Only with Your Heart

An hour later.

Chizuru touched one of the skirts with a white fabric overlaid with light peach lace.

The colors and shapes are clear, but only the chest was open to a bold semi-oval shape, a dress with a superb cloth to see. In this world the mirror was still a valuable item, and the mirror, which was large enough to photograph the whole body, was not in Chizuru's room, but Alde put on a small hand mirror for me.

A peek shows a very beautiful woman.

It seemed as if it wasn't me.

"I'm sure it's in the castle tonight...... no, it's going to be a topic all over the territory. I'd like to show it to Master Ruklov soon."

Alde has satisfied himself many times, checking from every angle the hair of a thousand cranes, intricately braided with ribbons.

Thousands of crane brunettes, who are usually lowered, were gracefully put together tonight at a height around the back of their ears, boldly exposing their collar necks. That emphasises the femininity of the thousand cranes, in harmony with the breasts of the wide open dress.

"Will you like it?

I didn't say who. Because I didn't have to tell you.

"Let me be honest with you about my opinion, no matter what you're dressed for, I think Chizuru is Lord Ruklov's biggest and only favorite. But sometimes it's also a measure to wield charm like this and let you know that you don't have time to be sloppy. Right?"

Though it may be a slightly too much of a thought, I also think Chizuru would like this to be some way to improve the relationship between the two.

Dim had already begun to spread in the sky peeking through the windows.

I'm starting to hear noises from afar like busy voices and drum heads. Has the time come?

"Shall we go?

Alde himself, who said so, is a little dressed up tonight. Chizuru nodded, and the two left the room behind.

A good evening for each of these festivals, Thousand Cranes went out and thought.

There is no wind, the night sky is clear, not cold, but calm and cool.

The square, which usually serves as a training ground, lit up the darkness with bonfires and pitfalls from the camp. Some seemed to be drunk early, some of them solidified and making more noise with a few people, and some of the townspeople were raising their voices to sell things in their set up tents.

The fragrant smell of meat being roasted, the sweet sweet sweet smell, and the smell of grape wine spreads around.

For the first time Chizuru saw it, even the children ran around with their voices raised around the performers playing such instruments as Ukulele and Aya Guitar. Alde's daughter Noah is there, too, and when she finds her mother, she jumps with lightness like a child goat.

"Mother! Wow, Master Chizuru too. Wow, so nice!

If you look closely, Noah also decorated some of her hair with ribbons she doesn't usually do.

"Thank you, Noah. You're beautiful, too. The ribbon looks great."

"Eh heh."

He rotated and showed in front of Alde and Thousand Cranes, and Noah dyed his cheeks with joy. "But Master Chizuru is like a real queen, more beautiful. If you stand alongside Lady Ruklov, you will be king and queen."

The child said so innocently and now snatched in the hands of his mother.

"I have candy for sale over there. There's a red one and a yellow one. Will you buy it for Noah, too?

In the direction Noah pointed his finger at, there was a tent selling confectionery with something like condensed candy on the tip of the stick. I haven't shopped outside yet so I don't know what the fine stuff is worth, but it's something I don't get out of my regular meal, so maybe it's expensive. Alde was reluctant.

Chizuru came up with a name proposal and smiled softly.

"I'll buy you one, Noah. Welcome."

"Well, Master Chizuru!

"Really, Master Chizuru? Glad!"

Mother (Alde) and daughter (Noah) raised their voices at the same time. Chizuru winks lightly at Alde, who shrugs her shoulders in confusion.

"It's not me who pays, it's Lucroff, isn't it? It's okay, I'm sure he won't object."

And Chizuru bought and gave Noah and the other servants children who were playing around, one candy apiece at a time. Every young face shines with joy, and I just rush back to thank Chizuru as she lets her mouth hang around her.

"Mr. Ruklov told you to buy whatever Chizuru likes, didn't he?

Alde said in a euphoric tone, but the expression seemed happy and praised the actions of Chizuru.

"It's okay. That's what I wanted."

That's what Chizuru replied, remembering the children's smiles. I meant it.

Looking around, Chizuru was not willing to spend any more of Luklov's money for himself, as there seemed to be other meals served free of charge besides the tent in the stall.

Many gathering humans were noisy, so Chizuru could hardly find Luklov, but as he walked around looking around for a while, he discovered a red-haired knight with one head flying off in the hedge. Surrounded by young and old, he holds a bottle of wine in one hand and tells something in an exaggerated manner.

I'm sure you're exaggerating what happened last night and letting people talk. Enough not to exaggerate, it was a turmoil that seemed like a story, but it's a loan there.

"Alde, go back to Noah and you'll be fine. Because I'm gonna have you stay with the loan."

"As, well, is it...? But..."

Thousand cranes understood that Alde was still thinking about her young daughter and her husband and was distracted from her heart. With the loan, the loan itself, anyway, would not have any other dangers approaching.

"There are a lot of people out there, so it's okay. Don't worry, have fun with your family."

I haven't even wanted to talk to Lone in a long time, and Chizuru said so and returned Alde to his family. While hesitating for a while, Alde, who bowed his head in gratitude, disappears into the crowd as it were.

After seeing it through, Chizuru joined the hedge surrounding the loan and waited for him to notice this one.

Of course, in just a few seconds he noticed a thousand cranes.

"Chizuru! Oh, it's Chizuru! The hero from last night!

Lone quickly approaches me with a big strand as I tear apart the hedgerows. Every single action that is more lofty than necessary shouldn't be strange to look crude together, but when a loan is made it looks oddly graceful. Chizuru accidentally gargled.

"You're the one who spreads that weird rumor, Lone"

"Oh, what is it?

"I calmed the two of you down in an instant, that sort of thing. Is your nose okay?

