Volume 7 Chapter 13 Date With Saint
It was such a sunny day and the air was so clean as I left the house with Lisha by my side.
"Yuusuke-san, I'm looking forward to it!"
"Ah, yeah."
Lisha said with a smile, looking even more excited than a dog going for a walk with its owner. Well, that analogy isn't quite appropriate. It's more like a young girl going on a date with her boyfriend.——no, that's not quite right either.
Anyway, it's clear to anyone that she's having a great time.
Lisha's outfit for today is a light purple-colored dress with a long white coat. The dress is loosely cinched just below her chest, highlighting her figure. And the black lace visible at the neckline gives off a surprisingly mature vibe.
If she was a model of the cover of a magazine, it would undoubtedly sell out.
As for why Lisha and I left the house together in the middle of a battle, it was all because of a letter she gave me. I'll spare the details, but in short, it said, "Shall we go out for a change of pace?" The remaining three letters were also surprising, but that can wait for now.
Honestly, I don't know when demons (mazoku) or the New World (Try Order) might attack, and staying at home seemed like the best option. But even if not, I thought everyone should act together. However, it seems the three of them will come nearby later.
Well, if that's the case, why not just go together from the beginning? ...What, are we dividing into groups like on a school trip? That's not a good idea. I recall the embarrassing memory of my high school graduation trip when I was left out of the group and ended up going to the amusement park with Souji alone.
Even Kagami-san said, "Isn't it fine? Demons won't attack during the day, and it's harder for the New World (Try Order) to move in crowded places. Besides, it's good to take a break once in a while."
Certainly, rest is important in battles.
In Asteris too, I was forcibly taken outside by Eris and the others.
"Well then, shall we go?"
Lisha started walking as if bouncing.
I lifted my heavy feet and followed after.
It seems like it will be warm today.
...
...
We headed to a super famous tourist spot in Kanagawa Prefecture, swaying on the Minatomirai Line. Yes, it's Chinatown in Yokohama.
Tokyo is a place that everyone who lives there has probably heard of, but it seems like many people haven't actually been there.
If you think about it, a place like Chinese Restaurant is a shop that you would encounter as often as a convenience store just by walking around.
If someone were to ask me if I would go all the way to Yokohama, my usual self would find it too much trouble.
But today, I'm with Lisha. She has a wealth of information from TV and internet videos, and her interest often leads to food.
So, I brought her here since we have the opportunity.
"Wow, that's amazing! There's another country within the country!?"
When we got off the station and faced Chinatown, Lisha's excitement was at its peak. If we eat here, her excitement meter might go off the charts.
"I wouldn't say it's another country, more like a reproduction."
"I see, other countries have a very different impression."
"This place is originally close to Japan, so there are many similarities."
Lisha's eyes sparkle as she nods her head eagerly. I can understand how she feels. When I went to another country in Asteris, I was curious and looked around everywhere. Thanks to that, I got ripped off and almost got pickpocketed too.
Centraris Kingdom was a city that had a European feel, so I get excited when I see this Asian-style city on the other world.
By the way, if I get too excited in other countries, Eris' voltage also increases in proportion, so I need to be careful. That girl is overflowing with patriotism.
...No, it's no good. I remembered it again. I need to focus on being with Lisha.
"Yuusuke-san, let's go quickly!"
"Yeah, just wait a moment."
We started walking through the Chinatown.
I thought there would be few people since it was a weekday, but it's not really like that. I have to be careful when walking. Anyway, there are Xiaolongbao, meat buns, and strawberry candies calling out from left and right, and my stomach growls.
It's amazing, it's about three times more lively than I imagined.
Or rather, are there a lot of all-you-can-eat restaurants? Most of the stores I see have "all-you-can-eat" written in big letters. It's like a closing sale in Ameyoko. Maybe that's an exaggeration.
"All-you-can-eat, all-you-can-eat..."
No, already one of the Saints has been enchanted by the magic power of all-you-can-eat. It's a word that symbolizes desire, the opposite of asceticism, but is it okay to give in to it?
But I won't say something so unsophisticated.
The shame of travel is said to be forgotten, just like calories
Anyway, we walked up and down the street and pointed to a nearby store.
"For now, would you like to try that Xiaolongbao?"
"Xiaolongbao."
"It's like gyoza, similar to shumai."
"Gyoza! They are delicious, aren't they? It bothers me that when I try to cook them, they stick, but not when Kanami-san does it."
"You should practice then."
I understand the feeling well.
We stood in a theme park-like line and bought something called "Tricolor Xiaolongbao." They say each one has a different flavor.
"Be careful when you eat. There's soup inside."
"Huh, are we eating here? Are there any chairs?"
"We're eating on the go, so it's fine as long as we don't get in the way. Others are eating around here too."
"I see. In that case, I'll start eating."
Lisha hesitated about how to eat the plain Xiaolongbao and eventually stuffed it into her mouth.
"Oh!?"
Immediately after, Lisha's eyes widened, and she stomped her feet.
I told her before, didn't I? Xiaolongbao has soup inside, so if you eat it carelessly, it becomes a mouthful of meat juice explosion.
