Alma POV 14/17
After having enjoyed a delicious lunch, we decided to drink some cold drinks while walking across the park of the Kingdom, it was an extensive wilderness area in the middle of the entire city, we arrived there through a special taxi-like carriage, and we had been enjoying the day while drinking these cold drinks, which were something like very sweet fruit juices with ice cubes. They were refreshing for the heat of today.
"Did you enjoy the day, Alma?" asked Elred at my side as we sat down below a tree giving a lot of shadows.
"Yes, it was a fun day, this is the first time I finally got outside my room, you know?" I asked.
"Yeah, you've mentioned it multiple times…" said Elred, as he drank his juice. His preferred flavor was orange while I preferred apple… been a while since I drank something so refreshing. It takes me back to the old days back on Earth where I drank cold drinks in the middle of the morning…
"Hehe, thank you for helping me out," I said. I couldn't help but feel grateful for this kid, he had done a lot for me without asking for anything in return, so I felt the necessity of thanking him as I could.
"A-Ah… I-It's nothing… really!" he said while growing red.
"Well, it means a lot to me! Hopefully, we can go out more. Maybe tomorrow too, as you're staying today, right?" I asked.
"T-That's right… S-Sure!" he said.
"Good! Let's explore a lot more! I want to see what this Kingdom has to offer to their princess." I said with a greedy smile.
We admired the beautiful park, the small trees, the nice breeze, and the warm sunlight. I don't know why but this is the perfect romantic summer atmosphere, and I am kind of beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable by how much Elred is looking at me as if admiring my body while bathing in the sunlight.
"What's wrong? Why do you look at me so much?" I asked.
"Ah! I-It's just… Y-You're very pretty when you bathe in the sunlight…" said Elred, looking at me with sincere and loving eyes, a warm, cute, and gentle smile emerged on his adorable face.
He's really making me blush now… How come! I shouldn't be getting so embarrassed over another man's praises this much! T-This feels wrong on so many levels, yet my own mind is now thinking it's actually fine…
"Uweh…" I sighed. As I ended getting red and averting my gaze from him.
"A-Alma?"
"Y-You idiot! It's very embarrassing when you praise me like that all the time! D-Don't you have some shame? I am the princess!" I said.
"S-Sorry! I-I didn't mean to…"
Elred suddenly got closer to me, leaving behind the juice, and touching my shoulder, slowly moving me near him.
"Ugh… D-Don't look at me! I-I am all red…" I sighed.
"S-So cute…"
I saw him looking at me with sparkling eyes, it was as if he was growing even more in love with me than he already was! And this wasn't intentional, I could barely control my body at this moment, and I was getting more and more embarrassed, it felt like my head was about to explode.
"W-What did you say?!" I asked.
"A-Alma… You're cute…" he said.
"I am?!" I asked.
"Y-Yes…" he said.
He suddenly held my hand, as he looked me intensively into the eyes, mustering the strength.
"A-Alma, I know this is sudden, but… I cannot contain myself anymore, my heart feels like it's about to explode each time I am with you…! I-I love you!" he said.
"Huh?!" I muttered. I kind of guessed he did, some sort of love at first sight thing, but he really just had to confess it to me below a tree and in the middle of a beautiful park while the sun and the breeze made the whole atmosphere even more pretty? I felt for a moment that I had become the princess of a fairytale.
"I-I see… That was very fast… We have only met for a few days…" I sighed.
"I-I know… S-Sorry… Maybe I am being too rude… But… I had to get it out of my chest…" he said, his face slowly moving back as he still held my hand tightly.
"What do you love about me?" I asked.
"Eh?" he muttered.
"I have to know… If you love someone… It's for a reason more than just being pretty, right?" I asked.
"…"
I knew it, he just kinds of likes my appearance, I can't blame him, I am a really cute elf loli after all.
"I-Its not only because you're so pretty… I've got to know you for little time, but your personality is… s-so bright!" he said.
"Bright?!" I asked.
"I… My life has always been filled with… work… gloominess… my family always asks so much from me… I've been always living without getting to enjoy life truly…" he sighed.
"Oh?"
"T-Then I met you and it felt as if suddenly everything gained its colors… It was as if you were the sun, I needed in my life… With a sole thought of you, I can push forward through all the paperwork I must do, with all the studies, with my cultivation, with my training… I… I don't know how else to explain it… In fact, I've never acted as I act with you… Like… I truly am…" he sighed, looking at me lovingly.
"I-I am… like the sun?" I wondered.
"Y-Your personality is so bright! So filled with emotions, conviction, strength! I have never seen a girl like this before… T-They always act pretending to be someone else, they always are told to act with respect to me… But you're rude to me, you don't even care about any formalities… Y-You're a genuine person…" he said.
"I-Is that so? I guess… I am…" he said while averting my gaze.
"S-So… I want to stay more at your side, even if this was an arranged marriage… I will do everything I can so you can also fall in love with me, Alma!"
"Sigh. Y-You're so corny…" I sighed.
