After feeling better, they released their embrace and looked at each other.
As if nothing had ever changed in their relationship, Hime and Charlotte only smiled and let out a small laugh when their eyes met.
It seemed like there was nothing I needed to do to help Hime make up with Charlotte.
—
Charlotte also invited us to come inside the house, because we were guests here, so we had to be inside.
Well, of course, Charlotte wouldn't let Hime stay outside.
We entered her house and sat on the chairs in front of where Charlotte was sitting.
Meanwhile, Hime sat beside Charlotte. Since they had met again, of course they still wanted to be together.
This house looked like any ordinary house, but still, the atmosphere felt very lively.
It felt like many people had entered this house before, and they had all laughed together.
——
"So... what brings Hime-sama here? From here to Necvalion is quite far... do you have some important business here?" Charlotte asked, wanting to make sure what Hime came for.
"I... just wanted to see you again," Hime replied.
"I feel guilty, because of my actions, you were exiled from the kingdom... to the point that you had to return to this city..." Hime said while lowering her head.
Well, Hime really wanted to apologize to Charlotte... but would she accept that apology?
If I were in Charlotte's position, it would be hard to decide.
"W-wait! None of this is your fault, it's mine for always trying to stay by your side!" Charlotte answered, trying to make Hime stop blaming herself.
Honestly, it would be better if the two of them talked alone without me and Yuu-chan.
Why? Because they both needed to feel closer to each other.
Or maybe, there were things they couldn't say as long as Yuu-chan and I were still here.
So, as much as possible, I didn't want to disturb them and wanted to help in my own way.
"Hime, I'll go get some fresh air for a while..." I said.
"A-ah, okay..." Hime replied.
I stood up from the chair and immediately grabbed Yuu-chan's hand.
Yuu-chan looked surprised by what I did; maybe she also felt a little annoyed.
I leaned closer to her ear and started whispering.
"We have to give them some time alone, you understand that, right?" I said.
Then I quickly straightened up again; if I whispered to Yuu-chan any longer, it would only cause misunderstanding.
Yuu-chan understood what I wanted to do, and she stood up and followed me outside the house.
——
The sun was still shining brightly; of course, evening would soon come.
The clock inside already showed 3 p.m., but it felt like late afternoon, almost sunset.
Many children were playing on the streets, and their parents were chatting while watching over them.
They all kept doing what made them happy, but still took care of what they needed to protect.
There was no indifference or apathy; everyone cared for each other so they could live peacefully and harmoniously.
Huh... it's been a long time since I've seen such a view.
"Yuu-chan, what do you think about those two?" I asked her.
"They should just be friends, and if possible, they should live together again," Yuu-chan replied.
"That's not what I meant... Lately I've been thinking, what if Charlotte joins our party?" I continued.
"You thought about that too?" Yuu-chan said.
That meant I wasn't the only one who had thought that far.
Hime probably felt that Charlotte wouldn't be accepted by the kingdom anymore, and eventually, she would decide to invite Charlotte to join our party.
That possibility was quite high, to be honest.
"I don't know, at the same time, I'd be happy because we'd have a new friend and the party would feel livelier and more fun.
But at the same time, I'd feel sad and lonely, because you two would also have to think about Charlotte.
I just want us to keep feeling happy, and for the atmosphere to stay the same... with nothing changing between the three of us," Yuu-chan continued.
I looked at Yuu-chan; from her eyes, she didn't seem to be lying.
Everything she said just now must've come from what she's truly been feeling and wishing for.
I didn't want to criticize that wish, because I agreed with her words.
Trak.
I walked slowly toward Yuu-chan; I wanted to make her feel a little relieved and actually get some fresh air.
Plak.
My hand landed on Yuu-chan's head, making her look at me with a mixed expression.
"Calm down, no matter what happens later, Hime and I won't leave you... so relax, okay?" I said.
Before she became my status screen, she said she had served many different people. But she spoke for the first time when she was with me.
A person's status screen disappears when that person dies.
In other words, Yuu-chan had seen her users die in her hands many times. It made her feel lonely, because she would no longer be acknowledged to exist.
But in the end, she met me and could talk directly, so of course she felt very happy.
So, Yuu-chan was just afraid of being alone again if Charlotte joined our party. Yeah, I understood that feeling.
Not only did I place my hand on her head, but I also gently stroked it.
For some reason, I felt like Yuu-chan had already become like my precious little sister whom I had to protect.
"...Yeah, yeah... I just got a little dizzy earlier and ended up thinking that far..." she said.
I could see her cheeks slightly blushing; I didn't know why, but the important thing was that she looked better now.
"Well then, wanna go for a walk for a bit?" I asked.
"Sure, I was a bit bored anyway," she replied.
——
Actually, as long as I was with Yuu-chan, even if I got lost, she would definitely find the way back home.
Because she had a map on my status screen that allowed her to see where we were.
That only worked when it was just the two of us — no one else around.
Just like this walk, we were simply following the path. We didn't even know where we were heading.
The point was, we really just wanted to get some fresh air while seeing what the village had to offer.
Unlike in the city, there were no guards or soldiers stationed in this village. It was as if the village didn't need their protection.
Of course, I was amazed that this village dared to do that, even though it was located in the Malcro region.
——
"Yukito-sama, we'd better head back now... it's getting late," Yuu-chan said.
She was right — I'd gotten too absorbed in admiring the scenery of this village.
Right now, we were even on top of a hill to see how wide the village actually was.
Yuu-chan had managed to find the way here, so we wouldn't get lost.
"Sorry, sorry, I got too focused earlier..." I said with a small smile.
"Let's—" Yuu-chan said.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Yuu-chan's feet seemed to shift, causing the soil to move. It made her freeze in place.
A landslide was about to happen — I had to save Yuu-chan!
GRUDAK!
"Yukito-sama!!" Yuu-chan's voice echoed clearly in my ears.
I reached out to grab her hand — and I did it! I managed to catch her!!
"Eh?"
But unfortunately, I couldn't hold Yuu-chan with just one hand, and that caused both of us to fall together with the landslide.
"WAAA!" We could only scream as we fell.
If only I could have warned Yuu-chan sooner, we wouldn't have fallen into this ravine.