When I awoke, I was startled to see a silver mask hovering just before my eyes. I was in a guest room in Minerva’s apartment.
“Waugh!”
“Good morning.”
Once I got a handle on my situation, I found that Minerva was sitting on the edge of the bed peering into my face.
“What on earth are you doing?”
“I was...just studying how you look when you’re sleeping.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Is it for his magic studies? Like phrenology or something?
“I made breakfast, so come with me,” he said, totally ignoring my question.
Freshly made pancakes, omelets, bacon, salad, and cut fruit were all assembled on the table, and, as expected, everything was delicious. I couldn’t believe how beguiled I was by his cooking. It’s like it’s magic.
“You really have no blind spots.”
“I’m good at All-Sensing Domain Circles,” he said, “but how would you know that?”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m in awe of how flawlessly you do everything. Of course, there’s the whole sword fighting and the magic stuff, but you’re so good at cooking too. Your breakfast today was absolutely delicious.”
He started to fidget. “I-I put my all into it...”
“Yeah...” It seemed he had a habit of fidgeting when he was praised. It didn’t really suit a guy like him, but I wouldn’t say anything. It might hurt his feelings, and even a scary-looking guy could sometimes have a sensitive heart. “Now, shall we clean up? Let me handle it.”
“You should just stay seated, Yusuke.”
“I feel bad leaving it all to you,” I insisted, before noticing something on the floor. “Oh, what’s this?”
Numerous papers with magic circles on them were scattered across the floor. All of them seemed to have been drawn halfway before being scribbled out. Were these his failed attempts at something?
“Those are for the Infinite Tower!” Flustered, Minerva snatched the paper right out of my hands.
“What the—? Oh, this is your magical research, huh? Sorry, I shouldn’t have touched it.”
“I-It’s fine,” he mumbled. “Just, last night, I had to fight off some fierce temptations that were closing in, but I managed to hold them off until sunrise. I think my efforts deserve some praise.”
“I...don’t really understand, but that’s amazing,” I said, patting his shoulder. “Good job.”
He flinched.
“Wh-What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing but, if you would stay like this a little longer, I’ll offer everything to you...”
“Huh? What do you mean ‘offer everything’? Like you’re a sacrifice? And you’re making me your evil deity?” Then it hit me. “Oh, I get it.”
“Get what?”
I moved behind him and placed a hand on each of his shoulders.
“I bet your shoulders are stiff from trying so hard last night,” I said, beginning to knead them. “I’ll give you a massage as thanks for letting me stay here.”
“Wh— Ah... Aah...” Minerva’s husky voice cried out.
“Here? Or does it feel better here? Tell me.” He had a surprisingly delicate physique. I thought he’d be more muscular since I’d heard he was a master of the sword. I’m sure he strengthens his body with magic in battle. “Does it feel good?” I asked, rubbing out the knots around his shoulder blades.
“Yeah... I feel like I’m going to melt.”
I laughed maniacally. “Then swear that you’ll belong to me! Offer up your body and soul to your evil deity!”
Ha! As if.
“I swear. I’m all yours...”
Oh, he’s playing along pretty well. But...
“No way!” I kept lightly hacking at his shoulders.
“What?”
“It’s absurd to think you can own another human being,” I said. “I oppose slavery, and the weight of owning another person’s life is way too heavy for me.”
“Oh... Really?”
“Yeah, of course. Oh wait, is slavery a thing in this country?”
“The buying and selling of slaves is prohibited by law.”
Thank god.
“Well, you know, even when it comes to love, I don’t think it’s good to be too controlling, and it’s tough to be controlled as well.”
“I...see.”
Huh? Does he disagree?
“Are you the type to control your girlfriend?” I asked.
Minerva seemed deeply troubled by my question... Not that I could see his face, thanks to his mask.
“I don’t think it’s a good thing,” he admitted, “but if I came to love someone, I think that’s what I’d wind up doing.”
“I think she’d have a problem with that,” I said. “If you go too far, won’t she run away?”
“I’ll be careful not to let them get away...”
Hm? What a strange way to word that. Well, as long as he says he’ll be careful...
With that, we dropped the subject and cleaned up the dishes together. Minerva seemed somewhat quieter than before, but I didn’t think too much of it.
✦ ✦ ✦
We headed off toward the dungeon together.
“Oh yeah, are you after that witch, Michelle, too?” I asked him.
“I have no business with her,” he replied. “Only with this.” Minerva showed me a purple orb with a leather strap attached to it. It glowed faintly.
“Is it a tool for magic or something?”
“Yeah. It’s a magical item that saves up mana. I’m currently researching it.”
Maybe it’s like the batteries we had in my previous life?
“If I complete this, it’ll be possible to use magic on a scale larger than ever seen before.”
“So what does that have to do with the dungeon?”
“In the deepest part of the dungeon, there’s a rift in the earth,” he told me. “A high concentration of magicules flows from within it. I’ve been experimenting with charging my magic orb using the mana there.”
“So that’s why you’ve been going into the dungeon depths,” I said, understanding now.
“To be honest, I want to leave this town, but I don’t know of a better mana hot spot than this,” he said with a resigned shrug.
I then took his hand and enclosed an item in it.
“Yu-Yusuke?!”
“This is the universal elixir from that ten-rim game yesterday,” I said. “You let me stay at your place, so I’ll give it to you as thanks. You may be strong, but take it just in case of an emergency.”
“But...” he protested, but I immediately reassured him.
“Don’t worry. I’ll try that game again so I can get one for me too. I’ve gotten the hang of it, so I’ll win another one in no time.”
With an apologetic air, Minerva carefully stored the elixir away in his pocket.
✦ ✦ ✦
There was just one thing I understood: the importance of a thing could be sensed the moment you touched it. This became clear to me as soon as Yusuke’s hand encircled mine—that he was my destiny, and that he was more important to me than anything else in the world.
Was this lovesickness? Then I was too scared to ever take this elixir. If this love was an illness, then I wanted to stay sick.
I won’t ever let him go...