Mr. Gilbert was fidgeting, his gaze darting around as he opened and closed his mouth. Beside him, Ms. Barbara wore a look of discovery.
“Oh, look! The seeds have borne fruit!”
Following her words, I turned my gaze to see small fruits hanging from the ivy vines that covered the carriage. A nearby mercenary was touching the cluster of fruits.
“Hey, if we plant these seeds, we might be able to grow more of those vines, right?”
“Sounds good. They’re Blessed Seeds. It’s worth a try. Shall we split up and give it a go?”
With that cue, everyone sprang into action, and Ms. Barbara turned to us.
“Leave this to us and go have a little chat. This is a crucial moment, and we have time only now.”
Behind Ms. Barbara, Mr. Dolf, the mercenary, the Holy Cleric, and even Miss Chelsea nodded in agreement. Encouraged by their support, Mr. Gilbert and I were gently pushed into the carriage, now enveloped in vines. From the window, I could hear the lively voices of everyone gathering the ivy seeds.
“Um, Miss Flora… here…”
Mr. Gilbert handed me a pendant strung on a leather cord from his chest pocket.
“I’ve been meaning to give this to you. I thought I’d wait until everything was over, but if it can protect you like a brooch or hairpin, I reconsidered and thought it might be better to give it to you now. But, um, the craftsmanship is a bit…”
He trailed off, and as I received the pendant, I noticed that it was adorned with a wooden ring. The beautiful wood had been carved into soft curves, with ivy leaves and flowers etched into it.
“Actually, I intended to make a proper ring. But carving the wood into a ring turned out to be more difficult than I expected.”
Mr. Gilbert looked downcast. Indeed, upon closer inspection, the ring was oversized, even for my thumb. But—
“Even if it doesn’t fit my finger, such a wonderful and precious thing is—”
Despite its large size, the ring was clearly crafted with care, and I felt a swell of affection and joy that left me momentarily speechless. I noticed Mr. Gilbert’s face turning a deep shade of red.
“I-it’s precious… that…”
The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I felt my own face heating up in response. After a brief silence, Mr. Gilbert continued.
“Actually, I was planning to make a proper one after everything was over. But… once everything is done, I won’t have a reason to be with you, Miss Flora…”
His voice was slightly hoarse, filled with contemplation and a hint of sadness, and it made me realize something I had overlooked. I had been spending every day with Mr. Gilbert and everyone else, and it had become so normal that I had forgotten the reality of it all.
As I stood there in shock, Mr. Gilbert took several deep breaths and then looked at me seriously, his gaze unwavering.
“So, Miss Flora, once we’ve wiped out all the Undead, how about we build a house in the artisan village and live together?”
His words wove a warm breeze around me, and everything around me seemed to brighten as if I were caught in a beautiful illusion.
“C-can I really… be with you…?”
“It wouldn’t mean anything if it weren’t you, Miss Flora. I want to create all sorts of things together every day, sharing time and joy. From the very beginning, I want to build a home together… just like Mr. Dolf and Ms. Barbara, forever.”
What should I do? My hands and shoulders trembled. I felt so happy that I could burst into tears. My mind was flooded with a future so joyful that I felt like dancing.
There were so many things I wanted to create with Mr. Gilbert. I had a feeling that the list would only grow longer.
In a moment of excitement, I took Mr. Gilbert’s hand and squeezed it tightly.
“I want to! I want to do that too!”
Perhaps I had gotten a bit too carried away, as I lost my balance and ended up tumbling into Mr. Gilbert’s chest. His face turned bright red, and after a moment of flustered surprise, he smiled happily and embraced me tightly. A wave of happiness surged through me, as if a mysterious power was coursing through my body.
“…I need to get permission from the old man to build a house…”
“Of course, he’ll welcome you both with open arms. You two are practically part of our village’s artisan family already.”
Suddenly, a voice interrupted us, and we both turned to see Mr. Dolf and Ms. Barbara beaming at us from the carriage window. Behind them were Lord Sidney, the mercenaries, Miss Chelsea, the Holy Cleric, and even the knights.
Lord Lionel was at the edge, wiping his eyes and shaking his shoulders.
“Hmph. I, Priest Sidney of the Western Grand Church, have indeed witnessed this. May the goddess’s blessing be upon the future you weave together.”
The words spoken by Lord Sidney were the same ones given during vows in the church. My face grew even hotter, and when I looked up at Mr. Gilbert, he was trying to hide his embarrassment by lowering his brow, but his eyes sparkled with unclouded joy, and I felt tears of happiness welling up again.
“It seems your doubts have cleared.”
“Yeah… At this crucial moment, with so many people’s Selfless Blessings upon us, I found myself consumed by thoughts of my own desires…”
Mr. Gilbert gripped the handle of his Battle Axe resting on his opposite shoulder as Ms. Barbara spoke.
“Of course, it’s only natural. Thinking about your own happiness isn’t a bad thing at all.”
“That’s right. Selfless Blessings and your own happiness aren’t mutually exclusive. You can have both. That’s what it means to be human.”
The words from Mr. Dolf and Ms. Barbara felt like a push to consider my own happiness.
“Your wishes for happiness will surely bring joy to those around you as well.”
Ms. Barbara smiled brightly, and everyone nodded in agreement.
“Thank you for giving us this time in such a pressing moment.”
Mr. Gilbert spoke earnestly to everyone, and this time Mr. Dolf smiled warmly.
“Do you remember when we set out from the village? The villagers prayed for our safety first. Sometimes it’s better to celebrate before the event rather than after. It calls forth a stronger power to support us.”
“Yeah, look outside. This might just be the result of your feelings, Mr. Gilbert and Miss Flora.”
The mercenary laughed cheerfully as he pointed outside the Barrier.
Peering out the window, I saw vines stretching from various places beyond the Barrier, slowly spreading across the dark red surface of the water like a green carpet.