After My Dead Ending

It wasn’t because of Aisa’s mood, but Norma was really in a good mood today. Going to the festival with Lord McFoy was more enjoyable than imagined.

Norma suppressed a hollow laugh. They hadn’t come out to have fun. Lord McFoy was still under threat of life, and Norma couldn’t understand his own excited feelings at such an inappropriate time.

The festival street was amazing. It was full of vitality and liveliness. Just being among the people laughing and chatting loudly gave him a sense of relief. It was comfortable.

And beside him was Lord McFoy. Norma felt at ease when she was by his side. She really was small, surprisingly so.

She only knew a little about ‘Norma Diazi’ and didn’t know how pitiful ‘Norma Diasi’ actually was. So Norma thought that perhaps she was comfortable because she didn’t know.

Furthermore, she was affectionate toward him. She seemed like someone who made an effort to act aggressively toward everyone, but she seemed unaware that she naturally displayed affection.

‘If I say this, you’ll blush and get angry again.’

Just imagining that scene made the corners of Norma’s mouth involuntarily lift, so he had to make an effort to control his expression. Lord McFoy’s forehead barely reached his shoulder, so even a slight upward movement of her chin could give away Norma’s expression.

She often got angry, and she often blushed. Aisa’s constantly changing expressions were intriguing enough to make Norma exert great effort not to burst into laughter in front of her.

Norma thought she was a noble-like person with a rich range of emotions, but after coming to Katam, it turned out not to be exactly the case. Lord McFoy acted more like a noble when dealing with lower-class people. Or rather, she seemed more like a mercenary leader than anyone else.

She had a dignified elegance, but at the same time, she had a very unruly side.

Whenever she interacted with others, she would always slightly furrow her eyebrows and purse her lips. Her villainous expression hardly ever wavered.

She was particularly stingy with laughter. She even said that she never cries.

Norma considered himself to be somewhat perceptive. There was an exception with Igor, but generally, he was good at reading people’s hearts.

So Norma easily noticed it. Lord McFoy, Aisa, was unusually lenient toward him.

“Ah…”

As the thought reached this point, Norma realized the fact that he was feeling really good right now.

It was strange. Calmness, patience, and restraint were the virtues of a paladin, and Norma was skilled at controlling emotions more than anyone else.

Norma had learned that as a knight serving Mehera, he should not let any emotion go to extremes. As someone belonging to the Diazi family and the temple, he had received that teaching throughout his life. In fact, hadn’t he lived most of his life that way?

So it was strange that he was feeling so excited. Norma tried to suppress the excited feeling as a habit. It was not the right time for it. After all, he was currently serving as Lord McFoy’s escort.

However, Norma gave up on suppressing the feeling of bouncing joy when Aisa got irritated over something “too small.” Laughter burst out uncontrollably. Laughing out loud felt incredibly unfamiliar, to the point where his laughter sounded awkward.

Of course, the awkwardness was only temporary. Aisa’s reaction was more dramatic than before.

Norma was engulfed in the impulse to see that expression again. Suddenly, his nanny’s words, which she used to say to him as a habit, came to mind.

‘When the young master was a baby, resembling the mistress, you were the naughtiest troublemaker more than anyone else. I had a hard time with you. I never imagined you would become such a gentle knight. It’s all because you got a younger sibling.’

Norma thought the nanny’s words were exaggerated. However, for a moment, he considered that it could be a fact without exaggeration.

While thinking so, Norma convinced himself that he was truly not in his right mind and surrendered to the impulse. With the single-minded desire to see Aisa’s expression crumble, he opened his mouth.

“Lady Aisa.”

The effect was remarkable. Aisa was greatly taken aback and couldn’t immediately point out his impoliteness.

Norma didn’t give her a chance to address his title. They began walking again before she could recover from the shock.

‘Maybe she doesn’t like being called small.’

The corners of Norma’s mouth involuntarily lifted.

‘Isn’t she adorable?’

Norma didn’t realize that he had a very disrespectful thought about Lord McFoy and walked with light footsteps.

Feeling as if his toes were floating lightly, Norma glanced at Aisa once again. She still held onto his sleeve tightly, walking beside him, her expression still filled with bewilderment. The steam seemed to rise from her forehead, where she had flipped her hood.

Norma liked everything about it. He barely managed to suppress his laughter.

Lord McFoy was affectionate. Her voice was deep and resounding, more courageous than most women. She was even one of the best at swearing that he’d ever seen in his life.

“Oh…”

Then Norma belatedly realized. He hadn’t heard Igor’s voice since earlier.

‘I haven’t heard Igor’s voice while walking through the festival street.’

It could be because he was immersed in the lively and bustling festival atmosphere. Or perhaps all his attention was focused on observing Aisa, who was pushing through the crowd with her petite figure.

***

I hated to admit it was much easier for a tall and well-built man to navigate through the crowd. Thanks to Norma leading the way a half-step ahead, I was able to walk smoothly without bumping into anyone.

Norma firmly heard the amusement in my voice, and after that, he whispered “Lady Aisa” a few more times. Each time, a ticklish sensation spread from my ears, almost driving me to madness.

