Chapter 34

Knock, knock, knock. I rapped on the door.

 

“—Who is it? The password….”

 

A coarse, middle-aged man’s voice came from inside.

 

“It’s me.”

 

There was no need for a password. A bell jingled, and once the man appeared, I pulled back my hood. Ben had been eyeing me with mild caution, but the moment he saw my pink hair, his face lit up.

 

“Oh my, the young lady is here!”

 

I gave a short laugh. I knew his past—so I’d tracked him down, picked him up, saved him, and even pulled a few strings when he said he wanted to clean his hands of everything.

 

I’d done the same for other drifters like him, matching them to jobs suited to their talents. I’d provided this shabby building, funded the first steps of their information guild. In the game, he had built it on his own, but helping him wasn’t so bad.

 

Thanks to that, we had a good working relationship. I nodded, satisfied.

 

“Eldan told me. You said you had something to tell me about the lily of the valley. Did you find something?”

 

“Would you come inside first?”

 

I stepped into the building without hesitation. From the outside it looked like an ordinary tavern. The guild members greeted me.

 

Ben prepared a seat and served me a cup of tea.

 

“…You shouldn’t get your hopes up too much.”

 

“Well, I’m used to that.”

 

Ben rubbed his chin for a long while before he finally spoke.

 

“Is it possible the lily of the valley’s habitat… isn’t a mountain?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Then I understood why he’d hesitated. Both he and I had assumed without question that these flowers bloomed in the mountains or on land. And now he was overturning that after five years.

 

“It may not be a flower that grows from the ground. I overheard a merchant say something strange. He didn’t know about a lily of the valley that blooms under a full moon, but he did say he had once seen a beautiful flower on a full-moon night.”

 

“Tell me in detail.”

 

The story was this:

 

A merchant crossing the sea by ship spotted a flower blooming on a reef. When the full moon, hidden behind clouds, came into view, the drooping flower slowly regained strength, and its white petals glowed a soft golden color. The beauty of it was unforgettable.

 

Ben cautiously checked my expression.

 

“Do you think it’s related?”

 

My body trembled.

 

“M-My lady?”

 

“Well done!”

 

I pulled him into a sudden hug.

 

“M-My lady! Please stop hugging just anyone!”

 

The name “full-moon lily of the valley” didn’t mean it bloomed on a full moon. Its buds stayed curled like little bells—that’s where the name came from.

 

The important part was “full moon.” It referred to flowers that showed a peculiar phenomenon only under the full moon.

 

Never in my dreams did I imagine it would grow on a sea reef. I’d only ever obtained one once in the game, and when used to make a potion, it disappeared.

 

The description simply said: “A beautiful flower brought home by an old woman’s husband for her.”

 

“How could I find one while rummaging through mountains instead of the sea?”

 

“Great! This isn’t a mountain expedition anymore—it’s a sea expedition! Tell the others! This sounds right. And track down that merchant—get the exact location!”

 

Ben’s eyes blazed. After five years of chasing the shadow of this flower, he finally had something real. It was only natural he felt fired up.

 

Today, I could go see Evan with good news.

 

 

***

 

 

I walked toward Evan with a bounce in my step. I had to tell him.

 

“Evan!!”

 

I called the moment I opened the door. Evan, as always, lay quietly in bed, looking out the window. That sight, too, wouldn’t last much longer.

 

“Lep?”

 

I practically dove into his arms. The bed shook and Evan tensed in surprise. With awkward but firm arms, he caught me. I lifted my head and beamed.

 

“I’ll have really good news soon!”

 

He asked what it was, but I refused to tell him—just in case something went wrong.

 

“You’re not going to tell me?”

 

“Nope. Wait until then.”

 

I hummed as I dragged a chair over and sat in front of him.

 

“…”

 

When I still didn’t say anything, he frowned slightly, but seeing how cheerful I was, he let it go.

 

“Lep, did you hear the news?”

 

“Hm? What news?”

 

“Will you be going to the Imperial Ball?”