Lisha slowly finished eating the Xiaolongbao and smiled with a lingering blush on her face.
"It's delicious! I'm surprised it's hot."
"Are you okay with burns? Do you want some water?"
"No, I put Sanctuary in my mouth for a moment, so I didn't get burned."
What a surprising and amazing skill. When did you learn that?
After that, Lisha happily started on the next xiaolongbao. Just seeing the beautiful blonde girl enjoying her food makes me feel warm inside. I wish they would sell it as a mental stabilizer.
Maybe I should eat it while it's still hot.
I lift up the Xiaolongbao and take a bite. As I watch Lisha, the temperature cools down just right. The melted soup juices spread in my mouth and quickly go down my throat.
This is delicious.
"Yuusuke-san, let's go to the next one!"
Lisha, who finished eating the xiaolongbao in an instant, grabs my arm and pulls me along.
"Wait, let's throw away the trash first. You're so strong."
Despite the soft feeling of her arm wrapping around mine, Lisha's power is at its maximum. Did the xiaolongbao ignite her foodie gauge?
I let myself be dragged by Lisha and stroll through the streets of Chinatown.
We were tempted by the all-you-can-eat option, but in the end, we just kept on eating as we walked. We couldn't resist the successive temptations of food that kept appearing, but above all, it was fun.
It seems like at the last cultural festival too, I was just eating with Lisha all the time.
That endless chain of eating due to food also came to an end along with our voracious appetite gauge, and finally, we had dessert and left the Chinatown.
"Wow, we ate a lot! Everything was delicious!"
"Seriously, if only we had come earlier."
"Was it your first time too, Yuusuke-san?"
I tilted my head as Lisha looked puzzled.
"Yeah, I hadn't been here before."
"Is that so? I thought maybe——"
"Maybe what?"
"N-nothing at all!"
Lisha shook her head in a fluster. What's up with that?
We could have just gone home like this, but since we came all this way, I took out my phone and opened the map app.
"Lisha, shall we take a little walk?"
"Uh, yeah. Of course."
We walked through the gaps between buildings and headed towards our destination.
"Wow, it's the sea!"
"Chinatown is right near the coast."
"That's why I faintly smelled the sea breeze!"
Oh, really? I didn't notice at all. My sense of smell must have been sharpened by hunger.
In terms of the season, it was chilly near the sea, but the wind was relatively mild and pleasant. Lisha gazed at the ocean and then happily explored the flowers planted in the garden. She seemed to suit this serene atmosphere well.
Yes, Lisha was meant to live like this. Not in such blood-soaked places like the God-Demon War or the Try Order, but surrounded by light and life.
'If Yuusuke-san has taken many lives in the past, then I will bear that guilt as well. If you hate him, please hate me alongside. No matter what happens, I believe in Yuusuke-san.'
Lisha's voice from inside the beast's stomach echoed in my memory.
When the battle is over, Lisha will likely return to Asteris. That's only natural, and it's what I've believed in as I've fought.
"Yuusuke-san, these flowers smell really nice."
However, when that moment truly arrives, what will I do? Send Lisha and Kanami away and call it an end? Wouldn't that also burden them with the sadness of parting, just like me?
"Yuusuke-san."
"Whoa."
Suddenly, I thought someone was pointing a gem at me. Lisha was peering at me with eyes like rubies.
"W-what's up?"
"Are you lost in thought?"
Caught off guard, I struggled to respond.
"Not really. Just seemed like fun, that's all."
Saying that, Lisha smiled faintly. A different kind of smile, strangely mature.
"Yes, indeed. I've been having fun ever since I came to this world. Of course, there have been difficult and painful moments, but meeting Yuusuke-san, Tsukiko-san, and many other people made me happy."
I see...
"That's why I'm grateful. Yuusuke-san helped me at that time, stayed with me, and I got to know so many enjoyable things."
If you're saying that, I feel the same way.
Back when I was drowning in alcohol, unable to see the future, trapped in a burdensome past, meeting Lisha changed me.
Lisha walked toward the sea, leaving me behind. Her braided hair swayed in the sea breeze, and it felt like she might be spirited away somewhere, so I hurriedly followed her.
"Come to think of it, I was turned down at that time, wasn't I?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, it was certainly a no-go at that time. It wasn't equal."
What have we been talking about all this time?
Lisha gently raised her right hand palm up and looked at me. In the depths of her eyes, stars twinkled.
The sound of waves is distant.
And she said,
"No matter what fate lies ahead, I vow to be your support until this soul decays. So, Yuusuke-san, as my knight, will you fight by my side?"
It was the same as back then, no, perhaps it was an even more sincere wish.
No, maybe it was her own pledge.
"I decline."
"Wh-wh-what!"
I refused back then, didn't I? Even looking back now, I think it was a terrible encounter for both of us. A worthless saint and a dull hero.
Eris...
Surely, I will continue to think of you and regret the past. The memories born at that time may never fade no matter how worn out they become.
Nevertheless, I am alive here and now.
No matter what awaits in the future, what I should do remains unchanged.
Since when Lisha joined the literature club.
Once again, I took her hand.
"As you wish, my beloved saint."
Our formal speech was strangely funny, and we laughed together.
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