Chapter 18: She's a little prettier, isn't she?

“Why did your face suddenly turn so pale, Maru?”

Thadeus quickly asked her, concerned about her sudden condition. Maru, however, remained silent, apparently too stunned for that.

“Maru, react!”

Unable to stay still at this sight, Thadeus approached her again and shook her shoulders, still unconsciously holding the heraldry in his hand. For some reason, this action seemed to make her even more depressed than before, which honestly hurt him a little.

However, I quickly put aside that silly feeling to question her with concern. “What’s wrong with you?! Are you okay? Something bad is happening to you, isn’t it?”

“Yes…it is the destiny ordained by God that seems to tell me to give myself over to a dramatic romance…”

Her seemingly out-of-control response was simply ridiculous and incomprehensible. Thadeus couldn't help but say, "What?" in utter confusion. His heart literally wanted to scream, "What nonsense is this girl talking about, for God's sake?"

Although he had heard that girls liked those cute stories of fictional romances, what did that have to do with the current situation that concerned them?

I just had no idea.

Perhaps realizing that she was talking nonsense, Maru smiled bitterly and shook her head. “It’s nothing, it’s just me saying random nonsense.”

“Oh, is that so?” Thadeus replied, obviously doubtful of such a statement, to which she nodded indifferently.

“Yes, what else could it be?”

“But Maru, there’s clearly something going on with you. Do you think I’m stupid?”

Naturally, Thadeus didn't buy that story, so he persisted, arms crossed. In response, Maru actually rolled her eyes at him, seeming determined to ignore him completely.

That attitude reminded him a lot of the Maru of his past, and he didn't like it. Perhaps that's why Thadeus couldn't help but carry out the following series of actions, which he'll undoubtedly look back on with some shame later...

“Maru”

Without hesitation, Thadeus took Maru's hands, enveloping them in his own palms; feeling how small and delicate the girl's hands were compared to his own, he stared into her eyes with a resolute expression; observing those beautiful, gem-like eyes that stared back at him wide open, like a lamb taken by surprise by a passing carriage, completely stunned.

Maru seemed astonished by his actions, and immediately began to act nervous at the gesture that could clearly cause misunderstandings, so Thadeus decided to speak.

“Maru, I'm your friend. I don't know what's happening to you today or what the cause might have been, nor will I force you to talk about it if you don't want to. I just hope you know I'd be there to help you with anything you need, because that's what a friend is.”

“Ah….”

“So if you need anyone, you can count on me for anything, okay?”

He'd undoubtedly just said something truly embarrassing, but deep down, Thadeus told himself he'd worry about it later. More than anything, he was being sincere; he wanted Maru to trust him completely, and while he wouldn't press her for answers further, he hoped she'd tell him what was bothering her sooner rather than later.

“T-Thadeus, I….think…uh”

Maru began to stutter while blushing deeply... out of embarrassment, perhaps? He had to admit that what he was saying could certainly cause embarrassment, but Thadeus hadn't expected it to be that bad.

For some reason, even her eyes were trembling as she opened and closed her pink lips as if to say something, but couldn't say it, and he couldn't help but think, "What's with this cutie?"

Maru was pretty…but he felt she was prettier than ever today. It was a strange feeling. Thadeus found himself unable to tear his face away from her for a moment, staring at that nervous, shy girl with a strange fascination…

She had never expressed her shame like that, so clearly without trying to hide it.

Why did that make her so striking?

Just as Thadeus was foolishly pondering that question while feeling a strange sensation in his chest, the door to the room opened, and he and Maru quickly turned their gaze in that direction in surprise.

There was Canelia, Maru's mother...and the missing Grand Duchess of Aragon, a noble woman who hid here with her daughters as an innkeeper, looking at them both with a stern expression.

“Oh….Canelia-san….“

Thadeus seemed visibly uncomfortable at the thought of being seen in this embarrassing scene by the other party's mother, wanting to say something; though he didn't know what, but Canelia didn't seem to pay attention to him.

Instead, instead of showing anger, she just began to speak with chilling calm.

“Thadeus-Kun, Maru-chan…. Can you explain what’s going on here?” She questioned, her voice as cold as ice as she stared at them expressionlessly, making Thadeus’s heart beat with a very different emotion than before “As far as I know, I don’t remember ordering Maru-chan to have a romantic meeting in her room….”

“?“

Romantic reunion? Is that what it sounds like? Or rather... What exactly is a romantic reunion?

As expected, the boy who barely knew what romance was only seemed confused by this question that escaped his understanding.

It wasn't a big surprise; although he was only two years away from reaching the age of majority where everyone could get married, he spent most of his time training with his sword, practicing magic with Maru in private, or taking care of children much younger than him (he was the oldest boy in this village along with Maru).

Because of that, he still had yet to develop that kind of conscious interest in girls, let alone learn more about romance. Although, if Maru was into that sort of thing, given how curious he was, he could have learned that sort of thing from her earlier.

It's a shame that until now Maru wasn't one of those who liked that kind of 'literature'... at least, until recently.

“Eh… Mom, it’s not like that! Thadeus-Kun just barged into my room on a whim! I didn’t invite him or anything!”

Suddenly, Maru abruptly released Thadeus's hands, shaking them frantically in a clearly exaggerated gesture of denial. Realizing how unnecessary this was, Maru blushed, squirming at her behavior in embarrassment.

In response, Canelia put her hands on her hips and looked at her sternly. “But I'm sure you could have kicked him out at any time?”

…That was true. If Maru didn't want him here, she could have told him to leave, and Thadeus would have had no choice but to listen. After all, after managing to earn her respect as a friend, he feared that she would hate him if he forced his will against her too much.

No matter how many excuses were given, the fact is that Maru didn't take it out when she could have, and that was crystal clear to anyone.

“No, I was the one who insisted on being here. Maru was obediently learning Magic, so it’s not enough to blame him,” Thadeus said with a serious expression, lying blatantly.

I couldn't tell that the girl, far from studying to solidify her magical foundations, was looking at herself in a hand mirror, right?

“Is that so?” Mama looked at Thadeus with a blank expression, and suddenly smiled, making us jump. “Then, Thadeus-kun, can you go home immediately? I’m sure your dad must have arrived by now, right? You can look forward to playing with Maru later, after all.”

Her words seemed kind and calm, but the intensity in her tone left no room for discussion. Feeling intimidated, Thadeus nodded, hesitantly saying, "Yes, ma'am..." before quickly turning around at the speed of the wind.

Leaving Maru behind, who once again had her mother's eyes fixed on her...