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Arifureta Chapter 486
🕑 Added 2024-02-18 15:51:50 +0000 UTCCommon Holiday Brief Story Liliana’s Case
Nearing the end of July, there was around one week remaining until the planned trip to the other worlds.
Hajime was in the living room of Nagumo house even though it was the morning of a plain Tuesday where there wasn’t any holiday.
Of course, Myuu and Aiko were at school. Yue and others were also in campus. Remia, Tio, and also Shuu were at work.
「What a nice weather. The weather forecast recently cannot be counted on at all.」
The one who said that was the only family member other than Hajime who stayed behind at home──his mother Sumire. She had just managed to finish her work before deadline yesterday, so she was in a very lifeless state right now.
She was leaning so deeply onto the sofa that she looked like she could slid off from it anytime. She slovenly threw out her limbs and basked in the sunlight.
At her side were snack food and cola that were her breakfast. Weekly magazine for shoujo manga where her own manga was also serialized and magazines for manga introduction were scattered all over.
Anyone who saw such sight would knitted their eyebrows. However, Hajime was used to see such figure of his mother enjoying her holiday to her heart’s content, so he only nodded and said 「Guess so」 while calmly sipping his tea at the dining table.
「As I thought, is this your doing? If you’re going to confess then you should do it now. I’ll give you a double slap in the face as your mother.」
「Wrong. I myself had gotten a bit uneasy about it and investigated just in case, but this weather is unrelated with us.」
The temperature this year went through violent fluctuations compared to the average year. Just when fierce heat was observed at the beginning of the month, there were also days that were cool like today even though it should be the height of summer.
All the weather forecast experts throughout the country were scratching their heads in confusion by the continuous strange weather that was hard to predict. The weather forecast couldn’t be counted at all that recently the weather newscasters would show twitching expression when showing up in TV.
The commentor would make a funny retort during the broadcast so somehow the program’s atmosphere didn’t become sour, but it seemed there were quite a lot of complains flooding in behind the scene. Of course, the social media was stormy just like the state of the weather.
The natural disasters that occurred during the “dragon incident” were still fresh in everyone’s memory even now after more than half a year had passed.
And so, it wasn’t unreasonable for Sumire to harbor such doubt. After all the weather had calmed down was also because Hajime had ordered the divine spirits to use their authority for interfering with nature.
But, the truth was Hajime too was unrelated with the series of strange weathers. At the very least, that was the conclusion from the investigation using the methods in Hajime’s possession.
「More importantly Kaa-san. It’ll be the time soon. How about you straighten up yourself a little?」
「Don’t wanna. I’m going to slack off today and that’s final.」
「Don’t blame me if she got disillusioned after seeing you like this.」
「I wish that she can accept her mother-in-law as it is. We’re family after all. Or rather, this is my adorable Lily-chan we’re talking about. There’s no way she’ll get disillusioned or anything right?」
Well, certainly. Hajime thought that with a wry smile while glancing at the clock to check the time.
Yes, Hajime was at home today even though originally he still had class at campus was for welcoming visitor.
Liliana who was doing her duty as princess at Tortus had taken day off early for the sake of the other world trip. She planned to stay at Nagumo house from today until the trip started.
It was at that timing there was a powerful magic power reaction from the underground.
The “World Door”, the exclusive artifact for being a gate that was connected directly to the palace of Heiligh Kingdom must have been opened.
The gate with pointlessly ornate shape now allowed unrestricted travel between Tortus and earth limited to the people who were registered with soul magic as authorized to use it.
Dragon vein, dragon hole, sacred ground……those important factors in regard to earth’s willpower had been analyzed, understood, and grasped by Hajime. With that he turned the plot of land of Nagumo house itself into a sacred ground.
And so, the inside of Nagumo house right now was becoming a place that was overflowing with energy to a degree that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the place a holy land.
That energy was directly drawn up and converted into magic power to constantly fuel the “World Door”.
Also, if it looked like there was no problem then he intended to set up this direct gate to other world in each world that they would visit in their trip this time.
Getting back on topic.
*To-to-to-* Light footsteps could be heard. A second later.
「Everyone! It has been so long! It’s me!」
*Baamm* The door opened and the one who showed herself from there with a wide smile was Liliana as expected.
She must have been greatly looking forward to this. She was still wearing her splendid light pink dress that made her looked princess-like, though this one seemed to be tailored for everyday use. Even her tiara was still riding snugly on her head.
Her head maid was that Hellina, so she must have arranged all the necessary items for the trip inside Liliana’s “treasure warehouse” since a long time ago. Because of that there was no way that Liliana was empty-handed, even so she had quickly came visiting here without even sparing time to change clothes. It was heartwarming.
Well, the dark circles under her eyes spoiled the mood though.
Just how much rigorous battle(work) she had thrown herself into in order to be able to take a long holiday?
「Lily-chan, welcome~~e! Do you want potato chip?」
「Ah, Okaa-sama(mother-in-law), long time no see. Err……where is everyone else?」
Liliana gave a beautiful curtsy and greeted Sumire-okaasan who acted as though to claim Slacking completely during day-off is justice!
Sumire didn’t frown or question Sumire who was looking like a hopeless adult. She ignored the half-eaten potato chip that her mother-in-law held out, however, she looked around the living room with some confusion.
