episode_0708

Frey returned home through Joy’s magic and was greeted with a warm welcome by her family and servants.

Frey’s head was filled with thoughts of being annoying, but she didn’t run away.

Because from my experience so far, I know that if I run away, I’ll have to suffer several times more later.

“Just wait a minute! I’ll make you some delicious food!”

While Mrs. Kent was busy with a few servants, Parna clung to Frey’s side and looked at him intently.

Her sparkling eyes revealed that Parna was full of curiosity, but strangely, she did not open her mouth.

Frey, who was killing time by yawning, felt suspicious of Parna’s unusual appearance.

If it were any other day, I would have pressed on you and asked you to tell me about what happened today.

“Why are you like this?”

“Me? Why? Aren’t you doing a good job?”

“So why are you nice?”

“Why are you so nice! I’ve always been nice!”

“No. I wasn’t usually nice.”

“You were nice!?”

“Lies.”

“…He may have been a bit of a tomboy, but he was still a good person!”

“A little?”

Lucy is getting so annoyed that she’s feeling burdened, but can that really be considered a little bit?

Parna puffed out her cheeks when Frey questioned her openly.

“I acted like an adult! Can’t you just praise me!?”

“To say that with your own mouth. Parnado is an idiot.”

“That sister is even more stupid! She’s so stupid, so stupid!”

Frey saw himself reflected in his whining younger brother.

Even though he knew that Lucy would be annoyed, he kept talking about this and that because he wanted to be with her a little longer. Is Parna like that?

“Ugh. Sorry to bother you, Unnie. But I…”

“What are you so curious about?”

“…Sister? What did you just say?”

“If you have any questions, please let me know.”

“Me. Really!? Can I ask you something?! You gave me permission! First of all, here’s what I heard from Chester! Today…”

As Parna poured out questions as if she had been waiting for them, Frey frowned and looked back on today.

All she did was cut and slash at what she saw, but Frey tried to describe the situation as best she could.

Because his vocabulary was so limited, most of the explanations were filled with onomatopoeia like whirl, kuung, quawk, twinkle, and hwaak, but Parna couldn’t contain her excitement just from the explanations.

“So what? So what? Then what?”

“You look very tired, so go to your father.”

“That. I also fought on the front lines with Frey.”

“You’re used to that, right?”

“That’s true, though.”

“I know. It must be very hard for you too. But our Frey was the one who faced the evil spirits in the front line. Even though he is pretending to be okay now, he must be feeling like he is going to collapse inside!”

Not really. I feel like I can swing my sword any time now. I guess I’ll sneak out later and swing my sword around.

“Father. Are you that bothered by me?”

“Okay! Ask me anything! I’ll do my best to answer!”

“Wow! Dad is the best!”

While the Earl of Kent, defeated by his daughter’s charms, was making a fool of himself by smiling while crying, Lady Kent lowered her posture and met Frey’s gaze.

“Thank you for growing up well, my daughter.”

“Suddenly?”

“I’m just saying what I feel. Nothing is the same all of a sudden.”

“Did I grow up well?”

“Of course. Because the current Frey is our good daughter.”

“Is that so? I’m not sure.”

“Hahaha. It’s okay if you don’t know. But later, could you invite Alren Yeong-ae? I really want to thank her.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The party, which began at night, ended only as the moon was setting.

After everyone fell asleep, Frey came outside and swung his sword, recalling the enemies he had faced that day, before collapsing on the ground.

The words that Frey remembered as he watched the waning moon were those that Mrs. Kent had said.

Have I changed that much since I used to? Frey pouts and thinks back to his past.

Frey didn’t know much about emotions.

I felt no joy, no sadness, no delight, no anger, no fear, no other emotion.

I had looked up emotions in the dictionary, but that didn’t mean I could understand them.

Because Frey wasn’t smart enough to understand something he’d never felt before.

There was only one emotion that Frey knew.

A color that can be felt when facing a strong enemy or when facing a precarious danger.

Frey immersed himself in the emotion because he knew nothing else.

I fought and fought and fought again, trying to find a slightly darker color.

It was after she met a girl named Lucy Allen that she changed.

“Lucy taught me many colors.”

