Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Isn't a Hug a Bit Too Soon?
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Isn't a hug a bit too soon?
Laura Clarins stared blankly down at her book.
At a glance, she looked like she was absorbed in reading.
However, if you observed her closely from nearby, you would realize she wasn't actually reading the book.
Her eyes were fixed on the center of the page, completely motionless.
The bookmark running across the middle of the book.
She gazed at it with a dreamy expression, as if she had been drawn into a work of art.
Laura Carolline, watching from across the table, couldn't contain her curiosity and spoke up.
"The gift... you haven't given it yet?"
"Yes?"
Laura snapped to attention at the sound of Laura Carolline's voice and lifted her head.
She stared blankly at Laura Carolline for a few seconds, then glanced at the bookmark and finally answered.
"Ah, no. I properly gave him the gift."
"Then, that one...?"
"This is......"
Laura trailed off with a shy smile.
Laura Carolline, the self-proclaimed master of romance novels, picked up on it immediately and covered her mouth in excitement.
"Oh my, could it be from Leonardo?"
"Yes... Before I could even take out my gift, he..."
"Oh my, oh my! How could he! Without even promising anything!"
Laura Carolline was thrilled by the special story between her favorite and her friend, and Laura spilled all the details.
Factually speaking, it was just a coincidence that their gifts matched.
But the two of them, fully immersed in tales of romance, heated up as if it were the love story of the century, and the conversation naturally shifted in that direction.
And as the topic flowed there, Laura naturally brought up what happened next.
The horse riding date invitation!
Laura was delighted that Leonardo had made such a proposal, but she was also worried on one hand.
Because she had never ridden a horse before.
In noble society, even women learned the basics of riding as part of their etiquette training—
But she had been confined to her room since the age of ten.
So Laura cautiously asked Laura Carolline.
"By the way, is there anything I need to prepare for horse riding?"
"Nothing like that! The academy has great facilities. You do need your own horse, but Leonardo will handle that... Just wear some riding clothes—"
"There are special riding clothes?"
"Of course? You can't ride a horse in a dress."
"Ah, so riding clothes aren't dresses?"
"Yes?"
Laura Carolline paused for a moment at Laura's question.
But she quickly realized that Laura truly knew nothing about riding, closed her book, and said,
"Let's skip this and go shopping for clothes together today!"
"Is that okay?"
"Of course! I need some spares anyway! We can pick out outfits for each other!"
And so, they headed to a clothing store together, where Laura bought and tried on pants for the first time.
Clothes that clung tightly to her body, unlike a skirt.
When she emerged from the changing room in the riding outfit, Laura Carolline made a huge fuss.
"How wonderful! It suits you perfectly!"
"Really? It's my first time wearing something like this, so it feels awkward... And it shows off my figure too much..."
"It's fine! Laura, your figure is gorgeous! Leonardo will absolutely love it!"
Really?
Laura wasn't so sure.
She knew her face was pretty, but whether her figure was beautiful was another matter.
No, to be honest, she wasn't satisfied with her body.
Because the owner of what she considered the perfect figure was right nearby.
Kiara Mondial.
The eldest daughter of the Mondial family and Leonardo's childhood friend.
From their first meeting, she had boldly told Laura to call her "sister," and her body matched her confident demeanor.
Slim yet firm arms, and calves with graceful lines revealing hints of muscle.
For someone who had spent her life cooped up in a room, it was a body she couldn't help but envy.
And since she admired that kind of figure, Laura gazed at her reflection in the mirror and worried.
'What if Leonardo doesn't like it?'
Her reflection in the mirror was far from ideal.
A body that looked soft and yielding no matter where you pressed.
Fortunately, there was no protruding belly or sagging skin, but overall, it seemed too plump.
Especially the two masses of fat hanging below her shoulders.
They were somewhat manageable when wearing a dress cinched with a corset, but in riding clothes, they puffed out too prominently.
Like curtains being pushed from behind, perhaps.
So Laura harbored a thought that might have slightly strained their friendship if overheard.
'If only my breasts were as small as Laura Carolline's.'
But there was nothing she could do about it.
No matter how little she ate, her breasts never shrank.
So she prayed that Leonardo wouldn't pay too much attention to her body and wrapped up her shopping.
And on the day of their promised outing.
With a trembling heart, Laura approached Leonardo dressed in her riding clothes.
"Leonardo!"
He turned to look at her when she called his name.
His gaze swept over her body like a blaze of fire.