"Oh, it didn't seem to be broken after all. It was true that once it broke, it would be harder to break next. But let me tell you that the rumor is a misunderstanding. By the time I got out to the dining room for breakfast, everyone was already talking about it."

"Were you?

So was it around Nadal?

Surely that kid seems to have the talent to exaggerate things funny and crazy. Chizuru had no choice but to shrug his shoulder. Then Lone leans back slightly over his torso and peeks into Chizuru carefully.

"Chizul, I knew you were cute, but I've never seen you so beautiful. So, you're in love with me, huh?

Chizuru leaked his voice and laughed.

"Thank you. Tell your wife that, too"

"Let's do that, though I might be able to snap your neck. Have you seen Luklov yet?

"Yeah, not yet...... Do you know where he is? By the time the dance started, Alde told me to come out with you."

"That man is such an inconvenient Tang Chang Wood (Toheme). I can only see things in white and black. There are so many colors in the world."

Chizuru looked up at the red-haired knight, suddenly turned into a poet, tilting his neck.

It's a symbolic thing to say, but somehow I feel like I know what I'm trying to say. It may be undeniable that Luklov's journey and honesty are sometimes so stubborn as to dismiss everything with such, yes or no. And...... for Lucrov like that, I'm sure Chizuru is still in the "non-" category right now.

"Don't blame him, Lone. When it comes to the former, I'm the bad one..."

"Chizuru"

Lone suddenly changed his tone and turned to Chizuru. "You both should stop being trapped in the mistakes of the past all the time because of who this is all about, or because that was your fault. Neither Zain nor Edina want that. You have a future. That's all right."

"But..."

"Look, I'm not a man of concern. And you may not believe it, but I love Chizuru, you and Ruklov from the bottom of my heart. He thinks he's his best friend who once deposited his life with each other."

To the words of a sincere and clear loan, Chizuru smiled unexpectedly in tears.

"So are we, Lone."

"It is the duty of the surviving human being to be happy. If that man doesn't change his attitude forever, I have an idea."

Then, Lone suddenly pulled Chizuru's hand and began to make his way through the crowd and the hustle and bustle.

At first I was surprised, but from the flow of the story, I assumed that Lone was trying to lead me to Lucroff, and quietly followed him on a small run to his big crotch.

But it wasn't Luklov who was ahead of us when we got there.

"Hey, Bal, I got a woman here!

One knight, standing on his back staring at the fireworks, looked up at the loud shout of the loan and looked back.

He was a young knight, with brown hair and a body shape not so tall but powerful as a rock. Chizuru looked familiar to him. I greeted him yesterday in the dining room, one of the knights Lone brought with him, young to the point that he is some older than Chizuru.

"Loan? Oh, um..."

Just as Chizuru began to bewilder, so did the young knight known as Baru, who looked in love like a dove had eaten a bean cannon.

"Duke of Lone, you're joking again..."

"No, Bal, you've been totally in love with Chizul since yesterday. My eyes don't deceive me. And it became clear, apparently, that Chizuru is not the woman of Ruklov. I mean, you have a chance, too. Make sure you bring your daughter-in-law back to your territory. Good luck!

Shouting so, Lone left Thousand Cranes on the spot and disappeared again into the crowd as he fled.

Everything was as sudden as a spring storm, and both Chizuru and Bal could only look behind the loan, which was left in front of the bonfire and disappeared into the hustle and bustle.

It was a quiet corner, with little tent to sell things.

The fireworks burn about the height of the patch and the thousand cranes, illuminating the light darkness with orange. Others are less popular, even with calm air.

The knight, called Bal, stared seriously at Chizuru with the face he said was still incredible.

Wanting to soothe the occasion, Chizuru smiled and opened his mouth.

"Um... never mind what Lone said. Because it seems to be some kind of prank..."

The young knight Bal, not so beautifully shaped, had deep, calm, sucking brown eyes for his age. His eyes took him so seriously that he seemed to wander off, and Chizuru was so troubled by the place of his eyes.

"I thought you were the fiancée of the Duke of Ruklov."

"No way."

Suddenly, Chizuru shook his head to the side in a panic. "That's not how we get along. Well, of course I like Luklov, but there's a lot going on."

Bal makes his eyebrows twinkle like he can't solve it.

Though there was no need to explain everything once and for all, and Thousand Cranes himself remained unsure of how to get along with the two of them in the first place, he didn't want any weird misunderstandings, so Thousand Cranes added.

"It's Ruklov I like. Never mind what Lone said."

Fortunately, Bal didn't seem to have the personality to pry into the darkness. When I honestly sneer, I look around and let my little sigh spit out.

"Well, it sounds like you should get away from here. If they see us alone in such a less popular place, they could misunderstand us."

"Huh? Yeah......"

Chizuru likewise ran his gaze around to understand what Bal had to say.

There are two men and women of the same age in an unpopular corner during the festival...... No matter how insignificant you may have been, you can see it in the eyes of people's curiosity.

"Come here, please. Let's find the Duke of Luklov together."

Bal finally walked one step ahead of Chizuru in a daze. He seemed to be a knight's mirror-like figure, and quickly let go of his hand after touching Chizuru's hips, who hastily followed him, to lead him only for a moment. They started walking together, just a short distance away.

But.

"Yikes!

Bal, who was in front, suddenly stopped and Chizuru collided from his face on his back.

"Duh, what's wrong..."

And as he looked up at the young knight's face holding down his bumped nose, he was just staring at the front unnaturally straight and stiffening his body.

Wondering, Chizuru also follows Bal's gaze ahead.

There was Luklov. He lays a beautiful dark blue tunic over his clasp and stares at the bal in a horrible shape, releasing so much majesty that he sees it as a king or a lion.

Chizuru took a breath and nailed it on the spot.