The reason Lucio got angry saying it was ‘your fault.’

Carol had said to ask the person directly if she was really curious. Asha wasn’t curious enough to go to such trouble, but the person in question had directly provided the answer.

“I like Rosette.”

“Uh…… Since when?”

“And Rosette really likes you.”

“Mm……”

Not even as much trust emerged as snow falling on Iota (for reference, Iota is the hottest region in the kingdom, where days of snowfall are recorded in history books).

At the lukewarm response, Lucio grabbed his own hair and grumbled.

“See, you’re oblivious.”

“Well, Rosette doesn’t hate me either.”

“She likes you!”

“Right. She probably likes me more than you.”

After all, they’d known each other since childhood. Without the connection of Aila, it probably never would have started.

At Asha’s calm response, Lucio, who had only been making pained sounds, quickly regulated his breathing. As his chest rose and fell, his reddened neck gradually returned to its original color.

“I wish Rosette liked me too.”

“Your relationship is fine as it is.”

“That’s not enough for me. I wish she would think of me as first priority, or at least second.”

“There are over ten kids on Iota who dream of that.”

The prettiest, smartest child on the island, who could swim for the longest time.

Asha recalled the moisture on that dark back and the texture of wet hair. Countless kids had their hearts stolen by that sight.

“I could do anything if Rosette asked me to.”

“What would she have to ask you for?”

Like the boy in front of her.

“That’s the biggest worry of my life.”

Thick eyebrows twitched upward. Lucio, who had been pretending to ponder while supporting his chin with one hand, narrowed his eyes and said.

“So, I have a favor to ask you.”

His tone, deliberately sweet as sugar when speaking to Asha whom Rosette liked, was quite confident.

※※※

[To Cas

Hello, Carol.

For some reason, I wanted to greet you like this today. As if waving through an open window to a child living next door.

These past few days have been tremendously long. There are several assignments from school, but I’m putting them all off to write you a reply.

It’s not that any major problems have arisen in my life. You tend to worry about small things, so I’ll address this first.

You’ll be shocked when you hear this. You might even get angry at me. While I want to humbly accept it since it’s my mistake, I’ll say in advance that if you press me hard, you’re not entirely without responsibility either.

Well, someone else read your letter.

We were too careless. Rather, the past few years might have been incredibly lucky. Perhaps it was because Grandfather had been very, extremely considerate of me all this time.

You’ve probably already figured out who read your letter, right?

The person who could find your letter envelope dropped in the hallway. Excluding Grandfather and me, there’s only one person.

Lucio!

That brat opened the envelope without permission. I could fill half a letter just with curses about him, but I won’t. Not only would my wrist hurt terribly, but I don’t want to show you only sharp expressions.

Still, I can’t help being angry.

He did mention the problem of talking about himself to a third party he doesn’t know, but actually, that wasn’t the main point. Strictly speaking, I had no regrets about that fact itself.

However, he used that point as my weakness. To make me feel guilty and agree to his request.

It wasn’t a particularly difficult request, but it also wasn’t one I wanted to fulfill.

If only Lucio hadn’t known about our letters, I would have just scolded him saying ‘handle your own affairs.’ But your envelope was opened, and he learned of your existence.

Oh, Cas.

You can more than imagine my bewilderment. It feels like secretly collected jewels have been displayed in an exhibition hall. I had put them in a jewelry box and locked it!

Since both you and I were careless, I’ll end this matter here. From next time, please be sure to write my name on the outer envelope.

Due to our ‘trivial’ mistake, I became entangled in an enormously troublesome affair.

Do you remember the book we discussed around last summer, 『The Lovers of Bergamo』? The novel written about the young days of the painter ‘Berta Pishimo.’

Both you and I had to wait for that book to come over the sea and across the mountains from the city to read it.

Though our impressions were opposite, we agreed on one thing. That ‘the errand boy caught between two passionate lovers was pitiful’!

Because of the love-blinded noble lord, the poor errand boy went back and forth between the two, night and dawn, deceiving the eyes of the mansion’s people.

After fulfilling Bergamo’s final request like that, his head was severed.

Those caught in other people’s love affairs become unhappy. The older the writing year, the more so. The person who made the request of me isn’t a high-ranking noble, and I’m not a poor servant who must obey his commands.

Even if I were to go between two people, my head and shoulders wouldn’t be separated.

But, Cas. I’ve truly been caught in a troublesome net. I also have news that your speculation was correct.

The second one was right.

Because the person Lucio likes, likes me, he blamed me for it. The person Lucio likes is Rosette, whom you already know well.

No wonder when Rosette was around, he’d refuse other appointments and stay by her side.

That kid became very close with other kids not long after coming for recuperation. He ran around everywhere—the sea, the forest. He probably knows the island geography better than I do.

Anyway, that active kid fell for the prettiest girl on the island.

And according to him—he wants me, whom Rosette likes, to directly ask Rosette what her ideal type is!

Yes, that was his request.

He added that he’d be even more grateful if I made a significant contribution to his romance while I was at it. I was dumbfounded. Asking about her ideal type!

It’s not like we’ve never had a conversation, and he could just ask himself, right? So when I asked ‘Can’t you do that much yourself?’ he sulked saying ‘She doesn’t answer my questions.’

He said he’d tried several times but she just snorted asking ‘What ideal type?’ I tried persuading him that ‘She might really not have an ideal type,’ but it didn’t work at all.

Well, when he’s fixated on something, he charges forward like a water buffalo. Would my advice even reach his ears?

Thanks to that, I ended up taking on the matchmaker role I was certain I’d never have in my lifetime. I estimated the success rate at fifty percent.

Bash, who dated Rosette for a long time, was the most handsome man on the island, and Lucio has grown quite handsome too.

When he first came to the island, he was a bit thin and pale like flour dough left for days, but now he’s built up his physique and tanned his skin like the island children. Though different from kids who’ve played by the seaside their whole lives, that part could be a distinguishing feature.

Rosette and Lucio.

I thought it wasn’t a terrible combination. At the same time, I thought that if Rosette had feelings already, Lucio wouldn’t have pulled this stunt in the first place.

But what does my judgment matter?

Due to my wrongful entanglement with Lucio, I had to bring up a topic I’d never discussed with Rosette. I snorted saying what’s so difficult about asking one thing, but when I actually tried to ask, I somehow became nervous.

Cas, wouldn’t you have been the same?

Out of nowhere, while talking about apricot jam we ate yesterday, I had to ask what her ideal type was! I was lost in thought the entire way home from school.

Lucio, who had passed off the troublesome matter, graciously stepped aside. Rosette chattered about the increasingly warm seawater and fruit syrup she’d soon make.

I don’t remember any of it at all.

Finally, I could only ask when we’d almost reached home.

Let me correct that.

Precisely, I asked when we reached the front of the house. No one would have dismissed it as ‘just’ asking casually. D*mn it. I was so serious that I wondered if I needed to be this solemn just to ask a friend about her ideal type.

Fortunately, Rosette answered quickly.

She coughed a few times then said ‘A cute person. Someone my eyes keep going to. I like readers.’ It was unexpected and the complete opposite of Lucio.

At the end, she laughed saying ‘This is the first time you’ve asked me something like this.’ Had she seen through my shallow scheme?

Well, even if she had, the person who should be embarrassed isn’t me but Lucio. I had fulfilled my assigned duty, and I thought that was enough.

But then she asked what kind of person my ideal type was. When I said I didn’t know, she told me to think carefully and wouldn’t let go of my wrist.

Her violet eyes, like blooming violets, were utterly serious. For a moment, I wondered ‘Did she also receive the same request as me?’