The girl’s eyelashes trembled slightly, like a butterfly gently fanning its wings, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Her vision was still a little blurry, and the light and shadows in front of her intertwined into a hazy scene.
She subconsciously raised her hand to rub her eyes, and only when her fingertips touched her cheek did she realize that her tears had dried, leaving only faint tear marks.
Her consciousness gradually cleared, and memories flooded back into her mind—the dim alley, the fierce thugs, the cold dagger, and the suffocating fear and despair.
Her body stiffened slightly, and her heart rate suddenly quickened.
However, when she turned her head and her gaze fell on the blue figure standing against the wall, all her fear and unease seemed to dissipate in an instant.
“Ah, you’re awake.
Are you feeling better?”
Carlisle saw Subaru awaken and slowly crouched down, asking with concern.
But he found that the girl’s golden eyes, like amber in the morning light, were staring at him unblinkingly.
“…So handsome.”
“Thank you.”
“Ah, I apologize for my rudeness.
Um, may I ask…”
The girl suddenly thought of something and grabbed Carlisle’s clothes.
“Don’t be afraid.
I’ve handed those three guys over to the passing guards.
Don’t move around for now.
While you were sleeping, I healed your wounds with healing magic.
Does it still hurt?”
The girl gazed blankly at the young man in front of her, an indescribable ripple stirring in her heart.
His appearance was almost unreal in its beauty, especially his azure eyes that seemed to contain stars and oceans, and his way of comforting her was so gentle it was enchanting.
“This kind of setup…
isn’t it a bit too unfair…” the girl silently complained in her heart, her cheeks flushing slightly.
She couldn’t help but recall the otome game plots she had seen—a handsome Sir Knight descending from the sky, rescuing the ordinary heroine, and then embarking on a romantic adventure.
She had always thought such tropes were nothing more than fictional fantasies.
However, at this moment, she couldn’t help but wonder: had she really been transported into the world of an otome game?
The girl lowered her head slightly, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Thank you, Sir Knight, for saving my life.
I, Natsuki Subaru, do not know how I can ever repay you.”
Carlisle gently shook his head and said apologetically, “Please don’t be so formal.
I merely did what a knight should do.
If anything, I arrived late and caused you to be frightened.”
“Eh?
What’s with this persona?
Isn’t he being a bit too…
much for me?”
Carlisle heard her whisper, and a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes.
He noticed that the girl’s expression had recovered from her initial fear and unease, replaced by a vibrant energy.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief, his gaze resting softly on her.
“It seems you’re alright now.”
The girl straightened her back, her tone full of gratitude and reverence.
“Yes!
This is all thanks to Sir Knight!”
Carlisle shook his head and said amicably, “Don’t be so rigid.
Just call me Carlisle.”
He paused, then continued to ask with concern.
“Do you have somewhere to go?
If not, I can help…”
However, before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a sudden grumble.
Although the sound was soft, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet air.
The girl’s cheeks instantly turned crimson, like a ripe apple.
She hurriedly lowered her head, tightly covering her empty stomach with her hands, her voice so faint it was barely audible, with a hint of embarrassment.
“I-I’m sorry…
I think I’m a little hungry…”
Carlisle was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but chuckle.
“It seems I was negligent.
It’s almost evening now, so it’s certainly time to eat something.”
The girl’s face grew even redder, the tips of her ears tinged with a rosy hue.
She secretly glanced at Carlisle, finding no trace of mockery in his eyes, only understanding and gentleness.
Her heart relaxed slightly.
“Well, then, I know a good restaurant nearby.
How about we go eat something together?
Consider it my apology for being late.
What do you say?”
Subaru’s eyes brightened slightly, but she quickly lowered her head again, saying with a bit of hesitation, “But…
wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”
“No, please don’t be polite.
I’m hungry too.”
A smile finally appeared on the girl’s face.
Although she was still shy, she was no longer as reserved.
She nodded gently, her voice tinged with anticipation.
“Then…
then I’ll trouble you, Carlisle.”
At a small restaurant called “The Oak Barrel and Hearth,” Subaru contentedly patted her full stomach.
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling emotional in her heart.
“This is great.
The food in another world—grilled steak, fruit pie, and soup and main dishes made with potatoes—all seems normal.
Every dish is so delicious it’s moving.
Fortunately, there were no strange monster dishes.
Otherwise, I really don’t know what I would have done.”
Looking at Carlisle, who was sitting opposite her with a smile on his face, the girl’s cheeks flushed slightly.
She clasped her hands together, her voice filled with gratitude and shyness.
“Thank you for the meal!
I will definitely repay you for the food later.”
“No need, it’s just one meal.
The Knights Order pays very well, you know.”
Carlisle gently set down the wooden cup in his hand, his gaze warm as he looked at the girl sitting opposite him.
He asked in a low voice, “Is there anything else I can help you with?
Although I have a mission, I will do my best to help you within my capabilities.”
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in the girl’s eyes.
“Eh, are you busy?
You have a mission, yet you still spent so much time protecting someone like me…”
Carlisle heard her words, his brows furrowing slightly, and he said in a firm tone, “Please don’t belittle yourself.
In that situation, no one could have ignored it.
This is my duty, and it is my choice.”
The girl’s heart rate suddenly quickened, her cheeks flushing slightly.
She couldn’t help but recall the story tropes she had seen—the gentle yet powerful Sir Knight, unhesitatingly protecting an ordinary girl.
An indescribable emotion surged in her heart, and she couldn’t help but murmur softly, “Wuwu…
I have absolutely no resistance to this kind of persona!” Her voice was soft, yet it carried a hint of shyness and helplessness, as if she was complaining about her inner turmoil.
The girl turned her head slightly, her fingertips unconsciously caressing the corner of the table, and asked softly, “But what kind of mission is it, please?”
However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she might have been a bit rash and quickly waved her hand.
“Ah, I’m sorry.
If you can’t say, then just pretend I didn’t ask.”
A hint of thought flashed in Carlisle’s eyes.
After a moment, he said, “I am looking for someone, but that person’s identity is a bit special.
I’m sorry, I cannot tell you about it.”
Subaru quickly shook her head, her hands gently waving in front of her chest, a look of understanding on her face.
“It’s alright, you don’t need to apologize to me at all.
It was too abrupt of me to ask.”
Carlisle nodded slightly, a hint of gratitude in his eyes.
He looked up, gazing out the window, his brows furrowing slightly as he murmured, “Thank you for understanding.
But where is she, after all…
According to the information I’ve gathered, she seems to be looking for something lost.”
The girl’s eyes widened slightly, and she unconsciously leaned forward.
“Looking for something lost?
Could it be that something important was stolen?”
Carlisle nodded.
“Possibly.
It would be bad if she got entangled with troublesome people.”
The girl was silent for a moment.
Then she looked up, her eyes filled with determination and anticipation.
Her hands were clasped on the table, her body leaning slightly forward, her tone tinged with a hint of tentative inquiry.
“Um…
that, can I help?
I might know how to find that person.”
It really helps the fic grow!