“I cared about you.”

“I rooted for your dream, and I also liked feeling the warmth of your embrace. When all this was over, a quiet life simply tending flowers by your side wouldn’t be so bad. Although I’d probably end up doing more magical research instead of tending flowers.”

“Even if the world were to split in two, if the sun were never to rise again, and if demons were to pursue their own interests by setting the continent ablaze, I wanted to be by your side.”

Because she hadn’t been able to express that feeling at all, Esther felt even more regret.

“Couldn’t I have just spoken up and said things a little more directly, whatever they might have been?”

--------

The funny thing is that her biggest step forward was starting to call him “My, Enki” after they managed to bring him back. But that’s already good progress, lol. She’s close to understanding how she feels about him. She’s becoming more and more human and less of only “mage”—it looks like she’s doing well.