Chapter 8
As I watched the rain pour endlessly from the sky, a sad memory resurfaced.
My nose stung, and my eyes burned.
People being swept away by violent torrents of water—and the accusations hurled at me—came back to life once more.
It’s okay. This time, it’ll be fine.
Even when I steeled my heart and forced my eyes open wide, it wasn’t easy to shake off.
The scars were etched deep into my chest; the more I tried to forget, the clearer they became. My fingertips began to tremble.
This time is completely different! I’ve met the Duke of Elpheus, and Tirier is right here with me. I can change things!
Without realizing it, I tightly squeezed Tirier’s hand and shut my eyes.
“…Hey. You.”
“Huh—y-yeah…?”
My eyes widened at the hand I was gripping. At some point, he had stopped crying, and his calm gaze was fixed on me.
The clouds that once hung over his eyes were gone, replaced by eyes as blue as a clear sky.
“W-Why… why are you holding my hand…?”
“Ah! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—I just… Are you done crying now?”
I quickly let go of his hand and laughed awkwardly.
Tirier stared silently at the hand I had been holding.
The rain that had been pounding down fiercely began to weaken, growing thinner and thinner. Soon, the noisy sound of rainfall faded away.
The scattered clouds were pushed aside by a gust of wind, and a blue sky peeked through.
“…What are you, anyway?”
“You said you weren’t interested.”
Tirier frowned.
I brushed off my clothes, stood up, and held out my hand.
“I’m Ariel. The daughter of the Sea God.”
“…The Sea God’s daughter?”
“I came to protect you and the Duke. Nice to meet you.”
“Protect me?”
He blinked as he looked at my outstretched hand.
Before long, his pale face flushed pink like a peach.
“D-Don’t be ridiculous! I can protect myself!”
Tirier raised his arm to cover his face and immediately ran toward the manor.
I stood beneath the tree, my hand still extended, watching his retreating back.
“It’s okay. Even if you don’t take Ariel’s hand, no one saw.”
I pulled my hand back and scratched my head sheepishly.
“But… did I just make it rain?”
Oh my gosh! Did I awaken my powers?!
I covered my mouth with both hands and bounced on my feet.
Just like the spirits said, if this keeps up, I’ll really get strong fast.
“Tirier! Thank you!”
I ran after him in the direction he’d gone.
Tirier rushed into the annex, flustered by Ariel chasing after him.
He slammed the door shut and tried to catch his breath, but the redness on his face refused to fade.
“Huff… huff… What was that all about?”
He panted heavily.
That girl, who had appeared out of nowhere, had completely thrown him off balance.
“From now on, don’t cry alone.”
At those words, as if enchanted, he had ended up crying freely, without holding back.
The girl who introduced herself as Ariel comforted him, yet she seemed to be suppressing her own sadness.
“She looks kind of stupid.”
…Did she really look stupid?
Even in the rain, her blue hair had shimmered.
The moment he met her golden eyes, like melted sunlight, his chest had grown warm.
Her tightly pressed lips, puffed cheeks, and the small hand that had held his so firmly.
“I came to protect you and the Duke. Nice to meet you.”
Her smiling face, holding out her hand, floated back into his mind.
Well… maybe she was a little cute.
Smack!
Tirier slapped his own cheeks and shook his head.
“What am I thinking?!”
She was just a little brat—who did she think she was, saying she’d protect someone?
But what bothered him even more was that, strangely, her words felt trustworthy.
Rain had poured down at her words, yet not a single drop had fallen on his head.
Could she really be the Sea God’s daughter?
Tirier found himself preoccupied with Ariel’s sudden appearance.
After his mother died, Tirier had never let anyone see him cry.
Whenever it rained, he would go alone to the tree where he used to spend time with his mother and quietly weep.
He knew how saddened the people of the ducal estate were, and he didn’t want to worry them even more.
Tirier had a father who took care of him—but his father had no one.
After his mother’s death, darkness had settled over his father’s face, and he had chosen isolation.
So Tirier tried to manage his emotions alone, determined not to become a burden until his father recovered.
He read books every day, trained relentlessly, and wished to help his father as soon as possible.
But Tirier was only six years old.
At a single word and the touch of that small hand, the sorrow he had piled up for so long seemed to melt away.
He felt embarrassed, as if someone had discovered his secret, yet at the same time, his heart felt lighter.
“She’s not going to tell anyone… right?”
A flicker of anxiety passed through him.
“…If she really is the Sea God’s daughter, does that mean she’ll be staying here?”
“Oh my! Lord Tirier!”
Bippy, coming down the stairs, spotted him and cried out. Seeing water dripping from his body, her face turned pale.
“My goodness, you’ll catch a cold! Please wait just a moment.”
“I won’t catch a cold from this.”
Tirier replied flatly.
Bippy hurried over with a towel and gently dried his hair.
Wrapping a large towel around his body, she began to scold him.
“Of course you will! When you get wet in the rain, your body temperature drops, and children are weak—it can take days to recover. I told you that!”
“Maybe for children, but not for me.”
Children?
Tirier turned his head toward the door. That foolish girl had been running after him, hadn’t she?
“Why do you ask?”
“…If someone’s a child, would they catch a really bad cold?”
“Of course! That’s why you need to get into warm water and heat yourself up right away.”
Bippy quickly led Tirier toward the bathroom.
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
Tirier hesitated, glancing back toward the door.
He wouldn’t catch a cold so easily. He wasn’t a child like Bippy said.
“I’m not a child—ah-choo!”
“See?! I can’t believe this. I’m going to get scolded by His Grace. Hurry up and get in.”
“…No, I was just—ah-choo!”
Bippy urged him along. Tirier kept looking back at the door, his steps reluctant.
If even I’m coughing like this, will that little brat be okay?
“I’m sorry.”
I was getting scolded.
While soaking wet, I’d ridden a water droplet back through the window—only to run straight into a maid who was looking for me.
“G-Good heavens! Lady Ariel!”
The maid shouted, her face going pale. Soon, Kishan came running, and there I was, still perched on a water droplet, smiling awkwardly.
“Hehe.”
“Don’t laugh! From now on, absolutely no riding water droplets out the window!”
“…There are too many things forbidden.”
“It’s dangerous! My heart nearly stopped!”
“…I’m sorry.”
Water droplets aren’t dangerous, but I guess they look that way to people.
I glanced nervously at the maid.
Kishan brushed his hair back, closed the window, and approached me.
“Lady Ariel, did something happen outside?”
“No. It was just raining a lot, so I went out to play with the spirits.”
“Nothing else happened? You didn’t meet anyone, perhaps?”
“…No.”
Mm. I shouldn’t mention meeting Tirier.
It kind of feels like we have a secret just between us!
I heard that secrets are something you share with close people.
Does that mean Tirier and I have become close?
Thump, thump.
Maybe this time, I can make a really good friend.
“I heard Lord Tirier also came back completely soaked from the rain… Perhaps he caught a cold.”
“Tirier caught a cold?! What, he’s so weak!”
See? He’s definitely a frail kid I need to protect.
“Were you with Lord Tirier?”
“…Huh? N-no.”
