Safe & Sound in the Arms of an Elite Knight: Volume 1

When Chloe came to, she was somewhere unfamiliar.

Everything was dark. The air was light, yet heavy—pleasant, yet off-putting.

The hazy darkness shrouded everything.

What a confusing, incoherent place.

Wait—she saw something.

Candlelight threw a dim human silhouette into relief before her.

As she strained to make out who it was, her field of view suddenly expanded tenfold.

Everything was now vivid and clear.

A familiar room. A familiar table. A familiar sofa. A familiar painting on the wall. A familiar chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

This was her old family estate—the one she swore she would never return to.

Drip.

She looked down at her feet.

A single drop of crimson spread across the floor.

As she realized what it was, a bone-chilling voice rang out in front of her. I said to not leave a single drop of your filthy blood on my floors, did I not?

Her gaze flicked upwards.

The silhouette from earlier. It now looked…familiar.

The wrinkles etched on her face from age.

The thick layer of makeup she caked on to hide her weariness.

The decadent, self-indulgent dress shrouding her body.

Her mother held a knife in her right hand.

Why? Why are you like this?

Isabella took one step toward her.

Why, why, why, WHY?! Why did you have to live? Why not my husband? Or my son?! Why did they have to die?!

Another step.

The silver blade glinted, full of menace.

Chloe tried to speak. The words wouldn’t come out.

Chloe tried to run. Her legs wouldn’t move.

Drip. Drip.

She looked down. Blood was everywhere.

You are a cursed child! You bring nothing but disaster and misfortune! You can’t be allowed to live!

The knife swung down at her chest.

She couldn’t move, she couldn’t close her eyes, she couldn’t scream.

She could only watch as the overwhelming sense of fear took hold of her and—

Chloe jolted upright, gasping.

An unpleasantness coated her back, her neck, all over her body.

She panted, lungs starved for air.

Calm down, calm down… You’re okay…

She concentrated and took control of her breathing—in, then out—in, then out. She fought to coax her pounding heart to slow.

After a few moments of controlled breathing, Chloe regained her composure.

She took a look around.

She was in a simple bedroom, not a grand and lavish estate.

An early morning glow seeped in through the windowsill. The sound of chirping birds graced her ears.

Recognizing that this was in fact the spare bedroom on the first floor of Lloyd’s home, Chloe breathed one final sigh of relief.

“That dream again…” she mumbled.

It was the same awful, recurring dream—the one that showed her images from that nightmarish day against her will. It seemed that her unconscious was pushing back against her forced attempts to purge the day’s events from her memory.

Although the frequency of her nightmares was still manageable, she was worried that experiencing them nightly would affect her work in the daytime, and that was something to be avoided.

She sat silent for a bit.

There was no point in dwelling on it now. She wiped off only the sweat that had beaded off her brow, and pulled the covers over her once more.

She prayed that she would not see the nightmare this time.

◇◇◇

A week had passed since Chloe became Lloyd’s housekeeper.

“I like this.” Lloyd said, heaping a spoonful into his mouth.

Though his face was as impassive as always, Chloe couldn’t help but think that it had softened around the edges, just a little.

“I’m glad!” she said in response.

This morning, like every morning, the two sat around the dining table, enjoying Chloe’s homemade breakfast.

“I’ve never had scrambled eggs before,” said Lloyd.

“Really? It’s quite the simple fare, I would think…”

“I never really thought to cook eggs, to be honest.”

“…You eat them raw?”

“Simple, right?”

“In that case, you can look forward to a different egg dish every day starting today.”

“You certainly sound…motivated?”

They dined over light banter and idle conversation. The morning’s menu consisted of bacon, sausages, croissants—all part of a balanced and calorically-dense breakfast; there was salad too, for good measure.

Ever since that first day, Chloe partook in the exact same menu as Lloyd, though in much smaller portions. As she munched away, she noticed that Lloyd had been staring at her. “Is…there something on my face?”

“No, it’s nothing important.” Lloyd’s gaze swept from Chloe’s face down to her torso. “It’s just that you’ve been looking a lot healthier lately.”

“Healthier?”

“You’ve put on some weight.”

Chloe let out a shrill whimper. “I-I have?!”

“That’s a good thing. You’re almost average now,” nodded Lloyd, a sincere look on his face.

Chloe let out a small sigh of relief. “I suppose I have been eating three square meals a day now.”

“A positive development.”

“Well, it’s not like me being average is going to be much of an improvement at all,” said Chloe in a self-deprecating tone.

Lloyd slightly furrowed his brow and lowered his voice to a whisper. “You should really learn to see yourself in a more objective light.”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“No, nothing.”

Lloyd’s expression flicked back to normal, much to Chloe’s confusion.

◇◇◇

After breakfast, Chloe followed Lloyd to the entrance as he got ready to leave for work.

“You know you don’t need to see me off every day, right?” Lloyd said.

“I don’t need to, yes. But I want to, so I do.”

“I suppose that’s fine, then…”

“I’m not being a bother, am I?”

“Not at all, I was just thinking it’d be a hassle on your part.”

“In that case there’s nothing to worry about! It’s no hassle—in fact, it’s become a little bit of fun that I look forward to every morning.”

“Seeing me off is fun? That’s a bit strange.”

“I think so too!” Chloe said with an embarrassed smile.

Lloyd reflexively scratched at his cheek. “I’ll be home by evening.”

“Of course! Same time as usual then? I was thinking we’d fry up some pork this evening, so if you wouldn’t mind, could you…?”

“Cleave it for you? No problem. I’ll make mincemeat of it.”

“Oh no, just bite-sized, please—for pork loins.”

“I see.”

Though his face didn’t change throughout, Chloe could tell from the tone of his voice that he was, in fact, a little disappointed. After having lived together for a week, she had learned to pick up on the subtle mechanics behind Lloyd’s unique sense of self-expression.

While her hyper-sensitivity to subtle changes in facial expression and tone of voice had originally developed as a way of navigating and surviving the hostile environment that was the Ardennes household, she never would’ve imagined it would find use in this very particular household run by this particularly stone-faced man.

“Alright, I’ll be on my way.”

“Have a good day!”

As Lloyd headed off to work, Chloe gave him a small wave goodbye.

◇◇◇

Just like that, another day peacefully approached a close.

Chloe had cleaned the house, done the laundry, bought groceries, and made dinner. The evening’s menu was roasted pork loin glazed with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, which was well received by the relevant party.

Now it was midnight. Chloe was standing in the kitchen, a cutting board and knife set out in front of her, looking very determined.

Just what was she up to?

She took out a cucumber and placed it in front of her.

Not too firm, not too soft, the humble cucumber was the king of easily-cut foods.

A candle lit up the workspace in front of her—a measure to prevent injury perhaps.

“Okay, you can do this Chloe, deep breaths.” With a few positive affirmations, Chloe stretched out a hand, grabbing the knife and—

She winced.

An image of the silver blade flashed in her mind. A goosebump-inducing shiver ran down her spine. Her heart began to race, turning into palpitations, pulling her chest tight.

