Do You Want It?

“Guide, where are we going next?”

“Um, Saint. My name isn’t Guide, it’s ■■─”

“Wait. Do I really need to know your name?”

In a word, Daina from my first playthrough was a ‘noble lady’.

Having been revered as a saint from quite a young age until now when she had just become an adult, she was an immature person who didn’t know much about the ways of the world.

Unfortunately, the first main story I encountered in my first playthrough happened to be the ‘escorting’ of Daina’s city tour, so I had a little…

No, I had a lot of trouble.

She would disappear somewhere and cause all sorts of incidents whenever I took my eyes off her even for a moment.

But now it’s different.

I don’t need to forcibly cater to Daina’s mood, nor do I need to be dragged around wherever she wants to go.

Even though I felt a bit uncomfortable treating her completely like a servant as Asha suggested… anyway.

I thought I could just go about my daily life as usual, without having to put emphasis on ‘sightseeing’.

Since I roughly remembered where and what kind of trouble she had caused, I could somehow avoid it.

“Then. Just a moment. Could you… come… forward… please?”

Soon after her slender fingers approached me, swish.

The choker that had been suddenly placed around my neck a few hours ago glowed briefly and then silently disappeared.

For some reason, Daina’s complexion slightly worsened, but I didn’t particularly care.

I’m sure she’s just disappointed that she can’t make me her pet cat.

Currently, what concerned me most was not Daina but my classes with Odd.

I didn’t think I could take Daina, an outsider, to the secret classroom that even Lunatic Guild members didn’t know about.

But if I left Daina behind to attend classes, I was a bit worried about what she might do while I wasn’t watching.

Either way, right now, the most influential voice to Daina was mine. To prevent any further incidents, it seemed better to stay by Daina’s side.

Therefore…

“Hey, Asha Unnie─”

After asking Asha to lend me her ear for a moment, I whispered a question about what would be the best course of action for the next week.

The answer that came back was a simple and clear one.

“Then, I’ll tell Odd that you’re taking a break for just a week.”

In other words, it meant I had free time for the next week.

My heart lifted a bit unconsciously at this unexpected vacation-like opportunity.

I must have been feeling that Odd’s classes were quite arduous.

I didn’t intend to quit altogether, but I had been hoping for occasional days off like this. I’m glad.

“Hey, Saint Unnie.”

“What? …Oh, no. What is it?”

What I offered to the person who was slightly tense but wearing an awkward smile was the two words “a walk”.

I thought there would be no problem giving her some fresh air since I was able to enjoy precious free time thanks to her.

Since things had turned out this way, I thought it would be fine to give her time befitting the name of a journey for at least a day or two.

Well, after that, I would make her do all sorts of miscellaneous requests.

“But first, let’s go change your clothes!”

“Huh? What’s wrong with these clothes? …sir?”

“They suit you well, but they’re too eye-catching.”

If she continued to walk around in such sacred attire, rather than leisurely enjoying various parts of the city, she would be chased by all sorts of gazes.

Either way, she’s a saint. How would it be if someone in a position to receive more attention than any celebrity openly strutted through the streets?

“You’ll probably find it difficult to even walk properly later.”

Literally all attention would be focused on her. Whether it’s good attention or bad attention.

Honestly, I didn’t particularly care whether Daina received attention or not, but if people flocked to Daina, I, being next to her, would obviously have a hard time too.

I also didn’t want to spend my precious rest time, which I had barely obtained, being jostled by numerous people.

Right after, I added a slightly exaggerated example—that camera shutter sounds would be heard from all directions even if I just blinked.

Only then did she nod in agreement, saying it might be so, which was exactly like the Daina I knew. In a way, I thought it was fortunate.

“Um, I’m really asking because I don’t know… What’s different from the clothes I was wearing earlier?”

Where did it all go wrong?

“Th-then how about these clothes?”

“…The clothes you were originally wearing would be less eye-catching.”

“?! What’s wrong with these clothes! …sir!”

“Um, Saint. Even I think those clothes aren’t quite right.”

