Episode 41

His half-open green irises were overwhelmed with emotion.

The man who had cleared the dishes and plates effortlessly took a seat beside me.

Gulp. His Adam's apple moved deliberately up and down. Ute Velvet's eyes were tinged with a faint redness beneath.

Strangely enough… he seemed nervous.

'Though not as much as I am!'

I rubbed my clammy hands on my thighs. My shirt had long been sticking uncomfortably to my back.

'Did you notice?'

You must have! I can't take my eyes off you!

I had vowed to conceal my feelings, but it seemed to be an ultimate failure.

How could I? With such a face right before my eyes!

'He won't call the contract off, will he?'

I glanced at Ute Velvet out of the corner of my eye.

I couldn't be too confident, but I played a pretty pivotal role in Ute Velvet's project.

'Yeah. Let's act confidently.'

I didn't commit a crime, and I was planning to tell him someday anyhow.

'It's not like I want to date him or anything.'

I straightened my back and lifted my chin. Just then, Ute's lips parted.

"Well, do you think of me as... a friend?"

"…Yes, huh? A friend?"

His unexpected word choice caught me off guard.

Ute, who had fully turned his body to face me, asked again in a more pronounced tone.

"No, I mean, friends. You think of me as a friend, right?"

"Uh, yes?"

"At first, I wasn't sure. I actually thought Miss Sonnet disliked me."

"What? Why?"

This was more surprising than the friend comment.

'Who could hate an angel?'

What kind of devil would make such a decision?

I firmly denied it, my brows furrowed.

"I don't dislike you, Sir Ute."

Unless he ran off with my entire fortune.

I had no intention of giving all my wealth away, no matter how angelic he was. So there was no reason for me to dislike Ute Velvet.

"I never disliked you in the past, and I won't in the future."

"Of course, I didn't think you genuinely despised or scorned me."

His red lips curled into a smile.

I was completely absorbed in those green eyes.

"But I didn't think you particularly... liked me either."

"…"

"Well, there's no reason to, I suppose. There was no special occasion."

A reason to like an angel…?

I blinked, unable to follow Ute Velvet's pace. For now, the best I could do was not show my bewilderment.

"Even though you said you trusted me, trust and affection are different, right?"

"That's true…"

My trust stemmed from affection, though.

Watching Ute Velvet closely, he didn't seem the type to hurt anyone. He didn't have the knack for brazen lying either.

'He is quick on his feet, though.'

In detail, Ute's acting had many awkward points.

Everyone had been too caught up in the situation to notice. But if you focused on Ute Velvet, you could easily tell.

"At first, our relationship was just about money. That's how it started."

'I didn't look purely at the money, though.'

I nodded reluctantly.

"You grabbed my hand looking at your money, or should I say future money."

"…"

"Owning a home is a worldwide dream. I thought you were helping me just for that reason."

"Helping…? We signed a formal contract."

"Right. We signed a contract. Even shed blood, making it hard to break."

I looked down at my calloused hands.

A contract sealed with a few drops of blood carried a different weight from a regular one.

"But if it was just the contract… there is no reason for you to stay here because of me."

"That's…"

"The main characters went to the palace, and we have nothing to do today. It's a very rare occasion."

"That's true."

"Spending your holiday at work because of someone is quite…."

Instead of continuing, Ute smiled brightly.

It was different from when he examined a patient or dealt with shop employees. It was like sunlight seeping into the corners of his eyes.

"You've always trusted and helped me without expecting anything in return."

"There's no such thing. I've received everything I was owed."

"What you gave me was very important. What I gave wasn't much."

How much bonus money did I receive from him… What was he talking about?

In a world where you could buy titles with money, and he gave me that much money, yet it wasn't much?

Moreover, I didn't recall giving Ute Velvet anything that significant.

Should I break this misunderstanding, or let it slide? I couldn't decide.

"Miss Sonnet never criticized my inexperience."

"Tha—"

"You stayed because you were worried I'd be lonely, right?"

It wasn't out of such a pure heart…!

I stared at Ute without agreeing or disagreeing. His slightly folded eyes appeared more cheerful today.

"Covering my flaws, spending holidays together, and sharing the most time in a day."

"…."

"Usually, this kind of relationship is called friendship."

His sparkling eyes met mine.

The distance between us was extremely close, making it hard for me to make sound judgments.

"Right? We're friends, right?"

…Are we friends?

An angel asked with sparkling eyes, how could I say no?

"Well, uh…"

'Get a grip, Sonnet Posa.'

I bowed my head, trying to block out my nerves. Despite that, Ute Velvet's hands and knees kept flickering in my sight.

'Even though we exchanged contracts and I have somewhat impure intentions.'

Could I really call it friendship, with such impure thoughts?

Wouldn't this angel's friendship be a bit pitiful?

'If we're friends, it's a little…'

I thought of Iris, my only remaining friend.

'Right, we didn't start as friends.'

It began when I helped her, ragged like a fugitive, and introduced her to a job.

Despite her lack of work skills, she was diligent and often spent her days off at the mansion, so we quickly became close.

'Now that I think about it, it is similar.'

Diligence, spending days off together.

'No, no. This friendship would be... different, so...'

Whenever I met Iris, we always did the same things.

Eating, drinking tea, sometimes checking out new stores… wait?

'Those are all things I did with Ute Velvet too.'

Even though it's only been a few months, I've met Ute Velvet more than Iris, who I've known for years.

'Iris rarely goes out, though!'

He's the one I speak the most with after the madam. We sometimes go out together, and now we spend the New Year like this…

I nodded slowly.

"That's right, yes… I guess we're friends."

At that moment, Ute Velvet's face lit up. As if a hundred light bulbs turned on at once.

His eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and then his lips stretched into a long smile.

Then…

"Friend!"

"Whoa."

His long arms wrapped around my shoulders.

Like a toppled domino, Ute Velvet's upper body engulfed me.

So, to rephrase!

'Mom, God, oh my god…'

Ute Velvet hugged me!

My eyes stung with tears. I shut them tightly, recalling the student rules I learned in the academy.

Do not be arrogant, do not belittle yourself, be kind in all things…

Is this the reward for always being kind?

I buried my nose in the chest of the man I liked. If this were my last memory in life, I'd be content.

'Friendship is really… a wonderful thing.'

The fresh herb scent tickled my throat.

Luckily, Ute released his embrace before I actually died.

Then, with a bright smile…

"Sonnet!"

Uh-oh, I'm about to faint…

The beauty's vigor was too damaging to my heart. I gripped my knees tightly, trying not to pass out.

"Sonnet, So, Sonnet…"

"Call me Ute too. Let's speak casually! We're friends, right?"

He's moving too fast.

But I couldn't refuse Ute Velvet, who fluttered his eyelashes with an expectant face.

I licked my lips nervously and opened my mouth.

"U-U-Ute…"

"Yes, Sonnet!"

I want to cry….

Only then did I understand those who cried before the Holy Fire. When you are too happy, tears come out instead.

"I had something I wanted to do when I made a friend!"

"What is it? I mean, what's up?"

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