The Accessory Shop
The morning in Ludrick Kingdom was quiet. The gentle melodies of bards tickled the ears. People who had welcomed the morning stretched their arms and loosened their stiff bodies.
“Ughhh...” Of course, I was one of them. I hadn’t slept well last night. Whenever I opened my eyes, Seria was there. Even if I changed spots, it was the same. She found me like a ghost and slept beside me. She claimed it was because Isabel had made the first move, so she had no choice. Honestly, I wasn’t sure. In the end, I couldn’t get a wink of sleep because my body had gone rigid. That precarious boundary line that would brush against me if I so much as moved. I was terrified. Watching her keep dashing forward as if she had already forgotten the promise we made... really.
“This is troublesome...”
“Is something the matter, sir?”
“Good morning, Isabel.”
Since when had she been there? Before I knew it, Isabel had approached and stretched her arms, loosening her body. ...Damn it. She must have slept well. Was I the only one who didn’t? It felt like I had lost to something I couldn’t even name.
Isabel slowly tapped at my sleeve. Then, with an “Eek!” she hugged my arm. Her gaze still refused to meet mine. She was always embarrassed, so why did she act so boldly? Noticing my stare, Isabel gave me the answer.
“...You spent the entire day with the young lady yesterday.”
“Ah.”
“S-So today, please spend it with me.”
It wasn’t a bad deal. Besides, Isabel wouldn’t throw herself at me the way Seria did. Honestly, it was a little awkward. Jealousy and obsession came first, and her love felt heavy. It wasn’t a bad thing. It was just that I couldn’t properly respond to those feelings.
That guy has multiple wives! The Vikings’ words echoed in my ears. Ah, this was driving me crazy. I was worrying for no reason. My main goal should be returning to Earth, so why was I hesitating?
“Hero?”
“...It’s nothing.”
I patted both cheeks and cleared my head. I scooped water from the well and washed my face. Was the dawn air that cold? It stung. But it was more than enough to clear my messy thoughts.
“Well then, what shall we do today?”
“There’s a place I’d like to go!”
Isabel’s excited expression was different from usual. She was a woman who normally didn’t show her emotions honestly. Her expressions had definitely become more varied than before. It must have started from the moment she confessed her feelings to me. But wasn’t she getting a little too worked up? A faint blush colored her expectant face. Isabel, brimming with anticipation, looked like a puppy wagging its tail.
“Haha. Aren’t you a bit too excited?”
“...!”
When I teased her, she flinched, fixed her expression, and buried her face. “Ugh...”
“It was a joke. Just a joke.”
“...Hmph.”
Heh. There was something satisfying about teasing her. It wasn’t good for the heart first thing in the morning, but what did it matter? What did any of it matter? Her pink hair glowed in the warm morning sunlight. An experience like this wouldn’t come around again in life.
Seria had told me that Isabel had been trained as a maid since childhood, so she rarely showed her emotions. That’s why I’m upset! Perhaps because she had rarely shown her feelings even in front of Seria, things had turned out this way. If she had been even a little more honest with her emotions... If she had shown this bright, lovely side to everyone... Would Seria have tried so hard to push Isabel away? You thieving cat! Ah... That would never happen. The probability wasn’t zero, but it was extremely low. Even if there was a one percent chance, it was still just one percent. The remaining ninety-nine would overwhelm it. In games, even an eighty percent enhancement rate could fail. What about reality?
I slowly sat down on the grass. Farmers preparing for the harvest, merchants setting up their stalls, warriors returning after exploring the Demon Realm through the night. The village was gradually regaining its morning vitality. Fallen maple leaves riding the wind were a bonus.
“It’s beautiful. So pretty.”
“Y-Yes?!”
“Look at those maple trees. Back in my hometown, when autumn came, it was... no joke.”
“Ah... Maple leaves.”
The autumn foliage in Korea was beautiful. I still remembered going to Gangwon-do with friends for our high school graduation trip. After getting a job, I had been insanely busy with overtime and weekend shifts. There was no time to rest. Even after being summoned to this world, I had fought for my life against Hel’s children. Just like Lunaris and Fina, I never had a moment to spare. That was why the maple leaves meant even more to me.
“...Hmph.”
Isabel thought, I-I was so startled... Because he had suddenly spoken in such a low, whisper-like voice, she thought he was calling her beautiful. He had definitely said she was pretty. What had she been expecting? It would be nice if he said that... just once... Ugh! Such an embarrassing and extravagant thought! She desperately covered her burning cheeks. The Hero was truly detestable, as always. That was probably why her heart kept wavering. Isabel felt ashamed of herself for even thinking such things. The more she did, the deeper she buried her face in his shoulder. I must endure, Isabel. If she showed this expression now, it would be unbearably embarrassing.
“Isabel?”
“Idiot.”
“Now what...”
“You don’t need to know. You don’t understand a woman’s heart.”
He’ll definitely notice my heartbeat.
*
The place Isabel and I arrived at was the market. It was around ten in the morning, and people were starting to gather. After passing by a fly-covered slab of meat, we stopped in front of a shop. It was Isabel’s footsteps that had halted. It was an accessory shop.
Isabel wore a slightly gloomy expression before quickly hiding her emotions and returning to a blank face. She had once been a slave, sold as a maid to the Lionblood family. Was that why? Even if she wanted to buy such luxurious accessories, she never could have. Even now, long past the age when girls loved to dress up, she never showed her feelings.
“Hehe. Let’s go in.”
