v3
Chapter 1: I tried becoming a chuuni
5 | P a g e
Several days had passed since Gai’s body healed. After that, the medicine compounded by Sheik was completed with the help of
Cecilia and Sophia-san, so Tiel-chan’s condition improved, too. In addition, since the quest taken up by Clayman was completed
flawlessly, quite a substantial reward was given.
Looking back at it now, Tarevoke Merchant Guild must have not
expected anyone to be able to defeat the rock lizard without injuring it externally, so I guessed they included that unreasonable condition just to trouble us.
If that was the case, there was nothing else that could be said in this situation except, “Don’t mind”…
And so, everything had settled down for the time being.
“Ahh, I got nothing to do! Damn it…” [Youki]
I walked around the city by myself in frustration. I had not made any arrangements to meet up with anyone in particular, but I just didn’t want to stay in the room, so I took a stroll to kill time. It was a no-brainer why I didn’t want to stay in the room; I simply couldn’t put up with all that flirting between Gai and Tiel-chan.
Tiel-chan’s condition had improved thanks to the medicine
concocted by Sheik, so she dropped by to visit Gai. That alone would have been fine, but they had to take things further than that. They had both just been on the verge of death, yet they were each still worried about the other party. After that incident, the aftermath was horrible. They were totally in a world of their own, which made me feel like a third wheel.
They were at it virtually every day, driving me up the wall.
6 | P a g e
Tiel-chan would come over after work or on her break. Since they had been through such an incident, I tried to endure it somehow
initially…but it became impossible. So that was why I ended up
wandering around the city even though I had nothing in particular to do.
“Sigh… I guess I’ll go see if there is any guild mission that I can do
…Come to think of it, Clayman did promise to promote me to A rank that time.” [Youki]
Sophia-san wound up taking over the role that was initially pushed on me; but, a promise is a promise.
I did keep my side of the bargain since I had helped him with the request, so it was possible that he would also keep his promise.
As I wanted to receive A rank missions, I decided to go to the guild.
“Hm? What is this?” [Youki]
While I was walking towards the guild, I noticed that there was a commotion going on in the area, so I caught a passerby to ask him about it. Apparently merchants had come from various places to set up their marketplace here. Originally, it was supposed to be held several times a year, but it seemed that the fight against the Demon Lord had affected the gatherings of the merchants. However,
probably because the Demon Lord was defeated now, the merchants
started gathering again to set up a large marketplace that hadn’t been opened for some time.
“Since the merchants are from different places around the world, I guess there would be unusual items for sale, too.” [Youki]
To be honest, I was more intrigued by that than A rank missions.
7 | P a g e
“Yeah, there are a lot of unusual things. I am actually on my way there as well. Do you want to come along?” [Passerby]
“Yeah, sure. Thank you and sorry for the trouble.” [Youki]
By the way, the passerby who had answered my questions was the
wolf beastman whom I got acquainted with some time ago.(1) I
couldn’t recognize him from behind, so I approached him, thinking that he was just an ordinary, huge-sized passerby.
His smiling face was scary, as always.
I could see sharp fangs sticking out of his mouth when he grinned.
However, he didn’t seem like a bad beastman since he had led me all the way to the place where the market was held.
“Ohh, that’s amazing.” [Youki]
There was a crowd of people consisting of humans and demi-
humans.
There were also merchants who were setting up their stalls at that moment, and some who were putting up their tents as well. When I looked around at the surrounding merchants, I noticed that they had displayed never before seen items for sale…
“Heh, as I thought the marketplace this time is quite huge. I’ll be heading off then. Let’s go on a mission together the next time we meet.” [Wolf Beastman]
“Ah, yes. Thanks for guiding me here. Should any opportunity arise in future, I will be glad to.” [Youki]
“No biggie. I have something that I need to do here anyway, so
you don’t have to thank me for it. See ya.” [Wolf Beastman]
8 | P a g e
The wolf beastman gave me a quick wave and disappeared into the crowd. It seemed that I shouldn’t judge someone just by their appearance.
“Well then, since I’m here, I guess I’ll have fun browsing through the different things for sale. It’ll probably be a good change of pace.”
[Youki]
I decided to purchase anything that looked interesting to me, so I mingled with the crowd and browsed through the goods displayed at the stalls.
There was a wide range of things for sale, from items that seemed to be daily necessities to unknown articles that I wasn’t really sure what they could be used for at all.
As I loitered around while looking through the merchandise, I
stumbled upon someone familiar.
That person seemed to be closely examining the goods for sale,
but… that was no doubt Clayman.
“Clayman? What are you doing in a place like this?” [Youki]
“Ah, so it’s you. Well, just a little shopping.” [Clayman]
“Hmm? …What about your job at the guild then?” [Youki]
“I took a day off today without letting Sophia know. I mean, I have successfully completed the rock eater’s mission, so why not?”
[Clayman]
What the heck was this guy doing? He had skipped work without
Sophia-san’s knowledge, just so he could go shopping? Wouldn’t she get angry if she were to find out about it?
Well, I really wasn’t bothered about someone else’s family’s
circumstances, though.
“I’ll have no part of it if Sophia-san gets angry.” [Youki]
“Well, if she gets angry then let her be. I still have no regrets.”
[Clayman]
The line he spouted sounded cool, but it was pointless.
It seemed that he had other reason to it, so I tried probing him.
I soon found out that he was actually here to buy Sophia-san a
present.
“In the end, I didn’t get her anything for our wedding anniversary.”
[Clayman]
“You haven’t bought anything for her till now? …But, judging from the wide range of selections here, it should be a perfect place for you to select a gift.” [Youki]
“Right? That’s why I’m doing this now.” [Clayman]
“Really? Since I’m here for a change of pace, I’ll help you.” [Youki]
11 | P a g e
Clayman didn’t appear to be against it, too, so both of us ended up wandering around the place.
While I was browsing through some stalls and tents, my eyes
unexpectedly landed on one item.
“Oh-! Isn’t this fine?” [Youki]
“Let me see… No, wait. Are you serious?” [Clayman]
What I recommended to him was a cat ear headband. It goes well
with a maid’s uniform, so it’s perfect for Clayman…
“Buy it!” [Youki]
“Buy it? You do know that I’m selecting a gift for my wedding
anniversary, right? She’s going to think that I’m playing a prank on her instead!” [Clayman]
“Ah, come to think of it, that’s true. My bad…” [Youki]
“Oioi… Aren’t you behaving quite different than usual? Will it be alright?” [Clayman]
I was feeling frustrated a while ago, but the sight of all these unusual items had put me in a good mood. I got distracted
momentarily and forgot about it, but… I was still of the opinion that the cat ear headband was perfect.
In the end, I purchased the headband secretly and slipped it into Clayman’s bag without him realizing it. I did feel that I was not being myself today, though, since I wouldn’t usually do such a thing. I could feel a strange tension building inside me.
12 | P a g e
After that, as I proceeded to select a gift with Clayman, I came across something that tickled my chuuni heart.
“Ohh! That looks cool!” [Youki]
I was looking at a long coat with sparkle in my eyes.
It was just a simple black coat, but it seemed to be overflowing with a chuuni aura. It looked like something that would be worn by some kind of protagonist.
“Kid, you sure have a discerning eye. This item is made of really good materials, so I can guarantee its performance as an armour.”
[Stall Owner]
“Alright, I’ll buy it.” [Youki]
“Thanks for the purchase! You made a great buy there, kid!” [Stall Owner]
“My thoughts exactly!” was what I thought as I parted from the
stall owner, looking rather pleased with myself.
Going shopping once in awhile didn’t seem to be a bad idea.
It appeared that my chuuni switch was about to flip.
Rather, the switch had probably flipped already.
Following that, I went around to various stalls, making impulse
purchases.
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
On our way back from the market, Clayman noticed my ‘furoshiki’
(2), which was bulging with all the items I had bought.
13 | P a g e
“Isn’t it fine? I’ve not bought anything for myself so far. I heard they’ll be setting up this marketplace only a few times a year. I have to buy these things now so that I won’t regret it later.” [Youki]
“No, but… from what I’ve seen, all of your purchases seem to be
strange items.” [Clayman]
“What are you talking about? I only bought things that interest
me.” [Youki]
“There is something wrong with your interest… Well, it doesn’t
really matter since I managed to get what I was looking for.”
[Clayman]
In the end, Clayman bought seasonings from other countries and
an apron. It appeared that he had come to this decision after taking Sophia-san’s interest in cooking into consideration.
Clayman seemed to have a good sense in selecting the right gifts.
“Even so, what should I do now?” [Youki]
It was exactly noon at that moment. Tiel-chan should be dropping by to visit Gai around this time, so I didn’t want to go back yet.
I had eaten quite a lot of food in the market just now, so I wasn’t hungry either.
“Why don’t you go work on some guild missions? While you’re at
it, put on the things you bought earlier, too.” [Clayman]
“That’s it!” [Youki]
“Hah!?” [Clayman]
14 | P a g e
Clayman was saying it half-laughingly at first, but his expression became stiff in that instant. I couldn’t understand why he had such a reaction when he was the one who made that suggestion in the first place.
At any rate, I had decided on my plans for today.
“Oi, hold on a minute! You’re seriously going to do the guild
missions while wearing the outfit you bought earlier?!” [Clayman]
“Weren’t you the one who suggested it? Alright, I’ll do it right now… Just wait a moment. I’ll go change at the corner of the back alley.” [Youki]
I parted from Clayman momentarily and went to a secluded back
alley.
“Fufufu… How is it? Good, right?” [Youki]
“You… Do you seriously mean what you’ve just said?” [Clayman]
After I had finished changing, I decided to strike a pose in the new outfit.
It has been a long time since I have had this uplifted feeling inside me.
“Of course. It’s been a long time since I last felt an adrenaline rush like this… No one can stop me anymore!” [Youki]
“It’s hopeless. You’re starting to be a pain.” [Clayman]
Clayman seemed stunned upon seeing me in my chuuni mode, but I didn’t mind.
That was because I was in extremely high spirits at the moment.
15 | P a g e
“Alright! Clayman, I’ll go accept a quest from the guild. I’ll do so before something inside me goes on a rampage.” [Youki]
“Ahh, I got it, I got it …Rather, are you really sure you’re going in that outfit? You should probably go take a look at yourself in the mirror. It’s still not too late for you to go to the guild after that.”
[Clayman]
“…What are you talking about, Clayman? I’ve already taken a look at myself in the mirror.” [Youki]
I already had a rough idea of how the outfit would look like on me, but I wouldn’t be able to tell how splendid-looking it was until I actually wore it. So, I went into a random shop to check myself out in the mirror.
I had changed into the long coat with a similarly black pair of long pants and a pair of fingerless black gloves. Since my outfit was almost entirely black, I decided to wear a purple shirt under my coat, and a pair of steel-toed boots with a helmet to complement it.
The shopkeeper where I bought the helmet said that a steel helmet would provide a better defence, so the helmet I got was actually made just for fun and had no practical use. It seemed that only those who truly valued it would buy it. Basically, I was one of them, too.
Also, the sword with sheath that I bought was attached to my back. I had not used a sword before, but I purchased it because the shape looked interesting to me.
The weapon stalls from other countries seemed to sell a wide range of weapons, but the way they were selling them made it seem as if they would be glad just to get rid of their stock. It seriously made me wonder what was going through that shopkeeper’s mind considering that this is such a wonderful weapon. Although, in my opinion, I was 16 | P a g e
“Ah, so that’s what you feel after looking at yourself in the mirror?
Then I won’t say any more. It’ll just be a waste of effort.” [Clayman]
“What’s wrong, Clayman? This should be an outfit that all men
yearn for.” [Youki]
“No man would actually yearn for that kind of outfit!” [Clayman]
“I see. They’ll yearn for it, won’t they? As expected of Clayman.
You do understand it.” [Youki]
“…It’s really pointless to say anything to your current self.”
[Clayman]
Clayman sighed in resignation as I brought him along to the guild.
“Eh? Assistant Guildmaster? Didn’t you take the day off today?”
Upon arriving at the guild, the lady receptionist, who was usually seated at the desk next to Clayman greeted him.
Judging from the way she spoke, it seemed that she hadn’t taken
notice of me at all. Why was that?
“Oh, it is my day off. It’s just that, there’s this guy who wants to take on A-rank missions.” [Clayman]
“A-rank missions, is it? We did receive a few just a while ago. Our guild’s credibility might have increased possibly because Assistant Guildmaster had completed Tarevoke Merchant Guild’s quest
flawlessly.” [Lady Receptionist]
The lady receptionist said it in what seemed to be a delightful
manner; it must have been great for her when the place she works at 17 | P a g e
To be precise, Clayman didn’t complete that quest alone. Cecilia, Sophia-san, and I had helped out as well.
But I guess there was no need to be bothered about it since that matter was trivial to my current self.
“Are there any available quests that can be completed in the
vicinity?” [Clayman]
“Yes, there are about four or five available… Is Assistant
Guildmaster planning to take care of those quests personally?” [Lady Receptionist]
“There’s no way that’s possible. Why the heck would I work on
guild missions on my day off.” [Clayman]
Certainly, that didn’t seem to be likely based on Clayman’s
personality.
The person himself was smiling wryly as well when he heard that.
“Ahaha… That’s true. Assistant Guildmaster is not on duty now.
You usually ended up being the one doing the work one way or
another, so that question kinda slipped…” [Lady Receptionist]
“Good grief… Who do you think I am?” [Clayman]
Clayman seemed to be unexpectedly popular.
Was he trying to hide his embarrassment by scratching his head?
He couldn’t fool me, though, since I caught a glimpse of a slight grin on his face.
No, he might do that usually, but he was probably in a good mood today due to a different reason.
18 | P a g e
“So, who would be the one to accept these quests?” [Lady
Receptionist]
“This guy will be the one.” [Clayman]
Clayman pointed at me.
“Erm… Isn’t that Assistant Guildmaster’s new shikigami?” [Lady Receptionist]
The lady receptionist asked Clayman as she tilted her head.
Apparently, she was under the impression that I was Clayman’s
shikigami.
Was that the reason why she had not said anything to me the entire time I was standing behind Clayman?
“My shikigami won’t look like that! This guy will be receiving the quests. He’s not an A-rank adventurer, though.” [Clayman]
“Eh… According to the rules, only A-rank adventurers are allowed to accept A-rank quests.” [Lady Receptionist]
“He has the skill to take on those missions. I can guarantee it.”
[Clayman]
Although Clayman had attested to my capabilities, the receptionist still looked quite perplexed about it. It was my first time seeing that look on her face, though, since she usually wore a smile on her face when she worked.
“Erm… may I have your name?” [Lady Receptionist]
19 | P a g e
“Ah, that’s right. What are you going to do about the name? Since you’ll be registering for A-rank missions this time, it’s fine to use an alias.” [Clayman]
“Then could you register my name as Magic Knight of Black
Lightning?” [Youki]
It was a witty-sounding chuuni name that I had come up with from somewhere.
It was probably fine to use the name ‘Youki’, but seeing as my face was hidden and Clayman said that I could use an alias, I decided to go with this.
I decided to fully unleash my chuuni mode.
By the way, the idea for the name was taken from the shape of my sword and from my overall appearance, since my outfit was almost entirely black.
“…You heard him. So just register it as that.” [Clayman]
“Umm, what I was asking for is your real name…” [Lady
Receptionist]
“Then, I’m leaving. I don’t want any more trouble than this. Please handle the rest of the procedure.” [Clayman]
“Ah, please wait a moment… Assistant Guildmaster! Clayman-
san!” [Lady Receptionist]
The receptionist tried to stop Clayman from leaving, but her
efforts were in vain.
He must have been exhausted today.
That was a given since Clayman, who usually behaved in a languid manner, wasn’t accustomed to being the ‘straight man’ in this kind 20 | P a g e
The only ones who remained behind were the receptionist, who
was in a state of panic, and me. Clayman had gone back and my
tension was reaching its peak, too.
It was time for me to demonstrate my ability.
“Fuu, then I’d like to take on those missions… Could you show me what kind of quests are available?” [Youki]
“Ah, y-yes!” [Lady Receptionist]
The receptionist went to the counter in a hurry and brought back the quest forms. These must be the quests she had told Clayman
about a while ago. They were mainly quests that could be completed in the vicinity, such as subjugating the group of thieves, and
harvesting medicinal herbs from the mountain range where
dangerous demons live. When I looked at the other quests, I noticed that the locations were quite close by as well. Since that was the case, I would probably not have any trouble traveling between these places. If I did my best, I could possibly complete at least four of them within ten days.
I didn’t want to have to return to the inn, so there shouldn’t have been any problem leaving this place for about ten days. There were times when I was away for several days, so Gai shouldn’t be
suspicious even if I did not return.
“Then I’ll take on all these quests.” [Youki]
I showed the receptionist all the quest forms that I decided to
receive.
21 | P a g e
[Lady Receptionist]
“Yeah, leave it to me. I’ll be back in about ten days, so just wait here and look forward to the result!” [Youki]
“Eh? Ehh-?!” [Lady Receptionist]
I then went out of the guild, leaving the receptionist who was still confused.
Naturally, I had not forgotten to strike a pose before leaving the place. Since my appearance was different than my usual look, I
decided to improvise a different pose than usual.
I had wanted to experience how the strongest hero would feel, at least once. At that moment, it was as though it was the start a new legend for the Magic Knight of Black Lightning.
I tried to hold myself back from laughing out loud as I looked up at the sky, wondering if this was how a hero felt when he took his first step into his adventure.
I wouldn’t allow such a clear blue sky be overcast by dark clouds.
Yes, this is my mission.
“Kukuku… I will settle them all!” [Youki]
I broke into a run while in my full chuuni mode, paying no attention to the gazes of other people. I felt as though the wings of freedom were growing out of my back at that moment.
There was nothing that I was afraid of.
That was what I thought, at that time.
(1) A quick recap: This nameless wolf beastman has made two very brief appearances in V2 C3 when Youki bumped into him on his ‘bad 22 | P a g e
day’, and V2 C4 when Youki was wandering before going to Cecilia’s house after the half month penalty.
(2) Furoshiki is a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth,
traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. (A huge thanks to jorgelotr for the reminder)
23 | P a g e
Part 2
It had been eight days since I left Minerva.
I was, at that moment, in Quebec Mountain where many dangerous
demons live.
The reason I was there was naturally for the sake of the quest as I had to harvest the medicinal herb growing at the top of the
mountain.
This was my third quest, so I still had another incomplete quest remaining.
Considering that I had made that declaration the other day, I had to complete all of them within ten days.
“Hmm, as expected of A-rank quest. I guess it was naive of me to think that I could complete them easily as long as I have the skill.”
[Youki]
I murmured to myself as I made my way to the summit of the
mountain.
The two quests before this had eaten up most of the time since they weren’t just simple missions that involved demon extermination or herb gathering.
I had to climb up to the peak as soon as I could to find the herb, but the constant ambush by the demons slowed me down.
I unsheathed the sword that I wasn’t accustomed to using yet and imitated Duke and Raven’s stance. There was a possibility that I would be laughed at, though, if my completely novice manner at
handling the sword were to be seen by an ordinary swordsman.
Nevertheless, I was in full chuuni mode at that moment. There was nothing for me to fear even if I was a beginner in swordsmanship.
24 | P a g e
I swung my sword at the group of muscled apes that attacked.
These demon monkeys with abnormal muscle growth are supposed
to be rank-B demons, but that only applies to them individually. It was a completely different story when they attacked in a group. They were unexpectedly a bunch of pretty smart demons that coordinated well with each other.
Sure enough, the moment they cried out loud, as if they were raising a war cry, the first troop of monkeys headed for me.
“Hmph… fools.” [Youki]
I used body reinforcement magic on myself and cast another
magic on my sword at the same time, enveloping it with lightning.
Even though I called it black lightning (due to my name), it was actually just an ordinary coloured lightning. It might be a
disappointing fact to the others, but I couldn’t care less about it.
Nothing could be done if I really couldn’t conjure a black coloured lightning.
I decided not to kill those monkeys since I couldn’t ruin the
ecosystem of Quebec Mountain.
…It might actually be much cooler to spare their lives.
“Gyiii–!”
“Rest assured. I will not kill you guys… I’ll just have you all sleep for a while.” [Youki]
A chunni sounding line that I would usually be too embarrassed to say escaped my lips as I slashed at them. The attacks couldn’t have killed them since I had already adjusted the intensity of the lightning on the sword, and the result proved to be just as I had calculated.
25 | P a g e
Probably because they were enraged at the sight of their defeated comrades, several of the remaining apes started launching
themselves at me, but the consequence was the same. They
collapsed before me by my swordsmanship while the rest of the
muscled apes started fleeing the scene, most likely because they finally realized the difference in our strengths.
It seemed that the one at the back of the group might be the leader who had instructed them to retreat. It was a wise decision.
“I will not go after those that escaped. I’ll let you guys off.” [Youki]
I threw my head back and laughed at the fleeing muscled apes.
Since the battle had ended, I sheathed my sword and resumed my
walk.
The same thing happened again after that as I was attacked by
more demons, but nothing could stop me at the moment.
I laughed by myself as I continued on, reaching the summit
eventually and gathering the herb successfully in no time at all.
There was no point staying in a place where demons would appear
any longer seeing as I had already acquired the herbs.
Time is of the essence, so I hurried back to the client as soon as I could.
“Here’s the item you requested for. Please receive it.” [Youki]
“Y-Yes. Thank you. My daughter will be saved with this herb…”
[Client]
26 | P a g e
It seemed that her daughter was seriously ill so she needed this herb to cure the sickness.
When I reached the noble’s mansion and handed her the herb, I
was startled by her unexpected weeping.
…As a parent, I supposed that reaction was natural.
Even that two particular individuals in the inn, who were flirting with each other, were extremely grateful upon knowing each other had
survived.
That thought crossed my mind for a split second, but I shook it off immediately, reverting to my initial state of mind.
I’m not Youki at the moment… I’m Magic Knight of Black Lightning.
“Hmph, all I’m doing is just completing my quest. Please excuse
me. I have another quest to complete…” [Youki]
“P-Please wait! First of all, I would like to apologize for my
rudeness when we first met. Also, if possible, I’d like you to meet my daughter…” [Client]
“That request is not possible… I’m Magic Knight of Black Lightning.
Even if there is a misunderstanding in the beginning, I’ll still accomplish the quest without fail. Also, since I have already achieved my mission here, there is no reason for me to stay. I bid you
farewell.” [Youki]
I left the place, disregarding the noble who tried to stop me.
