Sharati paused for a moment and caressed the bouquet of flowers.

It was a bouquet of flowers that looked like roses. It was fascinating how the scent of flowers lasted in the cold weather.

‘I’ve never seen such flowers in the village.’

It seemed like a bouquet specially prepared to confess to her.

‘Ah! I need to visit Grandma quickly.’

Before the former doctor roamed around the village, she had to meet Biréta hastily to convey her intention to leave. Surely, there would be hidden watchers outside the village, so it was safer to leave the village with the help of the Crople Mercenary Group.

While asking for help from Matapju or wizards would be more convenient, she hesitated to seek help rashly because teleportation magic leaves coordinates.

‘It’s better to inform Grandma separately about the antidote for the bright red poisonous weed.’

Sharati was about to take a step when it happened.

“Sha-!”

“……!”

Sharati reflexively turned around.

Ren was running towards her with a blindfold in his hand.
In the pale evening sky, as Sharati looked at Ren running towards her, a hint of vermilion passed through her crimson eyes. Continuously searching, waiting, and anticipating, when Ren, whom she had been looking for, appeared, the cold muscles on her face that had frozen melted away, and laughter spread.

Her heartbeat quickened a bit.

“Ren-.”

A dreadful frog-like croaking sound was released, slowly and smoothly.

It was a change that Sharati herself wasn’t aware of.

“Hoo…….,”

Ren, breathing heavily without replying, stood in front of Sharati.

The first place his gaze went was the bouquet Sharati was holding in both arms.

Ren, who had a lot to say, looked at the bouquet with his eyes full of questions and took a deep breath.

“Sha.”

His endlessly deep turquoise eyes stared directly at Sharati.

“In fact, I’m not ready yet.”

“Huh?”

“So, what I’m saying now is the ugly jealousy of someone unworthy.”

Due to Ren’s serious expression as he made an inexplicable declaration, Sharati nodded her head in surprise.

When Sharati agreed, Ren immediately snatched the bouquet away.

“……!”

Without a chance to react, her arms felt empty.

While Sharati was staring blankly at the disappeared bouquet, Ren presented a small box from his embrace.

“Uh, what’s this?”

Sharati took the small box with both hands.

The palm-sized small box was lightweight. Wondering what was inside, she shook it slightly, making a small, clinking sound.

‘Metal?’

There seemed to be expected items inside.

“Did you get a badge from the Crople Mercenary Group, by any chance?”

When Sharati found Ren, he was surrounded by the Crople Mercenary Group.

As a talent that attracted attention, even if temporarily, Sharati wouldn’t be surprised if Ren joined the Crople Mercenary Group.

“It’s not a badge.”

Anyway, he received something from the Crople Mercenary Group.

Sharati examined the outside of the box with a puzzled look.

“Sha, it’s yours.”

“Huh? Mine?”

The response had already been given to Karun with the oath, so Sharati chuckled.

‘But why does Ren look so tense?’

What could this be?

Sharati glanced at Ren, opened the box, and said, “……A ring?”

It was a thick silver ring with a unique gem embedded.

Studying the silver ring with a unique gem, Sharati blinked.

“I got it as a reward.”

“A reward? …Did you use this to replace money because you didn’t want to give money? Isn’t this extremely valuable? Haven’t you done something foolish for no reason?”

“No.”

The worried expression that was full of pity, as if asking if he had been deceived, quickly disappeared from Ren’s face.

Only after hearing the explanation that he worked for this ring did Sharati feel relieved and carefully examined the ring again.

It certainly didn’t look like an ordinary ring.

Then suddenly, she remembered what Schakadi had said when she visited the lodging last time.

“This, could it be… a magical tool?”

Ren nodded.

“Ren!”

Magical tools are expensive. Regardless of the abilities contained within, magical tools are expensive.
Sharati couldn’t help but be moved by the fact that Ren volunteered for dangerous tasks to receive such an expensive magical tool.

Moreover, if it wasn’t for Ren himself but a gift for Sharati, she couldn’t bear it any longer.

“I won’t accept it. I can’t.”

Sharati firmly covered the box and handed it to Ren.

“Receiving something needed for Ren, not me…….”

“The ability I desired the most is contained in this ring.”

Even though Sharati stretched out her arm and offered the box to Ren, he paid no attention and opened the box, taking out the ring. Then, as if flowing like water, he immediately put it on Sharati’s left ring finger.

Without Sharati reacting yet, the silver ring that slipped onto her finger automatically adjusted to the thickness of her finger.

“Sha, this ring is a magical tool that interferes with recognizing people’s faces.”

“……Huh?”

Perplexed, Sharati quickly examined the silver ring on her finger.

While Sharati was fussing, Ren quickly rummaged through his pockets, avoiding her eyes.

The pair of silver ring magical tools were originally a set.

“Don’t look at the ring and try taking off your hood, Sha.”

“…….?”

Sharati, still dazed, looked up at Ren with trembling eyes.

Ren nodded, indicating it was okay.

Sharati bit her lip and, just in case, checked the contours of her face inside the hood. Despite wearing the magical tool that distorted her face, unlike the face distortion magic cast by the wizard, her original face remained unchanged. Her hair color was the same.

“Trust me, okay? Sha-.”

At his words of trust, Sharati didn’t think any further.

Even though her hand hesitated, she slowly pushed the hood back.

At the moment she opened her eyes, it felt somewhat frightening. Her heart thumped loudly.

Ren also briefly closed his mouth. However, waiting for Sharati to open her eyes until the day was getting darker was chilly. He quickly took off his outerwear.

“A while ago, the village kids came to find me.”

“…….?”

While Sharati was unintentionally wrapping Ren in the outerwear, his voice unexpectedly reached her ears from a handspan away.

Suppressing the tremor, Sharati focused on his voice that sounded close.

“Sha, you and the village chief’s son-.”

“……!”

Sharati gasped, her eyes wide open. Meeting the turquoise eyes that were staring down at her, just a step away.

Sharati involuntarily swallowed dry saliva at the intense gaze.