While having breakfast, Nella let out an irritated sound.

“Could you please be a bit more moderate? Coming out every day, bowing like a sick chicken! I can’t tell whether I’m returning to the capital or intruding on someone else’s honeymoon!”

I, who was bobbing my head while avoiding dropping the spoon, made a realization with a certain expression.

“Oh, a honeymoon.”

“Don’t make that enlightened expression! Just stop it!”

How can I stop? I’m practically glued to the side in the first place.

Anyway, thanks to her, I woke up. I took another spoonful of soup and mumbled.

“Nella, you’re too picky.”

Nella, as if expressing her irritation, brushed her hair away and grumbled.

“Don’t call me friendly like a friend. My life is messed up because of this marriage.”

“It’s not because of me. And I saved you.”

“On what basis are you saying that?”

I flicked my fingers and said.

“What’s happy about becoming the wife of a man who doesn’t love you?”

Nella’s expression became very gloomy at my response. She widened her eyes.

“…Looks like you don’t know what poverty is.”

Really, does she not know? If there’s any noble who has experienced poverty the most in this world, it would be me, wouldn’t it?

“I know it well too. Have you ever eaten radish bread? It’s made by drying and roasting radishes to eat them like bread. I thought, is there really such a thing in the world.”

“T-That’s…”

Nella’s mouth snapped shut at my words. Initially, I said that to tease Nella, but as I spoke, it became more serious. Even if a hundred years had passed, it felt like a few months ago for me.

“After passing through the times when there was nothing to eat except radishes, just seeing a chocolate cake made my eyes sparkle. If I think about my health, I shouldn’t eat it, but it’s hard to restrain myself.”

Ah, so that’s why I like chocolate cake? As I spoke, I understood. Nodding my head, Nella cried with tears welling up.

“S-Stop making me cry!”

“Anyway, I paved the way for Nella’s life. Don’t think it’s messed up.”

“What are you saying, really.”

As she searched for words to refute, her lips, which had been finely pursed, suddenly opened wide, and she rushed out of her seat. While I blinked in surprise, I let out a sneeze.

“Hmph.”

I slurped the remaining breakfast. Only cynical thoughts came to my mind.

“I thought she was a really mean woman, but unexpectedly, she’s pitiful.”

Perhaps I’m speaking sarcastically because my body is tired.

While I was grumbling to myself, Hadel entered the inn. He sat right beside me and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“Just that.”

If I’m sleepy, I should just go in and sleep. Why did I have to eat slowly and encounter Hadel like this?

As I slightly shifted my buttocks and moved away from Hadel as much as possible, he asked in surprise.

“Why are you moving back?”
“Hadel might bother me again.”

“Huh?”

Hadel, who laughed as if finding it absurd, soon put on a mischievous smile, indicating that he had become accustomed to it.

“If you keep running away, I’ll really annoy you.”

I got up from my seat without hesitation.

“Then I’ll run away.”

But instead of running away, I was immediately pulled back and seated again. Hadel opened his eyes narrowly and asked.

“Why does it end up like this?”

My response was clear.

“Whether I run away or not, you’ll bother me, so I might as well run away.”

“…You catch on quickly.”

As expected! With a vigilant expression, I observed Hadel who was glancing sidelong, and he ordered warm tea from the waiter. I raised an eyebrow.

“You want to drink tea now? Aren’t we supposed to move for quite a while? The sun is still high.”

“I’m tired of talking. Today, let’s take a break in this city.”

“Ah.”

Hadel seemed unusually relaxed today. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, we ran at full speed as if we were going to a good place.”

Let’s go slowly. Won’t Aspen, who’s waiting for me to return to the capital, get impatient?

“The other party has to lose composure, creating opportunities for vulnerabilities.”

Anyway, since we’re taking a day off, my mind also relaxed. I raised my hand, signaling for my share of tea, and leaned on the table.

“Looks like we have a day off unexpectedly.”

Hadel chuckled as he tucked the pouring hair behind his ears. The words that came out of his mouth didn’t suit Hadel at all.

“So, let’s go on a date.”

“A date?”

“It’s your first time in this city, right?”

“Well, yes.”

Well, that’s true, but… Remembering the lessons from Nerris, I dutifully asked Hadel. I learned that anything needs to be asked because he might have been nervous unlike me.

“Is it Hadel’s first time too?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go.”

After finishing the tea, we stood up amicably.

It was still winter in the areas not far from the north. Watching my breath turn white, I realized that I no longer shivered in the cold like before.

“Something seems odd about the flow of mana. It feels different from before.”

Maybe I can use mana more comfortably now.