Chapter 20

"547 years ago...?"

"Yes."

I tilted my head at Ralph's unusually precise number. How could he know such a thing?

Noticing my confusion, Ralph looked at me with a troubled smile, lowering his eyebrows.

"Heroes have that kind of power."

"Is that so..."

I was curious about what kind of power that was, but now didn't seem like the right time to ask.

I don't doubt Ralph, but if it's true, much more time has passed than I thought.

"Wow, heroes are amazing."

Meanwhile, the Holy Maiden laughed as if amused.

"Anyway, I'll check the records from that time. If it was a demon of the Demon King class, there should be some records."

"Thank you, Holy Maiden."

"You're welcome. I have some things I'm curious about too, so I'll call you again soon."

"Yes, thank you."

I wondered what she was curious about, but it didn't feel right to ask now, so I bowed my head.

"Beverly"

"Yes?"

"I'll come back in two days."

"Okay, I got it."

It seems Ralph also had business with the Holy Maiden, and it couldn't be done now. So, we left the temple.

...A demon of the Demon King class recognizing me as prey and marking me. When I was attacked by the bear demon, it seemed to be afraid of me, perhaps because of this.

And why am I being targeted by such a demon? What am I, having taken away the power of the sanctuary? There are still many things I don't understand, and it only makes me feel heavier.

While being swayed in the carriage on the way back, I kept thinking about these things. Ralph took my hand and smiled.

"Lissette, even if it's a demon of the Demon King class, it's okay. I've defeated a Demon King before."

"...Thank you."

– I'm sure the reason I can be so calm now is because Ralph is here with me. If I were alone, I would be so anxious and scared that I wouldn't know what to do.

"Just don't worry, Lissette. Relax and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow, let's go to town together. I found a store you might like."

He smiled, saying he would make your favorite fish dish for dinner tonight. Watching him, my vision blurred.

Why is Ralph so kind to me? His kindness seeps into my anxious heart, making me want to cry.

"Thank you so much. I'm glad you're here, Ralph."

He seemed a bit surprised by my words but then smiled softly.

"Of course, I'm the only one who can protect you, Lissette."

"Hehe, that's true."

"Promise me you won't leave my side. It's a promise, okay?"

I nodded in response to his words.

◇◇◇

A week later, I attended a tea party held in the garden of the Redford Marquess family.

"Would you like a refill, sister?"

"Thank you."

Next to me, Nadia, with her beautiful smile, was managing the event while taking good care of me.

"Nadia, would you like some too?"

"Oh, thank you. I'll have some."

"Thank you so much!"

On the other hand, the invited young ladies blushed and let out cries of delight at every move Nadia made.

...After Ralph's birthday party, I consulted her about the young ladies who admired him. She nodded readily and smiled.

"We'll hold a tea party at our house and invite them."

"Wow, that's great. They'll be so happy."

"But, will you join us, sister? I feel a bit lonely on my own..."

Nadia looked up at me with puppy-like eyes.

She might not be very good at socializing with people her age, which is why she often seems to be alone.

"Okay, I'll study etiquette and other things until then."

"Thank you. I'm really looking forward to it."

After this exchange, we arrived at the present moment.

The young ladies, invited by the admired Nadia, were all very happy, occasionally conversing with her. Nadia also seemed to be enjoying herself, and I felt relieved inside.

The conversation continued with topics typical of a gathering of women, such as the latest cosmetics, dresses, gossip from the social scene, and talk about lovers and fiancés.

Reflecting on it, I hardly had any memories of enjoying conversations with other women like this. I got carried away and talked too much, coming back to my senses.

Then I noticed Nadia, sitting next to me, looking at me with an incredibly gentle expression.

Even though she's a woman, I was taken aback by her gaze.

"You're so cute, I want to hide you away so no one else can see."

"Strange Nadia."

"Hehe, I want to hear more of your stories."

"There's nothing interesting to tell."

"Stories about Brother Ralph are fine too?"

The young ladies sitting across from us started saying things like, "Please, we want to hear," and "We'd love to." It seemed they were actually curious about us and had been waiting for the right moment to ask.

"Lord Ralph is such a wonderful person, isn't he?"

"Your special bond with him made me feel excited too."

Hearing those words, my face heated up for some reason.

"I heard you two got engaged after falling in love. What about Lord Ralph attracted you, Lissette?"

When did this become the setting? We're still pretending to be engaged, so it wouldn't be right to deny it here.

What about him attracted me? As a pretend fiancé, I tried to think of an appropriate answer.

"...I like Ralph's kindness."

– I'm not good at lying, but those words came out more smoothly than I thought.

As I wondered about it, there was a sudden thud. Turning around, I saw Ralph himself standing there.

Thank you as always! There's a little less than half of this story left, so I'd be happy if you could stay with me until the end.