Sunlight poured through the tall library windows that morning, warmer than usual.
Across a wooden table sat a boy with an awkward expression, facing a girl whose presence seemed to brighten the room even more.
Her rosy purple hair caught the light gently, and she wore a smile that felt disarmingly warm.
They were both reading in silence. After what happened the previous day, the atmosphere was a little awkward for the boy, who, after so much suffering in such a short time frame, had grown unaccustomed to even the most normal things.
"Hey, Miss Ana… your last name… it's quite unusual… It carries a nice amount of elegance with it… May I ask… do you come from a… cherished bloodline?"
The young boy was clearly trying to appear as regal as possible. He did not know her social status, so he had to exercise the utmost care before making sure of it.
Ana, who was not expecting the question, blinked a few times. Then she carelessly dropped the book on the table. Her manners clearly didn't resemble those of a noble, but even so, he wanted to make sure.
"Cherished bloodline?… Yeah? Hm… I guess you could say that… I'm the Duke's daughter."
The revelation, delivered so casually, made Dante almost choke on his own spit.
What do you mean, the Duke's daughter??? What would someone so high-ranked be doing in a viscount's territory, and how could she say that so casually and look unfazed? Does she not know her status or social boundaries? As a noble?
Dante calmed himself down. If she was that calm, then he was overreacting. She couldn't be so clueless… or could she?
Even so, she had been acting nicely toward him. Normally, not even commoners were that nice to slaves, so she must be at least a good person, which calmed him further.
"I see then…"
He responded after a few seconds of internally freaking out.
"Miss Ana… I haven't told you my name yet, right?"
She thought for a second, remembering that she hadn't even asked for his name yet.
"Hmm… Oh right, you haven't."
Then she connected the dots in her head and bowed frantically a few times. The shame on her face for being so clueless was palpable.
"Oh my—"
She gasped, covering her mouth. Then she spoke again, trying to compose herself.
"How could I forget such a thing… Erm… what's your name?"
It was the first time he had seen her embarrassed. It made his heart skip a beat, and he corrected his posture while gulping. For the first time, he was the "calm" one in a conversation, which made him strangely happy and proud.
"My name is Dante. Dante Cross."
"Dante…"
She said it as if testing how it fit in her mouth, then she smiled softly.
"It's a beautiful name."
Then she tilted her head with a smile that made Dante's heart skip a beat once again.
"Then… I hope we can be friends, Dante."
Her soft voice echoed through Dante's mind. It was too much for him. He had gone through too much. He thought of the word.
Friend… I had friends… I used to.
But now I'm here… I have no family, no one… Since I got here, "they" have only tried to show that no one cares…
But I knew I was special. I am special…
Is this the moment I was waiting for?…
His eyes filled with tears. He only realized it when he felt one roll down his face.
"Be friends, you say?"
He asked, his voice slightly lower, almost unbelieving.
She saw him crying but didn't say a word. She was confused for a second by the sudden tears, but then she remembered something her father had told her some time ago.
"If you ever see a man crying… respect it."
Remembering her father softened her expression a bit. Dante noticed the change, but he was too worried about wiping his tears to focus on it.
Then she turned away with a soft expression and let him cry his heart out. It was his first opportunity to do so since he arrived in this world, so he used it.
After a few minutes of silent tears falling down his face, he spoke up again, his voice trembling lightly.
"Thanks, Ana. I… I just had a little moment over here… Can we go back to where we stopped?"
He said while cleaning his face, now more composed than before and with something shifted inside him.
"Sure… so… let's be friends, Dante?"
She said while turning to him again, her face as soft as ever.
Dante nodded quietly, then added,
"Yes… let's be friends, Ana."
Dante's mind was still filled to the brim with the past events and his self-assurance.
But now, at least he knew he wasn't completely alone here. He didn't need to be alone or endure it all alone.
Then Ana looked like she remembered something and stood up.
"Dante, I had forgotten about it but… I have some commitments now, so I will have to leave. I really enjoyed today."
She said in a hurry, then grabbed her books and hurried downstairs, leaving him without any time to say goodbye.
"Really… how clueless."
He muttered under his breath, then went back to reading his book. The expression he had now was completely different from the one in the morning. He had a soft smile and looked solemn despite his swollen eyes.