While eating breakfast, Nella shouted angrily.

“Can you please stop? Coming out every day nodding off like a sick chicken! I can’t tell if I’m returning to the capital or intruding on someone else’s honeymoon!”

I, who had been dozing off but miraculously not dropping my spoon, made an expression of realization.

“Ah, honeymoon.”

“Don’t make that realization face! Just stop it!”

How am I supposed to stop? I’ve been stuck right next to you from the start.

Anyway, thanks to that I woke up. I took another spoonful of soup and mumbled a reply.

“Nella, you’re too picky.”

Nella swept back her hair irritably and grumbled.

“Don’t call me familiarly like a friend. My life is messed up because of you, you know?”

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

“On what grounds do you say that?”

I wiggled my finger as I spoke.

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

At my answer, Nella’s expression became very gloomy. She drooped her eyes.

“…You don’t seem to know what poverty is.”

Really, this girl is the one who doesn’t know. Aren’t I the nobleman who has experienced poverty the most in this world?

“I know it well. Have you ever eaten turnip bread? It’s when you dry turnips until they’re crunchy and bake them like bread. You really wonder if such a thing exists in the world.”

“T-that’s…”

At my words, Nella’s mouth snapped shut. At first, I was just saying it to tease Nella, but as I spoke, it became more and more serious. Even though 100 years had passed, to me it felt like just a few months ago.

“After going through a time when turnips were all there was to eat, my eyes would go crazy at the sight of chocolate cake. I know I shouldn’t eat it for health reasons, but it’s hard to resist.”

Ah, is that why I came to like chocolate cake? As I spoke, I understood. As I nodded, Nella cried out with tears in her eyes.

“D-don’t keep making me cry!”

“Anyway, I straightened out your life. Don’t ever think it’s messed up.”

“What are you saying, really.”

Whether she really felt sorry for me or was looking for a retort, she chewed her lip, then suddenly jumped up from her seat and ran out. I blinked in bewilderment and snorted.

“Hmph.”

I chewed the rest of my breakfast again. Only indifferent thoughts crossed my mind.

‘I thought she was a really mean woman, but unexpectedly she’s soft.’

Is it because my body is tired that I keep speaking cynically?

As I was nibbling alone like that, Hadel came into the inn from outside. He sat down right next to me and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“I wonder.”

If I was sleepy, I should have just gone in and slept, why am I eating so slowly and running into Hadel?

As I slightly lifted my buttocks and moved as far away from Hadel as possible, Hadel asked as if dumbfounded.

“Why are you backing away?”

“Because I feel like Hadel is going to bother me again.”

“Huh?”

Hadel laughed as if incredulous, then soon smiled mischievously as if he’d gotten used to it.

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

I got up from my seat without hesitation.

“Then I’ll run away.”

But far from running away, my waist was soon caught and I was seated again. Hadel narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Why is that the conclusion?”

My answer was clear.

“If I run away you’ll bother me, and if I don’t run away you’ll bother me, so I might as well run away.”

“…You’re quick-witted.”

So that’s how it was!

As I was side-eyeing Hadel with a very wary expression, Hadel ordered warm tea from the waiter. I tilted my head.

“Are you going to drink tea now? Shouldn’t we be moving a lot now? The sun is still up properly.”

“The horses are tired, so they say we need to rest in this city today.”

“Ah.”

I wondered why Hadel seemed unusually relaxed, but our journey was held up for today. I shrugged my shoulders.

‘Well, why rush at full speed to a good place?’

We should go slowly and leisurely, won’t Espen waiting for me in the capital get impatient?

‘Only when the other person loses composure do gaps appear.’

Anyway, since we’re resting for a day, my mind also became languid. I raised my hand to signal for my share of tea, then lay down on the table.

“We suddenly got a day off.”

Hadel smiled gently as he tucked my hair that had fallen out behind my ear. 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, that’s true.”

Well, that’s true, but… Not forgetting the lesson from Neris, I diligently asked Hadel. That is, the lesson that I should ask anything since he might be nervous unlike me.

“It’s Hadel’s first time too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go.”

After finishing our tea, we got up from our seats amicably.

