“Um, I don’t mind. It isn’t anything that you should worry yourself about. I assure you, don’t bother yourself...”
“If you don’t think it bothers me, you’re crazy!” Claudio spun his wheels in place, pondering as though fighting an inner conflict, and then snapped his head up and looked at Rosemarie straight in the eyes. Her attention was fixed to Claudio’s pair of intense blue eyes.
“—I don’t need a woman that won’t embarrass me, the so-called handsome and personable individual. That sort of woman would bore me. In fact, I would enjoy spending my time with a certain crybaby, scaredy-cat, with a habit of holing up with a bucket over their head and impulsive behavior—namely, you.” Claudio slowly held out his hand once again.
“Also, your eyes haven’t healed up yet, right? Why don’t you let me heal you this time around?”
Rosemarie fixed her eyes on the hand held out in front of her. Was it okay for her to take the hand offered to her? Was she going to be a nuisance for Claudio? In one way she was happy that he was keeping her around, but she was at a loss as to what she should do.
“Rosemarie, stay by my side. No, please stay by my side.” Claudio called her by name plaintively, making her chest tighten. It didn’t matter to her whether that was what he truly felt or not. Noticing that part of her wanted to believe Claudio, she finally made up her mind.
“Prince Claudio, I...” Rosemarie suddenly stopped mid-thought. Behind Claudio, she doubted her own eyes as she saw the reflection in the greenhouse glass acting as a mirror in the setting sun.
(No... it can’t be...)
Rosemarie stood with her eyes wide and Heidi watched the whole thing unfold in panic. Claudio’s head was in human form—or so she thought.
Claudio’s hair had turned silver. Rosemarie ended up grabbing his collar instead of his hand.
“Your face is returning back to how it was!”
“What was that? Hey, you, maid. What does my face look like right now?!” Taken aback, Claudio turned to Heidi. Perhaps startled by the shouting, Alto, who was apparently waiting outside the greenhouse, came rushing in.
“Um, well, your hair is silver and your skin is covered by silver fur.”
“And you, Alto?”
“Sir, I see the same thing as the good maid.” The unfortunate look in Alto’s eyes made Claudio thrust a hand past his bangs and click his tongue with a sour expression.
“Guess there was no way it would come back that easy...”
Rosemarie was about to say something to the despondent Claudio, but she suddenly crossed eyes with him. Both of their faces instantly flushed up and they turned to face away each other in an instant.
“I’d appreciate it if you forgot what I said earlier.”
“Very well. I will pretend you never said it.” Having come back to their senses, that seriousness was extremely embarrassing. Not only that, but she completely forgot that Heidi had been watching them the whole time.
“...Let’s go back. We’re going to have to find another way to get back my mana starting tomorrow.” Claudio held out his hand. His wryly smiling face was still a bit red. Rosemarie put her hand atop his, suppressing her shame.
She admittedly felt just a little guilty at how happy she was to have a reason to stay by Claudio’s side for now.
Walking through the door that Alto and Heidi opened for them, Rosemarie looked up at Claudio, who suddenly seemed worn out.
“Are you tired?”
“Exhausted.”
“—Well, in that case...”
“In that case, we can make do without my head in your lap, yes.” Rosemarie shot him a glare, a tad disappointed at his response. She then forced out a smile, swinging the bucket in her other hand all the while.