Her grip weakened, and the knife slipped from her hand, clattering back down on the countertop.

She stared down at her still trembling hands and sighed.

It had been a week since Chloe started her homespun attempt at rehabilitation. Though Lloyd had reassured her that she would be able to use a knife again one day, it didn’t sit well with Chloe to just wait it out.

This was something she wanted to beat on her own terms.

So, ever since, she’d been in the kitchen every night after Lloyd had gone to bed, exposing herself to her feared stimulus, but so far…

“This is just not working…”

…Nothing. The act of simply gripping the knife was still enough to trigger flashbacks, shaking hands, and palpitations.

It hadn’t gotten better at all. It seemed that the trauma ran even deeper still.

“Still…you’ve got to do something…”

She had tried her best to work around the use of knives in her cooking, but that was quickly proving to be very limiting—there were so many more dishes she wanted to make for Lloyd. Of course, while he did tell her to call on him for help when needed, her unusually sensitive nature provoked an overwhelming sense of guilt every time she did. If only I could use this knife myself… she would think.

Getting over her fear of knives was her top priority.

“Here we go.” After reminding herself who and what she was doing this for, she managed to settle down. She looked down at her hands—the shaking had stopped.

“Again.” She took a deep breath, then exhaled. This was it. This was going to be the time she—

“What are you doing?”

Chloe jumped at the unexpected voice. She turned around slowly and hesitantly to see Lloyd in his nightclothes, standing there with arms crossed. She looked up at his face, and could barely make out a dubious expression in the dim candlelight.

She felt her back break out into a sweat. “I’m just preparing tomorrow’s breakfast…”

“Were you using a knife?”

Chloe emitted a noncommittal grunt. It was already too late. Lloyd’s gaze fell upon the knife and cucumber on the kitchen countertop.

Lloyd walked up next to her.

“I-I’m sorry.” Chloe shrunk her body down, lowered her head, and uttered a trembling apology—like she used to do whenever her mother got angry at her.

Lloyd was utterly confused. “I don’t follow. Why are you apologizing?”

“Huh?” Chloe looked up. She spied a puzzled expression on Lloyd’s face. “You’re not going to get angry at me?”

“Get angry at you? For what?”

“For…using the kitchen every night to practice my knifework?”

“Why would I get angry at you for that?”

“Well, because…”

Wait, why would he? She thought about it. There was no reason she could think of. She had apologized entirely by reflex. She had thought Lloyd would be angry at her if he found out she had been using the kitchen in secret, but never stopped to consider why—her body had reacted before her mind.

As Chloe grappled with this newfound realization, Lloyd opened his mouth. “To tell you the truth, I know you’ve been using the kitchen late at night.”

“What?! Since when?!”

“Since the beginning.”

Chloe was temporarily at a loss for words. “Of course you would, you’re a knight…”

“A first-rate knight must be aware of even the slightest changes in presence. It’s something you come to learn in the jungle, once the guerrillas catch your scent. You can never know when the next attack will come.”

“That awful jungle again…” said Chloe. “Wait, does that mean I’ve been keeping you up? I’m so sorry!”

“Not at all. After I figured out it was you, I slept soundly. Though I will admit I have been a bit curious as to what you were doing. At first I thought you were prepping for the next day, as you said.” He shot a glance towards the knife. “I’d never have thought you were training with a knife…”

Chloe forced out a dry laugh. It wasn’t training per se, but rehabilitation. Well, close enough, actually?

“I know you said to lean on others when it comes to things I can’t do, but…” she paused, mustering the courage to bare the truth to Lloyd. “But I can’t. I want to be able to use a knife again, and—”

An unexpected, gentle pressure descended upon her head, then lifted, then returned.

“You’re so strong,” Lloyd said. An uncharacteristically gentle tone adorned his voice.

Another two delicate strokes graced her head. As she realized what Lloyd was doing, her cheeks broke out into a fever. “M-Me? N-No…I’m just…”

“Just what? Trauma can be crippling. Getting over it is not easy. I know because I’ve…gone through it myself.”

Chloe looked up at Lloyd. His gaze was distant, and his face fixed in a grimace, as if he was recalling a difficult past.

She remembered being held in his tight embrace. Before she could ask what Lloyd meant, he continued first, “I see you’ve been at it alone.”

“Y-Yes.” Her voice trembling, Chloe nodded.

She realized that this was his way of trying to console her. The way he clumsily stroked her head, the stilted speech that spilled from his lips—all that—was an effort to recognize her efforts.

She had tried so many times before tonight. She had failed just as many. No matter how hard she tried, the flashbacks, the palpitations, the shaking—it all just wouldn’t go away.

Her own helplessness had even driven her to tears.

And here was Lloyd. Stroking her head, telling her she did well, vindicating her efforts, proving to her that they were not in vain.

Tears of happiness welled up in her eyes. She blinked them away over and over until they were all gone. Except one—a single tear rolled down her cheek. Thank heavens it’s the middle of the night, she thought. This way, Lloyd wouldn’t be able to see just how pathetic she looked.

For a while, the two remained in silence, and Lloyd continued to gently stroke her hair.

Afterwards, they moved over to the living room sofa.

“Would you like to tell me about it?” Lloyd asked Chloe, more serious than usual. “If I know what happened, I might be able to help you.”

As desperate as she was to open up, a singular voice of reason tugged at the back of her mind. I… Should I? This is such a heavy matter. Her hesitation dispersed, however, the instant she glanced at Lloyd’s face. It was as serious as it always was, but his eyes were filled with an unfamiliar determination. A determination to accept her, no matter what had happened to her, no matter what she had done.

Chloe took a deep breath, let the air settle in her chest, and let the words fly out into the room. “My mother… Sh-She came at me with a knife.”

Lloyd’s eyes widened in shock. He sent power into both fists, clenching them tight.

“I managed to dodge the first swing, but the knife…the knife got stuck in the ground right where I was. If I hadn’t…If I hadn’t dodged it, I…shudder to imagine what would’ve…”

As she put the day’s events into words, the memories flashed back in her mind. Her voice began to tremble and her words began to lose coherence, but she pushed through. “Then I got scared and I…ran. But my mother chased after me with the knife. I made it back to my room but she was there, slamming on my door and yelling ‘open up, open up, open up.’ I-I still hear her voice in my head. It just—it just won’t go away…”

Chloe continued on, knowing full well that her rambling had long since escaped the scope of Lloyd’s initial question. She told him about the nightmares, about the memories that wouldn’t stay repressed, about the fear and the helplessness and the distress she felt. “…That’s when I began to be afraid of knives. So long as I can see one, all I can think about is how it might hurt me, and I just can’t… I’m so terrified—of seeing them, of using them.”

After Chloe finished talking, she felt…lighter. Now that her experience wasn’t hers alone to bear, now that Lloyd knew what she knew, the burden on her heart had lifted somewhat.

