After ending the communication, I wanted to dance in satisfaction.

“Hehehe.”

Rescue. Amicable. Successful.

Seeing both party members and collaborators increase lifted my spirits.

I grinned inwardly, afraid that showing my joy would make me look foolish. However, the expressions of my party members seemed a bit odd.

“Why do they look so glum?”

It was as if they had encountered the real Elizabeth Keaton and were displeased.

Puzzled, Benedict muttered,

“Why do you say you love just anyone?”

“…What?”

“Isn’t love a sentiment not so easily expressed among humans?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Why am I being interrogated about this? This is absurd.

“Is it because I’m a half-fairy? Do they lack understanding of humans?”

If so, I’ll have to enlighten them.

“No, that doesn’t seem to be the case. This is definitely…!”

Zero crossed its short arms in an X, but I ignored it.

“Ah, I don’t mean love in a romantic sense. It’s more of an exclamation of happiness. I said it because I’m grateful that the Duchess Celeste will likely take care of the details.”

I clearly explained my intentions.

I should match the level of my esteemed party members, after all.

Even after my explanation, Benedict still looked puzzled.

“…Is that so.”

“What’s the issue?”

It was like a student who had been shown the answers to unsolved problems but still didn’t understand, saying, “Now I get it.”

The same went for Ruth and Michael.

“…Why does this make me feel bad?”

“…I feel the same.”

Sitting in Duke Damon’s reception room, all three faces were gloomy.

“What’s the matter? Saying I love everyone is my own business, isn’t it?”

Is my affection meter plummeting because of this?

A sense of foreboding loomed. It wouldn’t do for relations to be strained with the party members I had just recruited. We hadn’t even fought zombies yet.

As I nervously glanced around, Benedict approached me.

Bending his waist to meet my eyes—he was a head taller than me—I couldn’t help but stare into his brown eyes.

“…?”

His breath was so close I forgot to breathe.

Benedict may have been cold, but his eyes were a warm brown.

“Um… what are you doing?”

“…”

After glaring at me for a few seconds, Benedict suddenly blurted out.

“You’re not even pretty. You’re ugly…”

“…?”

“It’s strange. I never cared before.”

Are you done talking?

Anger surged within me. How dare he insult me to my face?

“You’re just a vessel. That face isn’t even yours, right?”

Zero chirped, but I wasn’t in the mood.

“Hey, it may not be my real face, but I am Elizabeth Keaton right now!”

I couldn’t forgive anyone who criticized Elizabeth’s beauty.

Her hair was like woven strands of silver silk; her eyes a beautiful violet, like a mixture of amethyst and violets.

Her cat-like eyes might give off a fierce image, but her features blended harmoniously.

Elizabeth Keaton was undeniably one of the most beautiful people in this world, aside from the original heroine, Siena.

Even those who despised her and called her a villainess had to acknowledge her beauty.

“So, what? I’m ugly?”

You… insolent half-fairy brat?

“The strange one is you, you little…”

“Ah, yes. Sorry for being ugly.”
If saying something nice makes you upset, then anything I say will likely make you unhappy.

I expressed my displeasure openly.

“Well, that’s great. I wouldn’t want to exchange pleasantries like ‘I love you,’ even if it’s meaningless, with someone as ugly as me! From now on, my interactions with Benedict will strictly be about business, since we’ve gathered here for the sole purpose of zombie extermination.”

I expected Benedict to agree, but instead he hesitated, took a step back and put his hand out.

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Then what did you mean?”

I saw the spirits fluttering around him.

【No!】

【I didn’t mean it like that!】

【I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable!】

【Ben is just not good at being honest!】

【Stupid Ben!】

【Idiot Ben!】

Thanks to the possession capabilities of Zero, I could see and hear the spirits.

【If you want to say something nice, then say it honestly!】

【He doesn’t even know his own feelings!】

【Idiot!】

‘…What?’

“Spirits seem to think like me. Hmmm. Green fire burners.”

‘Just go away.’

Muttering to himself, Benedict responded timidly.

“I… don’t want to live my life without ever hearing the words ‘I love you’ from Your Grace.”

“What?”

Misunderstanding could arise, so when I questioned, Benedict hastily responded.

“I meant it as a compliment.”

So, he wants to be complimented.

It seems keeping a large dog as a keyword was not entirely meaningless. I felt deflated, thinking I had become the owner of a disobedient large dog.

Hmph. Either way, I had no intention of being nice to someone who wasn’t nice to me.

“I’ll decide based on what you do, Benedict. The same applies to Michael and Ruth.”

Feeling unfairly treated, Michael and Ruth widened their eyes.

“Why do we…”

“What did we do wrong?”

“You are paying for not stopping your friend and colleague, Benedict.”