How About Here?
“How about here?”
“Hm?”
He looked around to see where they were, and something utterly unique—and downright bizarre—leaped out from the guidebook: the facade of a building that defied all reason.
“Philia told me the food here’s amazing. Apparently, purely in terms of taste, it doesn’t fall far short of the Garden of Repose.”
“Philia... your roommate?”
Philia Rosette. He’d heard Ashytara mention her once before.
“Yeah. Last time we were out on dispatch, we went to the Garden of Repose together. She told me about this place as payback. Anyway, wanna give it a shot?”
“Sure.”
Ludenberg nodded without hesitation. Ashytara beamed at his agreement, grabbing his arm and tugging him along... and as always, he let himself be led without resistance.
The eatery was tucked away in a remote corner of the shopping district, even more dilapidated and eerie up close than in the guidebook. It looked like a horde of centuries-old ghosts might burst out at any moment, leaving the two exchanging awkward glances.
“...Tara. Seems like this Philia girl’s got some grudge against you.”
“No way... Still, we can’t judge a place by its exterior. Let’s head in.”
“...Alright.”
Ludenberg stepped inside with a dubious expression. What happened next was astonishing.
“Uh...?”
The interior was spotless—worlds apart from the haunted-house exterior. It seemed the owner just had peculiar tastes when it came to outside decor.
“Welcome! Table for two?”
The owner turned out to be a kindly middle-aged woman, much like Gleness Setia back in Solemnute.
“Yes, two.”
“Oh my, what a lovely couple. Menu’s on the wall there—take a look and order when you’re ready.”
Ashytara’s cheeks flushed pink at “couple,” while Ludenberg just tilted his head and scanned the menu.
“What’ll you have?”
“Dunno...”
A safe bet was steak. His stomach was growling anyway, and something chewy sounded perfect. Ludenberg promptly ordered one of the many varieties listed.
Ashytara, not in the mood for steak at lunch, went with mushroom soup, bread, and salad set instead. Knowing her usual appetite, Ludenberg eyed her curiously.
“Tara, you sure that’ll fill you up?”
“Uh... yeah. Not that hungry right now.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah. Anyway, let’s plan the rest of the day over food.”
“Sounds good.”
The meal arrived promptly. Ludenberg eyed his steak. The dishes looked impeccable—artfully plated with masterful precision, tempting him with their mouthwatering presentation.
He sliced off a delicate piece and took a bite. A sigh of delight escaped him.
“Oh...”
“Good?”
“Yeah. Really good.”
“Phew. I was a little worried.”
“Wanna try a bite?”
“Huh? Sure.”
Ludenberg speared a neatly cut piece on his fork and held it out to her.
“Here.”
It looked just like feeding a lover, leaving Ashytara flustered.
“Uh...”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He asked as she blushed, but realizing he was utterly oblivious, she sighed and obediently took the bite. Ludenberg grinned innocently as she chewed.
“Good, right?”
“Yeah. Really good.”
The steak suited her palate perfectly. Their tastes weren’t so different, but the tender juiciness and rich sauce filled her mouth with exquisite flavor. The chef clearly had serious skills.
Still, unrelated to the taste, Ashytara shot him a slightly dissatisfied glare.
There’s a limit to being clueless.
What if he did that to someone else? If he obliviously fed girls like Cletta or Philia...
Snap. A vein pulsed on her forehead.
No. Absolutely not.
That was exactly why she’d never brought her friends along when hanging out with him. She could already picture Cletta or Philia falling for his unwitting charm. Sure, he wasn’t close to them, so he probably wouldn’t... but the unexpected always happened. And since the Solemnute raid, other students had warmed up to him considerably. More girls were starting to take notice.
A little complacency, and she’d see them wagging their tails at him. The thought made her realize she couldn’t just wait around passively. Ludenberg might get snagged by some weirdo if she dawdled. That’s why she’d planned so meticulously, dolled up like this... but still, the road ahead was long.
Confessing outright felt risky too. If he accepted, fine—but his recent words haunted her.
I’m not interested in that stuff to begin with. No time for training as it is—where would I find time for dating? No time for romance, and no plans to date anyone.
Even Ashytara couldn’t imagine stubborn Ludenberg changing his mind easily. It might shatter their daily routine altogether. The fear of rejection paled next to the dread of losing this.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She stared at him a moment, then cut a small piece of bread, dipped it lightly in soup, and ate. The steak was great, but the creamy mushroom soup and soft bread were excellent too—the nutty aroma soaking into the bread was pure bliss. Without thinking, she cut a piece, dipped it, and offered it to him.
“This is good too. Try it?”
“Huh? Okay.”
He took the bite readily... and smiled at the flavor.
“This is good too. Thanks.”
“No big deal...”
They traded gestures fit for intimate lovers, yet Ludenberg seemed unfazed. Ashytara’s heart had raced when she fed him, though. Watching him confirmed it: he wasn’t a block of wood. Even wood had some awareness... he had zero knowledge of romance. No interest in lover-like behaviors—his head was all sword, training, sword, training, exams, classes. What a troublesome guy.
She liked that about him, but with him feeling nothing... she’d cherish these feelings alone for now.
After eating, they wandered the shopping district again. The bustle was as lively as ever. Despite yesterday’s exertions, students roamed with undimmed energy, shouting and laughing.
“Ugh.”
Ashytara winced at the noise. Ludenberg did too. They didn’t hate festivals, but the din hurt their ears.
“Where next? Still got time...”
“Dunno. Nothing jumping out.”
“True.”
“Wonder if there’s evening stuff.”
“Evening? Hm...”
As Ludenberg pondered, Ashytara clapped her hands together with a spark of inspiration.
“The Star Tower! They’re doing stargazing tonight. Some big comet’s supposed to fall.”
“Comet?”
“Yeah. I’m kinda excited. Plus, I’ve heard there’s lots to see there forever.”
“Star Tower, huh... Wanna wander till then? Still spots we missed yesterday.”
Ashytara nodded at his suggestion.
“Yeah. Let’s get outta the shopping district first.”
But as they turned to leave, Dalia’s voice rang out.
“Hey! Tara! Lud!”
They turned toward the sound.
“Dalia-senpai?”
“Hi! Where you headed?”
Dalia bounded over, her red hair flying, looking like a kid who’d found a new toy—bright-eyed and innocent. Hard to believe this was the same woman whose eyes had been hollow from hosting yesterday’s sacred law contest. She’d clearly caught up on festival-crunch sleep.
“Oh, just about to check out other spots. What’s up?”
“Nothing much... just glad to see you. Wanna hang out? Festivals are more fun in groups, right?”
“Uh, well...”
Ashytara hesitated, disappointed her alone time with Ludenberg was derailed. Dalia caught the subtle expression and softened her glowing eyes into a pitiful plea.
“Pretty please...?”
But refusing a senior who’d slaved over festival prep—and kindly guided them without complaint—was tough. Ashytara found herself nodding.
“No, it’s fine. Let’s go together, senpai.”
“Yay, really? Thanks!”
She hugged Ashytara tightly, rubbing cheeks, then dragged them off somewhere.
“S-Senpai? Where are we going?”
“A mysterious spot!”
“Mysterious? Not the Mysterious House run by Priestess Daphnen...?”
“Nope. Different place.”
Dalia marched ahead confidently. They soon left the shopping district, but the festival noise persisted everywhere. Dalia ignored it, hurrying onward. With no clue their destination, Ashytara and Ludenberg walked on with puzzled faces.
“Senpai, where are we going?”
“You’ll see soon.”
Shortly after, a visibly enigmatic garden landscape appeared before them.