"Mii…"

When I finished explaining the situation, Ivy muttered this single word before falling silent.

She seemed to be deep in thought, so I decided to leave her be for now and take Rey back to the house. Her eyes had rolled back in her head, so I gently closed her eyelids and carried her off.

With the help of magic to enhance my strength, it was easy to carry her.

The way I carried her—princess-style—might seem romantic, but by now, I was completely used to it.

Rey might have a fierce face, but beneath that, she’s a beauty. And when her occasional clumsiness peeks through, it’s a little endearing. Back when I first met her, I was definitely nervous around her.

But, as the saying goes, "Even a beautiful face becomes ordinary after three days." That’s exactly how it feels now.

After seeing her in all sorts of states—rolling her eyes, enjoying delicious food, or fiercely challenging me—it’s hard to view her as anything but a battle comrade.

In a way, I’m relieved she’s a flawed beauty.

I gently laid her on the canopy bed she had brought into the house at some point—why a canopy bed of all things?—and returned to Ivy.

"Mii…"

For someone like Ivy, who usually makes quick decisions, this hesitation was unusual.

But if I thought about it, it wasn’t hard to understand why she couldn’t decide.

—Ivy was afraid.

Afraid of hearing those heartless words again, like before.

She’s a sensitive and kind girl. Even as the i, turtle-like magical creature that she is, Ivy still cares about how others perceive her. In that sense, she’s no different from a human.

"It’ll be okay."

I spoke to her softly, trying to reassure her.

Ivy hadn’t seen the changes in the town, so it made sense that she’d feel anxious. But I had already seen it with my own eyes—the people of Akoup were different now.

Sure, it’s possible someone might say something unpleasant again. But this time, I believed others would step in to protect Ivy.

Though it was a little amusing that it took the town being flooded with Ivy-themed merchandise to get here, I couldn’t bring myself to be angry about it. People are just like that, after all.

"Let’s go. If anything happens, this time… I’ll protect you."

"Mii!"

Ivy was quiet for a moment before giving a small nod.

Then, she floated up and landed on my shoulder—her usual spot.

I placed my thumb and index finger together to form a circle, brought it to my lips, and blew a loud whistle.

The familiar sound of flapping wings soon reached my ears.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Sanshita approached, looking delighted. As soon as he landed and came closer, he seemed to notice the subtle change in Ivy’s demeanor.

He’d spent enough time with us by now to pick up on such things.

"Alright, let’s go!"

We climbed onto Sanshita’s back and headed for Akoup’s main street. With Sanshita’s unusually energetic pace, we arrived in no time.

"Mii, mii!"

"Let’s do this," Ivy seemed to say, her nose twitching with determination.

With her younger sibling-like Sanshita by her side, the timid Ivy from earlier was nowhere to be seen. Her bravado in front of him was, honestly, a little endearing.

We weren’t there to buy anything specific, so I thought we’d just wander the streets. But—

"Wow, it’s Ivy!"

"The real one!"

"She’s so pretty!"

Before we knew it, we were surrounded by children.

They reached out to touch Ivy, and I had to put my evasion skills—honed through training with Rey—to good use, avoiding hands coming from all directions.

As I dodged, I glanced at Ivy.

—She wasn’t looking downcast anymore.

Hovering in the air was Ivy, her face lit up with a beaming smile.

"Mii!"

Ivy floated up a little higher and landed gracefully in an open spot.

When she touched down on all fours, her body expanded to a size large enough for me to ride.

The children, their eyes sparkling with wonder, swarmed her, hugging and petting her.

"Mii!"

Ivy gazed at them with gentle eyes, welcoming their attention with open arms—or paws, in her case.

—And so, those who feared Ivy began to disappear from Akoup.

I suspect that somewhere in everyone’s hearts, there was always a lingering sense of gratitude toward the magical creature who had saved their town.

The Margrave of Endlord creating Ivy merchandise to comfort the townsfolk helped them realize her kindness and harmlessness—and her undeniable cuteness.

In any case, I’m glad.

Now, I can walk through Akoup with Ivy by my side once more.

I want my family to always have a reason to smile.

And as long as I can, I’ll continue to be Ivy’s support, making sure her bright smile never fades again.