“Stop pinching me~~”
Merlin, who had gradually become accustomed to physical contact, was still a little shy, but she ultimately didn’t push Li away.
“Mhm~”
Li couldn’t handle Merlin’s shy little punches and pulled back slightly.
Li and John stood respectfully before Merlin. Li carefully drew something out from her magic pocket.
With her movement, a glimmer of deep blue light instantly illuminated the slightly dim corner.
Merlin couldn’t help but let out a small gasp of wonder.
“Ah…”
It was the Starry Sky Roses.
They were dozens of Starry Sky Roses that everyone had specially selected—the ones in full bloom with the fullest petals and the brightest glow in the flowerbed.
They were meticulously tied into a massive flower ball. Each rose seemed to contain a miniature starry sky, with silver light shimmering on the deep blue petals.
The bouquet was so large that it almost completely hid the now-petite Merlin behind it.
John looked at the Starry Sky Roses, which seemed to embody the heart and soul of everyone.
“Boss… this is a small token of our appreciation. Although these are the Starry Sky Roses you developed, and it feels a bit inappropriate to give you your own creation, every single one was pruned and selected by our own hands. Please, you must accept them.”
Li also said softly, “We tied this bouquet together. As we did, everyone kept saying that we had to pick the most beautiful ones for the most beautiful Boss.”
Merlin stared blankly at the sea of blue flowers.
She reached out both hands and, with some effort, took the heavy bouquet.
It wasn’t just the weight of the flowers; it was the heavy sincerity of her companions who had once struggled to survive in the slums.
The deep blue shimmer reflected on her exquisite face and in her rapidly reddening eyes, making the thin layer of mist look like shattered stars.
“It’s so beautiful… thank you, really…”
Merlin’s voice choked up.
She had originally thought she was just here to handle some account handovers, listen to dry reports, and exchange a few simple pleasantries.
She hadn’t expected a surprise filled with so much love and gratitude.
Tears finally betrayed her and rolled down.
Li leaned in and used her warm fingertips to gently wipe away the teardrops from the corners of Merlin’s eyes, one by one.
“We’re the ones who should be thanking you, Boss. Without you, John and I might have been separated back then, and we wouldn’t be living such a happy life. After you became a girl, Boss, you’re not only soft, but you’re a bit of a ditz, too.”
Looking at the elven girl crying like a rain-soaked pear blossom while holding the giant bouquet, Li couldn’t help but laugh through her own tears and pinched Merlin’s soft cheek again.
“And since you turned into a girl, not only is your body soft, but your heart is soft, too. Even when you’re crying, you’re silly and cute.”
Merlin sniffled and buried half her face into the fragrant bouquet in embarrassment, offering a delicate protest.
“You always tease me. I give up on you guys, hmph.”
Li looked at her childhood friend, whose lips still curved into a happy arc even while protesting, and couldn’t help but poke Merlin’s puffed-out cheek.
“Hehe, as long as Boss is happy. But… our Elven Princess is much cuter when she smiles. Crying makes you look less pretty.”
“These are… tears of happiness.”
Merlin sniffled, trying to justify her loss of composure.
During the time Merlin had been abandoned by Masina, besides Ophelia who remained by her side, her friends from the slums had also accompanied and supported her.
Even just occasional strolls through the small villages near Zelion were enough to make Merlin realize she wasn’t alone and that she had people by her side.
Merlin was about to take out her own handkerchief to wipe her face when Li trotted over and naturally took the lace handkerchief from Merlin’s hand.
“Hehe, don’t move. I’ll help you, Boss.”
Li leaned over slightly, her movements as gentle as if she were polishing a priceless work of art.
Merlin froze for a moment then obediently closed her eyes, letting Li wipe away the tear tracks from the corners of her eyes.
“In all these years, this is the first time I’ve taken care of Boss… It feels pretty good.”
Li’s tone held a hint of a satisfied smile.
“You just like teasing me.”
Li didn’t argue; she just silently watched the scene before her.
An Elven Princess with gradient hair, clutching a massive bouquet of blue Starry Sky Roses. The faint red around her eyes mirrored the deep blue of the petals, forming a beautiful picture.
Li put away the handkerchief, her gaze incredibly sincere.
“We truly hope Boss can be happy. If Boss is happy, it’s no big deal even if we have to turn things around and take care of this cute Elven Princess. In fact, it’s our honor.”
Merlin didn’t offer another stubborn retort. Her cheeks felt incredibly hot, so she simply buried her flushed little face deep into the giant bouquet.
Although her intention was to hide her embarrassment, her face—tinged with crimson and pink—only looked more radiant against the backdrop of the deep blue flowers, so cute that one would want to take a bite out of her.
Li and John exchanged a smile, neither of them exposing the ostrich-like little princess.
Li breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s a relief. I was worried Boss might not like it.”
Merlin’s face, buried in the Starry Sky Roses, curved into a cute smile. Combined with her red and pink cheeks, she looked adorable.
A muffled voice came out from the flowers. “How could I not like it?”
Afterward, the afternoon sun turned lazy.
The three were in no rush to leave. Just as they had in the slums, they began to chat about recent trifles.
Whose cat had kittens, who had argued with the owner of the neighboring stall, who had recently learned a new dessert recipe…
Though to outsiders these might seem like mindless ramblings, to these childhood friends, they were the most precious colors used to fill the blank spaces of their time apart.
They wanted to know every detail of each other’s lives, even the most insignificant matters.
“By the way…”
Merlin looked up, her eyes sparkling.
“I’ll be able to end my confinement soon. By then, the preparations for the new shop should be almost finished, right? On the day of the opening and the move, I’ll definitely be there to congratulate you.”
Hearing this, Li suddenly chuckled, a flash of mischief in her eyes.
“Um… Boss.”
“Yes?”
“Boss did accept such a huge bouquet from us.”
Li pointed at the bouquet of Starry Sky Roses that almost buried Merlin.
“Then at our wedding in a few months, don’t forget to preside over it, okay? Mhm… if a real Elven Princess presides and offers us her blessing, we’ll surely be super happy in the future.”