---

“Wendy….”

Seeing Tristan’s puzzled expression, Wendy realized she had made a mistake.

Not only had she shouted at her master, but she had also grabbed his wrist without permission.

She knew exactly how rude that was!

“Ah, s-sorry… hic?!”

As Wendy quickly tried to let go of Tristan’s wrist, he ended up grabbing hers instead.

“Surprisingly, you can say interesting things too.”

“Th-that’s…”

“Wendy. How old are you this year?”

“Huh? Um… 12 years old…”

“Right. You’re a child.”

“…!”

The moment Tristan called her a child, Wendy couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

“I-I’ve grown a lot now! I’m tall for a 12-year-old…!”

“You’re a child.”

“I can even wear high heels now…! It’s a bit hard to walk, but… if I practice hard…!”

“Still a child.”

“I can protect you, Count! I can be your strength!”

“No matter how much you argue, Wendy, you’re a child.”

Tristan kept denying her.

As he did, Wendy’s heart swelled with sadness, surpassing her frustration.

Wendy knew why she was so impatient.

She knew why she wanted his recognition so badly.

She had always been protected by Tristan.

Whether it was on the library stairs, after learning about the Bloodline of the Hero, or even after enrolling in school… and when she fell into the demon realm, it was Tristan who saved her life.

So, when she heard the Emperor’s words about killing Tristan, Wendy made a decision.

No matter what, she would protect Tristan.

She wouldn’t just be a child who needed protection anymore.

Even if it meant opposing the Emperor of this country.

Even if it meant defying the fate given to the Hero. Even if it meant incurring a terrible curse from the gods. Even if it meant being hated by everyone…

If she could repay the kindness Tristan had shown her, nothing else mattered.

That’s why, being denied by him, Wendy couldn’t help but feel more sorrowful than ever.

“Sniff… Then what should I do…? What should I do for you to stop seeing me as a child…?”

She tried not to cry, but the tears burst out anyway.

The more she showed this side of herself, the more childish she must seem… But once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop.

Then, Tristan reached out his hand.

His hand touched her cheek, wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

“Wendy.”

“Sniff…”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to protecting me.”

“Huh…?”

Wendy, swallowing her sobs, looked at Tristan.

“Didn’t you already show me? When my heart stopped, wasn’t it you who saved me?”

“B-but without the healers, it wouldn’t have been possible…”

“True. But without you, I would have never opened my eyes again.”

His expression was as stoic as ever, but Wendy could tell.

The kindness hidden in his voice.

“Even if you’re a child, you saved me.”

“…Sniff.”

“Just because the people around me are adults doesn’t mean they’ve supported me… but you accomplished something even adults would find difficult. You should be proud of that.”

“Really…? Did I really help you, Count…?”

“Yes.”

“Th-thank goodness… Sniff…”

The Count hadn’t been bothered from the start.

Wendy felt comforted by that.

The anxiety she had been feeling began to melt away like snow.

As Wendy kept wiping her tears, Tristan asked her.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been late in repaying you. Is there anything you want?”

“Ah, no! It’s fine! Repayment? I’m just your maid, so I only did what I was supposed to do…!”

Wendy frantically waved her hands.

But Tristan shook his head.

“No. That’s not possible. Saving the life of the head of the Ruelberta family is no small feat. Especially since I’ve received so much help from you, it’s only right to repay you.”

“Hic?! Really, it’s fine! You’ve already given me so much… and you even took in my family…!”

“Right. I thought you’d say that. In that case, I’ll do as I please today.”

“Hyaa?!”

Tristan gently pulled Wendy’s wrist and sat her on his lap.

The suddenness of it all left Wendy unable to hide her confusion.

“Co-Count…?”

“You once said this makes you feel like a princess.”

“…!”

Wendy’s face turned red as she remembered the time she had acted spoiled, thinking it was a dream.

“P-please forget about that…!”

“Are you giving me orders? Princess.”

“Uuu…”

With her wrist still held, she couldn’t even fully cover her face.

