Chapter 88

“So, like, you buy me stuff, take me places, and treat me to delicious food….”

“Yeah, totally.”

As if she absolutely had to add that I was doing well, Ria chimed in.

“But still, I just follow along and keep complaining….”

“No, that’s not it. I don’t care about that stuff. Would I have brought you all the way here if that bothered me?”

“Really?”

“Really. I mean, even if you have no friends, were you thinking those kinds of thoughts? Would you wear a swimsuit picked out by someone you dislike? You wore the swimsuit I chose even though you don’t like me?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it at all.”

But still, the comment about having no friends stung a bit. Of course, in this world, the only people I could consider friends were Ria and the ones I made after her, but…

…And I didn’t really have that many friends in my previous life either.

“…Uh, no, what I meant was, that’s not what I’m saying.”

Noticing my expression, Ria seemed a bit flustered too. Yet, she still didn’t take her hand off my face.

“Well, not having friends is fine. After all, there were plenty of really unpleasant people around you, right?”

“…Is that so?”

When I asked with a hint of suspicion, Ria nodded firmly, her expression resolute.

“Yup. Aside from a few who respected you, there were just tons of folks who didn’t like you. That’s jealousy.”

“….”

I stared blankly at Ria, and she stammered out words that seemed, for some reason, like an excuse. The story she was just telling completely fell to the wayside.

Without pulling her hand away from my cheek, she leaned in a bit closer, her face all flushed and excited, talking about something, though it seemed very much like a look she wouldn’t show anyone else.

It felt like she never expressed this kind of emotion in any of the novels I’d read either.

All day long, my turmoil from earlier seemed to melt away little by little in the presence of her awkward expression. I wasn’t even sure why.

Just the thought that Ria was showing me a totally unique expression, one she probably never showed in front of anyone else, made the thought of her worrying about the swimsuit disappear.

“See, I told you I thought you had talent, right? Like in bare-hand combat or marksmanship.”

“Yeah, you did.”

I replied calmly, but Ria seemed still agitated.

“So, well, I mean, I’m not saying you’re the best in the world, you know? It’s not like you’re a genius or anything like that, but you’re definitely more talented than the average person.”

Her words were terribly clumsy.

It was like someone who can’t lie trying desperately to pump up the other person’s strengths.

She seemed just like a kid. Even though Ria was taller than me and mature in many ways.

“But… you already have something you’re the best at in the world. So, they were jealous of you. You’re anything but ordinary. You’re in a special position. And the fact that you refuse that position makes you seem even more special.”

“So, they’re trying to get back at you for being better than them?”

As I chuckled slightly and asked, Ria nodded eagerly.

“Yeah, exactly! I mean, who in the world is a genius at everything? I’m not really that great at marksmanship or using Saint Power like you. I mean, you’re probably the only one who can bring someone on the verge of death back to full health. If that weren’t true, I would’ve heard about it!”

“….”

“So what I’m saying is, you don’t have to listen to those people. I’m saying this as someone who’s been told I have some talent in swordsmanship…”

“Ria.”

“—So don’t let those people bother you.”

“Ria. It’s okay.”

“What I wanted to say was…!”

“Ria.”

I gently placed my hand over Ria’s hand on my face.

I slowly removed her right hand from my face.

Ria wore a slightly dazed expression, like she was trying to figure out what I was doing.

I softly took that right hand into both of mine.

“I get it. I understand what you wanted to say.”

It was a bit awkward. But that was okay. In fact, it was because it was awkward that I felt every word she wanted to convey deeply in my heart.

The more clumsy one was probably me.

Even after receiving all this help, I was just thinking that I was in debt and what I should do to repay it.

I expressed my resentment by not fully accepting the help and instead prioritized apologizing for how I acted instead of being grateful for receiving help.

All of this happened because I couldn’t fully embrace Ria’s feelings.

“Thank you.”

I said, breaking into a gentle smile as I spoke to Ria.

I softly caressed her hand.

