“At the banquet hall.”
But I looked serious. Belled answered without hesitation.
“It was wonderful.”
It was a simple compliment. So much so that I couldn’t think of anything fancy to add.
“...”
I blushed slightly at those words.
Was I looking strange? If not, what if he didn’t like the formalities of the noble family?
What if he fell for me, who seemed so used to such things... I felt like all my vain thoughts were flying away.
And what remained was a happiness that bloomed quietly.
It would soon cover my heart as splendidly as the rose vines covering the flower bed.
“...I have to see.”
Feeling like my face would get even hotter, I quickly lowered my gaze to the letters.
Smack.
Then, with the sound of my clothes brushing, my body tilted to the side.
It was because he had come next to me on the soft sofa. When I turned around, Belled was approaching me with a faint smile.
“Do you intend to interact with them?”
A manly hand took the letter I was holding instead.
His hands, gently caressing my wrist and pulling it down, seemed as if he was handling a delicate glass sculpture.
“Yes.”
I nodded slightly as I felt it.
I thought of the fabric decorations I had seen at the banquet hall.
No matter how sensitive the tailors who handled fabric were to the trends of the social world, they were not the ones who went to the banquet halls themselves.
In the end, the fabric decorations that decorated the mansion had to depend on the host’s taste.
And as far as I knew, such beautiful fabrics did not come from Vine. Furthermore, fabrics woven with advanced weaving techniques were too delicate to be imported carelessly.
If there was a family that handled fabrics among these, it would be good if they could help me.
And.
“This family is a family that handles herbs.”
One of the things that could not grow in the magical environment of Vine was herbs.
The demons were insensitive to wounds because they didn’t die from small wounds, but they also lost their magic power through wounds.
Healing those wounds quickly would also help sustain the demons’ lives.
“Just bringing these to Vine will be of great help to the troops on the front lines.”
Belled looked back at me as I spoke.
"...That’s certainly true, but.”
He looked into my dark brown eyes as if he was reading them.
“It’s not something so urgent that you have to do something you hate to get it.”
If that were the case, I would have taken action a long time ago. My mouth snapped shut.
“Did I look very uncomfortable?”
Me at the banquet hall. Belled nodded.
“How could I not know?”
His fingertips reached out to my hand, which had regained strength.
He released my clenched fist and knocked on my palm as if knocking. “If you’re so tense, tighten your hand.”
His hand, which had gently released my wrist, rested on my lips.
“With your lips tightly shut.”
His fingertips that had swept away my lips carefully covered my eyes. My tense eyes felt a little relaxed.
“I know you blink slowly.”
He lowered his hand that had covered his eyes and smiled at me as our eyes met.
“I know this is a sign of your patience.”
How could he not know?
I opened her mouth slightly at those words. It was a sign that I was unaware of.
He kissed my cheek and asked,
“Do you really want to interact with them?”
His cold hands seemed to melt in the warmth. Belled whispered.
“If you don’t want it, Vine can exist without them.”
It was a dangerous statement as if he was going to leave Vine alone on this continent.
I hesitated. For some reason, it felt repulsive.
“If you are concerned about the disappearance of innocents, how about a clean world where only the annoying ones are removed?”
Was it because he was whispering in my ear, or was it because of the hot breath on my neck and the heat that seemed to be making my mind dizzy?
I let out a short breath with a somewhat excited face.
“I want you to sort them out, just say one word.”
Then those who have become your limbs will move.
“...”
But I shook my head slightly.
Those who are annoying are probably Yubar, Orobas, and the temple.
It’s not that I didn’t think it would be nice if they didn’t exist in the same world.
However, when it came to erasing them from the world, there was something on my mind. Is it because I am a merciful Saintess who can forgive them in the end?
I shook my head at that question. I still didn’t want to show them mercy. But more than that.
‘Where else could you go if not here?’
‘What value would you have if you weren’t a Saintess?’
To those who had denied me.
‘Do you think you could be happier than this? You would be happy if you just gave up your useless greed.’
‘Look, if you just closed your eyes once and spent the night, you could have everything you wanted. What’s the problem? Does my family’s wealth seem insufficient?’
I thought of the people who had laughed at me, saying that I could be happier than this while pushing me into the abyss.
I shut my mouth tightly. I suddenly thought.
I want to show those people that I am happy.
To do that, they had to at least be alive and open their eyes.
Then I could tell them.
That I am this happy. That I am...
“...”
My gaze turned to Belled, who was giving me a calm gaze.
I hesitated whether to say the thought that suddenly occurred to me. I was the type who always thought that nothing was better than too much, so I would have normally pushed it back into my throat.
However, the warmth that he had conveyed repeatedly made his heart finally push my words out.
“I want to brag about you, Vine.”
To those arrogant people. That I ended up with such good people. In fact, you were the worst of my choices.
“I,”
I said slowly. Belled waited patiently for my words.
“I am finally happy with Vine, with you.”
I want to brag like that.
A soft smile appeared on Belled’s face at those words.
“Then I should keep them alive until they realize it.”
“Yes, and...”
I said, holding his hand tightly.
“If the gates of hell open. And if the time comes when the demons can move freely here.”
I slowly closed my eyes and opened them. My clearer, dark brown eyes revealed a calm determination.
“If the world changes like that, Vine will no longer need to hide.”
Then I would have to gradually get used to interacting with humans.
They would soon disappear, so even if I made a mistake while practicing dealing with humans, there would be relatively fewer repercussions.
I felt goosebumps at myself thinking that, but I didn’t feel any resistance.
Still, Belled would be by my side.
Of course, all of this was if I could open the gates of hell by overcoming the misunderstanding that Vine was a demon.
Belled laughed at my words. And as if he had read my mind, he said,
“We will definitely succeed.”
