Volume 6, Chapter 83 – Sincere Heart

Just as she was trying to hide the love letter without leaving a trace, a fair and soft hand appeared in her vision. It was Fia’s hand. Fia had already noticed the object in Nola’s hand; only Nola herself, lost in her swirling thoughts, hadn’t realized that the pink envelope was exceptionally conspicuous.

“You specifically called me over just to give me this? Using pink for the packaging doesn’t suit your style at all. Could it be a letter from Tsukuyomi?”

Seeing that the love letter was about to be snatched away, Nola finally grew anxious. She slammed the envelope into her bodice, hunched over, and hurriedly took a step back.

“No, no, it’s not what you think. This is my…”

“It’s not for me? Sorry, that was my own wishful thinking then.” Fia scratched her head with a bitter smile.

This move made Nola’s entire body stiffen, and she desperately wanted to slap herself.

Look at what I just said!

She had come here to confess, yet when it was time to hand over the envelope, she hid it away like a precious treasure. What was she doing?

Vexation quickly occupied Nola’s mind, and her movements became hesitant. She stood up straight waveringly, her hands clenching and unclenching in front of her, at a complete loss for what to do.

Nola, oh Nola, don’t forget why you came here. If you hesitate now, you’ll never have another chance. Don’t repeat the mistake you made with Claire. Just like Colita and Lady Goddess said, go for it in one breath, speak your heart loudly, and cast all shame aside!

“Then why did Nola call me here? Dressing up so beautifully and clutching something that looks like a love letter… someone who didn’t know better would think you were going to confess to me—ah, I know. You want to ask me to create an opportunity for you and Claire? That’s impossible. Not only would I never do such a thing, but even if you commissioned someone else, I would definitely sabotage your plans without hesitation.”

“It’s not like that!”

A sudden surge of boundless courage welled up in her heart. Nola stared at Fia with burning eyes. Her surging aura was such that even Fia was momentarily suppressed, frozen in place.

With an extremely solemn posture, Nola held the damp pink envelope out to Fia with both hands. Although she lowered her head, her tone wasn’t weak in the slightest. As if using every ounce of strength in her body, she emphasized with sincerity and stubbornness:

“During these past few days, I’ve finally realized… no, it hasn’t just been these few days. From the very first time we met, Fia, you left a deep impression in my heart. Although back then I felt nothing but hatred for you, as we spent time together, I realized that I was the one who was always acting willfully and constantly disrupting your life.”

“What are you trying to say? This is so sappy all of a sudden.”

Ignoring Fia’s remark, Nola continued.

“But even so, you didn’t hold a grudge against me, Fia. Not only did you teach me the character a leader should have, but you also helped me repeatedly, regardless of our past. When facing the Death Demon General, I truly thought I would die there. It was you who suddenly appeared and saved me from his hands. From that moment on, I felt you were as wise and powerful as a savior.”

“And later, when I went to Blossom to raise grain, it was also you who secretly helped me solve my urgent need. Although the price was being a servant in your palace, you didn’t make things difficult for me as I had imagined. And most importantly, in my darkest hour, it was you who pulled me back from the abyss of self-abandonment. If not for you, I… I don’t know what I would have become.”

At this point, Nola’s body had already begun to tremble.

“Whether it was the sight of you saving me on the battlefield or the way you glared at my decadent self that night, I can’t forget them. By the time I came to my senses, you had already become the most important person to me. I can’t forget your face; I don’t want to leave your side. Whenever I have a spare moment, I can’t help but think about you—what you like to eat, how to make you happy…”

Having poured out a long string of words, Nola was so nervous that beads of sweat covered her forehead and her cheeks were incredibly flushed. Yet even so, she stubbornly raised her head and gazed into Fia’s eyes with trepidation, saying word for word:

“I… I’ve finally realized. The person I truly love is you! Fia, may I spend the rest of my life with you?”

“Ugh.”

Overwhelmed by Nola’s aura, Fia became as flustered as a young girl receiving her first confession.

Even though every word Nola said was exceptionally embarrassing, after those words were spoken, the one who became shy was herself. Fia had indeed guessed long ago that Nola was here to confess, but she never expected Nola to be so serious and exude such a powerful presence. For a moment, she panicked, and her brain’s temperature rose sharply.

To hide her embarrassment, Fia placed a hand over her lips, turned her face away slightly, and whispered:

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“Are… are you serious…?”

“I am serious. I swear it to Lady Goddess!”

Nola’s resolute words were like a wall of air, leaving Fia speechless. Only the rustling of the leaves moved by the noisy wind remained.

It was a long while before she spoke.

“…Then what about Claire?”

This question clearly hit Nola’s weak spot. Her aura dissipated at a visible rate, but in just a single breath, the corners of her eyes were once again filled with a firm will.

“I will go and talk to Claire. I’ll make sure she accepts me.”

“No, I’m not asking how you’ll get Claire to accept you. I mean, you were still in love with Claire not long ago, and now it’s suddenly me. Isn’t that strange…? Could it be that your estrus period isn’t over yet, and you just happened to run into a beautiful girl like me?”

“It’s over. Now, even if I put on that ring, it won’t glow anymore.”

