Frogs are cute too!

Chapter 22: Frogs are cute too!

Kein's POV

"Welp glad to see your parents still being them even if the Duke looks like he'll definitely need a lot of rest." I looked at the two lovable couple, who were Vincent's parents.

Vincent agrees with me as he leaves the room and I follow him. "Father and Mother, they have been like that and I'm glad they are not like other noble parents I have witnessed." (Lord Vincent)

"Yeah heh I can see that. Believe me with all the medieval novels I've read and all the noble related romance I've seen, usually there's some third party person in here to break the arrangement."

I laugh thinking about the works of film back in my own world.

There would be a forbidden love trope where someone from the noble family meets a commoner and falls in love forgetting the engagement set by his parents. The next part is just having either a plan to escape together or rebel against them.

Or usually if things go well and the book is nice. The parents accept but the movie won't last an hour that way so it must be better to have some chaos here and there.

"So... mind telling me who's the girl behind the curtain, Kein?"

Vincent points out at Rose whose shoes were poking out of the curtain.

"Pfft-" I tried containing my laughter as I walked over to the curtain, opening it to reveal Rose a little taller than me trying her best to hide herself. "Vincent already noticed your shoes sticking out, hiding out behind the curtains was not a good place to choose."

"Aw, fiddlesticks." (Rose) muttered as she sighed looking at Vincent disappointedly.

"Miss Rose, delighted to see you again after all this time." (Vincent) bows , taking in Rose who laughs nervously.

"H-Hi nice to see you too, a person I don't know." (Rose)

Wait what? But didn't these two each other hang out back at the Licht Festival or maybe it's just been a while that Rose already forgot who this was. "Rose come on, this is Lord Vincent, the one who was with us at the festival. Did you forget him already?"

"A-AH! Yeah! You! Yes! I remember! Nice to see you again!" (Rose)

Wow. This was awkward. These two looked at each other's eyes somehow communicating in an eye language I don't know as they stared at each other quietly. "Okay that's it, it's too quiet and awkward. Since I have fulfilled my purpose of visiting the Duke and seeing he's in okay condition I might go back to watch sword fighting instead. Wanna come with me, Rose?"

I asked Rose, she looked so happy at first but... she shakes her head politely. "N-No... I have to do volunteer work for the church. I still have to see the other injured knights."

"The other mages are out of town because of the king sending them on an expedition to find a rare ingredient for the queen's medicine. I have to help out around here some more..."

Expedition? Queen's medicine? Help out? I felt like I shouldn't impose on Rose's possible duties.

"Oh... okay if you're busy then I guess some other time?" I told Rose who shyly nodded, maybe it was just my imagination but she really looked eager to go out with me and well...

I remember the times we hung out. I didn't mind her company with me, I didn't like it nor I didn't hate it but I guess I'm just a little disappointed.

Vincent stared at us weirdly before nudging my side, "Oh right uh! I guess I'll see you both later-"

"Oh my- Rose aren't you going to rest? You've been going in circles all morning!"

Suddenly a middle aged woman stopped me as Rose was now getting scolded for uh I don't know actually.

"Sister Porfolia! Don't worry my body is made of steel and if any other knights or people is in need of help you can just call me over!" (Rose) enthusiastically answered as Vincent and I awkwardly watched.

"As I've said you've been working too hard all morning. Please take a rest, my old soul cannot bear to see you being overworked at an event like this." (Sister Porfolia) apparently was worried about Rose working too hard to the void of exhaustion.

I mean all morning? The dedication of that damn. Isn't Rose kind of a selfless person now, I have seen that side of her a lot but I really didn't think of it much.

"W-Well uhh I mean- so can I take Rose out to watch the sword matches ma'am?"

Well I pity Rose, she should be having fun! Come on! She missed two people getting thrown off a horse! Now she's going to miss swords clashing and spears being thrown in the air! "Please! I'll give her back before sundown!"

Sister Porfolia notices me as she bends down to meet my eyes, "Are you her friend, young one?"

"Yes! Um, are you Rose's older sister or relative?" I ask.

The sister waves her hand and laughs, "Older sister? Oh dear, I wish but no I am not a relative of Rose. I'm just the Sister who works at the Church of Light."

Ohhh... I guess her uniform is kind of different looking like it's very fancy and well tailored. She was also wearing a shawl to cover her face, "To be honest when I looked at Sister Porfolia I thought you were a really beautiful sister. You look very young ma'am, so I misunderstood you for being Rose's older sister. I'm sorry."

