<CHAPTER 49>
It’s Dangerous When Everything the Other Person Does Looks Cute
“A public proposal?”
“Yes! You express Your Highness’s feelings in the most splendid and grand way possible in front of as many people as possible!
For example, you could set off fireworks right in the middle of the plaza!
A magnificent orchestra would be playing below, and beautiful flower petals would scatter along every path Lady Ehilie walks!”
When she heard it, it sounded quite romantic.
She especially liked the part about doing it “in front of many people.”
***
A few days later.
Ehilie returned to the place where the cabin… used to be with Rek.
Thanks to the teleportation spell, they arrived in the blink of an eye.
“It really all burned down.”
The large frame of the walls and roof had not collapsed.
But the furniture and belongings inside had all burned away and were unusable.
Ehilie let out a sigh as she looked at the interior filled with ashes.
At least the structure is still standing.
Rolling up her sleeves with determination, Ehilie pulled out the cleaning tools she had prepared in advance.
Can I really clean all of this in a single day?
I want to at least make it livable before sunset.
Feeling overwhelmed, she lifted a broom without a plan when Rek suddenly approached.
“I will move the heavy items.
Could you clear the pile of ashes over there, Ehilie?”
Turning her head, she saw Rek rolling up his sleeves beside her.
The line of his pale forearm visible beneath his elegant black shirt looked very impressive…
No, that wasn’t the point!
Startled, Ehilie quickly stepped in front of him.
“I’ll take care of things here, so you should go back now.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do that.
I cannot bring myself to leave Ehilie alone in a place like this.”
“Then wait outside.
I don’t want to make you do rough work like this, Rek.
Besides, the air here is terrible.
You’re already weak, so you shouldn’t stay somewhere like this.”
“I’m fine.
Watching you struggle would trouble me even more—
cough! Cough!”
She knew it.
Seeing Rek cough dryly, Ehilie turned pale.
A mask! Where’s the mask?
Ehilie hurriedly took out a mask and put it on him.
“Thank you, Ehilie.”
His red eyes curved beautifully.
Fortunately, his coughing seemed to settle.
“Now that I’m wearing a mask, I suppose we should begin cleaning in earnest.”
“What?”
“Here, let me put one on you as well, Ehilie.”
Rek naturally placed a mask over Ehilie’s face.
Wait, that wasn’t the plan.
Before she realized it, she had once again been swept along by his pace.
In the end, they began cleaning together.
Well, it’s better than doing it alone.
Since Rek quickly carried the heavy items outside, it became much easier for her to clean the floor.
She was sweeping away the thick ashes and wiping the floor when—
Crack!
A loud noise echoed from the ceiling.
“Ehilie!”
The roof broke apart, and before she could dodge, wooden fragments and filthy ash water poured down.
At that very moment, Rek rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Ehilie.
“Rek! Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.
Are you hurt, Ehilie?”
“I’m okay too, thanks to you.”
Because Rek shielded her with his broad back, Ehilie wasn’t struck by the debris.
However, she was completely soaked by the filthy water that had fallen from the skylight.
Her pure white hair stuck to her face in stained strands.
The water had been sitting there for a long time, and the smell was terrible.
Of course, Rek, who had shielded her, was in no better condition.
“Oh no, you’re completely soaked!
Look, there’s a river nearby.
Let’s go wash up quickly.”
Ehilie urgently grabbed Rek’s hand and pulled him along.
***
Redemberg valued cleanliness.
With magic, filth could naturally be kept away, and washing one’s body every day was basic.
For Redemberg, being drenched in dirty water like this was far from pleasant.
How unpleasant.
If he wished, he could have brushed it off immediately with magic.
But he held back.
Because Ehilie was here.
Yet even in this situation, Ehilie still looked beautiful.
Her hair soaked with ash water resembled the softly glowing Milky Way in the night sky.
The nape of her neck, exposed by the hair clinging to it, looked more delicate than usual and stirred something within him.
Even amidst the musty smell, the faint sweetness of Ehilie’s scent drifted toward him.
It was like a pearl hidden inside a fake jewel.
The soot on her face made Ehilie’s blue eyes stand out even more.
Even filthy water cannot hide Ehilie’s beauty.
Of course it couldn’t.
Even buried in coal, a diamond remained more valuable and beautiful than any other gem.
