On the way home.


    Sitting in the Ferri No. 1, the youngdy was nodding off, sumbing to the oing drowsiness. Like the pendulum of a clock, her head bobbed back and forth until it dropped too low, and with a violent ‘Ugh!'' she jolted and looked behind her.


    "Did you call me?"


    "No."


    "…Strange. It feels like the Demon King of Sleepiness is pushing my head down."


    "It''s just your imagination."


    The youngdy nodded, acknowledging the nonsense she had just uttered.


    A date with just the two of us.


    We had enjoyed an interesting y.Indulged in some luxury at the tailor''s.


    Even had a skirmish with a street beggar, but it felt like time well spent.


    The journey back to the manor was as mundane as ever, yet the long stretch of roadside trees and the soft glow of streemps seemed more emotionally stirring tonight.


    They looked prettier.


    I wished for time to slow down.


    The youngdy''s normally dull white hair, illuminated by the streetlights, seemed particrly beautiful tonight.


    Sitting in her wheelchair, the youngdy shook her head side to side, trying to fight off sleep, then tapped her cheek with her hand.


    "I''m getting sleepy…"


    "You should rest a bit. I will wake you when we arrive."


    "No way. You said if you sleep-drive, you would say goodbye to the world."


    "I''m your stand-in driver, so it''s fine."


    "Is that so?"


    The youngdy nodded slightly and then, dering that ‘stand-in fees'' would be paid in chocte, she shed a contented smile.


    After about ten more minutes walking,


    The youngdy, who had been using the solemn atmosphere as a luby, slightly turned her head to look at me.


    "Ricardo."


    "Yes?"


    "What did you think of the y today?"


    "It was enjoyable."


    "Not like that, I mean specifically. Like whether I should give you more chocte or if there''s a lesson about not stealing chocte."


    "Hmm… it did make me think that I should cut down on chocte for the youngdy''s healthy diet."


    "Eek!"


    The sullen youngdy clenched her fist and threatened me. Like a little tigershing out with its paws, I answered ‘You''re slow.'' and yfully flicked her forehead.


    "Ouch!"


    I grinned and said,


    "Just kidding."


    Then I quietly gave the youngdy the answer she desired.


    "Um… I thought that I should be nicer to you."


    "Why?"


    "So you won''t hit me?"


    "Yikes! What''s that!"


    "Haha! Just kidding. What about you?"


    The youngdy turned her head away and grumbled, muttering ‘You''re always joking.'' With her lips pouting, she made a small snorting sound and then opened her mouth.


    "I… thought that I don''t want to be apart from Ricardo."


    My face flushed with heat.


    What had I just heard? Her words caught me off guard, and I covered the smile emerging on my lips with my palm, my voice quivering as I asked,


    "What is this? Flirting?"


    "Flirting?"


    "Are you trying to seduce me?"


    "No!"


    The youngdy swung her clenched fist through the air, vehemently shouting,


    "I said that because I want Ricardo and I to live long and healthy lives together. I''ll even cut back on picky eating and… the person in the y was just so pitiful. I thought if Ricardo wants to live a long life, I should be good to him."


    "Oh… Show me that three more times, and I might fall for you."


    "That''s not it."


    The youngdy, her face now a bright red, exhaled a sigh.


    "Idiot."


    "You''re a dummy."


    "Blockhead."


    "Urchin."


    "Ha ha ha!"


    We continued our childish banter as we made our way back to the manor.


    The date seemed to have been quite sessful.


    *


    The youngdy, halfway asleep from exhaustion, was nodding off in her wheelchair.


    To be precise, she was sleeping.


    "Snore…"


    "Madam?"


    "Hmmnyeh…"


    "We''ve arrived. It''s time to pay."


    "Ricardo will take care of it…"


    "Eh…"


    Despite tugging on her cheek, the youngdy wouldn''t wake up. Deciding to settle the ride fee with a snackter, I gently let go of the cheek I had been pulling.


    The manor was quiet, perhaps because it waste in the evening. The bustling servants had long since gone home, and the household head, Rosanna, and Kyle were nowhere to be seen in the living room, likely already retired for the night.


    In the silence that suggested we were alone, I let out a small sigh and carefully picked up the soundly sleeping youngdy.


