Chapter 31
✿ “No, I don’t want to.” It’s the same rejection as back then. Confused, Sophina stuttered involuntarily. “Huh? Why-, why?” “I’m not attracted to it.” Ricardo just spoke frankly. Sophina, who had been in conflict chewing her lower lip, responded without being discouraged. “I can’t say this myself, but I think my personality is pretty good? To a friend.” ‘Isn’t this the era of self-PR?’ Sophina worked hard to squeeze out her strengths. “Oh, I like to eat berriesI know how to give advice… and…” She scratched her head and rolled her eyes thinking hard. As Ricardo was holding the ice cream, he put the ice cream back in Sophina’s lips as she was in daze. “Why do you want to be friends with me so much?” Ricardo asks his doubts. Why was Sophina trying to draw and get closer to him? At first, Ricardo thought she was just poking around because she didn’t know where to go… ‘Is that bluebird trying to fool me because of the contract?’ Otherwise, there would be no reason for her to come out like this. Even if you really want to be close, you don’t need to be obsessed with the ‘friend‘ relationship. Wouldn’t it be better if she confessed that she likes me? The beast’s hunch was agile. Ricardo had a strange conviction. Sophina also wants something from him. He spoke with a voice of doubt that he could not hide. “What’s your purpose?” Sophina gently scratched the back of her neck and swallowed dry saliva. Because I never thought that my early life would go smoothly. Since he’s the male protagonist, I wanted to look good on him to avoid the death ending. Surely, I couldn’t give an answer like this, so instead I blatantly laid my bare skin and shifted the blame. “You were nice to me first. I thought it meant we were close to each other…” Ricardo, who couldn’t hear properly, tilted his head. “Well?” “Why did you help me? How many times did you do that?” Sophina didn’t care and said what she had to say. ‘Originally, I was going to ask you secretly when we get closer.’ It wouldn’t hurt to hear that answer now. Then the awkwardness of not knowing something might disappear. Sophina, leaning against the pillar of the stone fountain, hit the floor with her heel. ‘What the heck…’ If it was 4 years ago, I would have been 10 years old. A time when I realized that this was the world in the book. It was strange, but I calmly recalled the past. I remember healing a white cat… Wasn’t this usually a regular comment from Ropan-Male-Lead with a savior narrative? Sophina’s eyes narrowed. ‘But the animal’s paws had pink jelly embedded in them.’ There was no way the lion, a wild beast, could have looked so cute. ‘It was a Persian breed.’ It was a little big cat, and Sophina replied with a slight doubt. “I don’t think so. Probably.” Hearing that answer, Ricardo stared at Sophina intently, as if it was true. Sophina gently blinked her eyes, exuding innocence. She then smacked her lips as if she was about to say something. Although suddenly blocked by Ricardo’s sighing. “It’s done.” Covering his complicated gaze with the back of his hand, he stepped forward. ‘Do you not know the existence of the contract or are you pretending to be?’ Ricardo thought she would know, but he was confused. Because of Sophina’s innocent brown eyes, twinkling as she knew nothing. Meanwhile, she pondered for a moment as she looked at the back of Ricardo, who was receding away from her. ‘What? Should I follow you?’ Eventually, Sophina followed him along. “You walk very fast.” At first glance, Ricardo’s smile deepened and intensified at the affirmation, which was as blind as a puppy. “Then try to make me want to be friends with you, wife.” Sophina’s pupils widened for an instant. The ice cream I was holding slipped down. His eyes narrowed in dismay, and grabbed the ice cream with his natural reflexes. Then he added a few words. “Let’s change the name a little bit.” Sophina also pouted and chewed on the ice cream. I grumbled inside. ‘What? What about that relaxed and unlucky attitude?’ Perhaps because I was rejected twice, I didn’t feel very good. My unidentified spirit of victory was slowly rising! ‘I’m sure you and I will be friends!’ Sophina turned back shyly. At the same time, I pretended to be fine and went into the carriage with power walking. Ricardo looked at her with a sly expression, unwittingly as he watched her clearly understandable behavior. “Are you angry?” The way she shows off her temper looks pretty insignificant and cute, like a cow whose tree fruit was stolen. Realizing it, Ricardo hardened and coughed for nothing. Then he followed her to the carriage, placing a hand on her waist to hide his embarrassment. The eventful outing has finally come to an end. ✿ A week later… Sophina was out in the garden I was working on something related to Roneache flowers. ‘The problem here is that there’s no progress.’ She even secretly commissioned an intelligence agent pretending she was entrusting a watch, but she still didn’t get an answer. They didn’t even contact me to tell me when. ‘Wasn’t they intend to take only my precious commissioned gold and devour it?’ Sophina’s eyes, which were glancing, headed to the flowerbed where the Roneache flowers were planted. Since the odor of the flowers has not disappeared at all, ‘I asked the passing lions, but they all covered their noses.’ She murmured, revealing signs of sullenness without filtration. “Still, this would be the right way.” -Be patient! Just in time, Canus, who appeared, clicked his tongue and nagged her. Sophina listened with one ear and blew through her other ear, and she greeted him. “Huh? Canus, when did you come?” -It’s because I’m so frustrated with what my sister does. There was a small difference in Sophina’s chestnut brown eyes. ‘If I convince him, would he tell me a more certain secret?’ “Cute, cuddly and lovely Canus.” -What, why? Canus responded with full caution. She squinted, not paying any attention. “What should I do?” -Do that more for now. With sincerity and honesty! “Which one?” Canus answered cheerfully. -Compliments! After praising Canus so much that her soul ran away from her body, Sophina was able to solve her questions only after making a few verbal promises. “You told me not to use this ability and plant it? So I left it next to that tree, so why doesn’t it work?” She looked up at the huge tree in the center of the round flower bed. Clyde Tree… This giant tree, which was the only tree on the mansion of Chadwick, had strangely white leaves. Like a pure white cloud. ‘Well, according to many legends, this tree was also born from clouds.’ It wasn’t a tree with divine power. Rather, should I say nature itself? A truly mysterious creature, this tree had miraculous efficacy. The ability to neutralize energy. –Since ancient times, lightning has symbolized destruction and clouds have symbolized harmony. While Sophina glanced around the tree for a moment, Canus started talking lightly as if it was nothing special. –It will take a long time to get rid of that awful energy of ruin and harmonize it with its surroundings. And the explanation ended with a blunt bruise. –Are you stupid? I didn’t know it was this easy. In the end, I just had to wait. Anyway, after my curiosity was solved, I bowed politely with a playful speech. “I’m sorry I didn’t know, smart little snake.” –Ahem. That’s all you need to know, stupid bluebird. The Canus acted arrogant and imitated Sophina’s tone of voice. She shed the little snake out of hate. Canus, who was having a glare fight with Sophina, gave her a hint. –Injecting my sister’s talite may shorten the time. Huh? What does that mean? At that moment, a familiar voice resonated in Sophina’s ears. “What are you two doing?” It was Ricardo.