"Show me."
Olivia muttered in the darkened space.
"Show me… please."
What happened afterward.
What she had done.
The faint smile of Ricardo that disappeared, marking the end of the lengthy viewing. Olivia, who remained there where the curtain fell without seeing the end of the story, screamed.
To show her the future that follows, to show even the slightest effort of trying to save Ricardo, Olivia grasped the solitary blue window in front of her and yelled.
"Show me…!"
"You can show me at least a bit of effort. You can tell me what I''ve done…""Why only show Ricardo getting hurt…!"
Olivia felt wronged.
Every time, the blue window showed only Ricardo making sacrifices, showing Olivia''s repenting figure, showing only Ricardo suffering in the future, which weighed heavily on her heart.
If only it showed a regretful figure, her heart wouldn''t have hurt so much.
Like a fool, only after Ricardo died, realizing the meaning of parting, Olivia felt disgustingly foolish.
Knowing such thoughts were selfish, Olivia still pleaded with the blue window.
"Please, show me just once…"
Just once, wanting to see herself reflecting, Olivia knelt in the dark space and cried.
"Please…"
Ricardo''s faint smile wouldn''t leave her mind.
She was scared to open her eyes, fearing Ricardo would disappear.
So…
She begged to know the end of the story.
Even if it showed her suffering, Olivia tried screaming at the blue window.
[The viewing is terminated.]
The blue window, as always, did not heed her wish.
***
5 AM, The Lady''s Room.
Stopping my steps carefully in front of thedy''s room, where she must be sleeping soundly, I woke up earlier than usual.
The reason for my visit was simple.
Because she might be sleeping with the window open.
As always, thedy, who wouldn''t listen to me and said, ‘If I don''t open the window, I''ll suffocate and die,'' with such a scientific reason, I couldn''t win against her.
"Sounds about right?" I, the flip-flop butler, had easily given in.
I quietly tiptoed and opened the door to thedy''s room.
"Knock knock, may Ie in?"
-…
"Nobody''s here, then I''ll just intrude."
Inside, I saw thedy sleeping soundly. Because she took care of me all night, she was breathing evenly, hands neatly ced on her stomach as if she were a corpse inside a coffin.
"She''s sleeping well."
Thedy looked as beautiful as an angel in heaven while sleeping. I was pleased to feast my eyes on this early in the morning.
The moment I reached for the slowly opening window, thedy''s trembling voice quietly passed by my ears.
"Show me…!"
-Startled.
Thedy was still closing her eyes.
Seeming to be talking in her sleep, she kept asking to be shown something.
What she wanted to be shown, I had a rather naughty thought and shook my head, then proceeded to close the window I was about to shut.
"Show me…"
"I don''t know what it is, but it''s not possible."
"Please… show me."
Thedy sleeping appeared deeply troubled.
"Uh…"
Frowning as if about to cry any moment, thedy was murmuring in her sleep, possibly having a terrible nightmare, with cold sweat continuously flowing from her forehead.
"Why is that?"
Worried she might have caught a cold from me, I carefully ced my hand on her forehead, but thedy''s forehead was utterly calm.
"No fever."
It was 5:30 AM.
After being sick, it feels like my body hase back to life. The headache that felt like it would split my head was gone, and my vitality was returning to normal.
Now, returning to my duties as a butler, thedy was having a nightmare.
"I can''t do anything about dreams."
Being born human, I regretted a bit that I couldn''t perform dream care like an incubus could.
To be a perfect butler, I would have to be reborn first.
"Madman."
Iughed at myself for indulging in such useless worries. I truly became a real butler.
After about 10 minutes of foolish thoughts.
Tears began to flow from thedy''s eyes.
"I''m sorry…"
What was she apologizing for?
Because she''s not a subus?
Thedy, who possesses a charm surpassing that of a subus, her apology didn''t feelforting at all.
I stretched thedy''s plump cheeks as I pondered, feeling the squishy texture on my fingertips. The urge to bite was overwhelming, but as a true butler, I made the difficult decision to resist.
Waking up thedy sleeping soundly for a mere impulse was not desirable.
Besides.
If I woke her up, I wouldn''t be able to touch her cheeks anymore, which was regrettable in its own way.
I pulled on thedy''s cheek to the side, wearing a pleasant smile.
"What are you apologizing for? If it''s because you''re not covering yourself with a nket while sleeping, then you are indeed at fault."
I covered thedy up to her shoulders with a nket and stroked her head.
"There''s nothing else you should be sorry for."
Indeed, watching thedy sleep was as entertaining as ever. The sight of her with her mouth closed and sleeping was angelic.
White hair, white skin.
And the sinfully swollen chest.
Hmm… is this not quite right?
Anyway, thedy with her mouth shut was like a grumpy tsundere angel, so spending time like this wasn''t too bad.
"So, what should I make for breakfast today?"
The sight of thedy crying was something I disliked.
Just.
It seems like there''s no reason for it.
***
sh.
