Why Do You Smell Like Rina?
Why Do You Smell Like Rina?
Hiccup.
There was nothing more pathetic than breaking into tears when you're the one who'd messed up, but Rina couldn't stop herself. She forced down her sobs with all her strength.
'I... I told him everything.'
Looking back, she'd done the very thing she'd longed for. She'd poured out her feelings and apologized.
She still harbored a faint wish that he'd punish her someday, but she knew... that was something that would take time.
Right now, she just wanted him to accept the apology. She repeated it like a prayer in her heart.
Rina cautiously gauged Ian's reaction.
He was lost in thought.
"......"
The tension of waiting for his answer, the relief of having spoken at all, and the heady anticipation of what might come next. The mix of emotions made Rina's heart pound in a strange way.
As she grew conscious of it, her eyes kept drifting toward Ian's forearm.
It was thicker than before. The protruding veins were distinctly masculine. His shoulders were unmistakably broader, too. A thicker neck, a sharper jawline.
And his eyes—calmer, colder, deeper.
Was it the tension? Or the damp, churning anticipation rising from somewhere deep inside her?
"Gulp."
She swallowed without thinking.
◆
The heroines.
No matter how I thought about it, I reached one conclusion.
The heroines were important.
That didn't mean they were important to 'me' personally. In terms of pure intimacy, I had a deeper relationship with people like Danya or Sylvia.
The reason the heroines mattered was simple: they were the fundamental premise driving the scenario forward.
Whatever else might be true, the heroines were the protagonists propelling this bishoujo gacha game's story.
Rina Rosewell.
Even if this conflict originated from a misunderstanding, I knew she'd created a crisis that nearly ended my life.
That naturally made me feel cold toward her, but it also forced me to consider whether she'd be useful to my future.
'Then there's nothing to debate.'
I'd met Rina like this in the first place precisely because I thought she'd be helpful.
Thanks to her opening up, many of my questions were answered.
The Rina I'd seen through the screen had been so good she was almost suspicious.
'It's probably something like good girl syndrome.'
The reason she attacked me, those dark and murky emotions—perhaps I was in the best position to understand them.
'After all, I possessed the body of someone who was practically the crystallization of darkness.'
Moreover, I confirmed that her feelings toward me were cleanly resolved.
'So you had zero attraction to me since the Pongpongi days.'
Honestly, that was a weight off my chest.
'If she had no interest since I was Pongpongi, I can treat this as a simple transaction. That's comfortable.'
Having even one heroine standing on neutral ground, instead of none, made a world of difference.
I nodded at her. "It's a relief we could cleanly sort out our feelings."
Rina's eyes, which had looked as dejected as a sad puppy's, slowly widened.
Then—
"Ah... Yeah!"
She grabbed both my hands and smiled brightly. A pure smile, the kind that really suited Rina. It had been a while since I'd seen it.
"More than anything, I'm relieved to hear you had no interest in me either, Rina."
But the moment those words left my mouth, Rina flinched.
"Wha, huh? That..."
What she'd meant was: she hadn't been interested back then, but she was now.
No—
At the very least, on the day she finally escaped this mudfish status, she'd shamelessly hoped that Ian might look her way just once.
But for now—
"...Yeah."
Rina gave a quiet nod.
For now, just having her apology accepted was enough.
She was a fool and a slug, so it couldn't be helped...
'No, I can't give up.'
Rina shook her head vigorously.
It was too early to give up.
If there was even a sliver of a chance, she'd leave it open.
"Hey, Ian. If I'm a virgin..."
"?"
"If I work hard and make you want to praise me..."
"Yeah."
"I-I'd rather be punished than praised."
"...?"
Looking slightly bewildered, Ian set down his teacup and spoke.
"Sure. If that's what you want."
"Okay! Thank you!"
Beaming, Rina picked up the string on the table.
Ian had already explained what it was for. Confirming whether the other party was a virgin mattered a great deal to him. He'd said that when the string was inserted and then removed, a pure white color meant purity.
'I've heard about this before. Before the act, there's supposed to be an object you tie around a man's... you know.'
Rina cautiously held the string. A flat, snow-white cord that felt like elastic rubber. It was thick enough to fill both hands, and Rina's face instantly flushed.
'H-How big is it...'
No, speculating was meaningless. Ian had simply told her to insert a bit and pull it out herself.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Rina's head.
"B-but, Ian. Can you trust me?"
"Hm?"
"Th-this thing. If I'm a virgin, it disappears. But what if I used magic to change the color while you weren't watching? W-wouldn't that mean you couldn't confirm it properly...?"
"Would you really do that?"
At Ian's quiet stare, Rina's shoulders shrank. His expression said it all: that wasn't something you'd do.