    ‘So light.''


    How could such a tiny body eat so much… It''s a wonder.


    "Mmm… chocte."


    The youngdy, who seemed unacquainted with the word worry, slept soundly, resembling a certain princess who fell into a deep slumber after eating an apple.


    For a moment, I contemted whether a prince''s kiss could awaken her, but since I was no prince, I decided against it.


    "She sleeps soundly."


    Once the youngdy was in bed, she seldom woke up easily, deep in sleep and even snoring.


    Especially after a tiring day like today, her drool soaked through my sleeve.


    "Snore…"


    Looking at her peaceful face, I whispered softly,


    "Goodnight."


    My footsteps were silent as I climbed the stairs, careful not to make any noise and cautiously as one would handle fragile sswork, lest I wake her.


    Soon, I arrived at the door of the youngdy''s room.


    [The World''s Most Beautiful ‘Olivia''s'' Room]


    -If you wake me, I bite.


    -If you''re loud, I curse.


    -If you understand, get lost.


    A fierce sign penned by the youngdy during her teenage years hung on the door, prompting a smallugh from me.


    "Scary, isn''t it?"


    "Hmmnyeh… I''m hungry."


    "That seems to be the case."


    -Creak.


    After cautiously opening the door,


    I gentlyid the youngdy on her plush bed.


    Pink curtains and bedding.


    The viiness, who might seem distant from anything cute, actually collected endearing things like pink colors and teddy bears.


    The only w was


    Some rather formidable-looking teddy bears gnawing on human arms and crocodile stuffed animals baring vicious teeth.


    But since she loved cute things, I smiled as I pushed aside the youngdy''s beloved toys from the edge of the bed and carefullyid her down.


    I savored a moment watching her peaceful, snoring face.


    As her breathing became steady, I carefully sat beside her bed and stroked her hair.


    "Please limit the flirting. My heart can''t take much more."


    "nning on causing a heart attack after saying let''s live long together?"


    "Really…"


    I ced my hand on the youngdy''s leg, burning circuits with a wry smile.


    "You''re such a fool."


    [Using ‘Touch of Rehabilitation'' on an ‘Object Corrupted with Dark Magic'' consumes ‘1% Vitality.'']


    Vitality used: 6%


    Remaining Vitality: 94%


    [If vitality drops below -90%, the consumption rate will triple.]


    A bitter metallic taste touched my lips along with a cold warning. I did my best to suppress coughing up the red liquiding from my throat, but I couldn''t help but cover my mouth as a coughing fit hit me and a pain like my chest was tearing apart took over.


    "Cough… Cough…!"


    It never gets easier, no matter how many times I go through it.


    It felt like life was being chipped away.


    No direct side effects on the body, but I could feel something fundamental twisting inside me, and with a deep sigh, I cursed softly.


    "Ah… Damn…"


    Yet, I was content.


    Like the boy in the y who just watched over her, it was all I could do for the youngdy, in return for saving my life when I was young.


    For being able to engage in shy flirtation despite my unrequited love.


    Breathing heavily and enduring the pain in my chest, I smiled.


    Someday.


    Someday I''d be able to walk with the youngdy, and even a coward like me would find courage, I smiled with hope.


    As an unbearable pain spread throughout my body and a small groan threatened to escape my lips,


    -Creak.


    The firmly shut door to the youngdy''s room opened, revealing the familiar figure of a man through the crack.


    Even in his pajamas, the man emanated a fierce aura.


    I had thought he would be asleep.


    A careless mistake on my part had led to this situation. If I had just been a bit more cautious, locked the door, I might have avoided this…


    But it was toote for regrets.


    Coughing up blood.


    With my hand on the youngdy''s leg, even I knew it looked suspicious.


    The man, seeing my confusion, spoke in a low voice.


    "What are you doing?"


    A chill ran down my spine as the icy tone reached my ears.


    My coughing turned into a harsh rasp, and his expression grew colder as he watched.


    I murmured to the man.


    "Ah… This is bad."


    The likely sessor to the Desmond family who had warned me not to do anything foolish before.


    Kyle.


    He looked at me with an ominous expression.


    "Take your hand off now."