When Kaito-san told me that he loved me, I froze as if time had
completely stopped.
Kaito-san just stared at me, waiting for me to recover from my
confusion, not saying a word.
Little by little, as my consciousness came back, the irst thing that came
to mind… was that this couldn't be true.
[…T- That's a lie…]
That thought unintentionally leaked out of my mouth, and once that one
word leaked out, my mouth naturally continued speaking.
[I mean… I- I was always being helped by Kaito-san… and for Kaito-san
to love this useless me…]
Yes, I couldn't believe Kaito-san's words.
After all… I'm very weak and cowardly, and I have nothing that would
make him love me.
All these talks about having Kaito-san under my protection were just for
appearances, and in fact, I had only been making use of Kaito-san's
connections for my own purposes… I have so much to be grateful for,
and I've hardly been able to repay him at all.
And yet, for what reason… Why?
[…Lilia-san.]
[ ! ? ]
The feeling of disbelief is so great that just as it's about to turn into a
feeling of fear, Kaito-san calmly calls out my name, and I can't help but
twitch.
Seeing me like that, Kaito-san looked slightly astounded before he spoke.
[…It isn't like I can say this myself, but I don't think that Lilia-san's habit
of demeaning yourself is good.]
[…Eh?]
[Lilia-san, you're not useless. You're a wonderful woman who has given
me so much and always helps me.]
I have given Kaito-san so much? I have always helped him? T- That is…
[…I'm really glad… that you're the irst person I met in this world.]
[…hy… Why is that!?]
[Eh? L- Lilia-san?]
Before I knew it, I was screaming.
It's a feeling of guilt that's always been in the back of my mind, but I
didn't say it out loud because Kaito-san and the others didn't care about
it, but it was something that had been bothering me for a long, long
time…
[It's all… It's all my fault!!!]
[…Ehh?]
[It was my fault that I made a mistake in the Hero summoning… It was
my fault that Kaito-san and the others are brought into this unfamiliar
world! Being in a sensitive position where you don't hold the role of
Hero, and all these hardships and anxiety, everything is my fault…]
[Ah, no, I already know who did that, so I know that it isn't Lilia-san's
fault.]
[…Eh?]
…Errr, what the heck is Kaito-san saying? He already knows who did
that?
Could it be, the truth about the last time's Hero summoning that I didn't
know…
[Well, putting that aside.]
[You're putting that aside!?]
—is what I thought, but Kaito-san quickly switched the subject… Can't
you explain about that topic a bit more?
I was dumbfounded by what I just heard… but all of those thoughts and
the questions that came into my head were immediately blown away.
[Wha!? Ahhh…]
Kaito-san approached me, reached out his hands and spontaneously
brought my body into his embrace… Eeeeehhhh!?
[Wha, w- w- w- what are you doing, K- K- Kaito-san!?]
[…Lilia-san. I'm really glad to have met you.]
[ ! ? ]
[If it wasn't for you, I'm sure that I wouldn't be laughing as much as I am
now… I'm always troubling and surprising you, but you still kindly
smiled at me. The you who were concerned about me like it was
natural… made me love you.]
[ ~ ~ ! ? ]
His words echoed deep within me, as if they had physical power, shaking
me greatly.
As my body was surrounded by his numbing warmth, I felt my mind
boiling over… feeling happiness so great that I couldn't express how high
it is.
That's because I thought it was absolutely impossible… that even if I was
in love with Kaito-san, there was no way he would like me back…
[Uuuaahhh… Kai… to… -san?]
I should be happy now, but tears started falling from my eyes. I should
be saying something, but I can't speak. I just keep crying like a child,
burying my face in Kaito-san's warm chest.
As he held me gently, Kaito-san's gentle whisper reached my ears.
[…Lilia-san, can I hear your reply?]
…Reply? What is he talking about…? Seriously… Isn't that a given
already…?
[…I… also l- love you… Kaito-san…]
[ ~ ~ ! ? Lilia-san!!!]
[Fuehh!? Hyaannnn!?]
Feeling my face burning hot, I told her my feelings too, and Kaito-san
hugged me much tighter than before.
I was surprised at irst, but soon, my heart was illed with his powerful
embrace… Only with happiness… And I wasn't able to say anything
again.
How long have we been embracing each other? Separating our bodies
from each other, Kaito-san and I face each other with a sense of
embarrassment that is beyond our control.
I should be so embarrassed that I can't look at his face, but I always ind
myself glancing at Kaito-san, and when my eyes met his, I would turn
bright red again.
