OIPM 07

Chapter: 07

“W-Wow… he’s handsome…”

I hadn’t been able to tell because of the shadow cast by his hat, but the man was incredibly good-looking.

No, “good-looking” wasn’t enough to describe him.

And to make matters worse… he was exactly my type.

His sharp eyes made him seem difficult to approach, yet everything about him was neat and refined.

How had I only just seen his face now? If I’d realized earlier, I would have been sneaking glances at him the whole time.

…Wait, that’s not the point!

Get yourself together.

I clenched my fist and pressed my fingernails into my palm.

It wasn’t like that would instantly calm me down, but somehow it helped me regain a little self-control.

I tried my best to keep my eyes elsewhere, but I couldn’t stop myself from stealing glances at him.

No! Stop staring! Ah, but he’s seriously so handsome…! No! It’s rude!

…But I’ll probably never see someone like him again…

“Over here!”

Just as I was struggling with my inner conflict, I heard a stranger shout.

Moments later, the sound of many footsteps echoed through the alley.

A group of men in striking crimson uniforms came running toward us.

The man at the front stepped forward and saluted.

“I am Captain Clive of the Second Company, First Battalion of the Capital Guard! We saw the signal flare and came immediately!”

“The men behind you are your subordinates?”

“Yes, sir!”

Listening to the captain, I tilted my head.

Is everyone this respectful to ordinary citizens here? Or… is this man actually higher in rank than the captain?

But he looked far too young for that.

While I wondered, the man calmly pointed toward the thugs.

“They threatened an innocent civilian. Arrest them and deal with them according to the law.”

“Yes, sir! What are you waiting for? Take them into custody!”

“Yes, sir!”

At the captain’s command, the guards rushed forward and hauled the thugs to their feet.

As I watched them being dragged away with their feet scraping against the ground, the man turned to me.

“It should be safe for you to leave now.”

“Do I not need to give a statement?”

“A statement…?”

“That those men threatened me. I thought that was why you asked me to wait.”

After a brief silence, he lightly shook his head.

“No. As a knight, my testimony alone is sufficient. No additional witness statement is necessary.”

A knight.

That explained why everyone treated him with such respect.

So this is what a real knight is like.

“I wanted to escort you home after everything you’ve been through. However, I couldn’t simply leave those men here, so I asked you to wait. It seems my explanation caused a misunderstanding.”

“Oh… I see. I understand now.”

He wants to walk me home?

I knew it was simply kindness, but my heart started pounding uncontrollably.

Maybe it was because he was so perfectly my type.

Unable to even meet his eyes, I just clutched the hem of my skirt while he continued speaking.

“I apologize for the confusion. If my escort makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to decline.”

“N-No! I’d be happy if you walked me home!”

…Oops.

That sounded way too enthusiastic.

Before I could cover it up, he answered in the same calm voice.

“Then I shall escort you home.”

I was about to nod automatically when I suddenly remembered Veloka.

Right—I couldn’t go straight home.

“Actually… would it be alright if you only accompanied me as far as the plaza? I came with a friend, and we agreed to meet there afterward.”

“Of course.”

He held out his hand.

Why is he holding out his hand?

Wait… does he want me to take it?

“I-Is it alright if I hold your hand?”

“If that makes you uncomfortable, you may simply rest your hand lightly on my arm.”

It might not bother him since he was a knight…

But for me, it was incredibly embarrassing.

Sure, I’d touched his hand earlier, but that had only been because I was curious about the material of his glove. I’d barely brushed against it.

Actually holding his hand was a completely different matter.

Still, refusing such a kind gesture felt wrong.

“Then… I’ll rest my hand on your arm.”

“As you wish.”

Having reached a compromise, I carefully placed my hand on his forearm.

Walking beside him made me realize just how much taller he was than I was.

Even so, it wasn’t difficult to keep pace with him.

He was obviously shortening his stride to match mine.

The moment I realized that, my already racing heart beat even faster.

He’s unbelievably handsome… and he’s this kind and considerate too?

He must already have a lover…

He had to.

With a face and personality like that, it would be stranger if he didn’t.

Not long after we started walking, I spotted a familiar building.

It was the clock tower where Veloka and I had parted earlier.

“Is this where you’re meeting your friend?”

“Yes. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“It was nothing.”

He withdrew his arm.

“I’ll stay until your friend arrives.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary! You’ve already done so much for me. I’d feel bad asking for anything more.”

“But you could be in danger again…”

“There are so many people around now. I think I’ll be alright.”

I glanced around.

Compared to that deserted alley, this place was crowded and felt much safer.

“I understand. Please take care on your way home.”

I don’t want him to leave yet…

“W-Wait!”

He stopped just as he was turning away.

“Thank you so much for helping me today. I don’t even know how I can repay you…”

“I merely did what anyone should.”

“But still… Ah!”

That’s right!

The tickets!

I reached into my pocket, only to hesitate.

Should I really give him these?

Commoners enjoyed street theater, but he was a knight.

At the very least, he belonged to the lesser nobility.

What if he looked down on plays?

After hesitating for a moment, I cautiously asked,

“Do you dislike theater?”

“I don’t dislike it.”

So he doesn’t particularly like it either…

Hearing that made me even more certain.

These tickets probably weren’t the best gift to thank him.