Thedy, who had been crying for a while, stared nkly at the ceiling with empty eyes. Gazing nkly at the ceiling withplicated emotions in her eyes, thedy let out a deep sigh as if the ground beneath her would cave in.
"Hmm…"
The usual air raid warnings didn''t sound. It seems like the patriot who worries about the empire''s safety every morning considered today''s empire safe enough. The noisy morning greeting was absent.
Instead, she was concerned about someone else''s well-being.
"Ricardo…"
What''s this.
‘This kind of flirting makes this butler''s heart flutter.''
Truly, no viiness could y with a person''s heart as well as she could.
"Ricardooo…"
Thedy, slightly opening her eyes, was searching for me.
Seemingly unaware that I was by her side, she called my name with a choked voice, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Where are you…?"
It seemed like she had a nightmare.
Not a nightmare about ghosts, but rather, it seemed she had a long nightmarish dream involving me.
Did she dream that I left her? Or that I died?
Sorrow was deeply etched on thedy''s face.
Even though I know it''s wrong, my heart fluttered because the first word she uttered after waking from her nightmare was my name.
"I''m sorry…"
Thedy''s shoulders trembled delicately.
"I''m sorry, soe back quickly… okay?"
I ced my hand above thedy''s head. As my fingers touched her fluffy hair, the gentle trembling of thedy''s shoulders began to subside.
Tears, like small droplets of dew, rolled down thedy''s cheeks and wet the pillow.
"Uh…?"
Thedy''s eyes trembled. Surprised by my sudden appearance, her trembling gaze began to search busily to find me.
Right.
Left.
And then our eyes met as I sat by her bedside.
As if seeing a ghost, thedy''s eyes trembled, seeing my figure within them.
Slowly, bit by bit. Though hidden behind the curtains, as if she wouldn''t forget this sight, she didn''t blink and kept looking at me.
I smiled tenderly at her and ced my hand on her forehead.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
"…"
"What kind of nightmare made you cry so much? I was worried you''d copse from dehydration, mydy."
Thedy bit her lip, her fist opening and closing. As if she had something to say, her adorable fists repeatedly clenched and unclenched.
"Listen… Ricardo."
"Yes."
"I…"
"Yes, mydy."
"I missed you so much."
I covered thedy''s eyes with my hand, avoiding direct eye contact. My face felt hot. It wasn''t easy to suddenly face such a direct approach from a white-haired beauty.
"Mydy. How many times have I told you? This kind of flirting…"
Thedy interrupted me with a trembling voice.
"I was afraid that when I opened my eyes, Ricardo wouldn''t be there…"
As if a child woke from sleep looking for her mother, thedy spoke to me with a sorrowful voice.
"I was afraid that Ricardo would leave me."
"Why would I leave mydy? I have back pay to collect, and it''s fun being with you."
"Still…"
Thedy murmurred, sounding saddened.
"I have nothing to offer you."
I naturally pinched thedy''s cheek. Her cheek, drenched in tears, was soggy.
"You can take your time to do so. If you don''t be picky with food, eat snacks in moderation, and curse a little less, that''s enough for me."
The glossy cheek of thedy didn''t feel as nice to the touch as when she wasn''t crying.
So.
"Don''t cry."
I wished she wouldn''t cry.
"That won''t get you more chocte."
Thedy''s eyes grew moist again. Were there still tears left to shed? Continuously sniffling and shaking her shoulders, she seemed to have a reservoir within her small body, wiping away the falling tears with her sleeve and smiling.
"Stop crying. If you cry more, you won''t be able to open your eyes."
"But… but… Ricardo."
"It''s okay. I''m right here."
Thedy looked at me with a big sniffle.
"Don''t get hurt."
"Yes."
"Always be healthy."
"Who else is as healthy as me… ah. No, that''s wrong. I was sick yesterday, so I might be a bit frail."
"Don''t be picky with food."
"That''s for mydy to do."
"Just listen…!"
Thedy grumbled at me, sounding annoyed. They say if you cry and thenugh, horns grow on sensitive parts, so I stopped myself from making a pointless joke and chose to stay silent.
Now was the time to listen to thedy.
"I''ll be quiet."
Thedy, whose crying hadn''t stopped, murmured softly.
"And if you don''t tell me when you''re sick next time… I''ll really be upset."
"Yes, I''ll definitely keep that in mind."
"It''s a promise."
Thedy, her hand wet with tears and a bit of snot, somewhat ‘ugh…'' in appearance but if it canfort thedy who had a nightmare, I thought it would be a good deal.
I pressed my finger to thedy''s hand as if stamping a seal and nodded.
"Yes."
As the atmosphere shifted to a more warm and amiable one.
Thedy, whose crying had stopped, sat up and red at me.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
Thedy spoke with a cold voice.
"Strip."
"?"
"I''ll check if you''re not hurt."
"I''ll sue you for sexual harassment."
"Eeeek…! Just strip!"
I wrapped my arms around myself shyly, a yful smile full of mischief on my face.
"I refuse."