By the way, when I first met that noble, I could feel intense revulsion directed towards me. So the sudden change in her attitude towards me now was amazing, considering the disparaging remarks she threw at me, accusing me of being a dodgy character and such in the
27 | P a g e
Although, the previous two clients before her had similar reactions as well.
It seemed that this appearance of mine could easily arouse
misunderstanding. I had no intention of stopping, though.
“Now then, the final quest is to subjugate the thieves. This’ll be a piece of cake. Kukuku… I’ll turn you into the rust on my sword…”
[Youki]
Despite completing all these quests, I was still in perfect condition.
I began making my way towards the last location of the quest.
The places where the thieves would possibly be, were more or less indicated in the quest form, so all I needed to do was to strengthen all my senses and search for their whereabouts by detecting the
smell of blood and their voices.
I decided to ‘eliminate’ them once I locate them, then just hand them over to the knights stationed nearby. The quest would then be over once I do so. However, despite having such a strategy and
wasting the whole day searching for them, I still couldn’t find any leads.
“Damn… Why can’t I find them?! Tch, I guess that’s just what I’d expect from a group of thieves. They’re not to be dealt with ordinary means.” [Youki]
They had probably gotten the information that the guild had
issued a request to subjugate them, so they must had taken the
precautions and moved to another location before the adventurers from the guild were despatched.
“Don’t think you can escape me, Magic Knight of Black Lightning…”
[Youki]
28 | P a g e
I was running out of time since it would be the tenth day tomorrow.
They should not have escaped too far yet.
I gathered the information by inquiring the people from the
neighbouring towns and villages. Even though they threw a
suspicious glance at me, I paid them no heed. After acquiring the clues about their whereabouts from the witnesses and victims, I
rushed to the said locations.
And, by the time I found their hideout, it was already night time.
“Fuhahahaha! I finally found you bunch of thieves!” [Youki]
“Tch, are yeh the dog sent by the guild? Yeh sure sniffed us out real fast even after we changed our turf.” [Thief]
The thieves started cursing, probably because I had found their
hideout.
They seemed to be quite decently equipped, though, despite being thieves. The thought of the amount of money they earned from
robbing people amazed me.
There were a few who looked savage, too. Could this be a group of former adventurers?
“Surrender obediently and you won’t get hurt… What’s your
choice?” [Youki]
I wished to hear their answer before I beat them to a pulp. I had already anticipated what their reply would be, but I would still like to give them a warning as the superior one here.
That was because it would be cooler this way.
29 | P a g e
“Are you freaking stupid? Your appearance is even more suspicious than ours. I don’t know which guild you’re from, but
you’re going against us alone. Let’s do it guys!” [Leader of Thieves]
At the command of the guy who seemed to be the leader, the
other thieves started attacking.
The enemies consisted of around ten people. I didn’t detect anyone else in hiding when I examined the area by strengthening my senses.
I decided to play around with them a bit, just to gauge my own
strength. I guessed each of them were using a weapon that they
were good at since they were quite skilled with them, and they had pretty good teamwork, too. As one would expect from former
adventurers.
But… it was naive of them. Their coordination was similar to the muscled apes I had recently fought, so I was already accustomed to their movements.
Once I had my fill playing around with them, I leaped off and
landed slightly farther from them. I then unsheathed my sword and made my declaration out loud.
“Hmph, you should prepare yourselves once you’ve pointed your
weapons at me. Repent yourself for not surrendering to me, Magic Knight of Black Lightning!” [Youki]
This play had reached its conclusion… It might have been a good
idea to cast thunderbolt, an intermediate level magic as the grand finale.
I should do that the next time.
Several of the thieves who were discomposed by my declaration
began muttering among themselves.
30 | P a g e
“Magic Knight of Black Lightning? I’ve not heard of that name
before.” [Thief]
“You’re only one person here, so what nonsense are you blabbing
about! Let’s finish him off quickly!” [Leader of Thief]
Hmm… It seemed that they were looking down on me. Not to
mention, they insulted my outfit as well. Unforgivable.
“Come at me. It’s showtime. I’ll play with you guys as much as you want!” [Youki]
I cast thunderbolt repeatedly around the thieves as a payback for their insults.
The sudden magic attack threw them into a state of panic
momentarily, but they soon regained their calmness and launched
themselves at me.
I braced myself and cast magic on my sword, enveloping it with
lightning.
“Ye got a strange looking sword there. Ye won’t be able to cut
anything with that, ye know.” [Thief]
One of the thief threw that remark upon seeing my sword.
It was certainly not an ordinary shaped sword; The shape of the
blade is jagged like a lightning bolt.
“Hmph, a bunch of fools. You don’t understand the magnificence
of this sword!” [Youki]
31 | P a g e
I evaded the thief’s attack with ease and slashed at him, paralysing him with the lightning and knocking him unconscious.
It would certainly be hard to slice through things with this sword, but it didn’t really matter since I would be using lightning attack with it. It would be fine as long as I could defeat my opponents.
I began annihilating the thieves with the combination of my magic and swordsmanship. The instant I reduced their numbers by half,
they started fleeing the scene.
This might have been their strategy from the start, but I wouldn’t let them escape since the situation this time was different from when I fought against the muscled apes.
I knocked all of them unconscious one after another and bound
them.
“Fuu, it’ll be over once I hand them to the knights from the nearby town.” [Youki]
The moment I had that thought, I heard the sound of footsteps
coming close.
It didn’t seem to be just one person.
“Who are you?!”
The one emerging from the darkness of the night was a knight in
armour. Could it be that our fight had caused too much ruckus?
It seemed that the commotion had drawn the attention of the
knights on patrol.
“Hmph, I’m Magic Knight of Black Lightning… Hm?” [Youki]
As more knights gradually made their appearances, I noticed
someone familiar among them.
That seemed to be Raven… and Duke next to him.
32 | P a g e
All of them were in armours, but if one were to take a close look at only Duke, you would notice metal fittings connecting his helmet to his armour.
“Hmm? Were you the one who did this to these guys?!” [Knight]
One of the knights had apparently gotten the wrong idea.
He seemed to have misunderstood me as a thief who had attacked
these guys.
I guess it couldn’t be helped. Considering all the misunderstandings I had caused when I was working on my quests, I had understood it
well that my outfit would give people the wrong impression.
The way things stood, I would end up getting drawn into needless trouble.
Should I just take my leave?
“I’m not sure what you’re misunderstanding there, but… my name
is Magic Knight of Black Thunder! These guys are thieves and I am someone who was despatched by the guild to subjugate these
people. Now that I’ve completed my mission, I’ll let you guys handle the rest… Farewell!” [Youki]
“Wha-!? Oi, hold it right there!” [Knight]
After saying what I wanted, I leaped backwards and activated
‘Vanishing Wave’, fading into the darkness and disappearing from his sight.
“Damn it… Search for him. He shouldn’t have gone that far.”
[Knight]
I had indeed disappeared from his sight, but I hadn’t actually gone far away.
Even though the first knight who had discovered me gave the
command, the rest of the knights were in a state of panic.
That reaction of theirs was a given, though, since someone suddenly disappeared from their sight.
35 | P a g e
However, before I could do so, I heard the sound of a handbell
coming from Raven.
…Was he trying to calm the agitated knights?
After confirming that all the knights had settled down, he whispered something to Duke.
“Raven’s… I mean this is the instruction from commander. You
don’t need to pursue that person earlier. These people seem to be the thieves from Raven’s list of wanted criminals, so we will be apprehending them.” [Duke]
Duke gave the command on behalf of Raven.
…Was this how they usually operate?
How on earth did Raven instruct the knights before Duke joined?
The knights then began to make a move as instructed by Duke, no, as instructed by Raven. The knight who wanted to pursue me looked slightly discontented, though.
As the knights hauled the thieves away, Duke and Raven stayed
behind to inspect the area. I, on the other hand, remained in the same place while still being invisible.
I had somehow ended up staying behind as well as I wanted to see how the group of knights operate.
“…Sorry, Duke. You had to give the command in my place. It’s hard to give them the instruction with my memo since it’s too dark.”
[Raven]
“Seriously. Please graduate from your handbell soon.” [Duke]
Duke shook his head in resignation.
Well, it would certainly be impossible to convey a message through 36 | P a g e
He should at least try taking the first step while he was with the group of knights.
“I understand it, but… I’m really sorry.” [Raven]
“If you’re really feeling apologetic, then do something about it. At this rate, you’ll not make any progress in your romance.” [Duke]
Raven’s face stiffened.
The words earlier must have hit his sore spot.
What he said was true, but Duke sure hit him where it hurts most.
“…I will do my best.” [Raven]
“Then it’s fine. Raven should go back first. I’ll be done with this patrol soon.” [Duke]
“Yeah… I’ll leave it to you. By the way, was that person earlier…
Magic Knight of Black Lightning? Somehow…” [Raven]
“Ahh, just go back quickly. The documents about the thieves
apprehended earlier will be out soon.” [Duke]
“True. Then I’ll return first… Sigh.” [Raven]
Raven’s shoulders seemed to droop a little as he made his way
back.
…His appearance from behind seemed sorrowful, as though he was
fading into the darkness of night as well, further intensifying his melancholic aura.
I should probably invite Raven along the next time I go somewhere.
“Now then. You’re still here, right? Captain?” [Duke]
37 | P a g e
Why did he stay behind? Also, how did he know that I am Magic
Knight of Black Lightning?
At the moment, I was in my incomplete demon form.
My voice should have been different, too, due to the helmet over my head.
Well, it would be fine as long as I didn’t reveal myself.
There was no need to hide myself from him, but it would be much
cooler to conclude this incident as a mysterious individual.
“It’s fine if you don’t wish to reveal yourself, but you should come to your senses soon. I don’t know when you started this Magic
Knight of Black Lightning business, but… whenever you do this kind of thing, you will always end up regretting it. Right, Captain? Well, I’ve given you the advice, so I’m going back.” [Duke]
Duke waved his hand in a broad arc before leaving, probably
because he didn’t know where I was.
I cancelled the ‘Vanishing Wave’ spell and began pondering over
the events that had transpired.
Since Raven and the rest had hauled the thieves away, the mission was completed.
It had ended, in many ways…
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!”
After I completed my mission and listened to the conversation
between Raven and Duke, my state of mind seems to have returned
to normal.
Duke’s words then dealt the finishing blow.
38 | P a g e
I couldn’t help but to shout out loud at this conclusion.
I took off what I was wearing and changed back to my usual attire in a hurry.
After shoving the chuuni outfit into the bag, I began to run back as I yelled.
“WHAT THE HECK WAS I DOING–?!!” [Youki]
I found out about it at a later date, but it seemed that Duke had heard my voice. My only saving grace was that Raven hadn’t heard me, probably because he was too depressed that he hadn’t paid
attention.
39 | P a g e
“Good grief… What were you doing?” [Cecilia]
“Umm… what are you talking about? I don’t know what’s really
going on now…” [Youki]
Cecilia stood before me intimidatingly as I sat myself in seiza once I sensed the change in her mood. This scenario seemed pretty
familiar to me.
How had it come to this?
I tried to remember the sequence of events that led to this
moment.
Ten days ago, my chuuni switch flipped as I was shopping, likely due to accumulated stress. As a result, I wound up giving myself an alias that was taken from a story from somewhere, and accepted A-rank missions as the Magic Knight of Black Lightning. I then
proceeded to enthusiastically complete one mission after another, laughing the whole time, until I regained my senses after listening to what Duke said. An overwhelming sense of embarrassment washed
over me in that instant, causing me intense feelings of regret which prompted me to run, screaming my lungs out, all the way back to
Minerva.
Seeing as I had to somehow report to the guild about my missions, I decided to make my way there today, albeit dispiritedly. However, while I was on my way there, I was suddenly captured, forced into the carriage from Aquarain’s family, brought to the mansion, and guided to this room where Cecilia was angrily waiting for me.
“You don’t understand yet? Magic Knight of Black Lightning, Youki-san.” [Cecilia]
“Ugh… How did you know that it was me?” [Youki]
I had not removed my helmet at all for the past ten days since I thought it would be much cooler to remain as an anonymous,
mysterious A-rank adventurer. Looking back at it now, I was nothing but a suspicious looking guy.
42 | P a g e
“There’s a rumour going around in Miverva about a mysterious A-rank adventurer who appeared out of nowhere by the name of
Magic Knight of Black Lightning. So, it was natural that the rumour reached me, too. The moment I heard about it, I knew that the said person is Youki-san.” [Cecilia]
“But, I had properly concealed my face. Even the shape of my
body was supposed to be different after I morphed it a little…”
[Youki]
Even when I was running amok while in my Magic Knight of Black
Lightning disguise, I had always kept that in mind. That was the reason why I went through only partial transformation, changing just the shape of my body to prevent any unwanted rumour about my
real identity from spreading around.
“Certainly, based on the rumours, that person is said to have
delicate features and slender looking body. There were also some who said that he’s a heroic looking man …But, you can’t deceive me.”
[Cecilia] (ED Note: A women’s intuition is scary.)
“No… I mean, that’s what I wanted to know. How did you find
out?” [Youki]
“I have not actually seen what you looked like myself, but the
appearance of the person from the rumours sounds roughly similar to Youki-san …besides, you’ve given many ‘unique-sounding’ lines to the clients, right?” [Cecilia]
It seemed that those chuuni lines of mine had been circulated in various places… It was hell. Even Cecilia knew about them now. It was undeniable that my chuuni level was at its peak then, but it was still unbearable for such embarrassing lines to have reached the ears 43 | P a g e
At that point, my mind was seriously on the verge of another
breakdown despite the fact that I had just experienced one only the day before.
“Was that the reason why Duke noticed that I am Magic Knight of
Black Lightning?” [Youki]
“Did you meet Duke?” [Cecilia]
“The group of knights came upon me when I was subjugating the
thieves. He urged me to come to my senses.” [Youki]
“…That’s just like Duke, isn’t it?” [Cecilia]
I was really no match for Duke; I really had to hand it to him. If I had continued running amok at that rate, I would have ended up in a bad situation from which there was no escape. The next time I see Duke, I should treat him to something.
…Even so, it amazed me that she could figure out the identity of Magic Knight of Black Lightning from just that.
“Hold on a second, if Duke was able to figure out that it’s me,
then-” [Youki]
“Naturally, Sheik-kun and Happiness-chan are aware of it, too. The two of them were laughing when they heard the rumours…” [Cecilia]
“Those guys…” [Youki]
It looks like I’ll need to have a little talk with them later… No, forget it. I’ll just be rubbing salt into my own wound if I do that now.
My mind wouldn’t be able to endure another attack.
“Leaving that aside, do you understand what kind of situation
you’re in now?” [Cecilia]
44 | P a g e
It was clearly not the time to be joking around. That was what I thought as I maintained my seiza posture in front of her.
“I should have explained it before, right? About what would
happen if you attract too much attention and become famous.”
[Cecilia]
“Um… what was that about again?” [Youki]
I did recall being told something like that before, but I couldn’t remember it. I had a feeling it was something pretty important.
“Haven’t I told you that each country has started amassing
talented people from everywhere?” [Cecilia]
“Ah… That’s right!” [Youki]
I guessed we did have this conversation before when I first came to this mansion. It was about countries using political marriage to try pull talented people to their side for a war.
“You seem to have recalled it. I don’t want to restrict Youki-san’s freedom too much, but you’re attracting way too much attention.
Could you please restrain yourself a bit…” [Cecilia]
What Cecilia said was sound. It would’ve been fine if I was an
ordinary A-rank adventurer. However, it was a different story
altogether in my case. When I took on A-rank missions, I had not only hidden my face and put on a strange outfit, but I also used an alias.
To make matters worse, the rumours circulating in various places about my physique and personality were ambiguous for some
reason, making me stand out more – in a bad way.
45 | P a g e
“I was really a fool this time. I hadn’t considered the consequences and lost control of myself.” [Youki]
“No, I think there are people who were saved by Youki-san
through these A-rank missions as well. But you should probably
restrain yourself about the Magic Knight of Black Lightning…”
[Cecilia]
“Yeah, I’ll definitely not do it again. I’ll accept the guild missions as only Youki after this.” [Youki]
I decided to seal that chuuni outfit at the bottom of the dresser. I should also seal all that happened in the period of ten days deep inside my mind.
Magic Knight of Black Lightning… We’ve known each other for only ten days, but thank you for all you’ve done.
I bade farewell to Magic Knight of Black Lightning in my mind.
“I see… Sorry. I ended up saying all those even though it isn’t my place to interfere in your affair…” [Cecilia]
“No, you don’t need to apologize for it. I was the one who went
out of control.” [Youki]
Rather, I was thankful for her advice. She seemed to be worried
about me. As I thought, Cecilia is the best.
“I’m happy if you think so… Also, I’ve informed Sheik-kun and
Happiness-chan to keep the real identity of Magic Knight of Black Lightning a secret…” [Cecilia]
“T-Thank you. Those guys might blab about it if you had not
cautioned them. You’ve helped me out.” [Youki]
46 | P a g e
“Also, Sophia-san and mother seemed to have some suspicions
about it, but I was able to deceive them somehow.” [Cecilia]
“…It seems that I’ve caused you so much trouble.” [Youki]
“No, I’ve not done much at all. …By the way, do you have an idea if there is anyone else who knew of your identity? If there is, you should tell them to keep it on a hush.” [Cecilia]
“Urm… the only other person is Clayman, I guess. He knew about
since he was there from the beginning. I think he’ll keep it a secret for me.” [Youki]
In any case, I still need to turn in the quests as a form of
procedure, so I could remind him again at that time.
“Is that so? If it’s him, it should be fine. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy to me. That’s the impression I get when we did our mission
together the other day… Above all, he’s Sophia-san’s husband.”
[Cecilia]
“Ah, it does seem convincing if you put it that way.” [Youki]
Sophia-san didn’t appear to be the type who would fall for a bad guy. Even though Clayman was a good-for-nothing, he could still
complete his work one way or another. It was simply because of his usual lackadaisical attitude that he gave people a bad impression.
“It makes me feel bad for Clayman just saying this, but I have
known Sophia-san for a long time.” [Cecilia]
“No, you don’t need to be considerate of Clayman. He only has
himself to blame for being lazy most of the time. When I went to the 47 | P a g e
guild to take on guild missions, Clayman shooed me away and asked me to do it at another reception desk.” [Youki]
He urged me to go over there since all the pretty ladies were on that side. It was a nostalgic memory.
“Eh? Did something like that happened?” [Cecilia]
“The person himself might have wanted to laze around usually,
but… he’s pretty popular among the employees. His co-workers
called on him frequently to help them with their work.” [Youki]
“It’s my first time hearing that… Ah, would you like some tea?”
[Cecilia]
“I’d like one! The tea Cecilia makes is delicious. I’m looking
forward to it.” [Youki]
“Fufu, I’m happy to hear that.” [Cecilia]
It gave me a sense of joy when I looked at Cecilia from behind as she prepared the tea. I could probably still relieve all my stress even if I discarded my other identity as the Magic Knight of Black
Lightning.
After that, I had a chat with Cecilia over a cup of tea. When
Happiness, who was on her break, and Sheik, who was free at that time, joined us halfway through, the sounds of laughter in the room went on, unabated.
Once we were done with our pleasant talk, Happiness returned to
work, and I decided to go back, too, since I had something to take care of at the guild.
After Cecilia and Sheik saw me off, I made my way to the guild.
If you are reading this on any other place than
48 | P a g e
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
***
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
“You know, I just realized it. My sanctuary is unexpectedly close to me.” [Youki]
“Ah, good for you then.” [Clayman]
Clayman seemed disgruntled, for some reason, when I approached
his desk. His change in mood occurred the instant he spotted me
entering the guild. …Had I done something?
“Well, I have something to tell you…” [Youki]
“I got it, I got it… Sorry, I’ll be away for a while. I’ll be back soon.”
[Clayman]
After informing the female receptionist next to him, he pulled me out through the back door and examined the surroundings. Once he had confirmed that no one else was around, he rustled around in his pocket and pulled out a bag.
“This is?” [Youki]
“It’s your reward for the quests you have completed. The
remuneration for four A-rank quests is quite a huge sum, right?”
[Clayman]
The bag was indeed jingling with money. I was a little excited since I had never received this much of a reward from guild missions
before today.
49 | P a g e
[Youki]
“You’ve caused a storm of rumors. If I had given it to you, as you are when you were at the desk earlier, it would have raised a huge commotion! Just the question of who the Magic Knight of Black
Lightning is — I was already flooded with so many of them.”
[Clayman]
Clayman heaved a weary sigh. He must have been subjected to a
barrage of questions.
“You didn’t reveal that it was me, right?!” [Youki]
“Yeah… that’s because it was said that the mysterious man was
someone cool. You’ve also helped me out with the rock eater quest…
It might be troublesome, but I gotta keep my promise.” [Clayman]
“I appreciate it. Please help me keep this a secret from now on.”
[Youki]
“Well, I’ll keep quiet about it if you prefer it that way…” [Clayman]
I felt relieved upon hearing Clayman’s words. No one else would
know the true identity of the Magic Knight of Black Lightning
anymore after this. The rumor would gradually die off, too, if I were to keep a low profile… probably. At any rate, the commotion would be resolved after this.
“I really appreciate your help. I’m sorry man, for giving you such a trouble. Well then, see ya…” [Youki]
“Hold it.” [Clayman]
50 | P a g e
Since I was already done with what I wanted to do and I didn’t feel like accepting any guild mission today, I decided to go home.
However, before I could do so, Clayman suddenly grabbed me by my arm.
Did he need anything else from me? Judging from his expression, it didn’t seem like it would be good.
“Um, is there anything else?” [Youki]
“…I have no proof of this, but you’re the only person I could think of who could’ve done it.” [Clayman]
“Me?” [Youki]
Clayman should’ve known that I hadn’t been around Minerva for
ten days, so there was no way I could’ve done whatever he had in mind.
“Hey, do you remember the time when we browsed through the
marketplace together?” [Clayman]
“I remember it… But it’s a past that I want to erase, so I thought of sealing that memory away.” [Youki]
If I had not gone to that marketplace, I wouldn’t have found that outfit that started all these. Even though it was due to my
accumulated stress, I was still being too high-spirited.
Come to think of it, Clayman was buying a gift for Sophia-san at that time. If I wasn’t mistaken, it should be a cat ear headband… No, that wasn’t it. He had purchased an apron and seasonings from other
countries. So, why did that cat ear headband come to my mind?
…Ah, I remembered it!
