Chapter 57
A date.
Most people define that word as follows.
A couple in love, or a man and woman on the verge of it, going out alone together to spend an enjoyable, romantic time.
The key point here is “alone together.”
A date is something two people do in the first place.
If you don’t go out as a pair, it isn’t a date.
That’s common sense.
It should be common sense.
‘A date with Gilliam, just the two of us, not three or four or five…! He really does acknowledge me as his main wife after all!’
Elettra was feeling more smug than she could possibly be.
‘Whenever I went on a date before, there were at least three of us. He’s definitely treating me as special, right!’
Elettra was already so happy at this point.
But the restaurant Gilliam took her to had a wonderful atmosphere, too.
They sat side by side rather than facing each other. It was a nice place to chat comfortably for hours.
“That’s unexpected.”
“What is?”
“I thought you’d take me to some modest little restaurant if you were choosing.”
“If I were by myself, I would have.”
In fact, that sort of place would suit my tastes better.
But I couldn’t take a princess somewhere like that.
This was a matter of common sense, not reading the room.
A rich third-generation heir getting starry-eyed over cup ramen, or a Korean royal eating a commoner’s hamburger and demanding to see the chef, only happened in dramas.
‘…Wait, but isn’t a romance fantasy basically like a drama?’
Maybe if I bought Elettra a street-side grilled cheese sandwich, she’d wolf it down and give me the cliché response, “This is food from heaven! Bring the chef to the imperial palace—no, to the academy!”
‘Should I test that out sometime?’
It wouldn’t do me any good.
But I just felt like finding something Elettra would like, in an ordinary way.
‘Because she’s a precious friend.’
Sometimes, I felt a little regret.
If Elettra saw me as more than a friend, I’d return those feelings, too… I thought.
“Elettra.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m late saying this, but black really suits you, too.”
“…You’re way too late, idiot.”
【The target is delighted】
<Praise Points: +1500(5500→7000)>
*×3 multiplier applied
‘At this rate, reaching 10,000 points should be easy.’
Elettra’s Bond Quest.
Dominate a target together.
‘I need to think about that, too… but right now, more than that.’
The transfer student arriving tomorrow.
There was an item I absolutely needed to deal with her.
“Elettra, your hobby is observing spirits, right?”
“You remembered?”
“Of course I did. That was what we bonded over when we first met.”
First meeting.
Bonded.
Elettra’s heart fluttered sweetly.
To emphasize the word first.
To deliberately bring up their first time.
‘Is today finally the day?’
It had to be a metaphor.
A metaphor for having another kind of first experience now.
‘So the desire he’s been taking out on Maron and Lucy until now, he’s finally going to direct at me.’
There was no way this womanizer had been holding back his desires all this time.
Surely, before classes ended, he’d been ravishing Maron, who was too timid to refuse anything, and after classes, ravishing Lucy, whose body he could use because she was so starved for affection she accepted everything.
He’d held back from reaching out to her, the princess, until now, but…
‘So you’re finally ready to make up your mind, too, huh?’
At first, he’d held back. Because she was a princess.
But after spending so much time together, he surely realized that if they were going to stay together, she’d have to offer her body, too.
Elettra twisted her lips.
‘Honestly, what an idiot.’
If it was preparation he wanted, she’d been ready for ages.
Yeah.
Anytime.
She was ready to accept him if Gilliam wanted her.
Even right now.
All the time.
Her body was getting ready.
‘It’ll hurt at first, won’t it?’
She recalled what she’d seen in the infirmary last night.
She’d caught a glimpse of its outline in the infirmary before, but seeing it up close this time had made it certain.
It was something that could only hurt.
But.
It’s okay.
‘For Gilliam, I’ll even learn to love the pain.’
Elettra had made the exact same resolve Maron had the other day.
If Maron and Elettra found that out, their shared sympathy and mutual loathing would mix together, and a catfight would break out.
Unfortunately—or fortunately—Maron, who would do that, wasn’t here right now.
They ate and talked.
Gilliam complimented her from time to time.
Each time, Elettra felt warmth bloom in her chest.
【The target is delighted】
<Praise Points: +2100(8800→10900)>
*×3 multiplier applied
“I did it….”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing, just talking to myself.”
She took a sip of the wine served with dessert, low in alcohol and fresh with complex fruit aromas.
