[Shion Testarossa: If you have ti tomorrow, I would like to et with you and Clara.]
‘...’
After receiving Shion's ssage, Ichinose Yui accepted the invitation after so consideration.
As long as the two girls were stuck to Rohan like glue, it was inevitable that she would have to face them properly sooner or later.
The exact purpose of this eting was hard to guess, but there were definitely things they both wanted to ask each other.
So, on the Sunday they had arranged to et.
There was a warning not to overdo it, so the early morning workout was skipped today.
She had slept well enough to relieve her ntal fatigue. Slowly, she began preparing to go out.
Before lunchti, Ichinose left the dormitory, as there was still quite a bit of ti before the eting.
She had also prepared a note and snacks on the table for Noah, who might drop by unexpectedly to eat.
Tap, tap, tap.
Ichinose, holding her sword, took a slightly excited step.
‘The weather is nice.’
The warm sunlight she hadn’t felt in the dungeon was refreshing.
Just walking down the street, taking in the mundane sounds of daily life, was enough to lift her spirits.
The only regret was...
How nice it would be if Rohan were walking beside her.
They had always stuck together in the dungeon, so the emptiness felt all the more noticeable.
“...”
After she had gotten far enough from the dormitory and entered the district where the shops were, Ichinose turned on her smartphone.
She opened her eyes and continued to operate it with her fingers.
‘It would be troubleso if I were late for the appointnt...’
She wasn’t out early because she was bad with directions or had trouble finding her way. She just wanted to enjoy a leisurely walk.
Now, she was only checking the map because she didn’t rember the eting place Shion had given her.
In any case, Ichinose’s mind was full of such rationalizations.
‘Hm?’
Even though she was heading to her destination, Ichinose kept checking the map, thinking she might have gotten lost.
The place Shion had chosen was quite a secluded one.
It wasn’t an area with many facilities, but rather a residential neighborhood.
[Wooden Place]
When she saw the sign, she realized that this was the right cafe.
It wasn't a franchise. It was a private cafe she had never seen before.
Who would have thought there would be a cafe in such a quiet place?
Ichinose checked the ti again.
It wasn’t late yet.
‘Phew... Shall I go in?’
Inside, Shion and Clara were already there.
A slight sense of nervousness rose within her.
As she pushed the door, a small bell rang.
She exchanged a light greeting with the staff and walked inside.
‘This is a lovely cafe.’
It wasn’t large, but it was cozy. She liked the wooden interior and the sll of coffee.
After taking a few steps.
Naturally, the mont she got closer, Shion and Clara sensed her presence and stood up to greet her.
“Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”
“Ah, hello...!”
Both Shion and Clara were dressed up more than yesterday.
They had both been subtly mindful of their appearance.
‘...They’re truly beautiful. Shion is especially stunning among the elves.’
Ichinose bowed her head slightly and sat down across from them.
The table was empty, so she picked up a nearby device and checked the nu.
“Have you two eaten yet?”
“Not yet.”
“My sister and I were planning to have a light al here... Would you like to join us...?”
“Thank you. Should we do that?”
Ichinose smiled at Clara’s cautious words.
She placed her order.
Ichinose ordered an Aricano, Shion an Einspänner, and Clara an iced chocolate.
They also decided on caral French toast and a brunch dish to finish the order.
Once the order was placed, silence fell over the table.
Ichinose was trying to decide whether to ask about the reason they had called her or to continue with so casual conversation to gauge the mood.
As she was thinking about it, Shion spoke up first.
“Today, Rohan asked .”
The ntion of Rohan’s na made Ichinose’s shoulders twitch.
She tried to listen carefully but got caught on the next words Shion spoke.
“Not yesterday, but today? It’s already lunchti... Did you et Rohan today...?”
“Yes. We talked over breakfast. Rohan is currently in training.”
“...”
At the very start, Ichinose was left speechless.
Her mind was filled with questions, but Shion didn’t give her a chance to speak, continuing right away.
“He asked what the commonality is between Clara, myself, and you, Ichinose Yui.”
“..monality?”
“Beyond being pretty and strong, I couldn’t think of anything else,” Shion replied.
Ichinose’s mouth curled up in happiness.
She realized Shion and Clara were both watching her, and she couldn’t hide her joy.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
It took a while to compose herself, and Ichinose cleared her throat to cover her embarrassnt.
“Ahem...! So, is this eting to find that commonality?”
“No.”
Shion’s firm denial was followed by the arrival of their orders.
The staff carefully placed the food on the table and quietly left.
Clara nervously sipped her sweet drink with an anxious expression.
The other two also lightly refreshed themselves.
This ti, Ichinose showed curiosity.
