Lucia and Maria Make Up

“Good morning, Lucia.”

“Hey, little lady. What’s for breakfast?”

“Good morning, Sir Celes, Sir Gaius!”

I had been getting ready for breakfast that morning when Sir Celes and Sir Gaius came over. Both of them had taken off their uniform coats, leaving them in just shirts. Even though it was cold, their collars were wide open.

“Aren’t you two cold?” I asked.

“Ah, this? We were just sparring, so I’m actually pretty hot,” Sir Celes sighed. Now that I looked at him closely, I could see that he was covered in sweat.

“You’ll catch a cold if you don’t dry off. Here, this is still clean.” Reaching into my pocket, I took out my handkerchief and handed it to him. He accepted it with an embarrassed smile.

“Thanks. This’ll help.”

“Ooh, you made risotto?” Sir Gaius lifted the lid on the pot, peeking in. He must have been quite hungry.

“Please wait a minute while I get yours.”

“Put lots of bacon in it!” Sir Gaius gave me instructions while still hovering over the pot as I got my ladle. The way he did it was so childlike, I couldn’t help but laugh.

As Sir Celes folded the handkerchief, he noticed a small pot of soup to the side. “What about this?”

“It’s for Miss Maria. She seems to like soup more than porridge, so I thought she might not want risotto.”

“Your soup was great, Lucia. Ah, could I have some more beans?”

“Thank you, Sir Celes. Beans? Okay!”

So he likes beans, huh? I’ll put lots of them in his!

“Hey, Cap’n,” Sir Gaius spoke up. “Lucky you, being the only one to get to wipe off your sweat.”

“What? You wanna use this too?”

“...Oh, you’re so kind. Jerk.”

“I know.”

Listening to the knights arguing behind me, I put spoons in their bowls, which were sprinkled with shredded cheese. “Here you go... Hm? Is something wrong?”

“Nope? Thanks for the handkerchief, Lucia. I’ll wash it and give it back.”

“Oh, feel free to keep it.”

“Really? Thanks.” Sir Celes slipped it into his pocket.

As I scooped out the next bowl, I saw Commander Agliardi coming towards us.

“Is this for His Highness?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m getting it ready right now.”

Commander Agliardi was the one who brought the prince his meals. I looked at the bowl on the tray. Unlike ours, carved from wood, His Highness’s was silver, with beautiful decorations on the edge. I wonder if the prince will like my risotto? He ate the soup I made last night, and that was what I used in the risotto this morning. I was a bit worried, though. I might have put too much cheese or pepper on it. What would I do if he hated it?

“I’ll bring it to him then. Ah, the Sacred Maiden should be here soon. I just saw her.”

“I... I see.”

I don’t know what I should say when I see her... I stirred the risotto mindlessly.

“Morning, Lucia!”

“Ah—”

When I turned towards her bright voice, Miss Maria was standing there with a smile.

“Sunny today, huh? Is that breakfast? Ah, there’s risotto too? Can you put lots of cheese on mine? I love cheese risotto.”

“Miss Maria...” Surprisingly, she was back to normal; smiling as if she had never been down.

“Sorry for worrying you. I’m fine now. I’m gonna do my best.” As I served her portion out, she whispered to me, “I was the one who chose this, after all. Fer gave me a talking to. He said that he understood why I was troubled about it, but that I should try since purifying is my job, not yours. He was right. I took this job, so I should be doing it.”

“I see...”

“This world isn’t mine, but now that I’m here, it’s useless to whine. I’ll work hard for my reward. I’ll do it for my easygoing hottie paradise life!”

How much pain is she hiding behind her cheery voice? I clung to her, unable to bear it.

“Oh, I wish you were a guy!” she exclaimed. “I would’ve given you the glorious position of top husband in my harem.”

“I’m so sorry, Miss Maria. I wasn’t thinking.”

“I wasn’t thinking either. We’re the same. If you wanna apologize, cast Soap on me!”

“Okay! As much as you want!”

“For my whole life — all of you need to take responsibility for what you did to me. In return, I’ll save your world. So you need to stay with me forever, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll stay with you forever!”

Miss Maria is so much stronger and more graceful than I am.

“You aren’t my attendant, you’re my, um...”

“I’m your friend, right?” I said, finished her thought.

“Oh!” As soon as I said the word “friends,” Miss Maria sparkled. “That’s right! You’d better be grateful! You’re my friend!”