“What a joke.” Lloyd uttered his first words since Chloe had started speaking. “I don’t know what happened, and frankly I don’t care what happened. What kind of parent points a knife at their own child? Unforgivable.” A tinge of barely repressed anger colored his speech.

“Lloyd…”

He suddenly realized he had been clenching his fists. “Sorry.”

“No, that’s…fine, please.”

It would’ve been unreasonable to expect Lloyd not to feel anger at what he just heard. In fact, Chloe felt happy—happy that he was willing to get angry on her behalf.

Lloyd took a deep breath to regain his composure. “In any case, first we need to find a way to help you conquer your fear. In brief, your fear stems from your belief that a knife will be turned on you, correct?”

“I believe so.”

“Which means what we need to do is show you, in some manner, that a knife will not be used to hurt you.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but…”

It was simple enough logic leading to a simple enough conclusion, but…

“…How do we do that?”

Both of them struck a pensive pose and ruminated for a few moments.

“Quite the hard problem, isn’t it?” said Chloe. A knife is, after all, inseparable from its power to cut and to wound; remove these qualities and it ceases to be a knife.

“My apologies. It seems that I have nothing to show for all that bluster earlier. I have disgraced my Order.”

“No, no, no! Of course not! This is a personal matter after all, and besides…” Chloe glanced upwards at Lloyd and infused her voice with conviction. “You’ve already done much for me by just listening. I feel much better now, thank you.”

“I see. That’s…good, then.” Lloyd awkwardly scratched at his own head. “Then I suppose the question at hand is what made your mother point a knife at you?”

Chloe’s breath faltered. An innocent and pertinent question, perhaps, but it dug too deeply and precisely at the root of the issue—the root from which all of Chloe’s most tender vulnerabilities burst forth.

“That’s…because…” Her words also faltered. She felt her back start to prick and burn.

You are a cursed child! You bring nothing but disaster and misfortune! You can’t be allowed to live! Even now, her mind reproduced the words loud enough to rupture her eardrums. She reflexively clutched at her chest, her heart beginning to flutter again.

Lloyd was not so dense as to overlook the signs of her panic. One more time, he placed his hand on her head. “It’s getting late. Let’s call it a night.”

The sensation of his weighty hand on her head once more, Chloe realized that he had intentionally cut the conversation short. “R-Right. You’ve got work tomorrow too. Thank you—for all your concern tonight.”

“I apologize for overstepping just now.”

“No, there’s nothing you have to apologize for.” It was her own fault for being unable to face the issue, after all.

“Um, Lloyd?” She spoke again. There was one final thing she had to make sure of. “In the future…when I’ve sorted it all out…I’ll tell you everything.”

Lloyd nodded, and gave her one final pat on the head. “Take your time. I’ll be here.”

◆◆◆

A week came and went. The noonday sun hung over the royal castle’s training grounds.

“Haaah!”

With one fluid motion, Lloyd deftly evaded the wooden sword that hurtled towards his head.

“Wha—?!” His opponent’s eyes bulged in astonishment as his blade cleft the air and a swift retaliating strike connected with his side, forcing a pained yelp out of him. “Ack!”

“Game!” The judge raised his arm and declared an end to the sparring session, his voice booming across the training grounds. “Lloyd wins!”

“Damn it. I thought I had you.”

Lloyd politely bowed towards his fellow knight and sparring opponent—who was still wincing—and walked away.

“Hey, did you see that?”

“No! How did he even dodge from that position? He was at such a disadvantage.”

“Who knows. That’s just the Ebon Reaper for you…”

As nearby spectating knights filled the air with their thoughts, Lloyd made his way back to the standby area—cool, calm, and collected. As he sat down to take a breather, there was not a soul about him.

“You’ve found a woman, haven’t you?”

Correction: there was one soul about him.

The First Order deputy commander, Freddy, had seemingly appeared out of thin air next to him.

Lloyd shot him a quizzical glance. “What’s this all of a sudden?”

“You move with such grace and power—it’s nothing like before. It’s almost like you’re a new man—who’s found someone to protect!”

“That is simply the result of my daily training.”

“Really? And that glowing complexion of yours? That thanks to your daily training too?”

“Glowing?” Lloyd reflexively put a hand to his face.

“Don’t touch, look! Look at a mirror—a mirror!” said Freddy as he produced a small pocket mirror from his breast pocket and pointed it towards Lloyd.

Lloyd stole a glance at it. He couldn’t deny that he looked somewhat healthier.

“Look at you, eating well! Your ol’ pal Freddy’s glad you took his advice to heart!”

Ignoring his smug deputy commander—who had his arms crossed, nodding to himself—Lloyd mulled over Freddy’s words for a moment. Diet had a profound impact on physical condition, there was no denying that. Lloyd historically tended to favor physical and mental conditioning and neglect his diet, so much so that his deputy commander regularly reprimanded him for it—also no denying that. The bulk of the recent changes in his condition occurred in the past two weeks, and if there was one major change in the past two weeks he could speak of, then it would have to be…

Chloe?

Since she had become his housekeeper, she had prepared almost every meal for him. Her menu was regularly nutritious and calorie-dense, perfect for a working knight like him. She also made sure to include heaping servings of vegetables. He found he had been sleeping better too.

I can think of no other reason.

“Come now, it’s your girlfriend, isn’t it?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

Lloyd realized his gaffe a split second too late. There was nothing to be done. The cat was out of the bag.

“She?! Not a girlfriend, so a wife then?! You work fast, you dog, you. Where was my invitation to the wedding?”

“No. She’s my housekeeper.”

“Gasp! A tale of forbidden love between a knight and his housekeeper! The scandal practically writes itself!”

“Can it write itself off instead?” Lloyd heaved a deep, soulful sigh. “Just so we’re clear, she’s only a housekeeper, nothing more.”

“And how old is this housekeeper of yours?”

Lloyd hesitated before answering, “Sixteen.”

“So what’s the problem?!” Freddy interjected. “All right. We have a lot to talk about, we’ll save the rest for over dinner at my house and—”

“No thanks.”

“Darn, I thought I could get you with that one.” Freddy let out a satisfied sigh and gave Lloyd a few love taps to the shoulder. “Well in any case, I rest a little easier knowing you have such an attentive and responsible housekeeper taking care of you.”

“That much is…correct.”

Indeed, Chloe had been a huge help. His house was now spotless, his routine frictionless, and his meals nutritious, delicious, and arranged for him. His quality of life had increased dramatically—there was no denying that.

“I’m sure you’re paying her a fair wage, but you should consider getting her a present too, you know? As an extra token of your appreciation,” Freddy said.

“A present?”

“What, don’t tell me you’ve never heard of a gift before.” Freddy shrugged his shoulders in mock exasperation. “Between something practical and something fun, I’m sure you can find something for a sixteen-year-old girl. There are plenty of shops on the way home; you should look into it.”

“That’s certainly a challenge—not sure I’ve dealt with anything similar.”