 

He meant the ball held at the imperial palace for Bastien’s birthday. Honestly, I didn’t want to go—but I probably would. Everyone said the ball was really to choose the new crown princess. Made sense: neither Bastien nor Fedeshar had a fiancée. If the Empress herself was the one hosting this Imperial Ball, that said it all. And it was certainly the setup in the game as well.

 

“I’ll probably go. It’s an imperial event.”

 

Even if I refused, my mother would drag me there.

 

“Lep, with me—”

 

“You can’t attend, obviously.”

 

“…”

 

Huh? Did I just… cut him off?

 

I glanced at him—his lips were pressed tight. Then he slowly turned his head toward the window.

 

“…I can’t go.”

 

“Uh? R-Right?”

 

Something felt off. Then it hit me.

 

I’d received invites to balls before—but every time, Evan would tearfully beg me not to leave him alone, and my heart would clench and I’d end up staying.

 

The reason he held on was simple: his body didn’t cooperate, and he was anxious about being left behind.

 

Replaying my words, I realized my tone had sounded like I was declaring, You can’t move, so of course you’re staying here. He must’ve taken it that way.

 

While I silently scolded myself, he muttered in a tiny voice: “…This part isn’t good…”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“Nothing. I’m just sad I can’t be by your side. I don’t know what might happen to you.”

 

He clasped my hand. Then he brushed my hair back and slowly moved closer—his lips inching toward me.

 

“And the thought that others will see you in the dress mother bought you… when I can’t… it’s a shame.”

 

His voice burned with longing, and my eyes widened. Evan, who had been lying so meekly, was now close enough to touch.

 

‘What is this? He sounds like a lover sending me off on a long journey…’

 

No. Absolutely not. I forced my racing heart to calm—‘you’re not the protagonist,’ I muttered to myself.

 

I pushed gently at his chest and acted like nothing was wrong. Maybe it was age, maybe something else, but even familiar gestures felt harder to accept now. I had to keep my distance. Evan wasn’t someone I would keep forever.

 

“It’s just… a shame.”

 

He pouted like a sulky child. The way he snapped his head to the side almost made me laugh. Grown body, older age—but his thoughts were still the same as back then.

 

“Lep, even if handsome men make a move on you, don’t you dare waver.”

 

“No need to worry. You’re the most handsome to me. You think faces like yours are common?”

 

“I’m the most handsome?”

 

He blinked, unsure.

 

…Can I really say this? Won’t it pull us closer…?

 

But those bright, expectant eyes ruined my resolve.

 

“You’re the most handsome to me!”

 

“…Good. That means you’re not going anywhere.”

 

He seemed satisfied, though he kept fiddling with my hand like he didn’t want to let go. He made me promise—firmly—that I wouldn’t look at anyone else or dance with anyone. He even made me pinky-swear and stamp my palm.

 

“People have eyes. Why would they be interested in me? And they know exactly who my fiancé is.”

 

“…”

 

I waved a hand, swearing it would never happen. Evan still looked uneasy, but I was confident.

 

“Oh, right. How are things with Elena these days?”

 

“…”

 

 

***

 

 

“Did he really have to get that angry…?”

 

I rubbed my temples. Evan’s recent attitude was confusing. I recalled our conversation.

 

“Lep, why do you keep bringing up Physician Elena? It’s like you want me to get close to her. Do you not like me?”

 

“No!!”

 

I screamed in shock at Evan’s words. I like Evan. That fact hasn’t changed. But that’s purely the feeling of him being my favorite character.

 

That was why I’d panicked when marriage came up. Imagining romance was fun—but letting it become real? No thanks.

 

Because then it would end.

 

Clear boundaries were better—for both of us.

 

“Could it be Elena is on another route?”

 

I recalled the original game.

 

<Grow Love> progressed differently depending on which character you pursued. If you pursued Bastien, the heroine met him as a palace maid at the imperial ball. She’d taken the job to earn money because her grandmother was sick.

 

“But Elena’s grandmother is being cared for by Perio. She has no reason to go. And she’s not short on money.”

 

I shook my head. Assuming Elena had somehow met Bastien just because Evan was acting strange was absurd.

 

Evan wasn’t on a normal route, but the one with the highest affection from Elena right now… was definitely Evan.