Her internal urgency made Nola take a step forward. This movement made Fia feel as though a mountain was pressing down on her. She subconsciously took a small step back, as if Nola had transformed into a predator and she had become a frail little animal.

Unfortunately, Fia’s backward movement was half a step too slow. Nola placed both hands on Fia’s shoulders, staring down into her eyes with a burning gaze. Yet, she seemed to be at the end of her tether, as a hopeful, pleading look surfaced in the depths of her purple eyes.

“Can… can I be allowed to stay by your side?”

Only silence answered Nola. A flicker of pity flashed across Fia’s face as she looked away.

“I’m sorry… I’m not ready yet…”

Although her voice was so small it was almost inaudible, it rang louder than thunder in Nola’s ears. The hope on her face vanished rapidly. Nola lowered her gaze sadly, and tears began to seep from her purple cat eyes. Finally, the hands on Fia’s shoulders dropped weakly, and her lips pressed tight.

“I see…”

As expected, it was in vain.

Filled with sadness, Nola wanted nothing more than to leave quickly. However, she suddenly felt someone touch the corner of her eye. She raised her head in surprise to find Fia wiping away a tear with her thumb.

Fia didn’t look at Nola; instead, she spoke hesitantly, as if deep in thought.

“No… I haven’t finished speaking yet.”

This gentleness only made Nola more upset. She choked out a question through her tears.

“W-Why? You’ve already rejected me, yet you’re still so gentle…”

Fia clicked her tongue, put her hands on her hips, and adopted an annoyed tone.

“I said, I haven’t finished speaking yet. Why did you suddenly start crying on your own? You’re not this weak, are you? You’re not a child like Tilulu.”

Fia paused, her face flushing as if she were shy.

“What I mean is, just because I’m not psychologically prepared now doesn’t mean I won’t be in the future. Actually, from the moment you said to my face that you had found the most important person to you, I vaguely sensed that you might harbor feelings for me beyond friendship. It was just that you were in heat back then, so I couldn’t be sure.”

“Of course, I did some homework beforehand. I thought about how I should answer if you confessed to me. To be honest, this problem troubled me for a long time; it was harder than fighting a god. You’re an adult; I can’t use the same excuse I used for Tilulu to waste your youth. I had to choose between rejecting or accepting.”

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“But as you know, because of my lost memories, my values are different from those common on the World Tree Continent. Although I think Mother Yulisha makes sense—that any relationship should start with mutual contact, agreeing to be together for a while, continuing if it fits and ending it if it doesn’t—and that is a method, I already have Claire. Doing that would be unseemly.”

Nola’s heart hung at its peak. She didn’t know whether Fia was going to accept or reject her; she could only tense her whole body and wait for the result in trepidation.

Fia dropped her hands from her hips and let out a long sigh as if she had no other choice.

“So, I also had the gall to ask Claire for her thoughts. Finally, I decided that I want to try making some changes and accept everyone’s feelings. Give me one month. After a month, I’ll give Nola my answer. This isn’t me intentionally stalling or testing you; it’s me testing myself. I must first try to accept the values of this world before I can accept Nola… This is, of course, a very rude request, but I can’t think of any other answer besides this one. If Nola feels that even this is fine, then—”

“I-I’m fine with it! It’s only a month. I’ll wait for you!”

Nola agreed almost without hesitation. The bitterness and sadness from a moment ago vanished without a trace. Her entire being, from her tail to her ears, radiated an atmosphere of joy. If this were a manga, stars would be popping out all over her body.

As Yulisha had predicted, for people in their position, having a chance was always better than no chance at all. Compared to Tilulu, this was already a fairly accurate condition with an end in sight.

However, Fia wasn’t finished.

“Wait until I’ve finished before you agree. If Nola thinks it’s fine, then close your eyes. There has to be a ritual for our vow.”

“Uh… ah, o-okay.”

Although she didn’t know what Fia was going to do, Nola excitedly hurried to close her eyes.

Then, amidst the darkness, Nola felt her cheek pecked by something moist and warm.

She subconsciously opened her eyes, only to see Fia pulling back from her tiptoes, her cheeks flushed.

I was kissed by Fia?

She immediately realized what had happened. An uncontrollable sound of joy escaped her throat, and her expression involuntarily became jubilant. A great flame poofed into existence from her ears and tail. The dazzling glow, like a torch, almost set the branches above her head on fire.

However, Nola’s peeking made Fia’s eyebrows arch.

“Hey, I didn’t say you could open your eyes, did I?”

“Ah, s-sorry!” Nola hurried to close her eyes again.

This made Fia feel both annoyed and amused.

“You’ve already seen it. What’s the point of closing your eyes now?”

“Then… then should I forget it?”

“Are you an idiot? Hah, forget it. This was just because I felt there had to be a ceremony to witness this; I couldn’t let you wait a month for nothing. So…”

This time, it was Fia who closed her eyes. Like a tsundere young miss, she tilted her chin up slightly and pointed to her right cheek for Nola.

“Don’t you think you should do something too?”

She wants me to kiss her back?

But someone like me… if Fia isn’t allowing me to kiss her, wouldn’t I be… wouldn’t I be taking advantage and making her furious?