“Oh stop exaggerating. Don’t overcomplicate it. All you need to do is think about who she is as a person and—” Freddy paused mid sentence, and a mischievous grin flitted onto his face. “Hm. Yes, that does seem a little challenging for you…”

Lloyd’s competitive spirit roared into life at his wanton provocation. “Very well, consider it done.”

“I told you, it’s not all that seriou—you know what? That probably works better for you, so never mind!” A wry smile on his face, Freddy shrugged his shoulders once more. “Oh, right! Almost forgot. We’ll be on patrol together tomorrow. That’s what I came by to tell you in the first place.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you should be forgetting.”

“Sorry, sorry! When I smelled love in the air, I couldn’t help myself.”

“I don’t smell anything, though.”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

Freddy tried to explain the figure of speech, to no avail.

“…Enough about that. Unless I’m mistaken, I believe I wasn’t supposed to be on patrol duty tomorrow,” Lloyd said.

“I’ve heard chatter from the guards that the hoodlums down in the South District have been acting up lately. They’ve been trying to gather their numbers in preparation for…something. The top brass have told us to up our patrols.”

“I see. South District, is it?”

Lloyd felt a slight tinge of unease. It was their job as knights to protect the citizens before harm could come to them, and regular patrolling, of course, was one of their honorable duties in that regard.

“Understood, I’ll see you tomorrow, Deputy Commander.”

“Yes, I’ll be seeing you.” Freddy nodded, his usual glib smile replaced with a more somber expression.

◇◇◇

“Welcome back!”

“…I’m home.”

That evening, just like every other evening, Chloe greeted Lloyd at the door when he arrived home.

“How was your day? You’re quite late today.”

“My apologies, I had to finish up a few things at work.”

“Oh no that’s fine, please! Would you like dinner first? Or perhaps your bath?”

Lloyd remained silent.

“Lloyd?” Chloe asked.

“Apologies, my mind was elsewhere. I suppose my bath, then.”

“Very well.”

As Lloyd stepped into the corridor, Chloe stretched a hand out to help him with his belongings. Alongside his usual load, there was an additional paper bag, which Lloyd hurriedly shifted behind his back.

“What have you got there?” asked Chloe.

“That. Right. I stopped by the store on the way home—buying essentials for work.”

“I see. That’s all right, I can carry that for you as well!”

“No, that’s all right. It’s very light, I can handle it.”

“Oh, okay…?”

Leaving Chloe behind in her confusion, Lloyd quickly slipped by and made a break for the bathing room.

◇◇◇

Something feels…off, Chloe murmured internally.

Lloyd had been acting strange ever since he got home. He seemed rather dispirited, or fidgety, or jumpy, even.

It was almost like he was…hiding something.

Even now, at the dinner table, which was usually lively with light banter and idle conversation, it was deathly quiet.

For dinner, Chloe had prepared a salmon and clam acqua pazza. This one-pan dish of poached seafood was something she made quite often back home, and was something of a specialty of hers. After only offering her a modest word of praise for the meal, Lloyd had set to munching away quietly.

Something was clearly amiss.

Perhaps Lloyd was under the assumption he was doing a good job of hiding it, but he was hopelessly outmatched in this battle of wits. To Chloe, hugely empathetic and hypersensitive to even the slightest fluctuations in the energy of others as she was, his shift in attitude was as plain as day.

“Did you…have a rough day today?” asked Chloe.

“No. Training was per usual. Nothing special.”

“Oh, okay… It’s just that you seem a bit more tired than usual is all. Or is it perhaps that you have something on your mind?”

“I’m not particularly fatigued, and there’s…nothing on my mind,” said Lloyd.

Something is off…

Propelled by her brand-new conviction that something was wrong, Chloe’s thoughts quickly began to spiral out of control. Is it me? Have I done something to upset him? Was the food not to his liking? Is it his room? Did I not clean it satisfactorily? I mean, I did abbreviate it slightly today for lack of time…

A cold sweat broke out across her back. The pessimism festered and festered and festered away, until by the end of dinner, Chloe was all but convinced that this was her fault.

◇◇◇

“I have done you a great disservice.”

“Excuse me?”

After dinner, Chloe approached Lloyd as he sat on the sofa and lowered her head in a deep bow, leaving him utterly bewildered.

“My actions have caused you undue distress, and for that I sincerely apologize… I-I’m wholly deserving of any punishment you deem fit.”

“I—what? Wait, wait, wait, what’s going on?” Taken aback by the sudden apology, Lloyd shot back, flustered.

“Y-You’ve been acting strangely ever since you got home. I thought for sure I had done something to upset you!” Chloe replied, almost on the verge of tears.

After taking a moment to process her words, Lloyd covered his face with a palm and looked up at the ceiling in frustration. “Sorry. This is all my fault.”

With that, Lloyd stood up and wordlessly left the room, much to Chloe’s confusion. He came back a moment later, and motioned for her to sit down next to him, to which she complied, hesitantly.

“When I said there was nothing on my mind, I lied,” he said to Chloe, whose eyes were still heavy with unease. “I was thinking about when to give this to you.” In Lloyd’s hand was the paper bag from earlier. The one he had said was for “work.”

He handed the bag to Chloe, his expression betraying a sense of perplexity. “Go on, open it.”

Obediently, Chloe opened up the bag and took out a small, round wooden container, just big enough to rest on her palm. “What’s this?” she asked.

Upon opening it, she was greeted with a lovely floral scent, wafting from a cream of some sort.

“This is hand cream, or so they called it. It’s an oil extracted from fruit flowers. It’s effective in preventing your hands from drying out. I figured this would be useful to you, since you work with water so much when cooking, doing laundry, and such.”

Chloe nodded along in earnest as she listened to Lloyd’s explanation. “How nice…”

While she continued to examine the cream, Lloyd worked up the courage to add an additional statement, “There should be one more in there.”

“One more?” She fished through the bag once more, and pulled it out. “Wow…”

A pair of delicate ornaments, each in the shape of a flower, dangled from a tiny ring—she had seen these before.

“These are called earrings. They’re accessories you wear on your ears. I’ve heard they’re quite popular among women in the capital.”

“B-But the price on these! Why would you…?”

Lloyd sheepishly scratched at the back of his head. “I truly appreciate everything you do for me—I know I pay you, but I wanted to give you a little gift regardless. I couldn’t decide whether to get you something fun or something practical, so I ended up getting both…”

Chloe blinked her big eyes in surprise. Her gaze darted between the hand cream, the earrings, and Lloyd. Then another series of blinks followed.

This reaction disturbed Lloyd. Are these not to her liking? The temperature in the room seemed to drop, and a heaviness settled in his chest. His shoulders drooped slightly as he said, “If they’re not to your liking, or if you won’t use them, feel free to throw them away.”

“I-I’d never!” Chloe exclaimed, reaching a volume Lloyd had never heard from her before.

“I didn’t know you could be so loud…” he said, visibly taken aback.

“Ah! Sorry. I just—I thought I was dreaming. I didn’t know what to say…”

“I see…” he said, pausing. “So? What’s the verdict?”

