Chapter 24: A Gift for miss Witch
[Just like that, time gradually drifts toward evening…]
[Rain Witch Aesc is very loved by everyone, receiving many gifts from them.]
[Looking at her happy and radiant smile, you vaguely feel uneasy.]
[A complicated emotion spreads within you.]
[At seven o'clock in the evening, a gentle rain suddenly falls on the academy city of Chaldea.]
[You hold an umbrella, walking with Aesc under the rain.]
...
May 21, evening, 8 o'clock.
In the shopping mall of Chaldea,
Hearing the pattering rain outside, the two of you, just stepping into the shopping mall, somewhat awkwardly fold the umbrella.
"Eikou, your hair and shoulders are wet from the rain,"
Aesc takes a handkerchief from her bag, she wipes away the wet bangs on his forehead for him.
While gently wiping his damp hair, she smiles softly and says:
"Because when holding the umbrella you tilted it toward me and let yourself get wet like this, you really are a gentle gentleman."
"No need to thank me."
What Eikou wanted to say was, mainly because when holding the umbrella she stood too close, it was really hard to adjust the angle.
Aesc's gaze was quickly drawn to the bustling, brilliantly colorful shopping mall. Her green eyes, full of curiosity, reflected the dazzlingly lit commercial area, making her so excited that she couldn't help but clutch the sleeve of the long cloak.
"Tonight there's still a bit of time, we can stroll around here a little." Eikou said.
"Thank you so much, I will fully enjoy myself here!"
Aesc said cheerfully.
She immediately pulled Eikou's hand and ran to the escalator she was most curious about. Sitting on the escalator and watching herself slowly go up, she revealed a thoughtful expression.
"So that's how it is,"
Then she pulled Eikou to try the elevator next to it, her face radiating a sweet smile: "So that's how it is!"
"Why do you look so happy?"
"Because I basically understand the principle of this fun game now. Later I can use Magecraft to recreate it at home."
Eikou thought to himself, this isn't any kind of fun game, it's just a basic means of transportation in a shopping center.
Though he knew Aesc was a sheltered young lady who spent her time in the library and had never gone out to experience things, she was just like a child visiting a shopping center for the first time, more fascinated with the people-carrying escalator than with shopping.
Of course, Eikou found that to be exactly her cute point.
"We didn't come to the shopping center to play with this. Do you want anything? I can buy it for you."
"Really," Aesc asked a bit nervously, "but I have no concept of money at all, would spending like that make it too expensive for you…?"
"It's fine, it's just a small matter."
"Eh, could it be you're really rich?" She was a little surprised.
Eikou shrugged casually; now money truly wasn't an important issue for him.
It was because at noon he had just asked for leave from principal Da Vinci, and in the afternoon she had already paid all the delayed QP commission for him. After paying off the debt at Enma-tei, there were even tens of thousands of QP left over.
It seemed principal Da Vinci had guessed that today he and Aesc would go on a date, so she hurried to settle everything, avoiding letting him run short of money while accompanying a girl.
Truly a 'black merchant' with both audacity and strong financial power!
For a student like him, that was indeed a huge amount of money.
But Eikou really hadn't expected that one day he could look like a wealthy guy in front of Morgan.
"Of course, this isn't to show off, but to say 『as long as you're happy, all these things are nothing at all』."
He smiled indulgently, lightly pinching her soft cheeks.
And Aesc only obediently, honestly let him pinch her face.
"Umm..."
Hearing these words, Aesc's fair soft face unconsciously flushed red.
She gripped the staff in her hand to cover her face, a bit flustered as she added:
"B-but… shopping in such a luxurious store, with the status of a Fairy of Utopia, is somewhat improper. Maybe we'd better not! I'm sorry, perhaps I dampened your mood!"
"Really don't want to buy a little something?"
"Really not!"
"All right then,"
Eikou smiled helplessly and shrugged, thinking her demands on herself were indeed strict,
"Then… at least have a crepe with me," he noticed her earlier glance toward the crepe stand, "I really want to eat crepe, at least have one with me."
"That's fine! Though strictly speaking, sweets easily cause obesity and lead to downfall, but I'm willing to try it once for you!"
Aesc said, eyes shining.
Eikou nodded, quickly running to the crepe shop opposite to buy two portions.
Suddenly he thought of something, hurriedly turning back to speak to Aesc, who had been planning to follow right behind him, unwilling to leave him even half a step:
"You just stay here, I'll come back right after buying."
"Eh? Umu, all right…"
Aesc was stunned, not expecting him to suddenly order her not to follow, but still obediently listened.
About five minutes later, Eikou hurried back, holding two crepes in his hands.
He handed one to her.
The blond witch looked at the little animal-shaped candy on the crepe, cheeks slightly red, shyly reluctant to eat.
"What's the matter?" Eikou asked in confusion.
"…I'm a little reluctant to eat it, the decorative candy on it is too cute."
"So what you like isn't the sweets, but the adorable shape. Earlier when you were staring at it, that was the reason… No matter what state you're in, this point really has never changed."
Eikou gave a helpless little smile.
"Speaking of which, I have a gift I want to give you; I bought it on the way when getting the crepe."
"A gift?"
Under the gaze of those green eyes, he took out a black bow.
"It was hard to finally go out together. I originally intended to buy you a more formal gift, but since you said you didn't want one, I chose something simple. It's not expensive, so accepting it should be fine."
In his memory, Morgan always liked to tie a black bow on her ponytail. The reason was unclear, but perhaps she simply liked that cute yet simple style.
So today, he bought her a bow as a gift.
Aesc was slightly stunned, then she showed a warm, happy smile, cheerfully accepting the gift, holding it carefully in both hands.
"Thank you, I like it very much! Such an important gift, I will treasure it well!"
As she spoke, she carefully attached the bow to her golden braid.
"How is it?"
In that moment, Eikou's eyes reflected the image of the Fairy Queen: snow-white hair, icy blue eyes narrowing as she smiled, revealing pure white teeth, smiling innocently at him.
Once again it was confirmed—Aesc was indeed Morgan, secretly hiding her true self.
But to Eikou, they were both one and the same.
"Speaking of which… according to human etiquette, should I give a return gift now? Is there something you'd like to receive?" Aesc asked a little shyly.
"That's fine."