"Mm, that won't do."
"...I'm really sorry."
When Novia refused her without hesitation, the blonde girl lowered her eyes like a child being scolded by an adult. Her soft voice grew fainter, her gaze wandered, and her expression became increasingly downcast.
Sajo Manaka's frustration wasn't because of Novia's rejection—but with herself.
She regretted it deeply. She had originally planned to meet him the very next day, but because she just couldn't be bothered to move, she kept putting it off for nearly half a month. And now, she was truly remorseful. Was it because she'd delayed for so long that he started to dislike her?
Would he misunderstand and think she was some lazy, ill-tempered woman—unladylike, and thus not to his taste? She really wanted to go back and give her past self a thorough scolding.
But... taking it slow wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If not today, then tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow... No, no, that wouldn't do. She had to find a way to get Novia to taste her cooking within three days, and figure out his preferences.
"If what I just said made you uncomfortable, I truly apologize."
Manaka raised her head and looked directly at Novia with glimmering eyes.
That expression of hers—how should he put it—it always gave Novia the feeling that she was deliberately showing this side to him, trying to let him see how bad she was at hiding her real emotions. And it made one feel an involuntary sense of tenderness toward her.
But at the same time, it also made Novia realize something clearly: he'd probably been on the receiving end of love at first sight from this girl.
Novia wasn't going to overanalyze where those feelings came from. As long as he accepted the purest part of it, that was enough.
So it was probably better to explain things properly. Otherwise, she might overthink it and cause a mess. If just a few kind words and a smile could put her at ease, of course he wouldn't hesitate.
"In truth, I didn't fall in love with you at first sight, Sajo Manaka-"
"Could you just call me Manaka, please? I don't like... when you address me like that."
Thirty-seven-year-old Manaka touched her face with a slender fingertip, her cheeks tinged a faint blush, her voice laced with a hint of melancholy.
"Manaka, I wasn't upset by your words. I'm actually really happy—to receive your favor, coming from a lady like you. But I have some matters to attend to over the next few days, and I'll be leaving Romania for a bit."
He smiled again as he spoke to the girl, a smile full of sincerity. In his eyes and voice, Manaka couldn't detect a trace of deception, nor would she even suspect it.
"Speaking of which…" Manaka glanced at her fingers, her face still troubled, "You're a mage too, right? The things you do might involve getting hurt. That's just too dangerous. If something were to happen to you, that would be terrible."
This wasn't just something she'd heard from her father, Sajo Hiroki. She'd also taken a casual glance at the magical wards set up in his car and discovered they had been breached by some unknown force. At the time, her reaction had simply been, "Oh, looks like a pretty strong mage."
But now her thoughts had shifted to: "Even if he's strong, he might still get hurt. Better keep him close and take care of him properly once we have kids."
And before Novia could even reply, Sajou Manaka eagerly continued:
"My father said you fell in love with me at first sight. That's true, isn't it...?"
The phone call from her father had simply told her to go out and chat with Novia—he hadn't even mentioned his name or shown her a picture.
To Novia, that man seemed like someone who was desperate for his mischief-making, thirty-seven-year-old daughter to finally meet someone she liked, settle down, and stop troubling her hardworking younger sister at the Clock Tower with constant cleanup duty.
"Well, that…"
"I think it must be true, because—"
Before Novia could process her words, he realized that Manaka had already moved close beside him. Her face was flushed with a rosy hue, her expression adorably innocent like a baby animal. Her eyes naturally narrowed as she smiled, "I feel the same way too. That's just wonderful, isn't it?"
What she meant was: If I ever have a child, this is the only person I'd want as their teacher.
What she really meant: I want to have a child with Novia, and then we'll both be that child's teachers.
And then, if he could be the one to end my life someday... that would be the most perfect thing!
Meaning: She could live that way forever.
The cold, hollow option of merely existing like a wraith—spiritually dead—was gone.
In short, he was everything.
Seeing this, Novia knew that if he just nodded, this woman named Sajo Manaka would reappear in the world as a picture of ladylike elegance.
But he still felt that this woman, who had for years freely chosen to act upon "goodness," was the truly wonderful one.
But even so, he still felt that this version of Sajo Manaka—who could freely show kindness after all these years—was truly a good child. Her mother had exhausted some kind of divine protection upon Manaka's birth, and it was because of that depletion that she passed away soon after giving birth to Ayaka.
But in this world, her mother had somehow survived. It must be because, even though the girl had always felt "coldness" toward everything—even toward blood ties—in the end, she had still chosen "good."
Manaka—a name that means "a song as beautiful as a hymn of love." It was a name that symbolized her parents' affection for her.
As a child, she never once showed emotion. Like a doll. Even so, her parents raised her with love. In that, they were utterly unlike typical magi.
Countless times, they spoke to their child, caressed her cheeks and fingers, turning all the love they wished to give into words and stories, just like a child living and dying at the same time.
Even when others described young Manaka as lifeless, or said she had terrifying magical talent and unresponsive eyes—her parents never cared. They never treated her like a doll.
And so—
"No, I didn't fall for you at first sight, Manaka. It might've just been a little misunderstanding… but, hmm, I do really like you. And I'm very happy that you say you fell for me at first sight."
Novia didn't show any embarrassment or impatience toward the girl so close to him. On the contrary, he met her pale, crystal-clear eyes directly.
"So, Manaka, would you be willing to wait for me here, peacefully? If you stay just as you are now... I think I'll only like you more and more. That's the truth."
"...Like... but, but I… I like..."
It wasn't entirely untrue that Manaka felt a little let down at not getting confirmation of "love at first sight." But hearing Novia say "I like you" made her feel overwhelmingly warm, like she couldn't stand being apart. Her tone even shifted slightly in her flustered excitement.
"If you're going somewhere… I could come along too, you know. I promise I won't be a burden. Can't you take me with you...?"
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