In My Eyes, She Is Beautiful
In my eyes, she is beautiful.
Starting something brings a kind of fear. For those facing trials, it's the terror of an uncertain future.
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...Just wait a little longer. Not yet.... I still haven't prepared my heart.
For those challenging a shift in relationships, it's a trembling anxiety.
Don't nag. Stop meddling in everything. If you want to be a playful dad, just casually bring up dating...?
Sigh... This is too hard. Becoming a Sword Master would be easier.
And finally, it brings sorrow to the heart of someone who won't move as you wish.
...Why do I always fail?
I don't want to hurt them anymore, I want them to see my good side....
Starting is a challenge laced with fear. It's not guaranteed to lead to a good ending, but one thing is certain—it's a desperate struggle to escape regret.
Let's work hard again today! When commoners come, no discarded lunches! Treat them to a feast!
Hey, hurry up and ring me out.
Ack! Sorry! Right away!
Everyone was changing in their own places. For better encounters. To become people they wouldn't be ashamed of. They were trying.
The mansion in Hamel was peaceful today as well.
"Hmnya."
"My nose itches, Ricardo."
"Then scratch it."
"Ung."
"Don't pick your nose, though."
"Eek...! What am I supposed to do when it itches?!"
"Then blow it."
"Blow it for me."
"..."
"Eeeek! Blow it for me!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Me too. I was sitting by the Young Lady's bedside, enjoying my leisurely unemployed life today as always. The sun blazed brightly. No visitors in sight. Someone might say this time is a waste.
Yeah, right.
Kruuuuh!!!
"Sniffle. Ricardo."
"Yes."
"My nose is stuffy."
"..."
Maybe doing nothing is the ultimate healing, I thought.
Outside the window stretched a peaceful scene. Green trees preparing for the approaching summer, a clear sky. And Gomtang in the yard, gnawing away at Hans's head bit by bit.
'...?'
I rubbed my eyes and looked out the window again. Was I seeing this right?
Gooooom!
Heh heh heh... The pinnacle of magic...!
What the hell?
Like me, the Young Lady peered out the window with a puzzled expression and pointed.
What are they doing?
Gom. Gom.
...If you weave the formula like this...!
Gom. Gom. Gom.
Gomtang, bite the shoulders too, not just the head.
Gomgomgom (No way.)
I couldn't answer the Young Lady's question either. I couldn't comprehend their bizarre behavior in the field. Why did people only act strange when they came to our mansion? At this inexplicable phenomenon that I understood yet didn't, I sighed while watching Hans. Wondering why he'd abandon a perfectly fine house to live under one roof with a bear.
"Ricardo, they're weird."
"Yeah."
"Like idiots."
"Maybe they're hungry."
"Ricardo's friend must taste good."
"I doubt it."
"Ughhh..."
The Young Lady stared at me with curious eyes, then suddenly went 'nom' and bit my head.
"Nom nom!"
"Hm?"
"Grrr... grrr...!"
The neat arrangement of the Young Lady's teeth on my crown. Was she showing off her molars? The childish sensation made me nod. It absolutely wasn't because my treasure pouch was touching her shoulder.
I suppressed my rising smile and tugged at her cheek.
"Why'd you bite me!?"
"Eek... Tastes bad."
"That's 'cause my head's full of stuff."
"Then I must taste super bad."
"No."
The Young Lady gazed at me with eyes full of expectation.
"Then?"
"You'd taste super sweet."
"...Eek?"
"'Cause you're dumb."
Without a moment's hesitation, she threw a pillow at me. After debating for a while what our heads might taste like, in the brief silence that followed, the Young Lady gazed out the window and murmured softly.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"What should we play now?"
"Wanna do rock-paper-scissors?"
"Nah, we've done that too much. Boring."
"Chess then?"
"Head hurts. Hate it. You always win."
"That's 'cause you're dumb..."
"Eeeeeek!"
The Young Lady pouted and cautiously opened her mouth.
"I wanna go out."
"Didn't we just go to the capital?"
"Not that. I wanna go out and play outside the mansion."
The Young Lady, who loved staying home—what wind was blowing? The girl who lived by the creed that beyond the blankets lay danger—why this sudden challenge? I couldn't understand, but as an excellent butler, I asked with a serious face.
