LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 205
Come to think of it, when I visited Demoninus last time, Edel said I had become quite soft.
Well, that’s not exactly what she said, but it was something like that, from what I remember.
I had brushed it off back then, but now I’m starting to wonder if Edel was right.
Like, did Da-eun really think that way?
…
No, wait.
Upon thinking about it for a bit, I realize Da-eun would probably worry no matter what I did.
Even if I were cutting tofu with a kitchen knife, she’d definitely freak out about me cutting myself.
So, the dilemma I’m facing right now might not even be worth thinking about.
That said, I can’t just ignore it either.
Being soft means being weak.
Da-eun’s unease about my demeanor probably comes from that.
If I know something’s wrong, shouldn’t I fix it?
“So, no petting for a while.”
“…Why?!”
Da-eun looked utterly bewildered by my proclamation.
Her expression totally resembled that of someone who had just lost all their money in gambling.
She wore a face as if the sky was collapsing for a moment.
“…I can’t accept such a future!”
Da-eun sprang up in outrage. She looked like a hero single-handedly fighting against all the injustices of the world as she declared,
“Telling me not to pet Kana is scandalous! You might as well tell me to just die!”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Exaggerating? No way! …Wait, just to check, hugging and cheek-pinching isn’t banned, right?”
“…What kind of foolish question is that?”
Asking such a thing feels ridiculous, and it’s equally absurd that I’m answering it.
“Not that there’s any way that’d be the case, right? Phew, good to know—”
“Of course it’s banned.”
Da-eun’s expression morphed back into that familiar one.
Thus, the collapse of the sky resumed.
“This is tyranny!”
“…Where’s the tyranny?”
“You’re telling me not to feel the softness of hair, the squishiness of cheeks, or the warm body! The people are being pillaged recklessly, so if this isn’t tyranny, then what is?”
“Rights.”
Leeching off something that was never even provided in the first place.
“Strictly speaking, it’s about reclaiming something a rogue has been possessing unlawfully.”
“And this is why sharp-witted kids….
Tsk.
Da-eun clicked her tongue.
“At least tell me why. Why did you suddenly think like this?”
“I’m exercising my rights. Do I really have to provide an explanation?”
“…Are you dreaming of being a lawyer? Where’d you hear that legal jargon….”
“On the internet.”
“Ah, that makes sense. That’s the only place.”
“Well then, is the internet the problem?”
…Maybe it’s actually been a help, right?
I briefly entertained the thought but held it back.
Because I could roughly predict what Da-eun would say next.
She would likely argue, “It’s a problem since you’re taking Kana away from me!”
So instead of rebutting Da-eun’s words, I shared the thoughts I’d had earlier.
Not everything, but quite a bit simplified.
“Hmm.”
While I spoke, Da-eun quietly listened, and the moment I finished, she fell into thought.
About two ticks of the second hand passed before she spoke.
“I think a bit differently.”
Finally wrapping up her thoughts, Da-eun spoke with utmost seriousness as if she were denying the earlier playful tone entirely.
“Is being soft truly the same as being weak?”
<“Isn't that the same? Both refer to something not firm.”
“That’s true, but the context is a bit different, especially when describing a person.”
“Hmm….”
I wasn’t quite getting what she meant.
When I tilted my head, Da-eun added an explanation.
“When I say, ‘That person is soft,’ what do you think?”
“…A kind person?”
“Kind, gentle, compassionate. Roughly that vibe, right? But when you hear, ‘That person is weak,’ what comes to mind?”
“…Oh.”
Da-eun nodded in understanding.
“You’d think of someone weak, indecisive, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So I don’t think Edel meant it that way when she said you’ve become soft with Kana. Were there no other comments?”
“Hmm… Oh.”
Going through my memory intentionally, things I had forgotten began to surface.
“She said it was a relief that you’ve become soft, not dull.”
“See? Edel said it like that. Why were you worrying so much?”
“Well….”
The answer to Da-eun’s whining question was simple.
It was probably because I couldn’t remember well in the first place.
“Edel said that.”
The first time I met Edel was in the Sedeth Kingdom, but I got to know her more thoroughly after coming to Earth.
During the few days I stayed in Demoninus to recover my battered body, I had many conversations with Edel.
We talked about plans for the future, along with numerous trivial matters.
And from that, I realized one thing.
She really drones on about trivial topics.
Of course, not to compare to Da-eun….
So, it’s not really my fault for overlooking Edel’s words or not remembering them well; it’s her fault.
“That’s quite the harsh evaluation…”
“Da-eun will know when she spends time with Edel. She’ll understand why I say this. …Hmm, or maybe not?”
Considering both might excel in meaningless chatter, perhaps they’d actually be a good match?
While I was thinking this, Da-eun shot me a weary glance.
“That’s a sneaky look… You seem like you’re plotting something in your head.”
“No way!”
“Seems unlikely. But anyway, what I really want to say is something else.”
Da-eun inched closer and placed her hand on my head.
Her hand barely felt heavy—it was just resting there.
As I felt her gentle caress through my hair, I grumbled,
“I told you that’s banned.”
“Is that a rule that’s somehow already in effect? Nope! You didn’t say a date, so it’s null and void!”
“Ugh.”
