57. Tenderness is Insecurity, Hesitation is Desire

Today, I plan to meet Izalis alone, intending to dedicate the entire day to her. However, that doesn’t mean I will agree to everything she suggests. If this elf were to drag me into some garish, strange-smelling little room with a big bed for two, I would definitely refuse.

As for other places, and some subtle gestures or thoughts, today I will just pretend not to see them. After all: first, I believe that even if Izalis has feelings for me in the script, she wouldn’t be bold enough to act on them in broad daylight, especially with unrelated passersby around.

Second… for reasons that I suspect Izalis has already considered, I need to be a bit nicer to her today.

What relieved me was that this elf somewhat understood my intentions. After her words, she didn’t pull me into any “garish alley,” and even her hand movements were very “proper.” She simply held onto my arm, not quite used to walking normally, and then… in silence, we walked towards the outskirts of the city, each lost in our own thoughts.

It wasn’t until the moment the sunset was about to drop, dragging its long afterglow, that I took the initiative to stop on a hillside outside the city with Izalis.

“Izalis, this should be good enough. If we wait any longer, it will be inconvenient for us to return.”

At this moment, aside from the distant scenery visible from our elevated position, it was just the two of us. The afterglow dyed the elf’s white hair into a brilliant hue; the sunlight and the evening breeze made the magical threads she had hidden today dance among her hair. With her back to the setting sun, Izalis bathed in this light, and for a moment, she transcended the simple realm of “beauty” and embodied a kind of “sacredness” befitting her identity.

Perhaps… it should be even higher, to say “like a genuine goddess” would not be an exaggeration at all.

This picturesque scene, combined with the sprite that exists to add the finishing touch, would surely become a profoundly significant “confession scene” in any “script,” right?

But… the only flaw in this nearly perfect script lies here: Izalis and I arrived here at this moment almost in tacit agreement, not for “confession and acceptance,” and naturally, there was no subsequent “oath kiss.” Rather, what followed was something completely opposite to “confession.”

Moreover, the sprite beside me already seemed to know everything.

“Lord Oquilid.”

She wrapped her arms around mine again, but her gaze was directed into the distance. “Are you… going to ‘leave’?”

If this was a guess, it was a bit too precise; it seemed she had been aware of my thoughts since the morning.

“You already know, huh…”

“Of course, after all, you’ve been unusually gentle today.” Izalis blinked as she withdrew her gaze and looked at me. “Men only act like this when they feel guilty about something.”

…Who on earth did you learn this nonsense from?

I didn’t respond immediately, because right after, the sprite eagerly took a step closer to me. The thoughts swirling in her mind were already half-revealed through the expression written on her face.

“Then, Lord Oquilid…”

And right after that, the script emerged.

[Izalis wants to acknowledge her master.]

As the content indicated, it was indeed so, and thus… my answer would not change just because the surroundings were on the verge of becoming like a CG scene.

“No.”

The hand of Izalis that clutched my arm trembled slightly. I had already rejected this question many times before, but… at this moment, it seemed this sprite was not planning to simply give up like before.

“Why? Is it that you look down on my current body?”

“Ahem… wait, wait, this has nothing to do with your body.”

Rather, I was still puzzled as to why a sprite like you, who has no worries about food or drink, with status, identity, and power, would want to find a master to restrict and diminish your own freedom and rights?

As for my refusal, it carries no disdain for you, nor is it a matter of “I don’t want you because you’re not my type.” It’s simply that you stated I had a reason to refuse, so I did—nothing more.

“Is it because my current demeanor doesn’t suit your taste?”

“How could that be!”

If I were truly such a superficial “master,” let’s not even mention the distant past; just look at my own fairy—Queen Louise must be several months along by now!

“Then, why do you refuse?” Izalis’s insistence this time lasted longer than any previous occasion. Moreover, she didn’t seem to expect “I want to take her in” so much as she wanted to extract a reason from me.

“My words, the reason you so desire, have already been laid bare before you. To me, you are like a ‘miracle’ born from the unchanging order of this era; your presence makes everything else seem less significant.”

“So, I want to be owned by you. This has nothing to do with my status, power, or wealth; as long as I am still a fairy, such thoughts… will exist just like those of other fairies. Lord Oquild, no matter how powerful a fairy may be, they all yearn for a perfect and qualified ‘master.’ You can accept other fairies, so why not accept me?”

“…”

Because that is impossible.

At first, I desperately sought fairies to “upgrade” Kephiel; then, I searched for fairies alongside Kephiel to obtain a new “script.” Now, I have no reason to continue acquiring fairies. Although Kephiel wouldn’t say much if I took in another fairy—at most, she’d give me a few eye rolls and pinch my thigh for a few days—still…

Izalis, I must refuse your request for recognition for an insurmountable reason.

[Izalis cannot recognize Oquild as her master.]

The script has told me: I do not belong to “this era,” and it is impossible for me to agree to your request. If I could, I would like to tell you the reason, but… I’m sorry, Izalis, this is a secret belonging to our group, one that no outsider can reveal.

“Izalis, there are many excellent ‘masters’ in this world.”

“In the glow of fireflies and the bright moonlight, what do you think I would choose?”

No matter how I explain, it’s futile. Reluctantly, I can only change my approach and vaguely express the reason I need to refuse.

“But we are travelers… To be honest, after the matters in the Rodland Kingdom are resolved, we will leave.”

“Then…”

I know that if I don’t provide this fairy before me with a suitable answer, she will forever pursue the question. At this point, I can only think of one answer.

“Later. When we appear again in the future, or… when you find us, I will… agree then.”

“……”

I thought that such a perfunctory response would at least disappoint Izalis and make her give up.

However, despite the fact that I was saying something particularly irresponsible and like a scoundrel, the next moment I looked over and found that the girl’s gaze, which was gradually filled with surprise, was brimming with joy and astonishment, as if countless stars were hidden within.

Then… the stars fell, and Izalis’s gaze locked onto my eyes, as if she wanted to remember me forever!

Clearly, my response was a promise that I would probably never be able to fulfill. But perhaps the girl didn’t understand, or perhaps… on the basis of understanding everything, she still climbed onto my shoulder, stood on tiptoe, and placed a kiss on my cheek.

This time, I truly couldn’t bring myself to refuse, for this was already Izalis’s way of giving up on the matter of “acknowledging a master” right now.

Phew… this is good; otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to respond to her.

I might as well agree to such a thing, after all… we are about to “go back.”

“A promise is a promise, Lord O’Keefe. When the day comes that you disappear, even if civilization has faded, order is long gone, and even I don’t know where I am or in what form…”

“I will still follow your trail…”

“To find you.”