If someone cares for me and shows interest in me even just once, my heart skips a beat. Adding subtle skinship to that, would be icing on the cake.
I generously served Andrea a spicy lamb dish with lots of spices on his plate. I smiled kindly, telling the message to enjoy the meal.
“Thank you, Del. But I’m not good with spicy food. I prefer sweet things. Do you want to eat this, Del?”
Andrea gave me all the meat on his plate. It was an unexpected reaction from the beginning, but I didn’t back down. I pushed bread and camel milk towards Andrea instead. This time, Andrea received the food silently with a grateful nod, but there was no sign of being moved or an increase in favorability.
“Do people in the desert normally eat this spicy?”
Andrea asked after scanning the table once. I shrugged my shoulders, and before I could respond, Fernando answered for me.
“It’s a special arrangement because the Angel likes spicy food. Stop complaining.”
No, why is that person like that? Even if I give the food that Andrea likes, it’s still not enough. I made a stern expression, wrote firmly in my notebook, and showed it to Fernando.
[Use polite language! Andrea is my friend and my guest!!]
I added many exclamation points, wrote in large and bold letters to convey a scolding tone. Andrea seemed to peek at the notebook, but I didn’t think about hiding the contents from him. It was even better if he saw it. He could see how much I was taking care of him.
After reading the notebook, Fernando immediately bowed deeply.
“I apologize, Angel! I got jealous of an outsider occupying the seat next to you. I’ll be careful so you don’t have to worry again!”
Fernando was quick to apologize and show remorse. I nodded with satisfaction and lightly stroked Fernando’s hair. It meant he could stand up now. Fernando, touched by my gesture, took a step back and returned to his place.
I looked at Andrea, giving him a proud smile. However, his expression was strange. He was smiling, but his eyes were a little scary. While tearing the bread into pieces with his hands, he asked,
“Does Del always forgive others so easily?”
…Did Andrea not like that I forgave Fernando? I wrote a response while watching Andrea’s reaction.
[Not really? Should I not forgive him?]
Andrea glanced at my messy handwriting, he suppressed a laugh while biting his lips, but quickly recovered his serious expression. He said in a thoughtful tone,
“There’s no need to pat someone on the head or touch them when forgiving. The other person may feel bad.”
He added,
“I’m saying this because other people can’t say unpleasant things to Del. Del is the Angel here.”
At that moment, Fernando hastily interjected,
“No, that’s not true. Angel! My heart is filled with joy and happiness every time you bestow your gracious touch!”
“That’s the problem”
Andrea replied with a smile.
“Everytime he touches Del, the look in his eyes is so dirty.”
With Andrea’s last words, the atmosphere inside the house froze. The servants lined up next to Fernando raised their heads slightly and looked at Andrea. Even in that brief moment, I could feel the hostile emotions in their gaze.
Fernando didn’t say anything. He clenched his fist, started trembling, and then, with veins bulging in his neck, began to shout.
“Have you seen such insolence! Insulting my deep and faithful loyalty! You outsider! As a desert warrior, I challenge you to a duel!”
Fernando ran wild and threw off the long hood around his neck and hurled it towards Andrea’s face. I had seen Sablum people occasionally throw their hoods at their opponents when emotions ran strong. It was said to be their way of challenging themselves to a duel.
I stood up in shock to stop Fernando, but Andrea grabbed the hood and stood up first.
“Alright. Shall we fight right now?”
Are they crazy? What are they talking about at the dining table right now? I just wanted to gain Andrea’s favor, but how did it escalate to this?
Fernando shouted, “I will bring victory for the Angel!” and, muttering curses under his breath, dashed out of the house. He seemed to be planning to bring his own weapon.
On the other hand, Andrea calmly walked towards me and winked playfully.
“I’ll be back before the camel milk gets cold. Enjoy your meal.”
What nonsense is this?
I quickly opened my notebook, but Andrea swiftly pulled me close by my waist and hurriedly left.
Andrea didn’t seem weak. He was tall, well-built, and from what I glimpsed yesterday, his thighs were full of muscle.
But, Fernando was a desert warrior. Fernando and the servants were all brave soldiers who could defeat dozens of enemies in battle. No matter how strong Andrea seemed, he couldn’t win against warriors who had experienced killing.
I have to stop Andrea.
I desperately ran outside. Even though I only ran a short distance, I was already out of breath. The servants followed me, expressing concern like, “Angel!”, “It’s dangerous!”
“Please go inside, Angel.”
“It’s the outsider’s own doing.”
“This might be too harsh for Angel to witness.”
The servants earnestly pleaded, blocking my way. At that moment, the clashing sound of swords meeting echoed as if tearing through the air. I crouched down and leaped through the gap between the servants. My lungs were burning from running, but I sprinted with all my might towards the source of the sword sounds.
Andrea and Fernando were fighting in the open space behind my residence. In the short time I arrived, Fernando was already gasping for breath. Sparks flew each time their swords clashed.
