Chapter 34 – “Be Quiet for a While”
“Achoo!”
“Oh my, Sibel—did you catch a cold?”
It happened just as I’d finished cleaning up after breakfast. I sneezed right in front of Elga-san.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. You were taking care of the dorm mother who was sick, weren’t you? You probably caught it from her. You should rest today.”
It was true—I had gone to take care of the senior dorm mother who’d caught a cold a few days ago. Maybe I really did catch it from her.
“It’s nothing serious. I’m all right.”
“No, go rest! You’ve been working too much lately!”
“…Okay.”
I didn’t actually feel that bad, but since Elga-san said it in such a firm tone, I decided to listen and headed back to my room.
Now that she mentioned it, I did feel a little chilly… maybe I was coming down with a fever.
“Sibel-chan!”
Just then, someone called out to me. I turned and saw Rick-san.
“Rick-san? What’s the matter?”
“Actually, the Captain and the others forgot something important. I’m about to go deliver it to them.”
“Oh, that sounds serious.”
Leo-san and Mirko-san had left right after breakfast that morning to meet with Lord Tory.
“So, I was wondering… could you come with me?”
“Eh? Me?”
“Yeah. I’m still new here, and though I heard roughly where they’re meeting, I’m not totally sure about the route. If you came along, it’d really help. The other dorm mothers all seem busy… unless you’re busy too?”
Ah, that made sense. Rick-san had only been here for a short while, so he probably didn’t know the area very well yet.
This was a perfect chance to be useful to the knights!
“It’s fine! I was just told to take the day off, so I’m free.”
“Really? That’s great—thank you!”
Rick-san was such a good person. He often helped carry food during meals, always polite and kind.
And he was handsome and gentle too… how could anyone say no to that?
For a moment, I remembered Leo-san’s warning—“Be careful around him.”
But Rick-san was literally asking me to go deliver something to Leo-san.
And lately, he’d been getting along fine with everyone. Surely it was fine.
***
Once we stepped outside, Rick mounted a white horse and reached out a hand to me.
“Here, Sibel-chan.”
“…We’re going by horse?”
“It’s faster than a carriage. Come on.”
“All right.”
I took his hand, and he easily pulled me up beside him.
Wow—he lifted me so effortlessly. As expected of a knight!
“Hold on tight, okay?”
“Y-yes!”
Rick-san’s build was second only to Mirko-san’s—strong and muscular. Being held steady by him like this made my heart race.
Because… because this was…!
One of my dream situations!
Riding on horseback together with a knight—ahh, could this really be happening!?
…But then, for some reason, Leo-san’s face flashed through my mind.
And at that moment, my chest tightened with a strange feeling.
…What’s wrong with me?
I was riding with a strong, gallant knight!
Shouldn’t I just enjoy it?
“…”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Sibel-chan?”
“Oh, nothing…”
When I looked up, Rick smiled that charming, refreshing smile of his.
He really was a handsome knight—but why did I find myself thinking, if only it were Leo-san instead?
That was so rude of me.
Apparently, living in the knights’ dorm had made me greedy.
Choosing between knights? Shame on you, Sibel!
I scolded myself silently and held onto Rick’s firm arm as we rode toward the town.
—Or at least, that’s what I thought.
“Um, Rick-san, this way goes into the forest.”
“I heard this forest path is a shortcut.”
“Really?”
Rick guided the horse straight into the woods behind the dormitory.
I’d never been here before—
I didn’t even know there was a shortcut through this forest.
He’d grown quiet, but maybe he just wanted to focus on riding.
The horse was moving fast, so I didn’t want to distract him.
Still… we were going deeper and deeper into the forest.
“Um… are you sure this is the right way?”
“It is.”
“But the trees are getting thicker and the forest looks deeper…”
Rick was new here, so maybe he really didn’t know the way that well. Yet, he sounded so confident.
“Um, Rick-san—”
“Be quiet. Just stop talking for a while.”
“…”
His sharp tone cut through the sound of the wind.
For the first time, a chill ran down my spine.
