It was my second night in Rigforresia. With the Harvest Festival I was set to participate in scheduled for tomorrow, I really wanted to get some rest... but perhaps because I’d spent part of the day unconscious, I couldn't fall asleep.
Just as I decided to step out for some night air, a hesitant knock sounded at my door.
"Yes?"
I replied reflexively, but no voice answered.
Under normal circumstances, a silent visitor might have seemed suspicious, but thanks to my Sympathy Magic, I already knew who was standing on the other side.
"Is something the matter, Sieg-san?"
"..."
The lack of a verbal response confirmed it was indeed Sieg-san.
It was nearly midnight, and I wondered what could have brought her here. In response to my question, Sieg-san moved her hands in a small, expressive gesture.
"A walk? Yeah, I couldn't get to sleep either."
"..."
It seemed Sieg-san was also struggling with insomnia and had come to see if I was awake to join her for a stroll. Since I’d been planning to catch some night air anyway, I nodded and accepted her invitation without hesitation.
We walked side by side through the moonlit streets of Rigforresia. A spherical magic tool hovered before us—a Portable Lighting Magic Tool—illuminating our path. It was similar to a flashlight from my world but far more advanced; it was hands-free and allowed for precise adjustments to the light.
After walking for a while, we reached a wide, plaza-like area. At Sieg-san’s prompting, I sat down on a nearby bench. She sat beside me as a matter of course. Under the glow of the Lighting Magic Tool, her ruby-red hair shimmered with a soft luster. Caught by the beauty of her elegant profile, I felt my heart skip a beat.
The night in Rigforresia was profound and quiet, with the occasional breeze pleasantly brushing against my cheeks. After a brief silence, an idea occurred to me, and I turned to her.
"Speaking of which, Sieg-san, I never got to thank you properly. Thank you for saving me—eh?"
"..."
I had intended to give her a proper thanks for protecting me from the Black Bear, but mid-sentence, Sieg-san cut me off by placing her index finger in front of my face. She shook her head slowly, then took a memo pad and pen from her pocket to write a message.
"If anything, I'm the one who should be thanking you. Kaito-san, thank you. Because of you, I was able to mend my strained relationship with Lili and return things to the way they used to be."
"Ah, no, I didn't really do anything..."
I had only said what I felt at the time. I believed their relationship had been repaired because Sieg-san had cared enough to truly scold Lilia-san. I insisted I hadn't done anything special, but Sieg-san shook her head again and continued writing.
"A catalyst was necessary. And you were that catalyst. Humility is a virtue, but please, just accept my thanks for now."
"...Alright."
"However, there is something I want to warn you about."
"A warning? For me?"
Sieg-san stared into my eyes with her beautiful blue gaze before handing me the rest of the note.
"Given the situation, it couldn't be helped this time... but please, don't be reckless. If you get hurt, I will be sad. Please, value your own life more."
"I will."
I gave a firm answer to Sieg-san, who watched me with a gentle expression, like an older sister chiding a reckless younger brother. After hearing my response, she gave a soft smile and wrote another line.
"Kaito-san. Could I... borrow your shoulder for a bit?"
"My shoulder? Ah, yes. I don't mind, but..."
"Then, if you'll excuse me."
"Wait—Sieg-san!?"
I didn't quite grasp what she meant until I nodded, and she immediately rested her head against me, leaning into my side. Sieg-san was nearly as tall as I was, making it a perfect height for her to lean on... but I certainly hadn't expected this.
The long ears characteristic of the Elf Race twitched slightly, and I could feel her body heat through where her head rested. For a long time, Sieg-san simply closed her eyes and entrusted her weight to me.
Naturally, having such a beautiful woman lean on me left me anything but calm. My heart had been pounding like a drum for several minutes now.
"Kaito-san, you were always the one who reached out to me, weren't you?"
"Hmm?"
As I sat there, frozen like a stone statue, she held a memo up into my line of sight. I wondered when she had even written it.
"You see, since I can't speak and my height can be intimidating, people don't often strike up conversations with me."
"T-True, I also thought you were a bit of a cool, distant person at first, Sieg-san."
Sieg-san stood about 170 centimeters tall, which was quite tall for a woman. Combined with her refined features and composed aura, I had assumed she was a cool, stoic person when we first met.
"But you spoke to me often. You never found it burdensome that I couldn't reply... and that made me very happy."
"That’s just because I enjoyed talking with you. I might have thought you were cool at first, but once we actually spent time together, I realized you were a wonderful person—homely, kind, and very easy to talk to."
"...Thank you."
At my words, Sieg-san smiled bashfully before closing her eyes and leaning against me once more. The silence that followed wasn't awkward; it felt warm and deeply comfortable.
We sat there for a while, surrendering ourselves to the night breeze and the peaceful passage of time. Eventually, Sieg-san slowly lifted her head and stood up.
"If we stay out too late, it will affect tomorrow. Let's head back now."
"Right."
I followed her lead and stood up from the bench. Just as we turned to retrace our steps, Sieg-san reached out and took my hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Wh-What!?"
"..."
"Sieg-san?"
"..."
Startled by the sudden contact, I looked at her, but she didn't say a word and simply started walking. Her slender, soft fingers laced through mine. As she walked a step ahead, leading the way, her cheeks seemed—though it might have been the moonlight—to be flushed a faint crimson.
I parted ways with Sieg-san at the entrance of the inn and returned to my room. Feeling as though the last hour had been a dream, I was about to lie down when I noticed something.
At some point, a small note had been slipped into my pocket. Knowing it was Sieg-san’s handwriting, I held it up to the light of the room’s magic tool.
"I love how straightforward and kind you are, Kaito-san. Please, stay that way forever. It’s a bit troubling that I seem to have so many rivals, but I intend to do my best too... so if possible, please look my way once in a while."
"..."
I tilted my head in confusion at the cryptic note. I understood that she thought of me fondly, but what did she mean by "rivals"? I knew Sieg-san and the others weren't participating in tomorrow's festival, so she couldn't be talking about a competition there...
Hmm. I didn't quite get it, but it didn't leave me with a bad feeling. Since no answer seemed forthcoming regardless of how much I pondered it, I tucked the note into my Magic Box, turned off the lights, and lay down.
I had been wide awake earlier, but thanks to Sieg-san, I felt like I could finally fall into a deep sleep.
Dear Mom, Dad—I took a walk through the night with Sieg-san and we talked. There were a few things she did that I couldn't quite read the intentions behind, but—can I assume we’ve become closer?
Seriously, how can you not realize it after all that...