A pair of soft, fair arms tightly choked Lynn's neck.
Her entire soft, delicate body pressed down on him. Her little cherry-haired head shook from side to side, rubbing against his chest.
She was practically using his chest as a rag, letting her tears flow freely onto it.
“St—Stop!”
What the hell did she mean by "not dead"?
Unable to bear it any longer, Lynn gave Lilian a sharp flick to the forehead, knocking her back.
“Look at you. Your young master is alive and kicking!”
He straightened his disheveled collar.
This girl, why are her hands getting more and more mischievous?
Where is she even touching?
Lilian looked up. The rims of her eyes were red, and so was the tip of her nose, making her look like a small animal that had just been dug out of the snow.
Her large eyes were brimming with tears, which spilled over with every blink, pattering onto the back of Lynn's hand, warm and wet.
Lynn originally wanted to tease her a bit more, but he swallowed the words back down. He raised his hand and clumsily patted her head.
“Alright, alright, aren't I perfectly fine?”
Lilian sniffled, looking left and right at his face before reaching out to poke his cheek.
Warm and soft. It was definitely her young master.
She let out a sigh of relief, but then her brow suddenly furrowed, and she leaned in even closer.
Her small, delicate nose twitched slightly.
“Sniff, sniff~”
She opened her eyes with a “beaming” smile.
“Young Master...”
“...Yes?”
“Why is it that... you have the Saintess's scent on you?”
Lynn froze.
Her soft little hands patted his shoulders and chest, finally stopping right at his lips.
There was absolutely no light in her hollow pupils.
“Especially here... The scent is the strongest, isn't it?”
Seriously, Lilian, are you a dog? It's been two days and you can still smell it?
“Why is that, Young Master? Tell Lilian~”
“Lilian is... very curious...”
The fragments of memory from the cave suddenly rushed back into Lynn's mind like a gust of wind.
The girl's body heat, her fingertips clutching his collar, those slightly swollen lips, and the sensation of him forcefully sealing them at the very last moment.
He reached up to touch his own lips.
“...What? It's nothing, probably just...”
He cleared his throat. “You see, Veronica just fed me some fruit. Her fingertips probably accidentally brushed against them. Yes, that must be it.”
“Oh~~ Really?” Lilian narrowed her eyes, her tone suddenly shifting with a fox-like sharpness. “Be honest, Young Master—did the Saintess do something to you while you were unconscious?”
Lynn: “...”
He opened his mouth, suddenly realizing that no matter how he answered this question, it would end badly. Just then, a soft cough sounded from outside the door.
“Ahem.”
Veronica leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest. “Rather than that... shouldn't you be more concerned about your young master's injuries?”
Lilian whipped her head around, glaring at her, her cheeks puffing up.
“Lady Saintess, why haven't you left yet?”
“I'm not leaving.” Veronica walked in leisurely and sat back down on the chair beside the bed.
She crossed her legs and snapped her folding fan open, covering half her face and leaving only her eyes visible, curved into crescent moons. “I suddenly remembered~ I still have an outstanding account to settle with my young master.”
“Your young master?”
“Oh, I forgot you didn't know yet~”
“After all—that was a private agreement made between Lynn and me~”
“Simply put, for the next three years—I have to be his follower.” Veronica fanned herself, her tone casual. “Rounding it up, I'm practically half a Reinhardt now.”
Lilian froze.
The room fell dead silent for a full three seconds.
Then, the pink-haired dumpling's cheeks puffed up at a speed visible to the naked eye. Like a cat that had its tail stepped on, her voice suddenly spiked. “Young Master! When did this happen?! Why didn't I know about this?!”
“Uh... Just before the competition started...”
“Why didn't you tell me?!”
“You were busy eating cake at the time.”
Ugh—cake has ruined me!
Damn the Gunier family, why did they have to make the cake taste so good?
Lilian bit down on her handkerchief with teary eyes.
Her beautiful eyes glared intensely at the smug Veronica.
Her young master had only gone out once, yet he had brought back another...
“...homewrecking cat,” she muttered under her breath in dissatisfaction.
Young Master is being naughty...
“As I thought, I really can't let Young Master go out alone...”
Lilian looked up, her large, watery eyes staring at Lynn.
She spoke softly and earnestly, “Young Master.”
“I'm listening.”
“Next time... please take Lilian with you.”
“Lilian will get stronger. I'll get really, really strong.”
“I will resolve troubles for Young Master and protect you!”
She lowered her head and bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly. “I... don't want to see... Young Master coming back covered in wounds all by yourself ever again.”
“Alright, alright~”
He gently rubbed her little cherry-haired head.
“I promise you.”
“It's a promise, okay~ You absolutely... absolutely... cannot go back on your word!”
“It's a promise, it's a promise!”
Lilian rolled over with a little whine.
Hmph, smelly Young Master.
Even if you didn't agree, I wouldn't care.
I've already latched onto you anyway!
She spoke sweetly, putting on an easygoing front, “Young Master~ The customary Wilderness Ball will be held tomorrow.”
“As the closing ceremony of the hunting competition, all participants have the right to invite a partner to dance.”
“Will Young Master go with me?”
Before Lynn could speak, a cool voice came from near the door.
Veronica, who had been watching the “deep affection between master and servant,” fluttered her folding fan and giggled.
“As the champion of this competition, it would probably be better to invite a more proper lady.”
“Coincidentally~ this young lady happens to be free~”
Lilian looked up.
“I don't think... someone who suddenly barges into other people's lives would make a suitable dance partner.”
“A sudden intrusion? Miss Lilian, you are mistaken.”
“When it comes to who came first, I've known this guy far longer than you have~”
After an intense exchange of glares, they both turned in unison to look at Lynn, who was merely watching the drama unfold.
“Young Master~”
“Lynn~”
“Who are you going to choose?”
Rate on N.U.
