What would be a good name to give Yomi?

Irene had a light sandwich for dinner and put her heart into naming.

It’s just giving a name to a magical beast, why is she going to such lengths?

Jessie, who had been looking at Irene indifferently, noticed that the book she was currently reading was an ancient language dictionary and gaped in surprise.

“Miss, can you read ancient languages too?”

“Yes. I can read a little.”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

At the sincere admiration and praise, Irene smiled sheepishly and scratched her cheek.

Jessie, who had moved to sit next to Irene by now, asked.

“If it’s not too impolite, may I ask who taught you ancient languages?”

“I studied on my own.”

“What? Is that possible?”

“Well, I tried it and it worked?”

“…”

At that, Jessie’s expression darkened dramatically.

She doesn’t seem to believe me.

But it’s the truth.

It was just that I naturally learned ancient languages while reading various things like books, magazines, and newspapers that my mother brought home.

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s true.”

As Irene emphasized for Jessie to believe her, Jessie waved her hand.

“Ah, it’s not that I don’t believe you… um, it’s just that I feel a bit inadequate.”

“Inadequate?”

“Yes. I once studied ancient languages too. Even from a famous teacher, but I couldn’t even master basic words. But you say you taught yourself, so I feel a bit pathetic.”

Ah, so that’s what it was.

Finally understanding Jessie’s reaction, Irene smiled faintly.

“Pathetic? Not at all. I’ve only learned the basics, so don’t think that way.”

“I’ll try not to.”

Jessie smiled brightly and changed the subject of conversation.

“So, have you decided on Yomi’s new name?”

“Hmm, not yet.”

Irene flipped through the ancient language dictionary.

“I’m not sure what name Yomi would like.”

“Yomi will like anything. It’s a name you’re giving, after all.”

“I hope so…”

The hand turning the pages paused.

Her trembling golden eyes fixed on a word at the top of the page.

Why on earth is such a word written in an ancient language dictionary?

Irene felt resentful of her own eyes for focusing on this word out of so many.

“What’s wrong, Miss? Did you find a good word?”

It couldn’t have been more fortunate that Jessie couldn’t read ancient languages.

“Ah, I thought it was good, but it wasn’t.”

Knowing Jessie would find it strange if she showed any agitation here, Irene calmly turned the page.

However, her mind was so full of the incident of kissing Kalos that nothing else registered.

Why were her lips tingling so much at a time like this?

Irene bit her lip and fiddled with the innocent paper.

“If I had wanted to avoid it, I could have easily done so, so why didn’t I avoid it and accept it instead?”

The homework Kalos had given her last dawn echoed in her ears like an echo, making her even more confused.

She felt frustrated that no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand her own actions.

It would be nice if she had some experience to compare it to, but sadly, everything was a first experience for Irene.

There was no way she could have met any men other than her father, having been confined to the house all her life.

Maybe Jessie would know something?

Unlike me, Jessie must have had a lot of dating experience…

Irene glanced sideways at Jessie.

As it happened, Jessie was also looking at Irene, so their eyes met.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“…Um, I have a question.”

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so let’s ask.

“Jessie, you’ve dated a lot, right?”

She was going to start with talking about dating and ask slowly, thinking Jessie might find it strange if she asked outright from the beginning.

“…”

She was going to, but Jessie’s expression darkened again.

If earlier she had looked thoughtful, now she looked more hurt.

Could it be…?

“You… have never dated?”

“…”

It must have hit the mark, as Jessie hung her head low.

Oh my.

Surprised by this completely unexpected turn, Irene could only blink.

She had thought for sure that Jessie would have dated a lot, but it wasn’t so.

Suddenly, Abel’s words about not judging by appearances came to mind.

How should I smooth this over?

Having unintentionally poked a sore spot, Irene fidgeted nervously, watching Jessie’s reaction.

“…”

Jessie took a deep breath as if trying to calm her gloomy mood, then suddenly lifted her head to look at Irene.

“Just in case you misunderstand, let me say this in advance – it’s not that I couldn’t date, I chose not to. There weren’t any men suitable for me.”

Is it just my imagination that those words sound even sadder?

“But why are you suddenly asking about my dating experience?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Haha, hahaha…”

Since it wasn’t something she could ask someone with no dating experience at all, Irene laughed awkwardly and brushed it off.

However, this method didn’t work on Jessie.

Jessie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

“It seems you can’t ask someone like me with absolutely no dating experience.”

If she had calmly said it wasn’t like that, that she was just curious, she might have received some suspicion but could have passed it off without much problem. Unfortunately, Irene couldn’t do that.

“Hic, hic-”

Surprised and feeling sorry, she started hiccuping repeatedly.

Feeling even more embarrassed by that, Irene tried to cover her mouth and suppress it somehow, but the hiccups continued regardless of her will.

“…”

“Hic-”

“…Pfft.”

