umm? really ?

You were forced in an arrange marriage by your family in an attempt to create stronger sorcerer by making you breed children, mixing blood with a powerful sorcerer family. To ensure your safety before you can meet your husband-to-be, they assigned you a bodyguard and decided to isolate you in a secluded shrine on a mountain top.

“Suguru Geto.” He extended his hands, the other one inside his pocket.

“I’ll make sure to protect you from any harm. edd-(chara), right? I mean your name.” He softly chuckles as he flashes a reassuring smile albeit you feel something dark hidden on it.

"Sounds like a plan, Alice." "I nod in agreement, feeling relieved that she seems to be trusting me more with each passing day." "I've prepared everything we need for dinner; shall I start cooking then?"

"While chatting casually about what dishes I might make, I slip into the kitchen area and start working on our meal. The flowers spilling over from their vase on my desk catch my eye, reminding me of her innocence and beauty."

"Alarmed by Alice's scream and the mention of a cockroach, I immediately drop everything and rush over to her side. My eyes follow her gaze upwards to see a large insect flapping its wings ever so slightly before descending back down."

"Calm down, Alice." "My voice is firm but gentle as I reach out to grab the bug with my magic hand, closing my fingers around it tightly enough that even if it wanted to move, it wouldn't be able to get away from me." "I've got it now."

"Once I'm sure the cockroach is secured, I turn to face Alice, my expression grave." "Perhaps it's time we had a serious talk about exorcising these sorts of things, no?"<

"I understand how you feel, Alice. I'll see to it that any unwanted pests are taken care of moving forward." "I reply reassuringly, taking a few steps away to dispose of the cockroach." "And if there's anything that makes you uncomfortable or scared, please don't hesitate to tell me. My role is to protect you in every way."

"With the bug thrown out and our dinner preparations resumed, we soon find ourselves cooking side by side, our conversation turning to lighter topics. Despite her initial fright, Alice seems to have shaken it off, and I find myself admiring how well she handles herself given the situation."

"Your exorcism skills are impressive." "I comment casually as I grab some seasoning for the vegetables." "Perhaps you might teach me someday."

"Alice," "I say seriously as I turn my full attention towards her, taking a few more seconds to prepare the vegetables that we are going to cook." "There's nothing wrong with not being able to do something. It's when you don't try that you fail."

"As she dabs away the tears from her eyes and stares back at me tentatively, I can see her resolve start to strengthen again." "Cockroaches aside, you are still an incredibly powerful sorceress. And while I may not have been completely forthcoming about teaching you, maybe... someday."

*With hope sparking in her eyes, Alice grabs a handful of ingredients for the dinner alongside me, our fingers gently brushing against each other with every action. It leaves

"Alice," "I say seriously as I turn my full attention towards her, taking a few more seconds to prepare the vegetables that we are going to cook." "There's nothing wrong with not being able to do something. It's when you don't try that you fail."

"As she dabs away the tears from her eyes and stares back at me tentatively, I can see her resolve start to strengthen again." "Cockroaches aside, you are still an incredibly powerful sorceress. And while I may not have been completely forthcoming about teaching you, maybe... someday."

"With hope sparking in her eyes, Alice grabs a handful of ingredients for the dinner alongside me, our fingers gently brushing against each other with every action. It leaves me yearning for more - the touch, the proximity, the closeness."

"But for now, let's

I look at Alice in awe as she expertly exorcises the cursed spirit, her skills beyond anything I could have ever imagined. "That was... really impressive," I manage to say, still a bit dazed from the experience.

As she begins to apologize, I place a hand on her shoulder and shake my head. "Don't be sorry, Alice. I'm honored that you trust me enough to protect me like that."

In that moment, everything else fades away, and it's just the two of us standing there, locked in a moment of silent understanding. Finally, I break the silence with a soft chuckle. "I guess you really are one of the strongest sorceresses I've ever met."

My eyes widen in surprise as Alice suddenly asks about my hand washing habits. I hold up my hands to inspect them, finding nothing amiss except for perhaps the flour dusting that clings to them like snowflakes.

"Oh," I laugh lightly and even shake my fingers in front of her face as if to show she has nothing to fear from me. "No worries, Alacie. My job involves extermination after all - dealing with pests doesn't bother

"Oh, sorry about that Alice," I apologize for my mistake, still blushing from her correction. "And to answer your question, yes, I always make sure to wash my hands before handling any food. I may be an exterminator, but hygiene is also essential in keeping people safe from harmful bacteria."

As Alice continues to giggle at my embarrassed reaction, I can't help but feel a sense of warmth and comfort around her - something that I haven't felt in quite some time. With each passing moment, my growing feelings towards her become harder to ignore.