288 – In My Eyes, You Are Beautiful. -1-

The beginning of a journey brings a kind of terror.

To those facing trials, it brings the fear of an uncertain future.

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-…Just wait a little longer. I’m not ready yet… Not ready in my heart.

To those who dare to change relationships, give them tremors.

-Stop nagging. Don’t interfere in everything. If you want to be a playful father, talk about love casually…?

-Sigh… This is too hard. Becoming a Sword Master would be easier.

Lastly.

He was giving sorrow to a heart that wouldn’t move as he wished.

-…Why do I fail every time?

-I don’t want to hurt anymore, I want to show a good side…

Starting is a challenge accompanied by fear.

It’s not certain that this start will lead to a good ending, but what’s certain is the struggle to distance oneself from the emotion of regret.

-Let’s work hard again today! When the commoner comes, it won’t be a discarded lunchbox! For the sake of serving a feast!

-Hey, please check me out quickly.

-Ah! Sorry! I’ll do it quickly!

Everyone was changing in their own place.

For a better meeting.

To become someone not ashamed.

They were striving.

*

The Hamel mansion was peaceful today as well.

“Hmm.”

The young lady too.

“Ricardo, my nose is itchy.”

“Then scratch it.”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t pick your nose.”

“Eek…! What can I do if my nose is itchy!”

“Then blow your nose.”

“Blow it for me.”

“…”

“Eeeek! Let me go!”

“Yes.”

Me too.

Today, as I enjoy another blissful day of unemployment, I sit by the lady’s bedside, passing the time leisurely.

The sun is blazing.

No one to come by.

Some might say it’s a waste of time, but…

Indeed.

-Grrrrrrr!!!

“Sniffle. Ricardo.”

“Yes.”

“My nose is stuffed.”

“…”

I thought to myself, doing nothing might be the best kind of healing.

Outside the window, a peaceful landscape unfolds.

Green trees preparing for the upcoming summer and the clear sky. And there’s Gomtang, nibbling away at Hans’ head in the yard.

‘…?’

I rubbed my eyes and looked outside again, wondering if I saw it right.

-Grooom!

-Hahaha… the pinnacle of magic…!

‘What’s that?’

The lady, looking out the window just like me, stretched out her finger with a puzzled look. Asking what they are doing.

-Bear. Bear.

-…If you arrange the spell like this..!

-Bear. Bear. Bear.

“Gomtang, would you bite not just the head but the shoulders too?”

-Bearbearbear (No way.)

I couldn’t answer the lady’s question either. I couldn’t understand their bizarre behavior. Why do people act strange only when they come to our mansion? It’s a mysterious phenomenon that baffles me as I look at Hans and sigh.

Wondering why we live under the same roof as a bear instead of a normal house.

“Ricardo, they’re acting strange.”

“Indeed.”

“Such fools.”

“Are they acting like that because they’re hungry?”

“It seems Ricardo’s friend tastes good.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Ugh…”

The lady gazed at me with curious eyes and then suddenly, ‘Oops,’ she bit my head.

“Yum yum!”

“Hm?”

“Ughhh… Grrrrr..!”

The orderly arrangement of the lady’s teeth on my scalp. Whether she was showing off her healthy teeth or not, I nodded at the unexpectedly rough sensation. It definitely wasn’t because the treasure pouch was touching my shoulder.

I tried to hide my rising smile and pulled on the lady’s cheek.

“Why do you ask!?”

“Eek… It’s not tasty.”

“It’s because there’s a lot in your head.”

“Then I must taste terrible.”

“Not at all.”

The lady looked at me intently, her eyes brimming with anticipation.

“Then?”

“You seem like you’d be incredibly sweet.”

“…Eek?”

“Because you’re silly, my lady.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the lady threw a pillow at me.

After a long discussion about what flavor our scalps might have, the lady, who had been looking out the window during a brief silence, spoke softly.

“Ricardo.”

“Yes.”

“What shall we play now?”

“Shall we play tag?”

“No, that’s gotten boring because we’ve done it too much.”

“Then shall we play chess?”

“My head hurts, I hate it. Ricardo wins every time.”

“That’s because you’re foolish…”

“Eeeek!”

The lady grimaced and then cautiously opened her mouth.

“I want to go out.”

“Didn’t you just visit the capital?”

“Not that. I want to go out and play outside the mansion.”

The lady who loved her home, now whimsically wanting to go out. The lady who practiced the dangers of leaving the comfort of her blanket, I couldn’t understand why she was challenging herself now, but as a faithful butler, I asked with a serious face.

