We go back at a slower pace, just as Sieglinde asked. We’re only going at about half the speed I used on the way to the mine, so it will be nighttime by the time we’re back.
I want to get home as quickly as possible for Ririi’s sake, but… Spending a little more time with Sieglinde doesn’t feel bad either.
“…”
She hasn’t said a word this whole time. It feels like she has something to say, but… Why is she so hesitant?
“…Mu…”
Is the sound she makes to break the long silence. I feel like ignoring it would make things boring, so I bite.
“What did you say?”
“…Nothing. I’m just wincing at my own awkwardness.”
“Kind of late for that. I figured you’d have accepted that by now.”
That’s really what she’s like. At least she was already like that when we met.
“How could I? It’s not like I chose to be like this. Sometimes I wish I could be like you.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying I have a light personality?”
“Yes. You were pretty popular with girls in school, right? I heard you were doing this and that to seduce them.”
“I wasn’t! That’s all lies. And what do you mean you heard? You didn’t talk to anyone in school.”
“I just didn’t need to. I could study on my own.”
“…One thing’s for sure, you haven’t changed at all.”
Communication isn’t something that you either need or you don’t. Even Ririi can figure that out.
“…Yes, I’m awkward and not cute at all. I know I’m no fun to be around.”
Sieglinde starts using every word she can think of to put herself down. I think about stopping her, but I want to see where this goes. Her tone really doesn’t sound negative.
“…And I feel like I can’t keep going like that… So…”
“So what?”
“…I want you… To help me practice.”
“Practice doing what?”
“Well… You know… Men and women…”
“Men and women? So you mean… That?”
“…Yes, that.”
“…Hou…”
I really didn’t expect to hear that from her.
“Well, we just happened to be playing husband and wife, right!? We need to practice to make sure we feel like a real couple so people don’t suspect anything, right!? It has nothing to do with what I want or anything!”
“I guess you have a point…”
I don’t think Sieglinde has those romantic feelings in her in the first place. Someone who wants to experience romance doesn’t think about whether or not she needs to communicate with people.
“But… Are you sure? It’s me we’re talking about.”
“Well… That part can’t be helped. You’re the only one. I’m… Your wife now.”
“I guess…”
Sieglinde attended the entrance ceremony of the magic school as my wife, so that’s set in stone now. Was that actually a bad idea…?
“So, to sum it up… You want to have a more charming personality. And to practice that, you want us to act like a real couple. Is that about it?”
“…Exactly. Sorry, but indulge me.”
“I don’t really mind… Act like a couple…”
I honestly don’t know anything about that. But at the very least, I know what Sieglinde critically lacks.
“Sieglinde, let’s practice smiling first.”
“Smiling…?”
“Yes. I’ve known you for a long time, but I don’t remember ever seeing you smile. Smiling is a necessary part of communication.”
Actually, I just want to see it, but let’s not let her know that. It’s not like what I’m saying is wrong anyway.
“…I also think I need to smile. I’ve been practicing in front of the mirror in my room lately.”
“You’ve been doing that…”
Sieglinde practicing smiling in her quiet room… It sounds kind of terrifying.
“And the result?”
“I think I’ve mastered smiling in my own way, but I haven’t shown it to anyone.”
“Hou…”
I stop feeding magic energy to the two-wheeled vehicle, and it slowly decelerates until it stops in the middle of the wasteland. I get off it, and look at Sieglinde, who has the same serious look as always on her face.
“All right, let’s see that ‘smile in your own way’.”
“I-it’s too sudden… Hold on.”
She says, as she covers her face with both hands and starts massaging it. I had no idea that smiling was a physical activity that required warm up exercises.
“…Don’t laugh.”
Her stretches take about ten seconds, but she’s still hiding her face.
“I won’t.”
“All right… Then… Here goes.”
“…Gulp.”
Sieglinde slowly takes her hands off her face.
Like a rosebud blooming into a flower, underneath her slender fingers, her smile blooms.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence dominates the wasteland.
I burn her smile into my memory one more time, get on the two-wheeled vehicle, and slowly start accelerating.
I slowly speed up, as only the sound of the vehicle running on the gravel road melts into the madder red sky.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…Pff.”
“Ah, hey! You just laughed! I told you not to laugh!!!”
“Pff… Kukuku… S-sorry, I didn’t mean to… Pfpff…!”
“Dammit, that’s why I didn’t want to show you! It’s so embarrassing!”
“Don’t hit me, hold on tight so you don’t fall.”
Sieglinde is hitting my back with one of her hands. Kind of hard too. She must really be embarrassed.
“…Dammit. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She puts her hand around my waist again, and holds on tight.
Then I feel a small impact on my back. She’s silently pressing her forehead against it.
“Don’t feel so down. I’ll be helping you practice from now on.”
“Don’t need it. The next you see me smile it will be a perfectly masterful one.”
“I see… Can’t wait.”
I check if Sieglinde is hanging on tight, and accelerate as much as I can.
The scenery starts rushing behind us, lowering its sense of reality. Among all that, all I really feel for sure is Sieglinde’s body heat.
“…”
Doesn’t this whole situation feel like we’re a real married couple… I think that, but don’t say it. I don’t want to rile her up and risk her letting go of me.
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