Only with Your Heart

The next morning, Chizuru woke up with a faint sound of someone moving around the room.

I can tell right away from the window that the sun is already plugged in bright and quite a bit of time has passed since sunrise. I shook my blurry head lightly because of my hypotension and slowly woke up my upper body and looked around, there was Alde and he was just wiping the floor.

"Well, good morning, Master Chizul. Did I wake you?

Alde raised his face from the floor and greeted him vibrantly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Morning Alde... How long have you been here?

"It hasn't been that long. I'm sorry. Mr. Ruklov told me to let you sleep as long as you want because you must be tired."

"From Luklov?

"Yes."

Arde, rising from the floor, let him smile at the thousand cranes with a grin as he clung a rag-like cloth to his apron belt. "I've already heard rumors from all over last night! Did Chizuru calm Lord Ruklov and the Duke of Lone in an instant? In the breakfast cafeteria, that was the topic."

Chizuru stuck his face in the sheet as it was and went short.

How is it that in this world, rumors are spreading so exaggerated? Besides, as we can see from Alde's story, breakfast time already seems to be running out. Even though it's been a long night, I'm going to have a pretty good morning's sleep.

Naturally, he didn't look like Ruklov anymore.

"Master Ruklov is already outside. We're keeping you busy as the welcome feast for the Duke of Lone begins this evening. I left you a few things to say because I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you face to face."

Chizuru raised his face from the sheet and strapped his neck toward the woman who wouldn't break her meaningful smile.

"What?"

"First of all… a feast, but many stores will gather in the square of the training ground. Master Chizuru said he could buy anything with Mr. Ruklov on it. Isn't that wonderful!

"As much as...? Ugh, hmm......"

Having trouble responding, Chizuru clouded his verbal butt.

I don't know what type of store it will open, but I was quite aware that I was there now and that I would use Ruklov's money as much as I wanted. Thousands of cranes are not squanderers in the first place, and now that I've heard Luklov's confession, I don't think I can rely on his favor any more.

Well, if it's enough to buy something in a little food stall, it's not a big difference because I'm already taking care of both sleeping and eating.

"Okay. Did he say anything else?

"Yeah. First of all, you don't drink if you're recommended."

…………

"After sundown, music and dance begin. And I wanted to dress up properly so that I could go out with Mr. Ruklov."

Alde's eyes sparkle with pleasure. "As the night deepens, it becomes more and more rude. There are plenty of people out there who say goodbye to their young daughters. I'm sure Mr. Ruklov is worried about that."

Ruklov worried...?

Will you, will you be there?

Now that it had dawned overnight since then, Chizuru still wasn't sure how the relationship between the two had changed. Ruklov's heart wound is deep, and the more he tries to peek into the bottom, the less he knows how to fill the groove between them. Maybe time really heals everything, or maybe it doesn't.

All I could do was wait for Chizuru now.

"Um... does proper attire mean discreet? Or does it mean you keep it beautifully stylish?

"I think it's the latter. Of course, you may not be very pleased with the outfit that will entice the other lords... but leave that to me! There are a few dresses you haven't summoned yet, are there? Your hair will also be tied."

Indeed, I was trying to pick and wear less conspicuous qualitative dresses, so a few luxuriously designed dresses that had not yet passed through my sleeves were asleep in the tans. Some of them are luxurious, as it is only the Lady of the Castle who is allowed to wear them.

I can feel free to wear it everyday, but if it's a festival, I wanted to try some clothes on.

I also had my hair tied, stylish......

I don't even think I can break the status quo with this, but nevertheless, there has been some pale expectation that something might change.

"Right, let me ask you a favor. Okay?"

"Of course I am!

Alde was delighted with all the slapping on his hands. It would be partly because of the lively atmosphere before the festival, and Alde, who has said for a long time that he wanted to try on dressing a thousand cranes. Until now, Thousand Cranes have turned that down, but tonight.

Tonight, maybe I can try my best.

After spending as usual until noon taking care of the children, Chizuru returned to his room for a rest and prepared for a feast night that would be long.

