Extra arc 『The Stage Ghost’s Cappricio』 Prologue
When you talk about a kiss…
I wonder what in the world would be the right timing for it?
The mummy of the demon king that had slept in the guest house’s bas.e.m.e.nt… Or rather, the incident caused by Gift that stirred the school had settled and pa.s.sed in an instant.
After nearly all the students had returned right after its temporary closure, the school regained its former bustle.
Under the name of His Royal Majesty, the king, there had been a strong motivation that a『safety examination at the magical academy』be conducted.
Although Gift was still in the school’s bas.e.m.e.nt, I heard the barrier became st.u.r.dier than ever. This incident may have been because of an irregular existence named Lily, but even so, I’d like to hope there will never be a second time. If security was guaranteed under His Majesty’s name, then by result, the officials must be in a frenzy to prevent another occurrence of the incident. All the best.
Truth be told, there was also a reason as to why the students had no choice but to return to this school.
It’s a somewhat tough topic to discuss, though. To begin with, in our country, there was no such system to train magic users outside the academy.
There was a certain level of facilities and experience required to safely instruct the control of magic to cater for each of their individual characteristics. Even though there were also things like private schools or home tutors, it can’t replace this school overnight.
As soon as we’re able to graduate from this royal magic academy, we, the magic users, can go out to society with the backing of the magic a.s.sociation. On the other hand, if we aren’t able to graduate, our magic will be resealed, and what we’ve learned so far will have all gone to waste.
Apart from that school circ.u.mstance, it got me thinking about the me right now.
It was because it became peaceful, because I had time to spare, that I ended up thinking about it.
About when the incident with Gift’s black mist occurred.
About the fact that my relations.h.i.+p with Wolf progressed a bit.
In his room where the nightmares had consumed him, I had done something akin to a confession. At any rate, since he’d been inside a dream at that time, the intention that it was a『confession』 was rather flimsy. But I felt that I certainly liked him, so that’s what I said.
Wolf should’ve accepted that.
If Wolf, who seemed to have been s.h.i.+fting back and forth between dreams and reality, thought it was just part of his dream… I would’ve been at a loss. But, I was very thankful since Wolf clearly remembered what happened then. I confirmed with him. I was so embarra.s.sed.
At any rate, we were no longer just engagement partners that were decided on by our parents.
I think it would be fine to call us lovers.
Lovers.
Wolf was… my… lover.
— whenever I think about it, I feel like rolling around in my bed.
My thoughts strayed with things like 『Won’t it be alright to change how we call each other because we became lovers!?』 and became troubled about it.
『Darling』 and 『honey』 are what’s been used in western films. But 『my dear』 ,『sweetheart』, or 『sugar』sounds nice too.
It’s not like I yearned to be called that way in my previous existence. If someone called out to me that way… for starters, I’d probably be surprised. That much I was aware of.
But if that someone was Wolf, I can at least accept getting called by those endearments for just a short trial run.
Yep. I can, I can.
If he whispered them to me with that wonderful, tender~ly sweet voice that had lowered after going through p.u.b.erty… I’d want to record it and preserve that for all eternity.
It’s embarra.s.sing. But I still want to try it even if it’s a little embarra.s.sing. I mean, I’m over the moon right now because I got a lover for the first time in my life, but I feel like I won’t be able to do it once the novelty of it fades. If that’s the case, wasn’t this the first and ultimate chance to call each other 『darling & honey』?
Didn’t they say that the G.o.d of Chance only has bangs? Even if you try seizing him by the back on his hair, there isn’t anything to seize there. You have to guess the right timing, take the plunge, and grab hold of his bangs! (1)
I’m not going to try and make Wolf p.r.o.nounce 『darling』 or 『honey』 or anything. Even if I was floating over the moon right now, I was aware enough to know that Wolf doesn’t understand English.
It’s fine if I could get him to say a word similar to that in this world. I’m sure, the kind Wolf would willingly consent to my request.
A similar word to darling. I’ve read enough books to be able to boast about it, so it would be good if I could pull at least this much from that memory.
A similar word to darling.
