The gift box she was holding tumbled to the floor.

She couldn’t tell what expression Edgar was making.

Because she had closed her eyes from the moment their lips met.

She carefully placed her arms around Edgar’s neck.

Her toes lifted slightly to match his height.

Edgar didn’t say anything. He simply lifted Melissa higher so she could kiss him more comfortably despite their height difference.

Despite the sudden change in height being surprising, Melissa focused only on sharing warmth with Edgar instead of being flustered. Being in a position looking down at him, she thought it would be easier to kiss him.

She wanted to be closer to him.

As close as possible.

Only somewhat rough breathing could be heard in the room.

“Haah.”

After catching her breath briefly, Melissa lowered her lips again.

Her hands that were wrapped around his neck moved up toward his flowing black hair. Melissa’s hands swam gently through his hair. It felt good.

Caught up in the mood, she touched his ear this time.

At that moment, a groan escaped between Edgar’s lips.

“……Melissa, that’s enough.”

He quickly pulled his lips away.

Looking at him in bewilderment, Melissa’s face soon flushed hot. She realized what his words meant from the heat touching her body and his somewhat anxious expression.

“Oh, um…… sorry.”

Melissa couldn’t meet his eyes and lowered her gaze.

Even then, her hand continued to caress his hair.

Feeling this, Edgar let out a small laugh.

“Were you satisfied?”

“Yes, very much.”

Melissa answered honestly.

She already knew that the wall she had built up in a corner of her heart had collapsed because of that letter. That being the case, there was no reason to hide or speak indirectly.

A person who wouldn’t allow even the Tower Master to call him by his name, all to keep a childhood promise.

To be honest, Melissa hadn’t thought Edgar would still remember that promise. She was sure he had forgotten it. Just like he had forgotten to send a letter.

But that wasn’t the case.

Edgar remembered it very well.

Except for his parents, she was the only one who could call Edgar by his name. Just as he was the only one who could call her by hers.

“I was the one who started it in the first place.”

Melissa smiled, her eyes curving.

Edgar opened his eyes wide at her response, which was different from usual.

As if he were witnessing something unbelievable.

Melissa was satisfied with that face.

Smiling slightly, she lowered her lips once more.

Smooch.

The touching warmth left a small sound as they separated.

“I like kissing you, Edgar.”

“……”

“Both before and now, always.”

“Ah.”

Edgar let out a small groan.

His face contorted slightly as if troubled.

Perhaps realizing he couldn’t cover his face while holding Melissa, Edgar slightly lowered his head.

The tip of his ear visible through his hair was slightly red.

“Melissa, let’s go outside first.”

“Hm? Suddenly?”

“It’s dinner time now. You haven’t eaten yet, right?”

Edgar put Melissa down somewhat hurriedly.

Melissa smiled at him slightly before turning her head.

Only then did she notice the slightly open box that had fallen to the floor. The clothes she had bought for Edgar were peeking out through the open gap in the box.

……Good heavens.

‘No matter how distracted I was, how could I toss aside a gift like this.’

Melissa quickly bent down to pick up the box.

Edgar, who was adjusting his clothes, turned to look at her.

His gaze moved to the box Melissa was holding.

“I’ve been wanting to ask, what is that?”

“This is for you.”

“For me?”

Edgar tilted his head to the side.

Melissa smiled slightly and opened the box.

“Ta-da!”

Melissa took out the clothes from the box and held them up high.

The soft fabric spread out with a pleasant movement.

The clothes she had bought with the help of a store employee recommended by the library clerk were black pants and a white shirt. Considering the Magic Tower formal attire Edgar usually wore, she had thought something more elaborate might be better, but the employee’s opinion was firm.

[Simple designs are always best for gifts.]

She had been a bit unsure at the time.

Melissa murmured quietly as she held the clothes up against Edgar. When she had only imagined it, they didn’t seem to go well together, but now that she was actually holding them up to him, she could see clearly.

Indeed, the face was what mattered most.

To begin with, there was no such thing as clothes that didn’t suit Edgar Shortiras.

Perhaps because his face was already quite striking, even this simple and clean style suited him well. She had been worried, but it was a relief.

Edgar, on the other hand, still looked bewildered.

“What is this all of a sudden, Melissa?”

“I told you. It’s for you.”

“I mean, why are you suddenly giving me clothes?”

“It’s a return gift for what I received on my coming-of-age day.”

