching.

“I forgot for a moment that I was with a mighty wizard.”

“Of course. This is an easy task.”

As we looked at each other’s faces, we burst into laughter regardless of who came first.

The second meeting felt incredibly nice.

“Then I’ll tell you a story about this tree.”

It was Lian who stopped laughing first.

“I heard this from my mother, too. It’s a story that’s passed down from mouth to mouth, so it’s very unlikely to be true.”

He began the story calmly in a low voice.

“You know what happened to the Empire three hundred years ago.”

As I pulled my knees closer to lean my head against it, I paused for a moment at those words.

There’s only one case that was famous three hundred years ago.

“The events caused by black wizards and the massive sweep of black magic.”

He gently continued and turned his head towards me.

And I answered slowly.

“…I know.”

I couldn’t help but know. Because I have been studying and researching about black magic for eight years.

“Do you believe in the existence of God?”

“The existence of God?”

“Yes. God who creates and rules this world.”

I immediately thought of the author in Lian’s words.

If there’s a real God in this world, it would be the author of this book.

It’s just a silly thought, but I thought it was pretty reasonable. I smiled and replied to Lian.

“Well, if you asked the people of the Empire if they believe in God, they would say they believe in the Sun God.”

“It’s usually the case. But was Miss Erita also included in that standard?”

In response to my answer, Lian asked another question that I didn’t know how to answer.

Do I believe in the Sun God?

The Sun God was the state religion of the Empire and the most common religion.

More than three quarters of the people of the Empire believe in a Sun God.

“To tell you the truth, no.”

I stared at Lian and then shook my head.

“Because I haven’t met a God yet. The Sun God and other Gods.”

“Then you might get disappointed after hearing my story.”

“Disappointed?”

Hearing my response, he seemed to be having fun somehow.

The reason was found in his next words.

“The place where this tree grew was said to be the place where the tears of the Sun God fell.”

“Ah…”

A tree grown from the tears of the sun God.

Wasn’t it like a story from a myth?

Although paladins and priests use divine power, the Gods have never appeared directly in history.

“It’s said that a white light came down here on the night the black wizards were announced to be cleared out. Though some people say that.”

“Then it seems that this tree grew after that.”

“That’s right.” Lian lightly affirmed my words.

“At first it was a very small tree, but they said it was very colorful. So it looked like it was emitting light at night.”

“People deserve to believe that.”

“Well, it’s an old story.”

Lian, who shrugged, tilted his head and looked at me.

The slightly curved end of his eyes moved slowly as if looking at me, but had a friendly smile.

“Why?”

For some reason, I felt embarrassed to face his gaze, so I swept the dry grass with my hand.

“I think I helped you feel refreshed today.” Lian smiled brightly as he said that.

Come to think of it, I told him that I had a problem at the dessert shop earlier, so I came out to change my mood.

‘I haven’t even thought about it until now.’

I let out a laugh that seemed to fall into the wind at the thought and nodded my head.

“I think so.”

It’s been a long time since the feeling of being uncomfortable disappeared.

“Thank you, Lian. Thanks to you, I feel better.”

I hugged my knees and smiled softly.

“There are many cases where everything’s not as hopeless as I thought after seeing it one step further.”

His low, soft voice rang at the end.

“Was it based on your experience?”

“Well, it’s true and it’s not.”

Lian smiled lightly and replied to my question.

From that clear answer, I could tell that his words were based on his experience.

✿

It was a slow walk, but it was quick to reach down to the downtown area. I turned to the side at the end of the square.

It was after the short shadow had grown longer than my height.

“I think we could split up here.”

I looked up at Lian’s face, neatly covered with fine brown hair.

“Really?” Lian replied back with a slightly saddened tone.

“…I’m glad it’s not that dark.”

Then, I let out a smirk at his added concern. His eyes were looking at me silently.

“It’s not that dangerous even if it’s dark. You know that too, right?”

I raised the corners of my lips more playfully and tilted my head.

Then, in an instant, his face went blank. Soon Lian burst into a pleasant laugh.

“Right. It won’t be dangerous.”

“Of course.”

“If I say I’m worried, would you think I’m silly?”

My eyes widened at his question and I shook my head gently.

“Was that so? The handsome knight’s worries are welcome.”

“I guess Lady Erita likes my face.”

He grinned and patted his face gently.

“Well, I’ve never thought about it.”

After answering Lian’s question, I carefully glanced over his facial features.

His cool, straight eyes were curved, his smooth nose, and his well-shaped lips were beautiful.

After thinking for a moment about the answer, I nodded.

“It seems to be the case when you think about it. Sir Lian is a very handsome man.”

Looking blank for a while at the fresh answer, he smiled low and rubbed his face with his palm.

The tips of his ears were tinged with a light red color.

“Did I stare at it too much?”

I felt embarrassed to look through his face.

“I’m sorry. Did I stare at you too much?”

At what I said, Lian smiled awkwardly and shook his head and replied back.

“…No, it’s not. It’s the first time I’ve heard such a thing openly.”

His face, saying such a thing as if it were true, was a little reminiscent.

I eventually burst into laughter at his innocent appearance.

“It’s unbelievable.”

After my words, there was a strange silence between us.

It’s because I know that it’s really time to part. I swallowed the sinking feeling and made a bright expression.

“Sir Lian, I had a great time today.”

Then, the corner of Lian’s lips also rose.

“I had fun too.”

We didn’t bring up the word ‘meeting after’ as if we had planned it.

It’s because he and I both vaguely know the word. The fact that we are hiding something from each other.

Just being a free knight couldn’t explain the dignity of Lian’s actions.

Other than that, there were a lot of strange things.

But the strangest thing was the unexplained kindness towards me that underlies all his actions.

Still, I chose to pretend I didn’t know. I’m not really dealing with him either.

“But do you know this?”

“What do you mean?”

“If coincidence repeats three times, it’s fate.”

This was all I could say.

At my words, Lian looked blank for a moment, and soon held the brightest smile he had ever seen.

Today I felt the same as last time.

‘That we’ll meet again, for sure.’