Using her free hand to hide her face, Wendy peeked at Tristan’s expression.

He seemed amused by her reaction.

“Why are you hiding your face?”

“I’m embarrassed…”

“If you’re a princess, act like one.”

“I-I’m not a princess…”

“Move your hand.”

“…Uuu.”

She knew arguing further was pointless.

It was so embarrassing… She wanted to hide, but she moved her hand away from her face.

She closed her eyes tightly.

The thought of the Count seeing her tear-streaked face up close was unbearable.

Then, Tristan’s gentle voice reached her ears.

“Was Helga bothering you?”

“…!”

It felt like her inner thoughts had been exposed.

Had it been that obvious?

When Wendy opened her eyes, Tristan was calmly waiting for her answer.

“Well… He-Helga is tall, has pretty legs, and is so mature… Compared to her, I’m just too much of a child to be by your side…”

“I don’t care if you’re short. I’ll look at you properly even if you don’t wear high heels…”

Tristan’s hand gently touched Wendy’s head.

“Ah…”

“It’s because you’re a child that you can act spoiled with me.”

“Acting spoiled…? D-don’t tease me…”

“Are you giving orders again? Princess.”

“Hic?! N-no! Tease me! It’s fine to tease me…!”

“You’re the first princess I’ve met who’s this timid.”

“Hiii… This isn’t how I imagined being a princess…”

“Even if you’re a princess, you can’t give me orders. But…”

“…!”

Tristan lightly kissed the back of Wendy’s hand.

“I know how to treat a princess.”

“Ahhh…”

Wendy’s hands, clumsy in everything, were covered in band-aids. But Tristan didn’t mind at all as he kissed them.

“Co-Count…”

“Did it hurt because of the wound?”

“N-no! It’s just… my hands are a mess… They’re not something your lips should touch…”

“It’s fine. They’re proof of your efforts. No need to be ashamed.”

“Hic?!”

She almost hiccuped in surprise.

Tristan’s lips touched the back of her hand again. It felt completely different from when he had kissed her forehead before.

At a glance, it seemed like a childish kiss.

But Tristan treated Wendy’s hand like a precious treasure, carefully kissing it as if following royal etiquette.

Wendy felt her heart beating faster than ever.

At the same time, a strange courage surged within her.

“U-um…! Co-Count!”

“…?”

“There’s… there’s something I’ve always wanted to do…”

“Tell me.”

“It’s…”

Wendy swallowed hard.

She knew it was incredibly rude…

A mere servant shouldn’t make such a request to her master…

But if it was Tristan… if it was the Count, she felt he might just grant it…

“C-can I… stay in your arms for just a little while…!?”

“…….”

“J-just until we get off the carriage…! Or even 10 seconds…! No, 5 seconds is fine too!”

“…That doesn’t seem like something a princess would do.”

“R-right? It’s a bit much, isn’t it? S-sorry…”

“No. It’s fine. There might be a princess like you somewhere.”

Tristan spread his arms and hugged Wendy.

“Ah…”

She hadn’t noticed before when she was in the health room, but his embrace was quite wide.

It enveloped Wendy’s small frame completely.

It was warm.

“Hehe…”

A smile escaped her lips without her realizing it.

Tristan’s hand gently stroked her back.

His touch was so tender that she felt incredibly… at ease.

“Close your eyes for a bit.”

“Okay…”

Wendy quietly closed her eyes in his arms.

And in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible, she murmured.

“You don’t always have to protect me…”

“…Is that so.”

As she buried her face in his chest, she smelled the scent of sunlight on freshly aired laundry.

As drowsiness washed over her, Wendy thought.

Even so, I still want to grow up quickly…

But for this moment, I’m glad I’m still a child.

If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have been able to feel his warm embrace like this.

“From now on, I’ll protect you, Count…”

“…….”

Instead of answering, Tristan gently stroked her head.

Feeling his tender touch, Wendy drifted off into a peaceful sleep in his arms.

 

---