Even though it was just the two of us, the road we walked was the same as always.

There was nothing particularly special about it.

And yet, Lycia seemed to be having an absolutely delightful time as she walked beside me.

Of course, she was clinging to my left arm the entire time.

...How should I put it? It felt a bit surreal.

I've known Lycia since before she gained a will of her own.

More than that, I've fought using her body as my weapon against monsters.

Maybe because of that, her actions now—driven by her own will—were confusing to me, since they weren’t something I’d ever done with her before.

No, seriously, hear me out.

If someone told you they were using a beautiful, doll-like girl to engage in physical affection, wouldn’t you think they were crazy?

I was just acting based on common sense. I’m not at fault here.

While I made excuses in my head to some hypothetical observer, Lycia suddenly raised her voice.

“Ah! Look, Master! There are so many stalls set up over there!”

“You’re right. Since we’re here, should we grab a bite to eat?”

“Yes, please!”

With that, we decided to stop by a nearby stall.

The treat we chose was Furu Candy, a popular sweet made of a tart, pale green fruit called Furu encased in hard candy.

Since I wasn’t particularly hungry, I ordered just one for Lycia.

Seeing us arm-in-arm, the stall owner smirked and said with a friendly tone:

“Well now, you two make such a sweet couple. Here, take the biggest one I’ve got!”

“No, we’re not a couple—”

“Oh my, thank you so much! I’ll enjoy it thoroughly!”

Before I could correct him, Lycia flashed a radiant smile and accepted the candy.

Her gentle voice somehow carried an unshakable authority that made me hesitate to say anything further.

As we walked down the street with Lycia eating her candy, she puffed her cheeks and gave me a narrow-eyed glance.

“Honestly, Master! At times like that, you should just nod and let them think we’re a couple. It traps them into providing better service, like just now!”

“Fair point.”

Though her words were a bit peculiar, I nodded in agreement.

After eating about a third of her Furu Candy, Lycia suddenly held it out toward me.

“What’s up?”

“Well, since they kindly gave us a larger one, I thought you might like a taste as well.”

Something about the way her eyes glinted made me suspicious.

Was this really just a simple gesture of sharing? Did she have some hidden motive?

Still, it was a nice opportunity. I didn’t need a whole one, but a taste wouldn’t hurt.

Grateful for her thoughtfulness, I leaned in to take a bite.

“Ha-ha-ha, just kidding. I know you’re always so good at avoiding my—”

“Thanks. Mmm, that’s delicious.”

“...Huh?”

The candy had a crisp texture, a gentle sweetness, and a subtle tartness that made it wonderfully balanced.

I turned to share my thoughts with Lycia, but she had frozen in place, holding out the candy with a blank look on her face.

“Lycia? Are you okay?”

“Wha—! This is real life!?”

Was she off in her own world just now? Her sudden outburst made me wonder.

Looking around quickly, she then gazed down at the candy, her porcelain cheeks flushing a deep red.

“M-m-m-m-mouth contact? This wasn’t in my calculations! What should I do? Should I eat it all now? No, that’s too wasteful! I should take it back to the inn and preserve it carefully as a treasure—”

“Lycia?”

“Yes, Master? What is it?”

She responded with her usual serene smile, though her earlier muttering had been too fast and quiet for me to catch.

Concerned about her odd behavior, I decided to call her name, but she seemed perfectly normal again.

...Maybe I was just imagining things.

If there’s nothing wrong, that’s all that matters.

Later, as we continued to the guild, I noticed Lycia was in an exceptionally cheerful mood.

Though half of the Furu Candy seemed to vanish when I wasn’t looking, we made it to our destination without any further issues.