"N-No! I wouldn't! But..."
Rina's eyes darted around, her face turning beet red.
—'Want to check it yourself? My place is nearby.'
That was what she'd wanted to say, but...
Sure enough, it was still too soon, right?
Instead—
"W-Watch closely, okay?"
She had nothing left to hide from Ian.
◆
The next day.
Around 10 AM, people were already gathered on the train platform at the outskirts of the North Gate.
"Ian!"
Rina, already bundled up, greeted him energetically.
Beside her, Danya wore a sulky expression. The moment their eyes met, she raised the corners of her mouth, then turned away with a sharp "Hmph!"
'Why is she acting like that?' The trip to the Northern Territory would take over sixteen hours inside the train, so he'd have plenty of time to figure it out.
Ian walked toward the imperial princess who had come to see them off.
True to her usual form, she'd hidden herself behind oversized sunglasses, her snowy hair cascading down. Using her naturally serious aura as camouflage—it was remarkably bold.
"Don't overdo it. A little evidence will be enough for me."
"Of course. If you require more concrete proof, you will simply have to pay extra."
"You demand more coin than even the finest assassins."
"Thank you for recognizing my value."
"Pfft." The princess, who had elegantly covered her mouth, subtly placed a hand on Ian's arm.
"You're attending as the social club's proxy, so they will treat you well. Being academy students, their guard will be easy to lower. However, Family Head Lihardt—always be wary of that man."
The princess bit her lip, as if choosing her words carefully.
"He is fiercer and more cunning than any beast of prey."
"I will keep that in mind."
She smirked faintly and glanced back at the train.
"My apologies. I feel as though I'm simply wasting your time. Nobility etiquette often stands leagues apart from efficiency, after all."
"It's fine. I've been wanting to ride a train at least once."
"You do have a way with words. Though your taste is truly unfathomable."
Watching the other passengers board, the princess murmured.
—Pssssssssh!
The sharp hiss of steam signaling departure.
Ian bowed his head lightly toward the princess.
"May the Asrahi constellation accompany you on your journey."
The princess saw Ian off as he boarded the train.
◇
The corridor between cabins.
[VIP]
A twitching pair of ears peeked out from beneath the sign.
"Were you waiting, Danya?"
"Hmph! I wasn't waiting! I just thought you'd end up sitting in the wrong place, nyaang!"
"You worry too much."
"Quit the nonsense and come quickly. My legs hurt."
Danya grabbed Ian's sleeve and dragged him into the VIP cabin.
"Ah, Ian."
Rina, who'd been standing awkwardly in the hallway, sat down next to Karen, the imperial princess's guard, with an embarrassed smile.
It was only when they reached the front row that Danya let go of his hand, sliding into the window seat. Ian settled down beside her.
—Sniff, sniff.
Danya's nose twitched. She threw out a question as if it were nothing.
"What'd you do with Rina yesterday?"
"Drank tea."
"And?"
"Mm."
Ian hesitated. Saying 'I confirmed Rina's purity' would obviously invite a cascade of misunderstandings.
"......"
During Ian's brief pause, Danya quietly rested her chin on the window.
The small hairpin on the side of her head glittered. The Asrahi flowers given to break Yulan's barrier. Ian hadn't been able to simply ignore the despair in Danya's eyes back then. And so he'd given her that hairpin instead.
Danya fiddled with it for a moment before speaking.
"After we're done with this northern business, let's go eat. I know a great restaurant."
"Sure."
"But it's pretty far."
"Let's go."
Ian answered without a shred of hesitation.
'She's coming all the way up North with me. The least I can do is share a meal wherever she wants.'
That was Ian's reasoning. Whatever the case, his immediate reply brought the smile back to Danya's lips.
Right on cue.
Hissssssss—
The scenery began to shift alongside the hissing steam.
Perhaps because it ran on magic stones, the speed wasn't particularly fast, but the train eased forward with impossibly smooth motion.
—We extend our deepest gratitude to all passengers aboard the Schultz-bound train...
The northern reaches of the Empire were lands ruled solely by the Grand Duke of the North. Duke Pierce's territory was, in practice, one colossal fortress. A land meant to endlessly repel the surging tides of external enemies was bound to produce specialists like 'cold knights' and landmarks like 'the great gates.'
The scenery beyond the window began to slowly change.
The familiar sights of Lichten receded into the distance. Danya's ears twitching like butterfly wings. Nameless plains. Quiet chatter.
Danya's eyelids gently drooped.
Five hours passed just like that.
Beyond Danya, who was leaning against his shoulder, snowflakes began to fall across the scenery.
The next stop was Schultz, a small city located at the junction where the continent's center met the North.
And so the train slid forward, carrying them toward the second chapter of the story.