EP.77 21-3. Emotions Like a Launched Firework.
***
The empire had plenty of places that sold wood.
Since Emperor Roque had been a lumberjack before his rise to power, his influence over the industry was immense.
"Welcome, knights!"
As Mardol and I stepped into a shop, a man with bear-like ears greeted us from the back.
"Pleasure to meet you, Druid."
Judging by the vines growing around the store, he was definitely a druid.
He was watering flowers and trees when we arrived.
"...Hello."
Well, at least she was speaking now.
In the past, Mardol would’ve just bowed in silence.
She spoke casually with Kainel and Ariel, but used formal speech with older individuals.
‘Given her status as a princess, I thought she’d be the type to talk down to others.’
But she was trying to hide her identity, so maybe that was why.
Mardol, you’ve had it rough, huh?
I nodded slightly in understanding of her situation.
"...What are you doing, Licht?"
"Nothing. Ah, do you sell oak branches?"
Mardol’s golden eyes gleamed through her Glass Helmet as she turned toward me.
I quickly redirected the conversation to the druid.
"Of course! What do you need them for?"
"For a Cuere costume. Not for me—for her."
"Yes, that’s right."
I gestured toward the heavily armored Glass Knight.
The druid squinted, seemingly sizing her up.
"Hmm... That actually fits quite well!"
"I thought so, too. She’s certainly big enough."
"..."
"I’ll get the branches and soil right away! Please wait a moment, knights!"
With that, the druid disappeared into a back storage room.
Now, only Mardol and I remained in the shop.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I was called knight.’
A nostalgic feeling washed over me.
The Nameless Saintess used to call my character that.
Then—
"...Licht."
Tok.
Mardol nudged my side with her armored elbow.
What was this about?
She suddenly looked down at the floor, her voice quiet.
"...You’re mean. Pervert. Licht."
"What?"
"I thought you wouldn’t tell anyone..."
Ah.
Was it because I said she was big?
I had only meant tall and broad-shouldered like Cuere, but it seemed she took it differently.
I immediately waved my hands in denial.
"I just meant you’re big like Cuere."
"..."
"Mardol?"
Thud. Thud.
Her nudges turned into light taps on my back.
It wasn’t painful—she wasn’t using her full strength.
"I’m not big, Licht. Idiot..."
She must have been holding back for my sake.
If she had hit me with her full strength, my ribs would’ve cracked.
A slight chill ran down my spine.
‘This must be a negative affection event.’
Her reaction confirmed it.
Honestly, that was a relief.
I sighed in quiet relief, matching the rhythm of her taps.
She wasn’t a tsundere like Ariel.
She had simply misunderstood on her own.
Let her sulk if she wanted.
"Knights! Thank you for waiting!"
How long had Mardol been silently scolding me?
"To make your costume more realistic, I brought actual Cuere branches!"
"Ah, thank you."
This shopkeeper knew his stuff.
The druid returned with the materials, and I smiled in satisfaction beneath my helmet.
"Thank you so much! Come again, knights!"
I pulled out some silver coins and paid for everything.
Before Mardol could pull out her own money, I beat her to it.
"Ah, I was going to—"
"It’s fine, Mardol."
There was no way I’d let her pay my way and then hand me a debt notice later.
Plus, I had already received a lot from her, so this was only fair.
"Now that we have your materials, all that’s left is my helmet."
We just needed to stop by a blacksmith before heading back to the clubroom.
I turned toward the exit, preparing to leave—
"Licht."
A familiar buzzing voice stopped me in my tracks.
"...Can you help me?"
"What is it, Mardol?"
A request for help?
Events like this usually led to good outcomes.
I paused.
To save our Saintess, I needed the help of protagonists like her.
And to strengthen my bond with allies, I couldn’t ignore these moments.
‘There’s no way her affection level will increase in a lumber shop.’
It should be fine.
This wasn’t a dinner or a date—it didn’t even qualify.
Even someone as inexperienced as me knew that much.
"Help me with my costume."
Refusing a princess’s request could summon the Imperial Guard.
I had no choice but to nod.
I just had to be careful now that I knew she was a woman.
***
In the corner of the shop, Licht and Phine sat facing each other.
"...Do we have to do this here, Mardol?"
"Yes, Licht."
She simply wanted to spend more time alone with him.
And—
She was still slightly irritated about what he had said earlier.
‘At least here, I don’t have to worry about anyone else.’
Right now, Licht was someone she felt comfortable around.
Without realizing it, Phine found herself expressing emotions she usually kept hidden.
"Well, it would be hard for you to do it alone, so I’ll help."
Licht was always like this—
He would take a step closer to her,
"I’ll just buy my helmet afterward."
Then immediately pull away again.
They were always running parallel to each other.
So close—yet never quite touching.
"Thank you, Licht."
But she didn’t dislike it.
Even though she wore heavy armor, he still considered her comfort.
He was so bad at lying that it was obvious when he was flustered.
"It’s nothing."
