Sophie nodded, only for the maid to give her another bright smile, just as expected. “Lady Sophie, that’s what most would refer to as ‘picking a fight.’”
Sophie was stricken with terror, so she made up her mind to never again cross the castle’s maids.
“Sophie.”
Livio had finally gotten used to calling Sophie by her name alone.
She found herself positively infatuated with the way the edge of Livio’s lips gently rose up as he said the last part of her name. She couldn’t stop herself from beaming each time he called her.
Stopping where she stood in the passageway after Livio called to her, she ran to his side.
“Are you heading out?” he asked.
“No, I was looking for you, Livio.”
For her part, Sophie had started to get rather used to having casual conversations.
After all, she’d been spending time with Vyce and Livio, both of whom could be rather vulgar. Being nervous just felt silly when they could both tell each other to can it without batting an eye. Sophie wanted to remind Livio that Vyce was a king, but Vyce didn’t mind at all, and Sophie was polite as always, so she had just figured it was all okay.
Livio looked down at her, tilting his head to the side. “Was there something you needed from me?”
“There is,” she answered. “Do you have time now?”
“If it’s for you, I have all the time in the world, Sophie.”
“Ohhh!” she sighed.
That’s not what I’m asking! I’m asking so I don’t get in the way of the training. Don’t turn this into some sort of joke! Sophie thought, puffing out her cheeks.
Livio smirked. “You’re so cute.”
“Come on!”
How many times do I have to tell you that you’re the cute one?! Huh? Well? Tell me! Sophie’s happy-go-lucky brain threw down its bell.
Huffing mad and sulking, Sophie thrust the box she’d neatly wrapped at Livio.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a present.”
“What?” Livio gasped, his eyes opening so wide Sophie was worried they might fall right out of their sockets.
Time to harvest the sweetest, most beautiful blueberries you’ll ever lay your eyes upon! I wonder if I should hold out my hands to catch them just in case they do fall out...?
“Wait, is this from the other day...?”
Sophie paused. “That’s right. It’s done now, so...”
Sophie had given it her very best.
It had all started when Sophie had mustered up the courage to tell Lunetta and her lady-in-waiting that she wanted to give Livio a gift and ask for advice while they were out one day.
“So you want to thank him for the ring,” the lady-in-waiting said, her white cheeks flushing pink.
Lunetta tilted her head to the side. “What about a magical tome or something like that?”
“The only one who would enjoy a gift like that is you, Lady Lunatietta.”
The lady-in-waiting was as calm as she was sharp-tongued, leading Sophie to all sorts of different shops. The sad part, however, was that Sophie still didn’t have the best sense for Livio’s tastes. She couldn’t pick out anything he’d like, not a single thing.
“So long as it’s a present from you, Lady Sophie, I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”
“I suppose you’re right...” Sophie said.
“But that’s not what it’s about now, is it?” the lady-in-waiting asked.
Sophie gave a hearty nod. That was it—that was precisely it.
Sophie wanted to give him something that didn’t revolve around her—something that he’d be truly delighted to receive. That was why Sophie found herself struggling so—or rather, she had no idea what the right choice was.
It didn’t help that everything looked good on a stunning young man like Livio, the gods’ greatest masterpiece. If she tried to judge based on whether or not something seemed like it’d look good on him, the possibilities only multiplied. She couldn’t even begin to whittle down the choices!
At a loss, Sophie clutched her head, only for Lunetta to point at her ring.
“Why don’t you try making a magic gem like Livio did?” she suggested. “His Majesty doesn’t like rings since he says they get in the way of his sword, so Livio might be the same way, but...you could take that earring of his and fit it with another magic gem or something like that. You could imbue it with your own magic and carve a spell in it as decorations—that sounds fun to make too.”
“What a wonderful idea!” the lady-in-waiting exclaimed. “Why, it practically screams ‘engaged’!”
With her soft brown hair the color of milk tea, the lady-in-waiting was absolutely adorable—and even more excited than Sophie herself.
And what of Sophie then? The mere thought of it was enough to make her face burn—and make the lady-in-waiting beam at the sight in turn.
“Very well, on our way then!” the lady-in-waiting said, pushing Sophie and Lunetta into a magical item store, where the group loaded up on a whole assortment of different items.
It was that same day.
When Sophie told Livio she’d like to borrow his earring, he’d merely said, “Here you go!” and handed it to her without any questions.
“Sh-Shouldn’t you be a bit more cautious...?”
“Why?”
He was dazzlingly bright. That smile of his was blindingly radiant.
“Why?”, you say?! It’s because you seem like you’d do anything I told you to and just say, Well, if you say so, Sophie! You might wind up getting swindled by some dangerous sort! Safe—she had to keep him safe. She had to keep that smile of his safe.