Sister Porfolia suddenly covers her face with her hands, "M-My thank you. I mean surely you jest! I'm just a regular sister. Beautiful, I have never called beautiful before!"

"No ma'am to me you're really pretty and kind to even think of Rose deserving a break. So maybe I can borrow her to watch the events together?"

"Sure you can! Rose come on, don't be stubborn! I'm giving you a break and this charming little one just wanted to come and watch the events with you!" (Sister Porfolia)

Welp, that was easy? Hook line and sinker. You know I only see this working on novels. I was actually expecting for her to just flat out ignore my compliment but um she's a really gullible sister huh.

Vincent facepalms as he whispered in my ear, "You are one scary minx. You didn't see that?"

"See what? Wait, did I miss something?" I whispered back to Vincent who looked at Rose. I just wanted to hang out with her and it looks like she needs to have a break anyways.

Rose looked neutral as she nodded, "If Kein wants me so badly to go with her. Then yes, let's not waste anymore time."

I smile at Rose, feeling happy that we'll finally hang out again like friends! "Alright let's go! Come on, the sword play is as awesome as I've seen in movies before!"

I ran out of there with Rose in tow. "S-Slow down, don't run!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

We eventually found my old seat while Lenard was talking comfortably with Veronica now. Rose grabbed my sleeve and glared at Veronica pointing her finger at her. "Y-You didn't tell me she would be here!"

"Oh my. It's the sweet little charmer and her adorable little girlfriend too." (Veronica) teasingly grins as she looks at Rose who was looking at how Rose was grabbing my sleeve.

"Oh hey Kein! I see you've brought Miss Rose too." (Lenard) says softly welcoming Rose as he shifts to the right to give us space.

I waved my hands at them as I sat beside Lenard while Rose sat beside me.

"We met coincidentally, she saved me from an almost accident with boxes. Also she is not my girlfriend." I told them the whole story and was glad to also know that Duke Wolford was in okay condition.

"You didn't disagree on her being adorable though~?" (Veronica)

Veronica I swear to a deity don't let me put you on my death note. Rose widened her eyes as she hid her reddening face further into her shawl.

"Jousting was pretty intense. You're not going to enjoy the sword fighting matches though." (Lenard)

"Oh why is that?" (Rose) asks before I could as I went back to look at the match.

"Magic is not involved in this round, and the amateur knights have just taken up all the spots for the sword fighting event. So there's not much going on other than... untrained knights trying hard not to kill each other." (Veronica) sighs slowly as she complains.

"My boyfriend actually works at one of the noble knights as a blacksmith there to repair his armor. I wish I could just see him work instead than all of this sloppy handwork coordination of swords bohoo it's more entertaining." (Veronica) cried out.

I kind of agreed with Veronica.

While I was excited for sword fighting I wasn't expecting it to be this... awkward instead.

Knights just trying to dodge each other's attacks and not meeting them head on. I'm guessing they're pretty new huh and are lacking the spirit to fight.

"Can we go somewhere else?" (Rose) muttered beside me as I thought for a moment. Well... if it's to choose between watching this weird show of two bros dodging like sissies and unknown adventure.

I would rather choose adventure.

"I want to go somewhere else too. How about you, Lenard? Veronica?" I ask both of them.

Veronica and Lenard look at each other before smiling, "I think we'll both stay here Kein but thank you for your kind offer." (Lenard)

"We don't want to be a third wheel after all, so little charmer and her adorable girlfriend have fun on your date~" (Veronica)

"Hey! Use my name! Rose!" (Rose)

"Ugh it's not a date and for the last time we are not girlfriends. We're just bored so we're going to explore around." I told them as I stood up from my seat. "Come on, Rose, let's get out of here!"

Rose nods as she holds my hand. "Do not get separated! I hold Kein's small hands!"

"Hey my hands aren't that small." I told her but she just smiles ignoring my comment. My hands are not that small- "Wait are they...?"

"Yep they are! Small little cute hands!" (Rose) spreads her hands to match with me, sizing them up. My eyes widened to see that she was right. For some reason my hands were rather small-

Ugh no surprise I'm not eating often. I ain't getting enough vitamin K in this world. "Don't worry! You're only ten right? You still have a chance but if you don't~ you're going to be a cute little Kein for me."