「There’s only Kaa-san and me here. Everyone else is at school or work.」
「Eh, i-is that so……」
It seemed that she was expecting there was a grand welcoming awaiting her arrival. 「Even though, I’m a princess──no, in this situation, being a princess or not is unrelated……」 She said a bit dejectedly.
The travel between Tortus and earth became unrestricted not long ago, but not only Hajime, even Liliana was a busy person.
This was a reunion for the first time after four months since the graduation party. Of course she would feel lonely if there were only a few people waiting for her arrival.
「That’s why, I told you to do this at least three day later didn’t I?」
It would be Sunday then. Everyone would be able to be present without much trouble to welcome her when she arrived.
「Uu, you said that. It looks like I was a bit too high-spirited. Also……umm, the pressure “take day-off already” from Okaa-sama(mother) and Hellina and others was heavy……」
「I can imagine.」
As expected, the dark circles under her eyes had told the whole story. Not only she was stuffing works like there was no tomorrow for the sake of today, even in the normal days her working style was definitely the application of 「Day-off? What’s that, is it tasty?」 for real.
In fact, at the beginning Liliana was going to keep working until the very last minute. The one who remonstrated her for that and advised her to at least took a rest for about a week before the trip started were none other than her retainers. Even so Liliana was still reluctant, so at the end Queen Luluaria convinced her to change her mind with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
Like that, once she had accepted the situation she became overly looking forward to her arrival here──which led to the present situation.
「It cannot be helped then. When is everyone going to come home?」
「What, you’re satisfied with just me here?」
Hajime stood up from his chair with a slightly teasing atmosphere. In respond Liliana looked puzzled for a moment before she hurriedly shook her head left and right.
「Eh? No no-, that’s not true at all! Hajime-san was waiting for me despite having class yourself weren’t you? It makes me happy……」
Liliana only noticed that fact just now and her expression brightened. She dashed toward Hajime with bouncing footsteps.
But, she stopped just a moment before embracing him. Right at the very close distance where she peered at him from right below. Her eyes that were staring up fixedly at him were sparkling with expectation.
It looked like the princess was desiring something wordlessly.
Hajime guessed what it was and put on a smile. His gaze changed as though he was looking at an adorable creature, and yet his gaze was also radiating love.
「It’s great that you’re here Lily. I had been anxiously waiting for you.」
He said that with a gentle tone and hugged her tightly. Liliana’s petite body was fitted snugly on Hajime’s chest.
Pleasant sounding voice 「Nnh, fuaa~」 leaked out from Liliana’s mouth.
She put her slender arms around Hajime’s back and hugged strongly from her end too. She looked up at Hajime with a melting expression. And then, she replied back with a voice that was filled with heat.
「Yes……. Your Liliana is here now.」
She moved her hands again to grab on Hajime’s chest. She then stood on her toes and closed her eyes.
As expected, it was clear what she was desiring.
Naturally Hajime answered. He hugged her even tighter as though to lock her even more securely on his chest and brought his face closer.
The two’s lips overlapped.
「……」
「……nnu」
Actually, the reason why Yue and others weren’t present to welcome Liliana today was this.
Of course, it was also the truth that it wasn’t proper for them to be absent from class or work, but it wasn’t like they couldn’t do something about their schedule if they wanted. Naturally they also had the desire to welcome Liliana because they hadn’t met her for so long.
But, there was no need for any rush. They would be together the whole time during the long vacation anyway. And so they thought, they should at least prioritize Liliana’s maiden heart during this reunion for the first time after several months.
That consideration of them──
──*Crunch-crunch-, rustle-rustle-, snap-!*
Was interposed by a foreign sound.
Hajime and Liliana opened their eyes while still kissing. They both blinked.
──*Gulp-gulp-, Puhaaah*
Their lips parted quietly. Hajime’s face looked like he wanted to say 「Damn it」, while Lily was turning crimson with her body shaking all over.
The two turned their faces toward the sofa at the same time.
There was someone there staring fixedly at the two of them with eyes that looked like ＜●＞＜●＞ over the backrest. It was Sumire-san.
One of her hands was stuffed into a potato chip bag, while her other hand was holding cola.
It looked like both Liliana and Hajime unintentionally forgot about her because their feeling became excited from the rendezvous after so long, that Sumire-okaasan was also present in the Nagumo house today.
Right now, Sumire-okaasan and Hajime & Liliana’s gazes collided.
「Don’t mind me. Please, continue?」
She watched the intimacy of her son and his wife accompanied with potato chip and cola. As though to say Ain’t this the best day-off?
The reply was of course.
「Phwease forget what you’ve just seennnn!!」
It was Liliana’s begging with MAX stuttering & embarrassment.
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「Uu, is Okaa-sama(mother-in-law) thinking of me as an immodest girl now?」
「It’s fine no problem. Our home has a constant deviant and an ero personification and secret pervert all around the clock after all.」
「That’s, not reassuring at all.」
It went without saying that Hajime referred to Tio, Yue, and Kaori. Also, those terms all came from Sumire-sensei’s impression when doing personality division. The people themselves didn’t know about it.
Liliana slapped her cheeks that still were tinged red to cool herself down. Hajime stared at her smilingly.
At the same time he also had his fill of Liliana’s outfit today to his heart’s content.