It was still winter in this region, not far from the north. Watching my breath turn white in the air, I realized that I wasn’t shivering from the cold like I used to.

‘The flow of mana feels strange somehow. It’s different from before.’

Should I say it’s easier to use mana now?

In the past, when I used mana, my heart would gradually empty and my body would shiver, but now even when I use mana, my whole body still feels warm.

‘Is it because I use mana frequently? Originally, the more you use mana, the more refined the circuits become.’

That was the only reason I could think of. Then will I be able to maintain human form for longer with less mana in the future? While I was pondering this, Hadel suddenly kissed me.

Chu.

“Eek!”

I was startled because I had been lost in thought while walking. Hadel said nonchalantly.

“Why are you so surprised over a kiss?”

It seems like our roles have reversed somehow. In the past, Hadel would jump when I initiated contact, but at some point Hadel became more proactive than me. I pushed Hadel’s face away with my palm and said.

“Don’t do it because it startles me. Don’t do it.”

“Everyone does it.”

Oh, really?

At his calm reply, I inadvertently looked around and ended up making eye contact with people who were staring at me with round eyes. They turned away embarrassedly. In the end, the embarrassment was mine. I shouted with my face bright red.

“They’re not doing it!”

At my words, Hadel shrugged.

“It’s bad of Marian to look away during a date.”

The slightly sulky expression was one I never imagined I’d see on Hadel’s face. I covered my mouth with my palm and moved my lips.

‘No, why did he suddenly become so cute! It’s like seeing a completely different person.’

No. Is this love goggles too? Does he only look cute to me? I should ask Nella when I see her later.

Anyway, as we walked down the street, a similar yet different scenery caught my eye.

This was a much quieter city than Neris. There were hardly any people on the streets, and snow that hadn’t fully melted yet decorated the edges of the roads. The savory smell of bread tickled my nose, but I wasn’t tempted since I had eaten a lot for breakfast.

Watching a little girl run past me, I suddenly remembered the story Nella had told me and asked.

“Hadel, I heard you have a younger sister. What kind of child is she?”

Hadel’s answer came immediately. It wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

“I don’t know well.”

Is there a big age difference? Well, I don’t know my siblings well either since I was on the battlefield for a long time, so I can’t say anything.

Feeling awkward, I stretched out nonchalantly, and Hadel added an explanation with a bitter smile.

“I couldn’t get close to her after injuring the dog she was raising.”

“Ah.”

I had forgotten for a moment. Hadel’s terrible family, that is. I scratched my cheek.

‘But his parents might have been under Espen’s control, and his sister was young then, so maybe she didn’t know better?’

I’d prefer if it were like that. I forced myself to squeeze out some words of comfort for Hadel.

“Nella says she’s a very smart child. You can see for yourself this time, right?”

“Yeah.”

“She was young then. Now she’s grown up and won’t be blindly afraid of you. And now you can control your flames without difficulty, right?”

“That’s right.”

Hadel nodded silently. He didn’t seem to particularly agree with my words. I inwardly sighed.

‘I guess I shouldn’t have brought up his sister. The mood suddenly turned gloomy.’

I looked for something that could turn the mood around. Just then, I saw people gathering at the end of the street.

“Looks like a street musician.”

Well, it was just someone practicing an instrument. Still, people who had been bored gathered around as if it was a welcome distraction. Watching children hopping around, I impulsively asked.

“Hadel, are you good at dancing?”

“I learned the basic steps.”

“Really? Then you’re a good partner for me. It’s been so long since I danced that my memory is hazy.”

I held out my hand to Hadel.

“Let’s dance together.”

Hadel looked at my fingertips for a moment, then sighed briefly.

“…Gladly.”

Whether he really wasn’t confident in dancing or not, Hadel’s body was too tense when he grasped my hand, making his whole body stiff.

The tune was a mess, and the two of us were creaking rather than dancing. After trying to match my rhythm for a while, Hadel finally couldn’t stand it and spoke first.

“Our feet keep colliding.”

I giggled. Isn’t it fun enough?

“It’s good as long as we’re not stepping on each other, right?”

Hadel kept looking down at his feet with a serious expression. No, it seems like he hasn’t been able to lift his gaze since we started dancing.