Da?e (1)
It was on our way back from visiting the infirmary together.
After checking Zeto's condition, Priscilla had said, "There's nothing wrong with his health."
She then brought up Zeto's swordsmanship, wondering if his body was suffering from overload, and warned him not to overexert himself for the time being.
Certainly... even during the mock battle...
Suddenly, the image of Zeto collapsing while coughing up blood flashed through my mind.
Even though it had been an illusion, the sheer terror of that moment still hadn't faded.
Just what was driving Zeto to push himself so hard?
Was there a specific reason he had to use such a dangerous style of swordsmanship?
"...Miss Yuri."
While I was lost in thought, Zeto's voice drifted over from beside me.
I turned my head to look at him.
He was smiling, just as he always did.
"..."
Even though Priscilla had reassured me, an inexplicable uneasiness lingered in a corner of my heart, cluttering my mind.
When I didn't answer, Zeto continued.
"Thank you. For worrying about me."
"It's nothing..."
I hung my head.
He had a real knack for making people feel embarrassed.
Is his body really just weak?
But back then, the body I had seen on the airship... hadn't looked weak at all.
Before long, the image of Zeto's toned, firm muscles flickered before my eyes.
It was incredibly distracting, completely driving out all other thoughts.
I stole a sly glance at Zeto walking beside me.
Even under his academy uniform, his physique couldn't be hidden.
From those broad shoulders...
I swallowed hard.
I immediately shook my head, desperately trying to clear my mind.
Now was not the time for this.
Having barely managed to empty my thoughts, I asked Zeto a question.
"...Zeto, why do you push yourself so hard?"
"Push myself..."
Zeto trailed off at my question.
It was something I had been curious about for a long time, but I was only now getting around to asking.
After pondering deeply for a moment, Zeto opened his mouth.
"...To protect the people precious to me."
"Precious people..."
As I repeated his answer in my mind, Zeto stopped in his tracks.
I stopped as well, turning around to look at him.
"And you are one of them, Miss Yuri."
"...Me?"
"Yes."
"...Am I precious to you?"
"Of course."
There wasn't a shred of hesitation in Zeto's voice as he spoke.
As if asking why I would even question something so obvious.
That was how he said it.
Zeto said he would protect me.
Like a knight straight out of a fairy tale.
And to me, he was just as incredibly precious.
I was so happy I could leap for joy, but out of sheer embarrassment, a bizarre response slipped out of my mouth.
"I-I don't need protecting, okay? I'm plenty strong on my own... And besides, who's protecting whom here?!"
I quickly whipped my head away.
I couldn't even bring myself to look at him.
My heart was pounding furiously. The trembling wouldn't stop.
At my response, Zeto's soft chuckle drifted from behind me.
"...Come on, let's go. We'll be late for class."
"Okay."
Answering with a voice full of amusement, Zeto caught up to my side, and we began walking down the hallway together once more.
I stared blankly at his face and thought:
I want to become someone who can protect him, too.
First, I needed to do something about that body of his, which coughed up blood at the slightest provocation.
...Are there any elixirs left at the main estate?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Blanc, I have something to talk to you about."
"Hmm... It's rare for you to call me by my name. Must be something important?"
Blanc, the Southern Branch Manager of the Black Hand Guild, asked as she swept the documents she was reading to one side of her desk.
Blanc was curious.
What could this platinum-blonde girl possibly want to know that brought her here?
Her attitude was different from when she usually came seeking information. It naturally aroused curiosity.
Clearing her desk to show she was giving her full attention, Blanc rested her chin on her hand and gazed intently at Eisel.
Soon, Eisel spoke.
"Well..."
"I'm listening."
"...I want to know how to win a man's heart."
"Huh...?"
Blanc doubted her own ears at Eisel's words.
It wasn't just because Eisel, who had been extraordinary since their very first meeting, had come to her—the Southern Branch Manager of the continent's greatest information guild—just for relationship advice.
"Eisel, don't tell me..."
"..."
Eisel quietly turned her head, avoiding Blanc's gaze.
"Do you have one? Someone you like?!"
Eisel squeezed her eyes shut at Blanc's excited follow-up.
Blanc was particularly interested in Eisel.
Eisel was far from ordinary.
This mysterious girl, about whom no information could be dug up no matter how hard Blanc tried, would often provide her with exactly the information she needed.
In return, Eisel would receive the information she wanted from Blanc.
As such, Eisel, who could be considered an exceptionally excellent informant, was highly doted on by Blanc.
"So? Who is it?"
"It's a secret. I certainly don't want to tell an information guild."
"You know I can find out anyway, right? Should I investigate? Should I dig into it right now?"
"......He's just a fellow cadet in my class."
With her face flushed red, Eisel hung her head low.
Blanc's interest was piqued.
She realized that Eisel was actually capable of making such a normally embarrassed expression.
After all, the Eisel Blanc knew had always maintained a stoic face, whether she was bringing in information that even the Black Hand couldn't easily obtain, or asking about demons.
"You've come to the right place, Eisel. I think I can give you the answer you're looking for."
"Really...?"
Eisel's eyes widened.
Believing Zeto's curse was worsening, Eisel had sought out Blanc because she felt the need to try a more direct and certain method as quickly as possible.
