Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Festival (4)
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Jane kept holding hands with him as they moved somewhere.
There were street foods around, performances going on, and several games like dart-throwing to pop balloons, but she passed them all by.
'...Isn't this what people usually do?'
Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, he asked her.
"...Where are we going right now?"
"To the dessert shop I've been wanting to visit."
"...A dessert shop?"
"Mm-hmm. I spotted it while coming to see you."
With that, she led Yujin into some alley.
"...You're quite thrifty. Who'd think you'd scout a dessert shop in an alley like this."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"It wasn't exactly a compliment."
*Snicker—*
"Is that so?"
Right now, she had no memories. Meaning she wasn't the knight from the capital, but Jane, the Sin Seat with no ties to the Empire.
Yet here she was, finding a place only locals might know?
'...She must have explored the capital a lot.'
She must have wandered around quietly everywhere.
A demon walking freely in the heart of the capital where the Emperor resided...
'Come to think of it, she even entered the palace.'
...Was the Empire really okay like this?
He figured he should talk to the Emperor about improving overall security next time.
By then, at the end of the alley, a small, cozy cafe came into view. The shop's name was...
"Seowol?"
"Mm! It looked so delicious, I remembered it."
"To eat with me?"
"That's right!"
Come to think of it, back when she had her memories as a knight, Jane had said she wanted to go to a certain cafe in the capital.
The name was definitely...
'...Seowol.'
...Coincidence or fate?
...
The two entered the shop.
*Ting-a-ling—*
The interior was quiet. Only a middle-aged cafe owner sat at the counter. Wondering if they could sit anywhere, they looked around, and Jane sat by the window first.
"Sit next to me here, my dear."
'Yujin, I think I prefer sitting next to you rather than across.'
...
Come to think of it, Jane always preferred sitting next to him rather than across the table when eating at a desk. When asked why... she said it let her see his face more closely.
...Even that was the same.
"The menu's over there, take a look and order."
The owner, reading a newspaper, said.
*Nod—*
The two naturally leaned close and looked at the menu together.
"Hmm... Everything looks delicious. This and that too."
"Then how about ordering everything?"
As she said that, he glanced sideways. Her face was very close. Eyelashes, lips, pupils—all in sharp focus.
...How long had it been since he'd seen Jane's face this close? His memory was hazy.
It had been that long. Long enough for her face to blur after sending her away. But now, she was right in front of him.
Though her style and speech had changed a lot, the woman before him was unmistakably Jane.
'...'
For a moment, their eyes met. Jane's eyes, as if reading his inner thoughts, curved like a crescent moon.
*Smile—*
"If you're buying, I'll order it all."
"...Sure."
He nodded as if enchanted. She really ordered several strawberry desserts. Soon, the owner brought them out.
"Ah, sir."
"Hm? This young lady's using casual speech."
"Any good spots around worth checking out?"
"Still casual, huh?"
"None?"
The owner shook his head and pointed out the window.
"Head to the end over there, there's an old bookstore with hardly any people. A bit worn, but the atmosphere's nice—not bad for a young couple on a date."
"Oh? Do we look like lovers?"
"Hm? You're not? Folks usually come in pairs like this, and they're always couples. And denying it while stuck so close together?"
"Ahem."
Jane's heart fluttered oddly at the word 'lovers'. Totally like, right?
Yujin's heart pounded too. But the meaning was a bit different.
The pain of a love sent away in the past, the joy and ecstasy of reuniting.
Emotions swirled.
*Clink—*
"Delicious."
"Hehe, right? I knew you'd like it."
"...How'd you know?"
Without even memories.
"Mm. Call it a woman's intuition."
"Woman's intuition... Then do you have a hunch what I'm thinking now?"
"Hmm..."
Jane stopped eating her cake and stared straight into Yujin's eyes.
'...Her pupils.'
Looking this closely, there was definitely a difference from before. Her pupils were vertically slit, like a dragon's eyes.
'Effect of becoming a Sin Seat.'
Pandemonium's Sin Seats weren't just named after sins. Each had abilities matching their sin and distinct physical traits.
Meanwhile, Jane grabbed both his cheeks and pulled his face even closer.
...To a distance where their lips nearly touched.
"Pretty—"
"...?"
"You thought I was pretty, didn't you?"
'You just thought I was pretty, right?'
"......"
She grinned mischievously.
"...So bold."
"Of course I'm bold. I am pretty, aren't I? You saying I'm not?"
"No, you are pretty."
He could say it a hundred, a thousand times.
He'd wanted to say it a hundred, a thousand times.
You're pretty.
He was so glad he could say it again.
...Yet, knowing this moment would end someday, he couldn't say more.
...Like a thorn in his throat.
After devouring countless strawberry desserts and paying, they stepped outside.
"The bookstore the owner mentioned... that way?"
"No, the opposite."
"Ah."
She let out an awkward laugh, then soon smiled brightly again and quickened her steps. At the alley's end, a slightly shabby bookstore appeared.
"Oh ho. Such a nostalgic-feeling bookstore. Don't you think, my dear?"
"I agree."
Before them was a bookstore neither rundown nor stylish. Like one of those old bookshops you'd find in the countryside.
