Carefully navigating through the crowd, Rourke’s gaze fell on a girl in a robe.
Her face was hidden by her hood, but the blonde hair peeking out from under it was beautiful, making it easy to imagine she was quite stunning.
“……Ah.”
Out of natural curiosity, Rourke wondered what she looked like, but he didn’t think to check.
As he walked past her, the girl turned around and muttered something, causing Rourke to turn back as well.
“……Huh?”
And when he saw her face, Rourke couldn’t help but let out a stunned sound.
But of course, that was a natural reaction.
After all, the girl was—
“What are you doing here, Princess?”
It was Misha Romus, the princess of the Romus Kingdom.
“N-no, this is…… More importantly! Why are you here, Rourke Aeras?”
“I’m just looking for some spirit technique books.”
Rourke answered, feeling déjà vu in this situation.
Honestly, like with Leia, both of them thought they were hiding well in their robes, but their presence was still too noticeable.
Even now, passersby kept glancing at Misha.
“I see. So you’re preparing for the match.”
“Well, not exactly.”
It was more for a mental reset, but it wasn’t far off.
“I heard you’ve been skipping tests to prepare. Does that mean…… I can expect something like last time?”
“W-well…… who knows?”
Rourke gave an evasive answer to Misha’s hopeful question.
He hadn’t really prepared much, and if things stayed like this, he might as well surrender the moment the match started.
“More importantly, what were you looking at, Misha?”
“Eh, th-that is……”
Trying to steer the conversation away, Rourke asked why Misha had come to the market, but she flustered and averted her gaze. Noticing this, Rourke tilted his head and peeked into the store she had been looking at.
“……A stuffed animal?”
“………!”
Inside the store were dolls and stuffed animals, and right where Misha had been looking was a cute stuffed animal modeled after Carbuncle, a small animal-like spirit with a ruby on its forehead.
“No, that’s not it! It’s just… just a coincidence! I felt a little dizzy from the crowd, so I stepped aside to rest, and it just happened to be near this store!”
“Hoh, a coincidence, you say?”
It seemed she wanted to hide the fact that she had been looking at the stuffed animals. It was painfully obvious… but then again, it was probably normal for a girl her age to be interested in such things. It didn’t seem like something she needed to hide, but perhaps it was genuinely embarrassing for her.
“So, aren’t you going to buy it?”
“I’m not buying it!”
“But the Carbuncle plushie is popular, you know. It’ll sell out soon.”
“Eh!?”
At Rourke’s words, Misha’s expression turned to one of surprise as she glanced at the Carbuncle plushie. Now that he mentioned it, the number of plushies on the shelf did seem fewer compared to the others.
“………”
Misha, completely forgetting that Rourke was watching, furrowed her brow and stared intently at the plushie, lost in thought. Rourke couldn’t help but smile wryly. She wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore.
“So, are you going to buy it?”
“N-no! I don’t have a place to display it, and besides, I’m not interested in it…”
“Is that so…”
Though she said she wasn’t interested, her gaze remained fixed on the plushie, making it abundantly clear that her words didn’t reflect her true feelings. Rourke, both exasperated and amused by Misha’s uncharacteristic behavior, saw this as a good opportunity and said, “Wait here for a bit,” before heading into the store. After checking the price tag and confirming that he could just barely afford it, he called out to the shopkeeper.
“Excuse me, I’d like this Carbuncle plushie, please.”
“Sure thing. Would you like it wrapped?”
“Yes, please. It’s a gift.”
The shopkeeper, a stern-looking man despite the cute plushies decorating the store, carefully placed the plushie into a bag.
“Here you go. Is it a gift for your girlfriend?”
“No, more like a bribe, I guess.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The shopkeeper handed over the bag with a puzzled expression, and Rourke accepted it with a wry smile before leaving the store.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Rourke Areas. What on earth are you…”
Misha, who had been waiting quietly by the store as instructed, looked at him with a suspicious gaze.
“Here.”
Rourke handed her the bag containing the plushie. Misha tilted her head in confusion, accepted it, and froze when she peered inside.
