It’s a good thing recovery doesn’t take very long. Just good rest for a couple of days, and I’m back in action. Still though, I feel a bit bad that Saffron’s gotta take care of me when I’m out of commission. There has to be a way for me to pay her back.

So far the best idea I’ve got, is cleaning around the house. Which isn’t really all that special, seeing as I already do that normally. It’s just that I’ve been taking some of her jobs as well. I just wish I could make it up to her, or perhaps she’s trying to make things up for me? After all, she did basically pluck me from my old world to here.

Kind of makes me wonder how everyone’s feeling with me gone. Do they even miss me?

I shake the thought out. It’s probably better if I try to avoid getting myself down again. Thankfully, someone’s knocking at the door to distract me.

“Hello.” I answer it, but the person standing before me isn’t anyone I’m familiar with. It looks like a knight, with the thin armor of theirs. But a knight to whom?

“I’ve a message for Miss Saffron.” He told me, with a very stern voice. “And you are?”

“Oh, I’m Alan.” I tell him. “I’m Saffron’s…” I was about to say boyfriend, but now that I think about it, is that how it’s referred too here? We just told everyone at the village that we were in a relationship, but I didn’t hear that or girlfriend muttered once. “Well… I’m a friend of hers.”

That seems to be enough to satisfy the man. He hands me the letter, which is a rolled up piece of paper. While there’s certainly a level of distrust, as the man eyes me. All that’s asked is that this letter makes its way to her. With that, he makes his leave.

“That was weird.” I mutter to myself, as I close the door.

“What was that all about?” As I do so, it turns out that Saffron was just waiting around the door. It sends me a bit of shock when I see her. She had noticed me talking to the guy and decided to eavesdrop instead of announcing her presence.

“Looks like you got a letter.” I answer her, but that’s not the question she was actually asking.

“No.” She snatches the paper out of my hand. Did I do something to make her upset at me. “What do you mean by friend of mine?” That was what she zeroed in on? I assume that this letter is more important that what I just said.

“I don’t understand, we are friends, right?”

“Yeah, but we’re not just friends.” She pouts and crosses her arms. For a second, she seems mad, but soon she reveals her true feelings. Insecure. “Are you embarrassed to say we’re together?” Judging by her reaction here, she looks worried that I take issue with letting strangers know about this.

“Of course not.” I give her cheek a playful pinch. “Um, it’s just that where I’m from, we call it boyfriend, girlfriend. So, I wasn’t sure how to explain it to the guy.”

“Really?” She asks cautiously. I nod, which turns her mood right around. “Well, you can call us that, I’m sure everyone knows what that means.” That good to hear, I was worried they called a relationship like this something really stupid sounding. Saffron follows up her statement with a tight hug, where she barely reaches my chest with her face. “Or, you could tell everyone we’re lovers.”

“I think saying I’m your boyfriend is enough.” I feel a bit steamy over the idea of saying we’re lovers. I know we’ve done it multiple times, but I’m not about to just confirm that to every person I meet. “So what’s in that letter?”

“Hmm… It looks like it’s a letter from the king.” A part of me is a bit wowed at the idea, but I also have to be aware of her position in this world. It’s probably normal stuff, but didn’t she say this place was rather peaceful?

“So…” I say, trying to hide my curiosity. “Does he need you to do something… Like, I don’t know, fell a beast?”

“Huh?” She looks at me like I’m speaking a foreign language. “It only says that he’s inviting me to the castle, but that’s it.” The fact that there’s no given reason worries me. What could someone in that guy’s position want with a hero like her?

“You going to go?”

“Of course I’m going.” I guess an engagement like this is nigh impossible to avoid. “And so are you.” As expected, I’m getting roped into this. Though this sounds like it could be a lot of fun, I’d love to meet the ruler of this land.

Just like the last time we went on a trip, we gather all the supplies we’ll need. Also like last time, it’ll only last today and tomorrow, so it doesn’t take long to get ready. Well, I hope that this trip doesn’t last long. If there really was a reason for this invitation, then it doesn’t seem like it’ll be a good thing.

After telling the elderly couple of our trip, the two of us on our the path to the castle. It’s a little further away than the town we went to, but we should arrive just after sunset, seeing the time we left.

Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of the carriage trips. It’s just a bit concerning when I don’t have anything to say to her. I hope that she doesn’t think I’m the boring type, but I never know how to speak up all that well. Saffron’s certainly better than me in that department.

“Sorry that I have to drag you along.” She says to me. “But I thought that maybe this was something you might enjoy.” It’s not secret how much I was hoping for proper adventures. Most of my time here has been spent at the mansion, surprisingly enjoying the more mundane aspects of life. Probably because this is all new to me, compared to what life on Earth was like.

“Oh it’s no big deal.” I lean back into the seat. “As long as I’m with you, things are pretty fun.” I immediately turn to look away from her. I was trying to sound smooth, but it just comes across as a bit forced when it comes out of my mouth.

“Is that so?” She eyes me mischievously. “I guess I can keep you around.”

“Keep me around?” I turn back, asking her that question with a bit of worry. “What’s that supp-” Before I finish my next sentence, she flicks me in the nose.

“Gotcha.” She giggles. “That’s for earlier.” Looks like she still had issues with me not calling her my girlfriend.

“Ahh geez.” I return back to my relaxing state. “You really are something else.” After I say that, the two of us fall back into silence. That felt odd, seeing how enjoyable this conversation was going. It’s like she was contemplating what she was going to say next.

“Alan, did you have another?” She asks, but I don’t really know how to answer that question. What did she mean by that? “I mean, did you have a lover before me?”

“Lover? Well, you’re my first if we’re talking about intimate stuff… But I did have a girlfriend before.” That was a long time ago, at least by the standards of a 20 year old. When I was in high school, there was a girl that I dated named Yumi. Right, she was a foreign exchange student, very cute too. But she was a very quiet girl, and very shy at that.

It was probably that fact that I was able to muster up the courage to ask her out. I’m not the world’s most confident person now, but back when I was a teen, I was a lot more shy.

The relationship was nice. The two of us matched fairly well, and I guess you could say that things went well. However, things weren’t meant to last as she was going to move back to her home country when we graduated from high school.

...It was a tearful farewell.

Anyway, I wonder how she’s doing now? I know that she’d be pretty shocked to hear what’s happened to me since the last time we saw each other. Though judging from the expression Saffron’s got on her face, that’s not on her mind.

“…Was she cuter than me?” Of course she’d ask a question like that. It’s actually pretty close, Yumi was very much a beautiful girl. Though I think I’d side with Saffron on this one.

“Don’t worry about who’s cuter.” I put a finger under her chin. “You’re the only one in my eyes.” That’s more than enough for her, as she gives me a peck on the lips in response.

“All right, we should be there soon.” She says to me, but unlike the last time. I stay up and keep her company for the entire trip.