It’s the last dinner of the weekend.
Most of the weekend is spent hanging out at Raphne’s tower.
Raphne insisted that if it’s a weekend without going to the academy, it’s okay to spend it at the tower.
So, on weekends, I mostly craft items or chat with Raphne to pass the time.
Today’s harvest was the crafting of a new longsword after using up the old one in a loop event.
It was made using the last remaining dragon bones.
I need to prepare in various ways for the upcoming sub event.
And after finishing the crafting, there’s still some time left after dinner.
‘…How should I explain this?’
I’m sitting on the floor, lost in thought.
“Hee, hee, hee”
Right now, Raphne is sprawled on my lap, enjoying some free time while reading a novel.
I don’t know if it’s the fun of the book or just the relaxed time, but Raphne is letting out soft giggles.
According to Raphne, this is the best position to be close to me while reading.
To be honest, as a guy, having Raphne sprawled on my legs is quite the stimulation in many ways.
Mainly, it’s those soft things pressing against my thigh.
No, that’s not the important part right now.
“Ken~ Do a little more~.”
While I was lost in thought and paused for a moment, Raphne pushed her head towards my stomach and urged me to continue.
So, I started moving my hand, gently petting Raphne’s head.
“Hehe, ehe.”
It seemed Raphne enjoyed the touch on her head as she let out another relaxed giggle.
It seems that lying on my lap, reading a book while getting petted has become her ultimate healing time.
Maybe that’s why she’s gotten more clingy lately.
Compared to her clinging in despair, this is much better.
But it makes it even harder to bring up what I have to say later.
“Um, …Raphne.”
“Hmm? Why?”
Raphne, alternating her leg movements to express her joy, is glued to her book, oblivious to my call.
Is this a good time to say it?
Maybe I should say it right now while she’s feeling her best.
“Well… there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it? Do you want something?”
Finally reacting, Raphne turned her head to look up at me.
Her eyes, once lifeless when I first met her, now sparkled with vitality.
Those shining eyes are staring back at me.
It seems my presence while taking care of her during the Aspetra repairs helped heal her heart.
‘Alright, if she’s recovered this much…’
I took a deep breath, believing in those sparkling eyes, and struggled to open my mouth.
“I’m going to have to leave the tower for a bit…”
“Ah… How long? Are you coming back for dinner?”
For a split second, a gloomy expression flickered across Raphne’s face, but she quickly bounced back, smiling as she asked.
She seems to be okay after all.
If it had been just a week ago, she would have been crying and clinging to me with that statement.
Gaining confidence from Raphne’s good reaction, I smiled and replied.
“Oh, I think I’ll be gone for about five days.”
And Raphne’s expression crumbled, as if the world had collapsed.
“……Huh?”
The Moonlight Necklace I recently got as a reward for repairing Aspetra.
With this necklace, I only have one essential material left to craft the Goddess’ Pendant.
That item is the [ Pure Mana Crystal ].
In the latter part of the game, you could find it here and there in the Karab Continent,
but right now, there’s only one way to get it.
That would be during the sub event hosted by the academy in a few days.
You can get it as a prize in the [ Survival Contest ].
This event, which various students from the academy participate in, feels like a competition among schools in modern times.
The problem is that this survival event lasts for five days.
That means.
I must be away from the tower for five days.
“I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t waaaaant to!”
Upon hearing that, Raphne began crawling up from my legs.
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! Am I acting too playful lately? Or is my cooking bad?! I’m sorry! I won’t act like a child anymore! I’ll make better food! So…!”
Just as I worried, Raphne clung to me, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded.
Not being taken aback by her familiar desperation, I petted Raphne’s head and replied.
“No, it’s okay. You can be clingy, and your food is delicious. But….”
“That’s a lie! You’ve lost weight recently! The food definitely got worse, right? You’re tired of it? Sniff, I’m sorry! I’ll do better! Please don’t abandon me!”
“It’s okay, Raphne. I’m not abandoning you. Just listen carefully.”
“Wah, wah!”
I firmly held Raphne, who was hanging onto me, and softly stroked her head.
Raphne burrowed into my arms, clutching the fabric of my clothes.
I could hear her sobbing from within my embrace.
She’s not going to hear anything I say right now.
It’s actually more effective to calm her down first and then explain.
‘…Feels like I’m training a pet.’
No, let’s just think I’ve gotten better at it.
I’ve merely become accustomed to dealing with Raphne’s behavior patterns.
The issue this time is the scale, which is a bit larger.
Five days away is bound to be quite a shock for Raphne, so I need to explain well.
“Sorry…, I’m sorry, Ken. I’ll clean more diligently and be less clingy. So please don’t be a bother… Don’t abandon me… Wah, I’ll do better.”
Raphne lifted her face from my chest and looked at me with tear-filled eyes,
and she seemed calmer than just a moment ago, shedding tears.
When she was finally ready to listen, I began to explain.
After hearing everything, Raphne still had a tearful face, but it seemed she understood.
However, the sparkling life in her eyes was replaced by despair in an instant.
“So, you’ll be back in five days?”
“Of course. I will definitely come back.”
“Really? Truly? You promise?”
“More importantly, tomorrow or a few days later, so don’t worry too much.”