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For a moment, Nola was both expectant and worried. She stared at Fia’s fair, smooth cheek. It clearly radiated an infinite allure, yet she didn’t dare commit any act of desecration. She froze on the spot, not knowing what to do.

Until a hint of impatience entered Fia’s tone.

“Just how long are you going to make me wait? You could say that long string of embarrassing words, yet now you’re hesitating.”

Does this mean… what I think it means?

“Then…”

Expectation finally triumphed over worry. Nola took an exceptionally nervous step forward. She leaned in slightly and finally, imitating Fia, stood on her tiptoes and pecked Fia’s right cheek with her trembling lips. However, because of the orchid fragrance belonging to Fia that drifted into her nose, she couldn’t help but linger on Fia’s face for an extra second. As a result, her posture wasn’t stable enough. With her center of gravity shifted forward, she lost her balance and ended up lunging forward toward Fia.

“Whoa!”

The cry rang through the alley, even startling the birds perched in the trees. Fortunately, Fia was much stronger than Nola. She reacted in the nick of time, planting her feet and catching the Nola who had pounced into her arms.

If not for the look of uncertainty and trepidation on Nola’s face, Fia would have thought Nola had intentionally pounced on her while her eyes were closed.

However, the flames on this girl’s ears were too much of a problem; they were about to set the tree overhead on fire. Why did Fire Cats have to have the trait of fire sprouting from their heads whenever they got excited?

Fia could think calmly, but that didn’t mean Nola could. In Nola’s vision, the face of the Fia who was hugging her tight was swallowed by the raging fire on her head, and there was even a scorched smell in the air. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she quickly pushed Fia away.

What have I done!

“Eek!”

She shrieked instantly, but since Fia was holding her waist tight, she couldn’t break free. Thus, she hurriedly covered her ears with both hands, trying to stifle the flames on her head. Fortunately, because fear and panic occupied her brain, the flames on her head quickly receded.

Finally, she could see Fia’s face clearly again.

Looking at the Nola in her arms, who was cautiously covering her ears like a rabbit and peeking up timidly, Fia looked amused.

“Nola, you are indeed very cute like this, but are you still the Nola I know?”

“Leaving that aside, Fia, are you… are you hurt? No, I have to find Claire for treatment right away…”

“Calm down. I’m naturally good with fire; this little flame of yours is ineffective against me. See? Not a single mark left.”

As she spoke, Fia tilted her chin up, revealing her smooth, enticing neck.

Indeed, there were no burn marks on Fia’s skin. Nola’s heart finally settled, and her whole body went limp.

“Phew… It’s good you’re not hurt. If you were hurt because of me, I… I would…”

“Alright, alright. We can talk later. Just how long are you going to stay on me?”

“No, let me hug you for a little longer.”

With her lips murmuring, Nola intentionally pressed her face against Fia’s chest, and the hands wrapping around Fia’s back tightened.

“Are you a child? Where has your sense of shame gone?”

“I don’t want it. I just want to hold you.”

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“…”

She had likely reached the peak of embarrassment, triggering the brain’s protection mechanism to simply forget what a sense of shame was.

Not only that, Fia even heard Nola let out “hiss-hiss” sounds and exclamations of “So fragrant.”

This guy is a pervert.

But in a moment, she’ll be wishing for a hole to crawl into.

Fia’s thought was soon proven true. The bushes not far away moved at a bizarre angle. Then, two figures emerged—first Liti and Milu, followed by Anastasia, Claire, and Erin Slate who had been sitting on the roof. Ever since Fia had sent Tilulu away, she had realized her companions were following her out of curiosity.

“I want Big Sister to hug me too!”

“Home-wrecking cat.”

“Miss Holy Son can also show a childish side…”

“Hehe, it’s about to get lively.”

“Tch.”

A variety of reactions appeared around Fia. Then, the flames on Nola’s head soared into the sky with an even more staggering presence. She hurriedly let go of Fia, looking at the people behind her as if she had seen ghosts approaching. Crimson spread from her cheeks all the way to her neck.

“Y-You… you were here the whole time?!”

This time, it was Fia’s turn to be amused.

“Why aren’t you saying you want me to hug you anymore?”

Nola puffed out her cheeks instantly, looking angry, yet not entirely so.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

“You were the one who pounced on me. I told you to let go, yet you insisted on clinging to me.”

“Hmph… Hmph! I’ll hug whenever I want! Just you wait!”

Despite saying such words, Nola didn’t flee. She looked at the approaching crowd with a heart-pounding expression, her tensed face looking as though she was thinking about how to explain her shameful behavior.

This guy really does have great teasing value. She kept that precious quality until the very end.

Looking at the Nola who seemed to be facing a great enemy, a different sentiment suddenly welled up in Fia’s heart. Perhaps she had made the right decision—at least she had taken the first step on the right path, preventing everyone from showing expressions of sadness and regret.

A month wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. She would try to accept the values of this world and this hard-won affection. This was a bond that belonged to her.

Thinking this, Fia turned to face her companions who were running over, a bitter smile gradually appearing on her face.

Things are about to get busy.