A slow climb from her legs upward.
He didn't seem displeased, fortunately, but she felt a twinge of anxiety as his eyes skipped over her torso and went straight to her face.
'Is it too plump after all?'
Fortunately, his answer to whether it suited her was positive.
"Of course. I can't imagine any clothes that wouldn't suit you."
His words rang with the same sincerity as always.
Somewhat reassured, she smiled and followed him to the riding course.
And there, she saw a horse right in front of her for the first time.
"Wow...!"
It's big.
The horse had looked large from a distance, but up close, it was enormous.
To the point where she marveled at how people had ever thought to tame such a creature and ride it.
As she gazed in wonder, Leonardo made a suggestion.
"Shall we have you touch it, then?"
"Is that okay?"
"Yes. But Elcon might get startled, so reach out slowly."
So this one's name is Elcon.
Amazed that it even had a proper name, Laura extended her hand toward Elcon.
And when she made eye contact with Elcon, something astonishing happened.
Purrung—
She could see it.
Just like with a human, Elcon's thoughts were visible.
Laura was startled by the realization.
There had been nothing like this when she researched witch powers.
'Does this work on animals too?'
In her confusion, she combed through the records she had read in the past.
And she confirmed there was no mention that this power worked only on humans.
The records only stated that she had 'enchanted with purple eyes and read thoughts.'
'Enchantment......'
Right, there had been records like that too.
Her 'thought-reading power' was so overwhelmingly strong that she hadn't paid much attention to it.
And she had never even considered wanting to enchant anyone.
But that suddenly recalled word piqued her curiosity.
'What does it feel like to enchant someone?'
Is it just a power to gain favor?
Or something even stronger?
Laura looked at Leonardo, who was focused on Elcon while holding the reins.
If this power was as potent as her thought-reading ability, then with it, she could—
'No.'
Laura hurriedly shook her head at the thought that bubbled up.
She couldn't use an unknown power on Leonardo.
If it led to something irreparable like in her childhood, she would never forgive herself.
But her curiosity whispered slyly to her.
'......But trying it on Elcon should be fine, right?'
Since it was an animal, not a person.
It was a truly tempting idea.
She felt a bit sorry for Elcon, whom she had just met—
But it was still better than experimenting on a person.
For all she knew, 'enchantment' might not even be that dangerous.
If it was just something that gained a bit of favor, it wouldn't be so bad.
'Yeah, better to understand my power before it spirals out of control.'
Laura steeled her resolve.
And she gently prodded the power within her.
Having grown accustomed to handling mana through her recent lessons, Laura easily sensed the presence of the power nestled inside her.
'Is this it?'
The same power, yet it felt strangely unfamiliar.
It had been suppressed by her other powers and was huddled quietly in a corner of her body.
Having detected it, Laura used her mana to gently draw the power outward.
The reaction was dramatic.
Elcon reacted immediately once the power was drawn out.
She sniffed curiously at Laura's hand.
And then brightened up.
Hiiing!
Elcon nuzzled happily into Laura's arms.
Laura felt a rush of exhilaration at the sight.
'It worked!'
It had succeeded.
She had successfully wielded a power she was using for the first time.
And that success greatly alleviated her fear of handling the unknown power.
This was her power.
It had proven to be something she could fully control.
Thus, basking in the joy of acquiring a new power, Laura enjoyed her horse riding time with Leonardo.
In truth, calling it "with" was a bit misleading.
Only Laura was seated in Elcon's saddle, while Leonardo walked alongside.
Upon learning it was her first time riding, Leonardo had said, "First, you need to get familiar with the horse," and led her around the course with just her mounted.
Laura felt a slight pang of disappointment at that.
'In the books, they rode together...'
In the books, the man sat in front holding the reins, and the woman clung to his waist.
They walked slowly like that until she grew accustomed, and when the horse stumbled just a little, the woman unwittingly hugged his back tightly—
Thinking that far, Laura's face flushed red.
'A h-hug is a bit too soon, isn't it?'
They were engaged, but it had only been a few months since they met!
Yes, this was better.
If they hugged now, well... certain parts might end up touching in various ways.
She lowered her head to gaze at the rhythmically bouncing mounds and made a vow.
'I need to exercise.'
It wouldn't change just by saying so, but right now, it was a bit...
For now, she would be content with this moment.
Because she had grown just a little closer to him.
Feeling the texture of Leonardo's large, firm hand gripping hers, Laura smiled.