Chapter 121: Special Training 11
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: Special Training 11
Loki arrived at the rendezvous ten minutes ahead of schedule.
As he leaned back against the bench, the weight of the crowd's gaze and the persistent hum of whispers felt more pronounced than usual. Was it because of his handsome face? Or had word finally gotten out that he was the Emperor’s disciple?
Honestly, there was a 99.8% chance it was just his face.
But just in case...
‘On the 0.2% chance it isn’t...’
It was likely the mask. By now, no one at the Academy would be shocked to see someone wearing a mask, but the one he had on wasn't his signature white one. It was a black mask he had crafted himself.
‘Sigh. There’s still so much to improve. Should I just ask Professor Idra for help?’
The black mask was lightweight and stayed secure, but it wasn't comfortable enough to make him forget he was wearing it like the white one. Nor was it "special" enough to resist being snatched off if someone tried.
As he lost himself in thoughts of structural improvements, ten minutes flew by.
‘Is she running late?’
There was less than a minute left until the appointed time, but Sepia was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't angry; instead, a flicker of worry crossed his mind, wondering if something had happened to her.
"U-Um! Would you like to grab dinner with me tonight?"
"...Sorry, I have to eat with my family."
"Oh, really...? Well, I guess it can't be helped. Then, when are you free—"
"Hey! You said your house would be empty today, right? I'm coming over!"
".............."
".............."
"Did you finish all your assignments?"
"No. I'm pretty sure the professor thinks his is the only class I take."
"Yeah, hang in there. I'm going off to play."
"You're in the same class as me. Don't tell me you finished everything already?"
"Fear is a weak emotion felt only by those who have prepared! I have cleanly given up on the assignment."
Loki sat with his eyes closed, letting the various voices of passing students wash over him. Suddenly, the ambient chatter died. It was an unnatural silence, as if someone had hit the pause button on the world.
He opened his eyes to assess the situation and realized the students were all staring blankly in one direction. He turned his head toward the spot where their gazes were fixed.
"....................."
Click.
The sharp sound of a heel broke the eerie silence. Starting with that single step, the space that had been frozen in time was instantly flooded with the buzzing of students.
"Is that Sepia—?"
"A white dress—"
"—so beautiful—"
The volume was the same as before, but for some reason, the murmurs didn't reach his ears. He could only stare blankly until a spirit flew over and perched on his shoulder.
Pink hair fluttering in the wind, a pure white dress that commanded attention despite its simple patterns, and a hat that complemented the ensemble perfectly. Rather than wondering why she had shown up for training in a dress, the only thought in his mind was how incredibly well it suited her.
He had always known Sepia was beautiful. But seeing her in a dress and makeup instead of her Academy uniform made him realize it all over again.
"Pushover, have you been waiting long?"
As Sepia approached, a subtle, floral fragrance drifted toward him. It wasn't heavy or pungent, but delicate. If the spirit on his shoulder hadn't nudged him, he would have been so entranced that he might have missed his cue to answer.
"...Miss Sepia, are you perhaps worried that I’ve been waiting a long time?"
"W-What are you talking about? Besides, since you're meeting me, it's only natural that you should arrive first and wait."
"I haven't been waiting long, so you don't need to worry, Miss Sepia."
"I told you, I'm not!"
"Yes, yes. If you say so, Miss Sepia."
With a small chuckle, Loki pulled a Clown’s Mask out of his Pocket Dimension and handed it to her. He asked her to wear it during their training.
"....You want me to wear this?"
"Yes!"
It was a sudden request, but he decided to be bold. Even if he explained the mask's abilities, she probably wouldn't believe him. It was better to let her find out for herself while they trained. Then, the dress he had momentarily forgotten in his daze caught his eye again.
"But won't a dress be uncomfortable for training?"
Of course, he wanted to keep looking at her, but wearing it during training would not only be impractical but would almost certainly ruin it.
"Training...?"
