episode_0326

Eve, before her sortie.

“Okay? The most important thing is to honestly express your feelings.”

“Just say what you feel.”

“You don’t need to be afraid.”

“Nari will like you, no matter what you look like.”

“Let’s play submarine after this is over! Eheheh-”

Precious advice poured forth in a torrent. Eve, who had forgotten how to treat people, found each piece invaluable.

Thanks to them, her anxiety disappeared. Weren’t they seniors who had walked the same path before her? Their words held a trust that went beyond mere language.

Eve thought quietly. Just as her feelings hadn’t changed, Nari’s hadn’t either. They would see and think the same things.

And she vowed. To properly confirm each other’s hearts, and to do everything they hadn’t been able to do until now, without missing a single thing. To dedicate her body, her heart, everything she possessed.

Everyone’s help didn’t end with advice. They washed her, applied makeup, brushed her hair, dressed her in beautiful clothes—they groomed her into a truly perfect image.

Eve was astonished looking at her reflection in the mirror.

“Th-this is me…?”

“Uum… I may have put in more effort than I intended.”

“Beautiful!”

“Your style has changed a bit, though.”

Bride. That single word came to mind. As a child, she’d heard from her parents that a woman becomes the most beautiful in the world when she becomes a bride. Like an angel descended from heaven.

That’s exactly how she looked now. The gorgeous dress, accessories, makeup, the subtle scent of perfume. It didn’t feel like something of this world; truly ideal beauty.

Therefore… it felt alien.

Naturally, she wanted to become beautiful. She wanted to show only her pretty side. Eve, who had been relieved of all her burdens by Nari and returned to being an ordinary girl. It was natural to have such feelings.

But at the same time, she felt this wasn’t quite right. Eve wanted to be loved by Nari as the beautiful ‘herself,’ not for her ‘beauty.’

Eve clenched her gloved hand tightly.

“Um… I’m really sorry, but this is too much.”

“Really? You’re incredibly beautiful… Well, it’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”

The Narita Harem Family offered a slightly bitter smile. It was bitter, but it was definitely a smile. Eve had honestly expressed her opinion, just as they had advised.

Eve was steadily moving forward. In helping her, they felt not just goodwill but a kind of mission.

A girl in love is unstoppable.

Everyone stood in a line before Eve. They laid out all sorts of clothes, accessories, and cosmetics, waiting for Eve’s instructions.

“So, what kind of look do you think would be good? You choose.”

“Uum…”

“If it’s difficult, I’ll narrow it down by category. Do you like black or white?”

“Wh-white, I guess…?”

At Eve’s answer, Nyx snapped her fingers. Dark-colored clothes receded, and light-colored ones came forward.

“Do you like colorful things, or simple ones?”

“I… I think I like simple ones. Something too flowing… doesn’t seem to suit me.”

Yuri’s nimble hands swiped through various garments. In an instant, several outfit combinations appeared, and she began dressing mannequins in them one by one.

Lulu, with her skillful hands, did the dressing, while Tier handled the lighting. Aspi was the mannequin.

“Wh-why me…?”

“Aspi’s body is the most similar to Eve’s. Not too big, not too small, and she’s extremely tall.”

Under the perfect direction of the coordinators, the fashion show began. Eve seriously considered the clothes Aspi was wearing.

At one point, her eyes widened.

“…This one.”

“The blouse and skirt? It’s simple…”

“I… I like this one.”

Yuri pondered for a moment. Then, she immediately lifted Eve and dressed her in that outfit. Then she smiled contentedly.

“…This is it.”

“That’s it.”

“This is the answer!”

What everyone saw was an incredibly innocent country girl. The kind you might often encounter if you went to the countryside. The kind who would be loved by everyone in the village, make several young men cry, but ultimately be blessed.

With the direction set, there was nothing left to do but proceed. Yuri and Lulu began choosing cosmetics one by one, while others prepared shoes and smaller accessories.

“Remember? Don’t overdo it.”

“Trust me.”