51 | P a g e
“Did you finally recall something? You slipped something into my bag at that time, right?!” [Clayman]
“…I did.” [Youki]
“As I thought, you’re the one who did it! I kinda figured it out already, but… It’s because of you that…” [Clayman]
Apparently, Clayman had handed the gifts to Sophia-san on the
night I left Minerva. It seemed that she was initially pleased when she received the seasonings, but unfortunately, the cat-ear
headband got caught with the apron as she took it out and it fell to the ground for both to see. They were stunned at the sight of that headband. However Sophia-san, who had recovered quickly, simply
uttered, “Thank you, dear.” But she did so with a concerned look on her face.
“You would’ve preferred it if she had beaten you up like usual?”
[Youki]
“Of course! It’s been a long time since she last gave me that kind of look! Even my son was giving me a cold stare!” [Clayman]
I wondered what was going through my mind at that time. I had completely forgotten about it. Anyway, seeing as she had such a
reaction, I guessed she didn’t put it on.
“So, did you throw away the headband?” [Youki]
“I couldn’t throw it away even if I wanted to. That thing caught my daughter’s eye so she put it on. It made me recall the stunned looks on my family’s faces every time I looked at the darned thing!”
[Clayman]
“She likes it…” [Youki]
Clayman’s daughter is quite a girl. She actually put on the cat ear headband herself… I’d like to meet her.
“… Sigh, I’ll go back to work then.” [Clayman]
“Ah, see you.” [Youki]
And so, the commotion this time finally came to a closure…
.
.
.
“…Ah, there’s something that I had forgotten to say.” [Clayman]
“What now? I’m trying to wrap things up and go home here.”
[Youki]
All’s well that ends well. Since I had decided to bury this memory deep inside my mind, this incident should be over. However, just as I was about to go back, Clayman suddenly stopped me.
54 | P a g e
“Just so you know, you are currently still a B-rank adventurer in the guild. If you’d like to accept A-rank missions, you’ll have to come as Magic Knight of Black Lightning.” [Clayman]
“…Eh? What was that?” [Youki]
I had a feeling that he had just said something unthinkable. If I would like to accept A-rank missions, I would have to come as Magic Knight of Black Lightning? I became stupefied in that instant as my brain couldn’t really process what he just said.
“To tell you the truth, I already got an earful for permitting a newcomer to register as an A-rank adventurer. So, I’m sorry, but it’s not possible to promote the current you to A-rank.” [Clayman]
“No, wait! Hold on a little! It’s a lie, right? So I’m currently still a B-rank adventurer?” [Youki]
“Since you’ve already experienced these A-rank quests yourself,
you should understand it. Just because one has the ability, it doesn’t mean that they could handle A-rank quests. Well, you should be
promoted once you gain more experience. Just do your best in it.”
[Clayman]
Clayman left completely unhelpful advice before returning to the guild.
This time, I’d lost sight of myself and behaved thoughtlessly, but as a result I’ve learned that all my actions lead to consequences in one form or other. …Wait, doesn’t this sound something like a reflective writing?
Such thoughts went through my mind as I stood rooted to the
spot. Magic Knight of Black Lightning… It was nothing but a past that 55 | P a g e
56 | P a g e
Side Story ① : I received a chocolate
“Hm? This is unusual. Isn’t that Sophia-san?” [Youki]
I came to the guild today inorder to accept guild missions, but
when I entered, I noticed Sophia-san standing in front of Clayman’s desk for some reason. Could she have come here for guild missions, too? Curiosity got the better of me, so I drew closer to them.
“Dear, here you go.” [Sophia]
“Ou. Sorry for the trouble.” [Clayman]
“Then, I shall take my leave now. I still have work to finish.”
[Sophia]
As soon as Sophia-san handed a paper bag to Clayman, she briskly left the guild. Did Clayman forget his lunch?
“That was Sophia-san earlier, am I right? Did something happen?”
[Youki]
“Hm? Ah, that’s because today’s Valentine’s Day.” [Clayman]
“Valentine’s Day?” [Youki]
Why is there Valentine’s Day in this world, too? Isn’t this a different world? Could this culture have spread because there was another person who was reincarnated besides me? …I don’t really understand this world well. It might have been just a coincidence, so there is no use ruminating about it.
“Hmm. So Sophia-san came here to hand it to Clayman? The way
she did it seemed cold, don’t you think?” [Youki]
57 | P a g e
Though she might have unfinished work back at the mansion, it still seemed that she had left quite abruptly. Could Clayman have angered her?
“Sigh, and here I am wondering what you were trying to say. You seriously don’t understand Sophia.” [Clayman]
“What are… eh, uoh-?!” [Youki]
Clayman showed me the contents inside the paper bag. Inside was
a nicely wrapped box fully packed with an array of candies.
“By the way, these are all handmade by Sophia. It has always been like this every year. The quantity isn’t the important thing. I think each and every one of these candies are proof of Sophia’s love for me.” [Clayman]
After Clayman spouted such sappy words in a nonchalant manner,
he proceeded to open the package and stuff himself with the
chocolates.
“…” [Youki]
“What? You want some? Too bad, because I’m not giving you
any!” [Clayman]
“I don’t want them, damn it!” [Youki]
I dashed out of the guild, while wishing that Clayman would
explode. I firmly swore that I would recite that curse in front of the mirror the next time. With ugly feelings of envy of Clayman bubbling up inside me, I found myself enveloped by a dark aura. Despite this feeling, I decided to look for Duke.
Read the chapters at rinkagetranslation.com. The chapters for this series will NOT be posted anywhere else other than on that site
58 | P a g e
Upon reaching the knights’ dwelling, I had initially planned to ask permission to go to Duke’s room, but…
“Eh, Captain? What happened? There’s such a dark demonic aura
emitting from you now. If you’re not careful, someone’s going to find out.” [Duke]
It wasn’t as if anyone could actually see the aura, so there was no way they would figure out that I am a demon. I didn’t have any horns or wings sprouting from my body at that moment either.
“…There’s nothing wrong with me now, so why would that arouse
anyone’s suspicion?” [Youki]
“No, you seriously look awful at the moment. You didn’t realize
that?” [Duke]
“Is that so? Then I’ll force a smile…” [Youki]
“That’s even scarier. What exactly happened?” [Duke]
“You’ll hear me out? Thanks, Duke. Actually…” [Youki]
“U-Umm…”
However, before I could even begin, someone interrupted me,
causing me to look around only to find the elven knight, Irene-san, standing there.
“Ah, Irene? Do you need anything from me?” [Duke]
“Yes, but… am I interrupting you now? Um, I’ll come back later
then. Please excuse me.” [Irene]
59 | P a g e
Irene-san gave a slight bow and tried to leave. Judging from her reaction, I could tell what she had wanted to do, so I signalled to Duke with my chin.
“Ah, wait a moment. I’ll get to Captain’s business later… So, what’s up?” [Duke]
“Um, Duke-san. This…” [Irene]
“Ah, is this chocolate? Thanks. But why are you giving this to me?”
[Duke]
Even though Irene-san, who was blushing furiously had summoned
her courage to give Duke the chocolate, the latter seemed pretty nonchalant about it.
Hey, are you fine with that? Besides, why are you even asking her such a question? …Is that something that someone would normally ask?
“Ah, um… Duke-san has always been looking after me at work, so
I’m grateful to you… I admire you, too…” [Irene]
She replied falteringly, in a bashful manner. That reaction of hers was just as I had anticipated. I wondered if Duke find teasing
someone enjoyable.
“Ah, I see. Sorry for the trouble. I’ll definitely return the favour, but please try not to expect too much.” [Duke]
“Ah, yes! Thank you very much. Then, I’ll take my leave. I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation.” [Irene]
“Since Captain’s fine with it, you don’t need to pay it any mind, too. …Ah, if you need me to come along with you again when you
run an errand, just let me know. I’ll be available anytime.” [Duke]
60 | P a g e
“Sigh… Sorry for the wait. So, about what you–” [Duke]
“You should go explode yourself tooooo!!!” [Youki]
My envy was directed at Duke as well, so I yelled at the top of my lungs at him. Instantly, Duke covered my mouth with his hand and dragged me off to his room for further questioning. Since I was the one in the wrong, I wound up admitting everything to him in the end, that all of this had begun when ugly feelings of envy had sprouted within the heart of an unpopular guy.
“…I see. I understand what Captain says. It was… how do I put it…
something pointless again.” [Duke]
“Don’t you feel that it’s mean of you to put it that way?! More
importantly, what’s with your attitude earlier?” [Youki]
“Did I do something? I was just speaking my mind…” [Duke]
This guy was way too blunt. Although, that personality of his had put him in a blessed situation instead.
“No, it’s nothing. In any event, there are sure a lot of popular guys around me. It just makes me go mad with envy.” [Youki]
“What are you saying? There is actually someone who’s unluckier
than Captain, in a way. Come with me.” [Duke]
“…I don’t think I know anyone who’s like that.” [Youki]
It appeared that the place where Duke pulled me to was Raven’s
room. Though, Raven wasn’t what I would call an unfortunate
person. As the commander of the knights, the country entrusted him with various tasks, and he was also well-known as one of the
61 | P a g e
members of the hero’s party. He must have received a lot of chocolates, so it was unmistakable that he was a popular guy.
“Just take a peek inside. It’ll be safe to do so now.” [Duke]
Even though I didn’t really understand the last part, I cracked the door open just enough to peek inside.
What greeted me was the sight of Raven, sitting on the bed, facing Happiness on the chair. Happiness was clutching a bag tightly, as if it were something important to her.
“They’ve been in that state for an hour now.” [Duke]
“Haa?!” [Youki]
“You’re too loud!” [Duke]
“!… My bad.” [Youki]
I whispered an apology when Duke chided me. However, what he
said just now certainly confounded me.
“You would think that Raven would be happy when Happiness
dropped by, right?” [Duke]
It seemed that Duke had guided Happiness all the way to Raven’s
room. Nevertheless, whenever Raven and Happiness tried to hold a conversation, it died soon after. The same scenario repeated itself numerous times, but in the end, they still couldn’t find the
opportunity to bring up the most crucial subject. If only either of them had taken the first step. Happiness could’ve just delivered the bag in her hand to Raven, or Raven could’ve just asked Happiness about the bag, but the two of them were only waiting for the other party to bring up the topic, which put them in a stalemate. It
62 | P a g e
aggravated me when I looked at their situation as it would only worsen the already awkward mood between them if they were to
prolong this silence.
“The relationship between the two of them is so baffling. There
won’t be any change to their situation if Happiness does not give him that thing in her hand.” [Youki]
“I’ll just watch over them for the time being. It would be bad if Happiness returns without giving it to him, so I’ll step in and do something once that happens.” [Duke]
“…It’s tough on you, too.” [Youki]
I was envious of Duke earlier, but I changed my mind. Considering the hardship Duke had to go through, he should be rewarded a little, in some way. Rather, it was probably still not enough to compensate all his trouble.
“Captain, please don’t look at me that way.” [Duke]
I cast Duke a sympathetic gaze before I left the knights’ dwelling to wander around Minerva for a change of pace.
However…
“Damn, it smells sweet…” [Youki]
The sweet-smelling fragrance from inside the shops was one thing, but I felt frustrated that I could smell it even outside. I had initially wanted to dismiss it as a figment of my imagination, but when I saw a guy being given a chocolate right in the middle of the street, I knew that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.
63 | P a g e
Just when I thought I couldn’t stand another sweet thing, I was greeted by an even more annoying sight. There was such a long
queue of women in the plaza at that moment, that I could’ve
believed a well-known idol was visiting, but, seeing that they were all carrying beautifully wrapped boxes in their hands, it was probably related to Valentine’s Day.
“Oh, aren’t you that Commoner? It’s been a long time. What a
coincidence!”
“Gek-!” [Youki]
When my eyes were still fixated on the queue, a troublesome
fellow stumbled upon me.
64 | P a g e
“Hold it. Isn’t that reaction rude to someone who has just greeted you?” [Mikana]
“You have no right to make that assertion when you’re calling
someone ‘commoner’. I think that’s even more rude.” [Youki]
“It’s not like I can help it. I don’t know your name.” [Mikana]
Come to think of it, I hadn’t introduced myself to Mikana at all.
Even though I had told Yuuga my name, I hadn’t done the same with her. Well, it didn’t really matter, since I had no intention of becoming more closely acquainted with her, anyway. I didn’t feel that it was necessary for us to call each other by our names. She even referred to Raven, who had been acquainted with her far longer than me, as
“swordsman.” So, it was of no concern even if she called me
‘commoner’.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have been bothered by something so trivial. I’m fine being a ‘commoner’. More importantly, what’s with this long queue?” [Youki]
“No, you should be concerned about it. Well, if you don’t mind it, then it’s fine with me. This is a queue of girls who are waiting to give their chocolates to Yuuga.” [Mikana]
“Ah, I see. I suddenly lost interest in this. Do your best to protect your childhood friend so he won’t be snatched away by other girls, then. See ya.” [Youki]
I waved my hands as I turned around, deciding to leave the place.
Looking at that scene made me wonder why Yuuga was so popular
and why there was such a long queue just for him. However, rather than wasting my time finding out the reason, it was a better idea to 65 | P a g e
wander around the neighbourhood. Just the sweet atmosphere here was more than enough to make me feel sick to my stomach, so
lingering around here any longer would just further contribute to my stress.
“Wait a minute, aren’t you’re leaving too soon?” [Mikana]
“That’s because I’m not interested in this at all. Staying here will just be a waste of time and it doesn’t seem like this queue is moving at all.” [Youki]
It was pointless to remain here since it didn’t seem like anything would happen, and if it did, it would be troublesome. In other words, staying was a waste of time.
“This queue happened because Yuuga, the ‘leading man’, has yet
to make his appearance, right? It would probably become more
chaotic if he appears. More importantly, are you fine not joining the queue? You won’t hand your chocolate to Yuuga?” [Youki]
Considering all the times she kept saying how much she liked him, it would be impossible for her not to do anything at an event like this. Although, it would certainly be hard for her to get the
opportunity to hand it to Yuuga if she were to join this queue. She would also need a considerable amount of courage to line up with all these zealous female fans.
“…I made one before I came here. But, I’m not that good at
cooking so…” [Mikana]
Mikana took out a clumsily wrapped box of chocolates. Even
though she made it herself, she wasn’t that confident in the taste. I wondered if I should give her some words of encouragement and tell her that it really is the thought that counts.
66 | P a g e
While I was silent as I pondered the words I would choose to motivate her, a suspicious looking person approached me. He wore a hood over his head.
“Hey, it’s been a while.” [Suspicious person]
“Sorry, but I don’t know anyone who dresses as shadily as you do.
Besides, I’m busy right now, so please go harass someone else.”
[Youki]
At the moment, I was trying to figure out the right words to
console the crestfallen magician, so I didn’t have the time or energy to deal with the sketchily-dressed stranger.
“It’s me. You don’t recognize me?” [Suspicious person]
“Didn’t I tell you that I’m busy? Go swindle someone else.” [Youki]
“No, that’s what I was… Eh, Mikana? You’re here, too? Is this the place we’re supposed to meet?” [Suspicious person]
This hooded guy seemed to be one of Mikana’s acquaintances.
Not recognizing him was a blunder on my part. Usually I would have, but since I was too absorbed in my thoughts, his voice didn’t register this time.
“Eh… Yuuga?” [Mikana]
Mikana’s face lit up instantly. She was certainly a fickle one.
“The location of the event should be farther on the other side,
right? So, I thought the place we’re supposed to meet is on the other side, too.” [Yuuga]
“You’re still not there even after our promised time, so I went
looking for you. Good grief…” [Mikana]
67 | P a g e
“My bad, my bad. For some reason, there are a lot of people today. It would be bad if they discovered me, so I went back to get a robe to conceal my face. Thank you for searching for me.”
Had he initially planned to meet with her without first concealing his face? I wished he had realized the extent of his own popularity.
At least he had the awareness to go back to pick up his robe.
“It’s fine. I don’t really mind it. Leaving that aside, let’s hurry up and go there now. It’s because of you that we’re late.” [Mikana]
“I understand… Oh, is that chocolate in your hand?” [Yuuga]
Yuuga noticed the item in Mikana’s hand. He was unexpectedly
sharp today even though he was usually dense.
“Eh? T-That’s right. I was thinking of giving it to you…” [Mikana]
“Really?! Thank you!” [Yuuga]
Yuuga ripped off the wrapping paper and began stuffing himself
with the chocolates right on the spot. It did strike me that his eating behaviour was rude. Though strangely, what captured my attention most was the way he was wolfing down all those chocolates as if
they were the tastiest things on earth, even though Mikana was
convinced she had failed in getting the taste right. It looked as though he was contentedly polishing off all the chocolates in the box.
“Y-Yuuga, that… They don’t taste nice, right? I’m not that good at cooking, so…” [Mikana]
“What are you talking about? They’re delicious. Also, since I
usually receive chocolates from you every year, it wouldn’t feel complete today unless I taste your chocolate.” [Yuuga]
68 | P a g e
I couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had on his face at that moment, but he was probably flashing his signature smile that had captured the hearts of numerous women. Those words of his just
now must’ve swept Mikana off her feet.
Although, it was despicable of him to say such things to another girl when the one he had claimed to like was Cecilia. No, it was probably not just Mikana. It was possible that he had made the same remark that could easily be misunderstood to other girls, too. That might be what had resulted in that long queue today.
Those thoughts went through my mind as I continued watching
the course of events. The moment Yuuga started speaking to Mikana earlier, I slipped away from them and then proceeded to eavesdrop on their conversation by strengthening my sense of hearing.
The reason why I distant myself from them was simply because
Yuuga was a ‘flag maker’. Even though he had concealed his face
with a hood, he was still talking right in front of his long queue of fans. That was why…
“Eh? That’s Yuuga-sama, isn’t it?”
“Mikana-sama is standing next to him, too.”
“Eh, really?!”
The fans who noticed Yuuga’s presence were thrown into a state
of frenzy. I had not forgotten about the commotion that had
happened the last time we were at the accessory shop. I refused to go through such an experience again, so I was earnestly relieved that I had slipped away from them in advance when I saw Mikana and
Yuuga being mobbed by their fans.
“…I guess I’ll go back.” [Youki]
69 | P a g e
I turned around, leaving the scene of chaos behind me and made my way back to the inn. While I was searching around to see if there was another unfortunate soul like me, I stumbled upon someone I
knew again.
“Eh, Sheik? It’s rare to see you taking a walk around town.” [Youki]
“Ah, Captain! Long time no see!” [Sheik]
Sheik appeared happy-go-lucky as usual. For some reason, he
lifted his hand up as if asking for a high five, so I responded. Crying
“Yea,” we high-fived each other with a resounding slap. My mood
had somehow improved in that instant. I was thankful that Sheik was a mood-maker. It was a huge difference from Yuuga, the ‘flag maker’.
“What’s up? You seem to be in good mood. Did something good
happen?” [Youki]
“I got a chocolate from Celia-san!” [Sheik]
My mood hit rock bottom instantly. I hadn’t expected Sheik to
receive a chocolate from someone as well. I couldn’t even bring
myself to laugh anymore at this point.
“Hahaha… I see. Good for you. Be sure to appreciate it and don’t waste the chocolate, okay? It’s getting dark now, so it’s better for you to head back or Celia-san will be worried.” [Youki]
“Okay. I’ll be going back soon, then. See ya, Captain.” [Sheik]
“Take care on your way back, alright?” [Youki]
I became even more depressed as I watched Sheik disappearing
into the crowd. As I made my way back, I fervently wished that I 70 | P a g e
At long last, when I finally arrived at the inn, it suddenly dawned on me that my room was no longer a private refuge. The instant I opened the door, I was greeted by an overbearing, lovey-dovey
spectacle of Tiel-chan hand-feeding chocolate to Gai. It was the so-called,“Aahn~” kind of scene.
I’m bac– I think I’ll go out again.” [Youki]
“Wait, brat! You got it all wrong–” [Gai]
I closed the door to my room and left the inn hastily. Among the ones I had encountered today, I earnestly felt that the one who
should really go explode was that damn statue. Tiel-chan seemed
happy earlier as she was feeding him though.
I wonder if there’s a place for me.
“What should I do…” [Youki]
It was already night time, and it didn’t seem possible for me to return to the inn for dinner, so my only other choice was to dine outside by myself. At that moment, my state of mind became
strange, probably because of the situation that I had ended up in, so I had an urge to mess around in town. I supposed I could put on my chuuni outfit and pay a visit to all the different eateries around the place.
“Are you up to no good again, Youki-san?”
Just when I decided to spend my night binge eating, I heard a voice behind me. It nearly gave me a heart attack, figuratively and literally.
My chest pounded as I turned around and saw Cecilia there. I could recognize the owner of this voice the moment I heard it, so I wasn’t particularly surprised this time. However, what concerned me most was the huge bag she was holding in her hand.
“N-No well, I wasn’t up to anything at all?” [Youki]
“Just as I thought. You did have some kind of scheme in mind,
didn’t you? You’re really easy to read.” [Cecilia]
73 | P a g e
It seemed that she had found me out, probably because she caught me stuttering unintentionally. It was also possible that I appeared visibly shaken at the moment. Receiving a lecture from her would only make me feel even more depressed, so I decided to
change the subject.
“Ahaha… Anyway, what are you doing outside at a time like this?
Your usual carriage doesn’t seem to be around.” [Youki]
“You’re changing the subject, aren’t you? …Well, it’s fine then. I was walking around to get my errands done today.” [Cecilia]
“Seriously? Was it alright? I mean, even if you’re wearing a
disguise, you’re still a noble and celebrity here, right?” [Youki]
I grew worried since I had just witnessed what happened to Yuuga and Mikana earlier. However, I knew that, unlike the two of them, Cecilia was someone who was extremely cautious. In the first place, I was surprised that Celia-san actually allowed Cecilia to walk around by herself.
“It was fine. Everyone in town was all keyed up today, and I was also wearing a robe so I wouldn’t get noticed.” [Cecilia]
“But are Celia-san and Sophia-san fine with it?” [Youki]
“I received permission from them. Mother even said that she’ll be leaving her daughter in your care.” [Cecilia]
“Eh?” [Youki]
Even though Cecilia explained it to me with a smile on her face, I didn’t really understand what was going on. For the time being, I understood that Celia-san had entrusted Cecilia to me, but I didn’t know what to do now.
74 | P a g e
While I was contemplating my next step, a familiar sounding low growl reverberated from my belly, rendering us silent. Come to think of it, I hadn’t had lunch, let alone dinner.
