Volume 3 Chapter 44-2 Confession
"Ah, Ms. Alium...?"
Seeing Ms. Alium acting a bit differently, Suisen tilted his head.
Even while feeling uneasy, Suisen was still concerned about Ms. Alium's well-being.
"Um, you should still take it easy, so maybe you should sit down──."
Just as he was about to encourage her to sit again──.
Ms. Alium suddenly leaned in and kissed Suisen.
"──What!?"
Caught completely off guard, Suisen's eyes widened in shock.
I was left speechless too.
It wasn't just a peck on the cheek or hand; it was a passionate kiss, the kind you share when you're deeply in love.
I had never seen someone kiss so closely before, and I froze, forgetting to look away.
It felt like it lasted an eternity, but it was probably just a few seconds.
Ms. Alium slowly pulled back, a playful smile on her face.
"Ah, ah...! Ms. Alium...!?"
"This is my answer. I'm not very good at expressing my feelings in words, so sometimes my actions speak before my mouth does. Oh, wait, in this case, I guess my mouth moved first."
With that, Ms. Alium chuckled softly.
Meanwhile, Suisen looked completely stunned, overwhelmed by the unexpected experience.
After a moment, he seemed to come back to reality, but he was still confused, his gaze darting around.
"Why do you look so surprised? Did you really think I might reject you? That possibility is almost nonexistent."
"Eh? W-What do you mean...?"
Seeing Suisen's puzzled expression, Ms. Alium gave a convincing explanation.
"I was attacked by thugs. It might have been your fault, but to me, you were the brave hero who fought them off and protected my honor. After seeing you like that, it would be impossible not to feel something."
"..."
Looking at Ms. Alium's porcelain-like cheeks, I noticed they were slightly flushed.
She had mentioned remembering bits of the incident, which meant she must have seen Suisen awaken and drive away the bad adventurers.
If she was dramatically saved from danger, it would make him appear even more attractive.
So, Ms. Alium had already been aware of Suisen since last night.
It seemed that Sianna's actions had not torn them apart but had instead brought them closer together.
"R-Really, are you saying you want to go out with someone like me...?"
"I told you I'm not good with words, right? Or do you think I need to do it again for you to understand? If that's the case, then maybe I should..."
"N-No! That's enough! I get it! Your answer has come through loud and clear...!"
The confession... was a success.
As the reality of it sank in, Suisen's expression softened.
Unable to hide his joy, he clenched his fists, and Ms. Alium took his hand, saying something surprising and exciting.
"Are you ready, Suisen Pride? As fellow adventurers, we could lose our lives at any moment. Therefore, our romance will move quickly. Don't expect to hold hands for a day or 2; that's not how it works."
"...Y-Yes."
With little romantic experience, Suisen's face turned bright red at Ms. Alium's alluring declaration.
Meanwhile, I felt a complex mix of emotions, as if I had witnessed something I shouldn't have.
* * *
"Hey, are you okay, Suisen?"
"..."
After finishing our conversation in the hospital room, we left the clinic facility, leaving Ms. Alium to rest.
Since the confession was a success, I thought we could celebrate a little and went into a nearby tavern, but Suisen has been frozen with his glass for about 5 minutes now. He's completely spaced out.
"...Am I maybe dreaming? Or am I seeing some kind of illusion, and everything about being with Ms. Alium was just a delusion..."
"Illusions are your specialty, Suisen."
What is the Charmer, who confuses people with Enchantment Magic, talking about? Well, I can understand why he might want to doubt it.
After all, he confessed to someone he's had feelings for all this time, and instead of just a good response, he got a "kiss" in return.
I never thought Ms. Alium would be so forward.
"Don't worry. I saw the confession succeed clearly. Suisen, you really became a couple with Ms. Alium."
"Y-Yeah... I really did become connected with Ms. Alium, didn't I..."
Suisen nodded as if savoring the success of his confession, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
Then he ran his fingers over his lips and immediately turned bright red.
It seems he's feeling embarrassed again, remembering the kiss with Ms. Alium.
I wish he wouldn't, as it reminds me of that awkward moment too.