It went without saying that Liliana was a princess. Because of that she fundamentally kept her legs not visible. She would only wear long skirt or trousers. The person herself seemed to be not used to expose her legs, so she had the tendency to avoid that kind of fashion.
But, very unusually today Liliana was wearing a fashion that generously exposed her pretty legs.
She was wearing a short pants. For the top she was wearing an adorable white blouse with short sleeves that swelled out fluffily. Her shoes were also trendy white sneakers. It was an energetic as well as cute fashion.
Her long and slender beautiful legs were looking truly nice.
She didn’t have a habit of daily practice, so they weren’t especially tight like Shia, and yet they also didn’t give a flabby impression.
Perhaps it was because she was ordinarily eating foods with carefully selected ingredients and also well thought out nutrition level, so flexibility and tightness could be seen from her body.
In addition, no matter how much she practically had no time everyday, several maids would thoroughly polish her body──Liliana herself would prioritize her work, so each time they would drag her to the bath half forcefully with furious looks on their faces──altogether, so just from a glance it could be seen how superb her body was. Forget freckle or scratch, not even any pore could be seen on her.
Of course, even the dark circles under her eyes had already been healed by Hajime’s artifact.
Even those of the same gender would have their gaze drawn by Liliana’s bare legs and adorable appearance if they passed her by, so it could be seen just how charming she looked.
「U-umm, do I look strange just as I thought?」
Perhaps Liliana had noticed the gazes from Hajime and the surrounding. She was casting her gaze down with a different embarrassment from before.
They were in the nearest station from Nagumo house.
Hajime and Liliana were currently walking there. It was weekday, but the station was quite large so there were also a lot of passerby there.
Therefore, such lovely girl who looked like she could appear in fashion magazine as amateur model despite still looking like a middle schooler was gathering quite a lot of attention.
The impression she gave would be different if she was in high spirits and looking cheerful, but the way she was looking bashful with embarrassment after her mother-in-law watched her kissing coupled with the elegance that she was naturally exuding──it made her atmosphere completely like that of a “princess”. And so she was gathering excessive attention.
「No, completely not. I think that you look really fresh dressed like this. It’s a bit captivating. Even the people around us must be feeling the same.」
「Captivated……fufuh, is that so-」
Her expression brightened sunnily while her cheeks were still red. The fashion today must be something adventurish for the person herself. She looked extremely happy that it successfully pleased Hajime.
Of course, the reaction of the surrounding when they saw Princess Liliana’s sunny smile that could even be called as innocent went without saying.
Perhaps it was because of the immaturity that could still be glimpsed from her. It was the women rather than the men around whose tension went up while squealing 「So cutee」.
「I’m grateful to Remia-san. At first, I thought that her preference for a lot of skin exposure because she’s from the seaman race is reflected in her choice as expected but……」
「It was Remia who listed up several coordination choices at the beginning, but Yue and the others were also having fun discussing the fashion Lily is wearing today you know? They said that they want to try seeing you look like this, after all it’s the long-awaited date with you.」
They were walking outside not because she felt like running away from Sumire-okaasan’s presence. No, there was also a little, somewhat, a lot of that factor as the reason though.
「……Is that so, so everyone……I’m happy……I was the only one forgotten with the marriage registration case, so I felt a little misgiving with the strength of my presence but, everyone is actually properly thinking of me!」
「O-ou……」
She put on a bright smile once more. ……Perhaps, she had no hidden motive saying that, maybe. She shouldn’t still be holding a grudge. That was why, it was definitely just his imagination that it felt like the part of “forgotten” in her sentence got slightly emphasized when he listened to her words.
「More importantly, are you really alright with the date today?」
Naturally Hajime had prepared various plans for their date. However, none of them passed Liliana’s scrutiny.
Or rather, Liliana herself had been picking up the places she wanted to go during the one week before the trip beforehand.
Her destination was perhaps just to be expected in a sense. Perhaps it was just like her to pick up that destination.
「Yes-. Please allow me to observe earth’s “railway” by all means!」
「You’re already calling it observation already」
Hajime reflexively made a retort with disordered manner of talking.
Unbelievably this princess, apparently she was advancing a grand undertaking like railway plan that would connect the cities of various countries at the same time of her overseeing the new capital project where multiple races could coexist.
Apparently it was still in the drafting stage, but she had keenly felt the immense effect brought by mass transportation of goods and people during her several visits to earth. She then finally embarked for “This is what is needed for Tortus from here on!” now that the fences of national border were at their lowest point.
To Hajime who had been considering various entertainments that couldn’t be experienced for Liliana to enjoy during her stay here,
『I want to propose this as a feasible plan during the summit meeting, so please help me gathering the data for it.』
He unintentionally made a wry smile when he recalled the time Liliana insistently persuaded him like that with eyes that were blazing fierily.
It seemed that the idea of observation=date was established without any contradiction inside Liliana, so he guessed it wouldn’t be a problem if the person herself was so excited about it.
「Well, thankfully it looks like we’ll be able to go to museum for steam locomotive and also place to experience riding one without any problem when I checked in my phone but……are you fine with going to electric train too?」
「I understand that it won’t even serve as a useful reference because of the technology level but, I’ve been interested with it since before.」
Certainly it would be impossible to jump right away to electric train with Tortus’s technology level. And it would be inefficient instead technology-wise.
The main energy used at the other side wasn’t electricity but magic power.
