Volume 1. Chapter 49

The night quietly wrapped the forest in its embrace, and the stars shimmered like precious gems on the black velvet of the sky. By the campfire, whose crackling broke the stillness of the night, sat Ken and Lily. The fire cast soft flickers of light on their faces, making them appear more alive, warmer.

Ken was lost in thought, staring into the flames. He clenched and unclenched his fists, as if gathering his courage. Lily sat across from him, carefully adding twigs to the fire. She appeared calm, but it was clear her thoughts were far away.

At last, Ken sighed and looked at Lily.

“Lily,” he began softly, trying to catch her gaze.

She raised her eyes, and he felt a flicker of nervousness.

“I’m sorry about the whole flower thing. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m really sorry about how that turned out.” His voice was sincere, laced with regret and a touch of hesitation.

Lily froze for a moment, then gave a gentle nod, still looking at him, but saying nothing. That only pushed Ken further.

“Anyway, sorry...” he added with a small, awkward smile, trying to lighten the mood, but his voice wavered with bitterness. “Lily, you’re amazing... and I’m so weak and useless... I could never be worthy of someone like you… Surely someday, someone worthy will come along — a prince or a noble knight…”

Lily listened silently, not interrupting. Her face was composed, but gradually her cheeks began to flush. When Ken mentioned a prince, her eyes widened, and she suddenly jumped to her feet.

“Enough of that nonsense, Ken!” she exclaimed, her voice sharp with both anger and anxiety. “Where do you get off calling yourself unworthy? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! I don’t know anyone more worthy… If there’s anyone amazing here, it’s YOU!”

Ken was so stunned that he couldn’t find words right away.

“Lily, I” he started, but she cut him off.

“And since when do you think strength is just about fists or magic? Stop belittling yourself! I don’t need any prince, got it?”

Ken blinked, completely caught off guard by her intensity.

“Yeah, okay. Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you… Why are you so worked up?”

But instead of calming down, Lily only grew more fired up. She spoke in a rush, her words filled with emotion, almost tripping over them:

“Maybe you don’t get it. When you tell a girl that you’re not worthy of her, you’re devaluing her feelings too, you know? Or do I not matter to you at all? Don’t you care how I feel?!”

Her last words hit Ken like a wave. He froze, staring at her, trying to understand why she was reacting so strongly. But slowly, the meaning of her words sank in.

“Lily, you matter to me. You matter a lot,” he said firmly and resolutely. His voice was soft but filled with certainty. “In this world, you’re the person closest to me. So your feelings are important to me. I just wanted to apologize again for the misunderstanding with the flower.”

Lily stood still, listening to him.

“I’ll think about what you said, and I’ll make sure I understand it,” Ken continued. “But… if you want someone to truly understand you, you need to speak directly… Okay, Lily, I hear you. There’s no one more important to me here than you. I’ll do my best not to upset you again.”

Her tense expression softened. She was clearly relieved by his words, though she tried not to show it.

“Good,” Lily said, a small smile flickering on her lips. “And think carefully about what I told you. Idiot.”

She turned away, walked a bit from the fire, and began setting up her bedroll. Ken watched her in silence, still reeling from her energy and passion.

“Good night, Ken,” Lily said as she lay down.

“Good night, Lily,” he replied, still trying to process everything that had just happened.

The fire continued to crackle, lighting up their small camp. Each of them lay staring at the stars, lost in their own thoughts.

Ken lay on his back, gazing up at the night sky.

What the hell was that? Does Lily… like me? he wondered, a mix of nervousness and joy bubbling inside him.

Lily, curled up nearby, was also thinking about Ken. She quietly repeated his words to herself: “You matter to me. A lot… You’re the closest person to me in this world.” Her heart filled with warmth from those words, and a smile bloomed on her lips.

How can I drop a hint so he’ll understand? she thought with slight frustration, which quickly turned into tenderness. I can’t just tell him straight out that I don’t need anyone but him. Idiot.

With those thoughts, Lily smiled softly and slowly drifted into sleep.