I tried to find Lone and Ruklov in the dining room, but neither showed his face. Asked Nadal, they were taking the knights, who were the Lord, to hunt together their prey to serve the feast.

(medieval... wow...)

Preparations for the feast are well under way in the castle.

Usually closed gates were opened, and merchants and townspeople loaded on horses entered the gardens within the walls one after the other. A number of tents have begun to be erected, tree branches to make the fire pile high everywhere, and everyone is busy walking around excitedly.

With a blurry view of the situation, Chizuru remembered just a little bit about the original world.

The day before the cultural festival in high school. At work, just before there's a big event. All in different shapes, the boiling atmosphere of the people was well resembled. The process of going shopping out and setting up a booth was just like and kind of weird, although there was nothing like the men going out hunting animals for the grill.

(Something, I hope it changes...)

And then he became sentimental when he remembered the dance that supported him about Luklov, and Chizuru swallowed the tears that seemed to overflow as he looked up at the sky visible through the window.

Then suddenly the door of the room opened, and Arde came in with a full smile.

A beautiful peachy ribbon is gripped in my hand.

"I was really worried about which color to make it. But I'm sure this will suit you best."

Alde's apron pockets also contained small bottles of water like rosewater instead of perfume, as well as makeup tools. There are even tools inside that Chizuru doesn't know how to use. The last time I was summoned here, I had little time to worry about makeup like this on an adventure after adventure.

Chizuru chuckled.

"Even if you're so uptight because of it, because the material is material, it might disappoint you,"

"What are you saying, Master Chizuru? There's nothing more radiant than polishing. Leave it to me, I will show you Master Ruklov. Come on, sit down, sit down."

Last night, Luklov was offered the chair in which he sat, and Thousand Cranes sat there with only a little hesitation, but very much.

Once again, I know it's perfect for me, and I feel tickled.

─ ─ After losing Zain and Edina, Ruklov said he gave up all of Chizuru.

But this is how it was prepared, the room. Chairs. And Alde......

Maybe he was still letting me live a thousand cranes in the corner of my heart. Sunk by a wave of giving up and despair, somewhere deep, like the bottom of the ocean without light, secluded and quiet. But sure.

Alde began to speak in an inadvertent tone as he began to carefully pass through Chizuru's hair.

"I was careless to hear that Master Ruklov and the Duke of Lone got into a fight last night, but I was delighted. It's like we're back 14 years ago."

"Happy...?

"Yes, I think I've said this a few times already, but since I set up a castle in this territory about four years ago, Master Ruklov has been really unwell. Of course, my work as a lord was perfectly done, but it was also like… a soulless ghost was just silently on a mission. Because of this, it is also called, in part, the Duke of Cold Cheek, etc. Did you know that?

"Yeah... once, I heard that"

Sure, the first man I met back in this world, Rodolgo, said that.

Alde exhales briefly and continues as he cleverly changes the direction in which he combs.

"The servants and knights who have newly begun to serve from this castle seem to think that's the usual Lady Lucroff. But I know. Mr. Ruklov and I were having fun playing each other. Take Master Chizuru and take Master Ruklov back when he and the Duke of Lone had a big fight. Is that why I'm happy..."

Alde's voice, which was bright, shivered faintly.

As Chizuru looks back over her shoulder, her water-colored eyes in the woman have tears with a smile. Yeah, I'm sure Zayn and Edina weren't the only ones who supported Luklov.

"Thank you, Alde"

Nature and such words overflowed the mouth of a thousand cranes. Alde shakes his head to the side.

"I couldn't do anything, Master Chizul. But if Chizuru..."

"Yeah."

"It's too sad that one human being has been losing his mind for so long. Please, I hope you two will be happy again."

"Yeah......"

Chizuru turned back forward and closed his eyes quietly.

And I remembered Luklov with a smile in his memory.

The stiff jaw line collapsed slightly when I laughed and I had a slightly similar indentation on my mouth...... If he smiles now, I'm sure he'll have some wrinkles in his eye and look more and more gentle.

One day, I want to see him like that again.

Someday... Quickly...