episode_0049

“Mom, isn’t our speed already slowing down?”

“Sis, are you really allowed to waste magic power like that?”

Even as they spoke, their feet didn’t so much as touch the ground.

“My magic is directly supplied by that wonderful goddess over there, you see. I don’t need to painstakingly reprocess it like you do.”

“Hmph.”

Instead of continuing the argument, Christine channeled more magic into her legs.

Their movement was less like running across the ground and more like floating at high speed—a technique that bent space itself using magic.

“We’re almost there.”

“Lower your magic. If Oppa notices, we’re in big trouble.”

“I know that without you telling me!”

Bickering until the very end, the two of them slowed down in unison.

If Eric saw them carelessly abusing magic like this, he’d probably cough up blood in frustration.

“Huff… huff… huff…”

“Haah… haah…”

The two caught their breath for a moment. Though they hadn’t physically exerted themselves, maintaining a steady flow of magic in their legs wasn’t easy. Of course, if this were the them of four or five years later—veterans of the hero’s party—they could’ve done it in their sleep. But right now, they knew full well it was beyond their current limits.

“Oppa… what do you think he’d say if he saw us?”

“He’d be furious. Like, really furious. ‘You know your duties as heroes, why are you acting like this?’ ‘Recklessly exposing your power is dangerous.’ ‘You’re still not ready.’ That kind of nagging, right?”

Back then, they didn’t realize yet. That every word he said was ultimately for their sake. Picturing his painfully obvious expression in their minds, Christine and Cecilia stomped the ground hard with their own legs. From now on, no tricks—just pure, unassisted running.

“Not bad…? You’ve been keeping up with your stamina training, huh?”

“You’ve trained quite a bit yourself, Chris.”

Though they sounded like they were complimenting each other, to an outsider, their running was utterly ordinary.

Unlike Elia, whose entire physical ability relied solely on magic, making her overwhelmingly slow, or Lucilla, who could move at superhuman speeds without any magic at all, their bodies were, quite literally, those of ordinary humans. So by the time they neared Grave Manor again, they were already using magic once more.

“He didn’t notice, right?”

“Let’s get inside before he does.”

——

Thud thud—

The loud noise jolted me awake.

A bad habit from my days in the hero’s party—I never slept deeply.

I’d been trying to catch some shut-eye before evening, but the sudden knocking had me scrambling up. What now?

“Eric! We found a great restaurant, but we have to go in person!”

“Huh? In person?”

“Yeah!”

“Then count me out. I’ll just rest at home.”

Even if it was steak, it didn’t sound that appealing, and it was probably just some random menu item anyway. No need to waste money and time going out for that.

“Besides, it’s risky for me to go outside… No need to spend money on someone like me—”

“The steak’s half-price if the whole party goes together.”

At Chris’s words, I shot up from the bed.

“We’re going right now!”

“So easy… I feel stupid for hesitating.”

Sleep? The weekend?

That’s not the issue here.

Half-price steak? And I’m supposed to pass that up?

“Wait just a sec. I’ll get ready in a flash.”

After shooing them out of the room, I quickly washed up and changed. No matter how I dressed, if even one person recognized my face, that restaurant would be off-limits. But just in case…

People are more easily influenced by appearances than you’d think. Me, a known delinquent, having a normal conversation?

They’d probably think, No way, and dismiss it as a trick of the mind.

“Done!”

I flung the door open and joined the two waiting for me.

“That was fast! Let’s go. It’s a bit of a walk, so we should hurry.”

“Got it, got it.”

“Um…!”

Cecilia hesitantly reached out to me, then quickly pulled her hand back to her side. Was she messing with me?

“…Not yet… not yet.”

What?

Ignoring Cecilia’s odd behavior, I turned to Chris.

“By the way, Chris.”

“Yeah?”

“Does that place do takeout?”

“Hmm? Probably, but why?”

