Chapter 10
“…….”
Axxion didn’t react for several minutes, as if he couldn’t quite grasp the situation.
A creeping sense of dread crawled up the back of my neck.
‘…Don’t tell me it’s not today?!’
That couldn’t be. Unless I had never known in the first place, I had no reason to confuse the date.
The longer the silence dragged on, the more awkward I felt.
No—beyond awkward, I was downright embarrassed. I had tried to shower him with glitter and confetti in a cute way. But maybe because of our height difference, the glitter, caught in the wind, ended up flying back into my own face instead of his.
The glitter tickled my cheek, but I endured it.
“…What is this?”
“I wanted to celebrate your birthday…”
“…Ah.”
A small sigh escaped his lips, as if he’d just realized something. I grew increasingly anxious.
If the next words out of his mouth were “It’s not my birthday,” I would absolutely die. I had made no backup plan in case it wasn’t his birthday. I might’ve had a vague idea of what to do if he got emotional… maybe. Though honestly, I didn’t really have a plan for that either.
Actually, if he did cry, that’d be great.
Axxion, who couldn’t have imagined the scheming going on in my head, kept his eyes on the floor for a long while.
“…Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
“Y-yeah? I couldn’t let the birthday person find out about the party, after all.”
Only then did he nod, seeming to finally understand. Thankfully, it really was his birthday. Relieved, I tugged on his hand to lead him to the next part of the plan.
“Come on, follow me. I’ve got something to show you.”
“…Zen, slow down.”
“Hurry up!”
His solid frame yielded helplessly to my tugging. We were cutting it close to make it in time.
I led him through a corridor that opened out to the rear garden.
Along the way, we passed sunflowers and decorations, but Axxion didn’t seem to care.
‘But once he sees this, he’ll be amazed!’
We soon reached the corridor where stained-glass windows framed the walls like picture frames.
“This is…”
“Shh! Just wait.”
The stained glass was pretty on its own, but the real show began when sunlight streamed through it.
Finally, the sun tilted just right, and light began to filter through the stained glass.
Bathed in the dazzling play of colors, I forgot for a moment that I was the one who had prepared it, caught up in the beauty.
“Pretty, right?”
“…Is that supposed to be you and me depicted in the glass?”
“Uh, yeah. It is.”
That part made me especially bashful. What was I thinking? I’d assumed he might not recognize it, but he figured it out instantly.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Right? Take it with you when you leave. It’s my gift.”
At that, Axxion leaned toward me. He placed a light kiss on my cheek. It happened so quickly I couldn’t react. I felt heat bloom across my face. Had Axxion always been this forward?
Things were going very differently than I’d imagined.
My original plan had been to make Axxion cry… from joy. To have him shed tears at how touched he was by the birthday event I prepared. That was the story I had envisioned. But he didn’t even look close to crying. In fact, he didn’t seem surprised at all.
Wasn’t this the same Axxion who had said just a few days ago that even looking at me was overwhelming?
Had he really changed this much in just a few days?
“Thank you.”
“…W-well, I’m glad you like it.”
“This is the best birthday of my life.”
Seeing how happy he was, I couldn’t help but smile like a fool too.
“I’ve prepared a nice meal too.”
We walked off toward the next part of the celebration. With how delighted he looked, I could confidently say the birthday party was a success.
We enjoyed a quiet meal together. As the meal neared its end, my palms began to sweat.
The climax of my plan was coming.
Even up to the last moment, I was still unsure whether I should go through with it. So far, things had gone well, but who knew? I could ruin everything with this final act.
‘No, pull yourself together! You can do this!’
“Ahem.”
“Are you done eating? Should I have them clear the table?”
He must have thought I was hinting at something. He began to raise his hand to call a servant, but I quickly waved it down.
“…I have a gift.”
“Another one? What you’ve done already is more than enough.”
He ran his hand gently along the tabletop as he spoke.
“Wait here.”
I stood abruptly. As soon as I was out of his line of sight, I fumbled through my sleeve. I quickly finished wrapping the gift, moving before I had time to think. If I hesitated, I knew I’d run away.
