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Chapter 32

The air suddenly turned cold.
Dale regarded the Fortune Teller with an inscrutable gaze—the kind one might use when searching for ‌‌‌‌the most suspicious and dangerous person in the world.
His brows furrowed slightly.
It was the most displeased expression I had ever seen on his face.
"Dale?"
"...It is rather peculiar, I must admit."
Dale looked at me and spoke with utmost seriousness.
"It wouldn't be entirely unwise to have a reading done."
"That's ‌‌‌right. Come now, you handsome young man and lovely lady. Sit down here. I read fortunes with remarkable skill, you know."
The Fortune Teller spoke while twirling her hair.
"Especially you, young man—something tells me you'll do wonderfully. Your features are so auspicious, as if your life is destined to bloom. Your face is absolutely radiant."
At her words, Dale's expression hardened.
'This Fortune Teller is... ah, I see.'
She was utterly smitten.
I adored Dale's face immensely ‌‌‌‌myself, but this Fortune Teller seemed even more besotted.
I needed to protect Dale. ‌‌
"He's my husband."
"That's ‌‌‌‌not quite what I meant. Though it seems this young man is taking it well."
The Fortune ‌‌Teller glanced at Dale and smiled slyly.
"So then, handsome young man—what would you like to know?"
"..."
Dale remained silent, regarding the Fortune Teller steadily.
"Dale? What's wrong?"
"..."
"Are you displeased? Should we leave?"
As I whispered and began to rise, Dale shook his head.
"...Compatibility."
"Dale, I can't hear you."
Dale looked at the Fortune Teller and spoke.
"Compatibility. The fortune of a married couple."
His face flushed crimson. Dale pretended he hadn't said anything, propped his chin up, and turned his head away.
"Dale, but why are you speaking ‌‌so casually?"
"...!"
"Even if you're displeased, that's hardly proper manners."
I whispered softly to him. Realizing his mistake, Dale narrowed his eyes and spoke again.
"I'd like ‌you to read our compatibility."
"This bachelor seems quite shy, doesn't he? His wife will have a hard ‌‌time. Go on, pick some cards!"
We selected several cards from the ones the Fortune Teller spread out before us.
"Hmm. I see..."
"What is it? Is it bad?"
The Fortune Teller's unusual tone made me tense up as well.
"No!"
Then the excited Fortune Teller cried out.
"You two are absolutely heavenly soulmates!"
"Really?"
Us? Why?
Bewildered, I applauded anyway.
"So ‌‌‌‌Dale and I are truly the perfect couple?"
"Of course! Miss Dracil has never ‌‌been wrong!"
"Who is that?"
"Ah! Did you two young ‌‌‌people not even see the sign before coming in? That's me."
The Fortune Teller declared confidently.
"I've been reading people's compatibility here for a long time, and you two are ‌‌the best match I've ever seen." ‌‌‌
"Did you hear ‌‌that? She says we're the best. Dale."
I turned my head to speak to Dale.
Dale's face ‌‌‌‌‌had turned bright red, and he sat frozen in place like a person pickled ‌‌and ‌‌hardened in strawberry jam. ‌‌‌
With wide eyes, Dale stared intently at the cards.
"But... I don't see the connection between you as an actual married couple yet?"
The Fortune Teller tilted her head.
"The cards show you haven't married yet. Are you really a couple? That's what I'm thinking."
Whoosh.
The Fortune Teller flipped over another card.
"It looks like you two ran away together. The connection hasn't formed yet!"
"...!"
"I don't see the ‌‌connection ‌‌‌‌being established. Was there opposition from your families? A tragic love story? It's not really my concern, but I'm curious."
The Fortune Teller giggled and waved her hand.
"Well then, pretty sister and brother, you should pay for ‌‌the reading, yes?"
"Before that."
Dale pulled out money and looked at the Fortune Teller quietly.
"Could ‌‌‌you answer one more question?"
"Dale. You used informal speech again."
"...Could you answer one more question, please?"
"Stop it now. If you start spending money on divinations, there's no end to it."
I whispered so only he could hear.
From what I could see, Dale seemed completely enchanted ‌‌‌‌by divination for the first time in his life.
"You should only view these things for entertainment."
"No, miss. I'm quite accurate. I'm not like those other charlatans. Handsome brother, ‌‌what ‌‌would you like to know?"
Dale regarded the Fortune Teller with a measured expression before extending his ‌‌‌‌hand.
"Please provide me with more of your disguise potion. I'll pay double."
For a moment, the Fortune Teller's eyes widened in surprise.
"I sense a peculiar aura about ‌‌you."

