Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage

Character page: Here

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Chapter 175 – I thought about it with a friend

“It feels kind of tense around here…”  [Youki]

As I walked through the town, I noticed something amiss with the expressions of the people passing by. The men looked like predators eyeing their prey, while the women had an even sharper, more intense gaze. What happened? Although not everyone was behaving in this manner, the situation remained baffling. Did something significant happen?

Lately, with Clayman working at full capacity, we have been flooded with requests. There were plenty of tasks in Minerva, but we also had to handle out-of-town requests, so the current scene made me feel out of the loop.

“Even in times like this, some places never seem to change.”  [Youki]

It was a café spot where young people liked to hang out. With tables, chairs, and a snack shop nearby, it was the perfect gathering place. This should’ve been a peaceful corner of Minerva, but…

“Hm, seems like trouble happens here too…”  [Youki]

I might have stirred things up with my chuunibyou tendencies, but I wasn’t like them. These guys were all about hitting on girls and goofing off as much as possible. With a crowd like this, the place felt lawless.

“…Why is he here, anyway? He looks out of place.”  [Youki]

Among the crowd, I noticed someone acting suspiciously. His outfit didn’t fit, making him stand out even more. It didn’t take me long to realize who he was. I quietly approached and called out to him.

“What are you doing in a place like this, Raven?”  [Youki]

“…Youki.”  [Raven]

The moment he realized it was me, his face froze, as if he’d been caught in the act. He was in a spot where flashy young people gathered, the kind of place where people pick up girls and, if things went well, take them home. To make matters worse, he was in disguise, which only made me more suspicious.

“You’ve prepared yourself, right?”  [Youki]

“Wait, there’s a reason for this!”  [Raven]

“You’d better say goodbye to ever seeing Happiness’s face again.”  [Youki]

“Youki, hold on!”  [Raven]

“…Well, I’ll stop with the jokes for now.”  [Youki]

I dispelled the intermediate light magic ‘Lightning Arm’, which charged my arm with electricity. I’d been ready to throw a punch with my electrified arm, but I decided against it.

“I trust you. You’ve got a reason, don’t you? Out with it. It’s the usual deal, isn’t it?”  [Youki]

“…Ugh, that’s exactly why I wanted to handle this on my own.”  [Raven]

“…If you go ahead as you are now and run into Happiness, your identity will be exposed. Then it’ll turn into a bigger mess.”  [Youki]

“…Let’s change locations.”  [Raven]

My words eventually got through to him. We walked together, arms slung around each other like old friends, and I couldn’t help thinking, “Sometimes, it’s good to just go with the flow.”

“And here we are at the usual cake shop.”  [Youki]

“…Who are you narrating for, Youki?”  [Raven]

“I just feel like talking this way. So, what’s going on this time? I have to say, Raven, that place really didn’t suit you.”  [Youki]

I couldn’t picture Raven as the flashy type – not even a little. He was the kind of sincere guy who never forgot anniversaries or promises. Reflecting on how he ended up with Happiness, I remembered all the hardships and inner turmoil he had to overcome to reach this point.

“Thanks to you, the chaos caused by the Steel Arms of Azure Flame had settled, and my work within the knights returned to normal. As a result, I’ve had more time to spend with Happiness… but when I thought about it, I realized something recently. I noticed that I ended up meeting Happiness whenever we’re both free.”  [Raven]

“Oh? Sounds like you’re really in love.”  [Youki]

“…I’ve always been the one inviting her out after our dates, and now I’m starting to worry… What if she thinks I’m being too clingy?”  [Raven]

“…Huh?”  [Youki]

“That’s why I figured I should dial it back a bit. So, for research purposes, I went to that place.”  [Raven]

“You idiot!”  [Youki]

His reasoning was entirely off. Why would he even think like that? I raised my ‘forbidden’ right hand and gave Raven a well-deserved smack.

“Happiness likes you, too, so maybe she feels the same. Don’t just assume things and start acting weird.”  [Youki]

“So, you’re saying I should ask her directly if I’m being too clingy?”  [Raven]

“That’s not what I meant.”  [Youki]

When Happiness accepted him, I thought they’d be fine from there, but now here we were with another roadblock. I finished my tea and started to think.

Honestly, we should both stop relying on advice at this point. We’ve come far enough that asking for help like this no longer feels right.

