Helena and a City Outing (2)
In the first place, "I" had no idea what existed on the streets of this world. But it seemed Felice didn't either. No matter where I looked, everything was filled with fascinating sights. Following behind Helena, I let out small gasps of wonder. She smiled and spoke in a gentle, knowing tone.
"See? I told you we should've come out sooner."
"...You're right."
I smiled faintly and kept walking after her. It felt like stepping onto the set of a medieval movie, yet the vibrant energy around us was on an entirely different level. I stood there dazed, watching people move about, until Helena's hand tugged me forward and snapped me back to reality.
"Hmm, how about we eat first?"
"...Sure."
Just like the saying about not sightseeing on an empty stomach, there was no harm in filling our bellies before exploring the city. With that thought, I nodded at her suggestion.
Helena walked with purpose, as if she already knew the popular spots in this world. Naturally, I followed along, completely ignorant of such things.
"Hmm... what should we eat...?"
Helena hummed a little tune, clearly enjoying the rare outing, yet her steps never slowed. It looked like she'd already decided on a destination in her mind. Walking a step behind her, I caught a glimpse of her profile and felt an old memory surface.
Helena had always loved wandering outside since we were children. Of course, as children of noble houses, sneaking out past our guards was nearly impossible. Only twice a year—on my birthday and hers—did the knights' watch loosen just enough for us to slip away. We knew now that it had been deliberate kindness. We also knew the knights had worked harder in the shadows to keep us safe. But back then we were young, and we simply believed the guards were too busy preparing our birthday parties to watch us closely. Their excellent acting only reinforced our belief that we'd gotten "lucky."
Whenever we escaped the mansion, we always headed for the nearby mountains. The village was too risky—too many people knew our faces. The mountains, on the other hand, were an unknown world waiting to be explored. Hand in hand, Helena and I would venture through them, choosing a new direction each time. We discovered strange things in every corner and talked about them endlessly. Sometimes we watched the sunset over the fields; other times we admired the rain-washed mountain scenery.
Helena's expression right now was exactly the same as it had been back then—bright, free, and happy. I smiled at the sight of her acting like a colt finally let off its reins, then blinked slowly and stopped walking.
...This isn't my memory.
The recollection that had risen so naturally belonged to Felice. Yet I found myself treating it as my own. The subtle dissonance made me frown.
"Are you feeling unwell...?"
Helena's voice pulled me back. I shook my head. She was watching me with concern. Reassuring her with a faint smile, I let out a small breath and spoke.
"So, have you decided where we're going?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah...! Just a little farther and we'll reach a really good place. It's super famous!"
"Really? Can I get my hopes up?"
"Of course!"
Helena puffed out her chest dramatically, hands on her hips. She probably thought I was still distracted by my earlier conversation with Father. Grateful for her consideration, I nodded just as exaggeratedly.
"Then I'll leave everything to you, Helena."
"Leave it to me, my lord."
Her overly formal bow made me laugh. Only then did she relax and laugh with me, grabbing my arm and hurrying ahead.
"Let's go! If we're late, there'll be a huge line...!"
"All right, all right."
I answered naturally and followed her. Logically, I knew that distinguishing between my memories and Felice's no longer mattered much. If anything, Felice's memories were essential for living properly in this world. There were still too many rules I didn't understand with my own common sense. Even setting that aside, his memories were important. But...
If this keeps up, will I really...
Stop being "me"?
No matter how grandly I talked about Felice dying or saving someone, I was ultimately just an ordinary person who had lived a peaceful life. Even if I pretended to be calm and imitated the protagonists from the novels I read, a small fear still lingered. If Felice's memories returned completely, would I still exist as myself?
That anxiety gnawed at me.
"...We're here!"
"Hm...?"
Helena's voice shattered my thoughts. Before I knew it, we'd arrived at the restaurant she'd mentioned. I looked up at the sign.
"...Steak?"
"You have to eat meat in the morning."
First thing in the morning...? I knew people in this world ate meat for every meal, but as a native Korean it still felt strange. Still, I smiled helplessly at Helena's matter-of-fact tone and followed her inside.
Even at this early hour, the place was bustling. Maybe I really was the odd one out. Though she came from a baron's family, Helena had surprisingly frugal tastes. The steakhouse she'd chosen wasn't expensive by noble standards—though it would still be a burden for commoners.
"Want to order one steak and one pasta and share?"
"Sure. But will that be enough?"
Both of us were combat types who trained our bodies, so we had hearty appetites. I had no idea how large the portions were, but one steak and one pasta probably wouldn't satisfy us at a normal restaurant. Helena shot me a look with her pretty blue eyes, wagged her pale index finger, and clicked her tongue.
"See? Felice really doesn't know anything."
"...What now?"
"When you go to places like this... I mean, when you're out on a city date, you're supposed to eat lightly."
"Why...?"
She'd almost said "date," hadn't she? I pretended not to notice and asked calmly. Helena smoothly covered her slip and continued, though the tips of her ears had turned noticeably red.
"Because there are tons of delicious street foods!"
"Then why not just fill up on those?"
"...Snacks and meals are different, you know?"
...Sometimes I really didn't understand. Helena didn't train that hard, yet she ate as much as I did. And she still maintained that slim figure. It was baffling. I let out a dry laugh at her serious expression. She casually placed our order and began humming again. That was so like her—food was always her greatest joy. Even so, her training really was lacking. I made a mental note to push her harder once we got back and smiled.
"There are actually a lot of good, cheap snacks around here. You wouldn't know, would you?"
"Yeah. I've never been out before."
It wasn't something to be embarrassed about. Dedicating yourself to training was only natural for someone who wielded a sword. Helena clicked her tongue at my unchanged expression and shook her head.
"At this rate, Felice, you'll be alone forever."
"...I don't think that's true."
"No? If you don't even know how to have fun, you won't be able to go on dates with girls later."
"Is that so...?"
Helena muttered under her breath, cheeks slightly flushed.
"Well... I'll just have to take you out often and teach you."
"...Thanks."
She clearly wanted an excuse to spend more time with me. The transparent motive was so cute I couldn't help but smile. For some reason, pushing Helena away or keeping distance from her felt impossible. I simply couldn't reject her on instinct. But that didn't feel unpleasant. So for now, I decided to simply enjoy the moment.