"Shut up, I'll grow taller just watch me." My face felt so horrible as I let go of her hand with force. I refuse to be small. "There there, reality is often disappointing isn't it." (Rose) tries to comfort me but that only did the opposite.

"Say one more thing about my height and I will throw you off the stairs." I warned her and she nodded, finally giving up teasing about my height as she just held my hand quietly as we walked out of the stadium. The crowd's boos were slowly fading as we walked further away from that place.

I look down at our hands intertwining. I swear this is not the first time I held her hand before but now it just feels weird, "Just to be clear. We're only holding hands because I don't want us to get separated okay? If you think this means anything I'll laugh at you."

"Loud and clear, Kein." (Rose) answered as we both looked forward through the busy streets.

There were the food stalls that I saw before. It felt like a festival instead of a competition, there were a lot more people here than I thought. Probably couldn't bear to see that sword fighting performance.

The smell of the stalls went through my nose, really waking up my appetite to eat. I guess that breakfast with Vincent was not enough.

"Did you perhaps want to eat anything, Kein?" (Rose) asked me her smile never leaving her face as I looked away quickly when she caught me drooling over those good looking skewers.

"Those skewers... look nice..." I muttered as Rose nodded leading us to that stall.

Rose never let go of my hand as she took a handful of silver coins in her pocket as she bought two meat skewers, "Here you go Kein. Both of them are for you." (Rose)

I took the two meat skewers as I temporarily let go of Rose's hands, "As I thought, are the servants of the light vegetarian?"

Rose nods, "Yes, we are."

Oh fuck me I can't believe I offered her meat skewers at the Licht festival- "Wait then back then- at the Licht festival when I offered you meat-"

"Don't worry. Lord Vincent took them away from me when you guys were not looking." (Rose)

"Oh... I guess that's good."

I finished the meat skewers quickly as we both went back into exploring the other stalls. "You know I'm kinda suspicious why we always meet coincidentally every time. I know I've asked this before but are you sure-"

"Yes! I am not a stalker!" (Rose) immediately replied as if she was already expecting my question. "I don't know why we keep meeting up either but- I don't really mind it you know. I used to think it was fate rather than mere coincidence."

"Fate? Do you believe in those?" I ask her teasingly.

"Yes. I believe the light has a reason for everything but... somehow it's been hard accepting that." (Rose) looked unhappy as we walked together away from all the people and into a cute quiet place with a small pond on it.

"Here's a bench. We can sit down here for now." I pointed at the wooden bench at the side near the pond as I looked vastly on its small waters. There were purple lily pads, and green lotus flowers.

"Wow! Those flowers look so... different."

I looked at them more closely as Rose chuckled at my words, "They've always been the same for me. I wonder how they are different in your eyes?" (Rose)

Believe me, if you were on earth Rose. I wish I could show you all these things that show how different our world is.

There was no magic, no monarchy, and no monsters.

Still, living there was pretty satisfying for me. The manga and anime make up for the world's evil bullshit in the world. "They're different because I guess I'm comparing them into something that doesn't even exist here."

"That's honestly pretty cool, perhaps you saw them in a dream as well? Like your daughter you drew in a portrait?" (Rose)

My eyes widened at her words, I almost forgot. She knows I had a daughter that I told her I only knew from a dream, "I can't believe you remember that, honestly I was hoping you would forget about it."

"You're hard to forget, Kein. I hope you realize that. I wish I could see your dreams, they must be interesting ones to see." (Rose) smiles at me widely as I nod.

"I guess... they are... pretty interesting."

We sat in complete silence as the wind blew in this small pond that we found. "Croak... Croak..."

Wait... is that what I think it is?!

"A frog?! Frog exists here?!" I yell standing up from my seat as I try and find the source of the sound of croaking.

"Y-Yes they exist here? Why are you getting excited over a frog- iyah! It's sitting on my dress!" (Rose) stands up from her seat in surprise as the frog comes rolling down from her dress.

"Hey! Be careful! These cute little beings need to be protected!" I quickly caught the frog that Rose almost hurt from her shock.

"Y-You... like frogs..." (Rose) looked scared as she moved away from me and this handsome little fella.

"Come on, Rose, they're not that bad! They're pretty cute if you look at them from a different angle." I told her as I sat down back at the bench and placed the little frog above my lap.

"Croak... Croak..." I stared at the little frog with admiration and surprise that they seem to be not different from the frogs back on earth. "They don't seem to be that bad." I told Rose as she tried to walk more closely to me.

