Chapter 10

“Mmm… Ahh, finally done! I’m all finished~”

At the guild reception desk, Lilina stretched her body while sitting in her chair, having successfully completed her work for the day.

Her friend Imilia had taken the day off, so Lilina had spent most of the day with little to do.

(Today, Rex isn’t coming either, and Imilia went off somewhere on her own… Ugh, what a boring day…)

“Lilina! I’m done with my request! Could you check it for me?”

“Oh, yes! Please wait a moment!”

But it was as if she wasn’t allowed to enjoy even a little time off. She immediately returned to her workstation.

(Geez! I was finally getting a break, too~!)

Although she grumbled to herself a little, she continued working hard to assist the adventurers who belonged to the guild.

“I-I’m finally done… W-Why are there so many people here today…?”

An unusually large number of adventurers had come to her reception desk.

She knew she was quite popular, but even so, she’d never had this many people show up all at once. Not even close.

“S-So this is how difficult it is to be popular…”

Should she try to tone things down a little…? No, but even if she did, how was she supposed to make everyone calm down…?

“…A boyfriend.”

At those words, the image of a certain boy appeared in her mind.

“Rex…”

She absentmindedly murmured the name of the boy she loved.

Then she imagined what it would be like to be in a romantic relationship with him, and her face turned as red as a boiled octopus.

“N-No! I can’t! I-I don’t have that kind of relationship with Rex…! B-Besides, I can’t even have a proper conversation with him yet…!”

…But still, I wonder if I’d be happy if I became his girlfriend.

Even as she denied it, Lilina’s mind was already filled with romantic fantasies.

“…I want to see him… Rex…”

Just then, she heard the guild door open.

Was it another adventurer? …Yes, it was probably someone coming to make a request.

Thinking so, she let out an exhausted sigh and headed toward the reception desk.

Who could it be this time…?

But when she looked up, the person standing before her was the very person she’d wanted to see.

(R-Rex…!?)

With the boy she loved standing right in front of her, Lilina’s mind immediately went into its usual state of panic.

(W-Why is he here at this time!? He usually only comes in the morning or around lunchtime…! And Rex’s casual clothes!! I’ve seen them before, but he looks so cool and cute!!)

“Um, Miss Lilina?”

Rex called out to her with a worried expression, but despite the turmoil inside her head, Lilina responded with her usual curt attitude.

“…What is it?”

(W-What am I doing!? I’m making the same mistake as last time! I-I need to smile at a time like this. Smile, smile…)

“H-Hehe… Hehehehe…”

She ended up laughing in a strange voice, making Rex even more worried.

Watching all this from behind Rex, her friend Imilia let out a deep sigh before giving Lilina a hard smack on the head.

“Ow!?”

“Why are you making such a weird noise? You’re scaring Rex!”

“…I-Imilia?”

Lilina came back to her senses and looked at Imilia, puzzled.

Why was she here…? And why was she with Rex? Moreover, she was wearing casual clothes.

“…Relax. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

Imilia had seen right through her thoughts, and Lilina broke out in a cold sweat.

After letting out another sigh, Imilia turned her gaze toward Rex.

“A-Are you sure you’re okay with me giving it to her?”

“Yes. I’m sure she’d be happier receiving something from you, Rex.”

“? What are you two talking about…?”

Unable to understand their conversation, Lilina tilted her head in confusion.

Then Rex stepped closer to her.

As he approached, she felt her heartbeat grow even faster. At the same time, Rex held something out to her.

“This is from me… It’s a birthday present that Miss Imilia and I picked out together. Would you accept it?”

“…Huh?”

For a moment, Lilina couldn’t understand what he was saying. But after a little while, the meaning of his words finally sank in.

“A… a present? From you, Mr. Rex…? For me?”

“Y-Yes… Um, it’s a magical device called glasses. They’ve been popular lately. I heard your eyes had been getting tired recently, Miss Lilina, so…”

As she listened to him, Lilina carefully accepted the glasses with trembling hands, as though she were handling something precious.

Was this a dream, or was it reality…? She couldn’t tell.

“Um, I’m a little late, but… Happy birthday.”

“!”

“W-Well, I’ll be going now!”

Perhaps he was too embarrassed to stay any longer. Rex hurried out of the guild.

“I guess even Rex gets embarrassed sometimes~ Well, that’s understandable. He’s at that age, after all… Lilina?”

“…Uu… sniff…”

Lilina was clutching the glasses she’d received from Rex tightly against her chest…

And crying.

She’d never expected to receive a present. She’d never thought he would give her one.

After all, she’d always treated him so coldly that she’d assumed he must hate her.

But that wasn’t true. There was no way someone as kind as him would think that way.

And she didn’t even mind if Imilia had been the one to give it to him.

Because… he’d chosen something for her. He’d thought about what she might like.

“…Here. Stop crying and try them on. I’m sure they’ll look good on you.”

“Uu… O-Okay…”

Still crying, she put on the glasses with hands that hadn’t stopped trembling.

The moment she did, the world that had been slightly blurry suddenly came into sharp focus, as if the blur had never been there.

“…Ahaha. This is amazing… I can see so clearly.”

“Your eyes seem pretty blurry to me, though.”

“That’s not true… Because… Rex gave these to me.”

Lilina looked at Imilia while wearing the glasses.

Her face was a complete mess from crying, but… it was also incredibly beautiful.