Ink Lotus did not immediately respond to Larkspur's somewhat sudden declaration.
She merely took her napkin from the side and helped Ink Lotus wipe her clothes and hair. Only after drying all the water stains did she speak.
"Why?"
Ink Lotus buried her face in the napkin for a while as well. After wiping away the jelly and cream stuck to her face, she raised her head.
"Because, Captain, you're a hero who saved so many people. You shouldn't be treated like this."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with how I am now," Larkspur said calmly.
"But..." Ink Lotus clearly could not accept Larkspur's answer, but just as she was about to continue, the arriving waiter interrupted her.
Though it had not caused much of a commotion, the restaurant staff had noticed that something seemed to have happened to Ink Lotus, so they hurried over with an assortment of cleaning supplies.
She could only sit there, wanting to speak but stopping herself, surrounded by the waiters while unwillingly meeting Larkspur's gaze. Only after they had thoroughly cleaned every stain off her and even brought her a new Parfait was she finally freed from their encirclement.
Ink Lotus did not touch the Parfait before her.
Her hands rested on either side of the glass as she continued to stare straight at Larkspur.
"Let's talk on the way back."
This time, however, Larkspur refused her.
She tapped her spoon against the rim of her glass, then tipped her chin toward Ink Lotus's Parfait. Larkspur spoke pointedly. "Though I'm not entirely sure what you're about to say, I don't think it's suitable for a restaurant."
Ink Lotus's empty hands curled slightly, then quickly relaxed. Her expression did not change much from beginning to end, but her previously widened eyes returned to their