CH 8

The maid who was bringing milk for us must have accidentally dropped the cup on the tray.

The maid put on a puzzled expression for a moment, but as soon as her eyes met mine, she turned towards me and hurriedly bowed her waist, starting to apologize.

“M-Miss… I-I was wrong… !”

It was my first time seeing that maid.

Looking at her trembling and about to burst into tears at any moment, I felt as if I had become an uncommon villain.

…I don’t think I have any recollection of scolding anyone.

She hurriedly began to put away the broken cup, her lips tightly pressed together to keep her cries out. Her tears stopped me for a moment.

Then Paul, who was standing next to me, whispered in my ear.

“How should we proceed?”

“What else. Just let her go.”

“I understand.”

The maid quickly put the broken cup away and hurriedly left the room.

There was a brief commotion, but I returned to my book as if nothing had happened.

Then Reynold asked me.

“Why did you just send her away?”

“It was a mistake. Besides, she doesn’t have anything to say when she’s crying, well.”

Looking at the letters on the paper, my body started to feel languid.

I yawned involuntarily, then met Reynold’s eyes straight as he looked away from the book.

I hesitated for a moment, but then naturally closed my mouth.

Reynold opened his mouth, turning his gaze to the book.

“Actually, there is something I want to ask you.”

“…What?”

“There are parts of your actions that I don’t understand.”

“My actions?”

At my question, Reynold nodded slowly.

“You’re inconsistent.”

“…If that’s the case, why don’t you just straight away swear?”

“I apologize if I sounded swearing. That wasn’t my intention at all.”

I was at a loss for words at the sight of Reynold, who had softened up more than before.

Reynold continued his speech slowly.

“I thought the reason you pushed me away was because I was weird. But I don’t think so.”

“…Why did you think that?”

“You don’t show any resistance to Serik. He’s just as weird, though… ”

Reynold blurred his words.

I was asking why Reynold thought he was weird, yet he seemed to misdirect my question.

“…What is the standard of being weird that you’re talking about?”

“Hmm… They think differently from normal people?”

Aren’t people originally all different? It would be harder to find the same ones.

Even while I was lost in my thoughts, Reynold continued talking silently.

“Aren’t normal people more attracted when they think they’re similar to you?

So, what Reynold wants to ask me is the difference between Serik and himself.

Because Serik doesn’t appear in the novel? Because I know you’ll hurt me?

It was a very valid reason for me, but unfortunately, I wasn’t confident enough to convince my listeners.

In the end, I had no choice but to answer his question in a vaguely evasive way.

“…Some people are inconsistent.”

“They are.”

Reynold answered, and he hesitated for a moment.

Then he asked me carefully.

“…What about Serik?”

It was the first time since that day that Reynold had asked Serik how he was doing.

“He’ll be at… my house.”

“I will personally apologize to Serik.”

At his words, I stopped involuntarily.

“And sorry to you too.”

Reynold’s apology felt very heavy.

I couldn’t reply to his apology.

It was as if the image of Reynold I had always thought of had peeled off and faced me.

Actually, I was the one who should apologize to him.

From Reynold’s point of view, it was like he was being hurt by me without knowing anything.

I still have no idea how to treat Reynold.

In my head, I thought it was right to push him away.

But that only happened once or twice, and it was unreasonable to keep meeting him and keep pushing him away for no reason.

Lotte and Madam Collin really wanted us to become friends.

They seemed to think that time was all I needed to open my heart.

***

“Madam Collin told me to go out with Reynold?”

I asked Paul back, pointing at Reynold, wondering if I had heard it wrong. Then Paul nodded his head.

“Since the weather is nice, she told you to go out.”

In response to his answer, I replied tremblingly.

“And what if something happens?”

“Ah, what are you so worried about when the best knight will follow you?”

Paul pointed at himself and replied confidently.

Apparently, I was the only one who was very worried about this situation.

Glancing at Reynold, he didn’t look much different from Paul.

.

Of course, if it’s the Madam’s order, there’s no reason I can refuse…

Lotte would have allowed it all.

Eventually, Reynold and I changed into commoner clothes. Then I followed Paul and left the room.

In the distance, I saw Madam Collin approaching me and Reynold.

She smiled brightly and pulled our hands towards each other and put them on top of each other. Reynold’s hands were very warm.

