Ch.190190. An Unwanted Date

“Ah, hello.”

“……”

In front of a villa on Glass Street.

After waiting about 5 minutes, Ophelia comes out of the villa and carefully greets me.

The alien heartbeat I feel because of the tattoo on her chest.

I already felt discomfort spreading from my heart throughout my body, but my expression didn’t change.

“I’m counting on you today.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you too.”

The agreed time.

In the end, since Ophelia doesn’t currently have someone she loves, I had to unpleasantly volunteer.

She also acknowledged this and said she would try her best to make a good impression on me today.

We can worry about cooling emotions later, and it shouldn’t be too difficult anyway.

“Where are you staying?”

Since her home became a crime scene, I naturally thought she would be staying at external accommodations or at an acquaintance’s house.

“I’m staying at home.”

Ophelia asks back with an expression that shows she doesn’t understand what’s strange about it. There were several points I wanted to question, but I kept them to myself as we set out.

I have a restaurant reserved for lunch. It’s a place Erika recommended, normally difficult to book, but she secured a spot through an acquaintance.

‘She reacted rather calmly.’

I ended up explaining the current situation to the women who had been questioning me persistently.

In other words, that I needed to seduce Ophelia.

At first, they showed some displeasure, but they agreed to cooperate for the sake of the men who died because of Ophelia and for her daughter.

“Well, let’s go in.”

The moment she sees the restaurant sign, Ophelia’s eyes widen.

“H-here? This is the most expensive restaurant in Robern…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

As I escort her inside, the head chef and other chefs of the restaurant are already waiting in line.

“Spirit Master, it’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve you a meal today.”

The head chef makes a fuss and offers me a handshake, which I accept with a nod.

“I’m counting on you.”

“I guarantee you’ll have a satisfying experience!”

After making this bold declaration, the chefs immediately head to the kitchen. Following their guidance, we sit at a table away from prying eyes, and I can clearly see Ophelia’s expression across from me.

A look of surprise with her lips subtly curling upward.

A reaction that clearly shows she’s looking forward to today.

‘As expected, this approach should work.’

Ophelia is what you might call a bar woman. She can’t be called a courtesan, but I’ve already investigated that she’s the type who wouldn’t hesitate to do such things if given extra money.

I can’t seduce a woman with such extensive experience with men through words or actions.

That would only earn me ridicule, like a child putting on a show.

So what I can do is give Ophelia a luxurious time she probably hasn’t experienced before.

The classic cliché flow from old dramas and movies where the rich son falls for the common daughter.

Based on that, I planned to spend an uncomfortable day with her.

* * *

“……”

Slice, slice.

Erika puts the cut steak into her mouth and chews vigorously.

For some reason, she’s putting more strength into her jaw than usual, and the meat pieces are uneven from how roughly she cut them.

“Wow. Is he seriously cutting meat and feeding it to her?”

Findenai, sitting on the opposite side, let out a hollow laugh as she watched Deus cutting his steak and offering it to Ophelia.

She felt a strong craving for cigarettes and a stuffiness filling her mouth, but the restaurant was non-smoking, and Deus would notice immediately anyway.

Findenai called the waiter as if to vent her frustration.

“Alcohol. Something strong and expensive.”

Intimidated by Findenai’s ominous aura, the waiter’s face turned pale as he nodded and left.

Soon after, he returned with a rather thick and large bottle of alcohol, placing it on the table along with wine glasses.

“Tsk.”

Findenai immediately filled a glass with alcohol. Her gaze remained fixed on the two people in the distance.

“You’re overflowing it.”

At Erika’s warning, Findenai pushed the filled glass toward her.

“Drink.”

Then she started drinking straight from the bottle. She had long forgotten her earlier promise to Deus that she would be a beast if she drank alcohol again.

“No, I’m fine…”

Erika was about to refuse, saying she didn’t want to drink, but when she saw Deus wiping sauce from Ophelia’s mouth, she unconsciously reached for the glass.

Swish.

As Findenai extended the bottle, Erika likewise pushed her glass forward.

With a heavy clinking sound, both of them simultaneously downed their drinks.

* * *

‘I told them not to follow me.’

As I left the restaurant, I sighed upon seeing Erika and Findenai sitting at their table.

I had quietly slipped away without telling them I was spending time with Ophelia, so why did they follow?

Moreover, they seemed to have drunk quite a lot, with enough bottles piled on the table to play dominos.

“Sigh, please take care of those two.”

“Yes, sir.”

I even gave the waiter an extra tip to look after them, but…

My steps came to a halt as I walked outside with Ophelia. After briefly looking down at her, I shook my head, feeling a throbbing headache.