Developing magic powered engine that could be freely utilized even without the skill for direct manipulation of magic power like Hajime and others would be essential, but fantasy fuel mineral like combustion stone existed in that world, so steam engine certainly could serve as the best reference if those factors were kept in mind.
But setting that side, with Hajime at her side Liliana hadn’t been blessed with the chance to ride on public transport because he could bring her anywhere with teleport or car, so it seemed that she wanted to use this chance to make use of one no matter what.
By the way, it seemed that Liliana also had other place that she wanted to observe(date) from today until tomorrow.
「After that I also want to observe things related to sports, education, and also entertainment, so please take care of me-」
「Ah, yes. ……Is this, really a date?」
The princess clenched both her fists and looked toward Hajime with eyes that were sparkling with anticipation. Hajime could only scratch his head with an expression that was at a loss of what to say.
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After that, Hajime and Liliana could be found inside a burger fastfood shop that was established near a museum about railroad.
The time was slightly past noon. They were having lunch.
「H~mm, as I thought earth’s technology is wonderful.」
The princess was stuffing her cheeks with do*ble cheese burger while looking veery satisfied.
It was unknown whether her praise was directed toward the mechanism and application of railroad that she had just learned with great attentiveness or toward the facility and staff efficiency of the fastfood shop.
Surely she was referring to both considering how she was peering inside the kitchen like a young apprentice trying to steal technique from her master when they were making their order.
Just how ravenous the princess for knowledge?
「……Well, I guess it doesn’t matter at all as long as Lily is having fun.」
「? I’m having a lot of fun you know-」
She wore a bright smile that contained not even a smidgen of lie once more.
Hajime couldn’t wipe away the feeling that half of the time she was neglecting him during the date, but he couldn’t say anything when she gave him such smile.
And so,
「That’s great.」
He said that and smiled back while wiping ketchup that was stuck on the corner of her lips.
Even a princess would sometimes eat sandwich, or rather, Liliana would be eating nothing but that during work, so it wasn’t like she was unused to eating food that she was holding in her hands.
But, as expected she rarely had a chance to eat store-bought mass-produced food. Unlike the foods of the palace that got their size adjusted to the eater’s preference, it seemed Japan’s burger had slightly bigger size than Liliana’s small mouth.
No matter what he did, the sauce would get caught at the corner of her lips if she did something that might get her admonished by Hellina like opening her mouth widely to bite on the burger.
Regardless, she bit on the burger once more after she just got her lips wiped. *Mokyu mokyu*
Sure enough, ketchup got stuck at the corner of her lips. Then she pushed out her chin and hummed nnuuu, a pose that was begging Hajime to wipe it for her.
「What’re you doing?」
「Nnu, nnh, muu!」
Liliana was a hardworking person, but apparently she became truly spoiled once she got separated from her position as princess, added with how she was alone with her beloved man.
Please clean it up! Now, quick! She urged while looking like she was really enjoying it.
Of course, Hajime obeyed her wish and cleaned her up even while smiling with a slightly troubled look.
Liliana squinted her eyes in satisfaction once more before sinking her teeth into her burger without caring about etiquette or whatever else.
Under the table, her legs were swinging back and forth as though to display her good mood.
If there was no need for her to shoulder her country, or even the world which was something that was too big for her, if she wasn’t forced to act maturely, perhaps the girl called Liliana originally had the personality of acting spoiled without any reservation toward the person she loved.
The surrounding was watching Liliana with really warm smiles again seeing her in such great mood.
Perhaps, they were thinking that the relationship of the two of them weren’t even lover, but something like siblings despite their appearances that clearly didn’t have any blood relationship at all.
「Even so it was amazing.」
「Muu?」
「How you even pushed aside children for the boarding experience or the driving simulation.」
「M-muu……」
In some places there were even elementary schools that had given their students summer holiday early. There were a lot of families with small children visiting the museum even though it was weekday.
The children’s eyes sparkled seeing the steam locomotive and they gathered in front of the simulation or the tour guide giving explanation.
Liliana slipped in among them brazenly without even feeling any shame or the like at the slightest. Rather, she acted as though to declare The front row is mine!
But, even that only lasted briefly.
「Perhaps, that guide had never gotten questioned so threateningly like that before huh.」
「……」
*Zugogogo* Liliana drank her cola while intentionally making sound. Her gaze was directed to outside.
Apparently she herself was thinking that she had gotten a bit too excited there.
In fact, the mister staff that she questioned first looked a bit teary from facing the barrage of questions that was like gatling gun. The children around them looked put off thinking 「W-what’s with this blonde lady!?」 watching that.
「At the end he called another guide as reinforcement and it became like a study group……no, that was already like a discussion wasn’t it?」
「Predict the problems that might crop up for a railroad project in a developing country where public transportation is previously nonexistent……the thought simulation with various conditions added served as a really great reference for me. As expected from the experts who are thoroughly knowledgeable about railroad from its history to everything else.」
「You’re saying that with a prim face, but there were complains from other families because of that, asking for explanation that even their children can understand.」
The people working in the museum must be all genuine train otaku without exception. It seemed they temporarily forgot about their job when faced with foreign lady who rained down questions on them with a serious face……
Behind them were the demon god-sama saying 「My deepest apologies for my girl-」 while bowing his head to the other parents. The leaders of other countries would faint if they saw that scene.