As long as you want.
But I looked serious. Belled answered without hesitation.
“It was wonderful.”
It was a simple compliment. So much so that I couldn’t think of anything fancy to add.
“...”
I blushed slightly at those words.
Was I looking strange? If not, what if he didn’t like the formalities of the noble family?
What if he fell for me, who seemed so used to such things... I felt like all my vain thoughts were flying away.
And what remained was a happiness that bloomed quietly.
It would soon cover my heart as splendidly as the rose vines covering the flower bed.
“...I have to see.”
Feeling like my face would get even hotter, I quickly lowered my gaze to the letters.
Smack.
Then, with the sound of my clothes brushing, my body tilted to the side.
It was because he had come next to me on the soft sofa. When I turned around, Belled was approaching me with a faint smile.
“Do you intend to interact with them?”
A manly hand took the letter I was holding instead.
His hands, gently caressing my wrist and pulling it down, seemed as if he was handling a delicate glass sculpture.
“Yes.”
I nodded slightly as I felt it.
I thought of the fabric decorations I had seen at the banquet hall.
No matter how sensitive the tailors who handled fabric were to the trends of the social world, they were not the ones who went to the banquet halls themselves.
In the end, the fabric decorations that decorated the mansion had to depend on the host’s taste.
And as far as I knew, such beautiful fabrics did not come from Vine. Furthermore, fabrics woven with advanced weaving techniques were too delicate to be imported carelessly.
If there was a family that handled fabrics among these, it would be good if they could help me.
And.
“This family is a family that handles herbs.”
One of the things that could not grow in the magical environment of Vine was herbs.
The demons were insensitive to wounds because they didn’t die from small wounds, but they also lost their magic power through wounds.
Healing those wounds quickly would also help sustain the demons’ lives.
“Just bringing these to Vine will be of great help to the troops on the front lines.”
Belled looked back at me as I spoke.
"...That’s certainly true, but.”
He looked into my dark brown eyes as if he was reading them.
“It’s not something so urgent that you have to do something you hate to get it.”
If that were the case, I would have taken action a long time ago. My mouth snapped shut.
“Did I look very uncomfortable?”
Me at the banquet hall. Belled nodded.
“How could I not know?”
His fingertips reached out to my hand, which had regained strength.
He released my clenched fist and knocked on my palm as if knocking. “If you’re so tense, tighten your hand.”
His hand, which had gently released my wrist, rested on my lips.
“With your lips tightly shut.”
His fingertips that had swept away my lips carefully covered my eyes. My tense eyes felt a little relaxed.
“I know you blink slowly.”
He lowered his hand that had covered his eyes and smiled at me as our eyes met.
“I know this is a sign of your patience.”
How could he not know?
I opened her mouth slightly at those words. It was a sign that I was unaware of.
He kissed my cheek and asked,
“Do you really want to interact with them?”
His cold hands seemed to melt in the warmth. Belled whispered.
“If you don’t want it, Vine can exist without them.”
It was a dangerous statement as if he was going to leave Vine alone on this continent.
I hesitated. For some reason, it felt repulsive.
“If you are concerned about the disappearance of innocents, how about a clean world where only the annoying ones are removed?”
Was it because he was whispering in my ear, or was it because of the hot breath on my neck and the heat that seemed to be making my mind dizzy?
I let out a short breath with a somewhat excited face.
“I want you to sort them out, just say one word.”
Then those who have become your limbs will move.
“...”
But I shook my head slightly.
Those who are annoying are probably Yubar, Orobas, and the temple.
It’s not that I didn’t think it would be nice if they didn’t exist in the same world.
However, when it came to erasing them from the world, there was something on my mind. Is it because I am a merciful Saintess who can forgive them in the end?
I shook my head at that question. I still didn’t want to show them mercy. But more than that.
‘Where else could you go if not here?’
‘What value would you have if you weren’t a Saintess?’
To those who had denied me.
‘Do you think you could be happier than this? You would be happy if you just gave up your useless greed.’
‘Look, if you just closed your eyes once and spent the night, you could have everything you wanted. What’s the problem? Does my family’s wealth seem insufficient?’
I thought of the people who had laughed at me, saying that I could be happier than this while pushing me into the abyss.
I shut my mouth tightly. I suddenly thought.
I want to show those people that I am happy.
To do that, they had to at least be alive and open their eyes.
Then I could tell them.
That I am this happy. That I am...
“...”
My gaze turned to Belled, who was giving me a calm gaze.
I hesitated whether to say the thought that suddenly occurred to me. I was the type who always thought that nothing was better than too much, so I would have normally pushed it back into my throat.
However, the warmth that he had conveyed repeatedly made his heart finally push my words out.
“I want to brag about you, Vine.”
To those arrogant people. That I ended up with such good people. In fact, you were the worst of my choices.
“I,”
I said slowly. Belled waited patiently for my words.
“I am finally happy with Vine, with you.”
I want to brag like that.
A soft smile appeared on Belled’s face at those words.
“Then I should keep them alive until they realize it.”
“Yes, and...”
I said, holding his hand tightly.
“If the gates of hell open. And if the time comes when the demons can move freely here.”
I slowly closed my eyes and opened them. My clearer, dark brown eyes revealed a calm determination.
“If the world changes like that, Vine will no longer need to hide.”
Then I would have to gradually get used to interacting with humans.
They would soon disappear, so even if I made a mistake while practicing dealing with humans, there would be relatively fewer repercussions.
I felt goosebumps at myself thinking that, but I didn’t feel any resistance.
Still, Belled would be by my side.
Of course, all of this was if I could open the gates of hell by overcoming the misunderstanding that Vine was a demon.
Belled laughed at my words. And as if he had read my mind, he said,
“We will definitely succeed.”
As long as you want.
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