At first, I should have gotten angry and pointed out his rudeness when he casually called me “Lady Aisa.” However, it was clearly meant as teasing, and I was so taken aback that it didn’t suit me at all. I missed the perfect time to scold him and let the moment pass.

I don’t know how many times it had been now, but I finally managed to regain my composure after Norma called me “Lady Aisa” a few more times, and belatedly retorted, “That’s rude.”

I was aware that I was softening toward Norma. The problem was that Norma had also noticed that I was quite soft toward him and had subtly started behaving cheekily.

With a completely unapologetic face, Norma said, “I’m sorry, Lady Aisa. Ah, I did it again.”

I couldn’t get angry even at his flimsy lies. It was all just me blabbering stupidly, telling him not to make mistakes again.

When that impudent pirate Kano sometimes called me “Aisa” and caused a ruckus, I would harshly draw my sword, but I couldn’t do that with Norma.

First of all, the problem was that voice. It was all because he called my name with that exquisite voice that my face flushed and all that.

Thump thump. I glared at the back of Norma’s head, which was leading a half-step ahead as if my racing heart was caught and held tightly as if I was cornered.

He occasionally looked back like I did to see if I was following him properly. Whenever he turned his head slightly to look at me, I quickly averted my gaze. It would probably be quite obvious if he caught me staring, and my face would flush again.

‘Why is he looking back like that, as if I’m not keeping up properly when I’m holding onto his sleeve?’

With such thoughts in mind, I came up with various excuses whenever Norma looked back.

‘By the way, if he hadn’t shown up, I would have been clinging to the window and crying. I didn’t expect to have this much fun.’

Since earlier, Norma had been strolling through the streets, scrutinizing everything as if it were his first time at a festival. Many things had changed and new things had appeared while he was asleep, so it was fascinating in many ways.

However, despite my efforts, that appearance was not that of a well-behaved child who was experiencing a festival for the first time.

…It was a highly plausible story.

“Is it your first time at the festival?” I couldn’t help but ask, just in case.

“Yes. The festival, and in fact, the market as well. Although I passed through the market while on a mission, it wasn’t a market day.”

“…”

In many ways, Norma was like a delicate flower in a greenhouse.

‘Yeah… You’ve been raised with dignity. Very distinguished. Yes, that makes sense since you were aiming to be the head of the Diazi and pursued leadership. What business could there be for you in a festival enjoyed by commoners and in a marketplace?’

Suddenly, I felt a heavy sense of responsibility weighing on me. Truthfully, I had been contemplating quietly returning to the inn just like this.

‘…Since I’m already out, I might as well explore a little more. Besides, things at the top probably aren’t finished yet.’

I quickly rationalized and confidently spoke up.

“Where else are you curious about? We have time, so let’s go wherever you want.”

And within ten minutes, I regretted those words.

First of all, it felt like flames would ignite beneath my feet, and despite wearing the hood, Norma easily stood out among the crowd. Even if he tried to blend in, people noticed him. Just as there were people who got entangled in his presence even when he stood still, it seemed that Norma was one of them.

“Knight! Mighty knight! Please buy a flower from the Terasa flowers!”

While I momentarily stopped on the roadside to adjust my shoes, Norma was being held captive by a girl selling flowers.

The girl, holding a bouquet of purple flowers, fearlessly grabbed onto the hooded man with her petite frame. Witnessing that scene, I clicked my tongue rather than fixing my shoes. The speed at which I tied my shoelaces increased.

During that time, Norma and the girl exchanged a few laughs and jokes. The girl was shorter than me. She looked up at him from just below, catching a glimpse of his face through the opening of his hood, and her cheeks turned red in an instant.

‘So he stopped because of her face!’

At that moment, Norma, with a radiant smile, looked toward me and pointed at the flowers.

“If you want something, feel free to buy it. I’ll give you some gold coins, so you can use that money to make your purchase.”

I had clearly said that before entering the festival street. It was slightly bothersome that he wasn’t buying anything at all. But now, it seems he finally wants to buy something.

But it’s just a Terasa flower. Terasa flowers are wildflowers that bloom by the riverside and they wilt easily. You could even call them unimpressive flowers.

There was also a saying that if Terasa flowers lasted for a week, it would bring good luck. So, during festivals, there were occasionally sellers who would sell them as a symbol of good luck.

‘Even though it looks like the quality is quite poor? If it were me, I wouldn’t even take it if it were given for free.’

Nevertheless, since it’s my first purchase in life, there’s no need to pour cold water on it. So, I nodded my head.

Norma paid the girl and slightly bent his back to receive the flower bouquet. It was because the girl was small.

“Knight… You’re so beautiful. Someone this beautiful…”

The overwhelmed girl, with a flushed face, murmured as she approached Norma’s face.

“Thank you.”

Norma replied with a smile and expressed his gratitude to the girl.

As soon as Norma received the flower bouquet, the girl impulsively moved her hand. The girl reached towards Norma’s hood.

I somewhat understood the girl’s impulse. It’s natural to feel dizzy when someone holds flowers and smiles at you with such a face.

‘But still, if she tries to take off the hood on her own!’

Startled by the girl’s sudden action, I also reached out my hand, trying to pull Norma towards me. However, my slow reflexes were of no help.