Amelia's Pounding Heart
Amelia's heart pounded wildly. Just like it had a few days ago, when she'd first heard the invitation to come here together.
"A resort?"
"Yes. We're right on the verge of opening. I'd be grateful if you could join me to experience it firsthand and share your thoughts... How does that sound?"
Yohan planned to inspect every detail—the building's condition, whether the auxiliary facilities and their contents were arranged appropriately, and if the staff were holding up well. He wanted to do it without coming across as stiff or overbearing.
Together... at the resort.
Amelia's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. A flutter of embarrassed excitement rippled through her. After all, it was essentially no different from asking her on a date. And with him acting as her escort, the justification was perfect. An escort followed their charge, after all.
"I'd like that. When were you planning to leave?"
"I've only just decided, so it may take a little time to arrange. Please rest comfortably while you wait. The maids will handle your luggage, so don't worry about a thing."
"Thank you."
Yohan bowed politely and took his leave. He expected it would take roughly thirty minutes to send the necessary messages and prepare the boat.
Amelia sat alone in her chair and closed her eyes. Her body fidgeted with nerves. That brief stretch of time felt unbearably long.
What do people even do at a resort?
Amelia had been raised in comfort. Not quite locked in a cage, but she had rarely ventured outside. At least until the war. As a result, she had never visited a resort before. This would be her first experience.
"Eep!?"
Knock, knock.
The instant someone rapped on the door, Amelia's eyes flew wide. A startled squeak escaped her lips.
"Young lady. Preparations for our departure are complete. May I ask you to step out?"
Yohan's voice drifted in from the hallway. Her heart, already racing from the surprise, hammered even harder.
"Yes. Just a moment, please."
Her voice, by contrast, remained perfectly calm. Thanks to that, she managed to steady her breathing without raising any concern before emerging. She couldn't possibly step out with her face flushed scarlet.
I'm fine. Let's go.
Amelia squared her shoulders and stepped outside, doing her best to appear composed.
"I'm sorry. Did you wait long?"
"Not at all. Shall we?"
Yohan smiled as though it were nothing. Amelia's heart surged again, sending warmth flooding through her body—enough to color her cheeks once more.
"...Yes."
Amelia answered shyly and fell into step behind him.
They rode a carriage to the harbor, then boarded a yacht-sized vessel at the docks. It was one of the transport ships built during the resort's construction. The hull was wood, reinforced with magical coating for durability. Additional spells had been layered on to make operation simple—like a motorboat.
"Watch your step."
Yohan climbed aboard first and offered his hand. His escort knight Aaron and the captain who would steer the vessel were already on board.
"Excuse me."
Amelia took Yohan's hand and stepped onto the deck. The planks swayed gently beneath her.
"It won't rock too badly, but please hold on tight. It's faster than it looks, so you might lose your balance and fall overboard."
"I will."
While Amelia nodded shyly, the man at the wheel-shaped helm retrieved the key Yohan had given him. He inserted it into the small, keyhole-shaped opening at the center of the wheel and turned it, exactly like unlocking a door.
Click.
The sound of a lock disengaging rang out. Even without wind, the sails billowed, and the boat began to glide forward.
"Departing," the captain murmured, adjusting the helm.
The vessel eased away from the pier and gradually picked up speed, sliding across the sea like a blade over ice.
After about ten minutes by boat from the harbor, a small island appeared on the horizon. It was faintly visible even from the docks. Several modest piers. An artificially crafted park. And at its center rose a building that resembled the Tower of Pisa—only standing perfectly straight, as if its spine had been aligned with pride.
"...Wow."
Amelia gazed up at the tower and let out a soft breath of wonder. It made sense that she would be impressed. This was the first time a tower had been used as a resort building in this world. After all, towers usually meant siege engines or watchtowers for monitoring enemies.
"Let's head inside. I'll show you around."
"Yes."
I took Amelia's hand and led her into the building. I'd instructed the staff to skip formal greetings, so only one person waited to receive us.
"Welcome, sir."
The resort's manager. A mage who had, thanks to our contract, essentially been reduced to a life of servitude.
"You're looking well. Seems like you're getting along fine."
"Oh, please. Does any of this look like I'm 'getting along fine' to you?"
Manager Gauss frowned deeply. He complained with his usual blunt sarcasm, but there was no real resentment in his eyes. He was managing to eat and live, after all.
"Looks pretty comfortable to me."
"Haa... You'd be the only person in the world who works a mage this hard."
"You earned it."
Gauss had originally appeared as an enemy midway through the racial war, siding with the opposition to torment the protagonist. His motives had been utterly selfish. Because of that, I felt zero guilt about binding him with a slave contract and working him to the bone. It was all his own karma.
Still, seeing him living peacefully like this wasn't bad. It benefited both of us.
"Tsk. I have nothing to..."
Gauss, who had been grumbling, slowly turned his head and fell silent.
