Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Invitation (2)
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A regressor who has repeated death countless times would actually fear the sheer difficulty of existing the most.
Teeth chatter. Chills race through the body. Muscles stiffen, and the world flashes in grayscale terror...
“...So, you weren't actually trying to go on a date with me.”
Carlyle barely controlled his throat, which was on the verge of mewling, and pressed on.
“Your father kept nagging you to find a partner, so you're just pretending to do it with me, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah, aha~”
Carlyle nodded with cold sweat pouring down his face.
From the Holy Sword came the sound of someone snorting derisively.
[...I can tell exactly who came up with that. The excuse level is spot-on for her.]
'What?'
[Well, it just means there's someone smart but sorely lacking in bullshit skills. Moron.]
'I don't know who you're talking about, but why the sudden cursing...?'
[No need to worry. It was aimed at her.]
'....'
...Her timing for cursing was getting increasingly unpredictable.
As that thought crossed his mind, Gray across from him was casually glancing over the menu.
Carlyle followed suit and picked up his own menu.
'Looks expensive...'
The place they were in was one of the capital's premier high-end restaurants.
Even nobles had to book far in advance to get in. Being able to barge in on the same day like this was thanks to the clout of a grand ducal house plus a Hero's name.
“Is it okay to bring me to a place this pricey and famous?”
“...Was this that kind of place?”
“....”
“I come whenever I feel like it, so I didn't know.”
Just from her words, it was obvious.
Having a conversation like this with someone whose very sense of daily life was on another level was absurd.
In fact, unlike Gray, Carlyle had no clue what to pick and was completely lost.
The menu names looked like alien script. Or maybe evil magic incantations.
[...You've regressed that many times and never been to a place like this?]
'Mine were all in ruined worlds where money was worthless.'
[Oh.]
Of course, Carlyle had regressed countless times too, but by then, the capital itself was already in ruins.
All he'd eaten were moldy combat rations or crudely cooked wild game.
A proper restaurant like this was a first for him, no exaggeration.
As he glared at the menu with those thoughts...
[...Hmm.]
Suddenly, Gray across from him flinched.
She stared piercingly into empty space.
As if something Carlyle couldn't see was right there.
“....”
Finally, Gray nodded quietly and reached for Carlyle's menu.
She folded it with a snap and pulled it toward herself.
“Uh, Lady?”
“If you don't know what to pick, just sit tight. I'll choose for you.”
“....”
“No shellfish, likes meat and cream. Right?”
“...How did you know?”
He'd never advertised his tastes.
He was the type to gratefully eat whatever was put in front of him anyway—no chance to show preferences.
This was genuinely surprising.
As he gazed at her with sparkling eyes, she cleared her throat with an “Ahem” and puffed out her chest in a fitting pose.
“What, it's basic knowledge.”
“R-Really?”
“Of course. The Hero knows everything.”
Wow.
Wow...
Lady, you're amazing!
“Lady, I'm seriously touched!”
“...Hmph.”
Gray's ears twitched. Her eyebrows twitched too, and her cheek spasmed a bit.
Seeing Carlyle's wide-eyed gaze seemed to draw a reaction from her.
[...Ah, damn it.]
'...Why all of a sudden?'
[No, it's just... like giving food to a dog...]
'....'
Whatever she meant, he'd let it slide for now.
The Lady going out of her way like this for him—how admirable.
[Admirable...?]
'...What now?'
[The phrasing... no, why does it sound like you're looking at a dutiful son...?]
'....'
Now she was nitpicking everything.
As that thought crossed his mind, a sharply dressed waiter emerged with neatly plated food.
Of course, it looked neat, but to Carlyle, it was an incomprehensible mess with no idea where to start.
“...How do you even eat this?”
Carlyle tilted his head at the bizarre dish before him, prompting the waiter to flinch.
The fleeting emotion that crossed his face screamed, 'How do you not know this?'
True to a high-end restaurant server, he quickly masked it with a smile—but the problem was the hyper-sensitive person seated there.
“Hey.”
Gray said lowly.
“Got a problem with my partner?”
“...N-No, Hero, it's not—”
“Don't give me that. You just looked down on him with your eyes.”
“....”
“Call the manager. Before I flip this place—”
Instead, Gray cut herself off, frowning as she glared into empty space again.