She was already a beauty of the highest caliber. They completely relaxed their hands, aiming for a look that was both understated and well-put-together. Instead of adding layers, they focused on bringing out the natural beauty of the materials.

The finished product was the very ideal of a country girl. Everyone wiped the sweat from their brows and gave a thumbs-up.

“Perfect.”

“Beautiful.”

“I didn’t expect her to become this pretty…”

“What do you mean, Lulu-nim?”

“Eve-unni! I’m already wet! Eheh-”

Their efforts had been rewarded, and they showered Eve with lavish praise. It was sincere. They genuinely wanted Eve to do well.

But Eve didn’t hear a single word of that praise. Looking at her reflection in the mirror… brought back distant memories.

The image in the mirror gradually grew younger, transforming into a small girl. And behind her stood two adults, a man and a woman. Unforgettable, and unforgettable… Eve’s family portrait in her heart.

She tried to hold back. She had just finished her makeup. But it was unavoidable. Like snow melting in the warm sun, the beautiful memories of the past welled up in Eve’s eyes, naturally causing tears to flow.

“…Are you okay?”

“Y-yes… It’s nothing… It’s nothing.”

She used water-attribute mana to quickly wipe away her tears. It was so quick that she didn’t ruin her makeup.

And that too, signified a step forward. She had already cried enough tears. Instead of grieving over irretrievable happiness, she would remember that happiness and smile. Eve made up her mind.

She greeted her parents through the mirror.

‘I… I’ll be a bride soon.’

Eve’s family had already been severed by death. Communication was impossible. A high wall of time stood between Eve and her parents.

Yet, somehow, she seemed to hear it. The simple laughter of two people, happy to see their grown-up daughter…

.

.

.

‘Aaaah… I’m so nervous…’

Nari appeared before Eve, looking disheveled. It could even be called a wreck.

But so what if she looked like that? Eve had already seen her passed out after spending all night having sex—completely sprawled out. Thanks to preventative measures, she wasn’t particularly shocked.

The problem wasn’t that. It was the unwavering gaze fixed on Eve, as if she were hypnotized. With saliva dripping down her chin as she stared at Eve, her face flushed.

‘Is something wrong…?’

Just as doubt arose, Nari slapped her own cheek hard and disappeared into a nearby alley. Eve waited patiently, using the glass of a nearby shop as a mirror to adjust her bangs.

“Sorry, I kept you waiting.”

“Uh…”

Nari, who had disappeared instantly, reappeared just as quickly. There was just enough time to tidy up, at least somewhat.

But for some reason, it didn’t seem that way. Her clothes were haphazard, her hair a messy bird’s nest, but even then, she looked incredibly beautiful and cool.

Eve’s heart began to race.

That’s right. She had been completely smitten.

“N-no… It wasn’t even three minutes.”

“Really? That’s good then. You look really pretty today, by the way.”

Nari’s compliment was the final touch. It struck the oil tanker in Eve’s heart, which had collapsed and was blazing.

The explosion was art, and art is an explosion. The universe in Eve’s mind was extinguished and reborn five times.

Even Eve, who had regressed thirty-five times, could barely maintain her composure. She didn’t have the energy to say thank you or that Nari was also pretty.

But that was enough. It was always Nari who reached out first. The lucky-in-love Eve only had to take Nari’s offered hand.

No, that wasn’t enough. Eve intertwined her fingers with Nari’s. It was what she had put the most effort into doing.

Then Nari took Eve’s hand and started to walk towards somewhere. Far away, far beyond. Into an unknown world Eve had never known.

She looked at Nari’s back. The same reliable back that the Eve of her first life had trusted and followed. Because Eve had always been behind, she had always been able to see that back.

And now she understood what she had to do. If Nari moved forward, Eve would become the one protecting her back.

That was the mission. The reason Eve, after enduring countless hours and hardships, had finally found her one light. Just like how she trained in cold-attribute magic for Adam, who could only use fire.

Like the Bi-Yi birds, complementing each other, Eve now walks behind Nari.