The 5th day of the Earth month. I am currently standing in front of the eastern gate of the royal capital of Symphonia.
I wonder how they made this wall though. Piled up stones? Bricks? Although I don't know enough about it just by looking at it, the massive and solid wall, and the big gate are quite majestic when I look at it again up close.
Since the protective wall surrounding the royal capital is equipped with a Barrier Magic, the gate is said to be almost always open, and basically no monsters can come near it.
The only exception to this are the wyverns and other monsters that have a certain level of power and can fly, but putting aside the monsters from the Demon Realm, in the Human Realm, there are almost no monsters with that level of flying ability.
Lilia-san's mansion, just like other nobles' homes, is located near the center of the royal capital, so I haven't been near the gates that much.
This is my first time being within the vicinity of the East Gate, but I heard it's usually busy with peddlers... But currently, there is only the bare minimum of gatekeepers around the area, making it hard to believe that it's just before noon.
The reason for this is simple, because Isis-san will be here soon... I myself don't fear her magic power of death thanks to my Sympathy Magic, but that's just me as a special case, and it seems that if Isis-san were to visit a city, sooner or later, that city would be in this kind of situation.
As soon as the pocket watch in my hand shows 11:00 and it's time to meet up with Isis-san, a pillar of ice appears in front of me, and after breaking into multiple pieces of ice dancing like flower petals with the wind, Isis-san appears.
[...Kaito... Hello.]
[Isis-san! Hello, thank you for coming out today.]
[...No... but.... is it alright? ...Wouldn't I... just be causing trouble?]
[I don't think you're causing any trouble at all.]
Isis-san didn't specifically say anything about what she was causing trouble with, but I can somewhat imagine from the way she moved her gaze to the trembling gatekeepers.
It's like she worried that her, going out to the royal capital, is causing me trouble.
[I'm sorry for the sudden invitation... Errr, do you remember what I said when you saved me back at the Sacred Tree Festival before?]
[...U- Unnn.]
Hearing the words I told her with a smile, Isis-san nodded with a slightly perplexed expression on her face.
Yes, the reason why I invited Isis-san to the royal capital this time... is about the matter of inviting her to eat together with me when she saved me back at the Sacred Tree Festival.
[...H- However... If I... If I were to go to a normal restaurant...]
[It's alright. I've thought that through as well.]
Yes, this is something that I also realized later on... Isis-san is always clad in her magic power of death and unconsciously intimidates the nearby beings.
So, if we were to go to an ordinary restaurant, the waiter would be frightened to serve us and the other customers would also take their distance from us... I don't think Isis-san would be able to enjoy such a situation.
[So, Isis-san. So, let's go on a "picnic" with me.]
[...Picnic?]
[Yes. I heard from an acquaintance that there's a hill beyond the East Gate where we can see the whole city. I have prepared a bento as well.]
[...Won't I... be troubling... Kaito?]
Yes, what I had in mind for today was a picnic.
This way, Isis-san wouldn't have to worry about the gazes and reactions of the people around her, and even if I were to confess, I thought it would be good since we would naturally be alone.
But still, it seems that Isis-san is concerned about me, as she has a worried expression on her face, so with the gentlest smile I can muster, I spoke.
[Rather than troubling me... I actually feel like I'm going to rely on Isis-san on this picnic.]
[...Eh?]
[You see, I'm too weak to go out of the city by myself... So, I was actually thinking of asking something convenient for me, asking Isis-san to protect me.]
[....Fufu... Unnn... Okay... I'll protect... you, Kaito.]
[Thank you. Well then, let's go.]
[...Unnn.]
It seems that she understood my intentions, as Isis-san smiles and happily nods.
Thereupon, Isis-san and I walked out of the East Gate, walking towards a direction a bit away from the main road, in the direction of the hill.
[I'm glad that the weather is fine today.]
[...Unnn... It has been... quite warm recently.]
[Speaking of which, in this world, are there such things like seasons... Errr, I mean would there be warm months or cold months?]
While walking up the hill, I asked Isis-san about the world.
If I were to compare it to Japan, the current climate would be about as warm as spring, but does this world also have four seasons?
[...Unnn... The Light month... is the warmest... and the Heaven month... is the coldest... In the Demon Realm though... It's different in every region.]
[Heehhh… Then, the current month is the time where the temperature is rather moderate huh.]
[...Unnn.]
The 30th day of the Heaven month was the day I was summoned to this world... The temperature around that time until New Year's day was around the same as autumn, so it seems this world doesn't have as much temperature difference as Japan.
I don't mind the cold weather, but I'm not really a big fan of hot weather since I tend to sweat easily, so I've been very comfortable in this world while the temperature was around spring and autumn.
