Chapter 133
As they exited the secret meeting place with quick steps, they soon emerged into the very heart of the marketplace, filled with merchants and customers preoccupied with buying and selling goods.
Just before stepping out into the open, Yoseph naturally placed a hat on Roina’s head and pulled a hood over his own.
It wasn’t a thorough disguise, but since the crowd was so dense, unless someone stood out significantly, no one paid much attention and simply passed by.
It was the same principle as hiding a tree in the forest.
Rather than trying to conceal oneself, it was better to walk naturally like a passerby.
Even if one’s identity were to be discovered, it would still be unclear whom among the crowd they had met with.
Roina strode purposefully through the crowd, only to suddenly come to a halt.
Since her steps had no clear destination from the start, once they were away from Lutan, she found herself with nowhere else to go.
Only then did Yoseph take a good look at her complexion.
Roina had her eyes closed, her brow slightly furrowed.
At first it seemed like a glint of moisture, then pat, pat—tears fell.
Roina felt a dull ache in a corner of her heart.
It was as if something inside her was being carved out.
But she clenched her teeth and wiped away her tears.
“……Are you alright?”
That made her look even more pitiful. Yoseph asked cautiously.
Though he had a rather slender build, he was still taller than Roina.
Tall enough to wrap around her shoulders.
“Yes, I’m alright.”
“If you’d like to rest for a moment, there’s an appropriate place nearby.”
Yoseph spoke quickly, worried she might refuse.
The young man—now closer to manhood than boyhood—looked at her with eyes full of concern.
The face that had always seemed so youthful had matured noticeably over the past few months.
Beneath his pale blond hair were teal eyes, and the gold-rimmed glasses resting low on his nose were visible.
With Maili no longer at his side, the now solemn Yoseph was no longer a child one could easily rely upon.
Roina hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
For now, she wanted to calm the turmoil in her heart; resting seemed the right choice.
Drip.—Though not formally set, a cozy tea set held warm tea being poured.
The tea was brewed personally by Yoseph.
They were in a small house Yoseph had prepared to move about the capital discreetly.
It was a simple space meant for resting between errands and work at the merchant guild, with just enough to get by, but there was a certain warmth to it.
Most of the furnishings were in common and muted colors, like beige or navy, but the small tea table and chairs they sat at showed signs of frequent use.
Perhaps Yoseph often sat there sipping tea while handling his tasks.
Roina carefully lifted the teacup and took a sip.
On the white cup, a lovely raspberry vine was drawn along the rim.
“……Thank you.”
Her sorrow was swallowed down with that hot tea.
It was a sorrow born of loneliness.
The loneliness of being in this world without a place to truly belong—though she held no deep yearning for the world she had left, she felt confused.
Her thoughts needed sorting.
“Lady Roina, please feel free to speak comfortably with me.”
Yoseph began to speak.
Roina looked at him with curiosity.
“But still… Yoseph, you don’t seem like someone who easily becomes that familiar with others.”
“You speak comfortably with my sister, but use honorifics with me.
Doesn’t that feel a bit awkward? I’ve been meaning to say this for some time. I’ll treat you like a sister, so please just speak comfortably to me as you would to a younger brother.”
It seemed he had deliberately brought up a lighter topic for the sake of her somber mood.
Roina gave a faint smile, her heart warming at the gesture.
Seeing her smile, Yoseph slightly flushed.
Though he acted mature, he seemed shy and reserved around people, and she was truly grateful he had spoken up like this for her.
“Alright, Yoseph. Then I’ll try to speak a little more casually. It’ll probably feel awkward for a while, but… you can also speak comfortably if that’s what feels natural.”
At those words, his face turned red again.
Her smiling face was so beautiful.
Even the subtle floral scent that wafted from her as she moved was lovely.
And especially, whenever her figure came into view, he felt as if his heart dropped with a jolt.
Yoseph suddenly realized something—
Since he had become aware of his feelings, this was the first time they had been alone together in such a small space.
With that realization, the heartbeat he hadn’t noticed before began pounding harder and faster.
He struggled to maintain a calm appearance, worried she might hear it.
She liked the Great Archmage.
He had no chance.
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