Chapter 70
It felt like she had been getting angry far too often lately. It might be because her expectations of Idris had grown too large. After all, his social survival skills were on such a high level, and they do say that the greater the fondness, the greater the disappointment.
‘Honestly, it’s been so long that I don’t even remember how people behave, yet here I am pretending to know…….’
It seemed she had become a bit of an unsightly sight.
Irene raised her head and looked at the sky. The blue sky visible alongside the trees was uniquely clearer and cleaner today. Looking at the pure white clouds, Irene gave a short chuckle.
‘Originally, my personality wasn’t like this at all.’
Quite kind and bright. She could have lived just fine, after all.
Irene’s red eyes gradually sank into darkness. Her expression darkening continuously, she shook her head as if shaking off her idle thoughts. She slapped her cheek once with a light smack.
‘No, whatever! It’s not like I threw a sudden temper tantrum right now. I can feel a bit gloomy by myself, can’t I?’
I shouldn’t entertain exhausting thoughts like, Is it fake? Is that fake too? Is this fake too? nor throw fits.
Let us just settle for the impression that we have gotten closer. Not those strange thoughts that only make one depressed for nothing. Idris was not a man foolish enough to make such an unreasonable gamble, after all.
‘Setting that aside and thinking about it, the mood isn’t bad.’
Recalling a past that was purely happy was always enjoyable. It could not be helped that such reminiscence was not easy without a good trigger. Only the scattered pieces were sweet, while the ending was an utter mess.
Though it was a misfortune that her current mood could not be purely happy.
Just as she was blankly gazing at the sky and furrowing her brow against the sunlight, suddenly, the sound of something snapping loudly rang out.
Irene snapped her head around reflexively. Idris was wearing a visibly flustered expression. Held within his hand was the broken foreleg of a large crayfish.
“……It is by no means that I tried to ruin the crayfish before dressing it. It suddenly went wild with its pincers, so reflexively……”
Irene was startled and approached him with splashing steps.
“Weren’t you pinched by the claws? Are you alright?”
“Yes, well. It does not particularly hurt.”
‘Ah, right. You were a knight, weren’t you?’
“Even so, please be careful. No matter how small it is, you never know.”
“There is no need to worry over something like this. I simply got startled for no reason and caused a commotion.”
Idris naturally slipped the large broken claw inside the basket. Irene, who briefly glanced inside the opened basket, froze just as she had been smiling.
“……When did you catch this many?”
The crayfish he had caught had increased to six before she knew it. For the record, hers was still only a single one. Even that was the smallest.
“Ah, searching along the shaded side, they came out quite well. Just as you said, Miss Irene, it was a good idea to come here.”
An awkward laugh flowed out.
“Um, but it seems I wasn’t really of any help myself…….”
“It is fine. This much is already more than enough help.”
“It doesn’t feel like that at all.”
“Did you not mention before that there are people who provide help simply by being by one’s side? Would it not suffice to consider it like that.”
“Ahaha! Me?”
“……Is it something to laugh so loudly about?”
It was not as though he had said something that should not be said.
Barely stopping her laughter at Idris’s words, Irene faced him with her face still full of lingering amusement.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s just, a bit funny.”
He really was so good with words in any case. It was never exceptionally affectionate or sweet, but should one say he always slipped in a tactful line at the exact right place and time.
“It’s not something you shouldn’t say, but how should I put it, it somehow doesn’t suit you?”
“That does not quite sound like a compliment.”
“Ahaha, if it’s an insult, maybe it is an insult? You’re not very good at saying such embarrassing, sweet-sounding things, Mr. Idris.”
“Am I so lacking in eloquence?”
Looking at the sullen-faced Idris, Irene smiled once more. To say such an obvious thing while making that blunt, sullen face. She tucked her hair, disheveled from laughing so wildly, behind her ear.
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