“……”

“……”

For a long while, the two exchanged glances without speaking. Somehow, this Flower Knight Commander seemed to be quite shy, unlike his outward appearance.

While Meriel thought this, Luna deliberately stepped aside. When Luna intentionally picked up a duster and made a show of cleaning the display shelves, Meriel caught on to her intention. Not wanting the awkward atmosphere to continue, she spoke to Hersion first.

“Hello.”

At the broken silence, Hersion finally showed a faint smile. Though he was actually quite uncomfortable, he deliberately tried to appear calm and smiled a bit more brightly. It seemed time to say it now. An apology for witnessing what he shouldn’t have seen last time.

“Good day. Actually, I came to apologize to you.”

Hearing Hersion whisper in an uncharacteristically clumsy tone, Luna put more distance between herself and the two. Approaching the shop door, Luna gripped the duster and persistently tapped the innocent entrance.

Meriel’s eyes widened considerably at the unexpected purpose from Hersion’s lips, and she tilted her head.

“Apologize for what? Ah! Could it be?”

When she belatedly realized Hersion’s intention, Meriel suddenly became awkward, briefly avoiding Hersion’s gaze and clearing her throat with a cough.

At Meriel’s reaction, he became even more shy, but he gathered his courage and whispered.

“I’m sorry for unintentionally intruding on your privacy.”

Raising her head again to face Hersion, Meriel calmly accepted his apology. Even his apologizing appearance was too cute. That seemingly tense expression strangely attracted her.

“Well, what does it matter? It happens all the time.”

“All the time?”

Hersion’s expression became colored with bewilderment. At Meriel’s unexpectedly casual response, Hersion wondered if he should escape this situation. 

Somehow, he worried that staying longer might cause the unfortunate incident of his center reacting like last time. Moreover, since Meriel’s next words were unpredictable, his tension was growing by stages.

‘Meriel really is unpredictable, you know? But hang in there. Though the Knight Commander is a difficult target to lure, they say no tree falls that hasn’t been struck ten times.’

Luna secretly glanced at the two and silently encouraged Meriel.

“I didn’t expect the Knight Commander to visit. Well, I did anticipate it a little, but I didn’t think you’d actually come. So, about that—do you happen to have time today?”

When Meriel whispered serenely, Hersion became flustered again and barely managed to pour out his words.

“Do you have additional business?”

“Of course I do.”

Seeing Meriel answer immediately, Hersion worried whether staying here longer might make him witness another of her impulsive actions like last time.

This miss. Outwardly a natural lady, yet the words coming from those red, plump lips were bold and peculiar. This entire situation felt unfamiliar and strange.

Occasionally, when knight order members gathered among themselves, they freely exchanged lewd jokes. Hersion had no interest in such conversations and didn’t care about their topics, but now he found himself extremely conscious of her words.

The situation of receiving a confession from a woman for the first time and even hearing a proposal about having time was difficult to adjust to.

On the other hand, strangely enough, his feet wouldn’t easily move. Somehow, Meriel’s lips curved up meaningfully, seemingly indicating she had more to say to him.

Besides, the other shop owner was cleaning the entrance door. Standing there dusting seemed to Hersion like a signal not to leave just yet.

Though flustered by this situation, Hersion grew more curious about what Meriel wanted to tell him.

“My name is Meriel. You’re Sir Hersion, right? I heard from Luna, my business partner and friend.”

Deliberately pointing at Luna, Meriel announced her name. 

‘Come to think of it, I didn’t tell her my name last time either.’

Belatedly making her existence known felt pointlessly satisfying somehow.

Expecting an embarrassing topic to pop up immediately, Hersion felt he should formally introduce himself when Meriel introduced herself.

“Yes, I’m Hersion. As you’ve heard, I’m the Royal Knight Commander of the Rüharen Kingdom.”

Meriel made a pleased sound with her mouth closed in a smile. This Knight Commander—she really liked him no matter how many times she looked. But his visit now already felt miraculous… How should she seduce him to get closer?

Meriel quietly mulled over the actions protagonists in novels showed to seduce their targets. Should she try acting like characters in books, or would it be better to do it her own way?

For now, gradually enticing him seemed best. Quickly deciding, Meriel quietly proposed to Hersion.

“Would you like to have tea before you go? You have time, right?”

Her plan was to have tea time first, then slowly seduce him.

Though Hersion could clearly predict what Meriel wanted to say, his feet still wouldn’t move, so he finally accepted.

“I’m fine with it.”

“Really?”

Hersion nodded. Meriel smiled brightly without realizing it.

“Thank you so much for making time. Please come in.”

* * *

Luna refused to have tea, saying she needed to mind the shop. Meriel realized Luna was deliberately not joining them and felt both sorry and grateful toward her.

Meriel skillfully prepared black tea. Since running the weapons shop, such tasks had become quite familiar, and brewing tea wasn’t difficult.

“I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste, but I brewed black tea. Please try it, Knight Commander.”

“Thank you.”

Hersion formally received Meriel’s teacup. Only after watching him sip the tea first did Meriel quietly swallow a mouthful herself.

