| Author: SS Samurai | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: rm31439 | English Source: Re:Library |
“And this is the place where the two of you took your meals.”
“Wow… As I though, this place is also awfully opulent…!
Sakura was looking at the castle’s interior together with Kyrian. She had seen roughly two fifths of it, when they arrived at the dining hall. No matter where she looked, everything seemed extravagant, and she couldn’t help but move he gaze here and there, trying to catch sight of as many pretty things as possible.
“Sakura, I heard that Kanata gave you his share of dessert every single day, didn’t he?”
“Eh… uhm, I… I can’t resist sweets. Heh-heh-heh.”
“Ha-ha… I see, I see.”
Kyrian gazed at Sakura, as if she was watching something amusing. The girl was sensitive to this. Back on Earth, she had noticed this look from classmates several times.
“W-What’s with that look? Why are you looking at me like this, each time Kanata comes up in our talk!?”
“No, no… I truly think that the two of you get along well. Though that’s only expected of people in a relationship…”
“A-About that, to be honest, Kanata was lying! Since it was more convenient at the time… that’s what he said…”
When she saw Sakura frantically deny being in a relationship, Kyrian’s grin only grew larger.
“I see, I see… I assume that was also because of your poor eyesight…? He’ll be a good groom to whoever he marries in the future! Though I can’t say… who that’ll be.”
“W-Wha-!? I… I d-don’t think… l-l-l-like that… about Kanata! Certainly, he’s… P-Please don’t tease me like that.”
“Hey, you’re fumbling your words a lot, you know. That makes it sound like you mean the opposite. Besides, he does seem to like you. Obviously in a romantic sense.”
When she heard that, Sakura blushed for the nth time since healing her eyes.
“H-How? How can you be so sure about that!?” she replied after strongly shaking her head.
“First of all, if he didn’t like you, he’d never saved up a veritable fortune of 1.2 million bells just for you, you know? Moreover, while he did that, he was always worrying about you, wasn’t he?”
“But… but… that’s because Kanata and I are childhood friends… very good friends… right, nothing but good friends. To begin with, someone like me wouldn’t…”
Sakura fidgeted, as her voice gradually grew smaller. Kyrian perceived that something was bothering the girl, so she called out to her.
“You’re worrying about something, aren’t you, Sakura?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Kyrian ignored Sakura’s reply and continued speaking.
“What is it? Let me hear your worries. At any rate, it’s likely about Kanata. You can rely on me; I’ve read close to 100 romance novels! I know all the ins and outs about love.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, you have to! Come to my room! It’s decided, we’ll interrupt our tour so you can tell me everything that concerns you! I won’t let you go back until you tell me, you see?”
“W-Wha~!?”
Pulled along strongly by her hand, Sakura was whisked away to a vacant room. Kyrian then locked the door.
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“…and that’s about it… Rather than someone like me, Kanata should have a better partner…”
Resigned to the fact that Kyrian really wouldn’t let her go back until she did as asked, Sakura told her about her worries and regrets.”
“I see. Still, aren’t you overthinking things here? From what I’ve seen about you, you’re an honest and nice girl. Besides, isn’t it only natural that you’d lash out at him after he saw you in such an embarrassing outfit…?”
“No… uhm… it wasn’t only on that occasion… Before we came to this world, there were several times, when I hurled abuse at him…”
Sakura recounted the times when she had taken that attitude.
“I see. Still, it’s not like Kanata dislikes you, he’s staying together with you… Isn’t that true?”
“T-That’s because he’s so gentle! Even though he’s done all these things for me, I never…”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be the best choice to stay together with him in the future to repay his kindness? To leave without ever making it up to him… that would be pretty selfish, you know.”
Leaving him, regardless of what he had done for her, just since she didn’t want to cause him any more trouble, was selfish. Up to this point, Sakura had never thought about it like this. Kyrian’s words came like a bolt from the blue.
“You… you’re right… But even if I stay with him, I will only cause him more trouble!”
“Wouldn’t that be fine from his perspective? I’m sure you remember how he talked to Kruzel, right? If Kanata doesn’t like something, he’ll say so. If he didn’t enjoy being together with you, he’d have said so by now, right?”
Sakura shook her head with a look of realization.
“In that case, shouldn’t it be fine?”
“Still…”
“Besides, you also have feelings for him, don’t you? If you saw him be clearly intimate with another girl… could you stay calm?”
“Impossible…”
“Once he has another girl, he’ll put you out of his mind… forget about you1… and then live happily. Of course, you wouldn’t be part of that life. Is that… what you want, Sakura?”
“I’d hate something like that… truly…” Sakura replied, while looking downward and shaking her head strongly. “But, but… I… I can’t do anything for him.”
“That isn’t the case, you see. You can be together with him, can’t you? That’s something only you can do for him.”
“Just being together with him?”
Kyrian silently nodded.
“I wonder, is that really something I can do for him?”
