The day before my date with Olivia-san and Kaori-san had finally arrived, but during dinner that evening, Lilia-san looked absolutely exhausted.
Arehh? I seem to recall her saying this morning that she didn’t have much work today and was planning to relax with her favorite monthly magazine once she finished.
[Lilia-san, you look really tired...... Was work busy today?]
[...
[Eh? Ah, errr, could this be another case where I did something again?]
When I asked Lilia-san, she had a rather indescribable look on her face. By now, I’d known her long enough to sense from experience that I might somehow be the cause of this.
However, contrary to my expectations, Lilia-san didn’t voice any complaints or show any anger. She just looked at me with a slightly perplexed expression.
[...
[Ahh, no, it’s not that Kaito-san did anything. It’s just that...... things ended up taking a lot more time than expected. Well, I’m undeniably tired, but everything’s settled now, so I’m fine.]
Seeing her give a wry smile as she said that, I tilted my head. It was such a peculiar way of phrasing things, and even the emotions conveyed through my Sympathy Magic weren’t of anger toward me, but rather oddly complex.
[Morning, Kaito-kun. Sorry to keep you waiting.]
[Good morning. No, not at all——— I didn’t wait long.]
Kaori-san was wearing the outfit we’d bought together before, the one I had bought her as a gift. I thought it looked wonderful back then, and it still gave her a charmingly different vibe from her usual appearance. ℞
However, there was another change I noticed, so I decided to comment on it.
[Ahh, Kaori-san, you trimmed your hair a little, didn’t you? Combined with your outfit, today you have this cool, sophisticated adult vibe. It’s really lovely.]
[Fghh...... Y- You smooth-talker...... Casually delivering a perfect 100-point response like it’s nothing...... Noticing subtle changes like that is such a big plus. Your charm aura is almost overwhelming. But I’m happy you noticed——— Thanks!]
Kaori-san smiled, a little flustered but clearly pleased by my words. After a brief bit of lighthearted conversation, we set off together for the Cathedral, where Olivia-san awaited.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [What’s concerning here is Olivia’s situation...... Has she managed to shake off the worldly thoughts and restore her clear mind......? Well, even if she has, her mind's probably gonna get disturbed immediately anyway......]