I had never dared to imagine that I would have such thoughts.

Axel said with satisfied eyes.

“There is a way to reduce the cost.”

Jade’s eyes widened at his leisurely voice.

“How? Do you know someone who owns a lazulite mine?”

“No. You can engrave the spell yourself. You’re good at it. You’ve used the one I gave you so many times that your skills are outstanding…”

Angry, Jade mercilessly slapped his side, but he just grinned.

“You think that hurts? Practice your hitting.”

“Why should I practice hitting? Am I a knight? And if you had just allowed me to swing an axe in the forest, it wouldn’t be like this!”

“No. Then your fist strength would have remained the same, and only your toes would have disappeared. You would have become the wizard Jade without toes.”

“Don’t be funny. Anyway, the lazulite story is now forbidden. Got it? Got it!”

“Why? To the point of carrying it in your arms every time…”

“Aaah!”

Axel leisurely grabbed the direction of the angrily shouting Jade correctly. Then, fascinated by the numerous items on the stalls, Jade snorted and began walking towards the light again.

Before her anger, which had briefly cooled, boiled up again, Axel quickly changed the subject.

“The south seems to have a lot of travelers. How’s the weather there? I’ve hardly ever been there.”

Jade narrowed her eyes, knowing his intention, but eventually opened her mouth.

“At this point, the feeling of coolness when the wind blows is slowly fading away. It will probably rain quite often too. But it’s the season when the lantern flowers are the prettiest, so if you go to the streets lined with stores, it’s full of lantern flower decorations.”

He had clearly asked about the overall weather in the south, but Jade unknowingly boasted about the Broen territory. Feeling a bit embarrassed as if it was intentional, she hurriedly added.

“Overall in the south, it rains a lot in a specific month. But next month, most days are expected to be clear. It’s always like that.”

“It’s a good place to travel too.”

“Right. On the clearest days, there are always wealthy people who have come for a trip. Axel, where did you usually roam around?”

She didn’t really expect an answer. He always, consistently tended to avoid talking about the past.

In the first place, his background wasn’t important anymore. Only her determination was important.

So Jade asked and then focused her gaze on the stall counters shining with flickering light.

“I was mostly in the north.”

“Oh… huh?”

Axel seemed to have judged that she didn’t hear properly because she was swept away by the bustling crowd. It was also because a few large passers-by were pushing through the crowd in front of her, making Jade stagger for a moment. Her small height was the culprit.

Frowning, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to change positions.

“I said I was in the north.”

A low vibration tickled her ears.

“Ah, I see… You must have been active as a knight there.”

Jade retorted, trying to act as if nothing had happened with slightly reddened cheeks.

Even after changing positions, Axel still seemed worried and was blocking people coming towards them with his own body, not completely embracing her, but the warmth from his body, which occasionally touched her back, was vivid.

The heart that had been calm during the playful conversation began to beat loudly again, flaunting its existence. She felt the hot energy spreading above her eyes as the blood circulated quickly again.

They hadn’t talked about anything yet.

Axel had only told her not to run away and asked if she had time.

Jade had turned back, faced him, and touched him.

And now they were walking in step. That was all.

Nevertheless, her face was flushed, and the pulse echoing through her blood vessels was fierce. Even though she was getting the pieces of the past she had so desired, she kept thinking about other things!

“Yeah. There were a lot of monsters in the north, so there was a lot to do there.”

“So you didn’t grow up in the north, but went there?”

“That’s right.”

“So that’s why you were close with the knights based in the north.”

And again, the name that came to mind was the knight named Grace.

With sharp eyes, charming eyes as black as ripe grapes, skilled with the sword, and unable to hide her joy whenever she saw Axel.

She must have been with him too, right? Judging by her age, they must have met when they were young. Then Lady Grace must have seen Axel grow taller, his body bulking up, and becoming familiar with the sword, one by one.

She must know more than I do. That’s why she showed confidence in knowing him well in the subjugation team.

The redness that had risen to her cheeks gradually faded away.

