Before returning to Grandma Miranda’s House, I left a letter at Viviana’s Mansion.
The letter said that I was doing well and that I hoped they would visit me sometime.
It was a letter written from the heart, wanting to see them again.
“Hi, Tina.”
“Hello, Tina!”
But I didn’t know that would happen the very next day.
Viviana and Lillian were sitting in the dining hall. I blinked in surprise at the unexpected arrival of the two guests.
“What brings you two here…?”
“You asked us to come, didn’t you?”
Viviana waved the letter I had left the day before, tucked between her fingers.
“That’s the letter I left yesterday…?”
It was still early in the morning, not long after the tavern had opened.
It takes about half a day to get here from the Empire. That meant they must have rushed over as soon as they received my letter at dawn.
“I happened to have some business here, so I decided to come right away.”
“Haha, same here.”
I wondered what business they could have in such a remote village.
“It suits you, Tina.”
Lillian glanced at my employee uniform and complimented me. Viviana nodded in agreement.
Well, I had wanted to see them too. Since they were here, I wanted to treat them to some food, so I hurried back to the kitchen.
I asked Grandma Miranda for permission and took over the kitchen.
I could have asked for her help, but I wanted to serve them something I made myself.
Viviana preferred meat dishes, and Lillian clearly liked vegetable-based meals.
I remembered this from the game’s settings.
I prepared a basic stew for each of them. For Viviana, I made a chicken dish, and for Lillian, a salad with fruit dressing. I also added a few slices of leftover chicken on top of the salad.
I carefully placed the finished dishes on a cart. They might not be as fancy as the meals they had at the mansion, but I hoped they would like them.
I returned to where they were and placed the dishes on the table.
“Tina, I didn’t know you could cook.”
Viviana looked at the food with surprise.
“No, this is my first time trying since I came here.”
“…For a first try, you’re surprisingly good.”
“Th-thank you… It’s probably because Grandma Miranda taught me so well.”
Even though it was just a polite compliment, my cheeks turned red at Viviana’s words.
Lillian took a bite of the salad I had served.
“Oh my, Tina! This is amazing!”
Her wide eyes and the faint blush on her cheeks showed she was genuinely impressed.
“N-no, it’s nothing compared to the food you usually eat…”
“Not at all! This is the sweetest salad I’ve ever had!”
Viviana nodded in agreement with Lillian.
“Lillian’s right. It’s really delicious, Tina. Much better than I expected.”
The two protagonists of this world were praising me, a nobody.
Just that fact alone made my whole body heat up.
They continued to enjoy the food I made, showering me with compliments.
I was so happy. How could I be this happy?
My eyes reflected in Viviana’s transparent pupils were shaped like hearts.
I bowed my head, my face completely red, and thanked them. Lillian, who had been staring at me blankly, awkwardly cleared her throat.
“By the way, Tina. Can I check something real quick?”
“Y-yes…”
“Can you sit next to me for a moment?”
Without suspicion, I sat next to her, and Lillian gently touched the collar around my neck.
“The holy stone is fine…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing bad. But I have a question for you, Tina.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you… dislike me?”
Lillian’s eyes were serious. She was probably remembering the time we spent in the underground prison.
“Do you dislike me, Lillian?”
I asked her back, but Lillian answered without hesitation.
“No, I’ve come to love you, Tina.”
“I’ve come to love you too, Lillian.”
Without hesitation, I returned the answer.
“I see… I see… Wait, what?! What?!”
Lillian, who had been nodding, suddenly widened her eyes and jumped up from her seat.
Her shaking eyes clearly showed how flustered she was.
“Y-you love me? Me?”
Was it really that surprising? Viviana next to her was also looking at me with a shocked expression.
“Yes.”
Isn’t it obvious?
I had tried to kill her. Yet, Lillian whispered that she loved even someone like me.
How could I dislike someone like that?
Lillian was, just as depicted in the game, a saintess loved by all.
“T-this isn’t the time. We need to go to my mansion right now—”
“I love you too, Viviana.”
This time, I turned my gaze to Viviana and spoke. For some reason, she also jumped up and looked at me.
“M-me too?!”
She was someone who had gone to war for me. Not only that, but she had also promised to stand by me until my ugly sins were forgiven.
How could I dislike someone like that?
“I really want… to be forgiven by you two. I’ll work hard to make that happen…”
I awkwardly fidgeted with my fingers and cautiously confessed.
It was a confession I had mustered all my courage to make, but all I got in return was an awkward silence.
It would have been better if they had just said they didn’t like me. The longer the silence dragged on, the more my shoulders slumped.
“…Tina, just to be clear, this isn’t romantic love, right?”
Viviana’s question made me realize why they hadn’t responded.
They must have misunderstood. They thought I was confessing romantic love.
If I were Viviana, I would have felt disgusted if someone like me confessed such love.
So that’s why they were flustered.
Yeah, that’s only natural.
It’s only natural to dislike me…
But for some reason, my chest ached a little.
They really dislike me that much.
“O-of course! How could I have such feelings?”
I forced an awkward smile and nodded.
Viviana and Lillian finally let out a sigh of relief and looked at me.
“You really scared us, Tina.”
“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to say it like that…”
“No, Tina, you don’t have to apologize.”
“But still…”
I held my aching chest and forced a bright smile.
What am I to them, really?
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.
※
“Hello, ladies!”
A clear, bright voice caught the attention of the two women.
The two muscular women were mercenaries hired to track down the remaining stragglers of the Caladwen forces.
The woman with golden eyes looked down at the girl.
“This isn’t a place for kids. Where are your parents?”
“They’re gone. Both died in the war.”
The unexpected news, delivered in a cheerful voice, left the woman stunned.
“I-I see… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay!”
The girl’s bright laughter only weighed heavier on the woman’s heart. Unable to stand it, the other woman stepped forward.
“Then, do you want to come with us? There’s a really delicious place nearby. We’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Really?! I know that place!”
The little girl ran up to the woman with a bright smile.
“There’s a really pretty lady there, right?”
It wasn’t hard to guess who she was talking about.
A few months ago, a new employee was hired at Miranda’s tavern.
She might not know it, but most mercenaries already knew about her.
The two women here were no exception. They were among those captivated by her bright smile and subtle charm.
“Haha, that’s right. Actually, we’re going to see that employee again.”
“…I see.”
The girl’s expression darkened in real-time.
Tsk.
The girl clicked her tongue with an annoyed look. It was the complete opposite of the bright smile she had shown just moments ago.
“Figures, the bugs are already swarming.”
The girl’s voice turned cold in an instant. The two women, taken aback, instinctively took a step back.
“Don’t even dream about it, bugs. That soul is mine.”
A cross appeared in the girl’s eyes, shining brightly.
At the same time, the eyes of the two women who were staring at the cross slowly lost their light, as if they were under some kind of spell.
“So, you’ll help me get it back, right?”
