Just the Two of Them (4)
Layla was currently gripped by a sense of crisis.
The reason was none other than a gnawing anxiety — the fear that she might end up the only one left out among her friends.
What do I do?
The breaking news about Kyle and Emily's kiss, which she'd heard through Via not long ago, had hit Layla like a blow. She'd known it would happen someday, given how the two of them felt about each other — but she never expected it to come so suddenly.
She'd felt the urgency even then, yet she'd figured she would be fine so long as she had Mela.
But then…
Even Mela is doing that…
To think that quiet, demure Mela had been using a toy that enormous. The Mela she thought she knew was vanishing somewhere far away.
Layla found herself thinking of her childhood growing up in the Mage Tower — those days when she'd been hailed as a genius, yet could never quite fit in with the other children.
"I don't understand what you're saying…"
The children who said that and drifted away. Only now did she understand how those kids had felt. When your perspectives are different, conversation simply doesn't work. This was what it felt like when an unbridgeable gap opened between you and someone else.
Thinking that, a sudden fear gripped her. She was terrified of ending up in that kind of relationship with Mela and Emily. They were the first real friends she had ever made, and so the anxiety was immeasurably large.
…
Somehow, a grumbling face floated into her mind.
Via… I guess I'll call her a friend for now.
Even if Mela and Emily left first, Via would still remain. Thinking that only made her more restless. If she and Via — who shared a similar temperament — were left alone together, both still completely ignorant about sex, that would be its own kind of unsettling.
Because Mela and Emily were precious to her, Layla fretted over a situation that felt like she was drifting apart from them.
"…You listening?"
"Ah — yeah. I'm listening."
Hex's voice pulled Layla out of her thoughts. Come to think of it, she was currently out with him to expand their supply list.
Should I not have come?
She regretted it for a moment, but since she was already out, she decided to focus on what was in front of her.
He was saying we should prepare for the many crises from demonic energy ahead…
That was something Layla had been worrying about herself, so it seemed like a good opportunity. She snapped back to attention, intending to look into the items she'd been considering — and then her expression went wide with surprise at the things Hex had brought.
Powder that prevented wounds from worsening under demonic energy. Medicine that increased resistance to status ailments. Flash powder that flared with light on contact with air. They were exactly the items she had thought necessary for the situations they would face ahead.
Unexpected.
Layla looked at Hex with fresh eyes. She'd known he knew more than he let on, but she never thought he'd have knowledge in this area too. Or was this the underworld information network he was always going on about?
Even so, he must have been thinking about these things to find them out.
Considering how he'd been in the early days, this was a truly unexpected side of him. He'd been the type to open his mouth only to complain that he didn't want to go on adventures like this, or that he wanted to wrap things up fast and go hug some women — so she'd never imagined he would show a side that took adventuring this seriously.
However Hex interpreted that look of hers, he made a distinctly displeased face.
"I get it."
Get what? As Layla puzzled over that, Hex held something out to her.
"Tsk. Why don't you just buy it with your own money for once."
Apparently, while she'd been lost in thought, he'd gone and bought some snacks. He handed her one with a reluctant air — and it was something she'd always wanted to try but never could, because it was too expensive. A high-class treat a penniless mage like Layla could never easily afford.
And for something supposedly given out of reluctant necessity, it was a single serving. Which meant he'd bought two portions from the start.
He was planning to eat both himself, huh.
Even as she thought that, she ate it with relish — and then something caught her eye. A group of people stood clustered around something.
"Ah, that's…"
A troupe of street performers was putting on a show.
I've always wanted to see this.
She thought that, but then she checked Hex's reaction. He usually pretended street performances were childish and uninteresting, so she was wary of his mood. But Hex glanced at her, then pointed to a good viewing spot and said:
"Let's finish eating over there. Walking and eating's bad for digestion."
"…"
It was a ridiculous excuse, but she wanted to see the performance, so she nodded. While watching the show from a good spot, Layla could feel Hex's gaze on her. Before, she would have found it unpleasant — but in this moment, it somehow felt like an empty space in her heart was being filled.
I see.
Only then did Layla understand Hex's intention. At this point, even someone with no social awareness would have to get it. That Hex was worried about her, and that this outing was meant to cheer her up. And that, somehow, she didn't mind that at all.
And also…
So I'd managed to get Layla out, but I had no idea why she was in a bad mood — which meant I had no idea how to fix it. So I just decided to cheer her up. Most events branch based on a character's mood, after all.
First, let's take care of the excuse for going out.
It was just a convenient pretext, but expanding the supply list was actually worth thinking about. It would change how convenient the adventures ahead would be.
When I brought back the items that seemed necessary, Layla — who'd been spacing out — looked a little surprised at what I'd picked. Probably because I'd only grabbed the things she herself considered most essential. But that was only natural. These were the items that, around mid-story, Layla herself would propose adding to the supply list.
That should cover this.
Next was handing Layla the high-class snack so expensive you'd think it was made with gold dust. But when it came time to actually give it to her, I felt somehow embarrassed, so I went with a forced approach.
"Tsk. Why don't you just buy it yourself for once."
Doing something I never do is killing me. Thankfully, though, Layla started eating carefully even while looking surprised. If she really wasn't in the mood or didn't like it, she wouldn't be eating with that expression — so she clearly liked it.
Mela and Layla both aren't used to kindness, so their reactions are really obvious.
Because they're not used to it, they get flustered — and that just makes the urge to take care of them grow even stronger.
I thought as I walked around with Layla.
Let's see — favorite food only applies once. Gifts… need a higher Affinity Level to be effective, and how much does a street performance raise things again?
I calculated the maximum mood boost I could get from a single outing. Convinced I could raise her from the gloomy stage all the way to a good mood in one go, I kept walking — toward a place where a performance might be happening.
Fortunately, Layla seemed interested in the acrobats' show, so I hesitated for a moment. How do I naturally suggest we watch that performance?
Ah, screw it.
"Walking and eating's bad for digestion."
"…"
I'd just blurted something out, but Layla nodded without complaint, and we got to watch the acrobats' tricks. I watched Layla's expression throughout the performance — in case she didn't like it, so I could immediately switch to some other attraction. Thankfully, she wore a relaxed expression, as if the show wasn't half bad.
On the way back after finishing the whole plan, Layla's expression had clearly brightened.
This should keep any problems from cropping up.
Especially since when the Talon event hits, Layla is the one whose mental state gets wrecked the hardest among the party — so I need to take good care of her starting now.
I was thinking that when I felt Layla's gaze.
"…"
The way she was looking at me was somehow strange.
"What're you staring at?"
Even at the gruff tone I'd thrown out from sheer embarrassment, Layla wore a faint smile.
"Because I'm grateful."
…What?
I froze in surprise at her unexpectedly honest thanks. I never expected the prideful Layla to react like this. But regardless, she continued.
"For looking out for me today."
"…"
Layla kept walking, then looked back at me standing frozen and said:
"I… somehow don't think I dislike you."
Layla said that, and smiled.