“It seems that you haven’t had your dinner yet. Actually, I haven’t eaten yet as well. Would you like to have dinner with me?” [Cecilia]
It was unexpected for Cecilia to invite me to dinner. Normally, a guy would be the one to initiate the invitation first, but she beat me to it. No, that wasn’t the issue here. What surprised me was the fact that Cecilia had invited me. There was no way I would pass up a
chance like this.
“Yes, of course! I’ve been wandering all over the town the whole day today, so I’m starving now.” [Youki]
“I see. So that’s why. There’s place that I’d like to recommend.
Would it be fine to have our meal there? It’s not too far from here.”
[Cecilia]
Upon my consent, we began making our way to the place Cecilia
recommended. I usually travelled with her by carriage, so it had been a long time since we had last walked together like this. Possibly because it was also night time, my heart was pounding pretty fast.
Since it was impossible for someone like me, whose mind was still immature, to hold her hand, I tried cracking jokes to gloss over the awkward atmosphere. If Duke were to know of this, he might say
that I was a coward. Even so, Cecilia was really like an angel to me.
She actually laughed as she listened intently to my stupid stories.
While maintaining such an ambience between us as we walked,
we eventually reached our destination. As I was desperately racking my brain to come up with various conversation topics, I had not
75 | P a g e
realized that we had entered a street where rows of luxurious shops were lined up. It wasn’t a place where I would normally ever set foot in at all.
“Umm… I have a feeling that I seriously stick out like a sore thumb here. Will it be alright?” [Youki]
The people entering the stores here were from the top of society, mostly gentlemen and ladies who were dressed in the most
expensive-looking clothing. In contrast, my clothing was casual, broadcasting for all to see that I was a common peasant. If I had known that I would be coming to a place like this, I would have given some thought to how I was dressed beforehand.
“It’ll be fine. The place that we will be going to now is the one that Mother usually frequents. The employees there won’t mind it as
well.” [Cecilia]
“Celia-san’s regular place?! Somehow, I’m anticipating it even
more now. But still…” [Youki]
Even if the employees weren’t concerned about it, there was a
possibility that the other customers would mind. Myself aside, I didn’t want them to be speaking ill of Cecilia as well.
“You don’t have to worry so much about it. Come on, let’s go!”
[Cecilia]
Cecilia grasped my arm and pulled me inside the shop. Was Cecilia usually so forceful? While the thought crossed my mind, I didn’t mull over it long as I didn’t mind her assertiveness. There was no need to say anything unnecessary and risk ruining the atmosphere between us.
76 | P a g e
The interior of the shop was lavishly decorated with never before seen furnishings, and it was just as huge as I had expected. The place somehow resembled Cecilia’s mansion, but I had never been to such a shop before. It seemed that while I was still dumbfounded by the sight of the shop’s interior, Cecilia took the time to speak to the employee. I wasn’t sure what they had talked about, but it probably concerned the availability of seating in the shop.
We were then guided by the employee to a table and sat down
facing each other. Even though I was handed a menu, I decided to leave the ordering to Cecilia. I wasn’t sure what tasted best among the numerous selections in the menu, so I decided to trust her
judgment. It was embarrassing that I was depending on her, but I had no choice but to swallow my pride and ask for her help. I drew a sigh of relief after seeing Cecilia placing the order, as if she was already accustomed to it. If it were up to me, I would have gone about it much more awkwardly.
“It feels like I’ve just entered a totally different world somehow; it makes me really restless.” [Youki]
“Is it your first time coming to a shop like this?” [Cecilia]
“In the first place, I’ll not come to this area at all. If I eat out, I’ll generally go to the restaurants in town instead, as I usually try not to splurge too much.” [Youki]
In a sense, I was saving money for the future, to be specific, to save up enough money to support a family in the future.
“That’s amazing… You’re unexpectedly level-headed, aren’t you?”
[Cecilia]
77 | P a g e
[Youki]
“That’s… a secret.” [Cecilia]
Certainly, I did realize that I was reckless, but I still get things done when needed, too. …It might be because of the strong impression I had left when I ran amok as the Magic Knight of Black Lightning. I supposed it was something that only Cecilia knew.
We had a short idle chat before the dishes were served. However, it surprised me that I had never before seen the majority of them.
Even the ones that I had seen were made of higher-quality
ingredients than what I was used to, so I felt hesitant to eat them unknowingly.
“Then, shall we start?” [Cecilia]
“Yeah, let’s dig in.” [Youki]
However, my switch was triggered by my hunger after Cecilia’s
words. At that point, I had completely disregarded that I had plates of high-class cuisine in front of me, and I devoured the food without paying any attention to my dining etiquette. A smile etched across Cecilia’s face as she quietly watched me devour my meal, while, in contrast, she ate her food slowly and politely.
After our meal, I had initially offered to pay the bill. For some reason, Cecilia refused to budge, so I demurred. In exchange, I
invited her out for another meal with me so I could return the
favour. Even though I had asked her out on date on the spur of the moment, to my surprise, she still consented to it. I was so ecstatic that all my earlier depression seemed like a distant memory.
78 | P a g e
“Yeah… wait, don’t tell me that you’re planning to walk back?”
[Youki]
“Yes, that’s right.” [Cecilia]
It would take quite some time to return to Aquarain’s mansion by foot, and it was also late at night already. It would be dangerous for a girl to walk back by herself, so I decided to accompany her home.
Walking alone with her in the darkness of the night, while only being illuminated by the light from the moon, created an ethereal-like illusion. As I wasn’t feeling that tense compared to earlier, I was able to keep the conversation going easily.
This pleasant experience passed in a blink of an eye and we soon reached the mansion. I was relieved that nothing had happened on the way back. At the same time, my feelings were conflicted. It was disappointing to realize that we would be parting just like this
Youki-san, it’ll be fine here. Thank you for escorting me home.”
[Cecilia]
“No, I am only doing what is natural. Celia-san would be angry if I were to let you walk back by yourself at night.” [Youki]
“How can you call yourself a man if you would do such a heartless thing as allowing the girl you like to return alone? That wouldn’t do, would it?”
That sounded like something she would say. It seemed that Cecilia had also visualized a similar lecture in her mind, too, so we both ended up laughing.
“Ah, I almost forgot about it. Youki-san, please accept this.”
[Cecilia]
Cecilia took a box out from the large bag that had piqued my
curiosity since a while ago.
“This, could it be…” [Youki]
“Today’s Valentine’s Day, so I thought of expressing my thanks for all you’ve done. Would you accept this?” [Cecilia]
I almost shouted out loud with joy. I had originally planned to
curse all the popular guys in front of the mirror once I returned to the inn today, but I changed my mind. That was because I was also one of them now. It would seem that my spring time (1) had finally come. Just receiving these candies from the girl I liked almost made me jump to conclusions like this.
“I love sweet things, so of course I’ll accept it. Thank you.” [Youki]
81 | P a g e
There were many things going through my mind at that moment, but I didn’t reveal my emotions. Even though I was on cloud nine, I acted nonchalant as I received the box. I wondered what was in it; it seemed too heavy to contain only chocolates. Being that the
contents were given to me by Cecilia, it didn’t really matter what they were. I strongly desired to return to the inn as soon as possible to open the box. It was a shame to be parting with Cecilia, but since we had already reached the mansion, there was no reason to detain her any longer. However, just when I thought of bidding her farewell and take my leave, Cecilia suddenly dropped a bomb.
“I’m glad that you’re pleased. This is the last one. I’ve finished distributing them to everyone now.” [Cecilia]
“Eh? Everyone?” [Youki]
I seemed to have misheard her somehow. Cecilia appeared
relieved for some reason. It might have been just my imagination, but I decided to confirm it with her, just in case. It appeared that she had been distributing the chocolates to all her acquaintances as a token of gratitude since this morning, and the dinner earlier was suggested by Celia-san. I guessed Celia-san was concerned of me in her own way. Well, Cecilia seemed to be having fun, too, so Celia-san had undoubtedly provided a great assistance.
“Thank you for keeping me company today. Let’s go out for a meal together again. I shall take my leave now.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, yeah… Let’s go out again. Then I’ll be going back now, too.”
[Youki]
After leaving Cecilia, I went straight back to the inn, making no detours along the way, but by the time I got there it was already so 82 | P a g e
late that Tiel-chan had left, and Gai, probably due to exhaustion, had fallen asleep. It was then I decided to modify his wings out of spite.
The theme that I had chosen was airplane wings, but it seemed to be a major mismatch to have such mechanical looking wings on a
demon. Though this was considered the most hilarious looking one of all my previous work, it didn’t move me to laughter. Rather I heaved a sigh and sat on my bed as I looked at the box Cecilia had given me.
“Since she has given one to everyone, this should be ‘obligation chocolate’(2). ” [Youki]
I knew I was setting myself up for disappointment. I shouldn’t have such high expectations since there were people who hadn’t received even a single chocolate. Nonetheless, the hope that welled up inside me was unbearable.
“Since she took the trouble to give it to me, I should eat them.”
[Youki]
I opened the box, only to find a bag of cookies and a chocolate
cake. The cake was homemade I supposed, since an icing ‘Thank you’
was written across the top.
“Thank you, Cecilia…” [Youki]
That night, I finished the whole cake as I cried. It felt like a waste to finish the cookies as well, so I went to sleep without eating them.
Read the chapters at rinkagetranslation.com. The chapters for this series will NOT be posted anywhere else other than on that site
itself. If you are reading this from somewhere else then this is chapter has been stolen.
The day after the Valentine’s Day…
83 | P a g e
While I was rubbing my eyes sleepily, Gai barked his question as he moved his wings. The sight of his airplane wings moving up and down was revolting.
“Ah, morning. Those wings are a present from me to Gai, the ‘ lo-riajuu‘ (3). You can fly off to your beloved Tiel-chan with that pair of wings right away.” [Youki]
The wings should power up his flying speed by several folds.
“Stop screwing with me! Who the heck is ‘ lo-riajuu‘?! Change my wings back this instant! Also, Tiel and I are not in that kind of relation–” [Gai]
“Yeah, alright, alright. Too much information.” [Youki]
I left the room, disregarding Gai, who was yapping noisily behind me. There was no doubt about it, Gai was definitely a ‘ lo-riajuu‘.
…Although, what is ‘ lo-riajuu‘? It would seem that my brain was quite imaginative.
I then walked out, thinking of having breakfast, but for some
reason, I stumbled upon Duke in the lobby.
“Yo, Captain.” [Duke]
“It’s still early in the morning. Is there something you need from me?” [Youki]
“No, it’s not really a big issue. I have knight duties today, so I’m here just for a quick chat.” [Duke]
84 | P a g e
If he had duties to handle today, he didn’t need to force himself to come here. Was it really going to be just a quick chat?
“Is it about the incident between Raven and Happiness
yesterday?” [Youki]
I was really curious about it, so I would appreciate it if he could tell me what happened after that. Even if it wasn’t related to that, I’d still like to hear about it.
“Oh, that? They were still in that state even after you went back, but… he suddenly received an order to suppress a riot in town, so he headed there right away.” [Duke]
“I think I have an idea about the riot you were talking about.”
[Youki]
I wished they would stop causing trouble for Raven. It was hard
enough to build up the right mood between Raven and Happiness,
but they had to go and ruin it. Considering the size of the riot yesterday, it wouldn’t have been easy for Raven to suppress it.
“I was also sent out to help him, but it was really tough. After the commotion ended, the Hero and Magician bowed their heads
repeatedly to Raven. To be precise, the Magician forced the Hero to bow his head.” [Duke]
“It’s tough on Mikana, too… So, what happened to Happiness’s
chocolate in the end?” [Youki]
“Rest assured. Happiness went to the riot site, too. After
everything ended, she handed the chocolate to him nonchalantly, as though she was giving him a reward for a job well done.” [Duke]
85 | P a g e
There were probably several knights who felt a spear of envy when they saw that scene. Regardless, it was great that their
Valentine’s Day ended on a good note.
“I see. Duke should be relieved, too. If things took a turn for the worst, you would have to step in and do something about it.” [Youki]
“Seriously. This will be the last time I’ll be their mediator.” [Duke]
Or so he said, but Duke must have forgotten about White Day.
Since Valentine’s Day exists in this world, there must be White Day, too.
“It must be really tough on you… Do your best. I’ll support you in any way I can.” [Youki]
“No, please spare me the trouble. …Ah, I almost forgot about the main subject. Captain must be feeling glad, right? You got your
Valentine, didn’t you?” [Duke]
Duke’s question had led me into the very subject I wanted to
avoid. Judging from what he said, he must have received one from her, too.
“Well, yeah. I did.” [Youki]
“Just as I thought! Raven, Happiness and I also received one from Cecilia. That’s why I thought Captain might’ve received it as well, so I came here to ask you about it.” [Duke]
It was an unneeded concern. He was probably worried about me
after seeing my state yesterday, but I’d like him to leave me alone this time.
“I see. So you’re here to ask if I have received them…” [Youki]
86 | P a g e
Since I hadn’t eaten the cookies yet, I didn’t understand what he was saying. I only finished eating the cake yesterday. Well, seeing as the cookies were made by Cecilia, they should be tasty.
“Hmm, is that so? I’ll look forward to eating some. The cake tasted good so I’m expecting the cookies to be the same.” [Youki]
“…What cake? Did you receive another one from someone else?”
[Duke]
“…Eh? I mean the cake. The chocolate cake.” [Youki]
“No, that’s what I was telling you. I don’t know you’re talking
about.” [Duke]
At first, I thought Duke was feigning ignorance, but it seemed that he really didn’t know anything about it. Could it be that I was the only one who received that?
“…ALRIIIGHTT–!!” [Youki]
“Uwa!? What’s wrong?” [Duke]
I was so ecstatic that I pumped my fist in the air, surprising Duke. I would definitely not explain it to him. However, seeing as I was in good mood, I decided to treat him to a meal.
“Alright. Let’s go out for a meal later. It’ll be my treat. Invite Happiness and Sheik along as well.” [Youki]
“Eh? Are you for real? It’s rare for Captain to be saying such a thing. There is no reason for them to decline it, so I’ll let them know.
We’ll meet up at night then.” [Duke]
87 | P a g e
I bade Duke farewell happily, in a totally different mood than
before. Needless to say, after the four of us assembled for a meal together that night for the first time in a long time, my wallet became much lighter.
(1) Spring time = Season of love
(2) Obligation chocolate = Giri choco (義理チョコ). A chocolate that
was given by women to men on Valentine’s day in Japan. It is usually given by women to their male co-workers, casual acquaintances, and others to whom they have no romantic attachment.
(3) lo-riajuu = Loli + Riajuu. The origin of this word is unknown, but it is found used on Nico Nico Douga (A Japanese video website) for the anime ‘Ro-Kyu-Bu!’ (An anime about the protagonist with a group of lolis)
88 | P a g e
Chapter 3: I went to the cake shop
89 | P a g e
“Captain, why in the world did you call me out here on my day off?
I have an appointment in the afternoon…” [Duke]
“Relax. I also have an appointment with someone in the afternoon as well, but I had the urge to see Duke since it’s been some time since we last met.” [Youki] (ED: Youki stop cheating on Cecilia)
“What the heck? That’s gross.” [Duke]
What he said was mean, but it was certainly well-deserved since I phrased it that way.
A few days after the horrid Magic Knight of Black Lightning’s
incident, I came to the cake shop with Duke, who was on his day off.
Since I had messed up on plenty of things lately, I wanted to talk with him about various things. There was no one else that I could think of who I could discuss these things with besides him.
“Calm down, I have also considered it…” [Youki]
“I mean, this is not even a place where two guys would meet. All the customers in this shop are females. We’re standing out.” [Duke]
Even though we were seated in the corner of the shop, we were
the only two males here. The remaining female customers were
engaged in ‘girl-talk’ while enjoying the pastries. It was undoubtable that we stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Well, pay it no mind. If all guys are so sensitive about something like this, they wouldn’t be able to go to any cake shop anymore.
Besides, the pastry chef here is a guy.” [Youki]
“Eh? Is that so? But isn’t the shop assistant a cute girl?” [Duke]
90 | P a g e
Duke appeared astonished as he ate the cake. By the way, if one were to wonder how Duke could eat with a helmet over his head, he had actually freed only the area around his mouth, so he could bring the food to his mouth through there. That said, since he didn’t want to move the helmet much, I noticed that his jaw was moving only a little as he chewed.
“No, this place is managed by the two siblings. The older brother should be the one who made these cakes.” [Youki]
“Heh… I see. That’s amazing. I wouldn’t be able to make cakes as tasty as these.” [Duke]
That brother of hers was indeed amazing, though in a different
way. I thought so as I looked at Duke, who appeared pleased with the taste of the cakes. I wondered if that brother would come out of the kitchen today. It was a frightening thought, as his appearance would probably scare away all the female customers. His younger
sister, who was serving the customers, was also constantly glancing at the entrance leading to the kitchen because she was trying to keep an eye on him.
“That just shows how much training he has gone through.” [Youki]
“True… I guess it’s the result of that guy tempering himself.”
[Duke]
I wished Duke hadn’t phrased it that way as it sounded as though he was complimenting his other qualities. However, Duke probably wouldn’t understand it even if I were to tell him. I wondered if that guy actually preferred muscle training to cake making. The image of him flashing his shiny white teeth as he gave me a thumbs-up flashed through my mind all of a sudden, giving me the shivers. That was 91 | P a g e
dangerous. If he had really left the kitchen and made his appearance before me in that frilly white apron, I would’ve lost my appetite.
“Hahaha… well, let’s just leave it at that.” [Youki]
“What’s with that wry smile on your face? I hadn’t meant to say
anything strange, though.” [Duke]
A question mark floated above Duke’s head. Ignorance is bliss.
Sometimes, there were things that were better off left not known at all in this world.
“Don’t worry about it. More importantly, thanks for bringing me to my senses the other day.” [Youki]
I lowered my head towards Duke. The situation would have
become unmanageable if Duke hadn’t been there to stop me when I
was running amok as the Magic Knight of Black Lightning. Words
couldn’t express how grateful I was for what he had said to me at the time.
“Ah, that? It’s no big deal. I didn’t have any proof it was you, but I did find it unusual for someone to disappear from our sight all of a sudden. Besides, I felt that you were the only person who could’ve blurted out all those words and put on such clothing. So, when I heard a scream not long after, I thought, ‘What an idiot.'” [Duke]
“That last comment was pushing it!” [Youki]
I snapped at Duke, who was laughing. Good grief… he somehow
resembled Sheik, didn’t he? He was making fun of me, though, it was true that I had done something foolish. I really regretted it and had already repented for my actions since I had suffered losses(4) from the incident.
92 | P a g e
“Shouldn’t you refrain yourself from saying whatever that comes
to your mind?” [Youki]
“Isn’t that fine? That’s what made me who I am, and I’m not
planning to change myself either.” [Duke]
“Forget it… I’m well aware of that personality of yours by now
since I’ve known you for a long time.” [Youki]
Duke was actually the one whom I had known the longest in this
world. That was probably why I found myself relying on him in times of need.
“By the way, could we get to the main subject soon? We don’t
have much time left.” [Duke]
“Ah, that’s right. Then, first… is Raven alright?” [Youki]
This was what I wanted to know most. I had eavesdropped on
Duke and Raven’s conversation that other time, but Raven seemed
not just merely dispirited; he appeared to be in a terrible state of mind.
“Ah, come to think of it, you heard what we were talking about
then, right?” [Duke]
“I heard it loud and clear… about the handbell and stuff. He should make more effort to try speaking soon… it would really bad if he comes across a situation where he absolutely has to speak with
someone.” [Youki]
I was aware of the circumstances concerning Raven’s trauma, but
it would be bad for things to go on like this. The reason why he used 93 | P a g e
a handbell as another form of communication was because there was a limit to using written words to convey his thoughts. It might also be too meddlesome of me if I were to keep sticking my nose into his problems as well, as he would probably think that I was in no position to get myself involved in this.
“I’m not sure if it’s his lack of confidence, or because of his
trauma. I don’t think there’s anyone among the knights who would laugh at Raven, but we have a long way to go. There doesn’t seem to be any progress at all with his this, either.” [Duke]
Duke muttered as he stuck out his pinky finger. (1) There wasn’t any progress at all after he gave Happiness the present? That should have pleased Happiness and moved their relationship to the next
level. However, it was probably difficult since they hadn’t had many opportunities to meet in person.
“Alright, I’ll try to do something about it. First of all, we’ll have to create a chance for them to meet up, since I’m sure they haven’t seen each other since then.” [Youki]
“…Will it be alright? I have a feeling that Captain’s involvement is only a recipe for disaster.” [Duke]
“What do you mean by that?! Even I can get things done when
needed. Though, it might seem too meddlesome of me.” [Youki]
I wondered if it is improper for me to poke my nose into someone else’s love life… Nevertheless, I felt that Raven needed a little nudge forward with this matter. Since everything was peaceful at the
moment, it seemed he should take the opportunity to do what he
wanted to, otherwise, he might regret it later.
94 | P a g e
“…In the first place, are you even in the position to say this about someone else, Captain?” [Duke](5)
“Ugh…” [Youki]
I winced as his words had hit me where it hurts. Seeing my
reaction, a look of dismay crossed Duke’s face as he heaved a sigh. …I had been putting forth a lot of effort on my side, too.
“Have you gone on a date or done anything with Cecilia lately?”
[Duke]
“Hmph… you’re underestimating me, Duke. I’ve got a date with
Cecilia here later in the afternoon.” [Youki]
I shot back cockily. I invited Cecilia to this shop today because when we’d been chatting over a cup of tea at her mansion, she
offhandedly mentioned that she’d enjoyed the cakes (that were from this shop) I had brought to her as an apology for my last blunder. I was feeling very pleased with myself, especially since I thought I’d grown a bit since last time, but Duke’s words had shattered my
confidence.
“Heh… then?” [Duke]
“Then? What do you mean?” [Youki]
It wasn’t as though there was an interesting punchline to my story, so it was hard for me to react to him when he replied. It didn’t seem like Duke was expecting something like that from me either.
“Don’t tell me that you’re ending your date here after finishing your cakes? Well, it would be a separate story if Cecilia has a prior engagement after that.” [Duke]
95 | P a g e
I was at a loss for words. Cecilia didn’t say anything about having another appointment after our scheduled meeting, so she should be available. I was initially planning to have a leisurely conversation with her as we enjoyed the cakes for the rest of our date, but it seemed to be a bad idea judging from Duke’s response. Was that bad? I couldn’t ask him that nor could I tell him that I hadn’t made any other plans other than this.