"Is it that day, perhaps?"
"Eeeeeek! No!"
"Right. The time isn't..."
"Shut up!"
I ignored her huffing and pointed at the sun hanging outside.
"It's too hot out."
"Not hot."
"The room's got a top-grade magic stone cooler running. Step outside, and you'll melt."
"Nuh-uh. I handle heat fine."
"When you were little, you whined for a rickshaw ride."
"Eeeeeek...! That wasn't me."
"Puhahaha!"
The weather was truly perfect. The kind you couldn't ignore without going out. Summer was calling me, a brilliant day stirring the urge to soak in cool valley water. I nodded vigorously.
"Yeah, I kinda wanna go out too."
"Ung. Wanna go out and photosynthesize. Lay out a mat, eat lunch, drink booze too."
"You even know the word photosynthesize?"
"Ung. Lying under the sun."
"So smart."
"Hee hee... I know."
She beamed at the praise. Seeing her innocent smile, I nodded. My gaze naturally drifted to her legs.
'...'
Words failed me for a moment. Her frail, powerless legs brought a wry smile. Where had the sturdy legs that used to kick noble ladies gone? Seeing only these skinny ones left her speechless for a bit.
She's a girl too, so it must bother her. She looked plenty beautiful in my eyes, but not in hers.
"..."
My mood soured. Catching my unguarded gaze, she hid her slightly visible calf under the blanket and smiled awkwardly.
"Hee hee... Why?"
"..."
"Why...?"
She was smiling, but it felt sad—was it my imagination? I shook my head awkwardly.
"Nothing."
Maybe my regret, or hers. But her smile felt more wistful today. That's how people are. Hope breeds greater greed.
I wiped the dark expression from my face with a faint smile at her fidgeting fingers waiting for an answer.
"No. Is there... somewhere you wanna go?"
"Ung?"
"You said you wanna go play."
"We're going?!"
"Not too far, Young Lady."
Her breath tickled as she stacked her hands on the bed and leaned close. I backed away, hiding my flushed cheeks. Why was her nose flaring like that? She really didn't act like nobility.
"So, where to?"
She shouted with a bright smile.
"The valley!"
"Valley?"
"Ung. Wanna soak my feet in the cool valley water and play."
"A valley, huh..."
There was one nearby. Not too far.
"Shall we go?"
I smiled faintly and lifted my hips from the bedside. Better to start quick. More playtime that way. I packed her clothes into a bag with a grin, while she sat on the bed watching me.
"Ohooo...! Ricardo folds clothes so well."
"Of course. Years of experience."
"Looks nice."
"Praise?"
"Ung."
A pleasant smile bloomed. Guess I'm the same as the Young Lady. Grinning like an idiot at simple compliments.
"Underwear in passionate red?"
"Eeeeeek! Idiot! I'll pick!"
"White then."
"Eeeeeek!!"
She glanced at me and whispered.
"Pink."
"O! Pink!"
"Don't get excited!"
Her blushing face was so girly. Incredibly so, for the novel's villainess.
"Young Lady."
"Ung."
"Kimbap for lunch?"
"Lots of meat."
"Got it. Fruits too?"
"Ung."
She gazed at me with a bright smile.
"I like it."
—Thump.
"Pardon?"
She grinned wide.
"I like watermelon."
"Ah."
Really. She was a pro at startling people.
Olivia grinned as she watched Ricardo's back pulling the rickshaw. Red hair. Always-smiling lips. A face perpetually beaming for some reason. What an idiot.
Olivia softly called his name.
"Ricardo."
Ricardo wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and smiled brightly.
"Yes, Young Lady?"
"Hee hee... Nothing."
"What's with that seductive smile."
"Uhee hee..."
"Canceling the trip."
Fun. Being with Ricardo was. Not love, but... 'I like you.' Saying that made her heart thump. Like an idiot.
"Hee! Run!"
"Here we go. Full Sword Master throttle..."
"Hiiiieeeek!!!!"
Olivia laughed into the rushing wind. Grateful to Ricardo, who devoted himself to such a pathetic master.
'Thank you.'
She murmured the feelings in her heart softly.