As I was feeling such an embarrassing, yet happy atmosphere, Kaito-san
took out something from his pocket that looked like a small box and held
it out to me.
[…Errr, Lilia-san… Happy birthday.]
[T- Thank you. W- What is this?]
[It's a music box magic tool. It's my irst time making one, so I'm sorry if
it was inferior from the others.]
[…Kaito-san… made it for me?]
The words Kaito-san said with a bashful smile, made me impossibly
happy, and I felt like I was about to burst into tears again.
As I desperately struggled to hold back these tears, I held my hand over
the little box I received… this music box magic tool that Kaito-san made
for me.
The music box, which is about the size of my palm, has a small magic
crystal attached to it, and just like the magic box, it seemed to have been
structured to restrict its use to a limited number of people.
In other words, this music box is a magic tool that can't only be used by
me in this world… Something that was really made just for me alone…
Uuughhh… This is foul play… How can I not be happy from this…
Suppressing this impetuous feeling, I registered myself as the user and
opened the magic box… and found that the inside of it was studded with
beautiful blue jewels, twinkling like a starry sky.
When I held my hand over the biggest jewel in the middle… A wonderful
song was played that was bright, and yet, somehow gentle.
This is my irst time I've heard this song… but I wonder? Somehow, it
seems to it the current atmosphere.
However, the surprise didn't end there.
As soon as the song began to play, the central jewel lit up, and on the
back of the box, the dragon crest… Albert Duchy's family crest emerged,
and the image of small stars appeared around it, moving in time with the
song.
[…It's really… beautiful… Did Kaito-san also make this mechanism too?]
[Yes. Well, it was dificult… If you look at it closely, you could see how
lacking my skill is, so I'm sorry…]
Indeed, when he mentioned it, my family crest and the stars that were
loating around seemed to have some distorted parts here and there.
However, that was the best proof… that Kaito-san had worked hard on
this little gem, and even its distorted lines looked impossibly lovely to
me.
[…Is it really alright though? For me… Just meeting Kaito-san felt like a
miracle… and yet… for all this happiness to happen…]
[Of course, it's alright! Lilia-san should be happy… No, I'll make sure that
you will be happy!]
[…Yes, there are many things I'm not good at… but please take care of
me.]
To be honest, for a long time now, I've never been blessed in love.
Even Luna and Sieg have told me that I've had bad luck with men, and
I've had lots of headaches in the past because of it… And to be honest, I
had even given up on that.
I would either remain single for the rest of my life, or just like from what
I heard from the other people in this peaceful world, I'm going to have to
marry a noble I don't like in order to boost my voice, through political
marriage…
However, miracles really do exist… As fortune hasn't given up on me,
because I've met such a wonderful person.
No, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime miracle… Even so, if that one-time
miracle partner for me was Kaito-san, I think I really am lucky.
[…By the way, Kaito-san? I don't think I've seen this gem before, but
what is this?]
[Ah, errr, it's Midnight Crystal.]
[…Huh? Eh? Umm… that jewel that was said to only appear once every
10 years? T- Then, what about this strangely good quality wood?
[…Wood made from the branch of the World Tree.]
[...…]
I- I feel dizzy… Midnight Crystal? A branch of the World Tree? Seriously,
how far does this person want to…
[…U- Ummm, Lilia-san?]
As I held my head with one hand, Kaito-san spoke to me while timidly
looking at my face.
After a short pause after hearing his voice, I slowly lowered my hand
and turned to Kaito-san…
[…F- Fufufu…]
[Lilia-san?]
[Good grief, Kaito-san, you never cease to surprise me.]
[I- I'm sorry…]
[However, I guess it can't be helped… I've fallen in love… with that part
of you too…]
Kaito-san is out of the norm like usual, and he easily overthrew my
common sense… However, that's the kind of man, Miyama Kaito, the
person I fell in love with is.
I'm sure I will continue being surprised a lot by Kaito-san, and I'm sure
that I'll have my head in my hands a lot more times.
However, I'm sure that just as much as I feel troubled… No, I'm sure that
he will bring me a lot more happiness.
I will be surprised, troubled, helped… and laugh together. I'm sure that
my everyday life will be flurried, but filled with happiness… It's also the
future that I sincerely want to walk with, together with my beloved
person.
[…Kaito-san.]
[Yes?]
[Please make me happy, okay? I'm also… going to try even harder so that
you don't regret loving me.]
[…Yes. I will be in your care from now on.]
On the 7th day of the Wind month… On my 23rd birthday, along with the
miraculous blue light and the resounding blessing of a song… Kaito-san
and I became lovers