“Um, let’s see…” Chloe pinched her cheeks and tugged, the skin stretching out like firm dough. “It hurts. This is real.”

“Very good.”

“Which means…these gifts are also real,” Chloe said, her face softening into a warm expression of joy, much to Lloyd’s relief. “Thank you very much. I’ll treasure these dearly.”

She embraced the gifts against her chest as if they were the most precious treasures of her world. “I had my eye on these earrings the moment I saw them, so thank you.”

In that moment, she pictured Lloyd, in all his grandeur, strolling into the women’s section to purchase these for her. The sheer absurdity and preciousness of it all swept her off her feet.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Lloyd replied.

“Can I try them on?”

“Of course.”

With some fumbling around with the earrings’ unfamiliar construction, she managed to put them on.

“They look great on you,” Lloyd remarked, his reaction reaching her ears before she even had a chance to ask for it.

Chloe giggled. “Thank you, you’re very kind,” she said, brimming with joy. If happiness were on a wavelength visible to the naked eye, Chloe’s radiance would outshine any star in the night sky.

Even Lloyd could tell. When he laid eyes upon that brilliant smile that seemed to well forth from the most intimate corners of her heart, he felt his own nearly leap out his chest. He felt his cheeks burn up, and his composure wavered. Instinctively, he averted his gaze, fearing that if continued to watch her, something within would reach a fever pitch and boil over.

“On my next day off, let’s go into town and pick out a dress for you,” Lloyd blurted out. He wanted Chloe to have a few options for special occasions in addition to the many sets of casual wear she already had—

—Which is what he would say. In truth, he simply desired to see Chloe dolled up in new and elegant ways. The newfound sentiment stirred in his chest and spilled out from his lips.

“A dress?” Chloe echoed.

“We still haven’t made good on that promise to go into town, after all.”

“B-But, I don’t know if—”

“It’ll suit you, I promise.”

Lloyd had no doubts. He had watched the girl before him transform into a beautiful young lady—compared to the day he met her, she was almost unrecognizable. All it took was two weeks of good food, proper rest, and a safe environment where her true self could flourish.

“If you say so, Lloyd…” Chloe said, flustered at Lloyd’s proclamation.

Flustered, but, of course, happy.

◇◇◇

At the entranceway to Lloyd’s home, the next morning, they spoke again…

“I’m on patrol today, so I might be a bit late tonight.”

“Of course! In that case, I’ll be starting dinner a little later.”

Lloyd nodded in response to Chloe, who seemed to be in higher spirits than usual.

“Is something the matter?” she inquired—he had been keenly staring at her.

“Nothing, I just noticed you’re already wearing the earrings.”

Indeed, dangling off both ears were two shiny earrings, each in the shape of a flower.

Chloe giggled sheepishly. “I’ve taken a liking to them.”

“It hasn’t even been a day.”

“The heart wants what it wants! I’d wear these all the time if I could.”

“I see. Very well then.” Looking at the bashful Chloe, Lloyd felt his own face soften. “You’re aware you’re free to spend your wages on whatever you like, right? You haven’t been holding back, have you?”

“I-I might have been…”

“Indeed, eh? I gathered that perhaps you might have been, due to your previous circumstances. But here, there’s no need. If you see something you want, buy it.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind; thank you for your concern,” Chloe said, dipping her head in a curt bow—which Lloyd was quick to take advantage of, petting her head.

The sense of security and wellbeing of the heavy, firm hand on the top of her head was almost enough to summon forth a tear. Noticing how often it’d been happening of late, Chloe posed a question to Lloyd.

“Do you like petting my head?”

“Sorry, do you not like it?”

“No, no, I do! In fact…” Chloe said, fidgeting. “I like it very much indeed…”

Lloyd hesitated. “That’s…good, then…” He looked away from Chloe, whose cheeks were lit up in bright strawberry red. “I don’t quite understand it myself, but when I see you…the urge just comes naturally,” he continued, his tottering cadence betraying his own perplexity.

“Well, if we’re both fine with it, there isn’t really a problem, is there?” Chloe replied.

“Yes—yes, exactly.”

They exchanged nods, and a brief silence settled between them.

“…I should get going,” said Lloyd, breaking through the tense mood.

“…Yes, of course, have a great day.”

With that, Chloe saw Lloyd out of the house. Now alone, she crouched down to the floor, curling into a little ball, and shook her head, which was now beet red from ear to ear.

That was so embarrassing, that was so embarrassing, that was so embarrassing, that was so embarrassing, she thought, thrashing about in her mind.

Lately, Chloe had found it increasingly difficult to keep her composure around Lloyd.

From the moment they met, she had been acutely aware of the emotions stirring within her heart and what they meant. But let’s face it, she thought. She was a freeloading runaway working as a housekeeper, and he was an elite and distinguished knight of the royal capital. What good could come from any romance blossoming between them? Her wavering self-esteem acted like venom, tainting her thoughts with its persistent, insidious whisper.

She had tried her best to suppress those feelings, to bury them deep within, but after yesterday’s events, the emotions were growing stronger, and were becoming harder to ignore.

Alas, what was a girl to do? The status quo—the current distance between them, their relationship, their daily lives—it was all so perfect, so pure. She’d like to indulge in it just a little bit longer, she thought.

She brought a hand up to her head, feeling the spot that Lloyd’s hand had been just a moment ago. The ridiculousness of her own behavior suddenly dawned upon her, and her cheeks flushed even hotter still.

What are you doing, Chloe?! Pull yourself together!

With a single, vigorous shake of the head, she chased all worldly desire from her head. Taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet, clenching a fist in front of her chest.

“Okay. Time to start cleaning.”

And thus began yet another ordinary day.

…Or so she believed.

◇◇◇

It was a perfect day for chores. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the temperature was pleasantly mild. Chloe hummed a cheerful melody to herself as she swept the floors, cleaned the house, and did the laundry. What a great mood she was in.

After finishing up everything at home, she set out to do some shopping. Her outfit of choice was yet again her sister’s dress—it had practically become her outdoor uniform at this point. The scuffs and frays and cuts and scrapes were becoming increasingly hard to ignore, and she could certainly do with an additional outfit by now, but she figured that this would suffice until her day out with Lloyd. Heaving her rucksack on her back, she set out for the merchant quarter.

Main Street was as bustling and lively as always. The atmosphere alone was enough to raise her spirits even higher. For the time being, she first headed over to the market to replenish their stock of household consumables.

“Chloe! How’s it going? Out shopping?”

“Hello Mister Arnoido! Yes, just doing my daily shopping and buying some groceries for dinner tonight!”

“Hey Chloe! What a lovely dress you’ve got on!”

“Hello, Miss Snow! Thank you very much!”

As Chloe strolled down the street, she exchanged the occasional pleasantry with some of the shopkeepers. Having found herself in the Merchant Quarter quite often over the past two weeks, she had become something of a regular herself, due in no small part to her affable and modest nature, no doubt.

“Chloe! Welcome, welcome!”

“Miss Ciel, hello!”

