CH 30.3

The liquor is served by the hands of those who have been praying on stage.

A wooden barrel filled with clear liquor is scooped up with a ladle and distributed to each person. The juice is also available for those who can’t drink or for children, and Spica received that as well.

While playing with a wooden cup filled with the liquor that has the slight consistency of milk in my palm, I look at the girl who sits back down beside me.

She is looking at the wooden cup with anticipation in her eyes. When she brings the cup to her mouth, her throat rises and falls in a small way. The ...face beamed.

Spica Velvet.

I think about her past.

The village of the dragon people is destroyed. I'm not a god, and I can't change the past.

But just by staying close to her, listening to her, reaching out to her, and doing such simple things that anyone can have done.

"I can just be a dragon-person.”

It is sad and frustrating that someone like that is not in the game.

...right.

I scratch my head in frustration. This is the reason why it is important to make sure that she has a good meal, a beautiful view, and a fun place to go.

Slowly, I take a sip of liquor. The heat of the alcohol ignites my skinny heart.

I thought I had picked up a girl who had fallen ill, but it turned out to be the future Demon Lord.

The sun shining through the lush leaves is pleasant.

I slurp up some liquor while listening to the townspeople here discussing this year's crop.

"Hey, Spica. Is there anything you want to do?”

"Something I want to do…?”

"Yes, in the future. Anything is fine."

She mumbles something in her mouth, as if examining the words, and seems to be thinking of an answer.

She pulls her body closer to mine, reaches for my ear, and whispers.

“I want to see the things I read about in the books I've read, like the peep-show mechanisms excavated from ancient cities, the castles that lie deep in the earth, and the hidden islands found by adventurers…”

When Spica leaves my body, she smiles like a child eating her favorite food. She looks at me shyly.

It looks so refined that I stare blankly at it.

"Did I say something weird...?"

“No. Of course not. ...Yes, that sounds like fun. I like that. Once you get settled, tell me more about it and I'll see what I can find out."

When Spica hears my words, she opens her mouth and her face slowly takes on color. Like a flower, she is filled with vivid vitality. The atmosphere is mesmerizing.

She put on a serious expression and began to speak fluently about the title and contents of the book she had read.

“The book that Mook had written contained a lot of cleverness alone, though, didn't it?　Among them, he seems to have incorporated fictional ones into the culture, based on Western demons."

"'Ah, now that you mention it, it's slipping my mind. Tell me more."

As I nod back at Spica, who is doing her best to explain, something akin to a deep sense of security fills my heart.

People who can explain what they like in a fun way are fine.

“...You look like you're having fun. What's up?"

Spica, who has stopped explaining at some point, asked me.

Really? I touch my face with my hand and find that I have been smiling unintentionally.

The breeze that blew between us is warm, and Spica's silky hair, spilling out of her hat, flew up softly. The flowers on the stage shook their heads happily.

It is a warm breeze that heralded the arrival of summer.

“I was happy to hear that.”

I put my hand on Spica's question mark head and give her a sincere smile.

Even the way she looks at me seems cute, and I want to take good care of her.

"Hey, Spica.”

"What?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

When Spica hears my words, she gives a small nod. Then she smiles. She shows me a soft smile through her hat.