Chapter 17.2

If she said something, she was the type to do it. Even if we forced her to take our money, she would send it back to the mansion sometime tomorrow for sure.

Hearing my words, Noah also gave his thanks and quietly settled in his seat.

“Bon appetit.”

“Thank you.”

The employee who was serving the food took one look at Noah’s face and blushed furiously.

Oh yes. I know how you feel. I understand.

Closing my eyes, I nodded slowly.

While the dishes were being served one by one, the owner lady began appealing past hardships to me.

“Thomas’s field there-off became a mess because of them, you know.”

“I was too afraid to even go outside.”

All the people inside the restaurant were talking about the monsters. It was one of the few and rare issues in this usually quiet and peaceful place.

“Miss, tell us a little something, please. How did you get rid of those fiendish things?”

“Oh, gosh, Noah’s the one who basically did it all. I barely did anything.” Giggling sheepishly, I continued, “I was crammed into a corner when Noah just went slice on the monster nucleus!”

“Whoa!”

Before I knew it, even the men who’d been drinking on the other side had snuck up to listen. It felt like I was regaling them with some sort of fairy tale.

“So they took the nucleus back to the Tower of Magic as research material,” I finished, stabbing my fork into the potato on my plate.

“Oooh!”

Their reaction was very heated.

When I snuck a glance to the side, Noah’s head was turned away as if he was embarrassed. Abruptly hit with playfulness, I shouted, “I think it’s time now for some applause!”

“Yeaaah!!!”

With a loud roar, applause filled the air, so deafening that it felt like confetti and flowers should be raining down at any moment now.

Noah remained silent still, only once in a while taking sips of cold water.

Seeing Noah’s face so completely flustered was quite a fun sight to see, too.

Pounding the wooden table, I laughed out loud.

Noah raised one hand and covered half his face.

On closer inspection, the tips of his ears were all red.

So he really liked it when he was complimented, I see.

It was surprising to find this side of him that had been hiding behind his constant perfect appearance all along.

Fixing my gaze on Noah’s flushed face, I continued eating.

***

Once about thirty minutes had passed, the energy in the atmosphere built up for some reason, and, not surprisingly, alcohol began to overflow from the patrons’ cups.

I blocked all the farmer uncles from trying to offer drinks to Noah.

That wasn’t something you offered a student. Though they were good people, sometimes they really took things too far.

Before it became a drinking party in earnest, I brought Noah out.

It was summer, but coming from such a heated atmosphere, the streets felt chilly – almost.

“Oh.”

The time right now was currently eight.

After checking my watch, I reflexively looked up at the sky. As expected, the sky was in the process of being painted in beautiful sunset colors.

The simmering sun and rosy clouds. Pale buildings were lit up with sunlight and dyed in a scarlet red.

I loved seeing the sunset outside, so I was very excited to have come out just in time for this.

“Noah, look over there.”

While turning my head as I spoke, my entire body froze.

Noah was already looking up at the sky. His eyes of gold gleamed with the same color as the sunset.

For a brief moment, the reflection of the sky on his silver hair glinted brightly. Chasing that light with my eyes, I blinked.

Soon, his silvery locks were colored with the sunset once again. At first glance, it could almost be mistaken to be shining with a transparent gold color.

Beautiful.

As if I’d been possessed by something, strangely enough, I couldn’t remember the place, time, or even what we were doing at that moment.

And just like that, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Noah until the sun went completely down.

***

“You’re back later than expected.”

I smiled at my dad sheepishly. “It’s been so long since I went out, so I spent a little more time playing.”

Seeing how the servants were back before I’d come, I did feel a little ashamed.

“You must be tired. Go in and rest now.”

“Okay.”

I was about to go in as per Dad’s instructions right away before I stopped and turned back.

“Noah, I had a lot of fun today. Thank you very much for accompanying me.”

Noah replied with a gentle smile, “I enjoyed it too. Thank you for taking me.”

“Hehe.”

Coming out after a clean bath, I flopped onto my bed.

Then I recounted everything that had happened today in my head. Noah eating cotton candy, Noah reading a book, Noah and the sunset. All of it had been so pretty.

Feeling drowsy, my eyes were half-closed when the book at the bedside caught my eye.

The nameless book with the red cover that was so familiar to me now.

“My goodness, milady. You’ll get the bed all wet.”

Wordlessly brushing my hands on the book cover, I asked Rita in a low voice as she ran in hurriedly with a towel, “… Rita, were you the one who brought this out?”

“Oh, it seemed important, but I found it under the bed. I also wiped off all the dust for you.”

“… Thanks.”

Rita tilted her head at my strained voice, answering, “No problem. Just doing my job.”

Right. Let’s not nurture any other thoughts. This was only a fleeting dream.

One that would disappear like a mirage once the next semester starts.

Squeezing the book with my two hands, I bit my lip.