Kaori Mizuhara’s fondness for romance novels and theater meant she loved being a spectator to other people’s love lives. Yet, she also harbored a deep, personal interest in her own romantic prospects.
The main reason for this was the timing of her summoning. During her late teens—the period she defined as her prime of youth—she had been overwhelmed by the death of her mother, her father’s subsequent disappearance, and then the sudden summoning to another world. She simply hadn’t had the emotional leeway to even consider falling in love.
(I—I can’t believe things turned out like this... My youth is making up for lost time in a huge way today! It arrived so late I thought I'd missed it entirely, but now it’s making a real scene.)
It was true that she frequently voiced her longing for those youthful experiences, fretted about her marriage prospects, or mentioned wanting to try being in a relationship.
And while it was a fact that she held more than a little longing for the idea of a princess carry, that didn’t make the reality any less embarrassing.
“...A-Ah, but are you sure about this? I mean, look, I’m taller than Olivia-sama, and I weigh... well, I’m probably a bit heavier. I don’t want to be a burden, Kaito-kun...”
“I’ll be fine. I have physical enhancement magic for that. It’s true I’m not exactly a bodybuilder, but I promise I won’t drop you, so please relax.”
“H-Huh... Listen to you, saying something so reliable... Heh, alright then. I guess I’ll have to see what you’ve got.”
To Kaori, who spoke with a hint of hesitation born from bashfulness, Kaito replied with a gentle smile. It was true that Kaori was taller and likely heavier than the petite Olivia, but the difference wasn't particularly massive.
In this world, internal and muscular structures varied so much that weight didn't always match appearance depending on the race. Megiddo was a prime example; while he typically moved around in a gargantuan form over ten meters tall, that body was actually a construction held together by a restraint of magic power. Despite his massive size, he only weighed about fifty kilograms.
At Megiddo’s level, he could adjust his weight at will, so he was an outlier, but the phenomenon of deceptive appearances was common enough. Kaori, however, was perfectly normal and weighed exactly what one would expect for her frame.
“Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
“B-Bring it on...”
Kaito was often perceived as frail, but that was only because of the monsters he associated with. He possessed the muscle strength of an average adult male, and while he personally fretted over his low magic output, his physical enhancement magic was more than enough to lift Kaori without effort.
With a slight, sympathetic smile at the tension visible in Kaori’s frame, Kaito swept her up into his arms.
“...O-Oh... I see. Heh, so this is what it’s like. I’ve never had a reason to be carried like this before, so it’s a pretty fresh feeling.”
“Your face is red, you know.”
“Of course it’s red! This is incredibly embarrassing! I won't deny that it's awkward... but it’s also true that I’ve always wanted to try it, and this is actually quite...”
In a normal life, opportunities for a princess carry are few and far between. This was Kaori’s first time experiencing it.
She wasn't quite as distraught as Olivia had been, but she was still panicking internally.
(Actually, this is... more intense than I thought. Because my feet aren’t on the ground, I feel so unstable that Kaito-kun seems exceptionally reliable. Come to think of it, he’s actually quite well-built, isn't he? He’s not muscular in an obvious way, but he’s solid. Being pressed against him like this... he really has a man’s body... Ah, no, this is... yeah... my heart is really racing.)
There had been some contact when he had put his arm around her shoulder earlier, but the princess carry was on another level. The sensation of her weight being supported entirely by Kaito’s hands made her acutely aware of his masculinity, and she could feel her pulse quickening in her chest.
(Looking up at him from this angle is new too... Uugh, dammit, he’s so handsome. He’s already my type, but with this whole situation on top of it, he looks almost dangerously good...)
There were many factors at play. He was already someone she liked and considered a potential partner. Furthermore, having spent the day following Olivia’s lead and acting like a couple had primed her to be even more conscious of him.
Whatever the reason, she realized she was far more attracted to Kaito than she had initially admitted to herself, and she felt her face grow even hotter.
“...Kaito-kun, am I heavy? Tell me if you’re struggling.”
“You aren't heavy at all. In fact, you’re quite light. I’m not struggling... but I have to admit, being this close makes my heart skip a beat too. Since you’re such a beautiful woman, Kaori-san, I’m actually quite nervous.”
As she looked at Kaito’s gentle smile, a bashful but genuinely happy expression crossed Kaori's face. She whispered in a voice so quiet he couldn't hear.
“You really say things like that so casually... Honestly... if you make me fall for you any more than this... I’ll make you take responsibility.”
Serious-senpai: “Guaaaaah, she’s a totally different type from Olivia... Olivia’s the type who doesn't recognize her huge feelings of love even when they're staring her in the face. Meanwhile, Kaori’s the type who understands her own feelings perfectly well—including the fact that Kaito’s just being a nice guy and isn't even trying to flirt—and she's still getting swept away... Talk about youth...”