At the end of the match, he had been covering his right hand to keep it from being noticed. Even though she had almost looked away so many times, she had seen that part clearly.
Amy stared him down with wet eyes. Edward eventually sagged his shoulders and smiled.
“Okay, I got hurt a little bit.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to hide it.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.”
Amy suddenly wiped away the tears that were falling down her face and took a look at the arm Edward held out to her. Underneath the cuff of his sleeve, the area around his wrist was swollen and red. It was clearly inflamed and painful.
It probably wasn’t broken, but it might have been fractured.
Amy put Tigger down at her feet and, perhaps sensing that she was acting differently than usual, he did not put up a fight. He quietly and patiently sat against her legs as she worked.
Amy covered Edward’s wrists with both hands.
“Amy, you don’t have to do this now.”
“I’m the one who’s going to do it.”
She had promised to heal him herself. She gently channeled all her magic power to his feverish wrist so that it would heal quickly.
Under Edward’s shadow, the faintly glowing magic couldn’t be seen from the stands.
Edward’s stunned, serious gaze alternated between his own wrist, which was rapidly hurting less and less, and Amy, whose eyes were closed as she channeled the healing magic.
“Amy, it feels all better now. Thank you.”
When she heard those words, Amy started to move her hands away from his arm. Edward caught one of them with his hand to stop her from stepping back.
Their closeness, which usually made her feel embarrassed and flustered, didn’t bother her now, so she stayed where she was. That was how different she felt at this moment.
“It doesn’t hurt at all anymore. You’re healing magic is really amazing, Amy,” said Edward. “And it was really warm, just like you.”
Amy didn’t speak.
“Amy?”
“…I was scared.”
The tears that had been put on pause came tumbling down her face again.
Edward took a step closer so he could hear Amy’s wobbling voice, nearly drowned out by the voices around them. There was practically no space between them anymore.
“I was…really scared.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Amy never liked conflict. But she had no idea that just watching the match would make her feel so wretched. She stuttered out her sentences, occasionally broken up by the hic of her sobs.
“I was scared—by the arrows—and swords…”
“I know.”
“And your—defensive barrier—was so pretty—I thought things would be—okay—but…”
“I know.”
His soothing interjections and the feel of his arm, which had at some point wrapped protectively around her back, made Amy gradually return to her senses.
Then, the horror from before crawled back up her body.
She really should have been using this time to praise how he fought in the match! His defensive magic was spectacular, and his sword-fighting skills against Harold were amazing, too.
But all Amy could think about was how glad she was it was over.
It wasn’t that Edward’s strength wasn’t impressive or that she didn’t believe in it…
“I just couldn’t stand it if you got hurt, or if anything happened to you…”
It was just a match. She had told herself that so many times, but it was no use.
But the fact of the matter was that Amy had no idea of knowing if or when something might happen to him, be it something commonplace or out of the ordinary.
There were no save files in her life. No reset buttons.
She couldn’t just try again.
So Amy was scared…scared of losing Edward.
Edward placed a gentle hand against Amy’s cheek, like he was holding the most precious thing in the world. With the back of his fingers, he wiped her tears away. Amy closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry for scaring you,” said Edward, stroking her hair.
Amy could only feel kindness from his touch.
No, it’s not your fault, Ed.
Amy couldn’t properly thank him. She couldn’t even stop crying. She hated that all she ever did was make him apologize.
“Amy…”
Amy slowly looked up at him. Under the sunlight, the eyes that looked at her with such concern were practically silver. Like a mirror, Amy could see her own tear-stained face reflected back at her.
I hate that face.
Whether they lived in the world of a video game or not, Amy hadn’t worked so hard all this time just to trouble such a kind person.
It was so she could spend her days smiling and laughing with her family, Tigger, and the people closest to her…
Oh.
Something suddenly clicked into place.
At that moment, Amy didn’t care about anything—not the crowd of people nor the noisy voices echoing around them.
Tigger looked up at her from the ground. She locked eyes with him for a brief moment before making up her mind.
Edward’s hand continued to wipe away Amy’s never-ending stream of tears. Amy took it with her own hand and pushed his palm firmly against her cheek—just as she had that night in the carriage.
Closing her eyes once more, she slowly let out a deep breath.
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Edward’s stunned face. In his round eyes, Amy could still see the tear stains on her cheeks, but she also saw her face beaming with happiness.
“…ve you.”
“What was that?”
Amy had summoned all of her strength, but she hadn’t been able to say the words loud enough for him to hear.
She would need courage to say it again. Amy regretted not being able to communicate her feelings through the hand touching her cheek… But some things needed to be said out loud.
Amy took a deep breath. The tears that had clung to her lashes fell on her cheeks, and Edward started to panic again, which made Amy laugh a little.
“It’s just, I…”
“I know,” Edward said comfortingly.
Amy’s face broke out into a grin at last. Edward looked openly relieved. He didn’t seem to do well with people crying.
In that case, I’ll always smile.
She squeezed his hand, and her gold eyes met his silver ones.
Even if this really is the world of an otome game… Even if this is the work of an irresistible force driving the plot…
“…I love you, Ed.”