A similar word…
………………。
(Hm?)
There was no word similar to this that came to mind. I mean, there were definitely romance novels in this world, but…
Don’t get me wrong, there were special words used to call a loved one in several literatures. Words that likened them to a flower or compared them to gems.
But, there was generally no word that lovers use to call each other this way.
(L-language barrier…)
While it’s regrettable, it seems there was no word that could take the place of ‘darling & honey’ in this world.
A word that will replace it when I force it to, would be the normal way of saying it, such as 『loved one』 or 『precious person』. But if possible, I’d prefer a foreign word, since I feel like it’ll make it less embarra.s.sing for me.
I feel that requesting with a 『Try saying ‘darling’』 and requesting with a 『try saying I’m your loved one』were completely different things.
Although the former was 『pleading』, the latter was, how should I put it… too serious? Wouldn’t it be pretty much a『forced confession』?
At the end of my agony…
I let the chance of using ‘honey & darling’ pa.s.s.
Come to think of it, G.o.d of Chance, that sure is a tremendously bold hairdo. If it’s for that, I’ll probably be able to let that refres.h.i.+ngly manly retreating figure pa.s.s by in the same way too. Goodbye, G.o.d of Chance. You might want to warm the back of your head at least, so you don’t get a cold.
Then, I chose the next agenda for the meeting in my brain.
An agenda that I wanted to think about precisely because we became a couple. Aside from pet names. It would be something like hoping to progress as lovers.
For instance. A first kiss.
Okay, this is it.
No matter where or when we were, from modern j.a.pan to the parallel world, it was an agenda that was widely regarded as important.
Language barriers or something had nothing to do with it.
Personally, getting him to hug me tight or getting him to pat me on the head would make my heart throb more than a kiss. But, a kiss was important as well. A first kiss, especially, can only be done once in a lifetime.
I might as well ask the favour in an important situation like this. Please make the kiss feel bittersweet so that it will remain as the happiest memory in my life!
What’s important was probably the setting. One with a romantic feeling. Yes, for instance, under a star-filled night sky.
…Well, it’s not like outside was particularly special. I wouldn’t mind at all if we were alone in a room or something. In that case, the lighting would be slightly faded and dimmed. The sort where you wouldn’t be able to see the other person’s expression unless you drew close…
The next was a mood raiser. If I take movies or dramas as examples, an occasion where the pair who fell in love overcame a crisis. Or that instant where they were about to tell each other their feelings.
………………………………。
………………………………。
Huh?
I feel like that sort of thing has already happened recently.
Or rather, wasn’t that exactly the situation when I confessed?
I had a lot of things going on so I wasn’t able to realize it, but maybe the invisible 『This here is the chance for my first kiss!』 gauge was gradually going up at that time.
N-no way…
But, at that time, it did sort of had the perfect mood for it. The thinly s.h.i.+rted Wolf was s.e.xy. And we were alone in a dimly lit room too. …the fact that Wolf wasn’t in a good condition was a fly in the ointment, though.
When Wolf came closer to bury his face on my neck, I ended up raising my voice in surprise. But, I was surprised because it had been my neck. If it were my lips or something, I wouldn’t have been surprised… probably?
Most likely, having read that sort of mood immediately, I would have meekly closed my eyes like a heroine from a teen drama and waited for that moment… I think? I want to believe from the bottom of my heart that even I had that sort of girl power.
And had we gone through with our first kiss at that time… Wouldn’t we have been a more lovey-dovey couple right now?
Don’t tell me… did I just run away from the perfect opportunity?
(As I thought, come back, G.o.d of Chance!)
I cried out to the retreating figure with plenty of regrets.
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Author’s notes:
G.o.d of Chance: 「I’ll be back.」
In some games not limited to otome games, when you become intimate with a character, you get to change or be able to change the name you call each other.
I really like games like that.
The t.i.tle and the content doesn’t match at all, but it’s not a posting mistake. The story will start picking up pace in the next chapter. I’d be pleased if you’d follow this story for me.
Translator’s Notes:
(1) G.o.d of Luck & Opportunity/Chance (Caerus)