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Chapter 40
“Could it be…”
Is this… separation anxiety?
After finishing the stew and bread served for dinner, I went up to my bedroom and seriously pondered.
“It’s because I was there during the hardest moments.”
It was only natural that he would lean on me more now. I didn’t blame him for it. It was like a baby bird mistaking the nearest figure for its mother. Perhaps, since Matthias had never encountered someone showing such kindness before, this reaction was even stronger.
So, just being apart for half a day makes him cling like this.
“He’s always had a bit of separation anxiety, though.”
It seemed to have worsened since the incident at the auction where he was seriously injured. He himself had expressed worry about getting hurt again. Maybe that’s why he wouldn’t let go of me so easily.
“What should I do about this…”
If he were a pet, I could at least give him my clothes to get him used to me gradually. But unfortunately, I didn’t know how to handle a human’s separation anxiety.
“Miss.”
At that moment, Sophia hurried into the bedroom, holding out some documents she had brought.
“I heard that three or four people have already applied. I thought it’d be better to review them and get back to them quickly, so I brought them here.”
“Well done. Could you go again tomorrow afternoon and check once more? You can rest a bit while you’re out too.”
“No, Miss. It won’t take that long.”
“It’s fine. Just go comfortably. You haven’t had much time to rest lately.”
Sophia, speaking gently and with concern, hesitated for a moment before quietly suggesting:
“Why not finish your urgent tasks and take a short break? Even if you can’t go far, a trip to the busy district or the lakeside park should be fine, right?”
“Hmm…”
“You’ve worked so hard recently, and it’s only going to get busier.”
Sophia smiled sweetly, presenting a tempting suggestion to take even just a short break.
“…Well.”
She wasn’t wrong. Right now, I could spare a little time to handle the aftermath and planning. Once the guild work fully started, I probably wouldn’t even have enough time to sleep.
If I was going to rest, it was better to do it now while there was a small window.
“Then maybe I’ll rest for just a day or two.”
Not too long. Finish the urgent tasks today or tomorrow, and if it’s not about interviewing the aides, taking a short break seemed reasonable.
“All right, then.”
.Or at least, that was the plan.
I ran a hand through my hair and glanced sideways at the man standing beside me.
“Aria.”
“!”
“Careful.”
Matthias, gently holding my shoulder, pulled me toward him. A passerby who barely missed us bowed apologetically.
‘I… I definitely…’
I had intended to go for a walk alone.
So why was this happening?
At first, I had simply planned to take a walk. I wanted to stroll by the lake with no particular thoughts in mind. I dressed comfortably for once and planned to go around once and return.
But when I actually stepped outside:
“Let’s go.”
Matthias, following me like a puppy expecting a walk, extended his hand.
“Y-you’re coming too?”
“…Is that a problem?”
He looked at me cautiously. The question in his eyes—was I really not taking him along?—left me momentarily speechless.
“Ah, no. It’s not that I can’t…”
What’s this feeling? Why do I feel like I’m being persuaded? I blinked late, but Matthias, already close beside me, gave a faint smile.
“Let’s go.”
“…O-okay.”
Is this what people mean by “narrowly escaping danger while keeping your eyes open”? Nodding absentmindedly, I headed to the lakeside with Matthias.
But then I remembered:
‘We did say we’d go out together before.’
When I went out to make preparations for the plan, I had mentioned something like this: that once all the tasks were completed, we could go out together.
‘Well, walking alone might get a bit boring anyway.’
In a way, it worked out. Since we were already out together, I decided to just go with it. Being with him wasn’t particularly uncomfortable anyway.
“Then let’s take a walk and check out the streets while we’re at it.”
“Okay.”
Matthias nodded obediently. Did he really agree to everything I said? He didn’t take his eyes off me and held my hand tightly.
“Hmm.”
Although we roughly tried to stay out of sight, even the quiet lakeside wasn’t completely empty.
But since he was holding my hand like a lifeline, it felt wrong to pull away harshly.
After a brief hesitation, I resigned myself.
‘I’ll teach him later.’
Right now, giving him a sense of security was more important. He had only just started adapting to the outside world. Perhaps he held my hand because he was nervous in this unfamiliar place.
Plus, he might not be used to staying alone at the mansion yet. Thinking this way, I began to understand Matthias’s feelings.
But then:
“…Aria?”
I didn’t expect to see someone I knew immediately.
‘…What?’
Until just now, there had only been two of us at the lakeside. But when I snapped to attention, there were three.
And of course, the additional person was…
‘Dian Odilon.’
The man who had been engaged to Aria in the original story but later broken off. In other words, my ex-fiancé.
I secretly exhaled in relief.
If he hadn’t brought up Mrs. Odilon first, I might have passed without realizing who he was when we first met in the alley.
“I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
“Me neither.”
I nodded awkwardly, swallowing hard. To encounter someone at such a leisurely spot at a time when everyone should be working—it was a remarkably precise coincidence.
‘I barely know him anyway, so it’s fine for me.’
Still, from his perspective, meeting a woman he almost married could be a little awkward.
I quietly stepped aside with Matthias and asked:
“What brings you here?”
“It’s a path I used to walk often.”
“Ah…”
Damn it. I had thought this quiet place would be nice to visit often, but apparently, others thought the same.
“Then… you go first. I won’t get in your way.”
Regardless of comfort, it was difficult to encounter someone who had history with the old Aria.
Since Aria was the main character, it might have been different. But as a minor character, I didn’t know the full details of what happened between them.
Not wanting to lie unnecessarily, I gestured to Matthias with my eyes and moved ahead first.
But the moment I took a step:
“Where are you going?”
“Huh?”
“I thought we were going for a walk.”
Dian spoke and suddenly took the lead.
“Let’s go for a walk together—it’s been a while.”
