Chapter 58. Journey
Happy times are like fine sand in the hand.
Before you notice, they slip through your fingers.
In the blink of an eye, it was almost the date the group had planned to head back.
"We're leaving tomorrow."
By the seaside under the setting sun, Xander and Elysia walked side by side along the beach.
He had no idea how Elysia had managed to send Seele and Bronya off somewhere, but she'd found a chance to pull him out alone to clear his head.
Turning his head, the gentle sunset lit the faintly unhappy look on Elysia's face.
For a moment, Xander even thought of simply staying here with her forever, but he quickly pushed the thought down and nodded slowly.
"Mm. The plane tickets were booked before we came, and we've had more than enough time to relax this trip.
There's still a lot to do after we go back."
Since Elysia arrived, they had spent almost half a month together.
That was already quite a long stretch of rest and relaxation.
Development on Hollow Knight had to keep moving forward; he aimed to finish it before the end of the year.
Kaleidoscope 4: The Girl of Sin and Punishment's CGs had been completed by the hard-working Eromanga Sensei.
All that was left was for him to organize and package them, contact a sales channel, and later design the bonus items and other tedious things.
Thinking it over, there was quite a lot.
He figured that once he returned, every day would be spent at work.
"Mm, but during this stretch, Miss Pink Elf is already very satisfied~"
The look of disappointment quickly vanished.
Elysia soon returned to the Elysia he knew—Miss Pink Elf who seemed as if she would always be cheerful.
"Such beautiful time can't be wasted.
Come on, Xander, let's run."
His free hand was suddenly gripped tight by a slightly cool little hand.
Elysia stood ahead and pulled Xander to run together.
Their sandals scattered.
Their feet pressed into sand soaked by the tide, letting the splashing seawater paint mottled patches on the dry beach.
This aimless sprint felt like it could make them forget everything.
The air streaming past their ears sliced the world apart; in this slice of space, it seemed only he and the Elysia whose hand he held tight existed.
Unfortunately, running on wet sand was never easy, and an accident happened soon enough.
Xander felt his foot slip; his center of gravity pitched forward, and the Elysia he was pulling toppled with him.
The two of them went down together.
"Ow, ow, ow."
Pinned underneath, Xander rubbed his lower back.
When he fell just now, Elysia had bumped into him—he hoped she hadn't ruined their future happiness.
"This is all your fault, Elysia.
If you hadn't slipped, we wouldn't have fallen!"
Seeing Elysia sprawled on top of him, dizzy from the fall as well, Xander immediately played the victim, "angrily" demanding an explanation.
"Wah, wah, wah, Xander, you're actually the one blaming the victim!"
She propped a hand to her slightly aching chest; her cheeks puffed up as she glared at him.
"Who saw it?
Got any proof?"
"You…"
"And you're pressing down on me and it really hurts.
Maybe don't call yourself the Pink Elf—how about the Pink Piggy instead."
Since he'd already picked a fight, he might as well go bold and take it all the way.
"Heheh, Xander, you finally said the one thing you shouldn't.
Take this!"
Taking advantage of her higher position, Elysia set both hands on the sides of Xander's waist.
She knew his weak spot very well.
Feeling his sensitive spot attacked, Xander's expression changed in a flash.
He begged for mercy: "Sorry, Elysia, I just lost my mind for a moment.
I want to be a good person now—can you let me go?"
"Too late!!!"
With that, her hands started tickling fast.
Soon, the beach echoed with Xander's uncontrollable laughter.
After a while, Elysia stopped at a good point, let out a light breath, and stood up.
With her back to the still-stiff-from-laughing Xander, she said in a cool, seasoned-master tone, "Purity: too low."
As soon as she finished, she turned back with a cheeky grin and helped Xander up.
"I've wanted to say that line for ages.
Thanks for fulfilling my wish, Xander~"
"…As long as you're happy.
But it feels like there's another line to add."
"Hm?"
"That run under the sunset—that was my departed youth~"
"Haha, true~"
He'd laughed so long that his whole body still felt limp and powerless, so Elysia pulled him over and the two of them sat on a big reef nearby.
The orange sunset looked softer and softer; the coming night brought a slight chill.
Their bodies pressed tight together, as if to pass warmth to one another.
With nearly twenty centimeters between their heights, Elysia naturally leaned on Xander's shoulder, and he, in turn, slid an arm around her, drawing them closer.
Their eyes turned together to the sun sinking into the sea.
The dreamy halo and the magnificent scene left them entranced.
Perhaps this was what travel was for.
Thinking of travel, Xander suddenly said, "Right, I remember you had a plan to travel around the world.
Why did that stop?"
"You still remember that?"
Elysia smiled.
That was what she'd written when she first started Miss Pink Elf's blog.
"Of course.
I'm your No. 1 fan, Miss Pink Elf~"
When he heard about it during their chats, Xander had immediately hit Follow and become the very first fan with a numbered badge.
"So why did it stop?"
Elysia relaxed little by little, almost placing all her weight on Xander.
That made them press even closer, as if they were about to melt into one.
"Maybe because a journey done alone is too lonely."
At first it was fine, but ever since…
She glanced at the boy beside her, looped her arms around his neck, and settled herself atop him.
This time it really was a whisper at his ear.
Warm breath mixed with a tempting murmur: "That's why I've been waiting~"
"Waiting?"
"Mm-hmm.
Waiting for another set of footprints to walk beside me on the road~"
!!!
That almost-plain confession made Xander's heart rate spike to the peak, and because they were pressed so closely together, certain reactions were impossible to suppress.
At that moment, the last trace of sunlight fell.
From the other end of the shoreline, a pillar of light suddenly shot into the sky.
Boom!
Brilliant fireworks blossomed in the sky.
For an instant their splendor outshone the moon and the stars, and it illuminated the faint flush on Elysia's cheeks.
"These fireworks—did you set them up, Elysia?"
"Mm.
Do you like them?"
"I do."
"Good.
Also, Xander, you're being naughty~"
She did her best to maintain her big-sister dignity, but her voice trembled.
"Elysia, you must have some idea of your own charm.
I feel like my self-control has already…"
A slender finger pressed against his lips and cut him off.
The unbroken fireworks painted Elysia's cheeks a rosy red.
She gazed into his eyes and slowly crouched down, and a pink crystal became shrouded in a layer of white mist.
"So, does Xander need Elysia's help?"
"…"
Her words rode the breeze into Xander's ears, and his consciousness sank into warmth.
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