As if something invisible to others was hovering there.
“...I said call the manager. Normally.”
Seeing the server pale at the thought of irking the Hero of all people, Gray sighed in dissatisfaction.
“I'm holding back because I'm with someone special today, so take extra good care of my partner. Got it?”
“Y-Yes, thank you for your consideration...!”
As the server scurried to the kitchen, Gray muttered irritably while slicing her meat with a knife.
“How do they even train their staff? This isn't some nobles-only charter—people might not know—”
Gray's words cut off.
Across from her, Carlyle was staring with eyes nearly glistening.
“Lady...!”
What.
This smooth, mature handling—like water flowing.
Right now.
From this girl, of all people.
She'd suppressed her rage because a scene would trouble Carlyle.
Even without him asking, she'd reined in her psycho-bitch diva antics...
“Lady......! I-I'm seriously moved...!”
“...Don't overreact.”
She said that, but Gray cleared her throat with a faintly flushed face.
Her words were curt, but she clearly didn't hate Carlyle's reaction.
[...This feels off.]
...Though the Holy Sword looked unusually grumpy.
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And right after they finished eating and stepped out.
Carlyle was being threatened.
“Hold it.”
“......Pardon?”
“To make excuses to Dad, you have to do it right. What kind of date doesn't even hold hands properly?”
“....”
With that, Gray snatched Carlyle's hand.
...No matter how you looked at it, less romantic couple contact and more raptor snatching prey.
They crossed the capital's nightscape like that.
Tap, tap. No conversation between them, just silently walking the night streets.
Carlyle followed her lead meekly, but Gray had her own tangled thoughts.
-If you don't get it, just try seriously dating once.
-...Date?
-Try it first, Gray. You won't know until you do. Even if it's not real, faking it might make you feel something.
In her head swirled Lionel's recent words to her.
If you don't know what love is, why not pretend to be lovers for once?
But even hearing that.
'...Still.'
She didn't get it.
Having this guy nearby felt comfortable.
Seeing him get close to others elsewhere felt uncomfortable.
Praise from him felt good.
That was it.
Even now, together like this, nothing special stirred. At least not for her.
But.
The hand clasped with Carlyle's was undoubtedly warm.
A sensation she'd never feel alone.
“....”
So, what.
For now, that was enough.
-No need to rush, Gray.
-For now, just do what you want.
Her father had said that too.
Mulling that over, Gray smiled faintly.
“...Lady, did you just smile?”
“What?”
“No, just now—you smiled a little—”
“Didn't smile.”
“No, I clearly saw—”
“I said I didn't.”
“Why would I smile in this situation? Being out with a guy like you is annoying enough.”
“Well, fair enough?”
“....”
Idiot.
'It's a lie.'
...The one definite realization from this pointless farce.
Was that she felt happy with him nearby.
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And.
Carlyle was lost in his own intense dilemma.
A sense of dissonance. Persistent since earlier.
Something.
...Something.
'...Hero.'
[Yeah?]
'I feel... protected?'
[...]
Take their current sidewalk stroll, for instance.
“Walk on the inside. The outside's dangerous.”
“Pardon?”
Wasn't this something a guy usually said to a girl?
As that thought crossed his mind, Gray glared.
“Don't like it?”
“...Thank you.”
He meekly stuck to the inside.
Then, Gray—who'd been dragging him by the hand—suddenly turned back.
“Before heading to your lodgings, anywhere to stop?”
“Huh?”
“I'll walk you. Night streets are risky alone.”
“....”
Hmm.
...Is this right?
What was this situation.
It was messing with his sense of masculinity.
Outwardly, Gray was a petite girl barely reaching his chest. To anyone unaware she was the Hero, it looked like a kid dragging around her older brother-figure.
-What the heck.
-Siblings? Little sis and bro?
Naturally, it drew heavy stares.
Anyone would glance at a tiny girl hauling around a much larger man by the hand.
Carlyle sighed to cool the heat rising to his face.
And with that much attention...
'Casual encounters' were more likely than usual.
“...Lady? Mr. Carlyle?”
“....”
...Something.
She looked shocked.
Carlyle thought that while eyeing Vespa, who clutched a shopping basket.
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