The World Has Become Kinder to Her

“It was pointless after all,” Theodore muttered as he pushed the communication orb aside. With both Frederick and Kenneth present at the Marquis’s estate, he wasn’t particularly worried. However, the moment Lotus stepped outside, every detail of her movements was being reported to him through his powers. Even so, he had answered the call because it could have been an urgent matter concerning her.

“When the flow of work gets interrupted, it’s irritating,” he added.

「How about taking a break for now, Theo?」 

“Theodore. No further,” he replied firmly.

「I’m your contractor, remember? The only one in this world.」

The Spirit King of Water, Salia, blinked her translucent, water-like blue hair as she spoke. Her ethereal beauty, combined with a sorrowful expression, could have easily persuaded any man to grant her wishes. Yet, Theodore’s attention had already drifted away from her.

「Tch, so harsh. You won’t even let me use a nickname.」

Despite Salia’s complaints, Theodore put on sterilized gloves and a mask and stepped into a storage room. It was a space where herbs and materials that could be used for medicinal purposes were carefully organized.

「Are you making medicine for that magician?」

“I don’t have time for such trivial matters.”

「So it’s for that woman?」

“Lotus isn’t the type to overindulge in food or push herself too hard, and Kenneth wouldn’t force her to eat too much, but there’s always a chance. If she hasn’t been eating properly and suddenly consumes unfamiliar food, it could cause some adverse effects. I’m sure she could handle it on her own, but it wouldn’t hurt to make a digestive aid and some stomach medicine just in case. You or Frederick can deliver it.”

「I’m not a delivery girl!」

“You and Frederick are the most efficient when it comes to moving around.”

「Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency! That’s all you care about!」

Theodore continued picking out ingredients for the medicine, even as he responded to Salia’s complaints.

“Not everything is efficient. What I’m doing now is a bit inefficient as well.”

But when it came to Lotus, he had resolved to leave no possibility unexplored. Losing her once was enough. The first time had been a mistake; the second would be tantamount to willful negligence.

「You said you don’t love her, didn’t you?」

“…Yes. I’m merely obsessed.”

Salia frowned as she watched Theodore admit that his feelings were more obsession than love. Contracting with a Spirit King usually signified an extraordinary human, but this man was uniquely strange—cold, rational, and paradoxical.

「How is your obsession different from love?」

“Love is often described as an uncontrollable madness. But obsession is…”

*…a desire that can be controlled.*

His voice was calm, and his purple eyes seemed to sink into a depth that made it impossible to discern his thoughts. Salia clicked her tongue softly.

「I contracted with a human I’ll never fully understand. Will I ever comprehend you?」

“That’s not something I can answer.”

「Aren’t you supposed to be the all-knowing sage?」

“I don’t think anyone can truly understand a human who doesn’t understand themselves. But you’re not human, so perhaps you might manage.”

「I don’t understand why people call you the smartest human alive!」

Salia’s voice rose in frustration, and the air around her grew slightly sharp, reflecting her irritation.

“Put simply, it means there are a lot of fools in this world.”

Theodore replied with a nonchalant tone as he gathered the ingredients and made his way to his private lab, where he could mix the medicine. Salia, exasperated, sighed and followed him with light, graceful steps.

***

The thick slices of beef were incredibly tender, and the lamb dish had a unique blend of spices and flavors. Despite only taking small bites of each dish, Lotus already felt full—her shrunken appetite making it difficult to eat much more.

Before anything could go wrong with her stomach, Lotus placed her spoon and fork down. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t eat anymore.”

“That’s quite alright. Did the food suit your tastes?”

“Yes, the meat was tender, so it was easier to eat than I expected.”

“May I ask which dish you enjoyed the most?”

“Hm, you might be disappointed, but… the strawberry sherbet,” Lotus admitted with a smile.

She had wanted to give higher praise to the main courses, but her favorite ended up being the strawberry sherbet served for dessert. The combination of sweetness, tartness, and coldness was perfect. While she had only taken small bites of the other dishes, she had devoured the sherbet entirely.

*How contradictory humans are,* she thought. *I’d resolved to starve myself, but…*

Once the food was in front of her, she ended up eating. Lotus wasn’t sure whether to commend or scold her body’s survival instincts.

“You seem to like sweet things?” Kenneth observed.

“No, I actually dislike overly sweet foods.”

Kenneth, who was staring intently at the empty sherbet dish as if to remember it for future reference, looked so cute to Lotus that she couldn’t help but chuckle.

*He’s like a big puppy with a gentle expression,* she thought with amusement, though she knew it might be a bit impolite.

Originally, Lotus had intended to pay for the meal herself. After all, she was making the Empire’s greatest swordsman, a hero of the battlefield, act as her mere escort, so treating him to lunch felt like the least she could do. However, Kenneth was surprisingly insistent.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d allow me a bit more room to show off.”

“Pardon?”

“Opportunities to spend time like this with a lady such as yourself are rare. I would be grateful if you’d let me take the chance to make an impression.”

Lotus had met many men in her past, but Kenneth was the first to so openly and honestly express his thoughts, even with such polite formality. Before she knew it, the opportunity to pay had been snatched away from her.

“You have a way with words, despite sounding so blunt,” Lotus noted.

“Do I?”

“It’s… somewhat annoying. It’s a different kind of annoyance compared to Frederick or Theodore, though.”