“Why…?”
“You wanted it, didn’t you?”
“N-no, that’s not it!!”
“Then, you don’t want it?”
“…………”
When Rourke asked this, Misha fell silent. Well, even if she said she didn’t want it, it wasn’t like he could return it now…
After a moment of intense deliberation—more serious than when she faced academic challenges—Misha finally asked with a determined look, “How much is it?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, the price of this plushie. I’ll pay for it.”
“You don’t need to.”
“No, I can’t just—”
“Really, it’s fine.”
“…Ah.”
Misha stiffened as she stared at the Carbuncle in her hands, but eventually, her expression softened.
“Thank y—”
“Alright, you’ve accepted it.”
Rourke cut off her attempt to express gratitude and grinned.
“Eh…?”
“So, in exchange, how about you withdraw me from the Grand Spirit Festival—just kidding, sorry.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
Mid-sentence, Rourke noticed Misha’s face shifting into an expression he’d never seen before, so he quickly backtracked. Even he realized that using a plushie as a bribe might be pushing it too far.
“As the student council president, I can’t just let that slide. I’ll return this.”
Despite her words, Misha seemed reluctant to part with the plushie, as her hands trembled slightly. Rourke couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her.
“My bad. Like I said, it was just a joke. Consider it a token of appreciation for all your hard work. Just take it.”
“…I’ve been wondering for a while now, but is there something you feel guilty about that’s stopping you from summoning your contracted spirit?”
“………”
Rourke, who had been ready to end the conversation and leave, froze slightly at Misha’s words.
“Why do you think that?”
“Your reason for withdrawing from the Grand Spirit Festival, and the way you fight in general… it made me think. You’re always putting yourself down, but based on your grades alone, you’re an excellent student.”
“That’s…”
“Do you think everyone with lower grades than you is incompetent?”
“Of course not. If anything, I think they’re—”
“That’s exactly my point. Given your mindset and the way you fight, it’s natural to assume that you might feel some sort of guilt toward your contracted spirit.”
“………”
Rourke fell silent as Misha cut him off and delivered her analysis.
“Rourke Areas. I think I’ve told you this before, but I’ll say it again. You need to accept the recognition of those around you. You’re a far more capable spirit master than you give yourself credit for.”
“…………”
“Whatever you’re hiding, it’s not going to change how people see you now. At least, not for me.”
“…You really think highly of me, huh?”
Rourke muttered this, remembering how Misha had thoroughly defeated him in their Ranking Match, leaving him in a pitiful state. Yet, Misha nodded as if it were only natural.
“Yes, and that’s exactly why I think you should participate in the Grand Spirit Festival.”
“Why?”
“It’ll help build your confidence. Of course, the main reason is for the academy’s victory, but…”
Participating in the Grand Spirit Festival was an honor for students, and it was a chance to make a name for themselves across nations. Many students would undoubtedly take pride in such an experience and use it to boost their confidence.
“…………”
If even someone like me, without a contracted spirit, could stand on the stage of the Grand Spirit Festival… could it really help me change the way I see myself? Could it help me stop belittling myself?
I’m not sure. In fact, I’ve always thought that participating would only expose me to humiliation.
But if there are people like Gareth and my master, who know my circumstances and still acknowledge me… then maybe…
“…Well, I guess I can’t afford to put on a shameful performance.”
“…?”
“Never mind.”
Rourke shook his head and smiled wryly, a sense of clarity and relief in his expression.
“I’m heading out now. See you later, Princess.”
“Wait. I still need to pay you for—”
“You already have. Just take good care of that plushie.”
With those words, Rourke smiled at Misha, who looked puzzled, and walked away without looking back, leaving the bustling market behind.
“…………”
Misha watched Rourke’s retreating figure for a while before turning her gaze to the plushie in her hands.
“…!”
Eventually, she moved to a nearby alley, made sure no one was watching, and then hugged the Carbuncle plushie tightly, a genuine, age-appropriate smile spreading across her face.
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