Through the window, an old lady reading a book was visible. Probably the owner.
"...Mind if we browse a bit?"
"Eh? Sure, look around all you want. Been a while since young folks came by."
"Thank you."
Yujin bowed politely and led Jane inside. Jane looked around curiously, as if everything was novel.
"My dear, so this is a bookstore. Smells like paper... and it's cozy."
...Come to think of it, Jane had said she'd never been to one.
As a commoner, books were distant. Parents died early, so she lived in poverty.
Yet she stubbornly trained with the sword and became a knight... only for a futile end.
Not even her body recovered.
But...
'She's finally here now.'
...A bitter taste lingered.
Meanwhile, Jane pulled a book and held it up to his face. A red-covered book filled his view.
"Look at this, my dear."
"......?"
"It's a naughty book!"
"...101 Ways to Excite Her...?"
"Wanna read it together?"
He was about to say they didn't need to, but she moved aside and opened it without giving him a chance.
She clearly hadn't planned to ask his opinion from the start.
*Rustle—*
Meanwhile, as she flipped pages beside him, Jane's face gradually reddened.
*Flush—*
"Hah... Wh-what kind of steamy book is this..."
"That bad?"
Hm.
"Y-you're unaffected by this..!?"
"Well... It's pretty tame for something called naughty."
"Ugh... N-nobles are so lewd."
She shoved the book back and fanned herself. At that moment, out of habit, Yujin smoothed her hair.
*Pause—*
"Feels good, keep going."
"......"
With her permission, he stroked her hair more tenderly, slowly this time.
"Your touch feels so familiar. Did you do this a lot to other women? Hmm..."
She wiggled her finger thoughtfully.
"Blonde? Or purple hair?"
She seemed to know about the two women connected to Yujin.
...Anyone with even slight interest in the Empire would have heard the rumors.
"Judging by your face, neither. So... me?"
"......"
"Hmm. Looks like it."
The past me must have had her hair stroked by you often.
...
He stroked her hair for a while. She entrusted her head to him.
"Alright, let's head out."
"...Sure."
Outside, the sun had already set.
"Hmm. Already evening. Feels like we didn't do much."
"Time flies."
"Means our time together was that dense."
*Pause.*
"...I-is that so."
"Mm-hmm."
Watching her back, Yujin intuited the end was near.
This date with her, this relationship where they'd forgotten their positions and become ordinary man and woman.
"By the way, there's fireworks tonight, right? We should find a good spot."
She seemed to have another pre-scouted place and led him. On the way, she bumped into a running child...
"Whoa, careful there, kid."
"Yes, pretty sis."
"Hehe. Be careful now."
She helped the fallen child up, dusted them off, and sent them on their way.
"So kind."
"Kids are cute."
"Is that it?"
"That's it."
...Well, sort of true.
Thus, Yujin and Jane arrived at a secluded park. It was on a slightly elevated hill overlooking the capital.
"Shall we sit and talk until the fireworks start?"
She sat on a bench and patted the spot beside her.
*Nod.*
"What to talk about first..."
"About you first."
"Hm? You want to hear my story? Not curious how I infiltrated the palace? Or my purpose here?"
"Not really."
He was curious, but for now, it didn't matter.
"Jeez, are you really the Empire's Sword Master?"
"Just tell me."
"So impatient."
*Snicker—*
She kicked her legs playfully and slowly began her tale.
"As you've heard before, I have no memories."
"......"
Her eyes dimmed slightly.
"When I first opened my eyes, the other Sin Seats were looking down at me."
Thus, without knowing why, she became one of the Sin Seats: Wrath.
"After that, with restrictions on my heart, I just followed their orders. Swing the sword when told, wait when told."
They didn't treat her as a comrade. Just a pawn forced into existence due to high 'compatibility'.
"It was a lonely time. Nothing to do, nothing I wanted. I didn't even know why I swung the sword."
While carrying out orders as usual, she met Yujin.
It was brief, but her heart ached like seeing something precious lost.
"From then, I got truly curious. Why was I swinging my sword at innocents? What kind of person was I before?"
And she thought the clue lay with Yujin, who looked at her with wistful eyes.
"And it was right. Spending time like this, I see."
But wait.
"...Wait, didn't you say there are restrictions? Then coming to find me and spending time like this..."
"...Hehe, you're quick. Was just about to explain."
She stood up. And slowly walked toward the railing.
"Truth is, the restrictions are still binding me. So acting on my own like this has its limits."
"What?"
That meant...
As Yujin tried to retort—
*Whoooosh—*
*Boom——*
A massive firework burst behind her.
"Oh? Fireworks started, my dear."
She was captivated by the brilliant display.
"...Is this how normal people live? Eating delicious things, spending precious time, watching fireworks sometimes... So enviable."
Beautiful fireworks adorned the night sky for a while. Staring blankly, she murmured softly.
"...It's really time to say goodbye now, my dear. Guess I'll hear about my past next time."
He sensed it.
He had to reach out.
Otherwise, she'd vanish from before his eyes again.
'Not that...!'
No.
He desperately reached out.
But his hand fell short.
Because she had disappeared.
With a beautiful smile until the end.
Like a summer mirage.