Really, where should I start…?

“Hmm, the goddess must not have taught you how to choose clothes, among other things.”

“…!…!!”

“P-please calm down, Saint!”

The incredibly picky child’s approval finally came for the extremely ordinary combination of a white blouse and black jeans.

Daina couldn’t understand what was fashionable about such plainly boring clothes, but since she had no choice from the beginning, she had no other option.

It was about ten minutes later when they boarded a car that had been waiting for quite some time.

Soon, the child’s voice alone stood out in the slightly jolting car.

“If you go straight to the right from that bent streetlight standing there, you’ll come to a wide open space.”

“If you go straight ahead of that red sign, you’ll come to a pasta shop, but there’s a strange smell from the middle, so it’s better to take the side alley before that.”

The youthful voice continued to explain places and restaurants that hadn’t even been asked about, pointing outside the car. Why did it sound slightly excited?

Honestly, to Daina’s eyes, they all looked the same, but why were the explanations from the lively voice next to her so varied?

“Ah, I can see it!”

The place where the gentle vibration of the vehicle felt under her thighs finally began to subside, with words suggesting she had spotted today’s destination, was in front of a vast square.

It was the early afternoon when the crowd was at its peak, so people’s gazes briefly focused on the vehicle that stopped at the square. However, as people in ordinary clothes got out of the car, the gazes soon dispersed back to the surroundings, just as someone had said.

What she then faced was a bustling crowd and a vibrant, lively atmosphere.

It had been a very long time since she had encountered such sights after being given the title of saint, and at some point, Daina’s own footsteps had noticeably lightened.

Occasionally, she had to look back to check if she hadn’t strayed too far from her companions, just in case, but that bit of trouble wasn’t too much to bear.

And so, after slowly passing through scenes she had only been able to see in her memories for a long time, she eventually came across a franchise beverage shop.

The drinks, armed with vibrant colors and sweet aromas, were enough to capture the attention of someone who had only been tasting the bland offerings of the Holy Country for health reasons.

“Hey, Iji─”

“I’ve already told you that the person you need to ask isn’t me.”

Only then did her bright yellow gaze slowly turn downward.

Was it a momentary illusion that the child who had somehow come to stand beside her was making a somewhat mischievous expression?

“Do you want it?”

It was as if the child was telling her to try asking once.

Always politely.

At the same time, with a distinctness and clarity that would make her longing for the drinks before her reach the child’s heart.

Not long after, finally.

“…Please… buy it… for me…”

Feeling her two ears burning up by the second, she opened her mouth toward the small shadow that wasn’t even half her size.

Nevertheless, the response she received was truly cruel beyond compare.

“Hmm, your voice is too soft, I can’t hear you~.”

“Ugh, uugh…!”

Barely holding onto the thread of reason that had nearly broken countless times, she finally pleaded once more.

Only then did the sound of small footsteps head toward the store clerk.

Not long after, the youthful face that returned with a variety of packaged drinks seemed to wear a satisfied expression, which was surely not an illusion.

“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“N-no… It’s nothing… sir….”

Her teeth literally ground at the child’s impudent voice—she had already completely forgotten about what she herself had done just a few hours ago.

Nevertheless, she had already been told dozens of times that the moment she showed her annoyance, the journey would be over.

Later, when she wanted to visit a crossroad store that mainly sold small lollipops or cream-filled bread snacks.

When she wanted to appreciate what is commonly called street performances.

When ordering the menu she wanted at a high-end restaurant they entered by evening.

“I keep telling you, if you speak so quietly, I can’t hear you well~.”

She had to repeat words that were already burdensome to say once, two or three times.

In addition, the more she thought about having to maintain this polite speech in the future, the more she felt enveloped in a sensation of darkness before her eyes.

However, what she gained in exchange for a moment of embarrassment and humiliation were things far more fun and delicious than she had thought.

“Um… Can we… just visit one last place?”

Instead of saying it was time to go back despite the already quite darkened sky, she raised her index finger toward a brightly shining sign in the distance.