The early morning breeze was cool, and the sun lit the sky blue and orange. Fuuka sat absentmindedly on a bench in the village square.
Miyako ran up to her and called out, “Fuuka-chan.”
Umi lay sleeping, curled up on Fuuka’s lap. She had already discarded the beautiful divine beast figure in favor of the cuddly Persian cat form she’d taken when she formed her contract with Miyako. Looking at her like this, she really does look like just a cat... More to the point, who knew spirits slept?
“Miyako, has Shan Li-san calmed down yet?”
“Yeah, just about.”
Miyako chuckled to herself.
The moonlight grass took effect immediately. They gave it to Shan Li’s daughter, mixed with medicines as prescribed by the medicinal textbook Fuuka had memorized, and her condition improved. Once they had overcome the fatal situation of miasma building up in her body, all they had to do to finish the treatment was cast the white magic spell Heal on her, enhanced with Umi’s Protect spell.
Shan Li burst into tears upon seeing her daughter go straight from being barely conscious to being able to speak clearly. Fuuka’s skill in medicine especially moved Shan Li. It appeared Fuuka would not be able to escape her torrent of compliments as long as she remained in that room, so Miyako had stayed with Shan Li by herself instead.
“Her daughter seems better now too.”
“Yep. It’s all thanks to you, Fuuka-chan. Shan Li-san said she wants to throw a party for you as thanks. The full ‘Continental treatment,’ apparently.”
“There’s no need for her to thank me...” said Fuuka, but she couldn’t help but smile. Smitten by that lovely sight, Miyako found herself feeling happy too.
“Um, Miyako.”
“What’s up?”
“I was able to help Shan Li-san, wasn’t I?”
“Yeah, of course!”
“And she was... pleased, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, she was super pleased. She’s so grateful to you! She said she owes her life to you.”
“Grateful... Her life...”
Fuuka felt her chest warm up, and her heart pound. She had always worked so hard to be the best, the most beautiful. But to her, that was never anything more than duty. Her father, younger sisters, and everyone viewed Fuuka’s efforts and excellence as something “obvious” as well.
Nobody ever praised her. Nobody ever thanked her. The only one who had ever complimented her hard work was Miyako, who was supposed to be her rival, someone to contend with in the fight for a fiancé. As the eldest daughter of the Hamilton family, there was no way she could accept compliments from a rival at face value.
So this might be the first time in my life that someone’s really thanked me, taken notice of me. I never knew hearing the words “thank you” could feel so—
“Being thanked feels so warm, I feel...” said Fuuka. Yes, so very... “I feel so ha—”
Miyako’s face lit up in expectation, but Fuuka got a hold of herself. The promise they’d made flitted through Fuuka’s mind. If Miyako can make me say I’m happy in these two weeks, I’ll stay with her instead of returning home. That was the promise they made on the first day of their runaway escapade.
“Fuuka-chan! Go on, you feel ‘ha...’”
“Ha-Ha... Harried!!! I feel harried after you had me out all night looking for herbs, not that I’m complaining!!”
Her face turned scarlet. She thrust her index finger out towards Miyako.
Miyako was taken aback by Fuuka’s reaction, but she soon broke out into a broad smile.
“So forceful! But I love that part of you too, Fuuka-chan!!”
“Miyako, stop with the hugs!” squealed Fuuka.
“It’s all right, nobody’s watching!”
Their voices echoed across the square lit by the morning sun. As the villainess smiled from ear to ear, the fluffy Undine on her lap let out a large yawn.