On the other hand, Liliana must have been able to obtain satisfying answers. Her face looked really glossy when she returned.
「Well, the children were able to watch the serious side of the railroad people and it looked like they thought “So cool somehow!” even if they didn’t understand what you guys were talking about.」
Serious adult would look cool to children regardless of anything. It was even more so if it was a specialist in action.
For the children who loved train, they were happier instead of being able to see such side of the adults rather than simply being given a childish explanation with a patronizing smile. It seemed the museum got favorable reception instead because of that.
Although, they only knew that from hindsight.
「……I’m sorry. Somehow I can’t control myself when it comes to something involving Tortus’s future.」
Potato tasty……my hand can’t stop……Liliana was chewing *hamu hamu* on fried potato like that while reflecting. ……Reflecting…………she was reflecting, maybe.
Hajime looked speechless.
It was a date that didn’t have any sexy factor or the like at all with Hajime himself completely tossed to the side. Perhaps rather than a date it should be called as a child and her guardian sightseeing, no, an observation of an actual princess and her attendant instead.
「W-what about our plan for the afternoon!?」
Oh my, is M*Donald’s mustard divine!? Liliana tasted a M*nugget with expression that seemed to say that while attempting to dodge the topic by changing it to a different one.
Hajime shrugged in respond and,
「You want to see various sports, academic, and also entertainment facilities in person right? I think Yue and others can take my place tomorrow to show you around our university for the academy facility but……」
Hajime once more sorted out the plan that he had reworked during the morning inside his head.
When he also glanced at the nugg*t, Liliana smiled because she also had the same thougt. She splashed it with a lot of mustard then went, Aa~nn.
*Paku-* Hajime’s mouth snapped at it. Liliana’s expression went *Howawa~n* in happiness.
Eh? Their relationship isn’t sibling? Her face is that of a maiden in love no matter how you look……no, but, she’s at most still in middle school no matter how you slice it……don’t tell me, that man……
Such suspicion was welling up inside the surrounding people, but the two ignored that atmosphere.
「Sports too can be called entertainment if you want to be pedantic about it, but that’s not the case in Lily’s mind isn’t it?」
「I think so.」
「Is this also a part of your new city planning?」
「Right! The empire has the arena, and they also hold world scale tournament there. I think the new capital of the kingdom also need something like that.」
Liliana had a strong sense of rivalry regardless of what she said. She couldn’t accept being outdone by the empire and wanted to bring new wind into the kingdom’s capital.
That was what she was thinking. Perhaps it was just to be expected from the princess who was carrying a country on her back. It seemed that her thinking went even deeper.
「Also it can serve as something like proxy war. You can consider it as a method to publicly vent stress.」
「……Aa, I see. So you’re going to differentiate sports as the former while entertainment is for the latter. Certainly that might be helpful for the era of coexistence of the many races.」
「Yes. Leeway will be created as the recovery and development progress. Leeway will also make people think about the unnecessary things. In most case it will produce conflict.」
The solidarity during the final battle was supporting the current affirmation of coexistence. But, that buff-like effect too wouldn’t last forever. Even the sense of unity where everyone entrusted their life to each other without care of race, country, and status from birth would one day became only memory.
Even now there were already squabbles so numerous that it made knight commander Kuzeri ill.
Coexistence between races that not only didn’t have any decent interaction with each other until now, but even were hostile with each other. The difficulty of that would start to come to the surface for real from here on.
Until now it was the dawn of a new era. There wasn’t even any transition period for it.
A really difficult era, an era where everyone would need to brace themselves would come after this……
Liliana was convinced of that.
That was exactly why.
「The arena is also not bad. But, as expected it’ll breed resentment with the many injuries and deaths accompanying it. It might become a seed of conflict. There are people who consider that the good point of arena but……it’s not like it’ll be bad if we also have “competition” that is healthy and not lethal. Rather, I think such thing will be indispensable for the coming era.」
「Certainly, the meaning of Olympic’s existence is also world peace after all.」
「That’s a wonderful thinking!」
The world scale sports festival that was held once every four years. The final model of sports competition that she wished to bring to Tortus surely would also be something like that.
Liliana put on a broad smile of admiration that came from her heart. It was her smile as a princess that looked really pretty.
The surrounding people who were paying attention to them for some reason or other gasped as they watched her in fascination.
The smile from before that could even be called as innocent, the smile of a maiden in love, and then the smile of a princess that was beautiful but also radiating strength……
The number of people who were attracted by the charm brought from that gap seemed to be increasing.
「Though there’re big differences in traits between the races in our place, so I won’t be able to adopt earth’s competition as it is……」
「Certainly it might be hard. But, that’s exactly why it feels like it’ll become interesting. Besides, certainly it might be of some help to reach a healthy settlement of dispute between races, no, between tribes.」
「Isn’t that right! Although, it’s just as you said it’ll only be at the level of some help. And so, I’m thinking if it’s possible to also offer a lot of other fun things in addition.」
It wasn’t like there wasn’t any entertainment in Tortus. There was even an aquarium in the neutral city Fuhren.
However, it couldn’t even be compared with the aquarium at earth.