“I love you, Miss Maria!”

“Ah, you’re so embarrassing.”

Despite saying that, she smiled at me, blushing bright red.

◆ ◆ ◆

“What are you two doing over there?” Eric threw us an exasperated look while Miss Maria and I reaffirmed our friendship.

“Don’t be like that, kid. It’s hilarious,” Sir Gaius said with a smirk.

“Brother, you shouldn’t be like that... Sir Celestino is frozen.”

“That’s exactly why it’s hilarious!”

At Lord Reynard’s words, I looked at Sir Celes. He did look quite unhappy.

That’s right. He might like Miss Maria. Hm? Why is he acting like that when he should be happy that she’s feeling better? Ah, does he think I’m taking her from him?

I called out to him. “Sir Celes?”

“Fufu, too bad, Celes. I got here first.” Miss Maria boasted to Sir Celes, her hands on her hips. “Serves you right for jilting me!”

“Miss Maria, you’ve got it wrong! Sir Celes—”

“Stay out of it, little lady.” Sir Gaius grabbed me by the shoulders, with Eric chiming in too, “Yeah, you should just stay quiet and watch with this sort of thing.”

“Does it make you mad? It’s your fault for not doing anything sooner! You reap what you sow. Haha! It’s all over when I’m the one telling you what for.” Miss Maria laughed loudly while Sir Celes put his head in his hands.

“Sacred Maiden, you...”

I’m sorry, Sir Celes. Have I become his love-rival? I should bring up all of Sir Celes’s good points to Miss Maria later... Ah, but what should I do if it became mutual? I doubt I could congratulate them any time soon.

“Don’t mind them, Lucia,” Eric spoke up. “Anyway, I came for seconds. Is there any left?”

“Ah, there is, but...”

“Let me clean up,” Lord Reynard said “Have you eaten yet, Miss Lucia? If not, I’ll serve Lord Eric his seconds, so you should eat with my brother and the others.”

“Ah, okay,” I said, relinquishing my ladle to him.

“Hey, don’t put carrots in it! I want lots of potatoes!”

“Shrimp, you’re gonna stay a shrimp if you’re picky like that!”

“Better than being a bear!”

Eric and Sir Gaius were the cheeriest combination. It was strange. When they were together, Eric looked comfortable, and acted his age. It must be one of Sir Gaius’s natural qualities.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you very much.” Taking my bowl from Lord Reynard, I headed towards Sir Gaius and Eric.

“Let’s get eating, then. We’re heading to the border, right? We should get going.”

When I glanced towards Miss Maria and Sir Celes, Sir Celes came right up close to me. “You’re just eating now, too? Then let’s...”

“Luciaaa, eat with me! Okay?”

“You’re always with her, Sacred Maiden.”

“Of course. Lucia is mine! If it bothers you so much, why not try harder?”

They do say that fighting is a sign of getting along, so... Did this mean they were closer now?

Miss Maria seemed to have started acting a bit strange towards Sir Celes since she had recovered, more relaxed. And even Sir Celes seemed to be having more fun.

“Great being popular, huh, little lady?”

I don’t think popular is the right word... I didn’t think I was disliked, but I really didn’t know how he felt about me right now! At a loss, I looked up at Sir Gaius.

“Don’t look so worried. Geez, the Cap’n is being so weak, just after I helped him out last night.”

“Weak...?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just between me and the Cap’n. Forget about those two, c’mon.”

“Lucia, you stay between the bear and I. Ignore the two lovebirds,” Eric jeered.

Lovebirds? It felt like Eric’s words stabbed me. Sir Celes and Miss Maria do look close, don’t they? That was good for Sir Celes, but... No, not being able to support the person I love’s romance would be petty of me. I want Sir Celes to smile. Still, though, it hurt to see them so close right in front of me, so...

“Don’t worry. Their relationship is definitely not what you’re thinking.”

“Huh? No, I’m not...”

“Not like you to scowl like that.”

Sir Gaius poked me in between the eyebrows, and I realized what kind of face I had been making.

“Ah, youth. I miss my wife.”

“Your wife’s a bear too, right?”

“Don’t be stupid, my wife is beautiful. Really strong-willed, though!”

In the end, I ate my breakfast while sitting between Sir Gaius and Eric, while Miss Maria and Sir Celes chatted and ate directly across from me.