Lotus muttered the words in a slightly sulky tone, which only made her appear more endearing in Kenneth’s eyes. He couldn’t help but wonder in all seriousness, *Is there ever a time when you aren’t lovable?*

After finishing their meal, the two strolled at a leisurely pace until they reached a bookstore located slightly away from the bustling city center. Upon entering and seeing the rows upon rows of books, Lotus’s green eyes lit up with a rare spark of energy.

“As expected, I love books the most.”

“This is the most lively I’ve seen you, my lady. I suppose I owe the books my gratitude.”

“For now, let’s see if they have what I’m looking for.”

Lotus approached the shopkeeper and inquired about the titles Theodore had recommended: *The Heroic Chronicles of the Continent of Armenia*, *The Emergence of the Gods*, and *The Power of Faith*.

“We have *The Heroic Chronicles of the Continent of Armenia* and *The Power of Faith* in stock, but *The Emergence of the Gods* is unavailable.”

“If I place an order now, would it take long to obtain a copy?”

“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be easy to find, even if you tried. Not just at our bookstore, but in most others as well.”

“Was there an issue with its publication or distribution?”

“I haven’t read it myself, but I’ve heard that the contents are quite revolutionary and even dangerous. When it was first published, it faced strong opposition from the temples, and only a few dozen copies were distributed before circulation was halted. Most of those copies were bought by the temples themselves for the purpose of burning them. It’s said to be very hard to come by.”

Lotus blinked at the shopkeeper’s explanation. 

*Ah, now I understand.* It finally made sense why Theodore had been so thoughtful as to include a particular line at the end of his letter:  

*“If you find yourself interested but unable to acquire it in the market, let me know. I’ll have one of my servants lend you a copy.”*

“You… you bastard!” Lotus exclaimed, her shoulders trembling with frustration.

The shopkeeper and even Kenneth, who had been browsing nearby, looked over at her in shock.

Theodore William, that insufferable man, had known everything from the start when he wrote that letter. He had anticipated that she wouldn’t be able to easily find the book, that her curiosity would only grow during the process of trying to acquire it, and that she would want it all the more because of that.

*Now I have no choice but to reply to him, whether I manage to get the book or not!*

In short, if she couldn’t write a reply at the level of that letter, it would be impossible to even begin testing him. Look at her now—she was placed in a situation where she would almost certainly send a reply to him, yet she had no clue whether Theodore had also experienced regression. 

The Theodore she knew from the past was just as mischievous and vindictive, capable of playing such tricks on strangers even when meeting them for the first time. So, simply based on the content of the letter, it was hard to conclude that he had returned from the future.

“Is something wrong?” Kenneth asked, sensing her frustration.

“I’ve just been outwitted while sitting still,” Lotus muttered, her voice heavy with defeat. Kenneth, after hearing the bookstore owner’s explanation, guided Lotus to a quiet corner and offered an alternative.

“If the Imperial Library has a copy, you might be able to find it there.”

“The Imperial Library…”

“Yes. While I may not be fully informed, I do know that it’s standard procedure for three copies of every book published in the Empire to be sent to the Imperial Library. Additionally, they usually purchase at least two copies of most books from other countries.”

“I’m aware of that, but the Imperial Library isn’t exactly easy to access.”

“But I am with you,” Kenneth said with a small smile.

As the Commander of the First Knights, Kenneth naturally had an access pass to the Imperial Library.

“I’ve heard that books from the Imperial Library cannot be checked out.”

“True, as a rule. But if it’s something you really want, I’ll find a way to borrow it.”

“I feel like I’m imposing on you,” Lotus said hesitantly.

“I don’t see it that way at all. However, if you feel uncomfortable, perhaps you could grant me one small favor.”

“What would that be?”

“Allow me to stay at the Marquis of Estelle’s estate for a while longer.”

“That’s not something I can approve—it’s the Marquis’s authority, after all.”

“Convincing the Marquis won’t be difficult, but I wouldn’t want you to be upset with me.”

It was an odd and amusing situation: Kenneth didn’t care about the opinion of the Marquis but seemed to care greatly about the feelings of the half-blood noblewoman. Feeling the subtle warmth of his thoughtfulness, Lotus replied with a smile.

“I’ve never truly hated you, or Lord Abran either.”

Though their methods might not have been perfect, they were still the ones who looked out for her the most.

As she tapped her fingertips on the back of her hand, where Frederick’s shield spell had been cast, Lotus shifted the topic. “By the way, do you get the feeling that Lord William may have anticipated this entire situation?”

***

「By the way, Theodore, when do you think she’ll send you a reply?」

Salia, the Spirit King of Water, whose waters were special despite their ordinary appearance, helped Theodore as he prepared medicinal herbs. She seemed genuinely curious.

“It will take some time. The books I mentioned are full of complex modifiers and twisted sentences, which make them difficult to read.”

「Didn’t you say one of the books was hard to find? Won’t she have to ask you to borrow it?」

“Frederick, Kenneth, the Marquis, and even Lady Estelle herself all have access to the Imperial Library, so there are other ways for her to find it.”

「Oh? So you’ve left other paths open? That’s unusual for you.」

“I’m not sure what you consider typical of me, but this isn’t a life-or-death game. If anything, it will give Lotus a bit of energy, even if it stirs her up a little.”

「You mean by making her angry?」

“I don’t think it’ll come to that,” Theodore said, shaking his head.

Salia silently resolved that if she ever met Lotus, she would ask her exactly how that letter made her feel.