🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 10
“Ti-Ti, are you crying?”
“…!”
A shadow fell over me, and a large hand lightly touched the top of my head.
Already feeling emotionally fragile, I instinctively twisted away, avoiding the touch.
Then I stammered awkwardly,
“C-Crying? What are you talking about? Of course not.”
Yuri tilted his head at my exaggerated reaction before crouching down in front of me.
He was much taller than I was, so even kneeling, his gaze remained above mine.
The sun seemed to be setting; rainbow-colored light shimmered across his pale pink eyelashes.
What a beautiful face…
Even in a situation like this, it was a face beautiful enough to steal my attention instantly.
He reached out again and gently rubbed at my eyes.
The sensation of his long, delicate fingers brushing the corners of my eyes was unbearably ticklish.
After checking whether there were any traces of moisture, he smiled brightly.
“Ah, really. No tear marks. That’s a relief. It’d be terrible if those pretty eyes got swollen, wouldn’t it?”
It was a rather ordinary consolation.
It could even have sounded like a routine compliment.
But at that moment, alarm bells started ringing in my head.
This is dangerous.
Especially now, when my heart was weakened.
When you’re vulnerable like this, a little kindness can shake a heart you’ve worked so hard to lock away.
The moment I sensed the danger, I unconsciously slapped Yuri’s hand away.
His pale blue eyes widened.
I deliberately answered in a curt voice.
“Enough already. Could you stop touching me?”
His eyes narrowed into crescents again.
“Looks like Ti-Ti’s back to normal.”
“I told you not to call me Ti-Ti.”
“Come on, let me have that much. You’re always so cold to me.”
I merely pouted.
If I opened my mouth any further, he might notice how chaotic my emotions really were.
Even so, I was grateful he was here.
The gloomy darkness in my heart had brightened like a lie the moment I saw him.
I’m such an idiot.
What was it about this guy that could shake me up so much?
I let out a small, self-deprecating laugh.
Then, while brushing back my hair, I suddenly remembered something.
“More importantly, what was that about earlier? Did things work out with Princess Sabina?”
“What is there to work out with her? I just politely told her not to come back.”
“Her?”
Was he really being polite?
Just hearing the way he referred to the princess made me seriously doubt that claim.
While I sat there speechless, Yuri stood up and returned to where he had set down the tray.
Then he gestured for me to come over.
“More importantly, I’m starving. Can’t we talk while we eat? I’m exhausted.”
Even after I sat across from him, Yuri remained silent, as if organizing his thoughts.
I wrapped my hands around my cup and waited.
By the time the coffee had cooled from hot to lukewarm, Yuri finally shrugged.
“It’s true that I know Princess Sabina. But we’re not close. I don’t intend to become close, either. To be completely honest, I’d rather never see her again.”
His indifferent answer made my eyes widen.
Then, without meaning to, I burst into a grin.
“That’s exactly what I want to say. I don’t even want to run into her on the street.”
“I really don’t understand why everyone likes that princess so much.”
“Right? And she has plenty of followers already. Why doesn’t she bother them instead of coming to our flower shop and making my life miserable? Couldn’t she just order one of her subordinates to buy blue roses?”
“See? Ti-Ti always says exactly what I want to hear. I completely agree.”
“What do you mean, you like hearing that?”
I shot him a look that clearly meant stop talking nonsense.
Then I realized he was subtly changing the subject again.
“No, seriously! That’s not what I meant. So what kind of relationship do you have with her? Who are you really? Are you friends with the princess or something?”
Yuri immediately frowned.
“Friends? Don’t say something so horrifying. I already told you—we’re not close. I genuinely dislike her.”
“Well, it’s because your relationship doesn’t seem ordinary.”
Every time Sabina looked at me, she practically glared holes through me.
But when she looked at Yuri, she wore the expression of a gentle lamb.
I was recalling that image and twisting my lips when Yuri finally spoke in a heavy voice.
“…I told you before that I used to be a mage, right?”
“Yeah.”
Ah.
Could it be that he met Sabina back when he was still a mage?
“Well, having a mage as a close acquaintance would definitely strengthen a princess’s position. Mages are notoriously impossible to control.”
They didn’t even listen to emperors.
The entire group existed beyond national laws and borders by nature.
At my words, Yuri looked unexpectedly impressed.
“For someone who says she grew up in the countryside, Ti-Ti understands noble society surprisingly well.”
His observation made me flinch.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem interested in pursuing the topic.
With a sigh, he continued.
“She wants a mage who’ll do exactly what she says. Preferably a handsome one. Makes for a better trophy, doesn’t it? Her intentions are painfully obvious, so it’s only natural that I can’t bring myself to like her.”
“…Harsh.”
I stared at him, speechless.
That doesn’t seem to be the whole story, though.
If she simply wanted a handsome mage as a possession, why would she glare at me like that?
And there were still things that explanation didn’t account for.
“But aren’t you not a mage anymore?”
“She doesn’t believe that.”
“That’s exactly why people like her are such a problem.”
I shook my head.
“You’ve had it rough.”
Yuri stared at me quietly before speaking in a small voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What? For what all of a sudden?”
Sabina showing up had been a coincidence.
Why was he apologizing?
Wait! Don’t tell me he’s apologizing because she’s going to keep coming back!
Just the thought made me shudder.
Yuri answered with an awkward smile.
“But don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll protect you with my life.”
With your life?
That sounded awfully dramatic.
“Why don’t you ask the Mage Tower for help instead? There’s only so much you can handle on your own.”
That way, he wouldn’t have to risk his life.
I thought it was a perfectly reasonable suggestion.
Instead of answering, Yuri slid a plate toward me.
“Try the sandwich. It’s delicious.”
“There you go changing the subject again.”
“If you’re not hungry, I’ll just eat yours too—”
“Okay, okay!”
He looked completely serious about stealing my share, so I hurriedly grabbed the sandwich.
As expected, Yuri laughed.
I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance, but there was no way I was giving up the sandwich.
Everything Yuri cooked was delicious.
Well, he’ll tell me eventually.
As expected, the sandwich was incredible.
The crisp apples and perfectly balanced sauce blended together into a fantastic flavor.
I couldn’t stop complimenting it.
“What did you put in this? Mustard? Honey?”
Yuri narrowed his eyes and smiled.
He was already breathtakingly handsome under normal circumstances, but when he smiled like this, “melting away” felt like the only appropriate description.
“It’s a secret.”
Was it really fair to refuse so sweetly?
I pouted.
“Tell me. If you teach me, I can make sandwiches this good later.”
“If you learn to make coffee and sandwiches better than mine, you won’t hire me anymore. So no.”
“Hmph.”
To begin with, hire wasn’t even the right word.
We were business partners.
Which meant he was probably just trying to placate me.
Or maybe he’s saying he’ll keep making them himself.
Fine. Do whatever you want.
If he’s the one cooking, it’s easier for me anyway.
In the end, the delicious meal helped me forget all about Sabina.
I hope she never shows up again.
I even offered that prayer to a god I didn’t believe in.
Four days later.
Just as I’d predicted, blue roses began appearing in other flower shops as well, and our sales dropped slightly.
That was when another suspicious person appeared at our flower shop.
“Are you that woman?”
“Huh?”
The man looked remarkably similar to Yuri.
The same hair color.
The same eye color.
But the atmosphere around him was completely different.
A sharp gaze, like that of an untamed beast, fixed itself on me.
“Your name is Titiana Este, correct?”
To be continued…