Sepia was momentarily lost for words. They were meeting today for training? Not to have tea? Why?
The words Loki had said that morning flashed through her mind like a cold breeze.
‘I told you before that I’d make you stronger, Miss Sepia. That starts today after school.’
Ah... The Pushover had never once said they were meeting for tea.
‘I was the only idiot who misunderstood.’
Sepia gripped the hem of her dress so hard it began to wrinkle. She had to, or else something might start leaking from her eyes. How foolish.
‘This is too revealing! What? You think he'll like this kind of thing? I told you, I'm not picking out clothes because of him!’
She had spent hours agonizing over her outfit with the spirits.
‘It's been a while, so this looks a bit weird. Ugh, let me try one more time.’
She had spent so much time on her makeup.
‘Should I wear perfume... Sniff, sniff. I washed, so I don't think I smell like sweat, but just in case.’
After much deliberation, she had chosen a scent she thought he might like.
‘Can't you make it look more natural? You know, the "no-makeup" makeup look. What? Why am I so demanding when I'm the one asking for a favor? Hey! Do you know how well I've treated you guys? Fine, fine. I'm sorry!’
She had even asked the spirits to fix her hair. She felt so pathetic and stupid.
‘He wouldn't have cared no matter how much I dressed up anyway.’
To him, it was just a cumbersome piece of clothing that got in the way of training. He probably thought she was a strange woman for showing up to train in a dress.
".....I had something to do, so I wore this for a bit. Wait here. I'll go change."
She would go home, change into something easy to move in, wash off the makeup, and put on comfortable shoes. Just as she was about to turn away...
"Ah.........."
A sigh escaped Loki's lips. It was a sigh filled with genuine regret, like someone who had just missed a shooting star.
"....Why?"
"Well, you see..." Loki trailed off, sounding uncharacteristically shy. "I thought that dress looked incredibly good on you, Miss Sepia. I just felt a bit sad thinking I wouldn't be able to see it anymore..."
Sepia’s grip on her dress loosened. So, he was acting like a puppy caught in the rain just because he thought he wouldn't get to see her in the dress?
"...Hmph. Really? You thought it looked good?" Sepia said, trying to suppress the twitching of her lips.
"Of course. It suits you so well that the desire to keep looking at you is dominating my mind even now. Ugh... I guess it can't be helped because of training today, but could you wear that dress the next time we meet?"
Finally, Sepia couldn't hold it back anymore. The corners of her mouth curled upward. What was this? Did he like her that much?
"Like I said, I only wore it because of some business. I definitely didn't wear it for you! So you'd better give up on the idea of me wearing it next time," Sepia said, twirling a lock of hair that all four spirits had worked together to arrange.
"What? Is there no way? I really want to see it again. Ah! Should we just push the training to later and just hang out today?"
Seeing Loki flustered, Sepia’s smile widened until it was physically impossible for her expression to get any brighter.
"Hmm. What should I do? It's a bit much to postpone training, though..." Sepia trailed off intentionally. It wasn't because she wanted to hear him properly ask her to have tea. Definitely not.
"Then how about we train for today, and meet up 'this weekend' to have tea or something? ...The laundry should be done by then."
Sepia didn't miss the small mumble that escaped Loki's lips. Was he really asking to meet this weekend just because he wanted to see this dress?
He's so cu—no, he's annoying!
"If you're going to go that far, I'll give it some special thought. Wait here for a moment. I'll just go change."
'Wait here, I'll go change.'
Sepia had said the exact same words just a moment ago, but her expression now was entirely different. Internally, Sepia decided to buy a few more dresses exactly like the one she was wearing.
"Ah! And could you tell me what perfume you used? I have a sensitive sense of smell, and the one you're wearing feels just pleasant enough."
And the perfume as a bonus.
"I'm not telling."
Sepia walked off to change with a beaming smile. Loki, watching her retreating figure, let out a small chuckle.
"She really is cute."