“Silence implies affirmation. Captain, that won’t do. Perhaps it is a good idea to come here for a date but maybe you should be going to other places with her too.” [Duke]
“Ugh… But I wouldn’t know if Cecilia would enjoy going out to
different places, right?” [Youki]
Even though I knew he was right because he had pointed out my
flaws, I replied with irritation.
“You have a point there… But, anyone would feel bored if they
were to just spend the entire time chatting.” [Duke]
“…In other words, what should I do?” [Youki]
I knew this was an issue that I should solve by myself, but I really had no idea on what I should do. What kind of places do girls like to go? I was troubled precisely because I couldn’t figure that out. The safest bet would be places like accessory shops or boutique, but I wasn’t sure if Cecilia would be fine with them.
“No well, you should figure that out yourself, at least. You should enquire what she likes beforehand, or grasp it from your
conversation with her…” [Duke]
96 | P a g e
“If you get agitated from just that then it would be impossible for you to keep any conversation going. Ah, whatever. I don’t care
anymore. Just do what you want. I’ve got a date with Irene later on, so I’ll be going off to prepare. Do your best, Captain.” [Duke]
“Eh, you serious?! Wait a moment! Oi, Duke! Don’t abandon me!”
[Youki]
Duke ignored my cries and left the shop after he finished his cake.
Did he run out of patience with me because I was so horrible at
planning my date? Since I was forsaken by him, I decided to proceed as originally planned which was, in reality, with no plan in mind at all.
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
***
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
“Youki-san, you’re early. Have I kept you waiting?” [Cecilia]
“Not at all. I just got here.” [Youki]
“Is that so?” [Cecilia]
Cecilia appeared relieved upon hearing my reply as she took a
seat. Despite what I had just told her, I had actually been sitting in this shop since this morning. After Duke left, my feelings were a tangled mess of anguish and distress about what I should do, so I had 97 | P a g e
Since I was a regular of this shop, I was familiar with the female shop assistant. When I asked her if I could remain here for a little longer, she readily gave me her consent. Not only did she give me the cakes as apology the other day, she even helped me out today.
She was a capable sister, truly different from her brother… Wait, who the heck do I think I am!?
“Are the cakes that you brought the other time from this shop?
There are so many delicious-looking cakes displayed that I couldn’t decide on which I should choose.” [Cecilia]
“Hahaha… I was the same when I first came here. Well, in my case, I couldn’t decide between those cakes because all of them made me feel nostalgic.” [Youki]
There were no cakes in the Demon Lord’s castle. After I was
reincarnated in this world, I had almost forgotten how cakes tasted like, so I was deeply moved when I came upon this shop. There were other cake shops in Minerva, but I preferred this shop out of them. I wasn’t what one would call a gourmet, but I decided to be a regular of this shop because I liked the confectioneries made here.
“Nostalgic? Was it because of your past life?” [Cecilia]
“Yup. The world in my past life has cakes… wait, let’s make our
order first. It wouldn’t be too good to be sitting here without
ordering anything.” [Youki]
“Ah, that’s true.” [Cecilia]
98 | P a g e
After browsing through the cakes lined up in the display case, Cecilia and I chose a raspberry cake and a chocolate cake,
respectively. We then ordered two cups of tea and returned to our table. As I partook of my second cake of the day, I mulled over
today’s programme.
What other choices do I have, aside from spending our date
chatting here for the rest of the day? Should I take her to another eatery? Or should we go to an accessory shop? This won’t do… These were the only options I could think of. How could I make this the perfect date?
“Youki-san, is there something wrong?” [Cecilia]
“Uwaa-!” [Youki]
I jerked backward in surprise upon suddenly noticing Cecilia’s face in front of me. I didn’t notice her because I was too engrossed in my own thoughts.
“I’m sorry for startling you. You seemed to be in a daze while
holding the spoon, so I thought you weren’t feeling well.” [Cecilia]
“Eh? Ah, is that so? Sorry, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
[Youki]
I should really reflect on myself. Setting aside the fact that I hadn’t made any plans for our date, I shouldn’t have made my date feel
uneasy. However, even as our conversation went on, I still couldn’t decide on where we should go after this.
As we passed our time chatting with each other, we suddenly
heard the cheering of the customers, which prompted me to turn
towards where the they were looking at.
99 | P a g e
“Uwa! He came out?!” [Youki]
My eyes landed on a macho-looking guy clad in a frilly apron. His younger sister, the shop assistant, could be seen trying to shove him back into the kitchen. Did he leave the kitchen because there was something he needed outside? The customers cheered as soon as he stepped out, but I couldn’t comprehend why.
“Youki-san, could that person possibly be the one who…” [Cecilia]
“Makes the cakes here? Yeah, I also just found out recently.”
[Youki]
The customers seemed pleased as the macho man flexed his
muscles while his sister desperately tried to chase him back into the kitchen. No one could tell what they were talking about, but after the man spoke to his sister, she seemed convinced, albeit reluctantly, to leave her brother to his own devices. The man then began
distributing cakes to all the customers, and approached our table.
“This is my new masterpiece. Please try it. This one’s on the
house…” [Macho man]
“T-Thank you very much.” [Cecilia]
Seeing as Cecilia lowered her head in puzzlement as she thanked
him, I followed suit. The macho pâtissier who had finished
distributing his masterpiece, then flashed his pearly white teeth before returning to the kitchen.
“…What the heck was that?” [Youki]
100 | P a g e
The other customers seemed to enjoy the taste of the cake as
well. I also gave the cake a try, but felt skeptical about it, despite all of the reactions around me.
“Damn, it tastes good…” [Youki]
“Why do you look so frustrated about it?” [Cecilia]
A question mark floated above Cecilia’s head when she looked at
how I was eating my cake in exasperation. There was no rule stating that a macho man shouldn’t bake cakes, nor did I have a prejudice about it. However, I just couldn’t bring myself to swallow that fact. I couldn’t help but wonder what all those muscles were for. I had
heard that pâtissier is a profession which requires plenty of strength.
Such a thought itself was probably irrelevant, though.
Delicious food would naturally bring a smile to one’s face usually.
However, while I was tilting my head to one side as I was immersed in deep thoughts, Cecilia was watching me curiously with another question mark floating above her head. After I finished my cake, I took a sip of the tea to cleanse my palate. Distracted by that macho pâtissier, I still couldn’t think of a plan for my date. For the time being, I decided to buy time by sipping my tea slowly.
“Youki-san, you’re good at selecting the right shop, aren’t you?
This place is clean, has pretty decorations, and the cakes are good, too. I was a little surprised by the pâtissier a while ago, though.”
[Cecilia]
101 | P a g e
Cecilia expressed her opinion as she sipped her tea. I supposed I was relieved seeing as she was satisfied with this place. It made me feel grateful for that macho pâtissier now.
“I have been a regular here ever since I found this store. It doesn’t surprise me that it’s thriving even more as word gets out.” [Youki]
That was my honest opinion. It wasn’t that the shop wasn’t getting any customers, but I thought it would be even more popular, that it wouldn’t even be strange if there was a long line to get in.
“My brother and I are happy to hear that.” [???]
“You’re that shop assistant…” [Youki]
Before we knew it, the shop assistant had approached our table
while holding a pot in her hands.
“My name’s Ami. My apologies… It seems that my brother had
given you two a fright earlier.” [Ami]
“No, it’s fine. Rather, we should be thanking him for giving us the opportunity to try his new masterpiece.” [Youki]
“My brother will be happy to hear that. Would you like a second
helping of tea?” [Ami]
Cecilia and I nodded, accepting Ami’s offer. As she refilled our cups, I introduced myself to her as well.
“Let’s see… I’m Youki. I patronize this shop regularly, and I’ll continue to do so from now on; so please take care of me.” [Youki]
“So you’re Youki-sama. Thank you very much for your constant
support. My brother and I are grateful to hear such kind words from 102 | P a g e
It seemed that she still remembered me.(2) When you think about it, it was natural considering the amount of cakes she had given me as apology the other time.
Leaving that aside, what was Cecilia planning to do? Since she’s like a celebrity here, I guessed she would be using a pseudonym.
That was what I thought, but what Cecilia said after that went
against my expectation.
“My name is… Cecilia. I’m very pleased to make your
acquaintance, Ami-san.” [Cecilia]
“Eh? Cecilia? Are you, by any chance, the same Cecilia from the
hero’s party?” [Ami]
“Wait a min-! Cecilia?!” [Youki]
I hadn’t expected Cecilia to use her real name. Ami-san was visibly shocked; her mouth hanging agape.
“My apologies for startling you, but I love the cakes from this shop as well. So, I thought it would impolite of me if I were to give a pseudonym to the people who had baked them… Could help you
keep my identity a secret when I come here please?” [Cecilia]
“Y-Yes! It is my honour to be able to do Cecilia-sama this favour…”
[Ami]
Upon seeing Ami, who was being so respectful, Cecilia asked to be treated as any other customer. Even though Ami was highly agitated, she gradually regained her composure, as Cecilia explained it to her.
103 | P a g e
“What’s the point of it if you’re apologizing right after you’ve calmed down…” [Youki]
“Eh… Ah! I mean…” [Ami]
I blurted the words out unintentionally. Despite her attempts to calm down a while ago, I was ruining her effort.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Just relax and take a deep breath.
Take a deep breath.” [Youki]
At this rate, if things continue as they were headed, I would
appear the bad guy. Seeing as Cecilia was smiling gently, I didn’t believe Ami-san needed to be all that anxious, but that didn’t seem to be possible.
“Have you calmed down yet?” [Youki]
“Y-Yes. Somehow. It’s a fortunate thing that all the other
customers had left.” [Ami]
This might have indeed caused an uproar if the other customers
were still here. No, that wouldn’t have happened. Considering
Cecilia’s careful nature, she must’ve revealed her real name only after confirming that there were no customers around.
“Let me ask this, just in case. Did you use your real name only
because you’ve confirmed that no one else’s around?” [Youki]
“Yes. I wouldn’t want to create unnecessary trouble for this shop, and I don’t like causing commotions as well.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, true.” [Youki]
104 | P a g e
Come to think of it, when she was still travelling with the hero’s party, Yuuga was the one who was often preached at for causing the commotion. On the other hand, Cecilia was the type who would get drawn into his problem. Well, there was hardly anyone who likes
causing trouble, I supposed.
“…Youki-san seems to love causing commotion, don’t you?”
[Cecilia]
“No, there’s no such… that might be possible.” [Youki]
It was a different story once my chuuni switch was flipped. The
moment I entered that mode, I loved doing things that stand out.
From this world’s point of view, I might have rebellious speech and behaviour. …Crap. It would be bad if I didn’t restrain myself.
“Excuse me for asking but, may I know what’s the relationship
between you two?” [Ami]
“Youki-san’s a friend.” [Cecilia] (ED: Ouch. He got friendzoned) Cecilia’s immediate reply pierced my heart a little. Even though what she said was true, I wished she had hesitated a little before answering.
“Ah, is that so? I’m sorry for prying into your personal matter.”
[Ami]
“No, it’s not something that you need to be worried about, so it’s fine. Youki-san doesn’t mind it as well, right?” [Cecilia]
“Eh? Yeah. I don’t mind it, so it’s alright.” [Youki]
105 | P a g e
If I was so mindful of such a trivial matter, I would be thoroughly criticized by Happiness for being narrow-minded. That person hardly speaks most of the time, but when she does, she can be pretty blunt.
“Both of you are really kind. …If only brother’s as mature as Youki-san.” [Ami]
Ami-san looked towards the kitchen disappointedly. I wouldn’t call myself mature, but that brother of hers was just too irrepressible.(3)
She must have been through a lot since young.
“You have it rough.” [Youki]
“I know that brother is doing his best… but more often than not, his motivation is directed towards things that are insignificant.”
[Ami]
Was that apron a symbol of his motivation? As long as the cakes
tasted good, did it matter? This was probably an attitude that he should not have taken.
“What’s that cheering about?” [Youki]
“My brother aside, the cakes he makes are the real deal.
Sometimes he creates something new on a whim to treat the
customers just like a while ago, and that seems to be popular with them.” [Ami]
So, he won the customer’s heart through their stomachs. Is that
right? If I were to put it that way, could I do the same with Cecilia as well? …More importantly, what we were doing at the moment was
the same as usual, wasn’t it? It was fun chatting with Ami-san and Cecilia but today was supposed to be special. However, I had not decided yet on where to go after this.
106 | P a g e
I looked outside as I mulled over possible ideas for our date. That’s when my gaze abruptly rested on Duke and Irene-san, who were
walking side by side in the crowd.
“This might be the chance…” [Youki]
I wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence, but I was grateful for it. While I was feeling elated that I had found Duke, who was in the middle of his date, Cecilia and Ami-san were enjoying their conversation
together.
(1) In Japan, when you hold up a pinky finger, you are referring to a girlfriend, mistress or female love interest. When you hold up a thumb (thumbs-up), you are referring to a boyfriend, lover or male love interest.
(2) A quick recap: The macho man and the shop assistant have made two very brief appearances (similar to the nameless wolf beastman) in V2 C3 (It was mentioned that Youki went to his favourite cake shop to have something sweet), and V2 C4 when Youki was
wandering before going to Cecilia’s house after the half month
penalty. The shop assistant then gave him the cakes which he had brought to Cecilia’s house.
(3) ED Note: Irrepressible means ‘uncontrollable’ or ‘unrestrainable’
basically. (Irrepressible is an uncommonly used word [I’ve seen it once before] so I’m adding the note for the sake of clarity)
(4) TL Note: Like his dignity
107 | P a g e
Part 2
“Erm… this might be a strange thing to ask, but had Ami-san’s
brother done something?” [Cecilia]
“I guess you’d be curious about it after seeing how I reacted.
Brother… his name is Andrei. He wasn’t like that in the past.” [Ami]
Ami had a sullen look on her face as she explained. She seemed
immersed in her memories, but, as a result, the atmosphere had
become solemn. It was as if she had turned into a completely
different person. Such a demeanour might be fine at the moment
since Cecilia and I were the only ones here, but it would be a
problem if she were to behave the same way in front of other
customers.
“Erm, it seems that I’ve asked something that I shouldn’t
have.” [Cecilia]
Cecilia tried to put an end to the conversation as she seemed to have sensed the negative aura emanating from Ami-san as well. She appeared apologetic about it since she was the one who had brought up that topic.
“No, it’s fine. The reason brother was training his body was
actually for my sake.” [Ami]
“Eh?” [Cecilia]
“Our parents were pastry chefs as well. They lost their lives in the war, but brother and I have been following in their footsteps since young.” [Ami]
108 | P a g e
It seemed that we had entered into a serious conversation. I decided to put the thoughts about today’s date on hold and joined in.
“Even after our parents died, my brother and I have not
abandoned their dreams. But, probably because of the war against the Demon Lord, the relationship between the people in the
neighbourhood and us became strained, and my brother and I
wound up bearing the brunt of it. They condemned us, as we still aspired to be pastry chefs even though we were in the middle of a war.” [Ami]
“It must be a painful experience for you…” [Cecilia]
Cecilia’s expression darkened. This conversation had probably led to bouts of thinking since she had participated in the war. It sure did in my case. Ami-san was unlikely to be the only one affected by this.
There may have been thousands of people who were in the same
situation. It’s said that nothing good comes from war, and I
wholeheartedly agree with that. Even when the war broke out
outside, I didn’t do anything but hole up inside the Demon Lord’s castle.
“…It’s feels remorseful.” [Youki]
I muttered under my breath. At that time, if I had done something about it instead of hiding myself in the room – turning into a chuuni
– just to escape reality, would their fate have been different?
I became emotional myself as my mind drifted back to the past. I looked at the two of them in silence, as though I were looking at unnusual things.
109 | P a g e
“I’m okay. I just recalled something from the past. Sorry if I made you worry.” [Youki]
“No, as long as you’re okay, it’s fine. I might have read too much into the look on your face…” [Cecilia]
“No, that’s not true. I was the one who spaced out. It seems like I’ve interrupted Ami-san’s story. Ami-san, could you go on with your story?” [Youki]
If this topic were to go on, I had a feeling it would raise doubt in Cecilia’s mind, so I urged Ami-san to go on with her story.
“Ah, yes. Then I’ll continue… so then my brother told me, ‘Ami,
you should continue perfecting your confectionery skills. I’ll train myself so I can protect you and this shop.’ That’s when he started training his body.” [Ami]
“He’s a loving brother, isn’t he?” [Cecilia]
“For that muscle man to have such a moving past… I hadn’t
expected it at all.” [Youki]
Both Cecilia and I were astounded. However, a wry smile crossed
Ami-san’s face for some reason when she looked at our reactions. It was such a nice touching story, so why did she give us that kind of look? Was there something else aside from what she had told us?
“Hahaha… at that time, I also thought that brother was such a
reliable person.” [Ami]
110 | P a g e
“At that time… is it not the same now? Ami-san’s brother is working hard for the sake of Ami-san and this shop that your parents left to the two of you, isn’t it?” [Cecilia]
“Yes. My brother’s physique has improved, and we received less
condemnation when more and more heroes started emerging from
each country. That’s why I thought that it was high time for my
brother to stop training, and so I asked him to make confectionery with me, but he refused.” [Ami]
“I’m not sure how to respond to that. He seemed proud when he
made new cakes for the customers to sample earlier, so it is odd that he would refuse to make confectionery.” [Youki]
Andrei-san, the macho pastry chef earlier, seemed to enjoy
working at this cake shop. It didn’t look as though he was really apathetic about it at that time when he was giving out the cakes.
Based on Ami-san’s story, he was originally training his body so he could protect his younger sister, who was aiming to be a pastry chef, and this shop, that their parents left to them, so something had probably happened. I waited for Ami-san to finish her story, feeling puzzled.
“‘To make confectionery, we need to have a strong body. I still
have a long way to go.’ That’s what he said…” [Ami]
“I-I see. It is indeed tough to make confectionery, isn’t it? If you make them in one go, you’ll need to have the stamina.” [Cecilia]
It seemed that Cecilia had grasped what Andrei-san said, but I
tilted my head in wonder. That statement might have made one
think that you should just do muscle training while making
confectionary.
111 | P a g e
“Making confectionery is certainly tough, but based on my memory, my brother’s physique is sturdier than both of our parents.
That’s why I told him that he no longer needs to train himself like this anymore… but he refused to listen.” [Ami]
Ami-san’s shoulders sagged. Cecilia appeared at a loss for words, too. Was it because muscle training became fun to him? Or could it be that his obsession with confectionery making had changed him?
“In the end, he even declared ‘I must acquire all the good
ingredients myself.’ So he went to the guild to register himself as an adventurer, allowing him to personally collect the ingredients only available in the remote regions.” [Ami]
“Isn’t what he’s doing drifted further and further away from what a pastry chef usually does?” [Youki]
He could similarly obtain those ingredients by submitting the
request to the guild, and once the adventurers received this mission, they would get the items for him. So why did he have to go to those dangerous places personally to get the ingredients himself?
“By the way, what’s your brother’s guild rank?” [Youki]
“If I’m not mistaken… a month ago, he received some information
about a lush area where good quality blackberries grow. Before he left, he was informed by the guild that it was a ‘habitat with C-rank monsters’, so he should be at least a C-rank adventurer…” [Ami]
“No… I doubt it.” [Youki]
I folded my arms across my chest as I recalled what was written on the guild’s mission form: Normally, if there are a lot of similarly ranked demons in an area, there will be a higher-ranking demon boss 112 | P a g e
leading the herd. That was the reason why it was a standard practice for adventurers to go to those places in a group. So, if Andrei-san was capable of venturing to that place by himself, that would mean that he was…
“A B-rank adventurer… He might be the same as me.” [Youki]
A strange feeling welled up inside me somehow after I blurted
those words out. That conclusion would mean the ability of that
macho pastry chef and mine was the same. It didn’t seem probable that I would lose to him even if I were ‘attacked’, but… I supposed it wasn’t likely that he would even ‘attack’ me in the first place.
I decided to rid myself of this repulsive thought. Just thinking of it made me feel like puking. I’d like to leave only beautiful memories in my mind since it was my long-awaited date with Cecilia today.
“I can’t believe that brother’s really that strong. So that physique of his isn’t just a facade…” [Ami]
“No, that physique of his should be the real deal.” [Youki]
Judging from his solid muscles under the apron, I could tell that he had gone through a hell lot of training.
“So brother has truly acquired his close to ideal physique then. It made me feel relieved somehow.” [Ami]
She was probably worried about her brother until now. She patted her chest in relief. I guess that’s a given since he’s her only relative.
“That said, since he has that kind of physique, his job as the pastry chef should go considerably smooth, isn’t it? Seeing as he said one needs a strong body to make confectionery.” [Youki]
113 | P a g e
“No. Brother still has far to go. That’s because it hasn’t been long since he last started making cakes.” [Ami]
“Eh…?” [Youki]
I had a feeling that I had just heard something startling. Cecilia appeared stupefied as well.
“It seems that he got too absorbed in training his body that he lost sight of his original objective… Actually, more than half of the confectionaries in this shop are made by me.” [Ami]
“Then what does your brother usually do in the kitchen?” [Cecilia]
“He’ll either create new samples for customers to try, just like today, or he prepares for the training for the next day.” [Ami]
I didn’t want to make any negative comments about it, but wasn’t he going way off course in many ways? After training his body to a certain degree, shouldn’t he have gone back to being a full-time pastry chef? Where the heck did all the seriousness he portrayed in the beginning go?
“Ah!” [Youki]
“What happened?” [Cecilia]
The thought about Duke, who was in the middle of his date,
suddenly sprang back in my mind after our conversation concluded.
At the rate we were going, our date would end up in the usual
fashion; we would conclude the day after having just a leisurely conversation. That ending had to be avoided at all costs. For that reason, I decided to get Duke’s aid in this, indirectly and without his consent.
114 | P a g e
“That’s true. Ami-san has to look after the shop, too.” [Cecilia]
Cecilia seemed to agree with me as well, so we got up and paid
our bill. However, just as we tried to leave the shop, Ami-san
stopped us.
“Umm… Please come again.” [Ami]
It was the standard parting phrase used by shopkeepers when
customers leave. Upon hearing Ami-san’s cheerful voice, Cecilia and I responded to her that we would be coming back, before we left the shop.
