Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Date
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"Ah~ But still, what a relief~."
Rapne, who was preparing dinner, hummed a little tune and seemed in a great mood.
The delicious aroma wafted through the tower room.
Normally, this would be a delightful moment that made my heart race with anticipation, but as usual, I couldn't enjoy it.
"But Siegfried senior is amazing, isn't he?"
"Uh, y-yeah..."
Rapne had taken the exam too.
Of course, it was held in the tower, but under the proper supervision of the professor who came for the test.
And when she saw her ranking, Rapne momentarily exuded a dark aura.
But upon seeing who took first place, those feelings subsided.
It seemed like she was relieved it wasn't a woman.
"I originally wanted to take first and get Ken's wish coupon..."
Delicious dishes were being placed on the dining table.
The dinner menu was always filled with tasty food, but today there seemed to be even more variety.
"It's a shame, but what can you do! Hehe."
Rapne smiled brightly and innocently.
It looked like she was fine with Siegfried taking first rather than anyone else.
That's why she seemed to be in such a good mood...
"Um... What if someone else besides Siegfried senior had taken top spot... haha, what do you think would have happened?"
I casually asked out of curiosity, framing it like idle chit-chat about a hypothetical.
If someone else had taken first place.
In other words, if someone else claimed the top spot and seized the wish coupon.
And then asked me out on a date.
That kind of scenario.
━Kukukukuku...
For some reason, a black aura that felt like it shouldn't be emanating from her started pouring out of Rapne.
...Huh? Demon lord?
"Hmm... But since it would trouble Ken, I probably would have handled it somehow, right?"
"H-Handled?! Handled what? What on earth does that mean?!"
She flashed a smile.
Rapne smiled prettily with a terrifying expression.
And she didn't give an answer.
'...Yeah, better not talk about Mary...'
I'd thought it might not be good to keep it from Rapne, so I'd considered mentioning it in passing.
But it was a crystal-clear 'date' with absolutely no room for misunderstanding, nailed down by Mary herself.
'If Rapne finds out... I'm screwed.'
With all my accumulated experience, I could predict what would happen next.
Lies are definitely bad, of course.
Especially lies to someone precious—they're the worst.
...But what about just not saying anything?
I decided to keep quiet.
For everyone's peace.
It hit me anew how great a choice it had been to lock Rapne back in the tower...
。 。 。
Time passed, and the afternoon of the weekend that Mary had told me about arrived.
I stood in the city square, waiting for Mary as naturally as ever.
'Come to think of it, something similar happened before.'
It was to watch Siegfried's tournament, right?
I'd given her a ticket back then and we'd planned to watch it together.
And while we were at it, we'd strolled around the festival that happened to be going on.
'Looking back now, that was...'
Wasn't that a date...?
I shook my head to dispel the random thought.
Date, my foot.
Back then, I was a fat, ugly slob.
I just didn't have any friends to go to the tournament with, so Mary had come along.
And we'd wandered the festival, bought some revival items, and that was it.
'No way Mary had feelings for me back then.'
I was a pathetic guy who constantly got bullied and hid behind her.
Now that my looks had changed, maybe, but back then, there was no chance she'd see me as a man...
"Ken?"
"...Ah, Mary."
"What were you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing, just random thoughts."
There was no way I could tell her the content of those thoughts, so I brushed it off vaguely.
Today, Mary was wearing a light, flowing dress.
With a cardigan over it, she looked much softer than her usual cool demeanor.
...She was cute.
'...Keep getting conscious of her.'
My face suddenly heated up, so I turned my head away from Mary.
"S-So, where should we go?"
Seeing her all dressed up reminded me of the Mary who'd shyly asked me out on the rooftop not long ago.
The memory of that bashful, fluffy atmosphere made my face burn.
"I heard there's a fun play today. Is that okay?"
"A play?"
"Yes, it's the most famous script from Lillias lately."
Mary pulled a thin pamphlet-like booklet from her small bag.
The cover was adorned with illustrations of the play's content.
"And the troupe most famous for this script is performing in Dredis, so I really wanted to see it with you, Ken."
She looked genuinely excited as she smiled softly and held up the booklet.
I found myself staring blankly at her joyful face.
"...Is it no good?"
"H-Huh...?"
"You didn't say anything..."
"Ah! No! It's fine! I mean, great! I like plays too!"
I'd been so entranced by her smile that I'd zoned out for a moment, and she must have thought I disliked plays.
I frantically waved my hands and corrected myself.
'I'm acting really weird today.'
Keep getting distracted.
I never used to be like this around Mary.
Ever since she'd asked me out on a date, her sincere face kept popping into my head, muddling my thoughts.
"Hehe, I bet you'll like it too, Ken. Shall we go?"
At my positive response, Mary smiled softly.
She turned to head toward the theater.
━Swish.
A warm hand naturally overlapped mine.
"......"
"......"
Of course, the hand belonged to Mary.
As we started walking, she stood beside me and gently took my hand.
'......Hmm.'
━Squeeze.
It was a shy grip at first, but once held, it tightened as if she had no intention of letting go.
Her soft, warm hand felt even more vivid because of it.
'Mary's being really bold today.'
How could she hold hands so casually? My heart raced as I secretly glanced sideways.
But it wasn't casual for her, contrary to my assumption.
"......"
Mary's cheeks were visibly flushed even from the side.
She was gripping my hand tightly, staring at the ground, tense.
Through her gently swaying hair, I caught a glimpse of her moist eyes trembling with nervousness.