Jessie, who had been glaring at Irene like that, burst into laughter.

She was angry earlier, and now she’s laughing?

Confused by Jessie’s behavior that was hard to grasp, Irene stared at her blankly.

By now, the hiccups had stopped.

“Haha, I’m sorry. You’re just so cute, Miss… haha.”

Whatever was so funny, Jessie held her stomach and rolled around on the sofa for quite a while.

*

Although he had said there was little chance of Dale attacking Dewey, it wasn’t completely impossible.

If there was even a 1% chance, it was right to be prepared, so Kalos double-checked the state of the barrier and also strongly urged Deuce and the other knights guarding the castle.

“Huh? You want me to protect you during the engagement ceremony?”

He also asked Abel.

“Yes. If Dale or his minions attack during the engagement ceremony, it could be dangerous, so I’d like you to protect me.”

“Hmm, I see what you mean.”

Abel scratched his head.

“If the situation is dangerous enough to ask me, why not just cancel the engagement ceremony?”

“I’ve already promised to do it.”

“With that woman?”

“…”

Kalos answered with silence.

“Hmm.”

Abel made a strange nasal sound and stared at Kalos for a while before nodding.

“Alright. I’ll protect you. But I’m adding this to your debt. You’ll have to grant two of my requests later.”

“…Fine.”

Although he was reluctant to promise, knowing Abel would likely make strange requests, he had no choice.

“If Dale attacks, hold him off as much as possible. I’ll join in as soon as the engagement ceremony is over.”

“Join in to do what? Are you going to kill Dale?”

Kalos hesitated for a moment before answering.

“…I’ll keep him alive for now. I need to ask him how to break the curse.”

“What nonsense are you talking about.”

Abel tilted his head.

“You already know how to break the curse. That’s why you brought that woman, right?”

Kalos fell silent again.

“From what I hear, it’s only been about a month since you brought her, but a flower has bloomed? If that’s true, wouldn’t it be faster to make all the flowers bloom than to capture Dale and force him to break the curse?”

Although it was a fact he already knew, being pointed out like this made him feel resistant.

That was probably because he didn’t want Irene to die.

Abel asked Dewey, who was standing behind Kalos like a folding screen.

“How many flowers have bloomed so far? How did the previous flowers bloom?”

“…”

Faced with the barrage of questions, Dewey smiled awkwardly and glanced at Kalos.

Although Abel was close to Kalos and helped a lot, it wasn’t okay to tell him everything truthfully.

Kalos hadn’t given permission either.

Kalos stepped in for Dewey, who was in a difficult position.

“Don’t ask unnecessary things.”

“Really? Then I won’t help either.”

As Abel immediately withdrew, Kalos frowned.

“Abel.”

“Don’t you think it’s too unscrupulous to ask me for help but not tell me anything about how things are progressing?”

“…”

Although Kalos didn’t like Abel’s attitude, he couldn’t refute because it wasn’t wrong.

It was also true that he needed his help right now.

Can’t be helped.

“Come here.”

Kalos let out an irritated deep sigh and dragged Abel into a nearby room.

It wasn’t a conversation to have in the corridor where anyone could pop up at any time.

“I can’t tell you how many flowers have bloomed. That’s a secret known only to a very few.”

“And I can’t be one of those very few?”

“If you become my subordinate, I’ll tell you.”

“…”

Abel narrowed his brows, apparently not liking that.

Kalos continued.

“As for what caused the flowers to bloom, I’m not certain, but I think it’s because I saved her when she was in danger.”

At those words, Abel let out a short exclamation as if suddenly remembering something.

“Ah, come to think of it, the first woman you brought also bloomed a flower when you saved her from a crisis, right?”

…Was that so?

Seeing Kalos’s lukewarm reaction, Abel smirked.

“What? You don’t remember such an important fact?”

“…I think it’s stranger that you remember it.”

“Well, I have a good memory. I rarely forget things I’ve heard once.”

If only he would use that brilliant mind for work, his aides would be so happy.

“From the looks of it, it seems the flowers bloom when you appear like a prince and save the sacrifice of the curse when she’s in danger.”

“Probably.”

“Then how about this?”

Abel’s eyes sparkled as if he had thought of a clever move.

“We deliberately set a trap to put that woman in danger.”

“…A trap?”

“Yes! And then, just like before, when that woman is extremely terrified after falling into danger, you appear with a ta-da and save her.”

He should have felt good if he had found a way to make the flowers bloom quickly, but for some reason, he didn’t feel good at all.

Rather, he felt irritated and his chest felt tight.

“Why? Don’t you like my suggestion?”

“…No.”

But I should do it, right?

If that was the only way to make the flowers bloom, it was right to do it.

“I’ll think about it.”

Although his head thought so, his heart wouldn’t go along with it, so Kalos answered evasively.