“I’m not sure.”

If asked to choose between like and dislike, it would certainly be closer to like.

However, I couldn’t definitively say that I liked the Guildmaster.

I didn’t know him well.

How could one like someone with nothing certain about them after just a few conversations?

In contrast, Duncan…

Compared to the Guildmaster, I felt a strange flutter in my chest for Duncan, who was certain in many aspects.

It was enough to make my earlier trembling before Benjamin seems insignificant.

“I see. But how long are you going to sit on the carriage floor?”

“Oh.”

Duncan and Evans were sitting facing each other.

I tried to sit next to Evans, who seemed less intimidating than Duncan. Having felt that subtle flutter for Duncan, I was embarrassed to sit next to him.

However, as soon as my toes pointed that way, Duncan lightly grabbed the hem of my jacket.

“Guide’s seat is this way.”

Duncan said gruffly, then nodded towards the spot next to him.

I obediently took that seat.

I had avoided it out of shyness, but in truth, I wanted to sit next to him too.

With the opportunity laid out, there was no reason to refuse.

“My greeting is a bit late, but thank you for your help. Thanks to you, Duncan, I think I was able to shake off Benjamin without much trouble.”

“Yes.”

“But how did you predict that Benjamin would search even the carriage? The usual indifferent Benjamin wouldn’t do that, right?”

Wasn’t it because he knew Benjamin would come into the carriage that he hid me under the carriage seat?

Duncan replied with apparent distaste.

“Don’t even mention it. Benjamin’s gaze was so intense it felt like it would burn a hole in my back. With him glaring so fiercely, it seemed obvious he would check inside the carriage too.”

I tilted my head in disbelief.

Benjamin and enthusiasm. It was indeed an ill-fitting combination.

It was strange how Benjamin had changed in an instant as if flipping his palm.

I didn’t mind him changing, but I hoped his transformation wouldn’t hinder my path to a new life.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate we managed to shake him off.”

“Yes, it’s fortunate. Oh, and… you don’t resent me for coming to the funeral despite not listening to your words, do you?”

After all, if I hadn’t come here, none of this would have happened.

Feeling unnecessarily guilty, I couldn’t meet Duncan’s golden eyes.

I was worried he might be disappointed in me.

I was certain I’d get at least a scolding, but the response I got was closer to understanding.

“I don’t resent you. If I put myself in your shoes, I think I would have come too. It’s my funeral, and as you said, today is also the anniversary of Lady Diana’s death.”

“…”

“But considering the possibilities, you probably would have stayed very briefly. I think Guide Yerena stayed a bit too long.”

Duncan was gently reprimanding me for not considering the possibilities, while still understanding my position.

Isn’t he truly the ideal leader?

A gasp of admiration naturally escaped from my lips.

“Wow. I’m looking forward to the future of the center where Duncan has been appointed as the director. The previous director was really terrible, even delaying salaries sometimes.”

“But you’ve resigned.”

“…Yes.”

“Are you planning to come back?”

“No!”

Duncan chuckled at that firm denial.

His gently curved eyes and upturned lips were pretty. I glanced at him furtively, as if stealing glimpses.

‘Come to think of it, I’m sitting too close to Duncan. Sitting close to a handsome man is making me nervous again.’

I swallowed hard.

“Do you have something to say?”

“…Pardon?”

“You’re staring so intently. You’ll burn a hole in my face.”

Oh no. My gaze must have been as intense as Benjamin’s.

I quickly thought of an excuse.

I couldn’t possibly say I was staring because his face was pretty!

“That… Right! Haven’t you thought that I’m too fine for someone who fell off a cliff?”

That was something I had been curious about for a while. I wondered if Duncan had seen the adult Bless that had saved me from the cliff.

“Didn’t you luckily fall on something like a tree?”

“You didn’t see any birds?”

“Birds? Did a bird save you?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it… Never mind, if that point didn’t seem strange to you, just forget about it.”

“Have you perhaps created a secret from me?”

“Do I look like someone trying to hide a secret right now?”

Duncan gave a confident answer.

“Yes.”

Duncan… I thought he was just thoughtful, but he’s sharp too?

I changed the subject again.

“There’s no secret. But where are we going now?”

“We’re heading towards the center for now, but when the opportunity arises, I’ll secretly take you to the log cabin.”

“Thank you.”

As I closed my lips, Duncan didn’t press me further. His face, which had briefly shown a smile, had returned to being expressionless.

I couldn’t read any emotion from him as he gazed out the carriage window.

At times like this, his impression seemed slightly similar to Benjamin’s.

I wondered if Benjamin was still standing blankly at the church.

“Guide Yerena. Please wear this again.”

The one who broke the silence was Evans.

He handed back my robe that he had worn in my place.

“Thank you for helping me too, Evans.”

“I don’t know when it will be, but I’ll be glad to help you again next time.”

Evans, who answered like that, smiled a beautiful smile no less than Duncan’s.

Looking at the ever-so-kind Evans, I recalled the past when I had suspected he might have fallen for me.

If only I wasn’t in a position where I had to hide my identity, I could have freely tried to seduce either Duncan or Evans.

Unable to bear the regret, I smacked my lips.

Now that I had resigned from the center and become free, I wanted to experience romance that I couldn’t even dream of before.

“Guide Yerena, you’re so lucky to have many people helping you.”

“…Pardon?”

“Still, I think I’ve helped you the most…”

“Well, that’s true.”

Duncan’s gaze, which had been fixed on the carriage window, turned towards me.

It might be my imagination, but Duncan seemed displeased that I had looked at Evans with fondness.

‘No way. That can’t be.’

I dismissed it as my own misunderstanding.

“Thanks to Duncan helping me the most, I’ve unintentionally shown some unsightly sides of myself repeatedly. Do you think I’m pitiful, Duncan?”

“No. I didn’t think you were pitiful, I just wanted to help you.”

“….”

“You know, it’s like that. When it feels like no one is on your side, desperately wishing for someone to be on your side.”

I nodded, understanding the feeling he described.

Until I met Bless, I had been desperately longing for someone on my side.

The curious thing was that Duncan spoke as if he too had once wished for such a person.

He was handsome, and although his true identity was unknown, he was clearly an influential figure to be appointed as the center director.

It was hard to believe that someone who seemed to lack nothing had wished for someone to be on his side.

Is this also my misunderstanding?

It didn’t seem likely that such an accomplished man would have been oppressed by someone.

After all, wasn’t he confident even in front of the cold Benjamin?

“I wanted to be on Guide Yerena’s side when you were in trouble.”

“….”

“Not for a lifetime, of course, but at least for that moment.”

Duncan’s voice, speaking as if confessing, was pleasant to hear.

I couldn’t help but anticipate his next words.

“Remember this as you leave the center, whatever life you lead from now on.”

“….”

“That there is at least one person who will sincerely help you.”

It was truly a wonderful thing to say, that there’s someone who will sincerely help me no matter what life I lead.

It felt just like saying ‘I will love you,’ and I even felt a distant flutter of excitement.

Even though I knew it was an exaggeration, I even harbored an impossible wish to receive Duncan’s love.

Of course, it was just a momentary wish, and unfulfillable hopes disappeared like smoke before long.

“Me too! I’ll help you too.”

“Yes. Although we won’t see each other now that you’ve resigned…”

He trailed off, as if regretful.

“But you never know, I might coincidentally need your help someday.”

“That’s true. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Perhaps someday in the distant future, I might reveal to Duncan alone that I am the Master of ‘Jinjijo Transportation’.

By then, I might be able to help him.

I was quite curious about when that day would come.