“Is it that day?”

“Eeeek! No!”

“Right. It’s not time yet…”

“Shut up!”

I tried to ignore the lady’s petulance and pointed towards the sun floating outside the window.

“It’s too hot outside.”

“It’s not hot.”

“It’s only cool inside because of the top-grade cooling stone built into the air conditioner. If you go out, you’ll melt.”

“No, I can handle the heat well.”

“When you were young, you used to whine for a ride in the cart.”

“Eeeek…! That wasn’t me.”

“Puhahaha!”

Indeed, the weather was exceptionally nice.

It was the kind of weather that made you restless to be outside. Should I say summer is calling me, or that I felt an urge to immerse myself in the cool valley waters on this bright sunny day? I shook my head.

“Indeed, I do want to go out.”

“Mhm. I want to go out and photosynthesize. Lay out a mat, eat a packed lunch, and even drink some alcohol.”

“Do you even know what photosynthesis is?”

“Mhm. Lying under the sun.”

“You’re quite smart.”

“Heheh… I know.”

The lady was pleased with the praise.

I shook my head at the lady’s cheerful smile. And naturally, my gaze drifted to her legs.

‘…’

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

A bitter smile came naturally at the sight of those thin, powerless legs.

Where had the strong legs gone, the ones that used to kick with the vigor of noble ladies? Now, only the frail legs remained, and I found myself momentarily speechless at the sight of the young lady.

She was a woman, after all; it must have bothered her.

To my eyes, she appeared quite beautiful, but through her eyes, it might not have been so.

“…”

My heart felt heavy.

Caught by my unabashed gaze, the young lady awkwardly covered her slightly exposed calves with a blanket and smiled.

“Hehe… why?”

“…”

“Why…?”

She was clearly smiling, but why did it feel so sad? Was it just my imagination?

I shook my head awkwardly.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Perhaps it was my own regret or the young lady’s feelings, but her smile seemed particularly distant today.

It seems that’s the nature of people. When hope arises, so does greater desire.

As the young lady’s fidgeting fingers awaited an answer, I erased the gloom from my face and offered a faint smile.

“No, it’s nothing. Is there… somewhere you’d like to go?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to go out?”

“Are we going?!”

“It’s too close, my lady.”

As she leaned in close, hands folded on the bed, I retreated, hiding my flushed cheeks from the breath of the young lady who didn’t quite seem the part of a noble.

“So, where shall we go to play?”

With a bright smile, the young lady shouted at me.

“The valley!”

“The valley?”

“Yes. I want to dip my feet in the cool valley water and play.”

“A valley, you say…”

It’s nearby.

Not too far away.

“Shall we go then?”

I smiled faintly and lightly lifted myself from the bed where I had been sitting. It was always better to start quickly. That way, there’d be more time to play.

I packed the lady’s clothes into the bag with a smile, and she sat on the bed watching me.

“Oh-ho-ho…! Ricardo, you fold clothes so well.”

“Of course. I’ve been doing this for years.”

“It looks nice.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Mhm.”

A pleasant smile appeared.

I think I’m just like the lady. Smiling and happy over a simple compliment. Foolishly so.

“I’ll choose passionate red for the underwear.”

“Eeeek! You fool! I’ll choose for myself!”

“Then white.”

“Eeeek!!”

The lady glanced at me and said in a small voice.

“Pink.”

“Oh!

-Thump.

“Yes?”

The young lady said with a beaming smile.

“I like watermelons.”

“Ah.”

Really.

She was a pro at surprising people.

*

Olivia looked at the back of Ricardo, who was pulling the handcart, with a beaming smile.

Red hair.

Lips always curved in a smile.

Always wearing a grin, for some reason.

He was a fool like no other.

Olivia called out Ricardo’s name softly.

“Ricardo.”

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, Ricardo smiled brightly.

“Yes, miss?”

“Hehe… just because.”

“What’s with that mischievous laugh?”

“Heehee…”

“I take it back.”

It was fun.

Being with Ricardo.

It wasn’t a feeling of affection, but rather…

‘I like you.’

Saying such words seemed to make her heart flutter. Foolishly so.

“Charge! Run!”

“Here I go. With the full power of the Sword Master…”

“Yeeeek!!!”

Olivia laughed, facing the fluttering wind. She felt grateful to Ricardo, who dedicated himself to such a foolish master.

‘Thank you.’

He whispered the true feelings hidden in his heart.