* * *

"How did you know that person was in disguise?"
I stuffed the magical potions I'd managed to acquire thanks to Dale ‌into my ‌‌‌bag. The potions were difficult to obtain, so it was quite the bargain.
Dale took my bag from me and answered casually.
"As the potion's effects were ‌‌wearing off, I caught a glimpse of his original face for a moment."
"I see... Dale, you're quite perceptive."
It was remarkable how he'd discerned so much with such keen observation in such a short time.
"But why did you ask for the disguise potion? You don't need it."
"Because it's something you need."
"You bought it for me?"
"I thought you might want ‌‌‌‌it."
He nodded without denying that he'd bought it for me.
Dale was truly kind and affectionate.
That's right—I had something to give Dale too!
"Wait a moment, Dale. May I have my bag back?"
I retrieved an ‌‌item I'd been carrying in my bag. It was a long, rigid box.
"This is a gift for you, Dale."
"...For me?"
Dale stared at me with an astonished, dazed expression, clearly not expecting a gift.
Even with that vacant look on his face, Dale didn't appear foolish—he looked endearing.
"Why so suddenly... and on no special occasion? Are you sure I can accept it?"
Dale seemed flustered.
"Of course you ‌‌‌‌can accept it. ‌‌‌‌It's a gift I prepared especially for you."
As Dale slowly opened the box lid, his eyes widened in proportion to his movements.
In his hands lay a silver ornament that draped elegantly—a necklace.
"...Is ‌this for me?"
His innocent question made me laugh.
"It's yours, Dale. I bought it because I wanted to give it to you—it's something for you."
"..."
Dale ‌‌put on the necklace ‌‌‌‌with a flushed face. He gazed at me with evident joy.
"It suits me wonderfully!"
I gave him a thumbs up, and ‌‌‌Dale broke into a bright smile.
"But I have nothing to give to Enya...."
Dale glanced around before pointing toward the Jewelry Shop.
"Wouldn't it be better to go there now?"
"Gifts aren't supposed to be equal exchanges. That wouldn't make them gifts at all."
"However...."
"If it pleases Dale, that's enough for me. What do you think? Does it please you?"
"I feel...."
Dale's voice dropped low as he finally broke into a deep smile.
"Absolutely delighted."
Dale ran his fingers along his neck, toying with the necklace.
"If it were possible, I'd want to have it permanently affixed."
"Haha, Dale and his jokes." ‌‌
"I'm serious."
"When you say it ‌‌‌‌‌so earnestly, it actually sounds ‌true~"
Dale had a habit of making darkly humorous remarks sometimes. Yet seeing how much ‌‌‌‌he enjoyed it ‌‌made me happy as well.
"I asked the Alchemist to craft it. I requested a necklace made from a gemstone that brings ‌‌good fortune."
Dale had once mentioned in passing that he thought it was a ‌‌‌gift.
It was probably just a casual remark, but it bothered me.
At that moment, Dale had looked so ‌‌‌dejected for some reason.
I naturally linked my arm through his. The weather was cold, but Dale's body heat was perfect.
"Achoo!"
The cold made my nose itch.
"Are you alright?"
My single sneeze darkened Dale's expression.
"We should head back."
"Should we?"
I laughed ‌‌‌cheerfully and accepted his protection.
Every passerby's eyes lingered on Dale's ‌‌‌‌‌face.
'So that's why he wore the robe.'
His beauty was so striking it drew attention.
I'd thought ‌‌‌‌his appearance was unmatched even in the Capital, but it seemed my assessment ‌‌‌‌wasn't unique.
Dale's beauty exceeded imagination.
Surely no one in this Empire could rival Dale's looks?
'Ah. There is ‌‌‌one.'
Perhaps just one person ‌exists.
I haven't seen him myself, but I've heard much from rumors and he appears in the original work too.
'Marquis Schultz.'

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team ‌and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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