Finally looking over here, are we?
It was the war hero Amelia. The very person who, in the original story, would have burned him alive by shoving a heat ray down his throat.
"G-greetings to the hero."
Gauss bowed his head, trembling. Even an innocent man gets nervous when the police arrive; this guy was an actual criminal, so his fear was perfectly understandable.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Amelia."
Amelia accepted the greeting calmly. The way her gaze had settled suggested she'd already picked up on the situation.
"Young lady, this is Gauss, the resort's general manager. He's turned over a new leaf and is living properly now. His leash is quite secure."
I introduced him belatedly. She'd be seeing him often, so she ought to at least know his name.
"Ah... I understand."
Amelia nodded while looking at me. A leash and trust might not seem compatible, but in practice they paired perfectly. Just like right now.
"Since the introductions are done, you can go. I'll handle the tour myself."
"Is that really alright?"
Gauss asked, visibly surprised. Of course he'd be pleased that the master was willing to do the slave's job.
"Yes. Are all the facilities operating normally?"
The resort had been fitted with various magical mechanisms, much like the boat we'd ridden. Gauss was the one who had created and maintained every last one of them. He was the only mage we had, after all.
"No issues whatsoever. Please enjoy everything at your leisure."
Gauss spoke with clear pride. It was the pride of a craftsman. Even a former villain was still human. The work may have begun under duress, but he could stand confidently behind the results of his best efforts.
I trusted that pride.
"Good. Then, young lady, shall we continue?"
"Yes."
I took Amelia's hand and guided her through every corner of the resort. I simply couldn't let go.
I'm holding it so firmly. It wouldn't feel right to force her to pull away.
Anyway. The mana-powered elevator. Rooms decorated with a sleek modern aesthetic. The restaurant and various other facilities. Even the top-floor suite. I showed her nearly everything there was to see.
"When did you build all of this? It must have taken an enormous amount of time."
On the resort's rooftop, Amelia gazed out at the endless stretch of ocean, still holding my hand. At this point, she seemed to have forgotten we were holding hands at all. The thought flickered through my mind. It was a reasonable suspicion.
"I prepared it long ago, but construction was temporarily halted when the racial war broke out. I resumed toward the final stages of the conflict."
Building a resort on an island was no small feat. Materials for the structure, food for the workers—the transportation of supplies had been especially troublesome. It had only been possible thanks to magic. Even then, Gauss had worked himself to exhaustion. Much like a loyal official who eventually died from overwork.
"Was there a particular reason you went to such lengths to build a resort here?"
"I wanted to own a resort on an island. And I thought its novelty might prove quite profitable."
"You're very honest."
Amelia smiled softly. Speaking so plainly about money apparently hadn't earned any ill will. Or perhaps it was simply his face. Like the saying that a handsome man makes any topic sound interesting.
"Are you disappointed?"
"Not in the slightest. The desire to earn money is universal, isn't it? And you've always carried yourself with confidence and integrity, Sir Yohan."
"That's one thing I do take pride in. The people working under me might resort to tricks, but I have no desire to do so."
"That's an admirable mindset."
A war hero had just vouched that the path I was taking was admirable. That put my mind at ease. At the very least, it meant the business wouldn't earn me any bad reputation.
"You must be tired after all that sightseeing. Why don't you return to your room and rest?"
"Alright."
Amelia answered in an extremely shy voice. I wondered what thoughts were running through her head. Part of me wanted to ask immediately, but I held back, afraid it might make things awkward. It would be crossing a line.
That must be avoided.
Building anything is difficult. Destroying it takes only an instant. Trust is the same.
With that in mind, I escorted Amelia to her room and returned to my own. When your mind is in turmoil, sleep is the best remedy.
Amelia washed up and settled onto the sofa. The simple, modern design felt unfamiliar at first, but she found she liked it. There was no pretense to it. The staff had already delivered her luggage, so she suffered no inconvenience. A dedicated maid was supposed to arrive soon, but she had declined. She didn't want anyone intruding on this time alone with him.
What am I even thinking...
Amelia shook her head vigorously. Her long twin tails swung back and forth like an excited puppy's tail—quite violently.
Only now did she realize they had held hands for a very long time. Like affectionate lovers.
His cool, firm grip. The reassuring strength of a man who seemed to support her without wavering.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
Calm down. Please, just calm down.
Amelia closed her eyes and slowly regulated her breathing. She straightened her posture as well. Only after the heat in her body had subsided did she carefully open her eyes again.
The space. The scents. She felt everything she was being allowed to enjoy with vivid clarity. She was grateful, yet sorry. It felt burdensome, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Not because she was afraid to lose it, but because she had been starved for the genuine affection hidden within that kindness.
Having tasted it once before only made her crave it more desperately.
I wonder if the others... are doing alright?
Suddenly, the faces of her friends rose in Amelia's mind. Today, for the first time, she finally had the peace of mind to look beyond herself.