We walked through the festival’s bustle amicably.
“Munch, munch… Mmm, delicious… Gulp, gulp.”
Claire, happily munching on an anpan, looked truly blissful.
Her usual stern expression was replaced by a beaming smile.
“Delicious… Munch, munch… Right?… Phew~”
Beside her, Racine was eating an anpan with a similarly happy face.
Her typically droopy eyes drooped even further, and she too wore a big smile.
Seeing them, I felt a warmth spread through me, making me happy.
“Ehehe, I’m glad we could come together.”
Oh, Claire, you have red bean paste on your mouth.
“Thank you for inviting me, Abel.”
As she smiled at me, my heart skipped a beat.
“I am also grateful. This is my first time hanging out with a man like this. It’s fun~”
Racine offered a bashful smile.
“Since I joined the Knight Academy, I’ve been training with my sword every day. This kind of festival… it’s like when we went together in the village, Abel.”
“Wouldn’t you have received many invitations from the men around you, Lady Claire?”
“I declined them all. I wanted to dedicate myself to my training.”
Claire gave a wry smile at Racine’s question.
All she cared about was swordsmanship. That’s so like Claire.
“Kyaaah…?!”
At that moment, Claire stumbled.
She must have lost her balance in the crowd.
“Claire!”
I rushed to catch her.
“Ah…”
Our eyes met as she looked up.
She was buried in my chest just as I caught her.
Holding her like this, I realized how surprisingly delicate her build was.
There was no rough feel of muscle at all, just a soft body that felt like it could melt.
Even with all her strength and training, she was still a girl.
I’ve held this body twice now…
Memories of that night in the village and our stay in Rashka City flashed through my mind.
“I’m okay now, Abel.”
Claire said, pulling away.
Our eyes met again, and the embarrassment intensified.
Apparently, Claire felt the same, as we both averted our gazes, our eyes darting around.
“…You two are being all lovey-dovey… My chest is all fluttery again…”
“Whoa, you startled me!?”
Racine, who had appeared behind us unnoticed, murmured.
“What do you mean, ‘chest is fluttery’? Are you feeling sick?”
“No, it’s not that I’m not feeling well, but…”
Racine looked at me with a confused expression.
“When I saw Master Abel and Lady Claire embracing… it felt like… a sharp pain deep in my chest…”
“…Racine, you…”
Claire’s expression turned serious, as if she had realized something.
Meanwhile, Racine’s face stiffened as if she’d been caught.
“You too, you feel about Abel…”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
“Because your attitude…”
“I ate it all up in a hurry. I’ll go buy you a new bun, Master Abel.”
Racine blurted out to Claire, who was about to question her further, and then fled as if escaping.
“Hey, Racine—”
Before I could stop her, her small figure disappeared into the crowd.
I was left behind, looking at Claire with a mixture of confusion.
“Let’s wait here.”
Claire let out a wistful sigh.
What’s wrong with Racine…?
And what was that exchange between them just now…?
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed from above, interrupting my thoughts.
“Look, fireworks.”
Claire, regaining her composure, pointed at the night sky with a smile.
Red, blue, green, yellow—Colorful flowers of light bloomed and faded beautifully in the dark night.
I had seen fireworks at the end of festivals when I was back in my hometown.
But the ones in the Royal Capital were indeed magnificent.
“We used to have fun like this at village festivals when we were kids,”
Claire smiled, looking up at the night sky.
Her profile, illuminated by the reflection of the fireworks, was faintly flushed.
Amidst her pure beauty, I felt a subtle allure, and my heart pounded.
Claire, have you always been this cute…?
“Back then, you felt like a cute little brother.”
Even though we’re only a year apart, you sometimes act so much like an older sister.
I sighed quietly.
“Ehehe, sorry, sorry. But back then, that’s really how it was.”
“Then, what about now?”
“Now…”
Claire paused and turned back to me.
The smile from moments ago had vanished.
She was looking at me with a serious expression.
“It’s… a bit different. I might have become a little more masculine. I never thought of you as a potential partner when we were in the village…”
Huh? What does that mean…?
As I tried to ask, Claire leaned closer.
Huddled together like a couple, we gazed at the fireworks in silence.
Ah, this kind of thing is nice.
I savored the happiness.
It was like the festival date with my crush from school that I had longed for in my previous life.
In reality, I never had such a crush, and I was completely detached from such rewarding events.
But now, I was experiencing something that evoked the situation I had dreamed of with Claire.
Just talking about trivial things, laughing, and quietly leaning on each other—such moments felt incredibly happy and luxurious.
“So, this is—”
I suddenly realized.
“Abel?”
Claire turned back, looking puzzled.
“Is this what you and Racine are trying to protect?”
Ordinary, peaceful, and therefore irreplaceable.
Precious and happy times.
Times I had rarely experienced in my past life.
It wasn’t a mission or a duty, but by actually experiencing moments like today—I felt like I had truly understood.
“Can I… become someone like Claire and Racine? Someone who can protect these kinds of moments, places, and people.”
I remembered what Roger had asked me in Rashka City long ago.
The reason I would fight in the Knight Order, and my resolve.
What I had vaguely thought about until now… or perhaps, what I had not wanted to think about, was slowly taking shape.
“You can.”
Claire looked at me and smiled.
“You have both immense magical power and the desire for everyone’s happiness—you possess both.”
Hearing Claire’s words, I felt a strange courage welling up within me.
Confidence filled my heart.
“So, I’m sure you can. Abel, you can. You’ll protect more people than anyone else.”
“Thank you, Claire—”
As I started to say it, I noticed how close Claire’s face was.
Her face, illuminated by the fireworks, was slightly flushed.
Her breath, escaping her lips, was strangely sweet.
“…Ngh.”
The next thing I knew, Claire had stolen my lips.
I was entranced by the meltingly sweet and soft sensation.
Bathed in the light of the fireworks, we continued our silent kiss.
“Staring…”
A disgruntled voice reached me from nearby.
“…Whoa, Racine!?”
Turning around, I saw Racine standing there with a stunned expression.
Claire and I quickly pulled away.
“Ah… S-Sorry, we’re intruding…! I bought anpan, so I was going to call out to you, but… ahaha…”
Racine was in a state of panic.
Claire, also flustered in a similar way, “Ahaha…”.
“It’s my fault too, sorry…”
“No, me too…”
The three of us looked at each other, a strange atmosphere of awkwardness and embarrassment settling between us.
