Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage

Character page: Here

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Chapter 186 – My friend encouraged me

“It’s easy for you to say ‘don’t change too much,’ but… I want to hold myself back to avoid causing Cecilia any trouble. If my actions have a direct impact on her reputation, then I…”  [Youki]

“…I also thought about changing for Happiness. But that’s only when it’s just the two of us. It’s different for you, isn’t it? Are you okay with killing off your own personality?”  [Raven]

My own personality… Did he mean my chuunibyou tendencies? Or how I got involved in all sorts of trouble, no matter who was involved? Or maybe how I always dragged Cecilia into incidents and caused her headaches? There were numerous things that needed fixing, making it difficult to narrow them down.

“There’s too much to change. If I tried reversing everything I am, I’d turn into a dull, cautious, and overly serious person.”  [Youki]

“…Would Cecilia have any fun with a ‘changed’ Youki like that?”  [Raven]

“Well, that’s for her to decide.”  [Youki]

If I stopped causing trouble for Cecilia and reduced the things that stressed her out, wouldn’t that be for the best? Then, like always, we’d sit in her room chatting and laughing: me sitting in seiza, laughing loudly, jumping out the windows, and talking about our worries. So many memories were made in that room. Memories that wouldn’t exist if I weren’t being myself.

“You look like you’ve realized something. Have your worries disappear?”  [Raven]

“N-No, it’s not like I was worried or anything. Right, I’m always at full power. I’ll reflect on my actions and take responsibility for them. I won’t cause Cecilia any more trouble… Hmph, if I’m serious, that’ll be easy for me.”  [Youki]

“…I think you should tone it down a little in that regard, though.”  [Raven]

“I’ll do my best!”  [Youki]

I guess that’s what it means to be true to myself. I’ll deal with the aftermath of what I’ve done this time and work on making things right. If some strange rumours start spreading about Cecilia because of me, I’ll handle them myself.

“Thanks, Raven. My doubts are gone. I’ll stay true to who I am.”  [Youki]

“…I see. As long as I could be of help, that’s all that matters.”  [Raven]

Feeling re-energized by Raven’s encouragement, I switched gears, filled with determination. Maybe that burst of energy triggered my appetite because I couldn’t stop eating – I kept asking for refill after refill. When I finally finished the last plate, I patted my now-bloated stomach.

“Ugh, that was good. Thanks for the meal.”  [Youki]

“…Hey, aren’t you eating a bit too much?”  [Raven]

“As soon as my worries disappeared, I suddenly got hungry.”  [Youki]

“I guess you really are better off staying the way you are. I can’t even imagine what you’d be like if you tried to change.”  [Raven]

“Hmph, ‘self-control’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary. Not even when it comes to my appetite.”  [Youki]

“…Though you seem to be suffering from it now.”  [Raven]

As Raven said, I probably overate a bit. No, I definitely overate. I could use some post-meal exercise, so I decided to head back to the guild to pick up some requests.

That day, after parting with Raven, it felt as though some limiter inside me was broken. I entered the guild, took on a request, completed the request, took on another one, and kept going. Even when Clayman started complaining that his workload was piling up, I didn’t care. I worked tirelessly, giving it my all until the guild’s closing time. Clayman reluctantly stayed with me for most of it, but after his shift ended, he snapped at me, telling me to cut it out. Apparently, he went home muttering complaints like he’d only be handling paperwork tomorrow. As for me, I was so exhausted that I slept soundly that night.

♦♦♦

“I got turned down.”

The next day, Shike-chan came to visit, casually mentioning that she’d just had her heart broken, all while wearing an innocent smile. There was no sign of regret or lingering attachment. In fact, her carefree demeanour made her seem even more radiant.

“I see.”  [Youki]

“Yes. I wasn’t sure if I should be informing you, but I managed to convey my feelings thanks to you.”  [Shike]

“No, that decision was made by you. I was just listening to your concerns. Besides, thanks to you, I realized something important, so I’m actually grateful.”  [Youki]

“Really? I was worried that I might have caused you trouble. When I told Misaki that you encouraged me, she scolded me, saying ‘Don’t go off alone with a guy who already has a girlfriend!’ I’m so sorry about that.”  [Shike]

There was no need for her to apologize. If anything, I was the one oblivious to the situation. It was all my fault. Shike-chan didn’t need to feel guilty.

“Yeah, I probably wasn’t being considerate of Cecilia, but leaving you behind wasn’t an option either. That’s just who I am – an overly meddlesome chuunibyou. I owe Cecilia a lot for accepting me as I am. After all, whenever I mess things up, she’s always quick to set things right…”  [Youki]

Without realizing it, I began unloading the story of my love life onto her. But Shike-chan kept listening, showing no signs of irritation. I should’ve noticed earlier that I was making yet another mistake. She had just been rejected, and here I was rambling on about my relationship, utterly oblivious to her fresh heartbreak. I should have caught on sooner, before inviting her in, serving her tea and snacks, and diving into my tale.