On Ria’s right hand sat the friendship ring I had given her earlier. She could have easily worn it as a necklace while swimming, but she still had it on her hand.

The ring continued to emit a light glow. My Saint Power flowed into the ring.

In truth, giving her the ring like that was quite intentional.

Perhaps, I was feeling a tinge of jealousy toward Ria’s friends. Those friends she made before meeting me, who might be far better than I am.

Ria became friends with me solely because she was forced into the convent.

“….”

Before I knew it, Ria had gone quiet.

With her face flushed, she continued to gaze at me blankly.

I pondered how to express my gratitude.

Suddenly, a way to express it came to mind. There was a formal way to express thanks that I often saw within the church.

Of course, it wasn’t a method typical of the other nuns. Rather, if a nun were to act that way, it would easily be misinterpreted.

This was crossing a line, quite possibly breaking the boundaries I had set.

I wore a slightly mischievous expression.

I didn’t think this would truly repay my debt to Ria. Perhaps, as a fellow woman, she might find it a bit creepy.

But still, it seemed like there was no other way for me to fully express my feelings.

I slowly lowered my head.

At the same time, I pulled Ria’s hand toward my face.

Gently, I pressed my lips against the back of her hand.

Her hand was soft, the fingers slightly calloused, and yet the back of her hand felt softer, maybe thanks to wearing armor.

Holding my lips to her hand for a moment, I felt warmth seeping from Ria’s hand towards my lips.

I pulled my lips away and looked back at Ria.

She stared at me with a dazed expression, as if she didn’t even realize her left hand had left my face.

“Thank you for today, really.”

“…Huh?”

Only after I said that did Ria blink once and respond.

Her voice carried a flood of mixed emotions, filled with uncertainty, like the number of question marks behind my words was worryingly few.

“Uh, uh, uh, okay.”

For a moment, she made some funny sounds like her language center was malfunctioning before she finally managed to answer.

…

Oh, but I was starting to feel a bit flustered too.

When should I let go of this hand?

Holding hands was fine, seeing the ring was okay, pressing my lips to her hand was good, but now I had no clue what to do next.

Well, I didn’t regret saying thank you, nor the kiss on the back of her hand.

I may have crossed a boundary a little.

But it wasn’t a fatal crossing either. Ria wasn’t horrified as she pulled away.

As we gazed dumbfoundedly at each other,—

A soft glow began to fall over my face.

It wasn’t the beautiful restaurant light we were in, but clearly an entirely different type.

Ria and I simultaneously waved our hands at the light. The bright glow spilling onto my face vanished in an instant, turning to smoke.

Uh, oh.

This might have been a bit much.

“…Ha.”

After chasing the light away, Ria blinked in surprise.

“Hahaha!”

She burst into laughter, her voice booming.

“…Heh.”

And I, watching Ria, couldn’t help but laugh along.

As Ria stood up, she said,

“Alright, so you’re satisfied with the steak then?”

“Of course! No complaints about the steak. Food’s innocent. The real crime would be on us for eating it.”

“No one’s buying that, especially coming from someone who can’t stand vegetarian food.”

“Not that I was trying to persuade anyone.”

I answered cheekily as I picked up my fork and knife again.

The steak I ate with a much lighter heart—

—was seriously super duper delicious.

*

As I chewed on the tender meat, Chae-eun felt incredibly light-hearted.

What can I say?

The ice wall that had been visible in front of Anna seemed to have melted a little.

Throughout cutting the steak, I kept getting distracted by my right hand.

At that moment, I hadn’t really felt it, but the sensation I had felt with my lips that day, must have been quite similar to the warmth I now felt in my hand—

…

What was I thinking?

Chae-eun quickly shook her head to get rid of her thoughts and focused on her meal.

The two of them finished the steak, leaving almost no sauce behind, and cleared the accompanying dessert and wine without leaving a trace.

They only sipped a bit of the dessert wine as per Anna’s request.

Chae-eun couldn’t shake off the regret about that.