“But I already received a return gift. The talisman you inscribed on my forehead.”

“How could you consider that enough?”

“I told you it was sufficient.”

Sufficient? No way.

She had always thought it wasn’t an ordinary item, but now that she truly knew what Edgar had given her, she could never agree with those words.

“You really……”

Melissa handed the clothes she was holding to Edgar.

Edgar took them into his arms in a daze.

“This ring. The one you gave me.”

Melissa raised her finger to Edgar’s line of sight.

The topaz sparkled as it reflected the light from the lamps lit inside the house.

“This gem, it belonged to the Tower Master.”

“How did you……”

Edgar, looking puzzled, turned his head.

His gaze moved toward the desk where papers were scattered.

His blue eyes widened.

“Did you see what was on the desk?”

“Yes. While looking around the room, I saw a letter and took a peek. I’m sorry about that. But……”

“Anything else besides the letter?”

Edgar asked, throwing the clothes he was holding onto the sofa.

He grabbed Melissa by both shoulders.

“Did you see everything else too?”

The grip on her shoulders tightened. It wasn’t extremely painful, but she could tell that Edgar was unable to control his strength as he usually did.

Melissa looked up at Edgar.

He had a somewhat desperate expression.

His blue eyes shook violently as if an earthquake had struck.

‘I didn’t expect such an intense reaction……’

Melissa had never seen Edgar make such an expression before. Even six years ago when they parted, though he seemed shocked by her unexpected words, it wasn’t to this extent.

The same was true when they met again in the north.

At that time, because she had collapsed while facing monsters, she couldn’t see his face, but Melissa remembered that the voice whispering to her had been relatively calm.

‘……Yet he reacts this intensely.’

The image of what she had seen on the desk flashed through her mind.

The bundles of paper with marks that had been written and erased, full of traces of long deliberation.

And the incomprehensible magic formulas written on them.

‘Ah, perhaps those documents were top secret.’

That could be it.

Hadn’t she expected that Everden Armus wouldn’t let Edgar go because he knew sensitive information about the Magic Tower?

Yet she hadn’t thought there would be related documents in Edgar’s room. She was being incredibly stupid.

Melissa hurriedly opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry. I did look briefly, but I couldn’t understand what it was about, so I put it down right away. The only thing I looked at carefully was the letter from the Tower Master.”

“……”

“Of course, I’m sorry about that too……”

Her voice gradually grew quieter.

She looked without much thought, but perhaps she had made a bigger mistake than she realized.

“I’m really sorry, Edgar.”

Melissa apologized once more.

Edgar flinched at that.

Shortly after, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, as if trying to calm his rapid breathing. The pressure on Melissa’s shoulders lessened slightly.

“……No, I should be the one apologizing.”

Edgar pulled the shoulders he was holding toward himself.

Her body, which had been leaning on him, was completely embraced in his arms.

“I should have put away the important documents, but I left them out and got angry at you. I’m sorry.”

Edgar slowly stroked the back of Melissa’s head.

She felt like she might cry for some reason.

It was clearly her fault, so why was he apologizing?

“It’s okay, I’m more sorry. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“Melissa, this is……”

“Let’s stop talking about this. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Melissa pulled away from Edgar’s embrace.

Then she pointed to the shirt and pants placed on the sofa.

“More importantly, try on the clothes. Let’s see how well they suit you.”

“Later. Let’s go have dinner first.”

Edgar grabbed Melissa’s wrist and pulled.

“Thank you for the gift. I’ll wear them well.”

He smiled gently.

Seeing that, the corners of Melissa’s mouth also turned up.

So this is why giving gifts feels good.

“The return gift isn’t over yet.”

“I really am fine with this.”

“I’m not fine with it. After receiving something so precious.”

Melissa looked at her finger and racked her brain.

What could there be? A gift that wouldn’t burden Edgar too much but would still be meaningful.

“Ah, how about a wish coupon?”

“A wish coupon?”

“Yes. Tell me a wish whenever you want. I’ll grant anything you ask for, as long as it’s something I can do.”

No rejections allowed.

Melissa looked at Edgar with exactly that kind of expression.

He let out a small laugh at her gaze.

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

“Good. Now let’s go have dinner. What should we eat?”

Melissa left Edgar’s house like that.

Not knowing that he had looked back at the clothes on the sofa with a hardened expression.

* * *

That night.

Melissa had a dream.

It was a dream where someone pierced her with very sharp magical power.