Redemberg suddenly realized just how superficial a man he was for caring so much about appearances.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Ehilie was beautiful in every moment.
Entranced by Ehilie’s beauty, he had already forgotten his displeasure.
“Rek? What are you doing?”
When he came back to his senses, they had already reached the riverside.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, right?”
“Ah… no.”
“Good.
I’ll wash over there, so don’t look until I say I’m done.”
Ehilie pointed firmly in another direction.
“Why not?”
“Why do you think?
Because it’s embarrassing…”
After saying what she wanted, Ehilie hurried off.
Damn it.
Damn it all.
Redemberg bit his lip.
A curse nearly slipped out.
Because Ehilie, blushing and snapping at him, looked far too cute.
How can a creature this cute even exist?
Suddenly, something Herond had once said came to mind.
“Your Highness, do you know something?
If everything the other person does looks cute, that’s a very dangerous state.
It means you’re completely smitten and can’t make proper judgments.”
Redemberg calmly analyzed his condition with rational objectivity.
Recently, Ehilie did seem cute at every moment.
But that was only because she was doing “cute things.”
For example—
“Rek, did you sleep well?”
When she greeted him cutely in the morning.
“This cake is really delicious.”
When she ate dessert cutely.
“Good night, Rek.”
When she said good night cutely.
In summary, Ehilie wasn’t cute no matter what she did.
She simply did cute things.
Therefore, finding her cute was completely natural.
Wasn’t it the same with cats, animals loved by both humans and demons alike?
They were cute because they acted cute.
Though Ehilie is cuter than a cat.
After careful consideration, Redemberg came to a conclusion.
I’m not at that dangerous stage yet.
***
The Central Cathedral of the Imperial Capital.
Located in the dark underground, the residence of Saintess Clarisse was guarded by dozens of holy knights.
Originally, the residences for the Empire’s saintesses were located at the highest floor where sunlight shone the brightest.
But Clarisse had refused that.
“A saintess is someone who saves those suffering in the lowest places.
I will become the light that rescues people from the darkest places.”
People did not hold back their praise for this humble and noble declaration.
However, Gabriel felt a strange sense of discomfort.
If she was such a humble and noble saintess, why was her room decorated entirely with gold?
And why were the dresses she wore made of the finest fabrics and adorned with expensive jewels?
“You’ve finally returned, Hero!”
After returning to the Empire, Gabriel visited the residence of this contradictory saintess.
“Yes, Saintess.
I apologize for causing you worry.”
Gabriel knelt on one knee before her and paid his respects.
Her white hair and blue eyes were the same colors as Ehilie’s.
Yet the atmosphere around them was completely different.
Clarisse’s voice carried an exaggerated sweetness.
Almost like a cunning demon tempting someone.
“I wondered every night whether something had happened to you, Hero.
I prayed to God every single night.
Thanks to my prayers, it seems you were able to return safely.”
The woman who claimed to have stayed up every night looked extremely energetic.
Her eyes were not bloodshot, and there were no dark circles beneath them.
“Hero, what exactly happened?
Where were you all this time that you only returned now?
Please tell me.”
“…I merely lost my way for a while.”
Gabriel hurriedly lied.
A heavy sense of guilt pressed down on him.
But he could not reveal the truth.
Because he had promised Ehilie.
“Oh my, how did that happen?”
“…I fell into a trap set by demons.
I resolved it, so there is no need for you to worry, Saintess.”
Clarisse narrowed her eyes.
Her sharp blue gaze pierced him for a moment before softening again.
“If the Hero says so, then it must be true.
You returned safely, and that is enough.
You may leave now.”
Clarisse extended her hand.
If he kissed her hand, he would finally be allowed to leave.
Just as Gabriel carefully reached to hold her hand—
“Ah!”
Clarisse suddenly pulled her hand back as if burned by something hot.
Holding her hand wrapped in a white lace glove, she stared down at Gabriel in shock.
Gabriel was equally startled.
“Saintess?
What is wrong?”
“Ah… I think it was just a bit of static electricity.”
“Static electricity?
I didn’t feel anything…”
“I’m rather sensitive.
The greeting is unnecessary, so you may leave now.”
Without understanding what had happened, Gabriel left the room filled with a sickening sweet fragrance.
What was that about?
A deep sense of doubt about Clarisse’s reaction remained in his mind.
