novelleonline Chapter 165: That’s All
Chapter 165: That’s All
Rosemarie paid attention to him; her mouth was full, like a squirrel’s.
"Why did you want to go on a date with me? I’ve started asking myself that, but I couldn’t figure out why."
She nodded, swallowed her food, and wiped her lips with a red handkerchief she pulled from her cape.
"Because you’re very cute."
"Because I’m... what?"
"Cute. Out of everyone surrounding you, you were the most adorable of all. You were very cute, and I wanted to get to know you. But even though I told you a lot about myself, you didn’t tell me anything about yourself. I found that strange, but you seem like a person who’s too distant, even with yourself."
Mitsuki turned his gaze back toward the city.
A gentle breeze lightly stirred his hair.
’Why can everyone read me so easily? That’s going to kill me someday...’
He pushed those thoughts aside and answered.
"I was never the type of person who talked much with others. To be honest, I’m used to being alone, so over time I lost my ability to socialize properly. Just the fact that I never knew how to respond whenever you talked to me should tell you how serious my problem is."
As he spoke, he briefly remembered those long days locked inside his room before arriving in this world.
"Now I understand. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
Mitsuki shook his head slightly.
"You didn’t make me uncomfortable. You just made me really curious."
"I see. That’s good. At least now I know you don’t dislike me."
"Well, you’re very weird, but I like you. It’s strange to me that you’re the most normal and sensible person I’ve met so far besides Monar. Ellegaard is usually very cruel and always angry. Jeanne, on the other hand, likes teasing me with a bunch of embarrassing things; nobody can stop her. Marco has a pointless hatred toward nobles, and Azel spends all his time giving me nicknames."
She listened attentively. Because of the faint smile she wore while looking at Mitsuki, it was obvious she really liked listening to others.
She didn’t interrupt him even once.
"You have a lot of friends. That’s good. I don’t have friends, but I do know many people because I’ve been traveling ever since I was a child."
"Don’t you consider Jeanne your friend?"
"More or less. She’s the only one I can almost consider a friend because I’ve run into her many times during my travels, and we’ve shared chicken soup together. She really likes talking about herself, you know?"
Mitsuki let out a small laugh.
"I know..."
He could perfectly imagine Jeanne monopolizing any conversation.
"But at the end of the day, I always have to say goodbye to everyone so I can continue searching for what I desire most. That’s what being an adventurer is about, and I’m the best in the little town of Apple in the Northeastern Lands."
"So, a wish, huh..."
"Yes," Rosemarie replied while looking at the scenery.
The sunlight faintly reflected in her red eyes.
However, just like that moment in the restaurant, her face turned into a dark, cold expression.
For a second, the atmosphere around them seemed to grow colder.
Mitsuki sensed the disturbance in the air, so he changed the subject.
"I guess we all have something we desire. I hope you have good luck achieving what you want."
"Yes. Thank you for your words. It’s nice hearing that from someone else."
With a soft, relaxed smile, Mitsuki stood up with a small hop.
The wind stirred his poncho while he looked at the immense city before him.
"Though, I also have a wish. I want to become stronger. For that, I want to visit every Land consumed by the Four Great Ancient Mysteries and survive each of their trials. That way, not only will I become a legendary adventurer, but nobody will ever hurt me again."
He clenched the fist of his only hand and raised it high.
"So far, I’ve survived two kingdoms of Nemoria. I know I have the chance to become even stronger if I keep going."
His words were firm.
"I understand how you feel. I hope you have good luck with that. Whenever you need to go to Derwick, I can accompany you and guide you through the border. Nobody knows the place better than me because thanks to Hati, I’ve been able to go a little deeper inside."
"Thanks. I’ll look for you if I ever need it."
She nodded and stood up.
Her red cape fluttered gently behind her.
"I think that’s all. Though I’d like to ask you one last question."
"Hm? What is it?"
Rosemarie looked him in the eyes and extended her hand.
"Do you want to be my friend?"
"Friend? Well..." He thought for a moment.
Rosemarie’s pale hand remained patiently extended.
He was about to reach out and accept because Rosemarie was a good girl and he liked her, but he suddenly froze.
He felt a sense of déjà vu.
Monar had asked him the same thing that day they visited the first village in the Kingdom of Holylight, but that memory transformed into the image of that dark elf kneeling atop the magic circle; without eyes and missing one of his hands.
The memory appeared so vividly that Mitsuki felt a sharp pain in his chest.
His hesitation confused Rosemarie because until now Mitsuki had looked mostly expressionless, but the moment she extended her hand, his brow furrowed with anguish and his heart tightened painfully in his chest.
Rosemarie recognized that expression and said:
"Did I make you remember something unpleasant?"
Mitsuki returned to reality upon hearing her soft voice.
He shook his head.
"It’s nothing. I just haven’t felt well since returning from Nemoria. It happens more often than you think, so it’s not really a problem anymore."
"I see..." She didn’t seem convinced.
Even so, Mitsuki took her hand and smiled calmly.
Rosemarie’s hand was pleasantly warm.
"Anyway, yes, I do want to be your friend. I hope we can get along from now on."
"Likewise, Mitsuki."
He let go of the girl’s hand and looked downward, only to strangely find Jeanne and Ellegaard standing on a rooftop waving at him so he would notice them.
Jeanne gave him a thumbs-up in approval, while Ellegaard only looked annoyed.
The elf even turned her face away in obvious disgust when Mitsuki noticed her.
’Damn it, I just remembered I was with them only a few hours ago and left without telling them. More importantly, did they seriously follow us the entire time?!’
"Then I won’t take up any more of your time," she said. "I’m sure you have things to do. Either way, I had a lot of fun. I hope we see each other again someday. Goodbye."
She prepared to jump from the tower, but Mitsuki spoke first.
"Uh—yeah, of course. See you later, Rose!"
She stopped the moment she heard that "Rose," so she turned around and gave Mitsuki a big smile that left the Ashen Boy stunned for a second.
That smile completely erased her cold expression.
"Bye," she whispered. Then she jumped incredibly high, disappearing far away within just a few seconds.
Her figure quickly vanished among the rooftops.
Mitsuki watched her leave with the same confusion he had felt when he first met her.
Though this time, that confusion was accompanied by a strange sense of calm.