"A-Aren't they slimy though?" (Rose)

"Yeah, all I know is that they're body is covered in mucous coating. This coating helps their skin to be more moist, helping them to breathe easier on their skin. Oh! And! And! fun fact when it's winter they have different strategies on how to survive. The other one is hibernation- and the other one is estivation. It's pretty similar to hibernation but-"

Ah- did I ramble too much about my frog addiction? I like frogs a lot... my daughter and I had three kinds of them at home... oh no I hope she's still feeding and taking care of them!

"Kein... seems to like frogs." (Rose) commented as she sat beside me still taking in the frog being on my lap as my face flushed, a little embarrassed that she found out about this.

"I-I... yeah... back where I'm from there were a lot of them." I told Rose as I slowly gave the frog a pat on its cute little forehead. The frog had irregular dark markings with a green olive color. It was puffing in and out of his chest as he comfortably sat on my lap.

"I can't believe I lost to a frog." (Rose)

"I wasn't aware that you were competing with this frog." I tell Rose laughing a little as glares at the frog and looks at me. 

"Well we are now. I should hail frogs are my nemesis." she crosses her arms at me a bit and pouts in my direction.

"Croak... Croak... bai." The frog leapt out from my lap as I tried catching it again but it was no use. It hoped away before I could even catch up, I sighed, feeling dejected.

Rose pats my head softly as she... seemed different today. I wonder what happened? Is everyone I know changing? Usually the Rose I'm used to wasn't this calming. "Maybe you'll find another frog to be friends with. There there."

"Are you really Rose?" I ask.

"Yup, I just had a bad day so I'm not being annoying as usual..." (Rose) looked dejected once again as she picked up a rock and threw it into the pond. "I'm sorry if I'm being a downer. I'm just having a hard time these days."

"Oh..." My lips pursed as I didn't know what to do. "Anything I could do... to help cheer you up? I might not give much advice but I could always lend an ear you know."

Rose turns to me and her eyes seem to soften when she hears those words, "You're sweet. I wish I knew you better. I know we've been hanging out like this sometimes but... I don't really know you well enough to um call you my friend."

"Well, why don't we play twenty questions?" I suggested. Rose tilts her head as I explain further, "We just ask each other questions until we either get to twenty or we lose count. Of course if one of us crosses the line we can tell each other we're not comfortable answering so we can ask another question okay?"

"Sounds fun! Let's do it! Me first!" (Rose) yells as her feet sway under the bench. "Hmm, favorite color!"

"Red."

"Oh? Why red?" (Rose)

I looked at her red shawl and found a nice answer to reply, "Your shawl. It reminds me of you when I look at red."

"T-That's um... okay your turn!" (Rose)

I laughed as I looked at Rose for a moment, taken in her blushing face. She really can't hide the fact that she has a thing for me, I was well aware of her feelings and I find it really cute now when she's doing that. It is now my turn to ask. "Favorite flower."

"Hmph! Easy! My favorite flower is a red rose! It's my name after all! It also was the favorite flower of the light goddess with the most sophisticated meaning!" (Rose)

"Oh? What does a red rose mean here?" I am curious, realizing that flowers have their own flower language here.

"To never see blood as the answer, I offer you a rose instead. Isn't it cool?" (Rose) seemed proud of the flower, meaning its making me think she needs help.

"I think I prefer the other meaning of a red rose back in my home." I muttered to myself as I realized the meaning of a rose, a classic symbol to tell a person that you love them.

If you can't express yourself with words. Express these messages by the flower. I love you.

I do admit roses are a nice classic pick.

"What does roses mean in your home then?" (Rose)

I almost choked on my saliva as I awkwardly thought of an excuse, "It's kinda intimate so I might need to skip this one."

Ugh, I was never good at showing intimacy. Even saying I love you to a friend is scaring me.

"Aw... fine if you're not comfortable with it then we skip! Then how about wait- what's your favorite food!" (Rose)

"Easy. Sinigang, a dish from where I came from."

"E-Eh... I don't know where you even get that?! Wait I thought I could use this game to know what your favorite food is to make it for you!" (Rose) revealed her master plan all along. Well, at least she's honest about what she wants. I like that.

"M-Maybe I'll tell you how to make it someday?"

"Deal!" (Rose)

And so, satisfied with the jousting tournament but I forgot there was also spear throwing, Rose and I watched that event as we both had fun knowing that maybe.

We've become closer than before at least. For the first time in a while... I was happy.