She made her way over to a familiar stall, run by a familiar Miss Ciel—the kind older lady who had helped her with dinner on that very first night. Her stall had quickly become Chloe’s favorite, owing to her phenomenal service and high-quality produce.

“What do you have for me today, Miss Ciel?”

“Thanks for askin’ sweetie! We just got in this most amazing beef. It’s tender and beefy and just delicious, you gotta try it!”

“That sounds wonderful! May I get enough for two, please?”

“You got it! I’ll throw in some ginger for you, free of charge. You throw that together in a light braise and it’ll be mm, mm, mmm!”

“Wow, that sounds amazing! You’re always giving me the most wonderful ideas, I can’t thank you enough…”

“The pleasure is all mine. Oooh, in fact I’ve got something else for ya.” Ciel rummaged around and took out something yellow and otherwise unfamiliar.

“What’s this?” asked Chloe.

“This is a fruit called banana. It’s sweet and yummy and nutritious, ya know?”

“Banana! I’ve never heard of it…”

“Want a little try-before-you-buy?”

“May I?!” said Chloe, eyes positively sparkling.

“Course!” replied Ciel, proffering up some pre-cut samples to Chloe.

She took a bite, and a hand immediately shot up to her cheek. “This is delicious!”

The banana was soft, creamy, and predominantly sweet, with just a hint of tartness. She couldn’t think of a single food that tasted anything like it.

“I never knew such a delicious fruit existed!” Chloe said.

“Well, it’s not something you see up here that often. It’s a tropical fruit that only grows down south in the Manzora region, you see.”

“I’ve never heard of such a place.” Born and raised in the far north, Chloe hadn’t the foggiest.

“Well, that’s not hard to believe. Ferocious beasts and venomous snakes claim that jungle. Ordinary folk like us aren’t allowed anywhere near it. It took a licensed trader quite a lot of trouble to get us these.”

“A jungle?” murmured Chloe. The word tickled the back of her mind.

Back in the jungle I went without food or water for three whole days quite often.

That jungle? she wondered.

Was it possible that Lloyd had been in this highly dangerous, forbidden jungle Ciel had mentioned? Chloe’s thoughts wandered for a moment, before Ciel’s voice brought her back down to reality. “So? How about it? Want these?”

“Oh! Yes, please!”

“Thanks again!” said Ciel, wrapping up a bunch of bananas. “Oh, and by the way…” She pointed a finger at the earrings dangling from Chloe’s ears. “Those earrings, who gave ‘em to ya?”

“Y-You noticed!” Chloe stammered back.

“Wouldn’t last long in this business if I couldn’t!” Ciel heaved a hearty laugh. That pesky trademark merchant shrewdness again.

“It was him, wasn’t it?” she continued, propping up a suggestive pinky finger.

“Y-Your pinky finger?” Chloe replied, confused. “It was from the gentleman I had previously mentioned, as a gift…”

A gleeful four-syllable laugh escaped Ciel’s lips. “Well if that isn’t perfectly sweet-and-sour I don’t know what is!” she said, nodding in agreement to herself. “They look great on ya. He’s got taste, that one.”

“Thank you!” Chloe said, her heart swelling with warmth and contentment. It felt wonderful to be complimented for something that she also adored.

“Thanks again sweetie, I’ll be seeing ya!” After finishing up at the till, Ciel bid Chloe farewell with a warm smile. Smiles begetting smiles, Chloe, too, walked away with a big grin. Well, I’ll have to pay her another visit soon, she thought.

Her arms full with the evening’s groceries, Chloe dawdled around for a bit before setting out on the way home.

“Oh my…”

Noticing something, she planted her feet in front of a city park, not far from home. There was Millia, the girl from two weeks ago, frolicking around with a familiar little kitten.

“Ah!” Millia exclaimed. It seemed that she had noticed Chloe. She trotted up to her, the kitten following closely behind. “Hello Miss Monkey Lady!”

“Hello, Millia!” Chloe said. “Hold on a minute. I’m not a monkey, you know.”

“But, but! You can climb trees, and monkeys can climb trees, so I thought…”

Chloe crossed her arms and tilted her neck in thought, seemingly unconvinced. “Well, you’re not wrong about that, but…”

“Meow!” The kitten, now wrapping around her ankles, interrupted her train of thought.

“Look! Othello thinks you’re a monkey too!”

“It’s Othello now, is it? Have you made a new friend?” asked Chloe. The little black and white kitten, its fur impeccably arranged in a dapper tuxedo pattern, was unmistakably the same kitten she had saved two weeks ago—just a little bit bigger now.

“Yep! We’re keeping ’em now! Its fur is black and white, so we named it Othello! It followed us home that day! Mother said I wouldn’t be able to take good care of a cat, but I said ‘I can! I can! I can!’ until she let me!”

“Really? Good for you, Othello!” Chloe said, crouching down for a pet. The warm, fluffy sensation of its fur graced her fingertips. Othello purred and butted its head against the offending hand—seemingly still recognizing her as its savior.

“Oh aren’t you just the cutest!” Chloe couldn’t help herself. What with its big, round eyes, soft fur, and precious smallness, the adorable creature was simply too much for her.

“Your face is melting, Miss Monkey Lady!”

Monkey lady, mover lady, shopper lady, whatever lady! No longer a coherent thought to her name, Chloe’s face drooped as she continued to fawn over the adorable little kitten, when suddenly—

“Ah! Daddy!”

—Millia raised her voice behind her.

◇◇◇

Somewhere in the North District…

“Thank you for yesterday.”

Walking next to his deputy commander, Lloyd bowed his head and uttered a few words of gratitude.

“So? Did she like them?” Freddy said back.

“Yes, she was already wearing them by morning.”

“Interesting, interesting… Well, I knew that much—it was I that picked those out, after all!” Freddy crossed his arms and let out a self-satisfied grunt.

Though this usually would have Lloyd knitting his brow and rolling his eyes, he couldn’t deny the results of Freddy’s handiwork. Yesterday’s Operation: Gift had been a smashing success.

“But still, imagine my surprise when you asked me for help!” Freddy continued.

“It felt wrong not to follow my own advice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, it’s a personal matter.”

After Freddy had planted the suggestion in Lloyd’s mind, he had thought long and hard. What do I get her? What would make her happy? Something fun? Something practical? What’s the difference? I don’t know… I don’t know, I don’t know!

He had been frantic.

Hoping that perhaps some exercise would stimulate his mind, he put in a request for another sparring session. As he parried, dodged, bobbed, and weaved his way around his opponent, he strained every mental muscle he had in a quest to come up with something—anything!

But alas, no dice. His hopelessness manifested in the form of a torrential cold sweat, pouring from every inch of his body.

Someone’s fired up today! Freddy had exclaimed—apparently mistaking the source of his sweat for something else entirely.

Woah, look at Lloyd. He usually doesn’t even break a sweat, but look at him now! What did you do to him?!

Hah! I don’t know, but I’m kinda feeling it today, boys!

