The city had a charm of its own during the snowy season.
The crowds in the square had thinned considerably.
Rather than heading home right away, he wandered at leisure.
Just as he was studying a shop selling all manner of strange enchanted goods with interest, a familiar, though hardly close, acquaintance came into view.
Outside an extravagantly decorated clothing store nearby, Princess Ariel's guardian knight, Luke Notus Greyrat, was politely holding the door open for two lavishly dressed young ladies.
Cui Ciyou's gaze lingered with interest on Luke and the two ladies for another couple of seconds.
One on each side. No more, no less. Exactly two.
He really was faithfully putting his own bizarre theory into practice: "I only date two women at a time, because Humanfolk don't have a third hand."
"Luke."
Out of consideration for their slight acquaintance, Cui Ciyou went over to greet him.
"What a coincidence, running into you here."
"...Mr. Ciyou."
Luke was about to step aside and let his two companions enter first. When he heard that voice and recognized Cui Ciyou, the impeccable gentlemanly smile on his face froze for an instant.
He quickly composed himself, replacing it with a courteous but distant smile.
But Cui Ciyou still keenly caught that fleeting stiffness.
Cui Ciyou knew that this guardian knight, Luke, and the Guardian Mage, Derrick, had been somewhat at odds with him ever since their first meeting.
It was because, when he first met Ariel, he had predicted that she would be attacked by a Doom Boar.
Even though his prediction about the Doom Boar had later proven true.
Even though Princess Ariel herself had been saved by Roxy and Ghislaine from his household.
This guardian knight's faint hostility toward him never seemed to diminish.
Dislike was dislike.
Finding someone