The gray world of Frey was changed by one person named Lucy.

I learned to be angry when I heard Lucy’s laughter. I learned to have fun when I spar with her.

I felt sad when Lucy was away for unavoidable reasons.

Lucy felt happy and joyful when she gave compliments.

As those emotions built up, Frey realized that the world was shining with various colors.

Thanks to Lucy coloring her world, Frey is able to live in a world that always sparkles.

“Lucy.”

Although she could now feel many colors while being with other people, she still liked having Lucy by her side the most.

Because Lucy’s side, which accepted him despite his jealousy and unable to push him away, was the warmest.

“You’re not even a puppy, so you’re feeling lonely?”

Frey suddenly turned his head at the sound of a voice coming from behind him and ran towards her as soon as he saw Lucy’s figure reflected in the moonlight.

Lucy found Frey’s charge irritating, but she didn’t dodge it.

“Lucy!”

“There really is no dog. I think I can see the tail wagging.”

“I don’t have a tail?”

“That’s what I mean. Don’t you understand that either? Frey?”

“…Not the stupid Frey?”

“If you don’t like it, go back to the original state.”

“Eww! No! I like Frey!”

Lucy chuckled at the sight of Frey desperately shaking his head, lifted Frey’s shoulder away, and sat down in the field.

Frey looked regretful, but instead of rushing towards Lucy, he took a seat next to her.

“What are you here for? Did you come to spar with me?”

“You still want to spar after fighting like that?”

“Yeah. It’s fun to do it with Lucy.”

“You just want to be with me, idiot.”

“…Is that so?”

After hearing Lucy’s words, Frey thought deeply.

The reason I keep pestering Lucy to spar with me is because I can swing my sword with all my might only when she’s my opponent.

It’s hard to show off your strength against other kids.

The prince was a fun opponent, but now he’s a bit strange.

But that’s not entirely wrong.

Lucy is usually considerate of other people, but when we spar, she only looks at me.

I think that’s why I clung to Lucy more.

…Honestly, I don’t know. Which one did I want more, that made me want to spar with Lucy?

“What do you think, Lucy?”

“What do you think? I guess it’s both. I like it too and I want to spar with it.”

“As expected, Lucy! That’s right! I liked them both! Because it’s Lucy!”

Anything is fun with Lucy.

So I sparred with Lucy! Yeah! That’s right! As expected, Lucy is a genius!

Lucy slowly averted her eyes from Frey’s gaze, who was staring at the stars.

“Anyway, I just came here to say thank you.”

“Huh? Lucy? To me? Why?”

“You’ve been through some incredibly dangerous things because of me. And yet you’ve stayed by my side without complaining.”

“That was because you liked Lucy?”

Lucy, who had been staring blankly at Frey at the words that came out without much thought, soon turned her head away with a light laugh.

“Really? You liked me that much?”

“Yeah. Totally fine.”

“That. Yeah.”

“Why is your voice shaking? What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s nothing?! Don’t worry about it!”

After some time had passed, Lucy coughed and turned her head again, got up from her seat, and brushed the dirt off her butt.

“Let’s go eat something delicious later. I’ll buy you a lot.”

“Really?”

“It’s okay to eat until you’re full. I have a lot of money anyway. I’m just worried about getting paid properly.”

Frey noticed that Lucy was about to leave and tried to grab her arm, but then lowered his hand.

Even if I don’t catch her, I’ll still be able to meet Lucy again.

Because she made a promise. Lucy never breaks her promises.

“See you later. Frey.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

After Lucy disappeared with the fairy light, Frey leaned back against the green.

We only had a very short conversation, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

I’m glad I became friends with Lucy.

*

The next destination Lucy arrived at, following the fairy’s guidance, was a room in the royal castle.

This is where the woman who was once called the First Queen stayed, and now it is where the First Prince, who handles palace affairs instead of the Second Prince, who is the public face, stays.

After finishing the banquet with the knights, Prince René, who had come to take care of business instead of resting, froze when he suddenly discovered a girl who appeared in the darkness.

“You said you’d give me something delicious, right?”

“…I promised that, but it’s difficult to suddenly appear like this. Lucy Allen.”