Sieg-san’s sudden words—a confession that she loved me as a man—left me in a total daze. Honestly, my mind couldn't keep up with the situation at all.
I knew I had to say something, but my mouth refused to work, and my thoughts were a scattered mess.
Sieg-san’s eyes were earnest, and her expression was filled with resolve as she stared straight at me. There was no longer any room to doubt the sincerity of her words.
As I stood frozen, unable to speak, Sieg-san eventually broke her serious expression and gave a wry, self-deprecating smile.
"I understand. Until now, you haven't seen me in that light, Kaito-san... It’s only natural for you to be confused."
"A-Ah, no, umm..."
Just as she said, I hadn't consciously viewed Sieg-san as a romantic interest until now.
It wasn't that she lacked charm; rather, to me, Sieg-san was... someone I admired. She was a kind, reliable adult woman—a "flower on a high peak," so to speak. That’s how I’d always viewed her.
"S-Since... when?"
Pathetically, the only thing that spilled from my lips was a question meant to buy time.
In contrast to me, whose thoughts couldn't keep up at all, Sieg-san spoke with a smile that felt somewhat composed.
"I clearly realized it during the Treasure Tree Festival."
"That long ago...?"
"Yes. But I couldn't quite find the courage to tell you, so it took a long time."
"..."
How should I answer? I didn't know... No good response came to mind.
Sieg-san was amazing. To be able to smile calmly even in a situation like this, while I—
"It only... causes you trouble, doesn't it?"
"Eh?"
Hearing those words spoken in a voice that sounded just a little, a tiny bit sad, the vision that had been narrowed by my confusion suddenly cleared.
Sieg-san’s hands... were they shaking?
"I'm sorry. I knew it would only confuse you since it’s so sudden... but I simply had to tell you how I felt."
"Sieg-san..."
"You don't have to answer right now. I won't rush you. I’d just be happy if you... kept it in a corner of your heart."
"..."
The face Sieg-san made as she smiled looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.
Sieg-san then looked away from me and reached out to pack away the magic tools we had left out.
"It’s about time to depart—eh?"
"P-Please wait."
Before I knew it, I had grabbed Sieg-san’s outstretched hand.
It wasn't a conscious decision. My head was still a mess, but I understood clearly that I couldn't let things end like this.
"Please, give me a moment—just a little time to think! I will give you my answer right here!!"
"!? Y-Yes..."
Sieg-san had confessed to me. Knowing that I hadn't seen her that way before, she still squeezed out every ounce of her courage to tell me her feelings.
I also have experience confessing to Kuro and Isis-san.
With Kuro, I was desperate and had no room to think about what came after. With Isis-san, I was aware that she held affection for me, but even then, I felt incredibly anxious until I received her answer.
The current Sieg-san must be filled with even more anxiety than I was back then. To confess when she didn't know my feelings and couldn't predict the answer—just how much courage must that have required?
If I were to take advantage of Sieg-san’s kindness here and postpone my answer, I would surely end up dragging it out indefinitely. If that happened, Sieg-san would continue to carry that anxiety forever. That’s why I felt I had to properly confirm the feelings currently in my heart and give her an answer.
With Sieg-san facing me again, I slowly closed my eyes and let my thoughts roam.
How did I feel about Sieg-san? How did I want to interact with this person from now on?
First, if I looked at Sieg-san not as a respected adult woman or a flower on a high peak... but as a woman.
If asked whether I liked or disliked her, naturally, I liked her. Even now, the fact that she confessed and held affection for me made me truly happy.
When I first met Sieg-san, she had a slender build and a beautiful face, giving off the impression of a cool, composed person.
However, once we talked, she turned out to be a gentle person who paid attention to the smallest details—a serene woman with domestic hobbies like brewing tea and cooking.
When I had just arrived at Lilia-san’s mansion and wasn't being looked at with particularly favorable eyes, she treated me without any judgment. I was so happy about that, and it was why we began to talk more and more.
After returning from the Treasure Tree Festival, she would occasionally treat me to her home cooking, and she even taught me how to cook when I had too much time on my hands.
When I was attacked by Eta and Theta, she was the first to rush to the scene and fought for me at the risk of her own life.
Ever since I started keeping Bell, she taught me various ways to care for him since I had no experience with animals, and she often came to help even in the gaps between her work.
I’m such an idiot. Thinking back like this, the signs of Sieg-san’s affection must have been visible everywhere in her actions, yet I didn't notice at all and just basked in her kindness.
How dense could I be?
Recalling every memory with Sieg-san, every word we’d exchanged, and the weight of her feelings, I slowly opened my eyes and looked into her beautiful jade gaze.
"Sieg-san."
"Y-Yes!?"
"To be honest, I didn't really know. As you said, I've remained oblivious to your feelings until now, and even thinking about it so suddenly, I couldn't put it all together perfectly."
"That’s only natural. Like I said before, I'm not in a hurr—"
"But!"
Interrupting Sieg-san as she looked down somewhat lonelily, I continued while grasping both of her hands in mine.
"If I were asked whether I like or dislike you, Sieg-san, I would answer that I like you without hesitation!"
"!?"
I couldn't think of a cool or poetic response. However, even if I stripped away all the filters I had arbitrarily placed on my perception of Sieg-san, the feeling that I liked her was definitely there.
"I'm aware that this is a very selfish thing to say."
"..."
"But... from today, from this very moment, if I look at you and treat you as a woman, as a romantic partner... I can declare with certainty that while I might come to like you even more than I do now, it would be impossible for me to ever dislike you!"
"!?!?"
Yes, I felt that much was truly certain.
If I walked alongside Sieg-san from now on, I would surely come to like her even more. And it was impossible that I would ever hate her.
I was happy that Sieg-san confessed to me. I wanted to know more about her than I did now. I wanted to like her more. That was already a single feeling, a clear answer.
"So, um... that's why... from now on, as your boyfriend... I want you to tell me so much more about yourself. And I want you to know more about me, too. Please... let me come to like you even more than I do now."
"Yes... Yes!"
That was the answer I chose. From now on, as a couple, I wanted to learn many things about Sieg-san and see many things together.
Hearing my answer, Sieg-san nodded vigorously before large tears began to overflow from her eyes.
"Eh? A-Are? I’m... happy, so... why...?"
"Sieg-san..."
"Ah..."
I gently embraced Sieg-san as she wiped away the overflowing tears, her cheeks flushed with happiness.
"I'm a dense, foolish, and unreliable man... but I’m looking forward to being with you."
"Yes. I am a timid and unreliable woman myself... but I look forward to being with you as well."
Feeling as though we had stepped one pace closer to each other than before—as if the distance between our hearts had crossed a certain boundary—I continued to hold the weeping Sieg-san in my arms.
Dear Mother, Father—Sieg-san and I have become a couple. As a dense and foolish guy, I’ve only just begun to walk beside her, and I know I have a lot of work to do. But right now, I truly feel that the two of us have formed a relationship that is deeper and closer than ever before.