CLWE 17

Chapter 17

“Well, I fell off the table, but if all I hit was my wrist, isn’t that getting off easy?”

People break legs and arms all the time. This was purely thanks to Kamin catching me. When I thought back to that moment, the sensation of his arms tightly holding me and his warm, broad chest came back to me.

“Aaaah! At this rate I’ll die of arrhythmia! Calm down, heart!”

I felt like the pounding would spill out the moment I opened my mouth, so I bit my lip tightly. Just then, Kamin slowly helped me sit down on a chair. Holding my wrist, he said,

“Stay still. I might not be good at other things, but I know how to wrap a bandage.”

He took a handkerchief from his pocket and began tying it into a triangular sling around my wrist. It wasn’t an empty boast—his hands were skilled as he secured it.

“Ugh, but even this posture is making my heart race.”

I hadn’t planned it, but somehow I ended up sitting on the chair while Kamin knelt down to examine my wrist. It was just like a knight pledging loyalty to a princess.

“Huh. This kind of situation used to happen once in a while when I was the Duke of Pond’s daughter.”

Back then my heart hadn’t raced like this—so why now? Was it because I’d grown used to life as a commoner, or because the person in front of me was Kamin?

Even looking down at him, Kamin’s face was flawless. As I stared at him absentmindedly, he suddenly asked, as if something had occurred to him,

“Did anything else happen today?”

“Huh? Uh?”

Today?

Falling into Kamin’s arms had been such a huge event that, when he asked if anything else had happened, nothing came to mind.

When I blinked blankly, Kamin finished tying the knot neatly and smiled faintly.

“I thought you might be worn out, but I’m glad to see you look spirited.”

Had he stopped by on purpose because he was worried about me?

I widened my eyes. Before I could read any trace of emotion on his face, he sprang up from his spot and spoke to me in a calm tone.

“Well then, I should be going.”

Sending him off empty-handed after causing him so much trouble—something like that should have been impossible in Riena’s life. I hurriedly grabbed the hem of Kamin’s clothes as he was about to leave.

“Wait, Kamin! It’s almost lunchtime—at least eat before you go.”

“I can’t impose on someone who’s injured.”

He gently refused my invitation. His blue eyes curved softly.

“If anything happens, make sure to tell me. Don’t try to handle it alone like today.”

“Y-yeah.”

Apparently satisfied with my answer, Kamin nodded lightly and left the house.

Even after he disappeared completely, I stood there for a while, staring blankly at the door he’d gone through.

I mean, he usually doesn’t smile much—so why was he smiling so openly today? It made the other person’s heart lurch.

“I feel like I’ve been bewitched by a fox.”

That was the only way to describe it. While I was at a loss for words, just fidgeting with my fingers—

A hammer, white as snow, floated gently in the air, watching me carefully.

–M-Master.

“Louie-Louie!”

This little rascal! Come to think of it, he was here too.

When I whipped around to face Louie, he fidgeted and began mumbling excuses.

–S-sorry. I forgot that Master is much weaker than I am…

That’s right! It’s all your fault! I grabbed Louie-Louie tightly. And then—

“Thank you, Louie-Louie! You pretty thing! You lovely thing!”

–Eeh?!

I showered him with kisses.

Louie-Louie blinked like a dying fluorescent light, clearly having no idea why he was being praised.

Whatever. As I recalled Kamin’s arms that had held me and his handsome face that had been looking only at me, I covered my nose.

“I could die right now with no regrets.”

Where else would I ever get to be held by a national-treasure-level handsome man? And this hug alone was meaningful enough for breathing life back into my romance-dead cells that I thought were completely gone.

As I puffed myself up, Louie circled around me instead, speaking in a worried tone.

–M-Master? Are you okay? You didn’t hit your head and go strange, did you?

This sword—pushing someone from behind and now talking like this!

“Strange, my foot! I’ve never been more serious!”

My heart was pounding violently, like a heart that had been dead suddenly starting to beat again. With adrenaline rushing, my eyes sparkled and my thoughts spun faster than ever.

I cupped my cheeks with both hands and muttered,

“I forgot… not all the men in this world are like David.”

I remembered David, who had humiliated me and chased me out when that otherworldly holy maiden appeared.

