As the two continued their light-hearted banter, Akira instinctively reached for his wallet, planning to finally grab those delicious-looking snacks.
But just as his hand moved—
"Ah! Akira, wait here for a second."
Adi grinned and, without waiting for a reply, darted over to the very stall Akira had been eyeing earlier.
Left standing with his hand half-raised and a defeated expression on his face, Akira let out a soft sigh. There was really no winning against this girl's energy.
A few moments later, Adi returned holding a paper bag in both hands, her eyes dancing with joy.
"Red bean cream or strawberry. Which one do you like more?"
Akira tilted his head thoughtfully, then instead of answering directly, asked, "Which one do you prefer?"
Startled, Adi blinked rapidly. Then, a slow, brilliant smile bloomed across her face.
"I like both. After all, I picked them out myself."
"In that case... I'll go with strawberry. I haven't tried that one before." Akira pointed at the paper bag in her right hand.
"Really? Then try it and tell me what you think."
Adi handed him the bag of strawberry-flavored potato balls, her eyes shining like a child giving a gift.
"Thanks." Akira said with a nod, reaching out to take the treat.
Adi, meanwhile, happily took a bite of her own snack—red bean cream flavor—and closed her eyes in delight, using her tongue to wipe a bit of cream from the corner of her mouth with an innocent expression.
"Best when eaten hot." She said between bites, glancing sideways at Akira.
Akira chuckled and bit into his as well. A subtle frown crossed his face at first, but then he nodded approvingly.
"...The taste is a little unusual, but... it's actually pretty good."
At the initial hesitation, Adi's shoulders tensed slightly but upon hearing his compliment, she perked up, puffing out her chest with pride like she'd just won a medal.
After a few more bites, she caught sight of a map folded in Akira's hand and asked curiously, "So, what are you out and about for today? A dungeon run?"
"Not today." Akira replied with a gentle smile. "I just thought I'd walk around Orario for a bit. You know, patrol the city. After all, I'm part of the Astraea Familia too."
Though in his heart, he quietly added, 'And maybe sketch some designs in secret while I'm at it...'
"Patrolling, huh..." Adi's eyes flickered for a moment. Then, with a hopeful glint, she said, "Then... can I come along too?"
As soon as the words left her lips, she visibly panicked. Her cheeks flushed red, and she waved her hands frantically.
"A-Ahaha, I mean—only if it's not a bother. I don't want to get in your way or anything..."
Akira looked at the flustered girl, raising an eyebrow. 'Did I do something to capture her already? This is... kind of scary...'
"No problem." He said casually. "I could use a partner anyway."
"Yay, let's go!" Adi cheered, her face lighting up like the spring sun.
'Whew... that was close. Good thing I wasn't rejected. ' She sighed inwardly.
'Well, it's Ryuu's fault anyway. She's always talking about Akira with that shy look on her face. How could I not get curious about him?'
As if on cue, Adi began walking forward in her usual, light-footed way—though clearly lost in thought.
Akira sighed and reached out with his hand, grabbing her gently by the back of her collar.
"This way, Adi." He said softly, pointing towards the direction of the Eighth District.
It was the very place where he and Kaguya had gone shopping for weapons during their first adventure together.
Adi stopped, blinked, and turned back with an embarrassed laugh. "Ahaha, right. This way, huh? Let's go, let's go!"
Forgetting her moment of panic, she skipped over with a smile as bright as morning dew. Hooking her right arm around Akira's, she pointed dramatically toward the district he had just indicated.
"Let's go! Forward, march!"
Her loud voice carried through the plaza, drawing attention from nearby pedestrians.
In an instant, curious eyes turned their way, and the bystanders' stares felt like prickling thorns on Akira's back. The teasing glances, the quiet chuckles—it was as if their combined heat had thickened the very air around them.
It was only then that Adi seemed to realize what she had just done.
Her mind screamed. 'Wait, I'm not walking with Ryuu right now—I'm walking with Akira!'
And not just walking—she was hooking arms with him.
A startled gasp escaped her lips. "U-uuh—"
Her face flushed a deep crimson, steam practically rising from the top of her head.
"So... our relationship isn't at that level, huh..." she mumbled to herself. "Adi, you idiot. Be more mature. You're not Alise, stop acting on impulse...!"
As Akira spoke, he grabbed the powerless Adi and hurriedly escaped into a nearby alley, leaving behind a trail of bewildered gazes from the passersby on the street.
The alley was narrow and winding, its dim lighting serving as a convenient veil that concealed the duo's current embarrassment.
The moment they entered, Akira quickly pulled his arm away from Adi's. His movements were sharp, even slightly panicked, as if trying to erase the warmth left by her grip.
Meanwhile, Adi's face remained flushed. She lowered her head, nervously rubbing the tip of her boot against the ground, her voice a low, aggrieved murmur.
"Don't say things like that anymore... I get it. It's my fault. Still, you're too petty... girls won't like you if you keep acting like this."
Though soft, her words carried the kind of adorable indignation unique to girls of her age—sweet, slightly sulky, and brimming with youthful charm. Her voice lingered in the quiet alley like the aftertaste of warm tea.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Akira replied absentmindedly, waving his hand dismissively, clearly trying to shift the focus.
"What kind of response is that? So perfunctory!" Adi puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction, pouting as her big, watery eyes locked onto Akira's face with an accusatory glare.
She was clearly a pretty girl—no doubt about it. But Akira's lack of reaction still made her feel inexplicably rejected.
Seeing the gloom gathering on Adi's face, Akira blinked in confusion. His brow creased slightly as he asked with a hint of concern, "What's wrong, Adi? If you're not feeling well, you can head back first."
"I'm fine…" She quickly brushed off the concern, trying to suppress her feelings.
Then, as if remembering something, she tilted her head and looked around. "So? What exactly are we doing here? Doesn't look like much of a patrol."
Her cheerful tone returned as she skipped back to Akira's side, pretending the awkwardness earlier had never happened.
With her hands folded behind her back, she curiously observed as Akira reached into thin air and pulled out a pile of odd-looking trinkets and gleaming magic stones.
Adi circled around him, her eyes glittering with childlike wonder.
"Whoa, where did all these come from? Is this another secret technique?" She gasped.
Her excitement was contagious, her voice practically bubbling over with enthusiasm.
"Nope. No spoilers today." Akira replied flatly, raising a hand and pressing it against Adi's head like a lid trying to contain boiling water. "I'll explain later, maybe. Right now, I've got work to do."
To his surprise, Adi didn't press further. She simply beamed and nodded like she'd just received a secret confession.
"Alright! Is there anything I can help with?" She asked, her tone hopeful.
Although Akira didn't really need assistance, he figured he could assign her something simple. After all, she was part of the "team" now.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke seriously, "Adi, keep watch at the alley entrance. Let me know if anyone's coming."
He didn't want to be mistaken for some shady cultist or a member of Evilus for painting strange symbols on people's walls. The last thing he needed was more trouble.
"You got it. Leave it to me!" Adi saluted energetically and jogged toward the alley entrance, peeking out at the lively street beyond.
But before long, curiosity got the better of her. She turned her head just slightly—only to freeze when she saw something impossible.