"B-But I was really surprised that what Roezé said came true. It seems Ms. Alium didn't think I was a bother, which is such a relief."
"I figured Ms. Alium wouldn't think that way about you. I didn't expect the confession to go so well, though. And I definitely didn't think it would turn out to be such a 'huge success'..."
Then, both of us fell silent as we recalled that moment.
However, Suisen quickly snapped back to reality and straightened his posture.
"Anyway, I really want to thank Roezé again. Thank you for pushing me forward. Without that, I probably would have run away at that moment. I really need to reflect on how I still have that cowardly side."
"Well, I really didn't do much. The one who worked hard was Suisen, so I think you should have more confidence in yourself."
I then remembered the feeling of powerlessness I had felt earlier and looked down.
"And I don't think I was very helpful as a Nurturer either. I have a lot to reflect on myself."
Suisen expressed gratitude, saying, "It's all thanks to Roezé." In reality, if it weren't for the days of training with me, he might not have awakened his job class.
Still, I didn't feel like I had been much help, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of powerlessness.
To reassure me, Suisen spoke gently again.
"No, that's not true. I told you, my job class was awakened because you were there. So lift your head."
"..."
"You really are the best Nurturer. You gave me courage, helped me gain confidence, and awakened my job class. With that power, I was able to save Ms. Alium, and I succeeded in my confession. Roezé fulfilled his duty."
Suisen then extended his hand to me.
"So, I'm really grateful. Thank you for taking on my request back then."
"..."
Hearing those words again made me feel secretly acknowledged.
It was true that I had been inexperienced as a Nurturer this time.
I had even considered giving up on Suisen's request partway through, and I definitely needed to reflect on that.
So, I must continue to strive to be someone who can help others as a Nurturer.
With that determination in mind, I decided to take Suisen's hand.
As I responded with a firm handshake, he smiled brightly and said,.
"Can I come visit the Nurturer again?"
"Yeah, please come over again. I want to hear how things are progressing with Ms. Alium and ask you a lot of questions."
"Ah, of course! I'll tell Roezé all about my beautiful and sweet love story with Ms. Alium!"
After that, we spent some time at the tavern and parted ways in the early afternoon.
I said goodbye in front of the tavern and headed home.
The sense of accomplishment from finishing a quest and the slight buzz from the drinks made me feel strangely good on the way back.
Looking up at the clear sky, I muttered to myself.
"...I can make people stronger without using my Trainer ability."
Strength isn't just about simple "combat ability."
There are people who can be made stronger by nurturing the "heart" hidden inside them.
While Suisen's case might be special, there are surely many others who struggle with cowardice or hesitate to fight.
As a Nurturer, I should help those people too.
I realized that again through this experience.
Feeling happy about becoming busier, I walked down the street and soon arrived home.
Then, right away...
"Hm?"
There was "someone" in front of my door.
Two unfamiliar figures wearing black hooded cloaks.
One was large, and the other had a slightly slender build.
I couldn't be sure because their faces were covered by hoods, but they seemed to be a man and a woman.
Since they were waiting in front of my house, they were definitely "clients" looking for a Nurturer.
There was a possibility they were trying to recruit for some religion, but judging by the swords and armor peeking from under their cloaks, they were probably adventurers.
Perhaps they were novice adventurers struggling to progress.
At that moment, I remembered that I had forgotten to hang the "out" sign and hurriedly called out an apology.
"I-I'm sorry! I just stepped out for a moment──!"
As I rushed over, the duo immediately turned to face me.
At that moment──.
"...Huh?"
The woman's face peeked out from under her hood, and I instinctively stopped in my tracks.
Immediately, my spine felt icy cold, and I felt a sharp pain in my chest as if I had been pierced by a needle.
My breathing became ragged, and beads of cold sweat started to form on my hands and forehead.
I was forced to confront a past I never wanted to remember, and I trembled slightly.
At the same time, I directed a sharp gaze at the woman.
"W-why are you here...?!"
She shouldn't be here.
She has no right to step into my precious space.
The woman in black removed her hood, revealing her hidden face.
"That's my line, 'Aroze'..."
There stood the hero, Dahlia.
End of Volume Three.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)