episode_0254

And the next morning.

After finishing breakfast somehow, Ethan and I walked outside the Star Palace in time for our morning outing.

Agnes, who had said she had no intention of interfering with our date, didn’t seem to be around in the morning. She was probably busy preparing for her solo trip, as she had mentioned.

Honestly, I felt a bit uneasy about leaving her alone, but she was capable of taking care of herself, so I wasn’t too worried.

“She’s a walking time bomb, so anyone who messes with her will only end up getting hurt.”

It was lucky if someone who looked like an easy target, like a pickpocket, approached her and only ended up with a minor burn.

Her personality seemed to have softened a bit lately, but it was still something unknown to me.

Of course, if Agnes was going on a trip alone, she would definitely forget this and that, so I planned to at least prepare some essential items for her. Like bug repellent spray.

“I shouldn’t be worrying about Agnes at a time like this.”

It felt like my heart was racing just because it had been a long time since our last date.

It was also our first date since becoming lovers. Well, technically, we were temporary lovers.

Lately, I had received a lot of help from Ethan in various ways. Maybe he was accumulating a sense of debt.

Among them, I had received irreplaceable help in the matter related to MacHeart. From planning to execution, everything.

“A wish is a wish, and I should express my gratitude to Ethan in some way.”

I didn’t want to do anything inappropriate or suggestive, so I planned to give him a gift that could convey my feelings. I hadn’t decided yet on what gift to give.

Fortunately, I had brought a decent amount of money with me. I hadn’t expected this to happen, but I had saved about ten gold coins in case I needed to stay longer in Hwangdo. I had heard that the cost of living in the imperial capital was higher than in other towns or cities.

Of course, even if I indulged a bit, I wouldn’t spend all ten gold coins, but it didn’t hurt to have some extra security.

With these thoughts in mind, I went down to the lobby of the Star Palace where we had agreed to meet after breakfast. Ethan was already there in formal attire, and as our eyes met, I quickened my pace and approached him.

“Did you wait long, Ethan?”

“No, I haven’t been waiting long.”

“Well, that’s true. We had breakfast together not long ago.”

“…But why did you ask if I waited then?”

“It’s just a customary greeting. In a date, it’s common for the person who arrived late to say something like that to the person who was waiting.”

“…Is that so? How do you know that, Lillith?”

“…I just heard it that way.”

If it’s just like that, then it’s best not to pry too much.

Ethan was a great guy, but he had a tendency to be persistent in strange situations. It wasn’t necessarily a bad habit, but his excessive interest could be a bit overwhelming at times.

“Don’t worry, Ethan. I didn’t learn that from dating other guys.”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Then what did you mean by asking?”

“…”

“Alright, let’s get going. Fresh provisions are the most important thing on a long journey. Whether it’s smoked or pickled, we need to secure fresh ingredients so that we won’t have any issues later on, right? And if we can’t get everything today, we’ll have to look around again tomorrow.”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

From the start, it was a bit of a bumpy date. Anyway, focusing on unnecessary things was getting on my nerves.

It was our first date since becoming ‘temporary lovers,’ and the atmosphere was not ideal in many ways. And probably, if I had to stick with Edan for at least half a day, continuing this atmosphere until the afternoon might have been too much for my sanity to handle.

I felt the need to lighten the mood a bit. Just then, I noticed Edan’s empty left hand walking beside me.

-Swish.

“R-Release?”

“It’s a date, Edan. Is it okay to hold hands while walking?”

“Oh, um, sure… of course.”

I didn’t bother adding any unnecessary remarks about how the man should be the one to hold hands first. After all, I was almost half a man myself, so there was no problem with me taking the initiative.

If we were going to wander around the market and come back without really talking or enjoying ourselves, then there was no point in calling it a date.

If it’s a date, then at least at the beginning, we need to create a somewhat plausible atmosphere…

‘Wait, hold on. The main purpose wasn’t even a date in the first place.’

We were just out for a walk to buy things for a long-distance trip, so there was no need to create this kind of atmosphere.

Thinking that, I suddenly felt a strange heat coming from the hand I was holding with Edan. Even about what I had just casually done.

After all, Edan was the one who liked me, and I didn’t really feel any romantic feelings towards Edan. Maybe there was no need for me to create this atmosphere from my side. The same thought crossed my mind again.

‘…But if I let go of his hand now, he might think it’s even weirder.’

In this state of suddenly holding hands, it seemed like we had to continue the date as it was.

If we wander around enough, there will be a chance to let go at some point.

***

The market street in Hwangdo was quite lively in many ways.

With a wide road at the center, several shops lined up on both sides, creating a scene similar to a traditional market in Korea.

Of course, the architectural style was Western, and the items being sold were things that could be found in medieval Europe, but that was just a minor difference. The arrangement of buildings was the only thing that was like that.

In reality, a medieval European market street probably wasn’t as lively as this. It was just that the planners of ‘Luminor Academy’ wanted to create this kind of atmosphere. Recreating the cramped, smelly, dull, and unsanitary actual medieval market street would only result in an unwanted supply.

The consumer base of ‘Luminor Academy’ wanted the protagonist and heroine to have a clean conversation while holding hands in a clean market street. They probably didn’t want to experience realistic issues like getting lost in the crowd, losing the heroine for a moment, getting into a fight with thugs while looking for her, and getting pickpocketed in the process.

Of course, I avoided getting involved in any unnecessary trouble, so I chose a simple and inconspicuous dress among the clothes I could wear. Even though it was a dress that had been in the royal palace, I couldn’t avoid a touch of nobility, but it was a simple pastel pink dress that was relatively plain among them.

“Your dress is pretty, Lelis.”

“Thank you, Edan.”

I didn’t wear this outfit to receive compliments, but I didn’t feel bad about receiving them either.

As we walked hand in hand into the shopping district, Edan suddenly called me quietly from my right.

“Lily.”

“Yes… Yes, what is it?”

I felt a bit flustered by the sudden use of a nickname without any prior agreement. Wasn’t it customary to discuss this beforehand?

The nickname we used to emphasize our friendship in places where nobles gathered felt out of place in this unexpected situation.

“Why can’t I call you Lily?”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with it, but… why all of a sudden?”

“It’s a date. Isn’t it normal to use nicknames on a date? And since you and I are lovers. Nicknames are more commonly used by lovers to address each other. It’s not for show, but for each other.”

“That… makes sense.”

“….”

“….Ed.”

The slight tension in our joined hands turned into a subtle pressure.

Edan seemed unfazed by calling me Lily so casually, unlike me.

In a typical romantic relationship, this would be a natural term of endearment. It was a nickname used to confirm our affection for each other, not for display.

So, it wasn’t really strange to be called by a nickname like this, but…

“Lily, shall we go over there? It looks like there might be a street vendor or something.”

“Okay, Ed. I guess it’s fine for a moment.”

I couldn’t control the flush that crept up my face every time the title that wasn’t used before slipped from his lips.