Even though she knew it was natural, she was envious and jealous. Not of Grace herself, but of the time she had known him.

It was difficult to be honest with him about these things. It would make her look too petty and timid. She had already been jumping at cheek kisses and a single kiss on the lips. She didn’t seem composed at all, right?

She had to be careful not to let it show. Calmly, as if the past doesn’t matter, pretending to be unaffected.

As she frowned alone inside her hood, Axel tilted his head slightly.

“What are you thinking about? It’s strangely unsettling when you’re quiet.”

“Funny. I was thinking that this is my first time here.”

He laughed.

“Right. It’s my first time too, but I didn’t expect there to be so many people.”

But still, his time was flowing with her now, so it seemed okay.

“But that wizard wasn’t lying, was he? There are too many people here, it’s not very good for walking.”

“Hmm, but the street lights are really beautiful, aren’t they? And Rigel doesn’t lie…”

She must have been feeling down overall from suppressing her emotions. However, there was no help Jade could offer for that part. Rigel probably wouldn’t want help either.

Still, she thought she should send him some cool wine and sweet fruits as a gift to help him get through the hot summer.

While she was thinking about Rigel for a moment and not speaking, Axel quickly made a displeased face. Jade asked in a puzzled tone.

“What’s wrong?”

Originally, there are things that are not visible when you are too close, so honest conversation is the only answer.

Because I like you, I don’t like the people who know the you that I don’t know. I like getting to know you day by day, but it’s also frustrating that they already know.

However, they still had the pride not to show their feelings that much.

It was not because the affection was small, but rather because the affection had grown too much, and they did not want to show themselves getting lost in it.

The two people walking in the same place, showing timid jealousy towards someone who was not there, were perfectly alike. It was a fact only they did not know.

“…Never mind. Should we go back to the townhouse early?”

“Oh, no. Today’s only schedule was to deliver the invitation to His Majesty.”

I have plenty of time.

As she said that, Jade was captivated by all the sparkling things.

That thread bracelet looks nice. Oh, a sword sheath decoration! Axel’s sword is very simple, so I think a sword sheath decoration would suit it well. Let’s see, the color… Ah, there’s a pretty gray like Axel’s eyes over there.

At that moment, she felt a large warmth gently wrapping her right hand, intertwining her fingers and binding them. Lower in temperature than her hand, but with a wide grip that gave a sense of stability.

Surprised, she looked up to see Axel staring far away somewhere. But in the gradually darkening time, his ear, which had somehow deepened in color, caught her eye.

Holding hands, what a ridiculous contact. Hadn’t they already done more than that?

But strangely, Jade felt her heart drop to her toes. The blood circulated vigorously throughout her body, making her hands hot. Axel seemed somehow embarrassed, which made it even more so.

Damn, am I a pervert? Why do I like it so much when Axel is shy?

She tried to speak as if nothing had happened.

“Wh-wh-what’s with the sudden…”

Of course, her stammering voice let everyone know that she was not unaffected.

“Should I announce it beforehand then?”

Axel grumbled slightly again. Jade burst out laughing, having seen him complain a couple of times after being honest.

Yeah, he must feel similar. It’s more awkward to walk the streets together than to put our lips together.

“Of course you have to announce it beforehand. Do you know how expensive I am? Anyway, come here quickly. Do you like sword sheath decorations? You hate fancy things, so of course you hate them, right? Still, pick one!”

The merchant who hadn’t sold anything all day swiftly seized the opportunity and chattered.

“Oh my, what a wonderful couple! When the lady gives you a chance, as a man, you have to take it quickly!”

“How do you know we’re a wonderful couple when you can’t even see my face?”

“Haha, I can tell just by looking at the gentleman. I’ve been doing business here for a whopping ten years! The lady must have hair as beautiful as her heart.”

“You noticed that I have the wallet, didn’t you?”

Jade replied matter-of-factly. Axel, satisfied with being called a couple, generously approached the sword sheath decoration stall he had no interest in.

The two, as if one hand didn’t exist, began choosing a sword sheath decoration without letting go of their intertwined hands.