“……”

Serena’s eyes blinked slowly.

She remained silent, shaking her head a few times as if trying to confirm if she had heard correctly, then opened her eyes wide once more.

‘…She really didn’t know.’

Magnus realized that she truly had no idea about anything.

Rather than ignoring it, her expression showed that she hadn’t even guessed.

Seeing her face, which for the first time was neither smiling, crying, nor expressionless, Magnus gained a little courage.

“I’m worried about you returning to being a commoner, and I’m worried about your health deteriorating from staying in your room all the time.”

Magnus had grown up roughly.

That’s a fact known to anyone who knows him.

That’s why his way of speaking is direct and rough.

It was for this reason that he had entered her room and talked about it being a pigsty.

It was his own way of giving advice.

It had something in common with what Serena had done to the maid.

“So when you keep talking as if we’ll never see each other again, it makes me feel bad.”

“…Ah.”

Magnus knows the power of honesty.

Fortunately, not everyone around him was as insane as the previous Duke.

Even among rough mercenaries, there were people who could explain things one by one at his level.

When Magnus was about to pick a flower, his father, the previous Duke, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, called him stupid and blind, and threw him towards the tent.

Ah, afterwards, Magnus poured ice water over the previous Duke’s head.

It was in the middle of winter with snow fluttering.

Anyway, while he was fuming, chewing over those words that didn’t even sound like advice, the vice-commander of the knights came and explained it like this.

That he was just worried.

Fortunately, words heard in this way were easy to understand, so he could understand a little better.

Of course, he poured the ice water after hearing all of that.

Because he was still angry even after hearing the explanation.

Anyway, although it was a simplified explanation suitable for a 10-year-old, Magnus thought that she needed this kind of basic, straightforward communication.

It was just a hunch, but his beast-like intuition was always right.

It was the correct answer.

“When I asked if you were going to apologize, it was because if you said you didn’t want to, I was planning to ask His Highness to let it slide just once with an appropriate gift.”

“……”

“I wanted to help.”

On a roll, Magnus started to explain everything that had been piling up.

“Breaking the bed was because… someone advised that it would be easier to talk to you that way, but I was wrong. I hung that guy upside down on a tree for a day.”

“……”

“And at that time, I couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t talk to me about business when I was right next to you. I wanted to ask. And I was going to say that I could help if it were me. Whether it’s 8:2 or 9:1, or even if you take it all, I was willing to help. Because I was worried about you.”

Flinch.

“When I followed you to see His Highness at that time, Serena… It was because I was worried about you, nothing else. I just wanted to say I was on your side.”

Flinch.

“And I have a lot of money. Alimony isn’t even an issue. Also, I don’t want you to leave quickly.”

Flinch flinch.

“When you went to make an appointment, I thought we would go together. I was surprised that you went alone.”

Squirm…

“I was angry because there were too many people in the banquet hall badmouthing you, and your nonchalance… bothered me. Meanwhile, I was flustered when you went to the Crown Princess alone.”

Fidget fidget.

“When you said nothing happened on the terrace of the banquet hall, I didn’t feel good either. I heard something happened outside, but it seemed like you didn’t want to tell me.”

But there was too much that had piled up.

Too much, even for too much. Serena’s face eventually turned as red as a carrot as the words kept coming out even after listening for so long.

Her whole body was fidgeting, wanting to run away right now from the unbearably embarrassing words.

She was busy trying to suppress her twitching hands and body, fidgeting.

“The pigsty… I was serious.”

“……”

“You were swollen like flour dough because you ate and didn’t move, but it was kind of cute.”

And gradually, the truth started to flow out from a strange direction.

“So I… I don’t want you to do that.”

Magnus finally finished saying all the words that came to mind and raised his head.

And his eyes widened.

It was because Serena had removed her hand from her chin and was sitting with her hands on her knees, her head bowed deeply.

Magnus felt unfamiliar with the bright red eyes rolling around helplessly right in front of him.

It’s an expression he had never seen in the 16 years he had known her.

‘…I didn’t know she could make such a face.’

He thought she only made sneering, laughing, crying, or expressionless faces.

He had seen her crying face recently and her genuinely smiling face for the first time recently, but this was really the first time.

“Um…”

She turned bright red from her nape to her earlobes and rolled her eyes helplessly.

She raised her hand to press firmly on her nape and cheeks, even fanning herself, then slowly raised her head.

“Didn’t you hate me?”

“I do hate you.”

“…Then why?”

“To be precise, I hated you.”

It’s past tense.

There was no way Serena couldn’t notice the change in that word.

And what it means.

It means it’s not like that now.

“But, seeing you change… I thought it was good to see a person changing.”

“……”

Magnus finally figured out a good way to deal with Serena.

She seemed extremely unfamiliar with being honest or expressing emotions this directly.

That change was quite unexpected.

“When you apologized, at first I thought it might just be to avoid the situation…”

Magnus accurately pointed out the fact with his sharp intuition.

Serena, rarely feeling guilty, closed her eyes tightly and then opened them.

Heat rushed to her eyes and cheeks.

“Now I believe it. You’ve changed.”

“……”

“I like you.”

It was really an honest and unfamiliar word that could tickle the insides.

“So, Serena. I hope you won’t leave.”

“……”

Her eyes widened.

To someone who didn’t know, it was almost like he’s saying it to a loved one…

“Let’s be friends.”

A confession…

…not of love, but of friendship.

“Is that okay?”

The two were clumsy at dating the opposite s*x.

Because although they were married, they were both single since birth.

“Can someone like me even be a friend?”

And for Serena, it had been decades since she had just associated with people.

What bloomed in the slightly heavy and strange atmosphere was an untimely moment of friendship blossoming.

It was truly a fantastic combination.

* * *

“How could this be…!”

Scribble scribble scribble.

[Serena! That’s the source of evil!]

Nyx shouted.

No, it showed her the sketchbook.

With the source of evil and the cute spirit combined, it feels like becoming a magical girl.

‘Wouldn’t it be perfect if there was a magic wand or castanets attached to the wrist?’

While having this idle thought, she looked at the man sitting in front of her, despairingly placing both arms on the ground.

“There is no God in this world… How can it be so cruel…!”

No, don’t do this.

It’s like I’ve done something terribly wrong.

“…That was the last hope.”

As she stared bewilderedly at the man who was shedding tears as if wronged, onlookers began to gather.

“Oh my, what’s going on?”

“It looks like that woman snatched what that man was trying to buy.”

“Isn’t that the man who said he was going to save his daughter with an incurable disease?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s too much.”

‘Huh, why do I feel like I’m becoming the villain?’

Serena was flustered.

She was flustered, but it didn’t show. Thanks to that, the gathered gazes showed no sign of leaving.

“Too much? Watch your words! Don’t you know who that person is? That unforgettable pink hair?!”

‘No, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say such things about the most refreshing pastel-toned pink hair in the world.’

Serena felt somewhat unfair that her favorite pink hair was being criticized.

“Could it be…!”

Someone opened their mouth in an astonished voice.