Their Weekend
A few days later, on the weekend.
"Hmm…"
Schwarz studied his reflection in the shop window and let out a low murmur. The face looking back at him was much the same as always—except for one thing. A pair of roughly made glasses sat on the bridge of his nose.
They were a magic item enchanted with recognition-disrupting magic. Without a matching pair, the people around him would find it impossible to properly register his face.
Anyone might have wondered why he was suddenly wearing glasses, but he had his reasons. His first-place finish in the martial arts tournament had landed on the front page of the kingdom's newspaper. With his black hair already drawing attention, getting this far without the item's help would have been pure misery. Over the past few days he had been thoroughly hounded by newspaper reporters who had snuck into the academy, not to mention the students themselves.
"Still… My Lady is late."
Muttering to himself, Schwarz drew a pocket watch from his coat and checked the time. Their appointment had been for noon, yet it was already past twelve-ten.
"Surely nothing has happened…"
He slipped the watch back into his pocket and glanced around. Milia had told him she had things to prepare and that he should go on ahead, so he had arrived first. Now the appointed hour had come and gone, and she was nowhere to be seen.
"Mm…"
Another soft sound escaped him as last night's conversation rose in his mind.
"What? With me?"
"That's right. I don't have anyone else to go with, and it would be a waste to throw away the extra ticket. So you're coming with me."
She had nodded at his bewildered tone. The sudden invitation had left Schwarz thoroughly flustered, but he had never possessed the right of refusal in the first place.
"At an age when she ought to be running around with friends, she has no one to go with…"
It must be because the general affairs work keeps her so busy she never has time to make friends.
He nodded to himself at the thought—one that would have made Milia leap up in protest if she had overheard it.
Just then—
"Schwarz!"
At the voice behind him he turned, and there was Milia, waving as she hurried toward him.
"Sorry! You waited, didn't you? I lost track of time picking out clothes…"
"It's all right. These things happen. Just please be sure to keep your appointments with anyone else."
"Okay. Got it."
She answered his gentle scolding with a faint smile and a nod. The sight was so endearing that Schwarz felt a smile tug at his own lips before he could stop it.
"So, where did you intend to go that you came out this early?"
The play did not begin until eight in the evening. At a little past noon they still had more than enough time to spare.
"Hm? I didn't really have anything particular in mind."
"Pardon…?"
Then why on earth had she insisted on meeting at such an early hour? Schwarz tilted his head in puzzlement.
"Don't you think we ought to get out like this every once in a while? If I stay cooped up in that gloomy general affairs office every day, I'll start to rot."
"That… is certainly true."
Watching her lately, he had begun to understand, if only vaguely, what it meant to be buried under work. The dim office, her constant frown as she sat at her desk—he had more than once wanted to tell her to get outside already.
"Anyway, how do I look?"
She planted her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest, and turned toward him with a confident expression, as if demanding he take a proper look. She wore a white blouse edged with frills, a red-and-black checkered skirt that fell just above the knee, and black knee-high socks.
"You look adorable. Truly."
Was this the feeling of watching a little sister show off a new outfit? Gazing at the pleased smile that bloomed on Milia's face, Schwarz answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Ugh… Can't you say something a little different from that?"
"Hmm…"
His reply clearly left her unsatisfied; she grumbled under her breath. She cast him a look full of expectation, but—
"I'm not sure. All I can think is that you're cute…"
"Haa… I was an idiot for expecting anything from you."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Milia let out a quiet sigh as Schwarz scratched his head. He only tilted his own head further, thoroughly puzzled by her reaction.
"It's nothing. Shall we go eat first? Do you know any good places around here?"
"Hmm… I'm not very familiar with this area either, actually…"
Milia shook her head as if it truly were nothing and set off down the crowded street. Schwarz followed with another soft murmur of thought.
And so their weekend began.
They ended up at a small eatery by the roadside. Because the place specialized in seafood, Schwarz had worried for a moment that Milia might find it unappealing—
"Haa~ That was delicious."
"I'm glad it was to your liking."
—but the worry proved needless. She polished off every last bite, rose from her seat with a look of pure satisfaction, and headed outside while Schwarz stayed behind to settle the bill.
"How was it?"
"Pretty good. Good enough that I'd come back again."
"Then I'm relieved."
People said good food lifted the spirits. Watching the cheerful set of Milia's shoulders, Schwarz allowed himself a small smile.
"So, what now?"
"Hmm… How about a short walk for a bit of post-meal exercise? We might come across something interesting while we wander."
"Sounds fine to me."
Milia nodded at his suggestion and set off along the bustling street.