“Do you know about the item called 〈Spirit Butterfly Wing Dust〉?”
“I do. Spirit Butterflies are a type of spirit, aren’t they?”
One naturally became knowledgeable about one’s own hobby.
“The wing dust is valuable as an alchemy ingredient, and it also has the special power to verify lies all by itself.”
But why was he bringing this up all of a sudden?
“How exactly do you use that verification?”
“If you lie while the dust is on your body, it turns black on its own.”
“That’s fascinating. I just rub it on like this?”
Gilliam made a motion as if rubbing the dust into Elettra’s hand.
Huh?
Could this be a metaphor, too?
‘Is he telling me to speak only the truth from now on?’
This was a common way of speaking in aristocratic society.
If so, she should play along.
“Everything I say from now on is a lie.”
Even as she said that, Elettra nodded.
Gilliam blinked.
‘Yes, exactly.’
Pretending not to understand.
“Gilliam Everchess.”
Elettra smiled, looking straight into his eyes.
“I love you.”
Like a man pointing at the moon while telling the young lady beside him how beautiful she was.
“No matter what you do, I’ll forgive you, so stay by my side from now on, and just keep playing with me.”
She said it was a lie, then conveyed her true feelings.
Anyone in aristocratic society would hear what she said and understand her intent.
But.
Gilliam.
‘She said it was a lie?’
Then what she was saying now must be that she didn’t love him.
Why go out of her way to declare she didn’t love him?
‘Ah.’
She was drawing a line.
She was clearly establishing that Gilliam and Elettra’s relationship was nothing more than that of a male and female friend.
‘Right. There’s no way a woman like Elettra would see me as a serious prospect.’
The Everchess family delinquent’s reputation was still notorious.
Besides, she was a princess.
Someday, she would marry a man perfect in every respect—character, ability, family, and everything else, a man whose stats weren’t merely a hexagon, but a perfectly filled-in one.
Thinking of that, gratitude welled up in me toward her for coming out even though I’d called her over so suddenly.
“Elettra.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re a really wonderful woman.”
“…Yeah♡”
Elettra felt as if her lungs were growing hot.
Her throat tightened.
“You’ll marry a good man from a good family someday.”
“Yeah…♡♡”
“I hope you have a happy married life.”
“Yeah…♡♡♡”
Elettra smiled.
“I want to do anything my husband wants.”
“…He’ll be a lucky man.”
“Exactly.”
Elettra rested her chin on her hand, leaned her chest against the table, and grabbed Gilliam’s sleeve with a look that seemed to drip honey from her eyes.
“He’ll be very lucky. Right?”
‘If you show off that much, it hurts a little.’
Gilliam could only manage a small smile.
“…Yeah.”
To be honest.
When Elettra looked into my eyes and told me she loved me, my heart had raced.
It was the same even now, when I understood it as her drawing a line.
Elettra was beautiful.
Besides, I liked her straightforward personality, and how, as a princess, she wasn’t overly domineering, but would certainly stomp on anyone who looked down on her.
If Elettra had really been confessing to me.
I would have accepted her right away. Today would’ve been day one.
But Elettra read that smile this way.
‘He’s telling me not to be too pushy, right?’
I know.
Even if I’m your main wife, if I’m going to become your main wife, you’re telling me to keep proper boundaries, right? Not to be a bother or try to monopolize you.
‘I know, okay?’
Elettra released Gilliam’s sleeve.
But before that.
With reluctant fingers, she stroked the back of Gilliam’s hand.
“Gilliam.”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t know what you’ll be like before you get married, but after you do, do you plan to treat your wife well?”
“I want to, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to.”
Elettra scoffed inwardly.
‘You’re actually declaring that you plan to cheat with a bunch of other women even after you marry me?’
You rake.
‘In this situation, aren’t you supposed to say you’ll only have eyes for one woman, even if it’s a lie?’
But.
It couldn’t be helped.
‘That’s the kind of man you are.’
I know.
I knew, and I still chose you, so I suppose I’ll have to accept even your womanizing.
But.
I want to tease you just once.
“Gilliam, look over there.”
“?”
I turned my head in the direction Elettra pointed, but there was nothing there.
“What am I supposed to loo—”
When I turned back, the lips of the Empire’s Second Princess touched mine.