「We’ll nurture the culture of serious competition between countries and between regions where they put their dignity on the line, on the other hand setting up facilities where the ordinary citizens can casually stop by to play and interact with each other regardless of races will also be helpful for the era of coexistence.」
「The merchants over there are also tough and tenacious. If the country take the initiative to show “something like this is also possible”, they all might create even more new entertainments.」
「Quite so! That too is a form of competition. Competition that isn’t accompanied by bloodshed, where people can be engrossed in it, we need such thing as many as possible.」
「That’s certainly true.」
「By the way, there is proposal from Adol-dono. What if dragon race and a rider form a tag team to compete in a flying race with obstacle, won’t it be exciting?」
「The one getting excited the most is an unexpected person.」
Hajime was surprised by the suggestion that came from someone unexpected, even so Hajime became itching imagining it 「What’s with that race. That sounds fun and overflowing with romance」. It made him wanted to try participating in it by riding on Tio. Though all the other participants would be trampled to dust by such duo.
In any case, Liliana must be thinking that she managed to obtain sympathy for her plan with how interested Hajime looked. Her smile widened in happiness.
「There’ll be a parade of big jobs for all those. The interest of various parties will also get entangled. The talk with the government of various countries is going to be hard. Will you be fine?」
「I’ll be fine, surely. I believe that in the end everyone will work together no matter what happen. Because──」
Liliana pressed her hands on her chest as though she was embracing something important.
「Everyone has heart to feel “joy” regardless of what race they are.」
「……Yeah, you’re right.」
What Liliana was embracing was surely the world that she loved itself. And also the resolve of this kind princess itself that wished to fill the world with “fun” as it welcomed the transition period of the era of coexistence.
Hajime stared at Liliana as though he was watching something dazzling.
……Ah, they’re definitely lovers. The man’s eyes also become the eyes of looking at a woman instead of little sister. Somehow it’s making me feel itchy too. What’s with that sweet atmosphere……that kind of mood was starting to drift inside the shop. There were even some people here and there who stood up from their chair to run away because they couldn’t bear to keep watching for some reason.
Hajime ignored that surrounding situation like always and shrugged.
「In any case, it looks like you still won’t be able to move over here for the time being huh.」
「That’s……I’m so──」
「No no, don’t apologize. I really respect this side of yours Lily. Rather, that time I responded to your feeling exactly because you’re someone like this.」
「Hajime-san……」
I love you. Please I ask you to make me yours-. Ah, but, I can’t go together with you! The most important thing for me is this country! I’m sorry!
It was a passionate confession, but it was immediately followed by another confession that made the confessed person felt like he got rejected. That was one of the lines Liliana said when she told her feeling to Hajime.
It couldn’t be helped that Hajime went 「Eh? Hm, eh? What was I told just now?」 in bewilderment at that time.
Although, Hajime too wouldn’t accept Liliana if she was a girl who said 「I don’t care about my homeland! I’ll live for the sake of love!」 and abandoned everything.
「At that time, you spoke with the resolve even for a farewell for life right?」
「……Indeed.」
As a princess, Liliana had gotten into the habit of always assuming the worst case. There was no doubt that she had also anticipated a situation where she wouldn’t be able to meet Hajime and others anymore after they returned to their original world.
She had even resolved herself for the worst case where she would have to live on while only keeping her memory of getting together with Hajime.
But putting it another way, it was also a confession that she wanted him to love her even if just for the short time they had before he returned home.
What a very brave and devoted feeling. It was also a confession that displayed extraordinary courageous heart and will for a girl who was still fourteen years old.
Something like that would reverberate in anyone’s heart even if there would be difference degree of impact depending on the person.
「That was why, Yue and others also recognized you. I too respected you as a person, and it made me wanted to answer your feeling and support you too.」
「……Fufu, it was worth it then for me to put in the effort.」
Liliana blushed while tying her straw’s paper wrapper into pointlessly tidy butterfly knot.
Hajime put his hand over the hand of the fidgeting Liliana.
「The situation at my end has calmed down a lot. I’ll be able to help you out a lot more from now on, so talk to me anytime without holding back. I’ve even set up the gate to be constantly open and also the communication device over there after all.」
「Yes-, allow me to rely on you unreservedly then! My……hehe-, dear husband♪」
*Whisper-* The surrounding was astirred. Eh……husband? They all thought.
The two had been careful so that the content of their talk wouldn’t be too loud that the surrounding could listen in, but Liliana’s last word was quite loud perhaps because the happiness she felt was too great that apparently the surrounding heard it clearly.
In other words, was the girl of marriageable age despite her appearance? Then, perhaps this man wasn’t actually a lolicon bastard. The atmosphere became like that. There were also gazes that said having such young bride was envi-outrageous.
「For the time being today……we gotta have a proper observation(date).」
「I’ll definitely bring a perfect material for the regular summit meeting next month!」
As expected the atmosphere inside the shop had reached an unpleasant level, so Hajime ended the talk and stood up from his chair to escort Liliana.
Very curious gazes were still nonchalantly following them even while they were putting away their trays, but Liliana who was more used to drawing attention than Hajime and others in a certain sense casually asked a question without even paying any attention to that.
「Where are you going to bring me next?」
Liliana pounced on Hajime’s arm and hugged it.
Hajime had understood Liliana’s intention from their talk just now and told her of their next destination.
Like that,
「Can we go there on train again?」
It seemed Liliana was pleased by the electric train. Rather than a question she said those words with the expectation of 「We’ll use that won’t we?」 filling her voice.
