A Bear Hug and Lingering Traces of Mana
Ariel, slightly tipsy, hadn’t let go of the teddy bear since she bought it. Edgar offered to carry it for her midway, worried it might be cumbersome, but she stubbornly clutched it to her chest and refused to hand it over. When he teased her, asking if she really liked the doll that much, her cheeks flushed for a moment before she quietly buried her face in its soft fur.
So Ariel dragged the bear along with her until they found a restaurant with a decent atmosphere for lunch. Only after arriving at the eatery listed on the paper did she finally set the doll down beside her, allowing them both a brief moment to catch their breath.
“Must’ve been tiring for you too, huh, Riel?”
The bear’s fur was incredibly fluffy; having it pressed against her all day must have left her quite sweaty. Edgar rested his chin on his hand, grinning playfully as he spoke. Ariel shot him a sharp glare.
“I told you not to call me that! It’s just a teddy bear, okay? A teddy bear!”
“Then why did you give a name to the one in your room?”
“You must’ve misheard!”
“Hmm……”
There wasn’t a shred of credibility in her denial, but she looked ready to explode if he pushed any further. Edgar wisely decided to back off. Teasing Ariel Robeheim always required perfect control of intensity. One wrong move and she might literally breathe fire, so handling her demanded the utmost care.
He let out a small chuckle.
“W-what? Why are you laughing like that? It’s annoying.”
When your lover smiles at you from across the table, common sense would suggest asking if something good happened. But common sense had never applied to these two.
Even after hearing her openly say he was annoying, Edgar simply shrugged, his eyes swirling with a complex mix of emotions.
“It’s nothing. It just feels like old times.”
“Old times?”
“Don’t you think so? After we became lovers, it felt like our relationship changed so drastically.”
“Ah……”
Ariel let out a small sigh of understanding and took a sip from the water the waiter had brought. Just as he said, the first two or three weeks after they started dating had been incredibly awkward. The only thing that changed was the word used to describe them—from childhood friends to lovers—yet it felt as if she had suddenly forgotten how to act around him.
After several months had passed, they gradually grew accustomed to this new dynamic and learned what being lovers truly meant. But until then, it had felt like they were constantly stumbling through uncharted territory.
“We were ridiculously awkward at first, weren’t we?”
“…Well, yeah. It felt like there were all these things we suddenly had to do because we were lovers.”
While Ariel liked the idea of being in a romantic relationship, the loss of the comfortable ease they’d shared as childhood friends left her deeply confused in the beginning. In a way, the word “lovers” had felt burdened with a sense of obligation.
Compared to the days when simply being together had been enough, the pressure to always hold hands, embrace each other, and share tender moments had felt stifling. But that subtle distance between them eventually shattered thanks to something Edgar had said one day.
“You told me not to feel burdened just because we’re lovers.”
“You actually remembered that.”
“Do you think I’m as much of an idiot as you?”
Ariel’s reply was curt, but in contrast, a faint smile played on her lips.
“Anyway, I think you were right. Looking back now, I wonder why I acted that way.”
That didn’t mean Ariel regretted her slightly foolish behavior from that day. Those clumsy feelings and actions had simply been the natural result of them experiencing each other for the first time, and they had become precious memories.
It was just a subtle sense of regret that she hadn’t realized it sooner. She felt a little embarrassed that it had taken her so long—and only after her lover’s advice—to understand something so simple.
“Maybe that’s just what makes us… us.”
“What do you mean by ‘us’?”
Ariel wasn’t being sarcastic; she was genuinely curious. Everyone interpreted relationships differently. So how did Edgar view the two of them within that word “us”?
“We’ve always been the type to do stupid things, haven’t we? You were constantly falling and getting hurt. I was always blurting out useless nonsense.”
“W-when did I get hurt that much……”
“Kid, I can remember more than ten times just off the top of my head. You’re really going to pretend you don’t know?”
“S-shut up, you idiot!”
When Ariel raised her voice in a sulky tone, Edgar simply added, “Anyway.”
“It means that our clumsy sides suit each other perfectly. So not just back then, but from now on, we should keep living with that mindset.”
“Acting all serious when it doesn’t suit you at all.”
“After all the sincere things I’ve said to you, you’re going to say that now……?”
Edgar muttered in disbelief, but Ariel simply stuck her tongue out at him in response. Of course, she wasn’t unaware. She knew how serious he could be, how he always thought several layers deeper than she ever could.
