“Wh-What are you…?” She was so shocked and shaken that she couldn’t get the words out. The only thing filling her mind was the ridiculous thought that he was so beautiful that everything he did looked like it could be a painting.
“I love you, Nina. I worked so hard to save you from a downfall because I love you. I had that dress made. I had them use beads that matched both our eye colors. On purpose. Even Dino seemed to notice.”
Having this all come rushing at her made her head spin, but even so, what he said was strange. “W-Wait, Ed. You’re a duke’s son. You’re healthy now. You shouldn’t be joking about this sort of thing…”
“I’m not joking. I love how hard you work. I love how much effort you put into caring for your mother. I love how strong you are, even if you’re hurting inside. I even love how oddly you express your love for cats.”
They were already within close proximity since they were sitting next to each other on the bench, but as he leaned in, she almost felt like he was whispering in her ear.
She clamped her hands over her ears. “J-Just wait a second.”
“I’m going to say it as many times as I need to for you to believe me.”
“O-Okay, okay, I get it.” It was impossible to keep her composure with someone that gorgeous staring right at her, saying those sorts of things. But that was a separate issue from everything he was saying.
“So, you understand now?”
“Ed, isn’t this just the heroine buff? You don’t love me; you love the status effect.” She’d got a good look at the enhancement, which was quite powerful. There was no proof that it had absolutely no effect on Edmund, even though he was a contractee serving the god. In fact, there was no way he would be saying these things if it weren’t for that.
“The contract is over, and the god’s power is no longer in effect,” he explained calmly.
“Well, yeah, but…” She wouldn’t be surprised if there were a little lingering, like the faint traces of perfume in a room. That thought must have shown on her face because Edmund frowned.
“I see… I’m really not getting through to you, am I? I’ll simply have to keep saying it,” he continued.
“I-I said I get it.” She didn’t know if this was the heroine buff or a joke, but either way, this onslaught was far too painful. She just wanted it to stop; it was making her heart ache.
“So, you finally understand now?”
“I understand, but I was planning on leaving town…”
“Why?”
She wanted to shoot back with the fact that she already explained why to him, but she had a hard time getting anything harsh out with those blue and gold eyes looking at her. Seriously, that face made everything more difficult. “Well, like I said, my mom’s gone. I’m alone.”
“I’ll be with you. You won’t be alone.”
Her mouth dropped open at the ridiculous suggestion. “No, that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“You’re the son of a duke. You shouldn’t be teasing commoners.” Saying something like “I’ll be with you” could be interpreted as a promise for the future. It was dangerous for someone as attractive as him to say those words lightly.
“I see…” murmured Edmund.
“You understand?” Nina let out a sigh of relief, while Edmund let out a plain old sigh.
“Yes,” he replied. “I understand now that you don’t understand.” He smiled, his blue and gold eyes sparkling. “I love you, Nina. If my status is in the way of us being together, then I will renounce it.”
“Uh…what?”
“Thankfully, I have an older brother who will inherit my father’s title. It won’t be a problem.”
“N-No, you can’t…” No problem? All she could see were problems.
“Why not?”
“Your family’ll be surprised, and it’s not what’s best for you. Also, I don’t think a noble boy from a tower like you can survive out in the city.”
“That stings a little.”
“But it’s true. I’m sure noble society has its difficulties, but it’s hard living as a commoner.”
Edmund nodded as if he had finally accepted what she was saying. Before she could feel relief that she got through to him, he continued, “In that case, you can come be with me.”
“What?”
“If I can’t go to you, then that’s our only option.” He told her like it was the most obvious answer, but it was based on a flawed premise.
“But why me?” asked Nina.
“I’ve already told you why. Shall I repeat it?”
“Huh? Uh, no, no, it’s fine!” The reason was that whole “I love you, Nina” or whatever thing from before, probably. Her heart might give out if he told her again.
“We’re not making any progress…” he sighed, took Nina’s hand, and went down on one knee.
She had a bad feeling about that. She jumped off the bench and crouched down beside him. “N-No, what are you doing?!”
“What does it look like? I’m going to ask you to m—”
“Aaah!” Nina shrieked and clamped her hand over his mouth.
He looked up at her with injured eyes. “Nina… Do you not like me? Am I just troubling you?”
The eyes of a beautiful boy looking up in sadness could destroy anything. She couldn’t look at them up close; she was afraid she would drink them in, making her head spin. “I-It’s not that I don’t like you…”
“Then, this is good, isn’t it? What’s wrong with it?”
She couldn’t think of what was okay about it. She felt she was starting to get a peek at the kind of assertive behavior nobles were known for. “I’m a commoner who loves wandering around looking for cats. I don’t have the space in my life to go along with the whims of a noble boy from a duke’s family.”
“Yes, and I love that about you, Nina.”
“P-Please, stop!”
Even if what he said was true, a commoner and a duke’s son were as far in status as the ground was from the sky. She trusted Edmund and had feelings for him, but that wasn’t the problem. This wasn’t something she could say yes to with a light heart.
Edmund sighed, took Nina’s hands, and pulled her back on the bench, where he sat beside her. “I…made a promise,” he began.
“A promise?”
“To your mother.”
Nina bolted to her feet in shock. “Why, why were you talking to my mom?!”
Even when he’d saved her from the shed when he was in human form and taken her back home in a carriage, he had only just set her down outside her house. Aida didn’t even know he existed. The only other times he came around the house, he was in cat form and definitely only in Nina’s room. They had no reason to ever meet, let alone talk.
“She caught me once when I was there as a cat, but she seemed to realize I was a human for some reason. She also knew when her end was coming. It seemed she could see things that others normally can’t.”
That was how Aida seemed to know when she would die. Nina had been there when the doctor talked about how much time she had left, but there must have been some signs that only Aida herself noticed.
That day they looked at the flowers together… Aida knew she had very little time left, so she told Nina about the heliotrope.