Although it was a very obvious fact that people’s hands were warm, I really didn’t know why that fact felt so new.

“Take care of yourself. Got it?”

Saying so, she lightly kissed my forehead.

Does that woman perhaps want a daughter?

Well, it didn’t seem like Reynold was the type to be cute.

But the trap was that I didn’t have more cute acts than Reynold.

Then she wiped my forehead with her finger.

It looked like the red lipstick she had on her lips smudged my forehead when her lips met my forehead.

She checked my forehead and smiled contentedly.

“Red suits Danae very well. But you’re still too young to wear lipstick.”

“I… heard that a lot.”

It was a remark I had never heard in my life, but I decided to accept it for now.

Madam Collin stroked my hair once and straightened her back.

Then she nodded her head at Paul, telling him to go. He led me and Reynold out of the mansion.

Me and Reynold got into the carriage in turn, and Paul got into it last.

From then on, only cold silence remained firmly pressed inside the carriage.

Reynold and I haven’t spoken much since that day.

We were just wasting time meaninglessly.

There was nothing wrong for me, but it seems Reynold couldn’t stand all of this.

Reynold opened his mouth as he clenched his fists with the hand he was resting on his lap.

“I’m sorry.”

Paul, lost in thought, raised his head at the apology.

Then he looked at Reynold as if he was surprised, alternately at me.

However, I was also surprised.

I didn’t expect him to apologize again.

I blinked for a moment.

Then Paul, who was sitting next to Reynold, looked at me and nodded his head hastily. Telling me to receive that as soon as possible.

Of course, I didn’t mean to not accept his apology either when he apologized this much.

I struggled to open my mouth.

“…Alright.”

“It was a very tearful reconciliation. So, hugging each other as a commemoration of reconciliation… ”

At Paul’s words, I glared at him like I was going to kill him, and he closed his mouth gently.

Yet after a while, he smiled and spoke again.

“From today, you two will be friends. Ah, together with Sir Serik too.”

I didn’t answer that much.

Thanks to this, the silence fell again, and Paul moved and sat next to me.

Paul patted my arm. But I ignored him l and crossed my arms.

In his eyes, I might look thoughtless, but I had a lot of thoughts in my own way.

I wondered if it was right to be uncomfortable like this, since I would have to continue to stay with Reynold anyway, unless Madam Collin and Lotte changed their minds.

I looked out the window without saying a word, and time passed just like that.

Soon I found out where the Madam had sent me and Reynold.

It was a market.

It was literally a market.

Of course, there is an escort knight by my side, but isn’t the security bad here as it’s different from the world I used to live in?

In addition, there are two children of the duchies riding on it. What should we do if the carriage is attacked like this?

As the carriage stopped, Reynold pulled a note from his pocket.

Paul, who was watching him closely, asked him in a friendly voice.

“What did Madam tell you to buy?”

“Hmm… Potato and apple…”

Could it be that she had him run errands to teach him economic ideas?

Paul nodded his head as he listened to the ingredients Reynold called out.

“Let’s get down and look for it. By the way, Young Master, you didn’t forget to bring your wallet, did you?”

“Mm.”

“You did well.”

Paul complimented Reynold and got off the carriage.

Then he hugged me and Reynold one after another, stepped out of the carriage, and holding my hand and Reynold’s in each hand, walking away.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that Paul had become the father of both of us.

If that was the case, I wouldn’t have to worry about dying at Reynold’s hands.

“Ah, there are apples over there.”

Paul gestured towards the fruit stand, and Reynold hurried away as soon as he found it.

He… Why does he look so childish today?

Obviously, Reynold was only eight years old, so he was a child.

Although I’m not a child even after entering someone else’s body.

Unknowingly, I narrowed my eyebrows.

To be honest, at this point, I really couldn’t shake the feeling that I had become a bad person. Torturing innocent children…

It really seemed like it would turn around.

It wasn’t that I wanted to keep pushing that child away.

However, I know well about my future, I can’t see that kid all the time.

The short Reynold, raised his toes and spoke confidently to the apple merchant.

“An apple, please.”

“It’s 1 silver.”

At the merchant’s words, Reynold put his hand into his pocket and took out his money.

Then he handed the money to the merchant.

Upon receiving the apple offered by the merchant, Reynold put it in his bag as if it were very precious.