Chapter 65: Wish (2)
After a stormy day, the second day of the festival began.
I wasn’t sure if I should feel relieved, but I finally had a bit of time to myself.
Russell had come to the barony with Isha.
He’d mentioned bringing various documents from the Crescent Moon archives, and it seemed like he’d arrived right on time as promised.
Thanks to him, Baron Esquente was in a state of emergency. Sirien had also volunteered to assist the baron today, making it a busy day for everyone.
In the meantime, I decided to take a moment to collect my scattered thoughts.
Sirien, Baron Esquente, and Russell—these three entered the meeting room immediately after the meal and didn’t come out.
“First, here’s the list of nobles friendly to our side.”
“All mediocre names. I doubt any of them will be of much help.”
“This list is different! What about these people here?”
“Get a grip. Maybe you can’t gauge it because you’ve lived so casually, but our opponent is a count family with a history spanning over a hundred years. Gathering minnows like these won’t do you any good.”
“T-That bad?”
At first, I had been in the meeting room with them.
But as expected, politics and such were far from my realm of expertise.
Sirien, as if it were second nature, began tossing documents to the floor.
Meanwhile, I had nothing I could do to contribute.
I thought I could at least serve them tea, but instead, I was scolded and told to call for a maid.
“Don’t expect imperial law to treat you fairly. If the authorities are imbalanced, you don’t even need to open the law books. The judge will bow his head in court if the count so much as looks angry.”
“Good grief. Then what should I do? The so-called minnows you dismissed are the only connections I can muster.”
“If you lack connections, then make new ones. Start by investigating the grudges against the Eloran County. There’s bound to be something if you look to the eastern region. Oh, and scratch this name off. They’re tied up in the ironworks business and will never side with you.”
“I’ll handle that part.”
Eventually, I made my escape.
Even listening in, I couldn’t keep up with the flow of conversation. Staying there would be useless.
I didn’t want to embarrass myself by chiming in with some uninformed remark.
Sirien would undoubtedly reach a much better conclusion than I could ever devise with my fumbling.
I trusted her judgment completely.
...Not that I left because I felt awkward facing her after yesterday’s incident.
Luckily, I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t follow their discussion.
“Hyaaap!”
Thwack! Isha’s attack landed but was deflected.
Her wooden sword flew weakly across the training yard, rolling on the sandy ground.
“That wasn’t bad. But you should’ve hidden your intent a little better.”
“Where did I give it away?”
“Your eyes. Adding a feint was smart, but you were staring right at your target.”
“Seriously? You can notice even that? Let me try again.”
There’s nothing quite like swinging a sword to clear your mind.
This time, I was sparring with Isha, my equally useless companion, as she honed her skills.
Though my assessment had been a bit harsh just now, I couldn’t deny her potential.
Her growth was astonishing—not just grasping one concept when taught, but constantly adapting and improving as if rewriting her own approach entirely.
It was as if she had a natural fluidity in transforming herself.
Was she showing it off to everyone she met?
Regardless of tomorrow, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to prepare another pretty accessory.
If I’d known she’d treasure it enough to brag, I would’ve chosen something much fancier. The thought left me feeling a bit regretful.
“I think the Saintess would be happy with any gift you gave her.”
“That’s not how I want to approach this.”
“Hmm... What about something she’s liked before?”
“Something Sirien likes...”
The Sirien I knew wasn’t drawn to flashy or expensive things.
She was a noble among nobles, born into one of the most prestigious bloodlines in the vast empire.
Gold or jewels wouldn’t move her in the slightest.
What she genuinely enjoyed were sweet desserts and simple things, like walking with me or chatting about trivial matters.
She also seemed to like books, but I didn’t have much confidence in my ability to pick something suitable from that realm.
“Take your time. This might not be the most helpful advice, but women often appreciate the atmosphere. If a gift shows effort or sincerity, it usually leaves a strong impression.” ꭆ
“Hmm.”
We wandered through the market together, but nothing stood out.
It was all stuff Sirien and I had already seen the day before. What had seemed novel then now felt dull and uninspiring.
As a token of appreciation for Isha’s help, I bought her a snack. I also picked up plenty for the three people stuck working hard in the meeting room.
While browsing, I came across some pretty bracelets and other accessories. Isha picked out a few, but none of them felt right to me.
“I should’ve worn thicker clothes. The wind’s getting cold already.”
“Should we head back if you’re cold?”
“No, I’m fine. There are so many people around that it’s bearable for now.”
Sincerity. Effort.
Isha’s words echoed in my mind, sticking in my throat like a stubborn lump.
It was such a difficult concept.
Not because I didn’t understand it but because there hadn’t been a single moment with Sirien where I wasn’t sincere.
The challenges we’d overcome together were the kind that couldn’t be faced without absolute trust and genuine feelings.
If I hadn’t risked my life to protect her, Sirien would’ve died in that cabin.
And if she hadn’t risked her life for me, I’d have succumbed to spider venom.
Even on the battlefield, it was clear that neither of us would’ve survived without the other.
So being told to express sincerity felt like an impossible task.
I’d already been doing that—how could I possibly do more?
“Ah...!”
A memory suddenly flashed through my mind.
“Did you think of something?”
“Yeah. Sorry, can you hold this and wait here for a bit? I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll wait. Take your time.”
I’d been overthinking it all along.
I was making it far too complicated. When had Sirien and I ever needed to verify each other’s sincerity?
For us, sincerity and trust were as natural as breathing.
With that thought, I dashed off, cutting through the bustling market.
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