The wizards of Matap murmured.

“…Master?”

“Is it, perhaps, a slave…?”

“But it seems like…”

In the midst of calling him master with her eyes covered, there was more than just a master-slave relationship.

The Matap wizards looking at Sharti had subtle expressions in their eyes. Sharti, who noticed this, blushed.

On the other hand, Ren remained indifferent, showing no signs of being bothered.

“I don’t want anyone else touching me except my master.”

…!

With a statement that had a lot of potential for misunderstanding, Sharti glared at Ren with an incredulous expression.

Ren, seemingly unaware, turned away and subtly stepped back from Sharti. As a result, Sharti instinctively took a protective stance, shielding him.

“Anyway, the owner is the master, right?”

“But will you permit it?”

While Ren called him the owner, Sharti, who was hiding him behind her, covered her face with the hood, making it difficult to discern her expression.

“Or should I try selling him for a good price?”

“But do you have money now?”

“No.”

Upon hearing the wizards’ muttering, Sharti furrowed her eyebrows.

Even though it was a false identity, the words treating Ren as an item to be bought and sold felt like a stab to her chest.

“I don’t need it.”

“Hrk…!”

Suddenly, a horrifying voice was heard, causing the wizards to tremble involuntarily.

The unpleasantness seemed to seep in, spreading more eerily than usual.

It unintentionally added a sense of intimidation.

“S-Sorry!”

The wizards apologized, trembling and bowing, belatedly realizing their blunder.

Sharti, realizing it a bit too late, but the wizards had already left as if fleeing.

“…”

Sharti quietly touched her forehead.

Regretting speaking out of turn, she swallowed a small sigh.

‘It shouldn’t become a habit.’

Thoughts that had not crossed her mind for a while suddenly popped up.

While conversing with Ren, who assured her it was okay, she had unknowingly become accustomed to voicing her thoughts.

However, it didn’t seem like a positive sign that she no longer felt a repulsion toward her own voice.

“Thanks, Sha.”

“…!”

Sharti, who was contemplating an awkward feeling, turned around hesitantly.

Ren, who had been hiding behind her, smiled faintly.

“For lending your voice for me.”

“…”

The momentary burgundy eyes wavered.

However, Sharti soon turned away, smiling wryly.

“My voice is effective when threatening.”

Originally, Sharti used her voice as a threat during confrontations like a deterrent.

The result and reaction were the same this time. Despite being shaken, Sharti, making an effort to appear undaunted, nodded her head.

“It’s not because of my voice.”

Her immediately denying voice was very firm.

“It’s because of you, Sha, who stepped up for me.”

“Courage? That’s…”

Hearing a word she had never heard before, Sharti hesitated.
At this moment, Ren wanted to remove the bothersome blindfold. He wanted to look at Sharti properly and express himself. Every time he witnessed Sharti’s courage, which was always on display behind her, he wanted to convey how reassuring it was.

The courage Sharti summoned with all her might always overflowed with strength. Therefore, everyone couldn’t take their eyes off Sharti, and instinctively, their hearts were drawn to her.

“Come to think of it, I might have been the same.”

Ren reminisced about the day he faced Sharti.

Sharti noticed him pretending to be asleep, gripped a long staff, and guarded herself. Confronting Ren with a threatening attitude, Sharti swung the staff without hesitation.

The day he first saw Sharti’s face. The day he made promises with her for the first time.

That day, Ren, overwhelmed by Sharti’s boldness despite her petite and delicate figure, was drawn to her.

“Sha, don’t move.”

Ren slowly pulled the blindfold and released his eyes.

And he opened his eyes slowly.

“…”

Looking up, Sharti’s lips came into view from under the hood.

Sharti wouldn’t know. From her pale and rarely seen face, how her lips could evoke certain emotions.

Suppressing the fluttering emotions, Ren closed his eyes once and opened them again.

“I’m handling it.”

…!

Smiling at Sharti’s slightly open mouth, Ren stared at it.

Seeking knowledge, making a contract with Shucady, it was all a process to handle the emotions toward Sharti.

“But I should do better.”

Each subtle change in Sharti fascinated Ren, giving him an indescribable feeling.

Could feelings for a person grow day by day like this?

How deep could seemingly simple emotions become?

“But if the moment comes when I can’t handle it…”

At that time, he might be drawn to Sharti without any hesitation.

Emotions, feelings, growing to an unbearable extent, might eventually be spoken aloud.

“Do you like me, Ren?”

To that question, he might confidently spit out an affirmative answer.

“So, Sha, if I ever make you feel embarrassed, I hope you understand, even if just once.”