[...Going out sometimes like this is good. Ahh, since Isis-san is collecting all those stuff, you must have been to lots of places huh.]
[...Unnn... but... It's been a really long time... since I've gone out with anyone...]
[Is that so...]
[...That's why... Going out together with Kaito today... makes me... so happy.]
Saying that, Isis-san lets out a happy smile, making me recognize once again that she's a lovely person who looks good with a smile on her face.
Thereupon, Isis-san looked a bit embarrassed as a blush appeared on her cheeks, and with a quiet voice, she muttered.
[...Umm... Kaito... hands... Can we... hold hands?]
[...Yes. Of course.]
[...Ahh... So warm...]
Replying with a smile to Isis-san, who reservedly expressed her request, I gently held Isis-san's hand.
Her small, soft hand that snuggly set in mine feels a little cooler than my body temperature, but it soon feels warm as the heat of my hand was transmitted to hers.
After walking for about an hour while happily chatting with Isis-san, we arrived at a large area that could even be called a carpet of grass.
When I moved my gaze to a reasonably high position, the beautiful view of the royal capital is reflected among the land of greenery, and it certainly is a spectacular sight.
[It's beautiful.]
[...Unnn... Since it's a beautiful day today... so the royal capital looks good.]
Standing beside Isis-san at the top of the hill, we looked at the landscape below.
Isis-san is completely snuggling her body to me, making me feel the warmth of her body with each of her touch, though it's also making me nervous, especially when I think about what is about to come.
[I- I think it's a good time now, so how about we eat lunch!?]
[...Eh? ... Unnn.]
I'm not sure if it's because of the nervousness with which I announced it, but I couldn't help but raise my voice when I said that, while Isis-san tilted her head in wonder.
In front of Isis-san, I took out a leisure sheet….. a clean cloth from my magic box and laid it on the ground.
And after confirming that Isis-san is sitting down, I take out my lunch.
[...Errr. I- I'm sorry if I didn't do it well.]
[Eh? K- Kaito... made these?]
[Y- Yes... I'm not really that good at cooking, but I know someone who can cook great food, and she's been teaching me lately... S- So, I thought I would study how to cook so that I could thank you, Isis-san.]
[...Ahh... Thank….. you.]
Yes, I actually made the bento for this day... Well, even though I said that, I can't make anything difficult, so with Sieg-san's direction, I barely managed to make it take shape.
In the world of light novels, it isn't uncommon for the protagonist to be an expert cook just because he lived alone... Unfortunately, I'm not.
I may have lived on my own, but my cooking repertoire was limited to frying vegetables and meat with yakiniku sauce, and there was no way I could cook anything elaborate.
Well, having experience is really a big deal to most things... As even after I cooked with the same ingredients and the same amount of food, Sieg-san's cooking is still much better than mine... I guess I still need to keep practicing.
Hmmm… If I had known that an opportunity to serve my homemade cooking to women would come, I would have practiced a bit more...
[Errr, it might look unshapely... But I properly tasted it, so I think the taste should be decent…..]
[...No... Kaito... made it for me... So I'm really... really... happy.]
As I scratch my head while telling her that, Isis-san gave me a really happy smile and after she gave her thanks for the food, she began eating.
S- Somehow, I'm starting to feel nervous... Sieg-san said I did it well, but I'm still not sure if it's good for Isis-san's palate.
Cutting an egg roll in half, pricked it with a fork and carried it to her small, open mouth with one hand.
Even the way she eats, unlike a certain idiot, looks feminine and beautiful.
And after chewing it as sparingly as possible, Isis-san shed a single tear.
[Eh!? I- I'm sorry! Does it taste that bad?]
[...No... That's not it... It's really... tasty... Far tastier... than anything... I've ever had.]
[...Isis-san.]
[...It makes my heart warm... filling me with happiness...]
Saying this, a stream of pearl-like tears leaking out of Isis-san's eyes.
Seeing Isis-san really enjoying my poor cooking from the bottom of her heart, I felt my heart warm up.
And at the same time, I thought... It was the right time to tell her.
[...I- Isis-san!]
[...Eh?]
[T- There's something I want to tell you...]
Realizing that my voice is shaking from nervousness, I stare straight into Isis-san's beautiful ruby-like eyes.
Dear Mom, Dad—— I came for a picnic with Isis-san. Isis-san really is very feminine and very charming... and with her by my side, I felt really nervous. However, I've made up my mind. I will now—— be confessing to Isis-san.
**********
{Author's Notes}
???: [ I somehow feel like I'm being slightly dissed.]
Next Chapter Spoiler... It will be sweet.