Although Fairy had already applied for driver's license replacement services for them, the Public Security only supported in-person document collection. With no other option, they had to go themselves.
Since they weren't busy anyway, it was better to take care of it now before it slipped their mind.
Once they were ready, the two headed to Lumina Square and quickly pulled into a nearby parking lot.
"Oh no, Belle, this is bad. There's no space left."
"Not surprising for a place like this."
"Optimism is a good thing, but we still need to find somewhere to park. With someone staying in the car, we can stop by the roadside for a short while. Belle, you watch the car here, and I'll go look for a parking spot."
After saying this, Wise got out of the car without turning off the engine. If something unexpected happened, Belle could drive away immediately.
Still, in a city this vast, finding a parking spot wasn't easy. After scanning the surroundings and coming up empty on this street, Wise figured he'd have better luck on the next one.
Taking a shortcut, he entered the alley, hoping it would save some time.
"Hmm? That looks like an open spot. I'll tell Belle to drive over."
Wise pulled out his phone as he walked toward it. Just then, as he was about to turn the corner at the end of the alley, someone else showed up from the other side.
Completely absorbed in typing his message, he didn't notice in time. The other person, distracted for reasons unknown, didn't react either.
"Thud!"
The collision forced Wise to take a step back, while the other person stumbled and fell onto the ground.
"Ouch... Are you okay?"
For someone to knock Wise back in his current condition, they had to be unusually strong. Coming to his senses, he extended his hand to help her up.
That was when he finally saw who he had bumped into.
He saw that the other person had brown-green hair, adorned with a pair of pointed horn hair accessories. At first glance, she gave off the impression of a broad-minded woman.
From where he stood, Wise only had to glance downward to catch sight of the deep cleavage she revealed.
However, once she lifted her head and saw him clearly, she stopped moving altogether, standing there in a stunned daze.
That reaction confused Wise. Staring at her blank, almost dumb look, he started wondering if he'd knocked something loose.
'No, I didn't hit her head. Still… what a shame. Such a pretty girl, yet she didn't seem very bright.'
Feeling a hint of pity, Wise unconsciously softened his tone. He reached out on his own, took her small hand hovering in the air, and helped her stand up.
"My name is Wise. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention just now. How are you feeling?"
"Ah? Oh, I'm fine! My name is Caesar, and there's no need to apologize. I was distracted too, checking a map and not watching my surroundings."
- Caesar[1] -
[Ding! New favorability target detected.]
[Name: Caesar]
[Gender: Female]
[Charm: 96]
[Unique Traits: Fearless at heart, kind, no explanation necessary]
[Hobbies: Reading shojo manga, fighting]
[Current Status: Shy]
[Current Favorability toward Host: 60]
[Evaluation: She's thoughtful and caring, a responsible leader, but underneath it all, she's a girl who dreams of a sweet romance.]
[Inner Thoughts: He's really good-looking, and he gives off such a warm feeling…]
Caesar's face was a little pink, partly from her earlier mistake, partly from her hand still linked with Wise's.
Even as leader of the Sons of Calydon, she'd never held a boy's hand like this. With her girlish side surfacing, her mind started racing.
'Ugh! A corner collision between male and female leads, the kind that only happens in shojo manga… Is this really happening to me?!' she thought, a blush of shy embarrassment creeping across her face.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Wise, unable to look away. He seemed bright, handsome, gentle, and kind, just like the male lead in a shojo story.
Whether it was just her imagination or not, Caesar felt that Wise reminded her of the main character from the shojo manga she'd been reading recently.
"Uh… That…" Wise almost asked how long she was going to hold his hand.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! Really!"
Caesar hurriedly withdrew her hand. She'd been so absorbed in her thoughts that she'd completely forgotten about it.
"It's fine."
Wise secretly rubbed his palm, sighing inwardly. Her hand was unexpectedly strong, and even a casual squeeze left him slightly off balance.
"By the way, Caesar, I heard you mention a map. Are you trying to go somewhere?"
"Yes, I am. A friend asked me to bring her something, but I don't come to the city much, so I've been looking for the store for half a day."
Caesar said it, a little embarrassed, and Wise realized she was probably from the Outer Ring.
"If you don't mind, can I see the map?"
"Eh? Sure."
A bit surprised, Caesar handed the map to Wise. He took it, glanced over it, and immediately spotted the problem.
"Uh, this map's a few years old. That store has already moved."
"Ah? Really? That's unfortunate."
Caesar felt a little disappointed as well. She'd wanted to use this trip to the city to grab the next volume of the shojo manga Lucy had shown her.
"If you don't mind, I can take you there. It's pretty close."
"Eh, really?"
Hearing Wise's offer, Caesar's face lit up with joy.
"Yes, but you'll have to wait a moment… Oh, it's already here."
Watching the car approach, Wise waved and pointed toward a parking spot on the other side.
After parking the car, Belle walked over, but her eyes remained fixed on Caesar.
The gaze unsettled her, making Caesar feel as if she'd been caught in the middle of an affair with a married man, only to be discovered by his wife.
Her thoughts immediately drifted to all those cliché misunderstanding plots she'd seen in manga.
Before she could say anything, Belle stepped forward.
"Brother, who's this girl?" she asked, a puzzled look on her face.
Though she sounded polite and even offered a warm smile, her mind was already wandering.
'My brother is unbelievable! He goes to find a spot to park the car and comes back already tangled up with a pretty girl. Judging from her clothes, she's probably from the Outer Ring, right?'
Seeing Belle remain calm and polite, Caesar let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'So she's just his sister. That's great!'
Wise followed up by explaining the situation before introducing them properly.
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