Chapter 17. Time for Just the Two of Us (2)
Chapter 17. Time for Just the Two of Us (2)
The change was so subtle that Serika herself didn't seem to notice it, but Berdia felt it clearly.
For better or for worse.
Since meeting that man, Serika had been changing.
'...No, it will be fine.'
But that fact actually put Berdia at ease.
Since the man hadn't succumbed to her own temptations, surely nothing of that sort would happen with Serika while she was away.
Yes, he would undoubtedly guide Serika well in her absence.
Having settled her mind, Berdia then told Serika the reason for her visit.
What to do about the two companions who still showed no sign of returning.
"You intend to go find them?"
"Yes. At this rate, it seems it will take quite some time for them to come back. So I plan to go retrieve them myself."
The youngest Archmage in history, affiliated with the Magic Tower.
And an elven sniper whose homeland was the Great Forest.
Though neither was on the level of Berdia—one of the Ten Greats—both were people who had reached the pinnacle of their respective fields.
Serika's growth was not yet complete, but the assistance of those two was absolutely essential to helping her develop further.
"Ah, yes. Then I'll come with..."
"No. You rest here in the city for the time being."
"Huh? Rest, you say... What about my training?"
"Training is good, but rest is equally important. I can retrieve them by myself, so you enjoy your respite until I return."
With those words, Berdia turned her back to leave.
"I'll be off then. I need to secure a carriage quickly if I'm to reach the Magic Tower within two days."
"Ah, yes..."
"Oh, right. One more thing."
The woman who had been about to depart halted and looked back at Serika, speaking quietly.
"Serika. What do you think of Dave?"
"...Huh?"
Dave.
Why was his name coming up now?
"Surely there isn't some problem with Dave..."
Come to think of it, Berdia had even met with Dave alone the night before. For Serika, who had been alone in her room at the time, that was a source of considerable anxiety.
Had something happened between Berdia and Dave in that meeting? Or had Dave done something to Berdia?
'She's not about to expel him from the party, is she?'
For a moment, a sudden jolt of fear struck her.
But contrary to that expectation, the voice that came from beyond Berdia's helmet was lighter than usual.
"Dave is a man you can trust."
"...Excuse me?"
"At least, that is what I think. So please, I hope you spend meaningful time with him while I am gone."
That was her entire answer.
Berdia then moved her halted feet again, quietly raising a hand in farewell.
And so, after Berdia left, Serika found herself alone in the room. She chewed over Berdia's words, then pressed a hand to her chest as a wave of relief washed over her.
'I don't know why, but she's acknowledging Dave, right?'
Had the conversation the night before gone well? Whatever the case, the fact that Dave wasn't leaving anytime soon was reassuring.
To Serika, Dave was someone she could rely on in many ways.
She knew it was an unreasonable wish, but she even hoped he would keep staying in the party that she would one day lead.
And from today, until Berdia returned, she would be alone with that person...
'Huh? Wait. Just the two of us?'
Only then did Serika fully grasp her situation.
As she replayed Berdia's words in her mind, her face began to heat up—slowly, but unmistakably.
'S-so... Berdia said I could rest until she gets back, so Dave would also be...'
With training off the table, she had nothing else in particular to do.
He, too, had been doing nothing special in the party except assisting her training, so they would surely have plenty of free time for the foreseeable future.
Using that free time to deepen their friendship would certainly be desirable.
'Just the two of us with Dave, intimately...'
Gulp.
Swallowing hard, Serika pulled out the luggage in her room and began frantically taking out the clothes packed inside, spreading them across the bed.
"C-clothes... Think I have anything decent?"
Was it because she'd devoted herself entirely to training?
Dressing herself up inevitably involved far more preparation and agonizing than she'd expected.
***
After spending nearly the entire morning picking out an outfit, Serika made her way to the tavern that served as the party's usual meeting place.
Waiting for her was the blond man with bronze skin, just finishing his lunch and sipping water.
It was Dave—the adventurer whom Serika had been most mindful of as of late.
"Hmm, so Berdia will be away from the party for a while."
"Yes, it shouldn't take too long. You can reach the Magic Tower from here in a few days by carriage."
If she handled her business there and made the round trip, it would take a week at most, wouldn't it?
Dave seemed to understand that as well, and didn't appear particularly concerned.
"The new party member's a mage from the Magic Tower... Well, someone of Berdia's caliber isn't going to bring back some pushover. I'm really looking forward to seeing who shows up."
"...Ahaha. Yes, I hope you two will get along well."
Come to think of it, Dave didn't know she was the Hero, did he?
Of course, since Berdia had told her not to reveal it yet, she had no intention of spilling a long-winded explanation, but a part of her still felt her lips itching to speak.