“The tea tastes good.”

“I’m glad.”

Meriel smiled brightly. She was secretly pleased that the man she had feelings for was satisfied drinking tea infused with her touch.

However, any meaningful conversation didn’t immediately proceed. This was because Meriel’s situation of choosing to let things flow naturally and Hersion’s situation of having no idea what to say were at odds.

Only the sound of tea drinking circled between them for a while. Hersion closed his eyes and didn’t meet Meriel’s gaze, finding the current situation awkward. Nothing particular came to mind for breaking this silence either.

Unable to endure the stillness, Meriel finally set down her half-finished teacup and broke the silence first, as always.

“Since when have you served as Commander?”

Only then did Hersion slightly open his eyes.

“You mean the date I was appointed Commander?”

Meriel nodded twice at Hersion’s polite answer. Now she should gradually find an opportunity to seduce him.

Meriel cleared her throat with a short cough and waited for Hersion’s answer. She kept glancing at him, liking even his frozen appearance before her.

Conscious of Meriel’s eyes directed toward him, Hersion closed his eyes and answered amidst the rushing shyness and awkwardness.

“After participating in the Ruwel War and returning victorious, His Majesty the King appointed me Royal Knight Commander.”

“That’s impressive. To be appointed by His Majesty the King.”

It was an answer that highlighted Hersion’s capabilities anew. If His Majesty, notoriously difficult, appointed him as Royal Knight Commander, one could tell his caliber was considerable.

As Meriel habitually nodded several times, she gradually timed when to seduce Hersion. Her head became complicated in an instant. Should she confess directly, or propose spending a night together for an intense time?

While Meriel’s mind became stained with worries, Hersion gradually felt tension rising. What impulsive words might this miss before him utter? Might she confess again like last time?

And if his center reacted like last time, that would be troublesome… Having no experience with women, Hersion feared the situation about to unfold.

He considered making an excuse about a sudden personal matter and leaving, but curiosity about what words and actions she might show kept his feet from easily moving. He was literally frozen in place, groaning with tension.

Meriel calmly drank the considerably cooled tea while devising methods to seduce Hersion. 

Speaking honestly would be most refreshing inside… But what if he ran away instead? No, even among novel heroines, there were very aggressive characters…

But she wasn’t a fictional character.

And this person—setting aside having no lover now, she had a premonition he’d probably never even dated before. The frozen expression and pale complexion every time she glanced at him—Meriel was convinced he acted this way because he had no experience with women.

Or could he possibly have gynophobia? Was that why he couldn’t date?

When all sorts of speculations tangled in her mind, Meriel soon forcibly stopped imagining. She no longer wanted to fall into a swamp of her own thoughts and let contemplations spiral regarding someone she liked.

Was there no way to seduce Hersion before her while avoiding situations where he’d be maximally flustered and the atmosphere would quickly become embarrassing?

Watching for an opportunity, Meriel grew frustrated with herself for continuing to agonize and finally acted aggressively.

“Commander, you told me last time that you don’t have a lover, right?”

“Pardon?”

Though he wanted to answer yes immediately, Hersion involuntarily questioned back in surprise, and his hand holding the cup trembled slightly in the embarrassment blooming within his bewilderment. Because of that, the tea water shook and spilled on the floor.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? Don’t worry about it. I’ll wipe it later or something.”

When Hersion deliberately tried to take out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, Meriel waved her hand dismissively. Now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. Meriel immediately continued, wanting to hear his answer quickly.

“Then, how about becoming my lover? I have feelings for you, Commander.”

“Pardon? L-lo…”

At the sudden confession, Hersion was startled without even realizing he’d stuttered. Unlike last time’s vague situation, he clearly received Meriel’s confession. 

Though greatly surprised by Meriel revealing her heart without hiding anything, Hersion didn’t leave. His steps couldn’t move, seemingly glued in place.

‘This isn’t right… D*mn, isn’t there something more seductive to say? Like the wonderful words protagonists whisper in novels.’

Meriel wasn’t satisfied with her honestly expressed words. Her satisfaction stopped at having gone forward boldly. Now all that remained was for the Knight Commander to flee this place in shock.

However, contrary to Meriel’s assumption, Hersion remained stuck in a rigid posture. Of course, though his body was attached to the table chair like they’d become one, his heart felt he should leave this place.

Absolutely not because he disliked her. He simply planned to escape this situation for now, then visit again when he’d found his composure to make a final decision about accepting or rejecting the confession.

Though all this felt unreal, the foreign sensation when dry saliva went down confirmed it was definitely reality.

Thinking it best to retreat for now, he barely managed to open his mouth with difficulty and politeness amidst his tension.

“It would be difficult to answer you right now…”

However, at the scene unfolding before his eyes, Hersion couldn’t finish his words and stared blankly at Meriel.

Meriel decided to show through actions rather than words, like a heroine in some novel she’d read.

Though whether this method would work was uncertain, continuing to look at Hersion made her even bolder. The worries from moments ago about timing her seduction had become completely blurred by emotions preceding reason.