After the above conversation between sparring partner and company, the former, brimming with overconfidence, jumped into another session, only to be laid out in no time flat.

Back to the matter at hand. Lloyd was in a pinch. His time in the jungle never prepared him for something like this. This was without a doubt the most difficult task he had ever been prescribed, and he saw no way out of it…

…At least, not alone.

At his wit’s end, Lloyd dragged himself over to Freddy and popped the big question: “…Would you mind helping me pick out a gift after work?”

Freddy gladly accepted.

If you were lucky enough to be at a particular jewelry shop on that particular evening, you would’ve happened upon a most peculiar sight: two full-grown, burly men in the ladies’ section, turning the place inside out, in a desperate search for the perfect accessory.

In the end, credit had to be given where credit was due; Freddy had managed to pick out the perfect gift, overshooting all of Lloyd’s most lofty expectations.

Now, back to the present.

“Still, it had been a long while since I’d been at a jeweler’s. Oh, what it is to be young!” said Freddy.

“You’re still plenty youthful yourself, no?”

“Fool! Make no mistake—though it won’t age you physically, marriage changes a man. I was so aggressive back then, always on the offensive, trying to get my own feelings through, and now? Here I am, learning to be empathetic to my wife and her needs, on the back foot, playing defense.”

“So you switched from attacking to defending? I suppose that makes sense.”

“Mmm, no I don’t think that’s quite it,” Freddy shot back, stifling a grin at Lloyd, who was looking mighty conflicted. “Well, you’ll come to understand when you have a family of your own. It’s a wonderful thing, family! You know my daughter brought a kitten home the other day. It has black and white fur—like it’s wearing a tuxedo. Quite adorable if I do say so myself. Just yesterday my wife…”

There he goes again, Lloyd thought. He let out an internal sigh—though not at all out of annoyance. While he envied those blessed with abundant human connection, he did not loathe those who were more fortunate than he. In fact, he enjoyed it when Freddy shared; it felt like he was letting him in on a little bit of his happiness.

Family is a wonderful thing?

Perhaps that was true. These past two weeks with Chloe had shown him that much, or so he thought.

He no longer came back to an empty home.

He came back to Chloe.

There she was, every day, like clockwork. Having lived alone for as long as he could remember, Lloyd remembered feeling uneasy at the onset, but now, it felt comfortable—it felt…right, like it had always been this way.

“…As I was saying, my precious wife and daughter are just too much!”

“Yes, as you’ve said many times before.”

“I’d rush home and see them now if I could! You know, I was secretly hoping we’d run into them today on patrol, but I guess life doesn’t always go the way you want it to…”

“Do you live nearby?”

“I do! Just a little further down this block, actually. There’s the park my daughter usually frequents, but…”

“You didn’t plan this patrol route on purpose, did you?”

“Please! I’m a professional! I wouldn’t—oh!” Freddy’s face lit up like a lantern, like that of a lost child who had just found their mother. “Millia!” he shouted while waving his arm around.

“Ah! Daddy!” A young girl shouted back. And next to her was….

“L-Lloyd?!”

“Wha—?!”

…a certain petite, beige-blonde housekeeper in a pretty little dress.

◇◇◇

Chloe was in a pinch. The unthinkable had just happened. On the way home, after accidentally running into Millia, she stumbled upon Lloyd, of all people.

“Lloyd?! What are you doing here?”

“Me? I’m on patrol and happened to pass by, that’s all.”

“Oh that’s right! You did mention that. What a coincidence!” Chloe’s face brightened up.

“Who’s that, Miss Monkey Lady?” Millia said, butting into the conversation.

“Oh! Yes. This is my employer… Or my master? I suppose? For lack of a simpler word…”

“I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing, Lloyd.”

“Please don’t.”

Freddy flicked his gaze from Lloyd to Chloe before a broad, shameless grin broke out on his face. “I see, I see… So this is that little housekeeper of yours…”

“…Yes,” Lloyd replied with a great sigh.

There was no way around it. Dangling from her ears were the pair of earrings that Freddy had picked out.

“Would you mind introducing me, Lloyd?” said Chloe.

“Yes, this is—”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Freddy, deputy commander of the First Order of the Royal Knights Rose, at your service.”

Chloe hastily bowed her head in response to Freddy’s most courtly introduction. “P-Pleased to make your acquaintance! I’m Chloe, Lloyd’s housekeeper. It is an honor to meet you!”

“Please, there’s no need to be so formal. We’re out here on private terms after all; let’s keep it casual,” replied Freddy.

“I believe we are out on official business, are we not, Deputy Commander?”

“No, no, we’re simply taking our five-minute break as mandated in proper patrol procedure.”

Lloyd heaved a deep sigh. “…Very well.”

“Daddy! The man in black! Who is he!”

“This man right here? This is Lloyd, my trusty subordinate.”

“Hi Lloyd! I’m Millia. Nice to meet you!” Millia said, with a polite bow.

“Hi there. I’m Lloyd. I work with your father,” Lloyd curtly replied, visibly uncomfortable at having to interact with such a young child.

Chloe turned to address Freddy next. “Are you Millia’s father, by chance?”

“Indeed! That’s my daughter dearest!”

“Well, I can definitely see who she got that beautiful blonde hair and pretty little face from!”

“Lloyd, I’m getting her a gift too. She’s a keeper, this one.”

“Please don’t complicate things.”

Right on the heels of Lloyd’s verbal jab, Chloe spoke up, as if remembering something, “Would Miss Sara be your wife, then?”

“Oho! You’ve met Sara too? She is my darling wife indeed.”

“She’s such a lovely lady! You two must make the most perfect couple!”

“Lloyd, we’re going for a gift, right now.”

“Please spare me just this once,” Lloyd replied in a state of total exasperation, to which Freddy responded with a cheeky smile.

Remembering something, Freddy then directed his attention to his daughter. “Millia, do you know Miss Chloe here?”

“She’s the Miss Monkey Lady! The one who saved Othello! The one I mentioned!”

Freddy gave an inquisitive hum as if everything had clicked into place.

“I see, I see…” He turned to address Chloe. “So you’re the infamous ‘Miss Monkey Lady…’”

“I-I suppose that nickname stuck, did it?”

“Miss Monkey Lady? What’s that all about?” interjected Lloyd.

“It’s a long story…” Chloe blushed. She never imagined this embarrassing nickname would ever make its way back to Lloyd.

“Five minutes is up, Deputy Commander.”

“An anal one, aren’t you…” Freddy said, shrugging his shoulders.

He then bent down to give Millia one final pet on the head. “Millia. Your father has to go back to work now. Be kind to Chloe for me, okay?”

“Okay! Good luck at work, Daddy! Keep the streets safe!”

“Oh, now you’ve done it! Don’t you worry; together with Lloyd, your father will patrol every single street in town.”

“No I won’t. I’ll be going home when my watch is over.”

Chloe sensed a heartwarming camaraderie between Freddy from the way they bantered back and forth without reserve.

Freddy then turned to bid farewell to Chloe. “Chloe, it’s been a pleasure. I thank you for being so kind to my daughter once again.”