"Hm~ ♬ Hmm~ ♪ Hm-hmm~ ♩"
Apparently the satisfying meal had put her in high spirits; she even hummed as she walked. In Schwarz's eyes she looked for all the world like a carefree young lady—the complete opposite of the girl he knew at the academy.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Of course! I've been stuck in that stuffy general affairs office every day, and it's been ages since I got out like this. Besides…"
She trailed off mid-sentence, cheeks coloring as she averted her gaze from him.
"Besides?"
"Ah—it's nothing! Don't go prying!"
"…?"
Her flustered shout only made Schwarz tilt his head again in confusion.
Above them stretched a brilliantly blue sky dotted with pure white clouds. For someone who spent her days staring at documents in a shadowed office, a reaction like this after a long-awaited outing was only natural.
Then—
"Schwarz. Look at that."
"Yes? What is it?"
Milia stopped so abruptly that Schwarz turned to follow her pointing finger.
"Ah. Cotton candy."
What met his eyes was a small street stall selling the fluffy treat.
"Cotton candy? What's that?"
She watched the children eating the cloud-like confection with wide, curious eyes. As the young lady of a count's house, street food of this sort had never been part of her world.
"Well… it's a snack made by melting sugar into threads and winding them around a stick."
"Sugar?"
Her eyes sparkled for an instant—then she let out a sharp "Hah!" and started walking again as if she had lost all interest. Given how much she loved sweets, the curiosity had clearly been real.
"You're just going to leave it?"
"I'm not a child. Why would I eat something like that?"
She shook her head as she answered, yet her gaze kept drifting back toward the stall, unable to hide her lingering regret.
"…"
You are a child, though…
Amused, Schwarz smiled lightly and spoke.
"My Lady, would you wait here a moment?"
"Hm? All right."
Even as she pretended indifference, her eyes followed him toward the stall. The sight was so charming that Schwarz had trouble keeping his expression under control.
"One cotton candy, please."
"Welcome. What flavor?"
"Strawberry, if you would."
Strawberries were among Milia's favorites, so he ordered accordingly. The stallkeeper poured sugar and red syrup into a cleverly made machine; soon pale crimson threads began to spin out. With practiced hands the man wound them around a stick until a soft pink cloud of cotton candy rested in his grasp.
"Thank you."
"Come again."
Schwarz crossed back to where Milia waited and held the treat out to her.
"Here. A gift from me."
"W-well, if it's a gift I suppose I have no choice… I'll gratefully accept it."
She took the cotton candy with a show of reluctance, yet her eyes shone brighter than ever.
"Well then…"
With a soft "Haah," she bit into it.
"…!!"
"How is it?"
Seeing her eyes fly wide in surprise, Schwarz asked.
"Hmm… hmm… It's decent enough, I suppose."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Her words were casual, but they rang hollow; the cotton candy vanished at an astonishing speed. No one was trying to steal it, yet she inhaled the entire thing as if it might disappear.
She must have liked it very much.
"The stick, if you please."
"Here."
Once she had finished every last wisp, Schwarz held out his hand. Milia passed him the wooden stick; he dropped it into a nearby trash bin and returned to her side.
In that moment—
"One moment, My Lady."
"Hm? Why?"
"There's a bit of sugar left on the corner of your mouth."
He drew a handkerchief from his coat and gently wiped the spot clean. Milia stared up at him, her face flushing deep red. They stood close enough to hear each other's breathing.
"There. All clean now."
"Ah. Yeah… thanks."
As he tucked the handkerchief away, she answered in a soft, almost regretful voice.
"My Lady, your face looks rather flushed. Are you feeling warm?"
"What? Y-yeah!! It's a little hot. Ahahaha…"
The weather was already well into autumn—pleasantly cool, in fact. If she felt hot, it was only because she was so conscious of him.
Whether he was truly dense or merely pretending, she found herself wishing he would look at her a little more as a woman. That thought lingered as she gazed at him.
"My Lady?"
"Huh!? W-what is it?"
Perhaps he had sensed something in her stare; when he called her name she jumped and answered in a fluster.
"Is something troubling you?"
"Ah…?"
Only then did she realize she had been staring straight at him. Embarrassment flooded her face and an empty sound slipped from her lips. Heat rushed to her cheeks a second later; unwilling to let him see, she spun toward the crowded street.
"I-it's nothing! We finally got out—we can't just stand around spacing out. Come on, let's go!"
"…?"
There was something oddly awkward in the way she moved. Schwarz watched her for a moment, tilted his head, then let out a quiet chuckle and followed after her.