Going To Meet Someone I Want Her To Meet

“Still, Yuti-san’s room really was incredible with all those books.”

“Apparently Yuti-oneesama has always been like that. But it had been a long time since I’d gone into her room, so it felt kind of fresh.”

We returned to the courtyard. Before sitting down, my eyes fell on the coat hanging over the back of my chair.

I had reunited with Shia, learned more about her in Saria and Norzampshon, and then come to this manor and heard about her from Yuti-san.

The words Yuti-san had spoken earlier resurfaced in my mind.

‘I’m sure that ever since the day you solved that girl’s problem, she has only ever had eyes for you.’

All this time, Shia had been waiting for me.

I understood that very well.

I couldn’t make her wait any longer.

I had already made up my mind.

But before that, there was someone I wanted her to meet.

Since she had introduced me to her family today, maybe this could be considered my way of returning the favor.

“Shia, do you have time after this?”

“? Yes. I deliberately kept my schedule free for the entire day.”

“Then there’s somewhere I want you to come with me.”

“Where would that be? If it’s somewhere I’ve been before, I can open a Gate.”

“Could you connect it to my family home, the House Fols manor? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“The House Fols manor. Understood.”

Shia readily agreed, while Aurora-chan waved from beside her.

“Nova-onii-sama, thanks for today. Come visit again, okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks for today too, Aurora-chan. Next time, I’ll invite you to my manor.”

“Really!? I’m looking forward to it.”

Aurora-chan and I smiled at each other as I stood up.

A short distance away, Shia was preparing to open the Gate.

I picked up the coat hanging over the chair and put it on, then approached her just as golden light illuminated the courtyard.

When I took Shia’s hand after she had put on her own coat, her body stiffened.

“…Why are you holding hands?”

Aurora-chan, who had apparently come over to see us off, asked from the side.

It seemed she had never used a Gate together with Shia before.

Maybe Shia’s policy was not to let her get accustomed to taking the easy way out while she was still young.

“Actually, if two people want to use the Gate together, I have to hold hands with Shia.”

“???”

Aurora-chan tilted her head, then suddenly seemed to realize something and broke into a huge smile.

“Oh, I see! I didn’t know that!”

Aurora-chan said that in a slightly louder voice as she waved cheerfully.

I waved back with my free hand, but Shia, standing beside me, had her eyes closed.

Aurora-chan had said maintaining a Gate consumed a lot of mana, so we probably needed to use it quickly.

The moment I thought that, Shia pulled me by the hand and led me into the light.

In the end, Shia never once looked toward Aurora-chan.