The only reason I finally stopped was because another guest arrived. Just as I was mid-story, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it…

“Good morning, Youki-san. Is now a good time?” 

Standing at the door was none other than Cecilia. Considering what had just happened between us, having Shike-chan in my room was a huge issue.

“I’m so sorry!”  [Youki]

I immediately fell to the ground, fully prostrated.

“Um… does that mean you’re busy?”  [Cecilia]

“…Well, you could say I’ve got a guest at the moment.”  [Youki]

“I see. In that case, I’ll come back another time. Are you free later today?”  [Cecilia]

As I spoke to her in a prostrate position, I heard footsteps approaching.

“Youki-san, since you’ve got company, I think I’ll be leaving…”  [Shike]

Shike-chan, who was waiting earlier, showed herself. Yep, what am I supposed to do now?

“Youki-san, I’d really like to talk, so would it be alright if I come inside?”  [Cecilia]

I had no choice but to answer ‘yes’. And so, Shike-chan ended up joining us in the room as well.

“…”

“…”

“…”

No one said a word. I had no idea what to say. As for why Cecilia was here, well… I could take a guess, and it was likely due to that.

Would she be bringing it up? In the end, it was Cecilia who broke the silence.

“Youki-san, I’ve heard about the situation from my mother.”  [Cecilia]

“Cecilia, I..”  [Youki]

“No, it’s my fault. The truth is, I’m a mermaid, and I’m not used to moving around on land without water. Youki-san was just being kind to me when he passed by. I’m sorry for causing any misunderstanding with my actions.”  [Shike]

Before I could explain, Shike-chan revealed everything. She even told Cecilia her true identity, although Cecilia already knew about that. However, it wasn’t Shike-chan’s fault. I decided that I had to tell Cecilia what was on my mind.

“Cecilia, I…”  [Youki]

“Please don’t worry. Youki-san really loves you with all his heart. Even before you arrived, he couldn’t stop talking about you, with such a happy expression on his face. It was obvious how deeply he cares for you. So, please don’t hate him. This man… he’s truly in love with you, Cecilia-san.”  [Shike]

“Uwaaaaaaa!?”  [Youki]

I tumbled off the chair.

What was this? It felt like I’d just been sent to the gallows. Shike-chan, I’m begging you, please stop talking now! Cecilia, on the other hand, didn’t seem bothered at all, which only made it more humiliating. Wait… she didn’t mind?

“Why are you so surprised, Youki-san?”  [Cecilia]

“Huh? Well, because…”  [Youki]

“I don’t think there’s a girlfriend who wouldn’t be happy to know how much her partner cares for her.”  [Cecilia]

I wished she hadn’t said that with such a bashful smile. I was on the verge of dying of embarrassment. However, it still strengthened my resolve to express my feelings. I didn’t care if she thought I was weird. I wanted her to know.

“Cecilia, I love you.”  [Youki]

“I love you too.”  [Cecilia]

We naturally held hands, and in that moment, any misunderstanding between us seemed to vanish.

“Um… should I go? I mean, I should probably leave, right? Like, immediately?”  [Shike]

Shike-chan’s awkwardness snapped me out of it. Realizing we hadn’t been considerate, Cecilia and I, both blushing, quickly let go of each other and stepped apart. But, really, this whole atmosphere was thanks to Shike-chan’s words, wasn’t it?

“N-No, sorry about that. As Shike-chan said earlier…”  [Youki]

“Y-Yes, I get it…”  [Cecilia]

Neither of us could settle down after that. Shifting back to normal was just impossible.

“I’m jealous…”  [Shike]

“Of what?”  [Youki]

We couldn’t figure out what Shike-chan found so endearing about this situation. As we tilted our heads in confusion at the same time, she smiled lightly and began to explain.

“Watching you and Cecilia-san made me feel a little envious. I wonder if I could create such a wonderful future for myself, too.”  [Shike]

“Shike-chan…” 

“I don’t regret falling in love with Memo Swordsman-san. Even though it ended in heartbreak, I’ve learned so much. So… I don’t feel bitter at all.”  [Shike]

Behind her smile was only a mask of sadness. Tears welled up in her eyes, and before long, they started streaming down her face. Her voice grew hoarse, but still, there was no trace of regret in her words.

I glanced at Cecilia and quietly left the room. This wasn’t a moment for a man to intrude.

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