Maybe I should just pretend nothing happened and put them away…

Just as I was about to hide them—

“I don’t go often… but I do watch a play from time to time.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Then maybe it’s alright.

For some reason, that made me happy.

It was only a small token of gratitude.

I took the two tickets from my pocket and held them out.

“They’re tickets for the Chloe Theater Troupe. There’s no expiration date, so you can use them whenever you’d like. Maybe go with a friend.”

“Thank you.”

Thankfully, he accepted them.

The tickets were only about the size of my fingers.

Perhaps because they were so small, our hands brushed as he took them.

It wasn’t skin against skin.

He was still wearing gloves.

Even so…

My heart skipped a beat.

For some reason.

“U-Um… you really should go now. Thank you again for everything today.”

“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave.”

He gave me a slight bow before turning away.

His black cloak fluttered behind him as he walked off.

I found myself staring after his retreating figure until it disappeared into the distance.

Only then did regret suddenly wash over me.

I should’ve at least asked his name…

Caleb didn’t stop walking until he had completely left the plaza.

He slipped his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out the two tickets the young woman had given him.

A faint floral fragrance drifted from them.

It was the same scent that had lingered around her the entire time they had walked together.

Caleb stared at the tickets with a puzzled expression.

He couldn’t understand his own behavior.

During patrols, he often encountered people in danger.

Whenever that happened, he willingly helped them.

The woman he had just met wasn’t an unusual case.

He had dealt with victims of street thugs several times before.

Each time, he simply handed the criminals over to the guards.

Never once had he shown any kindness beyond that.

And yet…

Why this time…?

Even he thought he’d gone too far.

The same went for her question about theater.

He could have simply given a brief answer.

Instead, he’d found himself adding more.

The truth was…

The only play he’d ever watched was one performed at the Imperial Palace with his parents when he was very young.

He had never once found theater entertaining or particularly interesting.

“These are tickets for the Chloe Theater Troupe. There’s no expiration date, so you can use them whenever you’d like. Maybe go with a friend.”

Just as he had helped her, she had undoubtedly offered the tickets as nothing more than a polite gesture of thanks.

Yet…

The more he replayed the encounter in his mind, the more his chest ached.

As though he had finally reunited with someone he’d been longing to see after many years.

She was definitely someone I’d never met before… so why…?

Still confused, Caleb stared at the tickets resting in his palm.

He was so absorbed in thought that he failed to notice one passerby giving the tickets in his hand an especially curious look before continuing on.

I wonder when Veloka will get here…

I looked up at the clock tower.

The time we’d agreed on had already passed, yet there was still no sign of her.

Could something have happened to her too?

The thought worried me.

Should I go look for her?

But where would I even start?

As I sat beside the fountain absentmindedly swinging my feet—

“Ena!”

At the familiar voice, I looked up to see Veloka running toward me.

“Sorry! I kept you waiting, didn’t I? There were so many new items on display that I got distracted… I’m really sorry!”

“It’s alright. I’m just glad nothing happened to you.”

“With this many people around? What could possibly happen?”

“R-Right…”

I forced an awkward smile.

Considering what I’d just experienced, those words didn’t exactly reassure me.

Veloka looked me over before asking curiously,

“Wait… what happened to your perfume?”

“I couldn’t buy it.”

“Why not?”

“Well…”

I slowly explained everything that had happened.

When I told her about the ridiculous rumor that I was some kind of seductress, Veloka burst into laughter.

She laughed so loudly that nearby people turned to stare.

But the moment I got to the part about the thugs, her smile disappeared completely.

“Those lunatics! How is any of that your fault? People like that deserve to have it chopped right off!”

She mimed cutting something with two fingers like a pair of scissors.

That’s… a pretty violent way to put it.

Still…

I couldn’t exactly disagree.

“So, you’re not hurt, right?”

“No. Thanks to that knight.”

“That’s a relief. Huh? Why is your face suddenly so red?”

“My face?”

I instinctively touched my cheeks.

Veloka immediately gave me a mischievous grin.

“Aha! I knew it! That knight was ridiculously handsome, wasn’t he? You’ve fallen for him!”

“He is handsome, but I haven’t fallen for him.”

“Sure, sure. If that’s what you say, I’ll believe you. More importantly, did you ask his name? You arranged to see him again, right?”

“I didn’t. I don’t even know his name.”

“What? Seriously?”

When I nodded, Veloka looked at me as though she couldn’t believe what she’d heard.

Why was she making that face?

“You should’ve asked, you dummy! Who knows when you’ll ever meet him again?”

“But we’d only just met. How could I ask something like that?”

“That’s exactly why you should have! Relationships don’t just happen—you have to create them! If you let the chance pass by, it’s over!”

I could only laugh awkwardly.

She had a point.

But there was no way I could have done something like that with someone I’d just met.

“Sigh… whatever. So you still haven’t bought your perfume, right? Want to go now?”

“Is that alright?”

“If you don’t buy it today, you’ll have to wait another two weeks. Isn’t it better to get it now?”

“I just feel bad. You already waited because of me…”

“Why are you apologizing over something so small? That’s what friends are for.”

Friends.

The word made my expression stiffen before I could stop it.

Fortunately, Veloka didn’t seem to notice.

She casually linked her arm through mine and started pulling me toward the perfume merchant.

Looking at her red hair brushing against my shoulder, I forced a smile onto my lips.