Edmond looked like he wanted to push the matter further, but he held himself back because the last thing he wanted was to make Rose feel uncomfortable.
In the end, the Captain simply said, "If someday—just someday—you change your mind, my offer will still be waiting for you."
Rose smiled gently and answered in a soft voice, "I'll remember that, Captain." Then she added, "Thank you."
After that, neither of them spoke again. They simply sat together on the balcony, leaving a respectful distance between them. Every now and then, the Captain would quietly glance at the Saintess, thinking she looked like an exotic bird trapped inside a beautiful golden cage.
[I really want to take her away from here,] he thought.
Primrose was certain the only reason Edmund didn't do anything reckless and was still waiting for the Saintess to accept his offer was because he had no idea what kind of nightmare she had been living through.