'Now that I think about it, Dave was always conscious of Berdia. She's one of the Ten Greats, the Shrine Maiden of the God of War...'
Serika was well aware of how incredible Berdia's achievements were. But though she herself was still a rookie, she was destined to eventually become someone entrusted with the mission of leading humanity.
She wanted the man in front of her to acknowledge her presence more fully.
Just as a corner of her heart began to itch with that desire, Dave, having roughly grasped the situation, immediately changed the subject.
"That aside, Serika. Your attire is unusual today."
"H-huh?"
Serika's body stiffened at Dave's words.
Indeed, her outfit was significantly different from usual.
Instead of the cheap leather armor she wore as a rookie adventurer, she had on a sleeveless cloth garment.
The design left her shoulders and the area around her chest exposed. It effectively bared most of her skin except for her torso.
It was, at least, the most feminine piece of clothing she owned.
But perhaps because she wasn't used to it, just wearing it made her throat feel choked—as if a shackle were clamped around her neck—and despite the exposure, her entire body felt burning hot, as if she were being cooked alive.
"Ah, well... ahaha, how should I put it? Since it's my first day off in ages, I guess I just psyched myself up a bit, you know?"
"Ah, yes. Psyched yourself up, was it?"
"Y-yes! Psyching myself up! When you train, you focus on swinging your sword; when you play, you play hard! Isn't that just natural!?"
She rambled on, somehow managing to finish her sentence. But Dave gave no real reply, merely staring at Serika's figure.
It seemed he had only just now, belatedly, become conscious of her appearance—something he hadn't taken note of during their previous conversations.
'U-ugh. He's definitely noticing me.'
Did it really look strange?
Yes, it probably did.
Before receiving her mission, she had been nothing more than an ordinary country girl who helped with farmwork.
After that, she'd done nothing but train every single day, so she'd built up a fair bit of muscle—it would be hard to look good now even if she tried to doll herself up.
'This was a mistake. I shouldn't have tried to...'
She was regretting having come out in clothes that didn't suit her.
"U-um!!"
"It suits you."
Just as she was about to blurt out an excuse and flee, Dave cut off her words and voiced his own thoughts.
A short answer.
But its meaning was the complete opposite of what Serika expected.
"...Huh?"
Serika wore a blank expression, unable to process the meaning.
"Yes, very..."
Dave met Serika's eyes calmly, and once again, he spoke frankly about what was on his mind.
"Very pretty."
There was no elaborate flattery in his words.
Was it just a polite compliment? Yes, it probably was. It was only natural to observe basic courtesy between companions in the same party.
-Thud. Thud.
Why was her heart pounding so loudly over something so trivial?
Why were her feet, which had been about to flee, frozen in place as if nailed to the floor? She didn't know, but at least one thing was clear.
"I..."
Whatever his detailed thoughts were, if it was this man standing calmly before her now, she felt she could accept anything he might say next.
"D-date!"
With that feeling, Serika struggled to continue what she'd left unsaid.
It was only after the words had left her mouth that she realized her mistake.
"...Date?"
"Ah, n-no, I meant Dave! Dave!!"
Flustered, Serika's face turned red as a tomato.
She then waved both hands to retract her words, and, worried he might misunderstand, firmly stated her purpose.
"W-well, since there's no training today... would you like to spend time together, looking around the city?"
That was the objective she'd had in mind all morning while searching for clothes to change into.
Even as she waited for his answer, her heart leaped as if it would burst. Afraid her flushed face would be exposed, Serika hung her head and clasped both hands together near her chest.
Would it be okay? Would he get the wrong idea?
As she fretted anxiously, Dave soon smiled kindly and gave Serika his answer.
"If it'd be all right with you, I'd be happy to accompany you all day."
"R-really?"
"Yes, well. Apart from spending time with you, I don't have any real plans either, and I was just thinking it'd be good to strengthen ties between companions."
Only then did Serika lift her head. In the gaze she met, she could feel the goodwill toward her that she'd sensed so many times before.
So very gentle and warm...
The smile of a man like the bright sun itself.
"Then let's enjoy ourselves together today. Well, shall we go?"
"Ah, yes...!"
Serika naturally took his hand at his invitation.
And so, as he took her hand and they walked out of the tavern, the smile on Dave's lips as he led the way and looked around the street began to grow more distinct.
As if he sensed his plan was proceeding smoothly.
'A d-date...'
Of course, Serika, not understanding that meaning, simply followed him obediently.
'For real, t-today, a date with Dave...'
Whatever it was.
She just hoped—and fervently looked forward to—the time she would spend with him bringing something meaningful to both their futures.