My heart shrank and then swelled like it was about to burst.
“Zen, the gift is—”
He stopped mid-sentence when he saw me. Judging by his face, Axxion was speechless. My own face felt like it might explode, but I powered through with superhuman will.
There was nothing I could do to stop my voice from shaking.
“T-ta-da!”
The sound of a fork clattering to the floor rang out.
It didn’t even sound like my own voice. Even just hearing my nervous tone, I could sense this was going south. I stood before Axxion with a bright red ribbon tied on my head, performing the most embarrassing ta-da of my life. I was trying to gift myself to him.
The bow on my head tilted out of shape. I felt like my mouth might tilt with it. A heavy silence settled between us.
Just like before, Axxion said nothing.
I sat across from him as casually as I could manage. I pretended not to see the shocked expression on his face. Earlier, when I’d thrown glitter, the wind had been so strong, but now everything was deathly still—like time had stopped.
The drooping ribbon seemed to reflect the entire mood.
‘…What do I do? I think I messed this up.’
My only plan if it all failed was to act like nothing had happened.
“…Mileta, could you bring us some tea?”
“Yes, right away.”
Mileta remained perfectly composed, even at the sight of the giant ribbon on my head.
I just wanted him to say something. The silence was suffocating. Even as the table was cleared and dessert was brought in, the awkward air remained.
‘It’s over. I’ve ruined everything!’
Why had I ever thought this was a good idea?
Humiliation swept over me like a tidal wave.
After Mileta poured the steaming tea and left, I took a sip. Maybe if I acted natural, this could all just pass.
Just then, Axxion finally spoke.
“…May I unwrap it?”
“Cough—cough!”
I was so caught off guard by his unexpected request that I choked.
He immediately rose and came around to pat my back gently. Even in the chaos, he checked my face for any sign of distress with his usual careful touch.
“I’m fine. You can stop. K-khhm.”
Despite my words, he returned to his seat with a worried expression.
I steadied myself and gave him a small nod. Honestly, I felt like dying of embarrassment, but this was my mess to handle. Understanding my signal, Axxion stood again.
There were only a few steps between us, but it felt like time slowed as he approached.
He reached toward my face, carefully untying the ribbon. It was a simple act, but heat flooded my skin. He knelt slightly to meet my gaze.
“…I love it.”
“Th-that’s a relief.”
His intense gaze made it impossible for me to meet his eyes.
“Can I take you home?”
If anyone else had said that, I would’ve snapped at them for making a move. But Axxion wasn’t like that. Coming from him, the words held real weight. He said it as casually as someone might ask about the weather, and I almost nodded instinctively. But I knew if I went to his home, there’d be unexpected developments. And I wasn’t ready for that kind of tenderness yet.
“No.”
“……”
His ears drooped like a sad puppy’s, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d never seen this side of him before. Why hadn’t I noticed it in my previous life?
Swallowing my bittersweet thoughts, I grinned brightly.
“Instead, I’ll give you a wish. Anything I can do—just say the word.”
His expression lit up immediately.
It was a subtle shift, but I noticed it. And the thought that I’d get to keep seeing more of those changes by his side filled me with joy.
After all the planning I’d put into Axxion’s birthday party, I ended up sleeping in until the afternoon for the next few days.
As I finally got up, Mileta brought me water to wash my face.
“Shall I bring your meal here?”
“Yes, please.”
“When should I bring in Sir Eriksen?”
My hands froze mid-splash.
Sir Eriksen? Why was his name coming up all of a sudden?
“Sir Eriksen?”
“Yes. He’s been waiting since morning.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”
“…You said earlier to come back later…”
Ah. Right. It all came back—I’d waved my hand and grumbled in a half-asleep daze.
That had been her telling me Eriksen was here!
“I have to see Sir Eriksen. Now!”
As if I wasn’t already disliked enough, I’d handed him more reason to resent me. I couldn’t afford to damage our relationship any further.