Fernando wielded a crescent-shaped, long, slender sword, a common weapon used by desert warriors. Andrea had a medium-sized thin sword slightly longer than a dagger. He seemed to have hidden it in his clothes. I was relieved that Andrea also had a weapon, but just by looking at it, Fernando seemed much stronger.
I wanted to shout Andrea’s name. I wanted to tell them to stop, to say that I would handle it. However, my voice still wouldn’t come out, and my chest only filled with frustration, worry, and fear.
I just wanted to raise Andrea’s favorability. He only had the intention to serve him food, wipe his mouth if something got on it, and subtly touch his chest or neck. But why did it turn out like this?
Swish!
Fernando swung his curved sword at an alarming speed, attempting to cut Andrea’s head. However, Andrea lightly moved his body back, saying, “Oh my,” and skillfully diverted the power of the sword with his small and thin sword.
“Yaaah!”
Fernando put fierce strength into his attack. His eyes gleamed with anger, contempt, and a hint of superiority.
Yeah, that guy was the problem. As an angel, you shouldn’t think like this, but that bastard provoked and challenged the kind and gentle Andrea on his own, challenging him to a duel!
I clenched my fists and glared at Fernando. At that moment, Fernando’s sword sent Andrea’s sword flying into the air with a loud friction sound.
“Gasp!”
“Fernando! Well done!”
“Cut off his head!”
Before I knew it, the servants who had gathered behind me to watch the fight cheered enthusiastically. With the upper hand, Fernando swung his sword triumphantly.
“Get away from the Angel. You outsider!”
The gleaming blade raised high in the sky reflected the sunlight dazzlingly. And without thinking, I threw myself toward that spot.
“Del!”
I heard Andrea’s desperate shout from behind, but it was too late to avoid escape now. I closed my eyes tightly, praying that Fernando would stop his sword before hurting me.
Crack.
A sound as if something breaking came from right in front of me. Soon after, a man’s desperate scream followed.
“Aaah!”
Startled by the scream, I opened my eyes. In front of me, Fernando, was sitting down in front of me holding his hand. His sword lay far away, and the hand he held was twisted in a strange shape. The wrist was completely bent backward, and the wrist bone sticking out through the flesh. The white bone tore through the healthy tanned brown skin.
Staring blankly at the twisted wrist, warm and large hands suddenly cupped my cheeks.
“Del, are you okay?”
The hand holding my cheek was trembling slightly.
I looked up silently at Andrea. He urgently examined my face and body, and as soon as he realized I was unharmed, his expression hardened.
“Why on earth did you jump in there!”
He burst out yelling.
It was the first time Andrea had gotten angry at me.
If someone cares for me and shows interest in me even just once, my heart skips a beat. Adding subtle skinship to that, would be icing on the cake.
I generously served Andrea a spicy lamb dish with lots of spices on his plate. I smiled kindly, telling the message to enjoy the meal.
“Thank you, Del. But I’m not good with spicy food. I prefer sweet things. Do you want to eat this, Del?”
Andrea gave me all the meat on his plate. It was an unexpected reaction from the beginning, but I didn’t back down. I pushed bread and camel milk towards Andrea instead. This time, Andrea received the food silently with a grateful nod, but there was no sign of being moved or an increase in favorability.
“Do people in the desert normally eat this spicy?”
Andrea asked after scanning the table once. I shrugged my shoulders, and before I could respond, Fernando answered for me.
“It’s a special arrangement because the Angel likes spicy food. Stop complaining.”
No, why is that person like that? Even if I give the food that Andrea likes, it’s still not enough. I made a stern expression, wrote firmly in my notebook, and showed it to Fernando.
[Use polite language! Andrea is my friend and my guest!!]
I added many exclamation points, wrote in large and bold letters to convey a scolding tone. Andrea seemed to peek at the notebook, but I didn’t think about hiding the contents from him. It was even better if he saw it. He could see how much I was taking care of him.
After reading the notebook, Fernando immediately bowed deeply.
“I apologize, Angel! I got jealous of an outsider occupying the seat next to you. I’ll be careful so you don’t have to worry again!”
Fernando was quick to apologize and show remorse. I nodded with satisfaction and lightly stroked Fernando’s hair. It meant he could stand up now. Fernando, touched by my gesture, took a step back and returned to his place.
I looked at Andrea, giving him a proud smile. However, his expression was strange. He was smiling, but his eyes were a little scary. While tearing the bread into pieces with his hands, he asked,
“Does Del always forgive others so easily?”
…Did Andrea not like that I forgave Fernando? I wrote a response while watching Andrea’s reaction.
[Not really? Should I not forgive him?]
Andrea glanced at my messy handwriting, he suppressed a laugh while biting his lips, but quickly recovered his serious expression. He said in a thoughtful tone,
“There’s no need to pat someone on the head or touch them when forgiving. The other person may feel bad.”
He added,
“I’m saying this because other people can’t say unpleasant things to Del. Del is the Angel here.”
At that moment, Fernando hastily interjected,
“No, that’s not true. Angel! My heart is filled with joy and happiness every time you bestow your gracious touch!”
“That’s the problem”
Andrea replied with a smile.