"May I ask one thing?"
"Of course."
"Can you tell where Clara is from?"
When the sudden question caught her off guard, Clara quickly pulled her lips away from the straw, stamred, and spoke.
"I... I’m from... Geno..."
"Geno. I see."
That’s quite far away.
Ichinose knew the current situation in Geno, a place that had beco practically anarchic due to civil war. She could easily guess why Clara had co to Academy City.
"Is there anything else you’re curious about?"
"Right now, the most °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° important thing I want to know is why you two called here."
As Ichinose said that, Shion and Clara looked at each other.
They nodded slightly, and Shion took the lead. She asked the question directly, like a bullet shot from a gun.
"Ichinose, do you have feelings for Rohan?"
"!"
There was no need for Ichinose to ask what kind of feelings she ant.
She simply froze, holding her glass tightly.
"Is it a misunderstanding, both of you?"
"..."
Ichinose placed her glass on the table with a soft clink.
She was about to speak, but it felt like her hand would slip and drop it, so she paused.
"As you both already know, Clara and I want to be with Rohan for the rest of our lives."
Her voice was firm, though it slightly trembled at the end.
Shion’s calm expression and her pointed ears with a faint blush made Ichinose admire her beauty, even as a fellow woman.
"I see..."
Ichinose had expected such innocent feelings. But when the parties involved were so certain, it was still surprising.
What had Rohan done to make even an elf fall for him?
Ichinose really wanted to ask that question.
"That’s why we want to hear how you feel about Rohan."
"..."
"Are we competitors, or is there a possibility we can be allies?"
"Allies...? What do you an by that?"
"First, if you tell us how you think of Rohan, we’ll share our thoughts too."
Ichinose reached for cold water instead of the warm coffee.
She drank it quickly, hiding her emotions, then sighed in admiration.
"You two have sharp eyes."
"Excuse ?"
"I didn’t think anyone would notice that I had good feelings for Rohan. I guess the two of you are the only ones who’ve figured it out."
"“...?”"
Did Ichinose really think she had hidden her feelings well?
Could she have thought her own parents didn’t know?
Shion and Clara itched to speak but restrained themselves.
Ichinose’s sudden naivety made her seem all the more charming, like a girl with an innocent air about her.
"Ichinose, we would like you to be clear with us. Is it just a mild liking, or do you really have feelings for Rohan?"
"That’s..."
It seed that Ichinose still found it hard to speak about her feelings openly.
Shion pressed on, wanting a definite answer.
"Do you, like Clara and I, have romantic feelings for Rohan?"
"..."
Ichinose blushed and tapped her teacup with her fingernails.
She acknowledged her feelings, but admitting it to others was still hard.
"Do you want to marry Rohan and have more than three children with him?"
"Wh-What?!"
Ichinose’s voice rose in panic.
When attention from the surroundings gathered, Ichinose covered her mouth with both hands.
But the heat in her face wouldn’t subside.
"Isn’t that the case?"
"I haven’t really thought that far yet..."
"Even so, I believe you wouldn’t think lightly of it."
Ichinose nodded slightly.
She couldn’t deny it.
That expression was enough of an answer.
So, Shion subtly changed the subject.
"Recently, there’s been a girl sending photos and calling Rohan."
"Who is it...?"
"Retta. She’s the girl Rohan helped at the shopping mall."
"Ah!"
It had been quite a while, and she was still in contact with him.
After hearing this, it wasn’t surprising.
"She’s been actively expressing her desire to et Rohan, saying things like there’s a festival on the Sepia Islands or a school event."
"..."
Watching this made Shion feel both impressed by Retta and a little suffocated, so she expressed her frustration to Ichinose.
"As you know, Rohan is quite popular. Seeing that, it makes us want to do sothing about it, but Clara and I have no experience, so we can’t just take action."
"Oooh, I’m scared he’ll hate ..."
Clara’s words were filled with such a heartfelt emotion.
It wasn’t just so drama. Ichinose now understood that feeling.
"Even though we want to et Retta and talk to her directly, it’s not easy."
"Is this the kind of eting for that?"
In response to Ichinose’s question, Shion nodded.
She began to reveal the true purpose of the eting.
"Ichinose, I know you’re from the Samhwa Kingdom."
"Yes, that’s right."
"Then I have to ask you."
Ichinose listened intently.
"If soone like Clara, with her values, would accept polygamy even if her own country doesn’t practice it, what about you?"
"Ah..."
Now, Ichinose understood what Shion had ant by ‘holding hands.’
She understood imdiately.
Seeing Ichinose hesitate over how to answer, Shion and Clara’s eyes brightened.
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