“Looking back, he was absolute trash. Personality aside, his face looked like a half-dried squid.”

If I’d fallen next to David, I could bet my wrist that he wouldn’t have thrown himself forward to protect me like Kamin did.

Maybe because I’d fallen head over heels once, only Kamin’s good points kept blooming like fluffy clouds. Louie looked at me, muttering this and that, with a puzzled expression, then quietly said,

–I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if Master is happy, that’s enough.

That made me remember the reality I’d forgotten.

“Ah… but Kamin is after Louie-Louie. He even proposed to me before just to get Louie-Louie.”

I kept thinking of Kamin’s good sides, but hadn’t our relationship been rocky at the start? Once doubt crept in, these thoughts followed naturally.

“What if he’s still acting nice to win my favor because of Louie-Louie? A classic honey trap!”

Maybe even the way he bandaged my wrist was calculated to show off his looks at the perfect angle.

I crossed my arms and groaned. Even thinking it over again, even if he knew he was handsome and was using it on me…

“That face is just too handsome to reject!”

If I were the richest person in the country and a pretty gigolo with transparent intentions approached me—

Could I really tell him to get lost?

“And even if that’s the case, who cares! Louie-Louie is mine anyway.”

Money can come and go, and love can fade—but Louie isn’t money!

“Louie-Louie.”

–What?

“Louie, you’ll stay by my side until I die, right?”

At my question, Louie flared wildly and shouted,

–Of course! No matter how hard Master tries to separate from me, I won’t leave! I’ll follow you to the grave!

“You adorable thing!”

–…?!

That answer was exactly what I wanted most at this moment. I hugged Louie and stroked his cold body.

“So that means Louie-Louie and I are one and the same. Louie-Louie is basically me!”

–I-is that what it means? Ahahaha! Ahahahaha!!

Louie paused for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. Soon his voice turned thick with emotion.

–Master, I’ve never seen anyone cherish me this much except you. I’m sorry for suspecting, even briefly, that you might see me as nothing more than a convenient tool.

Oh, sharp little guy.

I carefully adjusted my hold on Louie, who understood my feelings perfectly. As I gently stroked him like a puppy, another thought crossed my mind.

“But if Kamin really treated me so kindly just because of Louie, that might hurt a little.”

No matter how pretty my face is or how it isn’t going anywhere, it would naturally leave a bitter taste.

The funny thing was that even if I could turn back time, I knew I wouldn’t chase Kamin away.

“Sigh.”

–Why are you sighing all of a sudden?

“I finally understand why emperors in this world went astray because of beauty.”

Even knowing it’s a honey trap! Even knowing what they want! I still couldn’t bring myself to push him away. Such terrifying beauty.

“I really should’ve kicked him out the door the first time and never looked back.”

They say you grow attached the more you see someone—this situation fit that saying perfectly. As I kept sighing over my reed-like heart, Louie glowed faintly red and asked,

–Does that mean you can’t think straight because I’m too pretty, Master?

“Heh.”

What are you, you high-self-esteem sword?

I lightly tapped Louie-Louie, who was completely misinterpreting my words, and let go of him. There’s nothing wrong with thinking you’re pretty.

“Sure, let’s say that’s it.”

–No need to be shy, Master. Huh? Where are you going? Your wrist is injured!

Louie circled around me as he asked. If his appearance were cuter, he’d look like Tinker Bell, but seeing a hammer floating around was honestly kind of scary.

“I’m going to boil potatoes.”

–Potatoes?

Louie tilted his head, then jolted and shouted in protest.

–I-I-I’m not turning into a hoe! I already did all my hammer work today! It’s time to rest!

“Honestly.”

Was digging up potatoes really worth making that big of a fuss? And it’s not like he’d even done all his hammer duties—he hadn’t even driven one nail all the way in.

And besides, I wasn’t going to dig potatoes today. I was going to boil them.

“I felt bad about him leaving on an empty stomach. I thought I’d at least make him some potato salad.”

–Potato salad? Why would you make something like that for that guy? It’s only natural for a gentleman to help a lady!

I chuckled and replied,

“Why? Want to turn into a pot for me?”

–……

Louie-Louie quietly disappeared somewhere inside the house.