“In case we get kicked out. There might not be many people in the shopping district who recognize my face yet, but if even one does, word’ll spread in an instant.”

If that happened, my reputation in the shopping district would be the least of my worries. Worse, the other two might get dragged into it. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but it’s always better to worry beforehand than after the fact.

“Don’t worry. If anyone dares say anything about you being there, I won’t let it slide.”

“Right. Eric is the heir of House Grave. No matter what those people say, you’re in a position to ignore them.”

No, that’s just bullying.

Still, I couldn’t help but smile, knowing they were looking out for me.

Good connections really are worth keeping.

“Thanks.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, it seemed I’d get to enjoy a proper meal at a decent restaurant.

——-

“I want to go back.”

“Come on, Eric, don’t be like that.”

“No, I’m fine. You two go ahead and eat.”

“Oppa!”

“You brought me to a place like this and expect me to eat? Just kill me instead!”

Couples.

Couples everywhere.

No matter where I looked, the place was packed with them.

I’d expected something like this, given the limited-time discount event, but I never thought they’d drag me to such an overtly romantic spot.

“Here, try this.”

“Thanks. Now you—”

“Ah, come on.”

Seeing all these couples happily whispering to each other instantly killed my mood. It wasn’t like I was jealous or anything.

“I’m leaving. Enjoy the steak without me.”

I won’t deny the ugly jealousy bubbling up, but seeing everyone living so happily made it worse. Not that I’d wish harm on them—if anything, in this world with its miserable fate, the more people who can live happily, the better.

But still…

They look too happy.

“……”

Contrary to my thoughts, Chris and Cecilia were staring at the couples around us with what looked like envy.

“Hey, you two…”

I almost scolded them but stopped myself. Right now, they barely had any proper friends, let alone lovers, so they’d rarely had the chance for these kinds of “human” moments.

Having spent so long in the hero’s party, I kept forgetting they’d never had normal lives.

“Why…?”

“Does this atmosphere make you uncomfortable…?”

“No, it’s nothing. Just a bit overwhelmed by the crowd. Let’s order, come on.”

Even if it was their choice, even if they’d prepared for it, hardship is still hardship. I had no intention of binding them with empty words like endure it or you chose this. After all, I was the one who gathered and supported the four of them in the hero’s party. Now that we’re here, I’ll see it through to the end.

I’d rather not be the object of their clingy affection, but I can at least take care of their mental well-being.

As if waiting for my words, Chris smiled and called a waiter. The ordering was over in an instant.

“……”

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence settled in.

“Hey, Oppa. Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Not really…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to talk? Looks like the food’ll take a while.”

As Cecilia said, many tables that had arrived before us were still empty. Given that steak wasn’t a quick dish, it made sense.

“Right, anything’s fine!”

“What am I supposed to say…?”

I leaned in and gestured for them to do the same.

“How can I talk when you’re both in disguise? What am I supposed to say?”

I couldn’t exactly bring up my ordinary, fun school life at the academy. I’d need something to talk about, right?

The only things I could talk about were future revelations like There’s an insane treasure here or Killing this monster gives you a great skill, or my plans to overhaul the rotten current alliance and the dirty secrets of its key figures.

And if academy students were caught discussing that? Not only would it be jarring, but if anyone overheard, their lives would be over.

“But…”

They were right—sitting here in silence until the food arrived was pointless. Looking around, I noticed what the other couples were doing and smirked.

“Then how about a bet?”

“Huh?”

“Feeding each other like that. The loser treats me. What do you say?”

You didn’t have to be lovers to share food. Back in my world, my sibling and I would often buy different triangle kimbaps and take bites of each other’s.

Of course, they wouldn’t feel that level of desperation, but I had an unbeatable trump card.

“In the other world, I fed you two, right? Just this once, do it for me.”

“……”

“…Are you serious, Eric?”

But it seemed my plan backfired—their faces froze instantly.

“…Sorry?”

Maybe I went too far.