Chapter 045
The bill came out to be an amount that would normally feed ten ordinary people. Berry, who had eaten six servings all by himself, smiled the whole time as if he wasnât embarrassed at all.
âThen Iâll see you this weekend.â
Just like when they arrived, the restaurant manager sent them off with great courtesy. By then, deep darkness had settled over the streets.
However, as expected of a tourist city, magic stones were hung on every roadside tree, lighting the area brightly.
Along the long promenade that stretched all the way to the sea, the sparkling trees created a fantastical view.
It was only natural that Perra admired it again. It was more beautiful than any evening scenery she had ever seen.
âIsnât it amazing? They say nights in Eklit are more beautiful than daytime for a reason.â
âYes, they really are!â
Perra quickly agreed with Berryâs words, which were filled with pride for the town he grew up in.
Since they had eaten together anyway, Berry suggested going to a rooftop place near the sea.
Perra hesitated, wondering if it would be okay since Theo was still young, but Berry persuaded her by saying it was a place many families visited, so there was nothing to worry about.
Still, Theoâs opinion mattered most. Perra crouched down to meet his eye level and asked gently.
âTheo? What do you think? Do you want to go?â
âUmm⊠what should I do?â
âTheo! You can drink Goldenstone juice there!â
âGoldenstoneâŠ!â
Theoâs eyes sparkled. It seemed the fruit on top of his ice cream had really impressed him.
Wrapping his arms around Perraâs neck, Theo bounced on his feet, urging them to go quickly.
And just like that, the four of them ended up taking a walk all the way to the beach.
Theo walked ahead cheerfully, holding a Rabbit Hero sword in one hand and Perraâs hand in the other.
As he hummed the Rabbit Hero theme song, Perra sang along with him.
Behind the lively pair, the two large men walking together said almost nothing.
Ray was naturally quiet, and Berry, finding that boring, also kept his mouth shut.
Then, Perraâs foot caught on a stone sticking out of the road, and she stumbled slightly.
ââŠ!â
Ray, who had been walking lazily, immediately grabbed Perraâs shoulder.
She could have easily regained her balance on her own, but Ray reacted more strongly than necessary.
âBe careful. What if you get hurt?â
âAh, thank you. Even with the lights, itâs still dark.â
âShould I give you this?â
Ray pulled out his sword. Thanks to hunting monsters that morning, it was full of mana and hummed as it emitted a blue glow.
No matter how dark it was, Perra didnât want to use such a dangerous-looking blade as a light, so she quickly shook her head.
âIâll watch where Iâm stepping, so donât worry. Please put that away!â
She spoke urgently, worried that others might see the sword. Only then did Ray put it back and release her shoulder.
Even so, his gaze lingered on Perraâs feet for quite a while, as if he still wasnât reassured.
âOh, come on.â
Berry, who had been watching Rayâs actions from right behind, let out a baffled laugh.
âWhy donât you just carry her on your back while youâre at it?â
He teased Ray in a voice so low that Perra, being human, couldnât hear it.
Berry had suspected something ever since Ray gave up his honey tea at home, and now it seemed his guess was right.
Despite the teasing, Ray didnât respond.
He genuinely wanted to carry her, but he was holding himself back because he felt Perra might avoid him if he did.
This feeling was different from wanting to protect and take care of young Theo.
It was his first time experiencing emotions like this, so it was hard to define them clearly, but he had a feeling that before long, he would be able to tell Perra how he truly felt.
What started as curiosityââHow can she face everything so bravely?ââhad turned into a desire to be involved in everything she did.
And he didnât want to deny that desire. That was why he didnât bother refuting Berryâs words.
âHeh, heh⊠hey, come here for a second.â
Even after being apart for so long, a friend was still a friend. Berry decided to share some important information for Rayâs sake.
He wrapped a thick arm around Rayâs neck and whispered in an even lower voice.
âYou know, Perra was really popular back at the academy.â
Rayâs steps halted. A low growl escaped his throat.
Such a reaction from just that much informationâwas the sun supposed to rise in the west tomorrow or something?
Startled internally, Berry hurried to continue. He wanted to help his friend, not make him furious.
âHey, listen till the end! But Perra never dated anyone!â
The pheromones radiating from Ray, which had been filled with tension, softened slightly.
Berry wondered if his friend had always been this transparent.
Patting Rayâs now-adorable shoulder, Berry delivered the most important part.
âSo I asked her why she never got a boyfriend, and she said it wasnât fun.â
âNot⊠fun?â
Ray responded, completely absorbed in Berryâs story.
âI asked her how she could know that when sheâs never dated anyone.â
That was a reasonable question. How could she know dating was boring if she had never tried it?
âShe said she read about it in books⊠Constant misunderstandings, crying, fighting, making up⊠She said not only did it sound unfun, but it also looked hard to live properly for such a long time. She even said the efficiency of relationships was completely negative. I had nothing to say.â
âAhâŠâ
Ray was speechless.
He had thought, âWho learns about dating from books these days?ââbut apparently, that person was right here.
Romance novels, which most readers would find romantic, clearly didnât appeal to Perra at all.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that she sought answers only from books was hard to tell.
Berry felt conflicted as well.
From what he knew, Perra returned to her hometown and opened a hospital right after graduating from the academy. It didnât seem likely she had met anyone who could change her values since then.
That meant there was a strong chance she still believed dating was boring and inefficient.
âSo basically, you need to make Perra have fun, and, well⊠be efficient.â
It was a strange conclusion.
For Ray, who had lived a joyless life without a single day of fun, it was an incredibly difficult task.
Making Perra have fun felt like something he might never succeed at, even if he spent his whole life trying.
Maybe it would be better to swear that he wouldnât create inefficient moments in a relationship insteadâŠ
As Ray was organizing his thoughts on how to confess, he sensed something unpleasant and turned his head.
Berry was grinning with an irritating smile. He poked Rayâs solid side.
âYouâre planning to make a move on Perra, arenât you? Huh?â
âWellâŠâ
Once again, Ray didnât deny it. His behavior had been far too different from usual to say otherwise.
Seeing Ray admit it so easily, Berryâs smile widened even more as he snorted.
âI think you two suit each other pretty well. I mean itâI know both of you, right? Youâre a perfect match!â
ââŠReally?â
âOf course! You know my instincts are good. Perra doesnât dislike you either. I hate saying this because it sounds like Iâm praising you, but just looking at your face is interesting to her.â
Was he saying my face looks funny?
Ray closed his mouth again at the friendâs words, unsure whether they were an insult or a compliment.
Ray had never learned about datingânot from books, nor even from overhearing others.
That was why he had mistaken simple blinking out of curiosity for an eye kiss, and in his head alone, had already walked hand in hand with Perra all the way to a wedding hall.
But things would be different from now on.
Not just in his imaginationâhe wanted to hold Perraâs hand for real.
The handsome face hidden beneath the black cloak flushed red in an instant.