Honestly, I didn’t expect Da-eun to last long with that ban.
But it was way too quick to break it.
…Well, if she really didn’t want it, she would’ve pushed me away.
“If we’re talking about unease, it was far worse back then.”
“Back then?”
“When we were in Silia. Especially before going to the Holy Kingdom. You really looked uneasy back then.”
“Isn’t that just because we weren’t close back then?”
“Heh, does that mean we’re close now?”
“We are closer than we were.”
“For some reason, I thought Kana would be embarrassed if I said this. Hmph, how boring.”
“That’s pure dopamine addiction.”
What does it even mean when we’re already living together?
At times like this, it’s best to accept it calmly.
As if it’s not a big deal.
“You’re blushing bright red for something so trivial. Anyway, that’s not the reason at all. Back then, you just seemed really on edge. Like a light touch would cause you to crumble.”
“I was, really?”
“You were. That’s why I prefer the way you are now. Sure, you can be annoying sometimes, but kids grow up like that.”
Da-eun grinned widely.
“How is it? Are you touched?”
“…Are you really saying this sincerely?”
If she hadn’t added any side comments, I might’ve thought about it a little more.
Just a tiny bit.
It’s pretty brazen for her to ask if I was moved after throwing in comments about me being a kid.
“Fine.”
Still, it helped me sort out my thoughts.
In short, I realized that the dilemma I was having wasn’t even worth pondering.
Yeah. Since when did I start caring about others’ opinions? When did I think that how I see myself was less important than how others perceive me?
As my mind cleared up, my heart felt at ease naturally.
“So from now on, I’m not listening to Da-eun anymore.”
“…Huh? How did we reach such a conclusion from our conversation?”
I could hear Da-eun mumbling in disbelief, but I didn’t respond.
What Da-eun just said was precisely the thought I frequently had during our conversations.
Let’s experience a little role reversal.
* * *
“Ahh… I feel an overwhelming surge of strength…!”
The shimmering blue light swirled around my arms like a mirage.
Despite having no discernible shape, the blue light emanating from my hands danced eagerly across my arms.
“You little… that power…”
That oddly awkward voice.
And Da-eun flashed a mischievous grin in response.
“With this power, I can do anything!”
“Grrk. That’s cowardly.”
“Cowardly? Heh… how foolish. In a competition, there are only winners and losers. To think there are still fools babbling about dreams in this cruel world. How amusing.”
As her sentence ended, the erratically trembling blue light quickly settled down.
It faded to the point where you could barely spot it without concentration.
However, I knew all too well that Da-eun standing before me was in even more danger than before.
“Are you really thinking we’ll give up on this? Stop your babbling and vanish.”
Wham!
With one side of her mouth tilted up, Da-eun slammed the ground.
At an amazing speed.
In an instant, Da-eun was in her opponent’s face and threw a punch.
Thud!
With a crisp sound of impact, a body went sprawling on the floor.
“Kuh-ack!”
Of course, that body belonged to Da-eun.
“…What a show. Just a whole show.”
I muttered as I watched Da-eun’s antics unfold.
Who knows if my voice even reached the dazed Da-eun lying on the floor.
But if I didn’t say this, my only way of expressing my feelings would be a heavy sigh.
While observing the still motionless back of Da-eun, I shifted my gaze to Yuki, who had thrown her down.
“Why are you playing along with that? You don’t have to force yourself to join in.”
“I’m not forced. I found it pretty entertaining, so I enjoyed it.”
“…Is that so?”
Despite her tone sounding reluctantly, she genuinely enjoyed it?
Yuki’s acting really amazes me every time.
“Ugh…”
As I was still shocked, Da-eun began struggling to rise from the floor.
“I genuinely thought I could win.”
“Right, you thought you could win?”
As soon as she got up, I shot back at Da-eun for her absurdity.
“Physical enhancement isn’t everything. If you just charge in bravely like that, it’s harder to hit.”
“Cough….”
It had only been a few days since Da-eun had gotten the hang of manipulating mana.
Now, she could perform some light physical enhancements.
Having felt her strength grow from hitting a punching bag, Da-eun decided to challenge Yuki, thinking she could win.
And as you can see, the outcome was utterly disastrous.
“It wasn’t utterly disastrous!”
“You didn’t even touch her and were taken out in one blow. You really think that’s not disastrous?”
And Da-eun’s main weapon would be a sword, so why on earth did she charge in with her bare hands?
The more I think about it, the less sense it makes.
“If physical specs were everything, then why even create swordsmanship in the first place?”
“Ugh! Stop nagging!”
Da-eun covered her ears and rolled on the floor.
“I know! I know, but I still wanted to give it a shot! I can’t stand hearing ‘that guy was the weakest of our trio…’ anymore!”
“Da-eun.”
Blocking her rolling form, Yuki squatted down.
“-It’s not the trio, it’s the duo. Kana is in a demon lord position. You have to exclude that.”
“I don’t like that even more. Duo? That’s totally lame!”
Da-eun whined.
Looking down at her, I prodded her in the side.
“Quit rolling around already and get up, weakling. You’re getting your clothes dirty.”
Are you planning to suck up all the dust inside the gym?
Just then, I heard a loud thump.
“…?”
Some unfamiliar sound resonated throughout the gym.