“Don’t say that…”
Well, whether it’s tomorrow or in a few days, being away for five days is the same.
While it might be hard to accept, at least Raphne seems to have gotten the gist of it.
“I just need to leave things like this, I only need Ken…”
Until the moment I returned to the dormitory, Raphne muttered gloomily.
I couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty.
I guess I’ll have to stay longer at the tower the day before the event.
The next day, as I headed to the academy, I immediately went to the sign-up location for the survival event.
This is where I fill out and submit the application form.
I was originally planning to sign up earlier,
but I thought it would be better to do it after explaining to Raphne, so I took my time.
“Good morning, Ken.”
While filling out the form, I heard a familiar voice from beside me.
Turning my head, I saw Mary standing there.
“Are you signing up for the survival event too?”
Mary was holding the same application form as me.
“Yes, I have something I want to get as a prize.”
“What a coincidence. So do I.”
Then Mary started filling out her application form beside me.
‘Of course, she’s participating.’
I expected Mary to join the survival event.
Since in the game, whenever Emily participates in a survival event, Mary always ends up as an opponent.
The reason for her participation must be one of the event’s prizes, a dining voucher for a luxurious restaurant.
Why does Mary want the dining voucher?
Does she love food? No.
It’s because it’s for a date with Adrian.
In the game, a competition storyline unfolds for the dining voucher between Emily and Mary through this survival event.
Of course, in Emily’s case, whether she gets the voucher or another reward as a clear bonus is optional, but
it’s probably the same reason Mary is participating this time as well.
“Hey, Ken….”
Just then, Mary, who was filling out her application, spoke up.
“Yes?”
“Ken, what item do you want to win in this event?”
“Are you asking about me? I need the Mana Crystal.”
“Is that so…”
Mary, fidgeting with the pen while filling out the form, seemed to hesitate as if there was something she wanted to say.
“Uh, Ken… what if I win the prize…”
Mary was struggling to get her words out.
Just then…
“Ah, Ken.”
Another familiar voice called from behind.
I turned to look and saw Emily approaching with a smile.
“What? You’re signing up too?”
With a smile, Emily came closer.
Recently, our relationship improved as she brought drinks during morning training, and she approached me more kindly than before.
But upon spotting Mary, her expression hardened.
“…M-Mary.”
“Emily, what’s up? You’re not going to bully Ken again, are you?”
Mary’s eyes sharpened, and a cold aura began to surround her.
It was a chilling presence, enough to freeze the air.
Emily waved her hands, trying to calm Mary down.
“No! It’s not like that! I just came to say something to Ken!”
“Something to say? Then go ahead.”
“Wha… here? Um, I’d rather do it when I’m alone with Ken…”
“Unless it’s an embarrassing issue, shouldn’t you be able to say it in front of me?”
It seems that because of Emily’s reputation, Mary is being overly cautious.
I guess I’ll have to explain soon that my relationship with Emily is fine now.
In Mary’s forceful presence, Emily blushed and hesitated.
After a moment of gathering her courage, she looked at me and finally spoke.
“Okay, okay! I can say it here.”
Then she held out something to me.
“Ken, you said before that if I’m sorry, I should treat you to a meal.”
“Did I?”
What Emily was presenting was something both Mary and I already knew well.
It was the application form for the survival competition.
“The dining voucher as a prize…”
Emily’s face turned red, avoiding my gaze as she carefully glanced at me, then continued.
“If I win it, want to go together?”
“What, wait…!”
But the response came not from me, but from Mary.
“Uh? W-What do you mean?”
“N-no, that’s not it! I mean, it’s…”
Mary, who had been sharp and assertive just a moment ago, showed a suddenly flustered expression at Emily’s words.
She started glancing back and forth between me and Emily.
Then like Emily, she carefully observed the application form and said to me.
“I was going to…! Ken, I was going to ask you about the dining voucher first!”
“…Huh?”
The flustered expressions of Mary and Emily met each other.
They stared at each other in a tense silence.
“I asked first.”
“N-no, it can’t be! Emily interrupted just when I was about to ask Ken!”
Emily and Mary generated an atmosphere as if sparks were flying just with their gazes.
Huh? Wait a second, this scene feels familiar, like something I’ve seen in the game.
“Indeed, it seems there’s a competition to win a dating voucher with Ken Feinstein.”
And then, a familiar voice echoed again.
The owner of that voice stepped forward from behind Emily.
“Now, this is truly an amusing sight.”
It was the main story character from the game. Adrian Faraday.
He waved his hand at me with a bright smile.
“I can’t miss out on such a fun event.”
Then, he picked up an application form from the table.
“Uh, wait a second…”
This guy participating is something I’ve never seen in the game?
My voice, which I released due to Adrian’s sudden move, was drowned out by the sharp voices of the two women.
“Then there’s only one way to determine this.”
“Yes, because only one prize can be claimed.”
They glared at each other for a brief moment, and without needing anyone to declare, they submitted their application forms at the same time.
“The one who wins will be the one to ask Ken out for a meal.”
“Sounds good, that’s what I was thinking too.”
After finishing their business, they both turned and walked off in separate directions.
H-hey, what about my opinion?!
“Hoohoo, you’re quite the unlucky man.”
Adrian, smiling cheerfully, only stayed behind, placing a hand on my shoulder.