“The pleasure’s all mine. My apologies for bothering you while you’re on duty,” Chloe replied with a deep bow.

Freddy’s next utterance was too quiet for anyone else to hear.

“…What a perfect little lady.” Then he spoke up to address Chloe once more. “Now, I know Lloyd can be dense…stubborn, and a little clueless at times, but he’s a nice man at heart, so please, I hope you won’t give up on him.”

“I-I would never! Lloyd’s kind and gentlemanly… He’s done more for me than I could ever do for him! I’m honored to be his housekeeper, sincerely.”

“Hear that?” Freddy prodded.

Lloyd remained silent and averted his gaze. His previous feistiness had all but vanished.

“Well, we still have a ways to go, don’t we?” Freddy heaved an exasperated sigh. Suddenly, as if just remembering, he exclaimed, “Oh, right! Chloe, how about joining us for dinner one of these days? Lloyd’s invited too, of course.”

“Really?! You would have us?”

“Of course! I mean, what a lovely little coincidence this turned out to be! We’ve welcomed a brand new member of our family thanks to you, and we’ve yet to properly thank you for it!”

Chloe’s eyes were positively glittering in anticipation. But this wasn’t her call. She turned to the man in black.

“What do you think, Lloyd?” Ignorant of the many times Lloyd had declined Freddy’s invitation, she looked at him expectantly.

“…Yes, sure,” he replied. He no longer had the option to refuse.

“Yay! Thank you very much!”

Chloe hopped for joy, Lloyd sighed in acceptance of his fate, and Freddy puffed out his chest in victory. “What brought about the change of heart, I wonder?” he murmured suggestively to Lloyd.

“Miss Monkey Lady’s coming to our house? Yay!” Millia celebrated, as a disinterested Othello gave a big yawn at her feet.

And so it was set in stone.

In three days, Freddy would host a dinner party, with Chloe and Lloyd in attendance.

◇◇◇

“I see, so that’s why you’re ‘Miss Monkey Lady.’”

“Y-Yes,” Chloe said, groaning in embarrassment.

Later that night, over braised beef and onions, Chloe re-told the story of her encounter with Millia to Lloyd.

“In addition to housekeeping, you can climb a tree like no other. It seems your list of talents never ends,” said Lloyd.

“Is that a compliment?” shot back a wary Chloe.

“Of course. Knowing how to climb a tree increases your survival rate in the jungle exponentially. You can escape from wild beasts, scout out enemy positions, and forage for fruit… See? It’s a life skill.”

“It’s always the jungle with you, isn’t it?”

Curious as she was about the origin of this jungle, she still couldn’t bring herself to ask about it. She got the feeling that she shouldn’t broach the topic so casually—that it was off-limits, somewhat.

“Still, what a coincidence that was!” she said instead.

“Indeed, I’d never have imagined you were acquainted with the Deputy Commander’s wife and daughter.”

“Me neither. What a small world…” Chloe said. Next, she dropped her voice low. “But, I feel a little better knowing you have someone like Freddy as your superior.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Um, I’m not sure this is the best way to put it, but…” Chloe’s gaze drifted towards the ceiling as she paused to gather her thoughts. “I’d been afraid you were alone.”

In these past two weeks, Chloe had never heard Lloyd talk about other people. He had never mentioned the names of family or friends, which led her to surmise that perhaps they didn’t exist.

That would’ve been so…sad, she thought. A projection of her own feelings about herself, perhaps.

“I owe a great debt to the Deputy Commander,” Lloyd said, as if toasting to the distant past. “He keeps an eye on me—makes sure that I’m not left out.”

“I see. You’ve a lot to thank him for, then.”

“That’s…very true.” A wave of guilt washed over Lloyd, and his speech wavered.

Freddy had been a constant pillar of support, yet Lloyd had never found the words to thank him. Although he respected Freddy as a commanding officer and as a swordsman, Lloyd had kept his deepest and most personal vulnerabilities locked away.

His repeated refusal of Freddy’s dinner invitation had stemmed, not from disinterest, but from the fear lurking within him. Lloyd couldn’t bear the thought of his less-than-stellar social graces being put on display. He had no doubt in his mind that his peculiarities would stand out all the more in the company of a warm, loving family.

He was aware that this was entirely a personal issue—one that he had been running from. The invitation was something he would have liked to accept eventually, so on this occasion, he was not at all unhappy with the way things had turned out.

“I have to thank you as well,” he said.

“For what?” Chloe replied.

“A lot of things.” Feeling a tinge of embarrassment, Lloyd knew his words came out muddled. Something else on his mind, he spoke again as Chloe looked on in puzzlement. “As you may have guessed, I don’t have a lot of connections outside work besides you.”

“I suppose that means I’m special.”

“You look oddly happy about that?”

Chloe let out a small giggle. “Must be your imagination,” she teased. “Well, strictly speaking I’m a work connection too, am I not?”

Lloyd didn’t say anything.

“…Lloyd?”

He rested his chopsticks, and slowly opened his mouth. “I…don’t think of you that way.”

“Huh?” Chloe said, blinking her eyes in surprise. “What do you mean by…?”

“…Nothing, forget I said anything.”

Lloyd picked up his chopsticks and resumed chipping away at the rest of his dinner. Chloe seemed unconvinced, but obliging Lloyd’s request, she returned her attention to her food as well.

Family.

The word that Lloyd had attempted to say lost its momentum somewhere along the way and stopped short just of his lips.

◇◇◇

“Lloyd, here.”

After dinner, Chloe cut up a banana and proffered a plate to Lloyd, much to his surprise.

“A banana?”

“You know of it?”

“Of course.” Nostalgia colored his voice as he gazed at the yellow fruit. “These things saved my life more than once in the jungle. They’re portable and highly nutritious. I could fight for three days on one banana alone.”

Chloe remained silent. She recalled what Ciel had told her that afternoon: Ferocious beasts and venomous snakes claim that jungle. Ordinary folk like us aren’t allowed anywhere near it.

Until now, she had found Lloyd’s sporadic jungle anecdotes charming and entertaining, but the possibility that they were actually painful memories for him pulled her lips tight.

“Mm, delicious,” Lloyd remarked, nodding in enjoyment with a mouthful of banana.

After his third piece, he noticed that Chloe had been oddly still. “You’re not going to have some?”

“Oh! Yes, thank you.” Snapping back to reality, she hastily popped a piece into her mouth. With her thoughts elsewhere, the same sweet, delicious banana from the afternoon tasted somewhat subdued.

Chloe gingerly opened her mouth. “Um…”

“What is it?” Lloyd shot back, munching on yet another piece of banana.

What happened to you in that jungle? she wanted to ask, but with her courage faltering, she quickly swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue. “…Nevermind, it’s nothing.”

“…Sure.” Lloyd’s brow furrowed for an instant, but he quickly let it go.

Opposite him, a troubled Chloe struggled to enjoy the banana that, for some reason, tasted like nothing at all.