“Shay, what’s going on…”
“Nothing. I came to see Dame Ziontin.”
“Oh.”
“I gave her a gift.”
I pointed to Meiru Trachian’s sword lying on a rock. Then, an expression of realization flashed across Lacius’s face. I tilted my head and put down my sword.
“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. You came all this way, so why don’t we take a walk?”
“I’d love to, but aren’t you busy?”
“I can make time since you’re here.”
Eventually, Lacius and I left the training ground and entered the promenade. The autumn trees had changed their clothes and were full of yellow and red, and it was quite lovely to walk among them.
I looked at the fallen maple leaves on the ground and picked up the cleanest one.
At Lacius’s puzzled look, I smiled slightly and told him what I was going to use it for.
“I’m going to make a bookmark out of this.”
“A bookmark?”
“Yeah, isn’t there a custom like that here?”
Putting pretty maple leaves and ginkgo leaves inside a thick book and letting them dry makes me feel like I’m back in my school days. It was a time when it was possible to live with this kind of sentiment.
“Then give me this bookmark.”
“Eh?”
“I’ll be the one to pick one for your bookmark.”
The corners of Lacius’ mouth drew an arc. Then he suddenly summoned Apollineus.
“Oh!”
With the sacred sword appearing, the surrounding leaves were caught up in the wind and scattered. With his excellent visual acuity, Lacius was able to pick out only the pretty-shaped maple leaves.
“Wow, that was quick.”
Anyway, is it okay to use this divine sword for something like that? Such a small question arose, but Lacius looked so proud, so whatever.
“Shay, let’s go on a trip next week.”
Lacius, who was carefully placing a maple leaf in his jacket pocket, suddenly spoke. It was a sudden statement, but it was also something I had been waiting for. I brightened up and urged him on.
“Where? Where are we going?”
“Makarten. Although it is famous as a gambling city, there’s more to it than that, and its scenery is beautiful. You’ll probably enjoy it.”
“Good! I can’t wait!”
Going to Shay Island again would be nice, but the second visit never feels as impactful as the first. Rather, the longer you cherish the first visit, the more the memories deepen. I wanted to cherish my first visit to Shay Island without it being overshadowed by a second. So, I was very happy that our travel destination was Makarten.
“So, where will we stay when we get there?”
“At the Floating Hotel. The night view is great; you’ll love it.”
What is a floating hotel? My heart raced at the unfamiliar name. Seeing my expression, Lacius added a brief explanation.
“It’s literally a hotel floating in the sky. It doesn’t fly around, though.”
“Wow, is it a high-rise building?”
“About eight floors. From the top floor, you can usually see the clouds.”
Wow, now we even have cloud views. I mentally applauded the magic of this world and subtly asked.
“Then we’ll see the stars well, too?”
“Yes, it’s a place you’ll like.”
Lacius gently pinched the tip of my nose and then released it. I got excited, knowing he’d probably book the top floor.
“Lacius, when we get to Makarten, I want to try gambling!”
“If it’s just for fun, that’s fine.”
“Oh, I’m so excited. How much should I bring? 3,000 Gautes? Or maybe 8,000 Gautes?”
Even if I lose it all, it doesn’t really matter. Seeing is believing, right?
“I have to bet and lose money to know how to run a gambling house.”
I’m not interested in running it right now, but I’ll need to know later.
‘Of course, that’s all an excuse; I just want to play with money!’
I grinned and hugged Lacius from behind, rubbing my head against his back. His broad, straight back always felt comforting. Lacius seemed to notice my mood but said nothing. Instead, he enjoyed a moment of silence, rubbing the maple leaf he was holding between his fingers.
“Come to think of it, I don’t even know what games are in the gambling hall.”
“There is a guide for beginners there. There’s even a room where you can play practice games, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get the hang of it.”
“Really? It’s pretty organized.”
I don’t know who set up that system, but they definitely know how to make money.
It’s all set up, so I don’t know if there’s much I need to do. Just enjoying it would be the best. Lacius, putting Apollineous away, lazily opened his mouth.
“I believe if we go now, we will arrive during the flower festival.”
“Flower festival? The whole city?”
“Yes. Flower arches are set up all over the city, and petals fall from the sky. The flowers don’t have pollen, but there are butterflies fluttering about that are magically created.”
Wow, that’s nice. That means even people with allergies can enjoy it. I was already excited before hearing about the flower festival, but now I wanted to leave right away. I have an ominous feeling that if I continue to stay in the capital, sooner or later the princess will call me to take on tasks related to the Guild of Painting Wizards. It seemed like it would be best to escape quickly before that happened.
“Let’s stay there for a long time. A very long time. Even if someone calls us, we should ignore them.”
“Okay.”
The truth was, Lacius was an important figure in Terran affairs, and there were limits to the amount of vacation he could take, so the idea of staying away for a very long time was just that, a suggestion. I rested my forehead against his back once more, loving the way he nodded at my foolishness, even though I knew he shouldn’t.
“Shouldn’t we be heading back inside now?”
How many minutes passed like that? I don’t want to let him go, but that would only delay his return to the mansion later. I shook off my regret and tried to loosen my arms around him. However, Lacius held my hand gently and prevented me from moving.
“Let me carry you.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I want the whole world to know that I love you.”
Isn’t it a bit much to hit me right in the heart like that? But I couldn’t say anything more because Lacius, who turned to look at me as he said that, looked so bright. I slightly pouted my lips and nodded.
“Well, if you really want you can carry me on your back.”
“It would be an honor.”
Being carried on Lacius’s back suddenly made the world seem much wider. The world I saw wasn’t exactly narrow, but he was seeing it much higher and broader.
This man is mine. My man
I hugged his neck tightly. Is this what love in full bloom smells like?
After the stuffy summer, a good season for love has arrived. The cool yet slightly bitter scent of autumn mixed with the wind and brushed the tip of my nose.
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