Hajime replied with a smile.
「Absolutely no way.」
「Why!!?」
As expected there was the reason that using train would waste too much time but,
He didn’t want to say the actual reason.
Because, he saw it when riding on the train from home.
Liliana said that she also wanted to experience underground train, so they went out of their way to ride one even though it would take them through a detour, but for an instant, it really happened just for an instant.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, or perhaps Hajime’s kinetic vision simply weakened just for a moment!
Inside a slightly wide space that suddenly came into view──he got the feeling that he saw rabbit ears.
「I don’t want to see something terrifying today when we finally managed to go into a date together.」
「Hajime-san is terrified!? Just what in the world is there in Japan’s underground railway!?」
「I don’t want to ascertain it. At the very least not today.」
He would absolutely check it out later but, today was a day exclusive for Liliana.
To think that those guys might have violated Hajime’s instruction again and finally start infesting the subway zone……
Hajime absolutely refused to spend his time while harboring such unnecessary groundless apprehension.
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「Hee, so first you two went to the sport college where Suzu-chan and Ryuutarou-kun goes.」
It was around noon of the next day. The location was the cafeteria of the campus where Hajime and others went.
There Yue, Shia, Shizuku, Kaori, Hajime, and Liliana were sitting around a table.
There was also how they had finished the majority of their lectures at the first term, so Yue and Shia were showing Liliana the campus from the start, while Shizuku and Kaori also joined in with them as needed. They had just finished giving Liliana the tour.
Right now they were having lunch while talking about her observation(date) yesterday.
「Yes, that’s right. Time-wise our schedule was too tight to go around watching the matches of various sports.」
「There won’t be any match to watch except professional match, but if it’s at the sport college there’re a variety of games there. Their equipment and drill are also authentic, so I thought it would be really helpful to serve as reference for her.」
If Liliana wanted to watch professional match, she could schedule it for another day after buying ticket beforehand and went there with everyone. That seemed to be what Hajime was thinking
Shizuku nodded to that while asking a question with deep curiosity.
「How was Suzu and Ryuutarou doing? I often got in touch with them but……I wonder, are they really doing well over there? They also suddenly lived together……」
「Are you their mom?」
「I’ll cut you.」
Shizuku-san gestured with the knife she was using to cut her chicken. She could cut even steel easily no matter how blunt her tool was, so Hajime shut his lips.
In exchange Liliana answered with a wry smile.
「They’re close with each other like always. ……Umm, we felt a little mischievous so, we planned to surprise them and secretly went there to meet them, but……」
「But?」
Liliana sounded a bit inarticulate, or rather she was blushing slightly. Shizuku and even Yue and the others were tilting their head in confusion seeing that.
「Even though they were in a public space of the campus, really those two, they were stealthily getting intimate together quite heavily behind cover……」
「A-aa, so it was something like that……」
Shizuku looked awkward. Shia and Kaori smiled wryly. Yue was saying 「Hou, that Suzu. Not bad」. She seemed impressed for some reason.
Of course, Hajime and Liliana also felt awkward that time.
The two understood that they were at fault for searching Suzu and Ryuutarou’s location with the compass and went there without making appointment first.
But, when Hajime and Liliana were wondering Why are those two in a deserted place like this? and tried peeking over the wall without calling out, they found Suzu and Ryuutarou locked in an atmosphere that made them went Oh myy!
Both sides made eye contact and went 「「「「Ah……」」」」. And then as the place became awkward,
「I immediately told them 『Take your time!』 so to not bother them but……Suzu put up a front like nothing had happened so we also matched her act. The atmosphere was unnecessarily awkward.」
「Well of course.」
「Let me at least say this to protect their honor, they didn’t do it──」
「That information is unneeded!」
Delicacy! Shizuku admonished with her gaze. Hajime obediently drank his oolong tea *Zugogogo*.
Shia raised her voice somewhat and urged for the continuation to change the mood.
「Err, with that you two watched the drills of various sports and then……why did you go to horse racing?」
「Because I just heard about the talk of dragon’s flying race. I thought it would serve as reference. And coincidentally there was a municipal horse racing right at that time.」
「……Nn, Hajime, bad person. You’re thinking to turn the dragon race to be a country approved gambling activity……and then, acting as the controller of the immense profit from it……fufufu」
「Can you stop saying such disreputable thing about me?」
Yue-san was making an evil face. Liliana smiled wryly.
「Well, rather than allowing illegal profit and violence constantly playing out behind the scene, making everything playing out in the open will be helpful for the public order.」
By the way, in the summit meeting that was periodically held out in Tortus, recently the discussion about whether they should a unified currency for the whole world before the arrival of the era of coexistence picked up in full-scale was heating up.
System like horse racing would also play a role in the circulation of new currency if such idea was actually realized. That was also Liliana’s intention for considering this idea.
「By the way」
Hajime was being fed Aa~nn sandwich by Yue as apology while speaking about what happened when they were observing the horse racing.
「We unexpectedly ran into Taisei-san there.」
「……Hinata’s father?」
「Ou, the moment his eyes met us, he said 『Ah……』 and froze. I think, he skipped out work to go there.」
For him to come to municipal horse racing too, he was really a pure horse racing junkie.
