Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Came for a Date
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I know what a date is.
It's when two lovers spend time together at some place, right?
That place could be a movie theater, a restaurant, or even one of their homes.
So what does that mean?
The essence of a date isn't about any specific place or activity.
No matter where it is, it's all a date anyway.
In other words, it's time for two people in a romantic relationship—or on the verge of one—to get to know each other.
That, I think, is the true core of a date.
And that's where my question to Kiara came from.
Two people in a relationship getting to know each other...
Isn't that exactly what Laura and I have been doing all this time?
If so, there's no reason to be dissatisfied with the status quo.
Kiara flashed a grin at my earnest question.
"Leonardo."
"What."
"Your thinking's all messed up. Looks like this big sis has to fix it for you herself."
Is that so?
Guess not.
***
After that, Kiara spent a good while chattering away under the pretense of reforming my mindset—
but listing it all out would be too long and tedious, so I'll skip it.
The key takeaway from that conversation boils down to this.
A date needs something special.
Even if it's a familiar spot, you need the awareness that it's not your everyday routine,
and to make that awareness easy, you pick someplace out of the ordinary—
In short, you can't just call your usual routine a date!
...Or so it seems.
Then what about couples who've been dating for years and their dates have become everyday life?
Do they never have a "true" date anymore?
The thought crossed my mind, but I kept it to myself.
Kiara's explanation had already dragged on long enough.
Instead, I nodded with a look of perfect understanding.
"Got it."
"You really get it? I had no idea my little brother was this hopeless... This big sis is seriously worried now...."
Of course, it didn't seem to work on Kiara.
More importantly, hopeless?
That doesn't seem like the right word for this situation.
I'm not avoiding dates out of some embarrassment.
I've just never had the chance in this life, so I fumbled a bit.
Spend nearly twenty years just grinding through the "homework" the Iron-Blooded Duke assigns, and anyone would end up like this.
'Wonder what Kiara would say if she saw Nicholas.'
That guy's the poster child for hopeless.
I'm curious, so I should arrange for them to meet later.
Anyway, after taking Kiara's advice, I made plans for a date with Laura.
First, check the conditions.
Meet somewhere different from usual and do something we don't normally do.
But we can't leave the academy. Scheduling would be a nightmare.
So, someplace inside the academy but new to both of us—
'Is there such a place?'
No, there has to be.
The academy grounds are ridiculously vast compared to the student population.
If I look, I'll find plenty.
But just going somewhere unfamiliar doesn't solve everything.
We have to do something there.
There needs to be content.
And if it's new to both of us, there aren't many activities available.
We'd probably just wander around, chat idly, and call it a day.
That wouldn't fit the definition of a date either.
So maybe doing something new in a familiar place—
Something new?
'Oh, right, that thing.'
A great idea hit me.
Something new we haven't done together yet.
And it's something Laura herself requested, so she won't hate it!
With that revelation, I proposed a date to Laura, who was still acting strangely around me—
"Really? Yes!"
Laura accepted my date invitation with a radiant smile.
Great, one thing down.
Feeling relieved at having handled it well, I spent time with Laura.
And so time passed until the day of our first date arrived.
The location of my first date with Laura.
It was—
"This is the magic department, huh."
"Huh? Leonardo? What brings you to the magic department? I thought you weren't taking any classes here—"
"Came for a date."
"What???"
The magic department's class: Understanding Mana.
I decided to take it with Laura.
***
Nicholas had a reality-denying meltdown over the novel combo of "class" and "date," blurting out, "Isn't that just attending class together?"—
but that's just an outsider who doesn't grasp the uniqueness of our relationship.
As I said earlier, a date is something lovers—or those on the path to it—do.
We've had our engagement ceremony, but we haven't known each other long.
Socially, we're closer than lovers; emotionally, we're not quite there yet.
So attending class together absolutely qualifies as date-worthy!
Of course, my main reason for substituting class for a date was something else entirely.
'Whatever we do together, I need some info on Laura first.'
We've been seeing each other pretty often now, but—
Laura still hesitates to open up about herself.
Sure, I could force it out of her if I really tried.
But getting caught would make her hate me, which would be a total disaster.
So her own suggestion of "attending class together" is the best safe bet.
And judging by Laura's reaction, it wasn't a bad choice.
"Over here, Leonardo!"
As I entered the lecture hall, Laura called my name from the center, waving her hand high in case I missed her.
It wasn't very ladylike for a noble, but her pretty face made even that picturesque.
I gave a small nod to acknowledge her and walked over.
The scattered magic department students started murmuring as they looked our way.
"Leonardo? The one from Dominica?"
"He must be here for Miss Laura! They're engaged, right?"
"But I heard he's in the knight department? Why's he suddenly in this class?"
Still a spectacle, as always.
But surprisingly few fearful or wary glances.
Instead, they showed curiosity.
Whether due to the department's nature or Laura, I couldn't tell—
but no hostility meant I felt much more at ease.
'If my presence soured the vibe, it'd put Laura in an awkward spot.'
At least that won't happen.
As I sat beside her with a relaxed mind, Laura beamed brighter than usual.
"You really came?"
"Did you think I'd lie?"
"No, I know you're not that kind of person. But it's still hard to believe...."
She said it with such a joyful expression.
Seeing that stirred a twinge of guilt in me.
'Is attending class together that great?'
Well, it was the one thing she asked for before coming to the academy.
If I'd known she'd be this happy, I should've done it sooner.
To shake off the guilt, I told her,
"If there's anything else you want to do, just say it. I'll make it happen."
"Anything at all?"
"As long as it's not trouble."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't ask for anything like that."
Laura pouted a little at my words.
I smiled faintly.
'Cute.'
With her ladylike looks, that childish gap is adorable.
Hard to see her as the villainess in some story.
After chatting a bit more with Laura, I glanced around the lecture hall filling up with students.
'Magic, huh. Wonder what kind of class this is.'
I wasn't clueless about magic—
but I'd never used it or seen it in action.
None of the Iron-Blooded Duke's assignments involved it.
Just knowledge on magical phenomena to watch for or basics for handling mages.
But isn't magic the hallmark of an isekai world?
Getting to see it firsthand? Pretty exciting.
'Maybe I have talent as a mage?'
Swordsmanship was new from my past life, and I did okay at it, so why not magic?
That would open up options beyond court noble life—like joining a magic tower.
The thought fired me up.
'Alright, let's give it our best.'
With eager anticipation, I dove into the Understanding Mana class.
"Welcome, everyone. Today, we'll cover levitating objects with mana. I'll pass out these feathers—your goal is to make them float."
Oh, a hands-on class.
Levitate a feather? Reminds me of that Harry Potter scene—super intriguing.
Dreaming of being the second coming of Harry, I confidently tackled the magic—
Bang!
"Focus! In a mana-use class, losing concentration can cause accidents!"
"......"
I failed spectacularly and got an earful from the instructor.
Magic class... maybe I shouldn't have come...