“…It’s pathetic, but I’m worried. I’m scared of being hated by her, but more than anything… I don’t want to become a burden to her.”  [Raven]

“If you feel that strongly, then pull yourself together.”  [Youki]

“If I could do that, I wouldn’t be struggling like this!”  [Raven]

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. From where I stand, Raven, you’re fine just the way you are. If you suddenly start acting differently, Happiness might think something’s off. Don’t turn into some shallow guy, okay?”  [Youki]

If it ever came to that, Duke and I would swoop in, take Happiness away, and comfort her for three days straight, saying, “It must’ve been terrifying to be with such a bad guy.” But of course, that day would never come. I was sure of it.

“…You’re right. I don’t want to make Happiness sad. I guess I was overthinking it.”  [Raven]

“Great. Problem solved.”  [Youki]

“…But I still don’t know if I’m being too much or not.”  [Raven]

Raven shook his head, and I slammed mine on the table in frustration. The real issue wasn’t resolved after all. He looked genuinely troubled, so I had no choice. It may be time to show him what genuine, over-the-top affection looked like.

“Alright, let’s go visit someone I know.”  [Youki]

“…What? What are you talking about?”  [Raven]

“Raven, I’m going to show you what real heavy love is like!” [Youki]

I struck a confident pose as I made my declaration. To be clear, though, I wasn’t the one planning to do the demonstration. I already had the perfect couple in mind for that. With that thought, I took Raven and headed to Gai’s inn.

“Sorry to intrude.”  [Youki]

“Hmm? Well, look who it is. What brings you here all of a sudden, kiddo? And who’s this man?”  [Gai]

We entered the room after knocking on the door and getting permission. Gai was lounging comfortably in a chair.

“This is my friend, Raven. He’s the captain of the knights.”  [Youki]

“I see, I’m Gai. Nice to meet you. I bet this kiddo gives you trouble, too, huh? If you need to vent, feel free.”  [Gai]

“Hey, cut it out!”  [Youki]

While Gai and I exchanged our banter, Raven remained silent. Was he having trouble speaking to someone he was meeting for the first time? No, that wasn’t it.

“…My name is Raven. As Youki had introduced, I’m the captain of the knights. If you ever get caught up in trouble in town, call on me and I’ll be there.”  [Raven]

It seemed that Raven had gotten over his issues with his voice. His change was probably due to Happiness.

“Hmm… understood. So, what’s the purpose of your visit today?”  [Gai]

“Well, you see, he’s got a bit of a peculiar problem he’s dealing with.”  [Youki]

“Hey, Youki!”  [Raven]

I disregarded Raven’s interruption. Gai didn’t seem to be sleeping either, so it would be a shame to pass up such a good opportunity.

“So, I’d really like to hear your story, Gai.”  [Youki]

“Hmm… my story, you say? Even so, there’s only so much I can talk about.”  [Gai]

He was probably referring to his true identity. Seeing as Raven had already accepted Happiness, Duke, Sheik and me, it was likely that he would accept Gai too.

“What’s wrong? You’re both just standing there.”  [Raven]

“Raven, I trust you, so I’m going to tell you. Gai, are you okay with that?”  [Youki]

“Hmph… do as you wish. I don’t mind. Worst case, I’ll make it seem like everything was a dream.”  [Gai]

What he said sounded fishy, but I decided to let it slide. I explained Gai’s situation to Raven, telling him that Gai was a gargoyle who had been hiding his identity while living in Minerva, as well as sharing information about Tiel-chan and Gai’s lolicon tendencies. Unsurprisingly, Gai got angry at me for the last part.

“I see, a guardian deity. Must be tough, dealing with a lot of things.”  [Raven]

“Hmph, it’s not so bad. It’s certainly more interesting than just sleeping through my days.”  [Gai]

“Yeah, you were a freeloader at first, after all.”  [Youki]

Most of Tiel-chan’s salary went towards paying for Gai’s magic ore. I still vividly remember the day Gai declared he wanted to work because he couldn’t stand feeling like a mooch any longer.

“Silence!”  [Gai]

It must have been a sore topic for Gai, as he clearly didn’t want to discuss it. Meanwhile, Raven, who didn’t seem to understand the whole meaning of ‘freeloader’, was showing curious interest.

“…What does he mean when he says ‘freeloader’?”  [Raven]

“Gah, there’s no need for you to show interest in that! Let’s get to the main point already. You came here for a reason, didn’t you?”  [Gai]

“…Yeah, you’re right. Youki, go ahead.”  [Raven]

“Got it.”  [Youki]

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