No, perhaps he ran away until a municipal because he thought that his wife Chikage-san and Hinata-chan would be aware of the schedule of the main race and they would stop him if he went there.
「When he heard about our objective there, he taught us a lot of things in great detail in exchange of keeping quiet about his presence. Taisei-san when talking about horse racing looked exactly like Hajime-san when talking about artifact or subculture.」
「Don’t say that. That person’s eyes when hearing that we might create racecourse in other world were crazy. Especially when he insisted about a race where girls from horse race can take activity!」
「Certainly, his enthusiasm was amazing……I was a bit scared. To think that he managed to pressure this me with just his momentum and managed to extract a commitment from me even though it was only verbally」
「Yeah, really. He yelled things like investing money no matter how much is needed, or approaching with heavy breathing while asking to be brought to other world, he’s a person that just don’t know any boundary when it comes to something he like.」
「……Nn? Isn’t that, the same like Hajime?」
「That’s completely just like Hajime-san desu.」
「Yep, that’s Hajime-kun.」
「What’s that, isn’t that just Hajime?」
「……」
Hajime averted his gaze and began the work of using his chopstick to bring the corns that accompanied his hamburger steak set meal into his mouth, grain by grain. He didn’t need any exasperated gaze.
「……And? You said after that you two went playing to an amusement park and then a deluxe public bath to finish off the day?」
「Yes! It was extremely interesting how there are various recreations where people can easily enjoy themselves. But the deluxe public bath……I think it’s wonderful in regard to public hygiene too but……it was very, really embarrassing.」
As expected it was just like Liliana that her impression was unable to escape from observational perspective. Yue and others unconsciously smiled hearing that. At the same time their gazes also turned warm seeing her blushing and fidgeting.
By the way, Liliana wore a bikini type swimsuit for the first time in her life during their visit to the deluxe public bath.
In the first place wearing swimsuit while in the middle of a lot of general public itself was something that she had never experienced.
It must be something adventurous that she forced herself to do because she wanted Hajime to think of her as charming as much as possible.
Even so her swimsuit wasn’t anything risqué, but an adorable type with frill and ribbon decorating it, so it should be called as modest, or perhaps paltry.
She wanted Hajime to look, but being in the middle of a lot of other people wearing it was really really embarrassing. From start to end she was sticking on Hajime’s back without being able to even raise her face.
Even Hajime grinned seeing that.
「How niceee, I also want to try seeing Liliana wearing bikini.」
「K-Kaori, just what are you……」
「True. That must be a rare sight. Let’s go to the sea next time with everyone.」
「Even Shizuku……but, that sounds like fun!」
「If I remember right, you’re going to stay for one week even after the trip aren’t you? There’ll be a lot of chance desu. Maybe I too am going to try being a bit adventurous this year.」
「……Shia, stop. Adventurous swimsuit for Shia whose skin exposure is already excessive even at the best of times……I don’t want to watch my relative getting arrested.」
「Who’re you calling a public indecency criminal!」
Yue and others who were noisily going wai wai kyaa kyaa. Liliana too was smiling watching them. She wasn’t a student but, it looked like she was enjoying spending time together like this inside a learning place.
Now then, naturally there were also a lot of other students making use of the place because this was a cafeteria.
Shizuku looked like she was doing her best to keep up appearance, but actually the topic of “bearing children proclamation” still hadn’t come to an end.
Even without that, Hajime and co were highly standing out even at the best of times.
And now, among that Hajime group.
There was an unfamiliar foreign lady, furthermore she was a beautiful girl who looked like a middle school student at best. What would anyone think when they saw that?
「This time, it’s a blonde beautiful middle school girl? That’s a crime! Just what is Japan’s police doing-」
「Shit-, I wanted to report it but the signal here-. Each time each time-, is that guy being protected by god-」
「Wait, could it be that girl too, next year?」
「As a woman I should think of him as the worst but, somehow it has gone full circle and even me feel my heart beating fast. Geez, perhaps it’ll be better to call that person as the demon king?」
Like that, the group became the target of such commotion regardless of gender.
And, today even more bomb was tossed into such place.
Because it couldn’t be helped. Today was the last Friday of July. It was the day of the end-of-term ceremony!
「Ah, over there nanooo! Papaaaaaaaaaa!!」
*Suteteteeee* An adorable girl came running.
All the students in the cafeteria turned their gaze in a flash with the promptness and sense of unity like trained soldiers!
Their hearts all became one with tacit understanding.
No way right? Over there? That girl was heading, toward there as expected!?
They were right on the money.
「Myuu!」
「Papa! Ehehe, Myuu came♪」
The pretty little girl jumped toward, sure enough, the aforementioned man.
The hearts of the students were as one as expected.
「「「「「No-, that guy has a child already-!!!」」」」」
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
The details of the date mostly can be imagined (Sweat). Just Liliana’s part alone might take around three chapters if I write them all, so I adjusted it. I’m thinking that I might write it someday if there’s a chance.
※Material introduction
– Everyone has heart to feel joy regardless of what race they are
The source is from 「Is your heart that feel it delicious is affected by race?」 of 『Tales of Rebirth』. A line from the heroine’s speech scene and a famous scene that Shirakome counted as one of the best five throughout the Tales series.
– Race of girls from the horse race
It went without saying, this is from 『Uma Musume』. Taisei-san’s dream started to come alive, perhaps.
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