“Everytime he touches Del, the look in his eyes is so dirty.”
With Andrea’s last words, the atmosphere inside the house froze. The servants lined up next to Fernando raised their heads slightly and looked at Andrea. Even in that brief moment, I could feel the hostile emotions in their gaze.
Fernando didn’t say anything. He clenched his fist, started trembling, and then, with veins bulging in his neck, began to shout.
“Have you seen such insolence! Insulting my deep and faithful loyalty! You outsider! As a desert warrior, I challenge you to a duel!”
Fernando ran wild and threw off the long hood around his neck and hurled it towards Andrea’s face. I had seen Sablum people occasionally throw their hoods at their opponents when emotions ran strong. It was said to be their way of challenging themselves to a duel.
I stood up in shock to stop Fernando, but Andrea grabbed the hood and stood up first.
“Alright. Shall we fight right now?”
Are they crazy? What are they talking about at the dining table right now? I just wanted to gain Andrea’s favor, but how did it escalate to this?
Fernando shouted, “I will bring victory for the Angel!” and, muttering curses under his breath, dashed out of the house. He seemed to be planning to bring his own weapon.
On the other hand, Andrea calmly walked towards me and winked playfully.
“I’ll be back before the camel milk gets cold. Enjoy your meal.”
What nonsense is this?
I quickly opened my notebook, but Andrea swiftly pulled me close by my waist and hurriedly left.
Andrea didn’t seem weak. He was tall, well-built, and from what I glimpsed yesterday, his thighs were full of muscle.
But, Fernando was a desert warrior. Fernando and the servants were all brave soldiers who could defeat dozens of enemies in battle. No matter how strong Andrea seemed, he couldn’t win against warriors who had experienced killing.
I have to stop Andrea.
I desperately ran outside. Even though I only ran a short distance, I was already out of breath. The servants followed me, expressing concern like, “Angel!”, “It’s dangerous!”
“Please go inside, Angel.”
“It’s the outsider’s own doing.”
“This might be too harsh for Angel to witness.”
The servants earnestly pleaded, blocking my way. At that moment, the clashing sound of swords meeting echoed as if tearing through the air. I crouched down and leaped through the gap between the servants. My lungs were burning from running, but I sprinted with all my might towards the source of the sword sounds.
Andrea and Fernando were fighting in the open space behind my residence. In the short time I arrived, Fernando was already gasping for breath. Sparks flew each time their swords clashed.
Fernando wielded a crescent-shaped, long, slender sword, a common weapon used by desert warriors. Andrea had a medium-sized thin sword slightly longer than a dagger. He seemed to have hidden it in his clothes. I was relieved that Andrea also had a weapon, but just by looking at it, Fernando seemed much stronger.
I wanted to shout Andrea’s name. I wanted to tell them to stop, to say that I would handle it. However, my voice still wouldn’t come out, and my chest only filled with frustration, worry, and fear.
I just wanted to raise Andrea’s favorability. He only had the intention to serve him food, wipe his mouth if something got on it, and subtly touch his chest or neck. But why did it turn out like this?
Swish!
Fernando swung his curved sword at an alarming speed, attempting to cut Andrea’s head. However, Andrea lightly moved his body back, saying, “Oh my,” and skillfully diverted the power of the sword with his small and thin sword.
“Yaaah!”
Fernando put fierce strength into his attack. His eyes gleamed with anger, contempt, and a hint of superiority.
Yeah, that guy was the problem. As an angel, you shouldn’t think like this, but that bastard provoked and challenged the kind and gentle Andrea on his own, challenging him to a duel!
I clenched my fists and glared at Fernando. At that moment, Fernando’s sword sent Andrea’s sword flying into the air with a loud friction sound.
“Gasp!”
“Fernando! Well done!”
“Cut off his head!”
Before I knew it, the servants who had gathered behind me to watch the fight cheered enthusiastically. With the upper hand, Fernando swung his sword triumphantly.
“Get away from the Angel. You outsider!”
The gleaming blade raised high in the sky reflected the sunlight dazzlingly. And without thinking, I threw myself toward that spot.
“Del!”
I heard Andrea’s desperate shout from behind, but it was too late to avoid escape now. I closed my eyes tightly, praying that Fernando would stop his sword before hurting me.
Crack.
A sound as if something breaking came from right in front of me. Soon after, a man’s desperate scream followed.
“Aaah!”
Startled by the scream, I opened my eyes. In front of me, Fernando, was sitting down in front of me holding his hand. His sword lay far away, and the hand he held was twisted in a strange shape. The wrist was completely bent backward, and the wrist bone sticking out through the flesh. The white bone tore through the healthy tanned brown skin.
Staring blankly at the twisted wrist, warm and large hands suddenly cupped my cheeks.
“Del, are you okay?”
The hand holding my cheek was trembling slightly.
I looked up silently at Andrea. He urgently examined my face and body, and as soon as he realized I was unharmed, his expression hardened.
“Why on earth did you jump in there!”
He burst out yelling.
It was the first time Andrea had gotten angry at me.