This was simply her own way of lightening the mood before it grew too heavy. Having known each other since childhood, the two of them had always found comfort in teasing and joking with one another. Whenever the air grew too serious or heavy, it felt suffocating.
And Ariel was certain Edgar felt the same. Even though he had spoken that way moments ago, she believed he was secretly grateful that she had eased the tension.
“Enough with the sentimental talk. Let’s order some food. I’m starving.”
“Alright. Oh, was there any recommended dish written on that paper?”
“No, nothing like that.”
Ariel unfolded the paper Shuri had given her and showed it to Edgar. The restaurant’s name was written there, but just as she said, no specific recommended dishes were listed. Perhaps it meant every item on the menu was good enough that recommendations weren’t necessary.
They would only know after trying, so Edgar promptly called for the waiter.
“Yes, are you ready to order?”
The same man who had brought their water earlier returned to their table. Since it was their first time here, Edgar figured the waiter’s recommendations would be safest. After getting Ariel’s nod of approval, he glanced at the menu and asked.
“Is there anything you’d recommend?”
“Ladies tend to enjoy this dish quite a bit. It’s a beef salad topped with finely grated cheese. Both ingredients happen to be exceptionally fresh today.”
When Edgar glanced at Ariel after the waiter’s suggestion, she gave a small nod to indicate it was fine. Of course, they couldn’t order just that, so after receiving recommendations for three more dishes, they completed their order. They also asked for a bottle of wine to go with it—though Edgar would likely end up drinking most of it.
“You’re not going to drink much, right?”
“Yeah. I usually only drink when I’m back at the estate anyway. Just one glass for me.”
While Ariel wasn’t particularly fond of tea, she occasionally enjoyed alcohol. Not to the point of drinking until she blacked out, but rather sipping alone in her room at night when she felt lonely. More than the alcohol itself, she liked the slightly sentimental mood it created.
That was why she disliked drinking in front of many people. She hated the thought of losing control, and she especially hated showing others her vulnerable, intoxicated state.
Before long, the waiter who had left earlier returned, this time carrying a bottle of wine. He showed them the label, then skillfully uncorked it.
“This is a wine our owner recommends. I hope it suits your taste.”
“I’m not much of a connoisseur, so anything is fine.”
In truth, Edgar wasn’t particularly picky about flavor. To be precise, while his sense of taste was quite sharp, he tended to enjoy almost everything regardless. The same applied to alcohol.
The waiter soon poured an appropriate amount of the deep red liquid into their glasses. From this point on, their contrasting personalities became evident. As soon as his glass was somewhat full, Edgar brought it straight to his lips. In contrast, Ariel first gently swirled her glass, savoring it with her eyes, then inhaled its aroma before cautiously taking a sip.
The latter was the more conventional way to enjoy wine, but Ariel didn’t bother pointing out Edgar’s method. After all, as long as it didn’t violate basic etiquette, everyone had their own way of eating and drinking. Trying to change someone’s habits would only ruin the pleasure of the moment.
“Oh right, we didn’t even toast.”
“Only now?”
When Edgar belatedly scratched his cheek in embarrassment, Ariel—clearly unimpressed—rested her chin on one hand and slid her glass forward. Edgar lightly clinked his own against it. The clear ring unique to wine glasses echoed between them, and they both took another sip.
It certainly lacked some of the depth compared to the wines they drank at the estate, but it was still incredibly satisfying. Whatever dishes followed, this alone promised a very enjoyable meal.
With that thought, Ariel quietly gazed at the man sitting across from her. For some reason, her face felt hot. She felt a little pathetic for getting tipsy after just two sips.
“What are you staring at? Is there something on my face?”
“It’s my face. Can’t I look at it whenever I want?”
“…You’re already drunk.”
At his exasperated head-shake, Ariel flashed a triumphant, mischievous smile. She didn’t win against Edgar very often, so this felt incredibly satisfying. It seemed today would be a good day after all.
‘Still… how should I handle this?’
If only she could figure out the strange sense of déjà vu that had been tickling her senses for a while now. She could clearly feel two distinct mana signatures that felt familiar, yet she couldn’t quite recall who they belonged to.
Well, to be exact, she couldn’t remember one of them. The other was someone she knew quite well. The real question was why that person was here. She would have to interrogate them about that later.
Ariel, having emptied her wine glass, wore a faint smile. However, unlike the warm, affectionate look she had given Edgar moments ago, this smile was colder—more fitting of a tyrant.