"My lady... Are you okay? Did I scare you?"
The black-haired boy faced the girl in his arms and asked with a worried expression.
His usually dark eyes shone with the light of a clear starry sky.
"Wha... what did you just...?"
Miriette muttered in disbelief.
"I have no mana, the same as my father, but that doesn't mean I cannot protect you, my lady."
Zoemi smiled and declared, showing off the unharmed right hand that should have been horribly scalded by Grazio's spell.
"Allow me to demonstrate why I am best suited to stay by your side and protect you."
The boy's smile became a bit more serious and he stepped away from the shocked dark-haired girl.
"Zoemi! Zoemi, don't!"
The knight who stayed behind stepped in between the tense Grazio – who seemed to be slowly realizing what grave offense he just made – and the serious black-haired boy.
"He was intending on harming young lady Espine, what kind of bodyguard would let that slide?"