A knight with warm brown eyes,
One who resembled a gentle black dog.
His hands scooped up soil and carefully applied it to her armor.
They were rough—hardened from gripping a sword for too long.
Then—
"...Mardol?"
"Ah, uh—"
"Is something wrong?"
"..."
She flinched.
Each time Licht’s coarse hands brushed against her Glass Armor, she visibly trembled.
"Is the soil too cold?"
"...Yeah. A little."
Phine Gransia had just lied without thinking.
It wasn’t the soil that was cold—it was Licht’s hands.
They hadn’t been this cold before.
He was just applying dirt to her armor, nothing more.
‘Why am I reacting like this...?’
She steadied her breath, trying to calm her lightly trembling body.
"I’ll warm it up with my hands first before applying it."
"...Thanks, Licht."
She found it endearing the way Licht kneaded the soil multiple times to warm it before applying it.
"Is this better now?"
"Yeah... it’s fine."
But she wasn’t fine at all.
How much time had passed?
It was only when Licht’s hands finally stopped that she felt a sense of relief.
Her shoulders relaxed, the tension leaving her body.
"Now, if we attach the branches here..."
She convinced herself, ‘I must’ve been ticklish, or maybe just startled by his sudden touch.’
That was why she found herself glaring at Licht’s brown eyes as he examined her armor.
‘...Pervert. Father was right—men are all wolves.’
Inside her Glass Helmet, Phine puffed out her cheeks.
If she ever invited him to the imperial palace, she’d have to warn the maids to be cautious.
But—
"It’s done. Take a look."
—her thoughts vanished the moment she saw her reflection.
"..."
"What now?"
"This... isn’t cute, Licht."
She stared at her new tree monster disguise in the mirror.
It was grotesque.
The Glass Knight’s once-majestic armor had transformed into something eerie and nightmarish.
"It’s a Cuere costume. It was never meant to be cute."
Licht, still wearing his Dark Knight helmet, scolded her.
It was a horror attraction. It was supposed to be scary.
But still—
"...I don’t like it."
She squatted down on the spot, feeling dejected.
It was so monstrous that even passing children might cry at the sight of her.
"Uh, wait—please hold on! Mardol!"
"Licht...?"
Suddenly, rapid footsteps echoed through the shop.
Licht had run off somewhere.
Phine, watching him dash away, felt confused.
Where was he going all of a sudden?
"Mardol, how about this?"
A short while later, Licht returned—dripping with sweat.
"...Huh? Flowers...?"
"They’re dried flowers, but since we still need to keep the eerie atmosphere, take a look."
Dried flowers.
Where had he even found these?
He carefully decorated her costume, weaving various colorful petals into the dull branches on her armor.
Like flowers blooming in spring.
"...It’s pretty."
The added colors softened the harshness of the costume.
Phine realized something—Licht had a good eye for detail.
But then—
A strange sense of inconsistency struck her.
There was one flower missing.
‘Ah, there are no roses.’
Even here, he wasn’t using roses.
Did he think of that Nameless Saintess even now?
It wasn’t like roses weren’t available for sale.
‘...Just like with the Mana Rose, I’m jealous.’
What was their relationship?
He had said he became a Sword Master for someone dear to him.
‘Lovers...? No, that doesn’t seem right.’
Phine carefully observed his eyes and the way his hands moved as he added flowers.
"It’s finished. Now, if we add..."
From the start, Licht had been extremely careful to avoid touching anything inappropriate.
Even though she was wearing armor, he was meticulous.
As she began to feel a small tinge of jealousy, Licht pulled out something that sparkled.
"A small doll."
"...Fox Slime."
"Yes, we found these together last time. I was grateful back then."
A tiny doll, barely the size of a finger, hung from a metal ring.
Phine noticed something—
Licht’s eyes, behind his Dark Knight helmet, looked sad.
"...Licht, are you sad?"
"Huh? Me?"
"You look sad."
"Not at all, Mardol."
A lie.
His response was awkward.
Shouldn’t he have asked why she thought he was sad first?
Instead, he immediately denied it.
"A small doll fits the horror theme, doesn’t it?"
"Licht."
"Even if it’s cute, it’s too small for anyone to notice."
"..."
He was deliberately changing the subject.
The little dolls in front of her swayed slightly.
That made her angry.
She already knew the reason behind his mood.
It was her.
That Saintess.
‘...But they haven’t met yet.’
If they had, Licht wouldn’t be wearing such an expression.
Even after he had gone to die fighting the Demon Lord, she hadn’t appeared.
Even for the Academy Exams, Licht had willingly placed second—just to get the Mana Rose.
‘She must have a reason for making him wait like this.’
Phine recalled something Licht had said before.
That look in his eyes wasn’t something someone reunited would have.
Even without her sharp perception, Phine could see the longing in his every move.
"...Hang in there."
She knew—empty words of comfort meant nothing.
But it was all she could offer.
"Thank you for your encouragement, Mardol."
The Dark Knight stared off into the distance—
His gaze more hollow than ever before.