“Well then, where shall we go? Youki-san, if you’ve made any
other plans for us today, I’ll come along.” [Cecilia]
I wonder if she was testing me. She was saying it in such a cute manner. It was as though I could literally see a music note popping out at the end of her words. The cakes earlier had probably put her in a good mood. I mustn’t mess up this date, no matter what. How I escorted her today would decide the outcome of today’s date; if it would be a happy memory.
“Yeah, leave it to me.” [Youki]
My real date began at this moment. That’s what I thought as I was walking alongside Cecilia. The moment we exited the cake shop, I strengthen my sense of smell to search for Duke and Irene-san,
evading Cecilia’s question earlier. To be honest, dodging her
question like this made me feel unpleasant, but nothing could be done since I really had not made any plans yet.
115 | P a g e
“I usually travel by carriage, so it doesn’t seem that bad to walk around the town like this once in a while.” [Cecilia]
Cecilia’s cheerful words made me feel a pang in my heart. She was talking with me with a smile on her face, giving me the time to make my decision… Despite that, I had no plans at all. It made me feel really bad about it.
“Hahaha, is that so? I might not understand it since I usually travel by foot. Though, it does feel refreshing when I fly around at
times…” [Youki]
When I tried making a light joke to keep the conversation going, Cecilia knitted her eyebrows together, her face grew solemn as she grasped my arm.
“Youki-san, shall we have a little talk?” [Cecilia]
“I-I was just kidding…” [Youki]
My attempt to smoothen out the situation ended up bringing the
opposite effect. Cecilia didn’t seem to like it when I changed to my demon form. I wouldn’t usually do something that rash as well… but it seemed that she would like me to live as a human as far as
possible. She was probably worried about me precisely because she knew how conflicted I felt when I was still at the Demon Lord’s
castle. Although, her kindness was what that had attracted me to her. That was the reason why I must absolutely make this date a
success so I could raise Cecilia’s impression of me. I had to look for Duke and Irene-san so I could carry out my strategy.
Well, that said, my so-called strategy was actually pretty simple. I would steal Duke’s dating ideas – that’s all. It was the perfect strategy since there was no way someone like Duke, who could keep 116 | P a g e
‘bumping into them coincidentally’ so we could go for the double date route, but I dismissed that idea. There was no doubt that Duke would be able to come up with various great locations for a double date as well, but that would instead lower Cecilia’s impression of me, seeing as I couldn’t come up with any ideas. Besides, Duke and Irene-san might have wanted to be alone, so I didn’t want to barge in on their date. I’d just like to see what kind of places Duke would bring Irene-san so I could select similar places to go. I call it the ‘Shadowing Dating Strategy’… It might be low of me to come up with that, in my opinion, but there’s no stopping me.
As I cracked jokes and chatted with Cecilia, we drew closer to Duke as I tailed him using my strengthened sense of smell. Just as Duke’s appearance came to my sight, I noticed him entering some kind of store. Lucky – was what I thought inside my heart as soon as I
spotted him, so I checked out the name of the store which he had just entered.
What was written on the signboard was, ‘Mohijii Drugstore’.
“What the heck…?” [Youki]
I was completely taken aback that I ended up blurting out what
was on my mind.
“What’s wrong, Youki-san?” [Cecilia]
“No, it’s nothing.” [Youki]
I tried to gloss over it by feigning calmness, but my head was full of question marks. I hadn’t heard of anyone going to a drugstore for a date. It would probably be a good place if either of them was injured.
However, I could see a smile on Irene-san’s face as she entered the 117 | P a g e
store, so it didn’t look like she had suffered any injuries at all. Duke’s whole body was clad in armour so that possibility was out of the question. If so, then why? That very thought plagued me, but I
couldn’t figure it out at all. Leaving that aside, this would also mean that my plan had failed. There was no way I could bring Cecilia to a drugstore…
“Ah! Youki-san, why don’t we take a look in this shop?” [Cecilia]
While I was feeling deeply troubled by this, Cecilia graced me the salvation.
“Ah… eh, here?” [Youki]
The store Cecilia suggested was not a luxurious boutique where
nobles would go, but a store that sells clothes that cater to common people, and second-hand clothing from the nobles.
“Yes. Since I received an accessory from you the last time, I
thought of giving you something back as well. So, if you’re fine with it, I thought of selecting the clothes for you.” [Cecilia]
“Really!?” [Youki]
Aside from the adventuring clothes I wore when I went on guild
missions, I didn’t have many everyday clothes, so it would be of great help. I hadn’t worn majority of the clothes that I had chosen and bought for myself as well recently. If Cecilia were to select the clothes for me, there was no doubt she would be able to put
together a great outfit even though she was working with the
second-hand clothing.
“May I request for your help then?” [Youki]
“Please leave it to me. I’ll definitely not disappoint you.” [Cecilia]
118 | P a g e
Cecilia grasped both my hands… Wait, her face was too close! This situation was blissful, in a way, but was it just my imagination that there was an unusual enthusiasm bursting forth from her? I was
thankful that she had decided to help select the clothing for me, but I wasn’t sure why her eyes looked so serious.
Cecilia, who had entered such a state, then slipped her hand
around my arm, half dragging me into the store while my heart was experiencing the moment of half delight and half bewilderment.
“Youki-san seems to have a unique sense of style… so I’ll put
together a standard outfit that suits you instead!” [Cecilia]
“You know, isn’t that a roundabout way of saying that I have a bad fashion sense?…” [Youki]
“No, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just unique.” [Cecilia]
There wasn’t any opportunity for me to come up with any
comebacks when she made that comment with a smile! It was likely that Cecilia was just concerned of me. I did realize it myself that I didn’t have any fashion sense, though. If I were to choose my own clothing again, there would be a possibility that I would re-enact my dark past the second or third time again.
“Ahaha… Well, I’ll leave it to you then.” [Youki]
Cecilia then began selecting the clothes, bringing over several
outfits to me, and I tried on each of them. It seemed that she wasn’t just selecting those fashionable types of clothing, but she had also taken my preferences into consideration and had chosen outfits that were suited to my taste. While waiting for Cecilia, I also browsed 119 | P a g e
‘chuuni-ish’ which caught my attention.
“Hmm… I knew I shouldn’t be choosing something like this, but
this still draws my attention. Is it because of my chuuni
personality?” [Youki]
“Here, how about this one? I think this looks good on
you.” [Cecilia]
While I was feeling dispirited about my incurable ‘illness’, Cecilia brought an outfit over to me.
“Thank you. I’ll try it on.” [Youki]
In the end, after going through an exchange like this several times, I decided upon three outfits. Although I initially tried to pay for them myself, Cecilia wished to get them as gifts for me, so I gave in. By the way, I put on one of the outfits that was purchased right away and left the store, as in my opinion, the clothes Cecilia had chosen for me were more stylish than the one I was wearing.
“I’m happy to receive these clothes from Cecilia, but will you not be getting anything for yourself?” [Youki]
Cecilia probably wouldn’t get her clothes from a second-hand
clothing store, so I wouldn’t mind accompanying her to a boutique if she wished to get something for herself as well.
“It’s fine. The clothes I have now are adequate. My clothes are
usually tailored by Sophia-san.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, is that so?” [Youki]
120 | P a g e
As expected of a young lady from a noble family. So Cecilia’s clothes were tailored by Sophia-san. That person sure is a jack-of-all-trades. I guess her title as the head of maid wasn’t just for show.
“So, where shall we go next?” [Cecilia]
“Next? Ah, the next place, right? Umm, I guess we’ll go
there.” [Youki]
Come to think of it, I was in the middle of a no-plan date. This is bad. I managed to luck out this time due to the coincidence, but miracles do not happen twice. However, there must be another
reason why Duke went to that store earlier, so I decided to bet on him again.
I strengthened my sense of smell to locate them. Just as I spotted the two of them, I caught them entering a building once again.
“This time, it’ll work out…” [Youki]
I murmured to myself as I looked up – my gaze landed on the
building’s sign: ‘Albert’s Swordsmanship Dojo’.
“Are you kidding me?!!!” [Youki]
I collapsed to the ground. It was certainly true that they were
knights, but did they have to train on their date, too? Were the two of them a pair of sword maniacs?
“What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly shout?… Is something
wrong?” [Cecilia]
“Ah, sorry. Just a sudden backlash. Something came to my mind
just now.” [Youki]
121 | P a g e
I made a pathetic excuse as I got to my feet. That was because I had come up against a brick wall once again. A swordsmanship dojo wouldn’t be of any help to me on my date.
How could I reverse this moment of crisis?
I looked around the place, trying to see if I could find any potential stores for our date.
“Have you perhaps lost your way?” [Cecilia]
“No, of course not.” [Youki]
She had misunderstood that I lost my way after looking at my
reactions just now and a while ago. I guess the only way to salvage this situation was to select a random store to go in.
“Ah, Youki-san. Can we go in this shop for a while?” [Cecilia]
While I was contemplating my next step, Cecilia made another
suggestion once again, with perfect timing. My gaze followed hers, landing on a building with myriad types of flowers displayed.
“A flower shop? Sure.” [Youki]
“Then let’s go in.” [Cecilia]
I went in after Cecilia, feeling extremely thankful that I had gotten out of the predicament again. There were even more flowers inside the shop compared to outside. Since I wasn’t someone who was
well-informed about flowers, the sight of the interior made me look around the shop out of curiosity.
“Sheik-kun has been teaching me about flowers recently. About
flowers that can be used for teas, or for cooking.” [Cecilia]
122 | P a g e
Since Sheik was well-versed on the subject of plants, he should be knowledgeable about flowers, too.
“I found him talking to our gardener on equal terms, so when I
joined in the conversation, I realized that he is really knowledgeable in this. He even shared knowledge that our gardener was not aware of when they were discussing the subject. Since then, it seems that they have become friends.” [Cecilia]
“I was afraid that it might have appeared impolite to that
gardener, but I’m thankful that the gardener’s a broad-minded
person.” [Youki]
That was because Sheik had made that gardener lost face in front of his employer’s daughter. Well, Cecilia wouldn’t be concerned
about something like that, though.
“He seemed grateful actually, saying that he was able to pick up new significant knowledge as he works.” [Cecilia]
“Then that’s good. It’s a relief that Sheik was able to get along well with the people in the mansion, even if it’s just a little.” [Youki]
“He has completely become part of the household, so it’ll be fine.
Of course, the same goes for Happiness, too.” [Cecilia]
In Happiness’s case, there were other aspects that made me
worry… but I’ll just leave that aside for now.
“If that’s the case, I’m relieved. Would you show me what you’ve learnt from Sheik then?” [Youki]
“Fufu, please leave it to me.” [Cecilia]
123 | P a g e
When I pointed at a flower that I wasn’t familiar with, she would tell me the name of it and explained to me the usage of that plant.
While we were having such a conversation, the florist seemed to be looking at us enviously. Could it be because we looked like a couple who was flirting in front her? I would be pretty happy about it if that were the case.
Since we couldn’t bring ourselves to just leave after taking a look around the shop, Cecilia and I bought a few flowers that we liked before leaving.
“I hadn’t expected that flowers are not just for display. I have learnt something valuable.” [Youki]
“Sheik-kun was the one who had taught me all these.” [Cecilia]
We chatted with each other as we walked out of the shop. It was
hard to hold back laughter probably because the mood was good.
Although, the no-plan date was going so well so far that I was
inwardly nervous. Considering that it was still early to end our date, it would make today the best memory if I were to give our date one more push. I decided to place my trust in Duke for the third time, of my own accord, and brought Cecilia to where Duke was headed.
As we left the center of the town and drew closer to Duke, there were fewer and fewer shops around us.
Where on earth was Duke going? Cecilia was curious about where
we were going as well, so she kept asking me. It was getting harder and harder to keep evading her questions anymore. Just as this
thought crossed my mind, Duke came into view.
“That’s… Duke-san, isn’t it? There seems to be a girl with
him.” [Cecilia]
124 | P a g e
Since there weren’t many people around, Cecilia noticed Duke as well. I decided to find out Duke’s destination first and save the explanation for later. I looked up at the huge horizontal sign on the building.
“Horseback Archery Field…?!” [Youki]
Though I was baffled at why this place was located far away from the center of the town, I hadn’t known that such facility actually existed as well. More importantly, this wasn’t a place one would come for a date! That said, Irene-san appeared to be in an exuberant mood as she entered the building. It made me doubt if the two of them were really on a date.
“Duke-san has went in with the girl. I thought of greeting him, but that girl seems to be having fun. It seems that we’ll end up barging in on them if I do so, so I’d better not.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, yeah. That’s true. It’s important to read the mood…” [Youki]
“Then shall we go as well? Our destination is ahead of us,
right?” [Cecilia]
Upon hearing Cecilia’s question, I felt cold sweat trickling down my back. I managed to get out of the predicament earlier, but it didn’t seem like the miracle would happen again. There were no shops in the area at all. It would appear peculiar as well if I were to turn back.
Should I come clean now? Or should I keep believing in miracle and forge ahead?
“Ahh, it’s Holy Mother–”
While I was torn between the two ultimate choices, an innocent
voice of a boy cried out. A boy – probably the one who cried out –
125 | P a g e
then came running towards us and hugged Cecilia. Then, other boys and girls started gathering around her. A bitter smile crossed Cecilia’s face while I looked on, feeling puzzled. At that moment, an old man in priest clothing ran toward us, breathing heavily.
“Y..You kids! Do..don’t just run off by yourselves!”
The rebuke of the priest, who was short of breath, seemed to fall on deaf ears, as the children remained gathered around Cecilia.
“Umm, are you an acquaintance of Cecilia? I’m Youki, her…
friend.” [Youki]
The tone of my voice gradually soften when I said ‘friend’. The
priest, who seemed to have noticed my presence, waited a while to catch his breath before introducing himself.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m Davate, and I run an orphanage.
Are you Cecilia-sama’s friend? Cecilia-sama has been frequenting the orphanage as a volunteer.” [Davate]
“I see. A volunteer.” [Youki]
It should be her cleric job. It seemed that Cecilia was involved in various kinds of jobs as well. Judging from the reaction of the
children gathering around her, I could tell that she was well-loved.
“Cecilia often plays with the kids at the orphanage, teaches them how to study… she has helped us so much that even I feel deeply
indebted to her.” [Davate]
“Haa, so that’s the how this scene came to be? Is the orphanage
around here?” [Youki]
126 | P a g e
The orphanage is ahead.” [Davate]
Upon hearing this information, an idea flashed through my mind.
“Well, there must be a lot of bags to carry if you’re shopping for this many people, isn’t it? Those kids seem to be really fond of Cecilia, so it must be hard for them to part with her once this
happens, right? So what do you say if Cecilia and I were to drop by the orphanage for a short while as well?” [Youki]
“Umm, the kids and I will definitely welcome your visit, but is it alright?” [Davate]
Judging from Cecilia’s current state, it should be fine for her. As for me, I was accustomed to kids as well due to Sheik, so there shouldn’t be any problem either. This was the best turn of events for someone like me, who was stumped for ideas at the moment.
“Yes, let’s go. Ah, let me carry those bags.” [Youki]
I helped the priest carry the large quantity of bags he was holding and made our way to the orphanage.
“Thank you, and I’m sorry for the trouble. …Oi, Cecilia-sama will be coming along with us today, so let us move on.” [Davate]
“Yay, Holy Mother will be coming with us!”
“Holy Mother, let’s go!”
“Umm, what is going on now… Youki-saaan!” [Cecilia]
I could hear Cecilia crying out in confusion behind me, but I didn’t want to explain it in front of these children. I clasped my hands together as a gesture of apology and continued walking. …By the
127 | P a g e
way, why did the children call Cecilia ‘Holy Mother’? It was probably her pseudonym. I decided to ask Cecilia about it later.
Cecilia, who was surrounded by the children the entire time as we made our way to the orphanage, seemed to be highly sought-after
while I, on the other hand, was struck by the reality that no one had approached me at all as I carried the bags.
“Cecilia, she’s really popular, isn’t she?” [Youki]
“Yes, I’m sorry. Even though you’re helping them carry all those bags, these children…” [Davate]
“Hahaha… no worries about it. That’s the solid proof that these
kids are energetic.” [Youki]
Davate was my only ally. So I had to put a refreshing smile on my face as I replied him, like an adult.
“Holy Mother, when I grow up, I want to marry you–”
“Fufufu, where did you learn such words from?” [Cecilia]
I could hear the conversation between Cecilia and the children
behind. It seemed that there was a precocious brat among the kids from the orphanage, too. Well, I do understand how a child would develop a crush on an elder sister who had been looking after him, though.
“Youki-sama, is there something wrong?” [Davate]
“Eh? No, not at all.” [Youki]
“Is that so? I have experience listening to many kinds of work-
related problems of various people, so I can see that there seems to be a troubled look on your face right now…” [Davate]
128 | P a g e
There was no way I could have developed a sense of rivalry against a child. That was not possible… Yeah, that should not be possible. In the end, he told me that I could consult him anytime if I had any problem. Well, at any rate, we eventually arrived at the orphanage after that.
“Holy Mother, here—”
“Ehh, come here, Holy Mother–”
“…” [Youki]
Davate had gone inside the orphanage to put away the things
purchased while all the children went over to Cecilia’s side…
I’m bored.
“Big bro, you’re strong, innit?”
“Mmph?” [Youki]
I hadn’t noticed that a little girl had approached me, so I ended up giving her a foolish grunt as response.
“You could carry Father’s reeaally heavy-looking bags by yourself.”
An innocent smile crossed her face as she talked to me in a really excited manner. That wasn’t actually a really big deal, but seeing as she had approached me of her own accord, I decided to do this as a service for her. I did a small somersault and landed on the spot.
Normally, if someone were to see me doing something like this, they would give me the, ‘What the heck is this guy doing?’ kind of look, but…
129 | P a g e
The little girl was so pleased that she clapped her hands.
Hmm, this didn’t feel that bad.
“Youki-san, what are you doing?” [Cecilia]
“Ah, Cecilia. I was just doing this little something as a
service.” [Youki]
“Is that so? Then could you show it to the children here as
well?” [Cecilia]
“All right! I’ll do it!” [Youki]
As I received an overwhelming applause from just performing
backward flips, I got carried away and fired magic to the sky.
Although I got scolded by Cecilia for that, the kids were very pleased by my performance. Nevertheless, I supposed it was embarrassing
that we had played so much that we wound up losing track of time.
The kids got tired after having so much fun that they fell asleep, and Cecilia and I were treated to dinner.
“I’m sorry for staying this late…” [Youki]
“It’s fine. The children seemed to enjoy it as well, so you’ve helped me. Please drop by again anytime.” [Davate]
Cecilia and I then left the orphanage after Davate saw us off. While I was walking Cecilia home, I was convinced that today had certainly made a great memory.
“It was really fun today.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, yeah.” [Youki]
130 | P a g e
“It’s fine. You’ve helped me select some nice clothes, and I
acquired some interesting knowledge at the flower shop. The
orphanage was quite a nice experience, too.” [Youki]
“Father Davate has also asked us to come again.” [Cecilia]
Come to think of it, the orphanage kids called Cecilia ‘Holy
Mother’. I got too absorbed in playing with the kids that I had
forgotten to ask her about it. I supposed I could shoot her the
question seeing as we were about to reach her mansion.
“Say, why did the kids call you Holy Mother…” [Youki]
“Youki-san, there are things that are better off left not known in this world, you know? Also things that one prefers not to be
known…” [Cecilia]
It was the best smile I had ever seen… though she didn’t have the cheerful look in her eyes. It seemed that the ‘Holy Mother’ subject was a taboo for Cecilia. I wasn’t sure what happened, but it might be better for me to stop probing too deeply into it.
“Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you for walking me home. Please
take care on your way back.” [Cecilia]
“Ah, yeah. See you, then…” [Youki]
We eventually parted on an awkward note. I had the feeling that I had messed up at the very end. Overall, the date today went well, but I felt that there were just too many overlapping ‘coincidences’.
131 | P a g e
“For the time being, I’ll let Duke know the results of the date today. Also, I’d like to ask him about his dating spots.” [Youki]
It had been a fulfilling and interesting, yet mysterious day. One way or another, today remained to be a memorable day for me, so
the result was overall all right. I made my way home after that, feeling extremely satisfied.
132 | P a g e
Chapter 4: I tried to find out the secret of the
date
The day after the no-plan date. Duke’s date was still plaguing my mind, so I dropped by the knight’s headquarter during lunch break.
“And that’s why, there’s something that I’d like to ask you.”
[Youki]
“What the heck do you mean by ‘and that’s why’… Well, I do
vaguely know what you’re going to ask though. First of all, come into my room.” [Duke]
Duke signalled to me with his head, urging me to come along with him, so I followed Duke. Once we arrived at the room, I was planning to talk about the date yesterday. Even though he told me that he had a date, in actual fact, they were possibly out for training only. And finally, though it was a no-plan date, I’d like to tell him that my date was a success.
“For the time being, I’ll listen to what Captain has to say. I do vaguely know what it’s about already, though.” [Duke]
Duke sat himself on the sofa in the room in a complacent manner.
To date, even though my position was higher, I had lost to him
considerably in terms of maturity… But, just you wait and see. I’ll knock you down a peg.
“We had cakes together yesterday, right?” [Youki]
“Yeah, we had.” [Duke]
133 | P a g e
“After that, I tried to seek your advice about my date, but you went back without giving me any pointers, right?” [Youki]
“Yeah, I did. I had a prior appointment as well… So, how did the date go?” [Duke]
He asked in a seemingly interested manner. Even though it was a
series of overlapping coincidence, it still ended on a happy note, so I told him the result with confidence.
“I’d have to say that it was a huge success. Frankly speaking, I was worried, but I could see a smile on Cecilia’s face at each of our destination.” [Youki]
Cecilia appeared happy yesterday, even as I recalled it at this
moment. I was personally having fun too, so it was a satisfying date for the both of us. That was why I could talk about it proudly like this.
I could tell that there was a smug look on my face at the moment as I recounted yesterday’s date without even looking in the mirror.
“It was a success? Well, that’s a relief. It was worth the trouble here as well then.” [Duke]
Duke patted me on my shoulder as though he was congratulating
me… but, I had a feeling that he just said something strange.
“Say, what do you mean by ‘it was worth the trouble’?” [Youki]
“Ah, you see, to be frank, I was the one who orchestrated the
route of your date yesterday.” [Duke]
“…Hah?” [Youki]
I couldn’t comprehend Duke’s words, so I voiced out loud in a
dumbfounded manner.
134 | P a g e
“Well, I mean, Captain, you went to a second-hand clothing store, flower shop, and orphanage with Cecilia-san, in that order, right?”