Blanc's confident expression was more than enough to inspire trust in Eisel.
In the end, wasn't an information guild's job all about handling information and dealing with people?
Just looking at Blanc's alluring dress, Eisel figured she must be far more experienced in matters of 'love' than herself.
"Heheh, how to win a man's heart, you say..."
Blanc chuckled softly, letting her voice trail off.
"But do you really need a special method for that...? With your looks, what kind of man wouldn't fall for you? You're so pretty and cute."
"...Never mind that. It's urgent. This is an emergency."
"An emergency?"
"...A rival woman has appeared."
Eisel made up a quick excuse, realizing there was no need to mention Zeto's curse.
"Oh my."
Blanc simply found the whole situation highly entertaining.
The stories of young cadets experiencing the turbulent spring of youth were a wonderful distraction for her work-weary self.
"What's the situation like?"
Blanc asked Eisel.
"The situation...?"
"You must have done something by now."
"...Not much, really. Just... some one-sided physical contact?"
"Hmm... Then what about this rival girl?"
"I don't think she's done much of anything either..."
"Neither of you has done anything? Then what kind of rivalry is this...?"
"...Is that so?"
Eisel scratched her cheek at Blanc's questioning.
"Still... it's certain that we're targeting the same man."
Eisel recalled Yuri's actions toward Zeto in the previous timeline. This timeline wasn't much different.
Except, in this timeline, she was lagging far behind.
Blanc looked at Eisel's dead-serious eyes and burst into laughter. In her eyes, Eisel was just incredibly adorable.
I knew she would react like this...
Eisel thought as she glared at Blanc.
"...Ahem."
Stopping her laughter, Blanc cleared her throat.
"Anyway, I assume you haven't even gone on a date yet?"
"A date?"
At Eisel's questioning look, Blanc asked carefully.
"...You do know what a date is, right?"
"No, I know what it is, but is it really that important? We're in the same class, so we see each other every day anyway... and we occasionally run into each other alone..."
"Oh my goodness..."
Blanc gasped, covering her mouth in horror at Eisel's indifferent response and raised eyebrows.
Pressing a hand to her forehead, Blanc spoke.
"Eisel... love is about getting to know each other, isn't it?"
"...I know more about him than anyone else."
"Then what does he know about you?"
"..."
Eisel fell silent.
Through her past lives, she knew so much about Zeto and shared countless memories with him.
But she realized that Zeto actually knew very little about her. Because she was a regressor, she had hidden so many things.
Or perhaps it was because Zeto had always figured out her preferences so effortlessly that she had never felt the need for such a process.
"Mutual. In other words, 'together' is what's important. Love doesn't just happen because you force yourself onto someone one-sidedly, you know?"
"Together..."
This was quite different from the information Eisel had gathered from books.
But that was only natural... The books Eisel had read were literally just about how to capture a man—in other words, 'how to seduce.'
They were a far cry from 'emotional love.'
Blanc had known for a long time that Eisel was severely lacking in some mental or emotional aspect.
With her sharp observation skills, she analyzed Eisel's attitude and instantly realized what she needed—what she truly desired.
"It's too early to talk about love without even going on a simple date. No matter what, a confession of love comes after that."
"I see..."
The mention of a confession made Eisel feel a sudden pang of guilt.
It was because she remembered blurting out a pseudo-confession to Zeto in the flower garden under the pretext of liking flowers.
"The method is simple. Just go and ask him out on a date. You can do at least that much, right?"
Eisel nodded.
She was harboring the somewhat absurd thought that if she went on a date as Blanc suggested, she could make Zeto fall in love with her.
"It's your first date, right?"
"Probably."
"Great. Then we'll give you a special hand this time."
Blanc said as she stood up from her seat.
Eisel tilted her head at her words.
"We...?"
"...Heheh, let's just say it's a special service. Since it's a date, we have to get you completely dolled up."
Eisel didn't quite understand, but she agreed for now.
Whatever it was, as long as it could win Zeto over, it was enough.
Blanc smiled at Eisel, who was staring at her blankly.
Hearing Eisel's story, Blanc figured that simply giving off a different vibe than 'usual' during a date would generate immense appeal.
Thus, she planned to give Eisel a complete makeover befitting her very first date.
She'd look good in absolutely anything...
Just what kind of man wouldn't be seduced by someone with Eisel's looks?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After Professor Edward's class ended, Eisel asked if we could talk for a moment, so we slipped out of the classroom and walked together.
I wondered what she wanted to talk about.
Following her quietly, we eventually reached a secluded spot devoid of people.
Then, Eisel, who had been leading the way, turned around to face me.
With her hands hidden behind her back, she seemed to be hesitating over something.
As I tilted my head, she opened her mouth.
"Da..."
"Da?"
"...Go on a date with me."
Eisel's words followed in a soft murmur.
At the sudden invitation to a date, I was left completely speechless.
Sierra was equally speechless.
Her mouth was slightly agape as she stared at Eisel, her pupils trembling violently.
Eisel was staring intently at me, waiting.
For my answer.
Perhaps finding the wait too agonizing as her entire body tensed up, Eisel opened her mouth once more.
"...Do you not want to?"
"......No?"