Seeing that brought back the rooftop memory.
Even though she hadn't secured the promised first place, she'd mustered the courage to ask me out, knowing rejection was possible.
As her sincerity resurfaced in my mind,
Squeeze.
I gripped her hand back.
"......"
Mary turned to me with a surprised face, looking carefully.
Her flushed cheeks had a slight sheen of sweat from the tension.
When our eyes met, she panicked and averted hers at first.
Then she faced me again and
"...I'm looking forward to it."
smiled softly.
。 。 。
The play's story was simple.
There was an unlucky man and woman who met each other and became each other's strength.
Bad things kept happening, as if fate itself despised them.
But the two, who truly loved each other, comforted and relied on one another to overcome that fate.
In the end, they parted ways to pursue their individual goals.
It was a simple yet touching tale.
They loved each other deeply and knew exactly what the other truly needed, so they chose separation.
It was painful, but for the other's happy future.
During the ending, I glanced at Mary's face beside me.
"......Sniff."
She was immersed in the play, eyes brimming with tears.
I almost laughed at the sight.
Her face, emotional from being absorbed in the play, was incredibly cute.
The contrast with her usual expressionless look made it stand out even more.
"...It was fun."
After leaving the theater, Mary secretly wiped her moist eyes and said so.
"Yeah. And the actors' performances were incredible too."
I'd been used to modern movie and drama actors, so I'd underestimated theater quality.
Especially since the era here differed from my modern world.
But they exceeded expectations—they were true professionals.
I wasn't an expert or anything.
From a modern perspective, their acting was on par with film and TV stars.
The live performance right in front of you made it even more immersive.
"What part stuck with you the most, Ken?"
After the play ended, we wandered the streets for a bit.
Not as lively as the old festival, but the city streets had plenty to see, making a simple walk enjoyable.
We delved into discussions about the play, still wrapped in its afterglow.
"Probably the scene where the male lead realizes the heroine's feelings and lets her go."
"...M-Me too!"
When I shared the most memorable part, Mary pressed close to me.
"That was my favorite too! It really hit me right in the heart, like..."
We were amazed that we'd felt the same about the same scene.
Sharing and resonating over our impressions was incredibly fun.
My heart warmed, fluttering with excitement.
Watching Mary happily talk about the play made me feel like I was falling for her.
We sat on a nearby bench and chatted about it for ages, losing track of time.
"Ah, it's this late already."
I snapped out of it to see the sun setting, the surroundings dyed in sunset hues.
Time for the sun to go down.
Time to head back to the dorms soon.
"......Sniff."
Mary checked her watch, saw the time, and bowed her head anxiously.
Then she looked at me.
"Ken, if it's okay... could we hang out a little longer?"
Her eyes trembled.
Maybe there was something else she wanted to do on this date.
I nodded readily.
"Of course."
Her anxious expression brightened at my positive reply, and she stood.
"Shall we walk a bit more then?"
Mary smiled and offered her hand.
I hesitated a moment before taking it.
We walked hand in hand again.
'Fewer people around.'
The bustling daytime streets were emptying as the sun set.
Shops closed, the noisy streets quieted, making it feel like just the two of us remained.
Magic stone streetlamps flickered on, brightening the dim roads a little.
"They look like starlight. So pretty."
As Mary said, the magic stone lights stretched like a galaxy.
Normally just lamps, but being with someone special changed the atmosphere entirely.
Then Mary spoke without turning.
"Aren't you curious, Ken?"
"Huh? About what?"
She glanced back slyly.
"Why I asked you on a date."
"......"
Her question wasn't one she thought I wouldn't know.
Her gaze urged me to understand, making my heart pound.
Sensing it through our clasped hands, she squeezed tighter.
'Asking me on a date... well.'
I knew.
What that meant.
And that her feelings weren't mere curiosity like other girls—it was different for Mary.
"I like you, Ken."
As if confirming my thoughts, she said it.
"Not as a friend... I really like you as a man."
I felt her warm hand tremble slightly.
She spoke casually, indifferently, but her tension was clear.
Her fear.
We were so close, I wondered if I could hear her heartbeat.
Even amid that tension, she faced me without flinching and shared her heart.
"Was it... after my looks changed?"
I'd suspected her feelings started when she asked me out.
But I was curious when exactly.
Up until then, she'd treated me the same as always.
So I thought of my appearance.
Even I could see it had changed enough to spark new feelings.
"Embarrassing, but... it's been a while."
Her answer differed from my guess.
"That day when I was too scared to leave the dorm, and you helped me."
Mary smiled softly, reminiscing.
"I've liked you every single day since then."
She clutched her chest, gazing at me with pure sincerity.
Her flushed cheeks and smiling face overflowed with affection.
Obvious even to an idiot who it was for.
Her true feelings were directed at me.
"Mary, I..."
My mind was a mess, unsure what to say.
To this girl confessing she liked me without a shred of deceit.
"Don't answer yet."
As if reading my mind, Mary said.
"What do you...?"
"Because this is my strategy."
She shyly averted her eyes, interlocking our fingers and pressing against my side.
"I'll make you fall head over heels for me first... then hear your answer."
Her body heat transferred as she drew close.
Like her flushed face, her warmth enveloped me.
She smiled at me, heart-fluttering as much as that warmth.
"So later, when you like me as much as I like you."
Her smile was so captivating, I worried she could hear my racing heart.
"Then, please give me your answer."
Her face looking at me was utterly beautiful.