On the dirt road leading to Buena Village, a magnificent white horse walked slowly onward.
Sunlight spilled over golden fields, and the air carried the scent of earth and grass.
Yet the atmosphere on horseback was rather delicate.
Roxy had stopped scolding him to hide her embarrassment.
Now, she simply clutched her white suitcase tightly.
Her body was a little stiff, her cheeks flushed, and her head bowed. Her long blue eyelashes cast shadows beneath her eyes.
From behind her, Cui Ciyou could see only her familiar, broad Mage Hat and her two blue pigtails.
At last... I managed to keep her from leaving.
Cui Ciyou held the reins steadily as he recalled what had happened at House Boreas:
Just two hours earlier,
As he watched Roxy's figure disappear through the mansion gates,
Fear, panic, confusion, and anger had surged through Cui Ciyou's heart.
Only one overwhelming thought remained in his mind-he could not let Roxy leave just like that.
Cui Ciyou quickly suppressed his tangled emotions and considered his options in a flash:
Should I rush after her and force her to stay? No. Knowing Roxy, that would probably only make her more determined to leave.
I have to find a reasonable, convincing... perfect reason that will keep her by my side...
Buena Village...!
The place name instantly sprang into Cui Ciyou's mind.
That's right. That's where Roxy is going to tutor Rudeus... She's already made her decision. I can't stop her from leaving Roa City.
Then I need to approach this differently. If I can't stop Roxy from leaving, I just have to make sure she doesn't leave my "side."
As long as I can go to Buena Village too, everything will fall into place.
And so, once he had worked it all out,
Cui Ciyou immediately