“I have something to take care of. Go to Owl and choose something. If you mention my name, they’ll give you one as a gift.”

“O-Owl?! You mean that luxury store?!”

“Yes, the owner owes me a favor. I’ll join you there.”

“Okay!”

I briefly watched Ophelia’s back as she practically ran off, blinded by greed.

If only the other women were as easy to handle.

When I went back into the restaurant, Erika had already fallen asleep with her head on the table, and Findenai was staggering around, rummaging through Erika’s pockets claiming she would pay.

“Ah, the Spirit Master already paid for everything before leaving.”

The waiter was explaining this to Findenai, but she seemed too engrossed in searching Erika’s pockets to care.

I pass by the waiter, who doesn’t know how to handle the situation, and stand in front of the two.

“I apologize for changing my mind. I’ll take care of them.”

“Ah, y-yes…”

The waiter backed away cautiously, perhaps worried I might ask for the tip back.

Since I had no such intention, I sighed while looking at Erika and Findenai.

“Why did you follow me?”

Since I didn’t want to show them the time I was spending with Ophelia, I spoke with a tone of reproach, and Findenai suddenly raised her head and laughed.

“What? Is your date over?”

“Sigh.”

“You were sooo good. Could you cut meat and feed me too?”

“……”

So they saw everything.

If I had noticed they were there from the beginning, I wouldn’t have done such things.

My heart sank as all my actions flashed before my eyes.

“Deus?!”

Erika, who had buried her head on the table, suddenly lifted it upon hearing my voice. Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen Erika drunk.

Her cheeks were flushed red. She dipped her finger in the sauce left on the empty plate in front of her and smeared it on her lips.

“Wipe mine too.”

“Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Why do they all do things they’ll regret when they sober up, just like Findenai did last time?

“Do it.”

“Haah.”

After roughly wiping her mouth with a napkin, I carry Erika, who can’t stand up.

Findenai, who can at least stand, I support by placing her hand on my shoulder.

‘This would have been difficult without magic.’

While I might have managed to carry one woman with effort, taking both of them required magical assistance.

I head toward the academy, receiving farewells from the restaurant staff.

It was fortunate that there were few students due to the vacation. I couldn’t let them see Erika in this state.

“Call someone…”

Findenai gestures into the air. Seeing her making a drunken scene just after lunch irritates me.

Indeed, as she suggested, I could simply call someone.

I needed to spend time with Ophelia, and there was no real need for me to escort Findenai and Erika, but…

For some reason, I disliked that idea.

“I’ll take you both myself.”

There was a part of me that didn’t feel comfortable entrusting these two drunk women to someone else’s care.

“…Be that affectionate with us too.”

Erika whispers.

Whatever her dissatisfaction or anxiety, she clings to my neck with both hands.

The mix of Erika’s unique fresh perfume and the sweet scent of alcohol tickles my nose, and her warm breath touches my ear.

“You’ve never done that for me.”

Cutting meat for someone.

Wiping sauce from their mouth.

Those considerate, attentive actions.

I wondered if an explanation was necessary, but then it occurred to me that they might have felt similar to what I was feeling now.

Just as I didn’t want to entrust these two drunk women to someone else.

“Hey, Deus. Don’t treat us carelessly just because we like you!”

“Sigh, Findenai. Take it easy.”

Seeing Erika clinging tightly to me, Findenai seemed annoyed and also pressed closer as she shouted.

“Call me Ai!”

“…It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to curse.”

What am I supposed to do with this?

I couldn’t count how many times I’d sighed, but then Findenai delivered a cutting remark.

“Don’t make us miserable!”

“…!”

She wasn’t wrong.

I suddenly realized that I had been taking advantage of their affection.

And I began to feel quite angry at myself for making them act this way.

‘Ignorance is just an excuse in the end.’

Because my emotions are shallow.

Because I’ve never loved anyone.

“I’m sorry.”

As an explorer of emotions, I continue to push through the underbrush, but I realize that doesn’t give me immunity to hurt others.

“The reason I could act that way was…”

Therefore.

Hoping that expressing what I’m feeling now might provide them some comfort, I honestly confessed.

“It was possible because it was that woman.”

At my words, Findenai and Erika flinched away. Their breathing was rough, but otherwise there was no noise interrupting my words.

“Because she was a woman for whom I felt nothing, I could act so casually.”

Before speaking, I thought it was a reasonable explanation, but once I said it out loud, I realized it was no different from how an elementary school boy acts grumpy toward a girl he likes.

I can act naturally because I have no feelings.

I deliberately didn’t mention the opposite situation.

Perhaps my feelings were clearly conveyed.

The two didn’t say anything until we reached the academy, but…

I felt their hands holding onto me tighten a little more.