Chapter 56 – For Happiness

Leticia Lisettestone’s words thrust the inconvenient truth that Luke had been avoiding right before his eyes.

He himself understood the danger of what he was facing.

He liked her.
He always had.

Being calculating was what he was good at. And so he had used it to create a situation where they could be together.

Perhaps, this was not a very admirable way of going about it.
Still, he wanted to be by her side anyway.

Have her reflect in his eyes.
Have that special voice always be where he could find it.

That was more happiness than he could ever hope to have.

‘I won’t ever let you leave me behind! You better remember that!’

And she was someone who wanted to be near him as an equal.
What more could he ask for?

It was enough for him to feel that it would be fine for this to continue on forever.

However, his elder and superior was now telling him to act more for his own happiness.

‘What if she were to marry someone else?’

Obviously, he had considered this possibility a long time ago.
He knew that he would have to be happy for her.
He told himself that he would be fine, as long as that’s what she wanted.

Still, he found that he could not answer as well as he wished.

Perhaps he was much more selfish than he realized.

He wanted her to always be by his side.

Even as he hoped for her happiness, there was a part of him that wished she would never be anyone else’s.

(Though, no one ever knows when something will come to an end.)

He thought back on the dragon incident a few days ago.

The mana loss. How he had not been able to breathe.

His mind had gone completely blank.
The rest was all a blur to him now.

But he had been desperate.
And thought of nothing else.

He carried her to the town clinic and prayed for her recovery.

Even though the doctor told him that it was by no means a serious situation, he could not feel relieved.
He kept thinking about the possibility that she would never wake up again.

‘She is not so weak as to fall from something like this. Don’t worry. You should try and eat something.’

Said her mother, who was probably more worried than anyone.

Luke had thought of himself as an adult.
He could do most things so well now.

And yet here was a great weakness.

It was sad.
He could not help but feel that way.

‘Yes. But more importantly, listen to this! I fought against a dragon. And I found out that it had gone mad because of an artifact, and so I was able to save the town!’

That’s why he felt like he had been saved after he heard her voice when she woke up.

Luke smiled as he remembered that moment. And then he looked down at the tickets in his hand.
His superior had said it.

Step out.
And to reach out his hand.

But could he really do it?
As the heir of his house, he was in a position to attract the attention of the public.

A marriage with a commoner would never be allowed, and who knew what people would say if they were together.

Rumors would start to spread, and he might end up hurting her.

He would do anything, if it was what she wanted.
He didn’t care about what people said about him, and he would lose his rank and position gladly.

However, could he really involve her in such things, when it might not even be what she wanted?

Was that the right thing to do to someone who was important to you?

He did not know the answer.

Still, he found himself heading to her house the following day, because of a certain thought that was in the center of his heart.

He wanted…to go on a date with her.

And the more he thought about it, the stronger the feeling became.
While he thought that it would not be allowed, surely it would be fine to go on a date.

In the first place, they were good friends.
There was nothing wrong about the two of them going out together.

Yes.
His superior had given him tickets, and so he was going to go out and enjoy the day with a friend.

There was nothing at all wrong with it.
It was the perfect plan.

There wasn’t a single element that would be considered strange.

Once he realized this, he could not stop thinking about it.
The two of them, wandering through the royal capital together, shopping at different stores and eating gelato.

Maybe that was too happy.

(It will be necessary to form a plan with great precision. I have to take this on with the best plan possible.)

The next day, Luke headed to her house.
Noelle and her mother had rented a small but beautiful house that he had recommended.

His heart beat loudly.
He took a deep breath to calm himself.

(Calm down. You are just here as a friend. Act natural. Normal.)

He repeated in his mind.
But due to the lack of his usual attentiveness and calmness, he did not realize it.

The giant creature that was hidden with concealment magic.

“…”

He stopped in his tracks, stunned and speechless.

A black dragon that was gigantic like a mountain.

And the person he was thinking about. She seemed to be talking to it.

At first, he thought they were going to fight, but that was not the case.
Apparently, the dragon was there to repay a debt.

Still, he prepared so that he would be able to jump to her aid if necessary. Even if he was confident that it would not be.
Behind the fence, he let out a deep sigh.
He could do nothing but chuckle.

You really never cease to exceed my expectations with ease. He thought.

Next Chapter

Expelled From a Black Magic Item Craftsman Guild I Was Picked up as a Royal Magician