CHAPTER XL: CONFUSION

"Seeing your eyes now, you don't believe, am I right?"

Zeke snapped from his thoughts, and lowered his gazed on the ground. Though, he was able to nod as his response.

"I am quiet expecting that. No one would ever believe to them, nowadays. Even me, I haven't seen any fairy." Beatrice calmly replied and smiled while glancing to the wide flower field.

"But you know, not because you don't see them, doesn't mean that they aren't there." She continued.

"—not because you don't see them, doesn't mean that they aren't there."

He lifted his head, who was looking at the ground, and glanced to the woman.

The woman, who said the same thing with her mother, calmly smiled on the flower field. The wind was softly waving to them that the petals gently whirled around her. It was like the fairies celebrating their princess' arrival.

But he abruptly averted his gaze on the lady, then, decided to pick up a flower. He approached her, and put the blue flower on her ears. It was a blue anemone.

"Thank you, Rose. I will treasure it. Anyway, shall we head to the market now?"

As he didn't understand what he was doing at the time, he just nodded and go ahead to act as the guide.

"Why did I pick up that flower and personally put it to her?" An unknown turmoil was building up inside of him.

****-------****

The market was still lively today. They walked side by side to each other. He suggested that the lady wore an inconspicuous attire. It will be easy for them to walk in the market with ordinary appearance, but the lady was still need to wear cloak to cover her head. Her silver hair was too rare in the commoner's life.

"Nope, I should focus at looking for Marielle's present. No food."

Nevertheless, they both wore hooded cloak to ensure their identity that not leaking out.

"...?"

"I am sorry. Let's continue to our real agenda." She firmly said.

Rose just tilted his head in a confused manner. So, he turned his glance to where the lady was looking at a while ago. It was a barbeque stand.

"So she's mumbling to herself again."

"Did she just wanted to it eat barbeque?"

"Then, why not she just ordered me to buy it for her?"

While looking at the lady from behind, his thought wondered. "Don't tell me that she was really serious on prioritizing a gift for her servant?"

Truth to be told, even with the original plan made by her, whom she promised to him that they will only focus on the gift for her maid, he felt contrast. He was expecting that the lady was only making excuse to leisurely go to the market. He never thought the sincerity of the lady to prioritize her maid was true.

"Ah!"

He stopped walking when she outburst with her high pitch tone. "Did she forgot something?"

"Anyway, Rose. Wait. I forgot something."

"I know—" Rose was flustered in his thoughts for a moment. He can't believe what was happened. He never expected that he was already fully aware of the lady, whom he should not. What's with that "I know?"

"Give me your hand."

He, who was lost in thought, was still able to held his hand out as she asked for.

"Fu fu fu. There."

It was a small gray notebook with attached charcoaled pencil. He looked at her sternly. "Just what is this for?"

"It is a handmade. I hope that it is to your likings. Of course, you can't write on the ground all the time so just to communicate with me. Then, I thought of making this. It is made from my papers. It is easy to create, and just so you know, I really have fun doing it for you. I hope you like it" She happily explained in a roundabout way with warm cheeks.

"What? Handmade? Is the lady Beatrice capable of creating such as this? It was like... just who are you?"

"Do you like it?" She asked jubilantly.

He just nodded. It was like an obligatory response, but Beatrice did not seem to notice it.

"I am glad." Beatrice exhilaratingly responded. Then, out of her joyful acts, she was about to hold his hand, but stopped midway. He noticed the actions of the lady, and his eyes turned in deep again.

"..."

"So are we near to the craftsman's place?"

He opened the notebook, and started to scribble on to it.

[We're near. We will turn left from that street.] He then pointed to the place.

****-------****

"Good afternoon, Customer! May I know what you are looking for?" The merchant asked.

"I am looking for a birthday present for a lady. What can you suggest? To inform you, I would like only the best." Beatrice replied sternly.

Rose keenly observed them in a distant as he could not establish a proper communication, but he did not turn away his sight from the lady.

The lady and the merchant started their business. The merchant suggested the lady a hair ornament as a gift, which the latter happily accepted it. The merchant was good at his job. He knows the right ingredients to offer with his customer.

"Yes, please. Please come this way, Your Grace."

"Thank you."

The lady glanced to him before proceeding to the rack of hair ornaments. Then, she smiled warmly to him and started to talk to the merchant again.

Flinch.

"..."

****-------****

They had finished their agenda on buying the present for the maid earlier than they expected. The warm smile of the lady gave off a while ago at the store was still vividly on his mind. For an unknown reason, his chest felt tightened. "Just what on earth is this?"

The lady, who was in front of her hugging the maid's gift, was so happy.

[Let me handle it, My Lady.]

He offered his hand to her.

"Yes, thank you, Rose." She gently handed it to him.

He put it in the cloth bag and tied it to his waist. [Shall we go back now?]

It was already at 3:00 in the afternoon so it was natural that the people in the market surged tremendously.

"Yes, let's go back." The lady replied jubilantly and went forward leaving him behind. She did not notice the different gaze given to him.

"Let's find it here and now." He mumbled.