Sophie made up her mind: She must never go down the wrong path. If Sophie ever went down the road to evil, she was sure Livio would be right there beside her. And just what’s the road of evil, you ask? Look, that’s not the point.
“Um... Would it be all right if I played around with the magic gem a bit?” she asked him.
“Sure thing,” Livio replied. “You know I just happened to waltz out with one of the ones given to the Knights, after all.”
He’d just “happened to walk out with it.”
He “happened” to, did he now? Uh-huh. Well, I guess that can happen!
They had fled from the castle in a rush. Even Sophie herself figured that he’d only accidentally run off with it, so it was fine. She didn’t doubt him at all—no, really.
“I guess that sort of thing can happen, huh?”
Not that it was any of her business.
With that in mind, Sophie had taken Livio’s earring with the black magic gem and returned to him the sword that had been stored inside. From there, Sophie had practiced and practiced until finally—just a little while ago—she’d succeeded in hanging a small, teardrop-shaped magic gem beneath Livio’s black gem.
Sophie’s addition was the same color as her eyes, a somewhat pale brown.
She had been a little disappointed to see that it wasn’t a pretty color like Livio’s or Lunetta’s, but Lunetta had seemed pleased, telling her that it was “the color of honey tea” before taking the gems Sophie had been practicing with—according to her, they could be used for the letter-sending spell.
Livio took the earring that Sophie had completed (after many trials and tribulations) and held it up to the sun.
Glistening, soft rays of amber light fell across Livio. He was so stunning that Sophie nearly forgot to breathe. It was like she was looking at a stained glass window in a church. Get the artist who made this and give the man his reward!
Livio paused for a moment. “It’s the color of your eyes, Sophie. Your eyes...those sweet and adorable caramel candies of mine!”
Sophie jolted.
Somebody, come quick! Seal this man’s mouth shut! If not, get me a doctor, pronto! But then again, if he comes back to his senses, does that mean this honeymoon’s done for? Would he bother to even look at me anymore? If that’s the case, then I’ve just got to find some way to endure Livio when he’s not in his right mind!
Sophie grunted and bit her lip.
“I-I’ve even carved a spell into the decorative metal finish,” Sophie explained. “It functions as a sort of amplifier to your magic and helps facilitate the flow of magical energy.”
“Magical energy?”
“You use magical energy when you fight, right?”
“Oh yeah, guess I do.”
Sure enough, he didn’t have a clue. He’d already forgotten all about it. Sophie couldn’t help but be a little worried by that side of Livio. Though she couldn’t shake the feeling that her worrying wouldn’t do much good even then.
“I just hoped I might be able to protect you too, Livio.”
“Sophie...”
Just a bit. It might have been just the tiniest, most negligible bit, but if she could even slightly help out... Sophie wished that they might be able to stay together, that they could smile together even just a little bit longer.
Livio smiled and put the box in his pocket before pushing his hair behind his left ear, then took off his glove.
Sophie’s heart leaped with excitement.
Livio’s pearly white fingers lifted up the earring. His long eyelashes fell as his pristine fingertips pushed the earring through his ear and snapped the backing in place.
Sophie’s heart throbbed wildly in her chest.
What? But why?! He’s just putting in his earring, that’s all! Why does he look so sexy like this? It was like she was watching something she wasn’t supposed to—she was so embarrassed she could hardly stand it, and yet she found herself so tempted she couldn’t peel her eyes away.
Sophie’s heart thudded away like a massive drum.
“Does it look good on me?”
“Yeep!!!” It was more of a shriek than an answer.
The earring dangled down and swayed at Livio’s ear. Excuse me? Look good on you? Don’t be silly. Just who do you even think you are, Livio? I really should be calling a doctor, shouldn’t I? It looks so good on you, my happy-go-lucky brain is on the verge of keeling over any minute now!
“Sophie?”
“Urgh!”
Please! Don’t! Turn your head like that!
With his earring swaying alongside his black hair, he was just so unbearably...sexy. It didn’t help that the gem now reflecting Livio’s own charming beauty had been made by Sophie herself and was the color of her own eyes.
It was like she couldn’t bear to look at it straight on—like she might go blind. She might very well come to regret it.
“Doesn’t it look good on me...?” Livio asked.
That’s it—he’s actually trying to stop my heart.
Sophie clutched at her chest.
Don’t sink your brow down like that! Ugggh... He’s so cute! He’s beautiful. Sophie’s happy-go-lucky brain finally dropped its bell—the sound of the fallen bell echoing through her skull. The game has been thrown, so that’s a total loss for her brain. That’s all from the field!
“I love you...” The words left Sophie’s mouth before she could catch them.
“Whaaa?!”