Chapter 88 – Festival (3)

This wasn’t ordinary magic. This wasn’t an ordinary body.

This wasn’t an ordinary… human. Or perhaps not human at all?

I couldn’t tell. Her form was clear to my senses. Her expressions too.

But. No matter how carefully I tried to map her interior with my senses, nothing registered—just emptiness.

Even Kalt, who’d become pure shadow, had shown a discernible internal structure and mana flow. But this being before me—nothing.

What is she?

And. Why are Rubia and Yuria just standing there while this stranger barges in swinging a greatsword?

“Ah! You all seem to be doing well!”

What does that mean…? Does everyone know her?

Sirin maintained her proud expression as she sheathed her greatsword at her waist.

“But… Noah, you seem shorter than before?”

“Ugh…”

“You definitely are. You used to be exactly my height… Hmm?”

Sirin tilted her head and came closer to compare our heights.

Even though I held my greatsword defensively, she pressed right against me without hesitation.

Does she know me? How does she know me?? No… What is even happening here?!

This clearly suspicious person is getting way too close. Why isn’t anyone doing anything?!

Sure… she’s not showing any hostility, so maybe she’s not dangerous… But what if she’s just really good at hiding it?!

“Aha… An incomplete elixir, I see.”

A strange sensation swept over me. Not my usual senses… No, this felt like—a gaze? Eyes?

What is this…?

“Well, as long as you can still swing your greatsword, being shorter doesn’t matter!”

I dodged her attempt to pat my shoulder and edged closer to Rubia.

“Rubia… Who… who is she? Why is everyone just watching? Is she… safe?”

“I thought you knew her, Noah?”

“…What? I’ve never met her…?”

What is she talking about?

“What? You don’t know her?”

“N-No…”

Rubia’s expression shifted from surprise to disbelief. Mine went from disbelief to confusion.

And in that bizarre atmosphere—

Sirin casually dropped a bombshell in the most nonchalant voice:

“Say, Noah. I noticed earlier you’re not wearing any underwear. Is that some new training method?”

Yuria and Hephaestus gasped.

And Rubia—

Gulped hard.

***

“Mmm! This is delicious!”

“Ah! N-No… That’s mine!”

“Come on! You’re rich! Just one more bite!”

“Ugh…”

“Sigh… Noah, I’ll buy you another one later. Just let her have it.”

“Even you, Rubia…? Ugh… fine…”

I reluctantly handed my tanghulu—the sugar-coated fruit skewer—to Sirin.

“Oh!”

“Hey! O-Only eat one piece!”

Sirin beamed and stuffed three strawberries into her mouth at once, crunching loudly.

“One piece barely counts as a taste! Hahaha!”

Her annoying laugh dispersed into the bustling festival street.

“It’s much better to enjoy things together than alone! Don’t you agree?”

“…Yeah.”

After somehow resolving the underwear incident and finishing our discussion, Rubia and I found ourselves dragged to the festival by Sirin.

Yuria and Hephaestus seemed uncomfortable around her and went off on their own, saying they’d meet up later.

I’m uncomfortable too… But when she started crying and sniffling sadly about being left out, my heart softened.

“Now let’s try that! Look, Tylant cotton candy!”

Plus, this person. She has no money.

How can someone calling herself a master not have a single coin?

Her greatsword looks impressive, but that’s it. Shabby clothes, no wallet, no shame.

“Hmm? I expected Tylant cotton candy to look different, but this bear face is quite cute!”

“…Would you like one too, Noah?”

“Yes!”

Rubia pointed to cotton candy shaped like an adorable bear face.

As Sirin said, that looks nothing like Tylant.

Real Tylants have bigger eyes, pointier snouts, and ears that stretch way back—plus rows of teeth.

Not like some pants-less honey-eating bear.

Well… normal townspeople and adventurers wouldn’t know what Tylant really looks like.

But how does Sirin know?

“I’ll take apple flavor! What about you, Noah? I recommend peach!”

“Um… peach sounds good. Rubia, aren’t you getting one?”

“I’ll just steal bites from yours.”

“Excellent choice! Hey! One apple and one peach!”