[Duke]
“Hold it, hold it. How did you know all the places I went with
Cecilia on our date? And what’s more, in that precise order?!”
[Youki]
Since my mind had yet to calm down, I couldn’t keep up with what was happening. However, even though I was at a loss with the turn of events, Duke ignored me and continued talking.
“As I’ve mentioned before, I was the one who had led you there.”
[Duke]
“How’d you do that?!” [Youki]
We only entered the second-hand clothing store, flower shop, and orphanage because those places were close by. The one who had
proposed to go in those shops was Cecilia as well, and we ended up going to the orphanage only because we encountered the director of the orphanage and the kids. If that director had not left the
orphanage, we wouldn’t have bumped into them… so I could only
sum it up as a coincidence.
“I thought of that strategy after taking Captain and Cecilia-san’s characters into consideration.” [Duke]
“Like I said, could you explain that so-called strategy to me!”
[Youki]
“You sure are impatient… seriously. I’ll explain it to you in order then. First of all, I guess I’ll start from when I parted from Captain.”
[Duke]
135 | P a g e
[Youki]
I could remember that clearly even without him recounting the
event again. I was terribly anxious at that time, not knowing what to do.
“Good grief… That’s a terrible thing to say considering how I had to run around for Captain’s sake after we parted. Do you know hard it was?!” [Duke]
Duke raised his voice a little, possibly because my words had hurt him.
“…You don’t have to blow your top like this. I don’t know about
it.” [Youki]
I shrank back when Duke snapped at me instead. I would usually
try to argue back, but the words wound up getting stuck in my
throat.
“Listen well, ah’ight?! First of all, after we parted, I looked into places that Cecilia-san would like. Then I carried out the plan based on the information acquired.” [Duke]
(
Potato note: just for the lols i’m tempted to keep the ‘ah’ight’ | ED
note: we trolling you guys
)
“What kind of plan?” [Youki]
“The plan was to let Captain tail us on purpose, so I could lead you to those date spots.” [Duke]
136 | P a g e
I was so shocked that I trembled violently. I thought that it was a coincidence, but could it be possible that Duke had me in the palm of his hand?
“But, Duke’s plan is full of holes, isn’t it?” [Youki]
There were just too many uncertain elements; if I had not decided to tail him, or if Cecilia had not proposed to enter those shops. Even though it did succeed in the end, I still couldn’t bring myself to be convinced of it.
“Certainly, part of it was a gamble. But, as I’ve mentioned just now, I had thought of this plan by taking account both of your
personalities, so I don’t think that important part of strategy would fail. Considering Captain’s characteristic, when you’re drove into a corner, I could easily foresee you tailing me when you spotted me on a date so you could use it as a reference.” [Duke]
“So Duke thinks that I’m a simple-minded person whose only idea
was to rely on others?” [Youki]
“You wound up tailing us in the end, didn’t you? There’s no way
you can deny that.” [Duke]
What Duke said was well grounded, so I couldn’t refute his words.
That was because I was quite anxious at that time. I wondered if Duke had foreseen that part as well. Even though he was my former subordinate, he was a frightening guy. Thinking about it, he had known me for a long time, so it shouldn’t that surprising that he could read me that well. I decided to shoot the question from
another angle.
137 | P a g e
“What do you mean when you said you took Cecilia’s personality into account? You didn’t include this point when you explained
earlier.” [Youki]
“Oh, that? Cecilia-san is someone who can read the mood better
than Captain. So, if Captain had suggested to go on a double date, I think she would’ve stopped you. Also, I think she would’ve pulled you into a nearby store if she had encountered us as she didn’t want to intrude on us.” [Duke]
“What the heck are you?!” [Youki]
Certainly, we saw Duke and Irene-san yesterday, but Cecilia tried to be considerate and didn’t make contact with them. She looked
around the place herself instead and found the flower shop.
As Duke became increasingly frightening to me in my mind, his
story went on. The encounter with the director and kids from the orphanage when I was tailing him was not a coincidence either. Duke must have acquired the information about Cecilia’s volunteer work, so he looked into the orphanage’s schedule to find out when they would usually head out.
“What were you planning to do if the people from the orphanage
had decided not to go out that day?” [Youki]
138 | P a g e
“At that time, I would’ve probably instigated them to leave the
orphanage somehow.” [Duke]
“You, no matter what, that might be a little too much.” [Youki]
“I was just kidding.” [Duke]
I could hear laughter coming from the helmet.
Was there something funny? I couldn’t comprehend Duke’s sense
of humour. Or was he trying to gloss over it by laughing? Considering Duke, it was possible. More importantly, what Duke had done was
terrifying. I had never expected that he had our date in the palm of his hand.
“But, Duke. That was a terrible thing you’ve done to Irene-san,
wasn’t it? You brought her to places like the drugstore and dojo just so you could lead us to our date spots, right?” [Youki]
Even though he was doing it for my sake, it wouldn’t do to take
advantage of someone. Irene-san must have been looking forward to her date with Duke as well. She must have places that she’d like to go, too.
“…What are you talking about, Captain? Did you think I’ll take
Irene to places that are not suitable for date for your sake? I
wouldn’t do something like that!” [Duke]
“T-Then why did you bring her to places that aren’t ideal date
spots? Didn’t you bring her to random shops just so you could
accommodate Cecilia and me?” [Youki]
139 | P a g e
Duke was fired up today, unlike usual. Even when I refuted his words, he didn’t back down. Could it be after looking at my current state? Or was it because of the rebuttal?
He ended up heaving a sigh.
“Irene’s an elf, so she’s knowledgeable about medicine. She’s
compounding medicine as her hobby. And, since I’ve acquired some knowledge about medicine from Sheik as well, I was seeking her
advice about the efficiency of medicine and such.” [Duke]
“It’s similar to how I was asking Cecilia about flowers in the flower shop, I guess…” [Youki]
It should be the same in that aspect since we were both listening to our partner talking about their hobbies. Probably, the difference was that one was about medicine and the other was about flowers.
“There was a joint match with the other dojos at the Albert’s
Swordsmanship Dojo, so we went there to watch the match.” [Duke]
“I see…” [Youki]
It should be similar to watching a sports game in my previous life.
As a date spot, it wasn’t not wrong.
“Lastly, we went to the Horseback Archery Field to compete
against each other.” [Duke]
“…It’s like a game.” [Youki]
If I were to put Duke’s itinerary together based on how a date
would be in my past life, it would be like going to a shop that sells something relating to your partner’s hobby, watching a sports game 140 | P a g e
That would normally be considered a date, right?
“I could tell from your face that you’re convinced.” [Duke]
“…Well, I guess.” [Youki]
It was frustrating that I couldn’t refute his words, but it couldn’t be helped since those were unmistakably date spots.
“Then it’s good. Well then, there’s something I’d like to tell you this time.” [Duke]
“Something that you’d like to tell me?” [Youki]
“Yes. I’d like to give you a piece of advice so you won’t encounter the same problem in your future dates.” [Duke]
“True. It would be bad to depend on Duke again.” [Youki]
I shouldn’t be completely reliant on Duke forever. More
importantly, even if I were to achieve my ambition by adhering to everything Duke says, I wouldn’t be happy. I’d like to make Cecilia reciprocate my feelings with my own abilities as much as possible.
“So you understand my point. As expected of Captain. …What I’d
like to tell you is that, you should try to get to know Cecilia-san more.” [Duke]
“About Cecilia? I AM trying to understand more about Cecilia, so you didn’t need to tell me that.” [Youki]
After falling in love with her at first sight and reuniting with her in Minerva, I had gone out on a date and took on a guild mission with her, and I had even gone to Cecilia’s house.
141 | P a g e
“You’re naive. Captain, you probably think that as long you bring a girl to places that girls normally like to go, you could figure out what to do from there. Isn’t that, right? That wouldn’t do.” [Duke]
“Ugh… W-Why’s that?” [Youki]
There was a tremble in my voice since he had hit the mark.
However, I couldn’t comprehend what Duke had said.
Just bring a girl to places that people normally go on dates first, then figure out what to do next from there. Isn’t that how it works?
“You should bring Cecilia-san to places that she would like, not places that girls would normally like.” [Duke]
“…Ahh!” [Youki]
“That was why I made you tail my date with Irene. I thought it
would be better for you to see it with your own eyes rather than just explaining it with words. In your opinion, did Irene look bored?”
[Duke]
“No, she looked like she was having fun…” [Youki]
Even when I tried to probe deep into my mind to recall yesterday’s event when I was tailing Duke, the impression that remained was the smile on Irene-san’s face each time Duke led her to a different place.
It was a true smile, with no sign of falsehood at all.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that my date was perfect since what I said earlier was just my personal opinion. But, I don’t think that I’m wrong when I said that you should get to know more about Cecilia-san.” [Duke]
“About Cecilia…” [Youki]
I could probably try gathering as much information about her as
possible, to a moderate degree, so I wouldn’t end up appearing as a stalker. That information might be useful for me the next time we go out on a date.
144 | P a g e
“Well then, that’s the end of our talk. You’ll have to do your best yourself from hereon, Captain. My break’s over so I’ll have to get back to work.” [Duke]
“Yeah, I understand. Thank you, Duke. You’ve helped me. I’ll see you again.” [Youki]
I bade Duke goodbye and went back to the inn. Upon reaching my
room, I dived into my bed, ignoring Gai’s gaze.
“I need to pull myself together.” [Youki]
My date went well because of Duke. There will be no tailing
someone or another no-plan date again the next time. I must plan my date. To achieve that, I’ll need to put in a lot more effort. It should be a good thing that I had learnt more about love, though, it would seem that I am still no match for Duke for the time being.
145 | P a g e
Side Story ②: I tried making candy
“All right, it’s done!” [Youki]
After finishing my work, I wiped the sweat from my brow.
What lay before my eyes was a flower-crafted candy. This was
what I came up with after agonizing about what I should give Cecilia for White Day. I had received an elaborately-made cake and cookies from her on Valentine’s Day, so it would be a courtesy to return a similarly elaborate gift. Well, I made sure to keep that feeling of gratitude in me as I worked. Naturally, it crossed my mind that it was reckless for someone like me, who had not made any confectionery before, to attempt such a thing, so…
“…Hmm. I think it looks good. Take my word for it.” [Ami]
I pleaded Ami-san, the pastry shop’s pastry chef, for her help, so she could teach me how to make this.
“Thank you. I managed to get the shape right somehow thanks to
your help.” [Youki]
“What I taught you were only the basics. The rest was thanks to
your own effort.” [Ami]
Or so she said, but I had struggled immensely before reaching this point. Ami-san was the one who had given me the advice each time, so that was how I could achieve this great result.
“You’ve really helped me a great deal. But I’ve caused you some
inconvenience, haven’t I? You’ve been spending time all week to
146 | P a g e
“It’s fine since Youki-san’s a regular here. It was personally a good experience as well to teach someone. Besides, compared to brother, it was worth the effort teaching you instead and it was fun.” [Ami]
I was initially worried since there was a problem with my sense of style, but I felt that it was finally completed due to Ami-san’s encouragement as well.
“Hahaha, by the way, is that macho pas… I mean, is Andrei-san still working?” [Youki]
“Looks like it.” [Ami]
While we were having a leisurely chat as we cleaned up the
kitchen, the macho pastry chef, on the other hand, was engrossed in his candy making in silence. I could feel an extraordinary aura
radiating out from him from behind. I had always thought of him as a gag character, but I hadn’t realized that the impression he gave out would be so much different when he worked in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure what kind of masterpiece he was making, but unlike something that was produced by an amatuer like me, what he was making must be something spectacular.
“As I thought, an expert is different. It’s probably their bearing, or how should I put it…” [Youki]
“It hasn’t been long since brother started pastry making, but… I’ve taught him candy crafting the same time as Youki-san.” [Ami]
“Yes, it’s done!” [Andrei]
147 | P a g e
It seemed that he had finally completed it while we were observing him as we cleaned up the kitchen.
I hurried over to see his finished work.
“This is…” [Youki]
The moment I saw it, first and foremost, this was what I
understood. The perfection of his work was in a class of its own, unlike mine. Even though I was still a fledging in the craft, it gave me the strong realization that he was indeed a pastry chef. It was an accurate recreation of the real thing, and a beautifully done one at that. The person who made it seemed satisfied as well.
“Brother, what on earth did you…” [Ami]
Seeing the pleased look on Andrei-san’s face and my reaction,
Ami-san came over, looking intrigued.
“My dear younger sister, my teacher, what do you think of this?
Something that’s not only magnificent, but also beautiful… What else could it be but… muscles!” [Andrei]
What was laid on top of the worktable was a muscular arm made
of candy.
The instant he flexed his own muscles… it was as though the time has stopped. It was a splendid masterpiece.
“Brother…” [Ami]
Probably because Ami-san was at a loss on what to say, her mouth hung open in surprise. Was she angry? Or was she feeling amazed?
Which was it?
148 | P a g e
I had heard her telling him before that if he were to make any potentially good confectionery, they would sell it in the shop.
However, this… could they sell this in the shop? It was no doubt perfect, but… the fact that it was pointlessly beautiful was
aggravating.
“Hmm. It would seem that Ami has approved of it, seeing as
you’ve not said anything.” [Andrei]
The macho pastry chef nodded, drawing the conclusion himself as
he crossed his arms.
Just take a closer look at your own sister! That masterpiece of yours has stunned her so much that she was just rendered speechless.
However, the macho pastry chef ignored Ami-san’s current state
and proceeded to wrap his candy in a familiar manner. He then held it out and offered it to Ami-san, who was still stupefied.
“Sorry for troubling you all these times… This is my token of
gratitude. Please accept it, my dearest sister.” [Andrei]
It was unexpectedly a present for Ami. A look of accomplishment
could clearly be seen on his face. It was simply that Ami, who was still stunned from before, couldn’t hide her astonishment once again from her brother’s sudden action.
“Brother…” [Ami]
I was, at the moment, witnessing a beautiful bond between a
brother and sister. It didn’t seem as if he was playing a prank, but…
No, that wasn’t it. I tried to examine the expressions on both of their faces.
149 | P a g e
The brother, Andrei-san, had a satisfied look on his face. He had probably thought that his element of surprise had succeeded.
The problem lay with the sister, Ami-san… Yeah, it looked as
though she was smiling, but if you were to take a closer look, her lips were actually twitching.
Well, that’s a given.
The very item that made her feel disgusted the moment she first
laid her eyes on was actually a gift for her. Or rather, if he wanted to get her a gift as a token of his appreciation, he should have prepared something much more appropriate.
“That’s so unreliable of him, isn’t it?” [Youki]
I murmured, feeling half-amazed as I cast out the thought about
that inconsiderate, macho pastry chef, who was in a good mood
after giving his sister the present.
“Well… that’s just like brother, or I should say, that’s just how brother is, isn’t it?” [Ami]
Ami-san smiled wryly as she looked at the muscle-shaped candy
given to her. To others, it might seem as if she was hesitating to eat it because it was reproduced exactly like the real thing. Even so, it was unexpected that she could regain her composure so soon after she was given such a thing.
“So you’ve yield in with that, huh?” [Youki]
“Because we’re siblings. We’ve been together for so many years,
so if every single thing he does were to throw me for a loop, the shop’s going to be in chaos.” [Ami]
150 | P a g e
Both of us broke into laughter in that instant. After that, we
continued cleaning up the kitchen as we talked. I then conveyed my thanks to her before returning to the inn. Naturally, I didn’t forget about the flower-crafted candy that I made.
Upon entering the room, I kept the wrapped candy on the shelf
before taking a breather.
Even though Cecilia had eventually rescued me from the feelings
of grief that enveloped me during Valentine’s Day, I had still gone through a terrible sense of emptiness in the course of it. Even though I reached happiness at the end of the road, the dark emotions that washed over me during the process almost made me shed tears of
blood. I didn’t want to go through such an experience once more and I wouldn’t let it happen again either.
That was why, I…
“I will gift it to Cecilia first thing in the morning!” [Youki]
151 | P a g e
As I lay on top of my bed, I made that declaration while clenching my fist. I decided to make the trip as early as I could, although probably not so early that I would wind up troubling her instead. I felt it might be possible for me to witness the pleased yet surprised look on Cecilia’s face tomorrow morning. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep due to my excitement.
I ended up getting over-exhilarated that I rolled around on bed. At that moment, I suddenly heard a sleepy-sounding voice coming from the corner of the room.
“Mmm… What’s with all that racket?”
“Ah, sorry. Did I wake you up?” [Youki]
Gai seemed to be woken up by my proclamation earlier – since I
really had raised my voice due to my overexcitement.
“…So there’s nothing wrong, right?” [Gai]
“Yeah, I was just a little troubled over something. You were
sleeping soundly, right? Sorry about that.” [Youki]
“Hmm, I’ll be able to fall asleep instantly so it’s no big deal. …You seem to be returning late recently. Have you taken care of whatever things you’re doing?” [Gai]
“Yeah, kinda. Leaving that aside, have you prepared it?” [Youki]
“Prepared what?” [Gai]
“Don’t tell me that you don’t know about it?” [Youki]
152 | P a g e
He didn’t seem to be playing dumb either, so it appeared that he really didn’t know about it. Considering Tiel-chan, even if Gai had not given her anything, it was possible that she would still be happy just to be able to be with him… Although, that would be really sad.
I decided to explain about White Day tomorrow to Gai.
“What?… I know nothing about such an event. Tiel had not
mentioned anything to me when she brought the chocolate over last month… I have not prepared anything at all!” [Gai]
“Seriously, you… I can’t believe it. You’ve got to give her
something in return since you’ve received it from her.” [Youki]
“But I don’t have any money to buy anything! I can’t go out either!
What should I do?” [Gai]
It was a rare sight to see Gai looking so agitated. Even though this guy sleeps all the time, he’s someone who would repay his gratitude, so this must have been unpardonable for him. Well, it could be that he was behaving this way because this matter involved Tiel-chan as well.
“It doesn’t have to be a physical item, right? You can prepare the present for her in any way that you’re capable of.” [Youki]
“Mmm…” [Gai]
Since Gai had fallen silent all of a sudden, I couldn’t tell if my words had put him to sleep, or that he was just immersed in his
thoughts. Having given him the advice, I dived into bed to sleep so I would be prepared for tomorrow.
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither 153 | P a g e
◇◆◆◆◇
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
“This looks amazing. Did you really make this?” [Cecilia]
“Ahaha… well yeah.” [Youki]
When Cecilia saw the flower-crafted candy given to her, a mixture of joy and amazement suffused her face. I laughed triumphantly to hide my embarrassment.
Yesterday, as I had went to bed early, I was able to get up early as well to come over to Cecilia’s place in the morning as planned.
Sophia-san, who greeted me when I arrived, gave me a strange look, but it was of no concern to me since Cecilia invited me into her room with a smile.
As Cecilia led me to her room, we bumped into Happiness, who
seemed to cast an envious gaze in Cecilia’s direction. However,
before I knew it, she had already turned on her heels and walked off somewhere – even though she would normally hurl a short abusive
remark at me. Well, I could kind of comprehend the reason. In fact, anyone who understood the situation would know it. I hoped that
Raven would come over as soon as he could. It would be best if this did not end up in the same situation as the previous time; the both of them just ended up looking at one another.(1) They might be comfortable with that emotional distance, but it was an irritating sight for the ones watching over them.
When will Duke’s hard effort come to fruition? I guess it’s not my place to be thinking of this since I’m also contributing to his hardship.
154 | P a g e
“It’s still not as good compared to the chocolate cake and cookie Cecilia made for Valentine’s Day.” [Youki]
“Not at all. The candy crafted by Youki-san is wonderful.” [Cecilia]
“It feels embarrassing to be praised that much…” [Youki]
Probably due to the candy, a sweet atmosphere seemed to have
enveloped the room. The one week of effort was definitely well
worth it if I could create this feeling.
No, I should cease such a calculative thought. I should go for a more simple one, like… White Day is the best!
Because such happy moments would not last long, and…
“Good morning, Cecilia! Sophia-san tried to stop me, but there’s something that I absolutely need to give you…” [???]
Such a notion was probably related to this lucky pervert, who
entered the room without first knocking on the door. This might
have not mattered, but an annoying bug (to me) had come into the picture. The moment he opened the door, the refreshing smile on his face went stiff. I guess I was probably a nuisance in his eyes, too.
Let me just say what I wanted to for now.
“Will you knock first before entering…” [Youki]
It is a courtesy to knock first before entering a lady’s room.
“Good morning, Yuuga-san. Please be more careful the next time.
…I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve told you this already.”
[Cecilia]
155 | P a g e
Cecilia, being kind as always, gave him only a light reprimand. The warning should have stuck to one’s mind if one were to be cautioned time and again. If it were me, I would have blown my top, but
probably because Cecilia was kind, she let him off with only a
warning.
“Ah, um, sorry. I’ll be careful the next time. So, what is Youki-kun doing in Cecilia’s room? What’s more, being in this room this early in the morning…” [Yuuga]
“Too close! You’re being too close! Get farther away from me! I’m just here to give Cecilia my White Day gift.” [Youki]
Yuuga was gradually bringing his face closer to me, so I had to tell him off. He might be a good-looking guy(2), but I have absolutely no interest in guys.
“No way… for you to have beaten me to it.” [Yuuga]
Yuuga collapsed onto his hands and knees – a dark aura coming off him(3). Upon closer look, I noticed that he was holding onto something like a bag. Come to think of it, Cecilia had given out cookies to all the ones who had taken care of her in a way during Valentine’s Day, so Yuuga had possibly received it from Cecilia too.
…They were from the same party, so he was no doubt her close
acquaintance, I guess. Though, rather than Cecilia being in his care, it was probably the other way round.
“Ah, looks like someone’s ahead of you. I had never expected that there’ll be another oddball, aside from Yuuga, who would wake up early just to give a White Day gift first thing in the morning.” [???]
“Sorry for being an oddball.” [Youki]
156 | P a g e
Wherever Yuuga is, Mikana’ll likely be there too. Did she come along as his nursemaid or something?
“Yea. Just like Valentine’s Day, there’ll be an event held for Yuuga to hand out his White Day gift, so to prevent the same thing from happening once again, I decided to go along with Yuuga to the
venue.” [Mikana]
“Come to think of it, something like that did happen…” [Youki]
I looked at Yuuga, who was still in a state of shock, on the floor.
What the heck is this guy? It’s not that he’s an idol.
