When it had become evening and I was collecting the plates, I noticed Krish-san standing still and looking down the road in front of the house. Following his line of sight, I saw a carriage coming toward us from the direction of the city.

Different from the cart I used, it was a box-shaped carriage that looked a bit more modest than those used by Felix-sama.

“That carriage… Sorry, but I’ll head in first. I apologize for not helping out,”

Krish-san said and quickly made his way to the entrance of the house.

“I wonder if it’s a person working for Felix-sama. Has something happened?”

“I don’t know, the carriage doesn’t seem to be in a hurry though.”

The carriage stopped in front of the house as I and Norm grabbed the empty plates. Couge and Gennett carried the freshly picked fruit, then hurried to help tidy up.

“I know today is your day off. Please come with me. Your father and mother are running out of patience.”

“Annette-sama, I remember having refused you already.”

As we hurried inside, we had to abruptly stop in front of Krish-san pushing a beautiful woman.

“Annette-sama…”

Aware of my feelings, I felt Norn’s gaze on me and the corners of my mouth twitched. I had seen those two together before. It had looked like they were enjoying their date at the market.

Annette-sama noticed us and turned around. My gaze was glued to her hand on Krish-san’s arm.

Even when I had seen them at the market, she had touched Krish-san like this. Her beautiful hand with thin pale fingers on Krish-san’s armored torso looked very natural. As if it was a natural gesture for her to touch him in this way.

“You are Shinobu, right? Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Elder Brother.”

“...Elder Brother?”

Norn’s small voice brought me out of my bewilderment at the sudden news.

“Annette-sama is Felix-sama’s younger sister.”

Well, then it made sense for her to arrive in a box-shaped carriage. I had only seen Felix-sama ride in those. When I had seen them in the market, I had thought she was like a princess. It turned out that she was a real one.

I wonder if she met Krish-san through Felix-sama. If they met each other long before I appeared, wouldn’t they naturally become attracted to one another and become lovers?

“You are as cute as I’ve heard. I’m Annette. Nice to meet you.”

Since she was grinning and presenting her hand, I hurried to put down the plates on the ground and take it. But compared to her pretty hand, I was ashamed of my rough hands from working in the fields.

Annette-sama’s hand was soft and pale with polished and sparkling nails. My own hand had hangnails and grass juice sticking to the nails despite my having washed them.

Since this world didn’t have something like working gloves, I had no choice but to touch the vegetables with bare hands.

Because I was too ashamed of my dirty hands, I hid them behind my back after shaking her hand.

“I heard you were injured. It was during the calamity, right? Is your body better now?”

“Yes, I am well now.”

“Then I’m glad. Although I only know what I’ve heard about you, it must have been scary. And you fought despite that. I think you are an amazing person.”

Annette-sama was a friendly beauty. Her expression kept changing, and despite being a beauty, she was very cute as well.

She was so kind to even worry about me. I understood how Krish-san could fall in love with her.

“Annette-sama, please stop trying to find fault with Shinobu.”

“My, how can you say that? I didn’t even say anything unkind.”

Their arguing back and forth was natural and made them seem quite close to each other. She was so cute when she puffed up her cheeks and looked up at Krish-san, and it was the first time I saw that troubled expression on his face.

“Oh, yeah. This isn’t the time to be doing this. Shinobu, I would like to borrow Krish for today, I hope that is alright?”

“Annette-sama!!!”

“Krish, please be quiet. Our talk isn’t going anywhere. Will you listen to me? Krish is so awful. I asked him to come see my parents on his next day off, but he’s keeping his holidays a secret from me.”

His parents… So the rumors of the marriage talks were true.

Krish-san would be like Couge and say, “Give me your daughter.”

“Annette-sama, that is…”

“No way. I’m not letting you get away today. I get what you feel, but I’m also desperate, you know? If you don’t come now, I’ll end up having to marry some other unknown man. So please get on the carriage. We need to hurry. You need to change your clothes before meeting my parents. Since I’ve already prepared clothes for you, I just need you to bring yourself, Krish.”

Annette-sama started walking, forcefully pulling Krish behind her.

“Shinobu, I’ll return in the evening…”

“We will be having dinner with my parents this evening. Shinobu, I think we’ll be late, so I’ll have Krish stay over at my house tonight.”

They left with those words, the carriage departing in a flurry.

“Shinobu…”

Being called, I forced a smile onto my face before turning around.

“Oh, Krish-san left. Since I can’t eat all the fruit by myself, take lots with you back, okay? If you like, it’s fine to give some to the neighbors as well. Bring some to your parents too, Norn, as thanks for the clothes I received last time.”

My smiling face probably looked clumsy right now. As proof of that, Norn and Couge looked at me with troubled expressions.

Even Gennett-san, who shouldn’t be aware of my feelings, looked awkward.

“I’ll tidy the rest myself, so it’s fine for everyone to go back now. Why don’t you feed your families some Kukri while it’s still fresh?”

“But…”

“It’s okay, I’m fine by myself.”

It was fine. I had somehow lived this far.

Even when I was living in my former world, and when I came to this world, I did everything alone.

Recently, I’ve been acting spoiled and had Kris-san help me out, but I should return to my previous lifestyle now.

Krish-san would be marrying Annette-sama now, after all. I couldn’t act spoiled forever.

It’s fine, everything’s fine. I was okay with being alone.

It had to be fine.