Sirin clutched Rubia’s wallet and ran ahead, shouting her order.

Even with the concealment robe, I could feel everyone staring.

Doesn’t she feel embarrassed at all?

“I’m just glad Noah is well-behaved,” Rubia sighed, patting my head.

Though it was through the robe, her touch felt nice, so I pressed into it more.

Soon Sirin returned with cotton candy in both hands.

“Here you go, Noah!”

“Thank you…”

“Don’t mention it! Rubia paid for it after all. Rubia! I’ll never forget your kindness! Thank you!”

“Sure… enjoy.”

“Indeed!”

“Here, Rubia, try some.”

I hate getting sticky fingers from cotton candy, but… I tore off a piece and held it out to her.

The cotton candy was already melting, making my fingers sticky.

Hmm… Should I quickly put it in her mouth and lick the sugar off? But that might be gross… What if Rubia thinks I’m weird? But if I leave it like this, I won’t be able to hold her hand… Ugh…

“Thank you.”

While I worried about the stickiness—

Rubia—

“Ah—”

Took my sticky fingers into her mouth and—

Slurp—

“Mmm, delicious.”

Licked them clean.

“Uh… ah…?”

“Should I feed you too, Noah? You don’t like getting messy, right?”

Rubia licked her lips as she leaned toward me.

“Or… I could clean them for you again.”

Her voice, her scent, her expression— They sent electricity through my body.

The sensation of her mouth around my fingers replayed vividly— That warm, wet, soft feeling wrapping around them…

“Haa… N-No, I’m fine! I-I can eat by myself…”

My heart pounding, I wiped my fingers on my clothes and bit into the cotton candy.

As it melted in my mouth, the sweetness only reminded me of that sticky moment before.

My head spun. My body buzzed with electricity, trembling and shrinking in on itself. Tingling spread from my chest to my stomach, and a strange ache bloomed below my waist.

“Hmm? Noah, are you feeling ill?”

“N-No… I’m okay…”

Just as my legs were about to give out—

Sirin’s voice cleared my head.

Thank goodness…

“May I try some of yours?”

“J-Just a little bit… If you eat it all like before… I’ll get mad…”

“Understood!”

Grinning, Sirin twirled her empty stick around my cotton candy and took it.

“By the way, I’ve noticed more people carrying greatswords lately.”

As she stuffed the entire cotton candy in her mouth, she looked around with an odd smile.

“There are many types of greatswords, yet they all resemble yours, Noah.”

“That’s true. Until recently, hardly anyone used greatswords like Noah’s, but now there are many more.”

“R-Really…?”

One, two, three, four, five…

It is true!

Just in this alley, there are five people with greatswords. Expanding my senses, I can tell there are way more than before!

Hehe… Have people finally realized how amazing greatswords are?

Of course they have. How could anyone resist such an impressive, noble, romantic weapon—

“I don’t understand why anyone would carry such a crude weapon.”

“W-What did you say…?”

“I said it’s crude.”

Sirin turned back with an infuriating smirk.

“C-Crude…?”

“Yes. Absurdly heavy, unnecessarily large, hard to use in tight spaces, difficult to maintain. Its only merit is its weight… which is also its biggest flaw. Simply put—a useless weapon.”

“B-But you have a greatsword too!”

“I didn’t want to use this stupid thing either.”

“St-Stupid…?”

“Noah? Maybe you should calm down…”

Calm down?!

How can I calm down?! Rubia, you’re supposed to be on my side!!

“W-Well… if you use it right, it’s great… I even b-beat a Master with it.”

“True, if used properly, it can be decent… if used properly.”

Still wearing that irritating smile, Sirin approached slowly.

“But your sword…”

She pressed her finger to my forehead.

“Isn’t it rather… pathetic?”

Flick!

“Ow! P-Pathetic?!”

Are you… Are you mocking the sword skills I’ve dedicated my life to?!

“Do you have a problem with what I said?”

“Of course I do…”

At that, Sirin’s teasing smile transformed into a bright, genuine one as she raised her hand.

“Then how about a duel?”

“…Bring it.”

“Noah…?”

She snapped her fingers—

“Excellent.”

—And reality inverted.