Even as she said that, I wished she wouldn’t hide things from me. Did I look like I had no pride or money? What? The line was backwards? So what. It was the truth.
“Isabel, come here for a second.”
“Yes?”
“Hurry.”
I took her hand. Gripping it tightly so she couldn’t let go, I led her into the shop.
“Welcome.”
At the shopkeeper’s voice, Isabel’s shoulders flinched. Even while flustered, she couldn’t hide her emotions. Her cheeks flushed red. It had always been like this, but now it was even worse.
“S-Such luxurious things don’t suit someone like me.”
“Then why is your mouth hanging open like a child?”
“...Ugh! Hero, I’m not the kind of woman who enjoys such extravagance!”
Even though she wanted to dress up, she couldn’t. “Wearing a few things like this isn’t extravagance.”
“But...”
“Because you’re Seria’s maid, you can’t have things like this?”
She nodded. I placed my hand on Isabel’s cheek and slowly made her look at me. She avoided my eyes. So I lowered myself to meet her gaze. Honestly, I was embarrassed too. This was the first time I’d done something like this. I knew it wasn’t like me. But what could I do? I had chosen this. I had made the move.
“If anyone treats you harshly, tell me.”
“...Hero.”
“I’ll beat them to a pulp.”
Then I smiled. Had she calmed down a little? As always, I placed my hand on her head and stroked her hair. Having grown up without affection, she always looked happy even while enduring her embarrassment.
“Pick something. Honestly, I think everything would suit you.”
“You say such embarrassing things so casually, Hero...”
“So you don’t like it?”
Isabel shook her head from side to side. Her hair swayed over her shoulders.
“...I like it.”
The answer came. This was the village she had said she wanted to see. It was fine to make at least one good memory. At least for the days when I would be gone. It was a distant future, and if the Demon King’s death was delayed, that future might never come. But I had to return.
“If you see something you like, tell me.”
“Hmm...”
Isabel seemed to have a lot on her mind. Well, even I took forever picking out a car. Money was plentiful, but the choices were limited while the variety was overwhelming. I could understand the decision paralysis.
While I was thinking that, Isabel approached me and spoke.
“I don’t know what to choose...”
“Nothing you like?”
“N-No! It’s just that I don’t know much about these things...”
Was that why? Isabel avoided my gaze. But she was speaking to me.
“So... um...”
“Yes?”
“...I’d like you to choose for me...”
It was so quiet I could barely hear. It wasn’t a joke—her voice was buried in embarrassment and barely crawled out.
“Did you call me?”
“...Ugh.”
“Uh... Isabel?”
Why was her face so red? What had I said? Was she angry? No, that wasn’t anger. It was Isabel’s own way of hiding her embarrassment. The shopkeeper, watching us with a pleased expression, chuckled. What was he laughing at, old man? I was being dead serious here. Did he understand my plight? He quietly passed behind me and whispered, “The young lady wants you to pick.”
...!! Was he a god? What kind of lunatic would yell “What are you laughing at?!”? I definitely couldn’t say that. In this moment, he was my savior. Thank you... Overwhelming gratitude! I casually slipped ten shillings into his hand. A tip.
“Haha. Just kidding.”
“I-I don’t like that kind of joke!”
“Pfft.”
Seemed like it went over well. Nice assist. At this level, he was a celestial supporter. Faker would cry watching this skill. I slowly looked over the display. I was searching for patterns and colors that would match her pink hair. From clover-shaped earrings to heart-shaped necklaces. Then I saw a ring. If it were ordinary, it would be an extremely plain design, but in the center was a beautiful diamond, just like someone I knew.
“Isabel, come here.”
“Yes.”
I checked her finger size. “Hmm...” This was tricky. Except for her ring finger, it was either too loose or wouldn’t fit. I asked the shopkeeper.
“This ring. Can you adjust the size?”
“No problem! But I don’t think you’ll need to adjust the size?”
He looked at us with a sticky, pleased gaze. He probably thought we were lovers.
“It’s fine. Size adjustment—”
“...I like it as it is.”
“Isabel?”
Isabel rested her forehead against my shoulder and murmured, “...I like it as it is.”
“Ah.”
The shopkeeper grinned with an “Uhehe” and asked for payment. I had no choice. I had decided to spend the day with Isabel. I quietly paid a large sum. It wasn’t a big hit. The Lionblood family wasn’t some stray dog. Their status was immense.
Thump, thump. My heart was racing. Was this a coincidence? It was probably because of this world’s belief that everything was fate and Odin’s will. Otherwise, there was no way I’d be this nervous. Stronger than the first time I slew a monster. My heart pounded wildly along with my madly flushed face.
“Ah...”
Isabel let out a dreamy sigh. She looked at the ring that had slipped perfectly onto her ring finger. I didn’t meet her eyes. I felt like she would notice this embarrassing, fluttering sensation.
“...Well, it’s not bad.”
“After all that effort picking it, that’s pretty deflating.”
“Hehe... It was a joke. Just a joke.”
It was a small revenge. Covering her mouth as she giggled, even she didn’t notice the faint smile on her lips.
“Ah, come to think of it.”
“...?”
“Did you know that a diamond ring means ‘eternal love’— Mmph!”
Stop. Stop it! If I said that, I might actually die of embarrassment!
“...Hero? Is that true?”
“N-No! That’s not what I—”
“...Hmph.”
Damn it. Now I didn’t know either. Even if Seria went berserk, I wouldn’t know. Yeah... I wouldn’t know.