“Yes. Since you couldn’t see, you likely didn’t notice, but during weapon training, while you ate, even when he consulted with the king, he worried about you and kept an eye on what happened in your vicinity. If that isn’t love, then what is? If I had to guess, I’d say that you’re Kanata’s source of strength.”
“Is… is that so…?”
After that, Kyrian told her in detail to the best of her knowledge what Kanata had done while Sakura could see. She did exaggerate some parts, but almost everything she said was true. While Sakura was inwardly embarrassed by those tales, she listened in silence.
“I… I understand. I’ll try to stay even closer to Kanata. Still… I don’t want him always just doing things for me…”
“In that case, use your charm as a woman. Boys are weak to that. Just by getting close to him, you’ll make him happy, right?”
“I… I don’t have anything like charm…!”
“Hm~? You’re saying such things with how you look? That goes beyond just being humble, it’s like you’re making fun of all the other women out there. Moreover…” Kyrian intently looked at Sakura’s chest. “You know that you are more developed than other girls your age, don’t you…?”
“Eh… uhm… I-I guess that’s true, but…”
“If you’re not careful, several of the women in my squad might… A-hem. If you don’t have charm, then not a single woman in the world has.”
“Is… is it… that extreme?”
Once more, Sakura found another reason to blush. As a matter of fact, both her looks and her physical development were good. It was only natural that Kanata, who found himself in a tight embrace with such a girl on a nightly basis, proved unable to sleep.
“Yes, that’s why… from now on, why don’t you try to get closer to him physically and wear clothes that show more skin? Get rid of your shyness when it comes to him.”
“U-Understood, I’ll try that! As long as it’s for Kanata.”
“Yes, that’s good. Great, then let’s continue our tour through the castle.”
“Alright!”
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After Kanata and Sakura had left, Loukis and Dace held a conversation in the throne room.
“…She gained power on a level able to restore lost body parts…?” Loukis mused. “Their true power has already surpassed S-Rank, hasn’t it? At this rate, it might be almost impossible to kill the girl.”
“Oh-ho… you are right~… I wonder, how will we send Kanata into a rage, then?”
For those two, it had come as a shock, not that Sakura’s eyes had been healed, but that she had gained the power to do so herself. Gain more power… that’s what they had told them, but now the kids ended up getting so powerful, they might no longer be able to control them.
Loukis and Dace would have been fine with it, if it had only been Kanata, who grew this strong.
“It might not be impossible to torment her… though that would also be rather difficult.”
“To begin with, is there ever a moment when Kanata takes his eye off her and leaves her completely alone?” Dace asked.
“There isn’t. Damn… We want to use Kanata, but he himself is the biggest obstacle to achieving that… an unexpected contradiction.”
“Indeed.”
“Well~… that’s not a huge issue, y’know? All that matters is that I steal the body of that brat called Kanata, right?”
The black god cut into their discussion from within the spear.
“Do you have some kind of plan, Black God?” Loukis asked him.
“Yes… That said, I gotta keep MY method a secret for now. So, I can’t tell you guys, y’see.”
“…Ho-ho-ho, ultimately, you need only cooperate with us. You may do as you please, Lord Surtr.”
“Heh, and that I‘ll do!”
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The two kids were treated to lunch and dinner, until the time for them to return to the apartment, Loukis had provided them with, finally came.
“Goodbye. Please come here again.”
“Yes, some time soon. See you.”
“See you again.”
Kanata had spent the whole day having mock competitions with Kruzel. Incidentally, the latter had acted rather immaturely and did nothing but spam “Secret … Technique” skills during those matches.
The completely exhausted boy took Sakura’s hand and was about to teleport.
“Oh, please wait, Kanata!”
She stopped him, as she nuzzled up tightly against him. Holding his arms much more strongly than before, she stuck closely to him, to the point where he could feel the sensation of two soft things.
“H-Hang on… Sakura? Uhm… what are you doing?”
“Well~… I was just thinking… that I’d like to walk back to our apartment today.”
“Oh… well, sure. Gotcha, I don’t mind.”
As soon as she heard his reply, Sakura sent a smile towards Kyrian. The older woman returned it with a smile of her own.
On that day, Sakura and Kanata walked back happily to their home.
TL notes:
I guess it’s a good thing that Kyrian helped Sakura be more aware of how she feels about Kanata and what she wants for the future, but I can’t help but think that a lot of her advice will end up causing him grief. He already got easily embarrassed by what Sakura did up to this point, and now she’ll try to get even more physical? At this rate, she’ll end up giving that poor teenager a heart-attack.
Footnotes:
- The original is 他の女とサクラの事を頭の片隅に追いやって…忘れて…,
and because of the 他の女と (“and other girls/women”) part, I assume she means a scenario where he would be living happily without being in any relationship. Though it might also be that he’ll forget about Sakura and live happily with someone else.Thanks to Kemm for explaining how the と works here.