“Raven-san and the other knights had quelled the commotion the
last time, hadn’t they? So, wouldn’t it be better to arrange for guards to be stationed there in advance this time?” [Cecilia]
“That’s true. If it might end up troublesome, then it’s better to summon them beforehand.” [Youki]
As Raven had to rush to the scene to suppress the commotion the
previous time, Happiness got the opportunity to give him the
chocolate. However, such a disturbance shouldn’t happen in the first place, so it would be better to make a proper preparation.
“I’ve got that part taken care of already. I’ve asked Swordsman to have the knights keep watch over the event venue.” [Mikana]
“I guess we don’t need to be worried about it then…?” [Youki]
Since it was Yuuga, the flag-maker, we were talking about, I had a premonition that something would still happen somehow. Well, even if it were to happen, it had nothing to do with me anyway.
157 | P a g e
“By the way… how long are you going to keep looking
downhearted like that? Look, we don’t have much time here so could you hurry up and hand it to her!” [Mikana]
“Uuu… I got it, Mikana. Cecilia, this is my White Day gift for you. I actually wanted to be the first one to give you your White Day
present, but…” [Yuuga]
This damn guy threw me a casual, fleeting glance. I understood
that he was jealous, but was it alright for a hero to be behaving this way?
“It’s not about who being the first one that matters. I handed out the confectioneries only because I feel grateful for what all of you have done.” [Cecilia]
“Eh, really?! T-Then, this…” [Yuuga]
What he took out from the bag, which he was holding in a
cherishing manner, was a normal robe. To be honest, when I recalled the incident at the accessory shop the last time, it made me lost interest. I had expected that he would take out a gaudy-looking
‘gorgeous’ item. Cecilia appeared surprised the moment he passed it to her as well, probably because she had the same thought as me.
“This is a lovely robe. Thank you very much.” [Cecilia]
“I’m glad that you like it.” [Yuuga]
Was it just me who felt that there was something oddly pleasant
going on between the two of them? It gave me the urge to move
between them and break it up.
158 | P a g e
It’s written all over your face.” [Mikana]
“Seriously? That’s dangerous. Put on a poker face, a poker face…
Alright, here I go!” [Youki]
“Here I go, my ass!” [Mikana]
I was planning to make my move after putting on a deadpan
expression, but I was interrupted by Mikana once again. This
obstacle kept me from trying to obstruct them… though I was indeed in the wrong.
“What? Don’t you also feel like breaking that feeling between
them? Are you just going to watch and do nothing?” [Youki]
“That is certainly true… but, I don’t want to get in Yuuga’s way.
Cecilia seems to be laughing happily too… I don’t want to break that up!” [Mikana]
After she became friends with Cecilia and reconciled with Yuuga, she might have needed to sort her heart out a bit. It might have been a good thing if she were to concentrate on working on her own
romantic situation… but, she might have felt that it was wrong to get in the way when the person she loves was smiling. Mikana’s way of thinking might have some truth in it. Well, I guess it was natural as I was in the wrong.
“I got it. I’ll just let nature take its course.” [Youki]
“…I’m surprised. I’ve not expected that you’d really hold yourself back. I had thought that you’d insist in it even after I stopped you.”
[Mikana]
“Hold on, you.” [Youki]
159 | P a g e
The exchange with Mikana made me feel as though I was
performing a manzai(4) with her. At that moment, Yuuga and Cecilia finished their conversation.
“Mikana, could I have a minute with you?” [Yuuga]
“What is it? Are you planning to go to the venue now?” [Mikana]
“No, that’s not it. I’ve received Mikana’s Valentine gift as well, so I’d like to give you something in return…” [Yuuga]
“Eh?!” [Mikana]
Mikana’s face suddenly turned red.
I went close to Cecilia, deciding to observe the course of events.
“Hero-sama seems to have prepared one for Mikana-san as well.”
[Cecilia]
“I’ve not expected him to give it to her at this time. As expected of Hero.” [Youki]
Right after giving a present to the girl he liked, he went over to another girl to give her a present too, as one would only expect from a hero. Had he been planning to give it to Mikana for some time
now, but wanted Cecilia to be the first to receive it? Well, at any rate, Mikana’s effort was rewarded.
“As I am always in your care… this is a token of my gratitude!”
[Yuuga]
160 | P a g e
Having said so, he took something from his bag. What crossed my mind when I saw what he had taken out, was “Now this guy has gone and done it.”
What Yuuga had prepared for Mikana was a clothing for
magicians. To be more precise, it looked like something tailored for Magical Girls(5); It was frilly, white and pink, and adorned with cute-looking ribbons.
…No matter I looked at it, this seemed like a prank.
“You see, I went to the marketplace by myself on my day off.
Then, when I found this, I was suddenly struck by a bolt; This is perfect! Based on what the uncle merchant said, this seems to be worn by foreign magicians. So then…” [Yuuga]
“Let’s go…” [Cecilia]
Even though Yuuga was still in the middle of his story, Cecilia
gripped my hand and led me out of the room. Mikana’s expression
was exceedingly complex, to say the least; a mixture of joy and anger washed across her face.
Probably because Cecilia shared the same sentiment at Mikana at this moment, she whispered to Mikana, telling her to take her time, before we left the room. The instant we stepped out and shut the door, Mikana’s bone-chilling voice could be heard from the inside.
“…He’s screwed up.” [Youki]
“…I agree.” [Cecilia]
“Gai’d like to prepare something to give Tiel-chan today, so I’ll be heading back to the inn to see what he got her. How about Cecilia?”
[Youki]
“Let me come along with you then.” [Cecilia]
“Then, let’s go.” [Youki]
I decided to leave Yuuga, who had messed-up, to his fate, and
brought Cecilia back to the inn.
◇◆◆◆◇
“I might have brought you along with me on a whim, but are you
free today?” [Youki]
“Yes. I don’t have anything planned today.” [Cecilia]
“I’m glad then.” [Youki]
While talking with Cecilia, we made our way back to the inn’s
room, where Gai was waiting. Before leaving the mansion, I had
checked with Sophia-san to see if Tiel-chan was around. Since I was told that she had went out, I assumed that she had went to where Gai was.
163 | P a g e
“I wonder what Gai has prepared for her. He didn’t even leave the room… rather, he couldn’t leave the room at all, so it shouldn’t be possible for him to acquire anything for her.” [Youki]
“Since it’s Gai-san we’re talking about, he must have thought of something.” [Cecilia]
“Hmmm…” [Youki]
In the end, I still couldn’t figure it out even after reaching the inn.
I led Cecilia to the room.
“…Strange. I can’t hear any conversation coming from the inside.”
[Youki]
Initially, I had intended to eavesdrop on their conversation first by strengthening by sense of hearing. Irritating lovey-dovey
conversations, that would literally drive me up the wall, would
normally reach my ears, but…
“Maybe Tiel-chan’s not here yet?” [Cecilia]
“I wonder. At any rate, let’s go in.” [Youki]
I opened the door and went inside the room. However, the
moment I stepped in, I was greeted by an unexpected sight; Tiel-
chan was lying in bed, asleep, while Gai was beside her.
“Gaiiiiii-!!” [Youki]
“Mmuuah!?” [Gai]
I pointed at Gai as I shouted out, a smug look(6) on my face.
Probably because he was startled by my sudden yell, Gai jumped up in fright, but when he looked over in our direction, he looked
164 | P a g e
“Mmm… so it’s you brat, and that cleric girl. I was shocked
because the door was opened all of a sudden. Well, I feel relieved now since it’s you guys. It would have been dangerous if the ones who entered were people I don’t know.” [Gai]
“Yeah, it was certainly dangerous… but, to me, it seems like
there’s something that’s even more dangerous going on.” [Youki]
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” [Gai]
“That’s… you, you damn lolicooooon–!!” [Youki]
“Youki-san, calm down!” [Cecilia]
Cecilia tried to soothe me when I tried to attack Gai. It took a fair amount of time before the commotion subsided. In the end, my
room was in shambles, and I was preached by Cecilia. The only
consolation was that no one came by even after we caused such an uproar… I was glad that the thing I feared most didn’t happen.
“Hey, cleric girl. At this rate, you might as well keep preaching this brat till the dusk sets in. Else it’ll only be half-ass.” [Gai]
“That’s true. I think Youki-san has reflected on his actions already.
Since Gai-san says so, then…” [Cecilia]
“I’m really sorry. I won’t misunderstand anymore, I won’t make a racket anymore, I won’t mention the word lolicon anymore, so
please forgive me.” [Youki]
I prostrated myself on the floor from my seiza posture.
Please just spare me from more preaching.
165 | P a g e
Probably because my desperate apology had reached her, I was finally released from the sermon. My legs had gone numb after
sitting in seiza for a long time, but I still managed to get to my feet somehow.
“…Tiel-chan’s still sleeping even after all that ruckus?” [Youki]
The person in question was sound asleep in bed, breathing
peacefully. Judging from the tranquil look on her face, she was
probably having a nice dream.
“I made her sleep with my magic, so she’ll probably not wake up
for a while.” [Gai]
“Eh? Gai-san put her to sleep on purpose?” [Cecilia]
“As I thought, you must…” [Youki]
‘…must have been trying to attack her’ was what I was about to
say, but I was forced to shut my mouth abruptly. I would risk facing another long sermon if I were to say the wrong thing again and we would not be able to get the story going.
“Mmm… What is it?” [Gai]
“No, nothing. There must be a reason why you put her to sleep,
right?” [Youki]
“Of course. This is my White Day gift to Tiel.” [Gai]
“”Eh?”” [Youki & Cecilia]
Cecilia and I exclaimed in unison.
Putting someone to sleep as a present? What did he mean by
that?
166 | P a g e
“Ah, was it ‘Nightmare Sleep’? It’s your speciality.” [Youki]
I would never forget that radical dream I had that resulted from Gai’s ‘Nightmare Sleep’. Probably because he noticed the negative thoughts in my mind, Gai faced Cecilia instead, and resumed his
explanation.
“Y-You see, I can manipulate a person’s dream to some extent
with my magic.” [Gai]
“You can do something like that?! …Then what kind of dream are
you showing Tiel-chan?” [Cecilia]
“It’s probably a dream where Tiel-chan goes on an outing with
Gai.” [Youki]
That would be what Tiel-chan wanted to do most of all. However,
Gai shook his head, refuting my statement.
“…I showed her a dream of her grandmother. There’s no reason to
make her dream of me, is there? You can still meet someone who’s alive, but you’ll not be able to meet someone who’s dead.” [Gai]
“Is that so.” [Youki]
“But, can you change a person’s dream as you wish that easily?”
[Cecilia]
Cecilia’s doubt was well-founded… However, as I had personally
experienced it once, it was definitely possible to me.
“Preparations are naturally required. When Tiel came over, I had her talked about her grandmother for a while. And, by making use of 167 | P a g e
“Hey, hold on a minute. You didn’t make any preparation in my
case?” [Youki]
“That just shows how simple your mind is, brat. Your mind’s filled with worldly desires.” [Gai]
Gai laughed, while Cecilia, on the other hand, tilted her head in wonder as she wasn’t aware of the incident.
…There is no way I’m going to forget this humiliation. I’ll
remember this grudge.
“Though it’s fine to dwell on the past, it’s equally important to focus on the present, isn’t it?” [Youki]
“T-That’s true…” [Cecilia]
“U-Umm…” [Gai]
The two of them seemed puzzled, probably because I had spouted
out something decent all of a sudden. Cecilia aside, Gai, that damn guy, agreed as well.
“Like I was saying, Tiel-chan would like a present from Gai as well.
So, do your best, and bring her out on a date.” [Youki]
“…What?” [Gai]
I gave him a thumbs up in a light-hearted manner. Gai’s mouth
was wide open, looking dumbfounded while Cecilia gave me her side of opinion.
“Youki-san, considering Tiel-chan, I think it is undoubtedly a good idea, but it’s not realistically…” [Cecilia]
168 | P a g e
“Cecilia, I don’t think something like this is impossible. I want to grant Tiel-chan’s wish!” [Youki]
My overbearing zeal made Cecilia wince.
Even though half of my motive was to get my revenge on Gai, it
was no lie that I wanted to fulfil Tiel-chan’s wish. It was definitely her wish to have a date with Gai. There was no doubt about it to me
considering the overflowing passion she had shown.
“Hold it, hold it, hold it right there! Don’t go on with the
conversation yourself while disregarding Tiel and me!” [Gai]
“Tch, it’s not like it’s a huge issue…” [Youki]
I continued persuading Cecilia after this, trying to make her my accomplice, but just as I was about to succeed, my plan was
disrupted. While I was arguing with Gai, Tiel-chan could be heard sleep talking.
“Grandma…” [Tiel]
Tiel-chan murmured in her sleep as she rolled over in bed. Gai
sneered at me as though he was telling me, “You see that?”
However, the next word that came out of her mouth wasn’t her
grandmother.
“…Guardian Deity-sama.” [Tiel]
Even though she should be sound asleep, she had a smile on her
face; it was the same smile she always has whenever she was with Gai.
I smirked as I nudged him with my elbow.
169 | P a g e
“You’re loved, aren’t you, Guardian Deity-sama? I knew it. The final verdict, you’ll be taking her out on a date.” [Youki]
“…I’ll change it with my magic. So …get out of here!!” [Gai]
It appeared that I had gone overboard with my practical joke, so Cecilia and I were kicked out of the room.
“We’ve been driven out.” [Cecilia]
“But, that’s my room…” [Youki]
“There’s no helping it for now. It seems that we’ll not be able to return to the room for some time, so why don’t we go back to the mansion?” [Cecilia]
“We just got here too. Sorry.” [Youki]
I decided to put my abashed feeling aside and returned to Cecilia’s place.
On our way back, we happened upon a long queue in the plaza – a
queue consisting mainly of girls. As that sight gave me the sense of impending trouble, I decided not to make a stop and headed directly to the mansion.
Upon reaching our destination, a question suddenly arose in my
mind as we were passing through the gate, so I asked Cecilia.
“Come to think of it, did Sophia-san receive her White Day gift?”
[Youki]
“I’ve not heard anything about it. It’s possible that she has not received it yet.” [Cecilia]
170 | P a g e
The person who would be delivering Sophia-san’s White Day gift was, needless to say, her husband, Clayman. On Valentine’s Day, he was stuffing his face with chocolate in the guild as he spouted all those sappy lines. So, regardless of how lackadaisical Clayman was, he should have given her a gift… probably.
“That guy has committed similar offence before…” [Youki]
Clayman had once put off buying a wedding anniversary gift for
Sophia-san, which made her angry, and it exploded from there. He had committed the worst offence – not only had he omitted to buy a present; he had also not spent time with her on that day.
“I don’t think Clayman’s that bad… Anyway, let’s go to where
Sophia-san is.” [Cecilia]
The Clayman Cecilia knew was from the time when we had taken
the guild mission together, so she didn’t have a bad impression of him so far. He was certainly not a bad guy. He was just too lazy.
Cecilia took me to the room where Sophia-san was. After knocking on the door, she waited for Sophia-san’s acknowledgement before
entering.
“Uwaa…” [Youki]
“That’s amazing…” [Cecilia]
The instant we stepped into the room, six buckets of cookies
entered our line of sights. Sophia-san could be seen eating those cookies one by one, as though it was just another day of work for her.
“Cecilia ojou-sama, welcome back. I’ll go prepare lunch now.”
[Sophia]
171 | P a g e
“…These are White Day gift from my husband.” [Sophia]
Sophia-san sighed as she explained, looking at those cookies as
she did so.
That Clayman, did he think that it would be fine as long as he presented the gift in a large quantity? Hadn’t he considered if Sophia-san would be able to finish them?
“That guy, what on earth was he thinking?” [Youki]
I couldn’t understand him at all.
“It’s probably because he’s not used to making these. My husband might be a genius, but cooking is a different story. I think it’s likely that he couldn’t get them quite right, so he had his shikigami helped him.”
“That guy, he’s an idiot, isn’t he?” [Youki]
So that was how he ended up with these large amounts of cookies, wrapped them up and gave them all to her?
The whole episode made Cecilia smile bitterly as well.
However, I noticed something peculiar. Even though Sophia-san
was chatting with us as she ate, she would select the cookies before eating them.
“It’s really… just like him.” [Sophia]
Sophia-san looked at the cookie in her hand with a slight smile on her face. Could it be that she was picking out only cookies that were made by Clayman?
172 | P a g e
[Youki]
“Youki-san, what’s wrong?” [Cecilia]
It seemed that Cecilia wasn’t aware that Sophia-san was hand-
picking the cookies.
“If you don’t get me then it’s fine. Sophia-san, please excuse us.”
[Youki]
“Yes. Ojou-sama, let me know at once if anything happens.”
[Sophia]
“Eh? Ah, yes. Please excuse us then, Sophia-san.” [Cecilia]
I had once again discovered how amazing Sophia-san was.
◇◆◆◆◇
I had not decided on where I should go after that, so I took a walk around the mansion with Cecilia.
“Which reminds me, Sheik should have received a chocolate from
Celia-san on Valentine’s Day. Did he prepare anything for Celia-san?”
[Youki]
Though he was still a child, it would be a courtesy to return a
favour. Even a handmade item would have been alright if he didn’t have any money.
“If I’m not mistaken, he had blended medicinal herbs that are
effective in preserving beauty and soothing stiff necks into a tea for mother.” [Cecilia]
173 | P a g e
[Youki]
I had not expected that he would prepare such a tasteful gift.
“Mother was very pleased. She immediately drank it and said it
was delicious. Sheik-kun looked happy too.” [Cecilia]
“I see. Sheik seems to have familiarized himself with the people around. I suppose there’s no need for me to be worried anymore.”
[Youki]
It was good that everyone seemed to have a great White Day. I
had wondered if there was anyone who ended up in the same state
as the me last Valentine’s Day, but it appeared to be fine. There was no need to be worried about Duke, while Raven was…
“Ah!” [Youki]
“What’s wrong?” [Cecilia]
“Come to think of it, Mikana had mentioned that she had
requested the knights to keep watch over the venue because of
Yuuga’s White Day event, right?” [Youki]
“Yes, indeed…” [Cecilia]
If that was the case, judging from the scale of the event and how this was related to the hero, the captain of the knights, Raven, would surely be required to be present there. By the looks of that queue, it wasn’t sure when the event would end, so Raven would be late by
the time he reaches Happiness’s side.
…The event should have not started yet, right?
“Cecilia, let’s bring Happiness over to where Raven is.” [Youki]
174 | P a g e
“I should still be able to make it now!” [Youki]
“Like I said, what do-” [Cecilia]
I brought Cecilia along as I ran, and seized Happiness, who was in the middle of her work, before going over to Sophia-san to explain the circumstances. When I tried to request her permission to give Happiness a break for the sake of the latter’s love life, I received a flying chop from behind. In the end, I finally got her consent after asking Cecilia to cooperate with me. The prerequisite was that
Happiness needed to finish her cleaning by today.
“…Explanation.” [Happiness]
“None! Just go change your clothes for now! We’ll be heading out at once.” [Youki]
“…Where to?” [Happiness]
“To where Raven is. Cecilia, sorry but could you lend me a
carriage?” [Youki]
“Leave it to me. I’ll arrange it now.” [Cecilia]
“…Air.(7)” [Happiness]
Happiness, who was at a loss on what was going on, changed her
clothes and came along with us after boarding the carriage prepared by Cecilia.
If you are reading this on any other place than
rinkagetranslation.com, this chapter has been stolen and is neither the most recent or complete chapter.
175 | P a g e
“Oi, Duke.” [Youki]
“Ah, is that you, Captain? What are you doing here? Being here
will only make you feel aggravated, won’t it?” [Duke]
“What do you mean by that? Is it because Yuuga’s here? Or are
you implying that I’m an unattractive guy… the heck, it’s not the time for this.” [Youki]
It wasn’t the time for me to be giving him my usual retort.
I explained to Duke the circumstances at once.
“Ah, so that’s the case. That’s a huge help then. When I gave Irene her White Day gift a while ago, Raven was looking at us with an
extremely envious expression on his face as he mumbled, ‘I envy
you, Duke. You get to give it to her,’ in a sorrowful tone.” [Duke]
“I knew it…” [Youki]
It wasn’t only Happiness, even Raven was… it was probably more
serious in Raven’s case. Bringing Happiness here was probably the right thing to do. Based on what Duke said, if anything were to
happen in this event, Raven’s own condition would probably render him incapable of dealing with it. It was precisely because the event was for Yuuga, the flag-maker, that Raven should have gotten a grip on himself.
“But since Happiness is here, it should be fine, right?” [Duke]
“Ah, probably.” [Youki]
“Youki-san.” [Cecilia]
176 | P a g e
Even though Cecilia should have been on standby with Happiness,
the latter was nowhere to be found.
“Cecilia, where did Happiness go?” [Youki]
“Actually, while the two of us were waiting for Youki-san, we saw Raven-san, who was conducting the final round of patrol.” [Cecilia]
“Is that true? I’m glad then.” [Duke]
Probably because Duke had assumed that there was no need for
him to be worried anymore, his usual calm composure returned.
“But a slight problem has occurred… Could you come along?”
[Cecilia]
“Yeah, I understand.” [Youki]
Duke came along with Cecilia as well as he was curious on what
was going on.
We eventually reached a deserted alley and peeked out from
around the corner. Raven and Happiness were there.
“Don’t tell me that it’s Raven who can’t bring himself to give the White Day gift this time?” [Duke]
The same thing happened on the previous Valentine’s Day when
Happiness couldn’t summon the courage to give Raven the gift. Duke had also been there, so he assumed that a similar situation was
unfolding now.
“No, Raven-san gave Happiness-chan the present the instant she
approached him.” [Cecilia]
177 | P a g e
I peeked out once more to spy on them.
It looked as though they were staring at each other, but, upon
closer observation, I could see that Raven was actually looking at the box of the present he had given, while Happiness, on the other hand, was glancing alternately at Raven then back at the box.
“…It seems that Raven-san is waiting for Happiness-chan to open his gift while Happiness-chan is at a loss on what to do.” [Cecilia]
“There’s a limit to how pure one can be–!!” [Youki]
I couldn’t endure it anymore, so I tried to approach them with
thoughts of opening the gift for them, but Duke and Cecilia held me back.
In the end, I received a second preaching from Cecilia. Raven ran out of time as well, so he didn’t get to see Happiness’s reaction. All hell broke loose among the crowd of girls, most likely because of that flag-maker, as always. The knights then brought the situation under control and the event somehow managed to come to an end.
As I was able to spend my White Day with Cecilia, the result was probably alright in my opinion. Although, in my mind, I felt that something must be done, and soon, about Raven and Happiness.
Komentar
Posting Komentar