[IFITAOAMV] Chapter 32

"Here, you’ll have a perfect view of the square," he said.

Just as he described, I could see the rainbow forming around the cascading fountain and the children playing ball nearby, their laughter filling the air.

"It’s so peaceful," I remarked.

"Of course it is. This is the land I protect," Edwin replied. Despite the arrogance in his words, they didn’t come across that way at all. He had the power to back them up.

Even though the people of his territory might fear him as the Dragon of the West, they likely appreciated the safety and peace his presence provided against external threats and monsters.

"That’s true. Thanks to you, everything here is safe and peaceful. I’m sure the people of your land think the same," I added, sharing my honest thoughts. But as soon as I finished, Edwin’s expression turned a little odd—not quite a frown, but not a smile either.

'Did I say something wrong?' My heart sank, and I quickly replayed my words in my head. Before I could figure it out, Edwin suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

"You’re the first person to ever say that to me. It makes my heart tingle," he said.

He usually shivered with excitement when he was in a good mood, but this reaction was different. While it was still unsettling to have him nuzzle his face against me, it felt a bit like the affectionate behaviour of a fluffy puppy, and my tension eased slightly.

Maybe that’s why, without even realising it, I reached out and gently stroked his golden hair, which shimmered brightly in the sunlight. The silky texture wrapped around my fingers, making it hard to pull my hand away. 

But then Edwin suddenly lifted his head, meeting my eyes, and I froze on the spot.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his tone intense.

"I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…" My tongue felt heavy under his piercing gaze, making it difficult to speak.

"No, no. There’s no need to apologise. Keep going," Edwin said as he grabbed my hand and placed it back on his head, guiding it to continue stroking his hair. He closed his eyes, savouring the touch as if he were truly enjoying it.

'What’s going on?' I was confused, but seeing that Edwin was in a good mood, I continued to do as he wanted. The problem was that he didn’t show any sign of stopping, even as time went on.

'My arm’s getting tired. What should I do?' I began thinking of a way to naturally stop when I noticed a cotton candy vendor in the distance.

"Ed, I’d like some cotton candy. Could we go together?" I asked.

"Hmm? Cotton candy?"

Thankfully, it seemed to work as Edwin opened his eyes and looked in the direction I pointed.

"If my bride wants it, then we must go."

He stood up from the bench, and we were just about to head over when Beryl approached and whispered something in Edwin’s ear. Immediately, Edwin sat me back down on the bench.

"Wait here. I’ll go get the cotton candy."

"Is something wrong?"

Edwin hated being apart from me, so if he was willing to leave me alone, it must have been something important. Anxiety gripped my heart.

More than anything, being left alone in an unfamiliar, open space like this was terrifying. Worried that Edwin might leave without me, I quickly grabbed onto his sleeve. He smiled softly at me.

"I’ll be back soon. The knights will keep you safe, so don’t worry," Edwin said, patting my hand to reassure me.

He wasn’t going far—just a few steps away—but for some reason, I felt a deep sense of unease. It reminded me of the feeling I had as a child when I had to be separated from my mother.

'This is because of encountering Raven earlier,' I told myself. Just a few hours ago, Raven had been tracking us. Even if Edwin said he’d dealt with them all, who knew if there were more?

Reluctantly, I let go of Edwin’s sleeve, realising I couldn’t cling to him any longer. He gave me a reassuring smile before heading toward the cotton candy vendor, with Beryl closely following him.

As they walked a bit farther away, Beryl began speaking to Edwin again.

'What could it be? I just hope it has nothing to do with the royal family...'

I watched Edwin nervously when suddenly something rolled up and bumped against my foot. Looking down, I saw a small grey ball.

"Miss, could you please throw the ball back?"

A few boys, likely kept at a distance by the presence of the knights, called out to me. I considered kicking the ball back but worried I might send it flying in the wrong direction, so I picked it up and walked over to them.

The knights didn’t try to stop me, which made me think it was safe enough. I handed the ball to the boy standing in front.

"Here you go."

"Th-thank you," the boy stammered, blushing as he took the ball from me.

I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable he looked, which made him blush even more before he quickly ran back to his friends with the ball. I watched them fondly for a moment, but as I turned around, I suddenly bumped into someone.

"Oh!"

"Are you all right?"

As I lifted my head in response to the polite yet gentle voice, I saw a tall man standing before me, his hood pulled down low over his face.