Status Window Chapter 36 : Romance Event (3)

36. Romance Event (3)

"Alright! Let's go home together!"

"See you later then~!"

"Wanna play a bit before going home?"

Lunchtime ended, and classmates started heading home here and there. Yes, it's already this time. Even though it's already this time, nothing has happened since then!

W-what does this mean!? Could it be there's no signal for clearing the event!? Or does it mean the event hasn't ended yet!?

Since then, I've been talking to Lumel, but nothing particularly unusual has happened. I've been checking her Affection too, but it remains unchanged at 19.

Could it be I failed? No, that should have been the best option. Why on earth...

"Rio, you're making a difficult face, what's wrong?"

"Eh? No, I was just thinking a little."

"Really?"

Could it be I need to perform some action? But what should I do... As I was thinking that, Lumel tugged on my sleeve.

"H-hey."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"Do you have time after this?"

Oh? Could this be it!

"Of course I do!"

"Then, wanna walk home together?"

"Sure!"

Is this it? Did the event progression finally come!? I'm already looking forward to seeing what will happen.

***

"Rio, thanks for walking home with me."

"No problem. I wanted to walk home with Lumel too, so thanks for inviting me."

"I'm happy you say that."

We walked down the street side by side. We were walking at a slightly leisurely pace, giving off the feeling that she really wanted time to talk.

Surely, it's about the event from this morning. I predict the results of handling the event will appear here. Now, I'm curious how my actions are evaluated in this romance event.

We both fell silent for a bit. But Lumel directed her gaze at me immediately.

"I wanted to talk with Rio, just the two of us."

"Is that so? We always talk together though."

"That wasn't just the two of us because there were people around."

I see, she wanted to talk without anyone interrupting. Isn't this promising?

After averting her gaze slightly, Lumel hesitated. But glancing at me, she opened her mouth seemingly embarrassed.

"....Thanks for helping me this morning. I was really troubled."

"If you were troubled, you should have just consulted me."

"It was my problem, so I wanted to solve it myself. After all, you don't want to cause trouble for your friends, right?"

"Geez. You don't have to be a good girl when you're in trouble."

Being this much of a good girl makes me worry instead. Thinking that relying on friends causes trouble and staying in trouble yourself isn't good, I think.

"If you consult me about your troubles, I'll cooperate with all my might. Plus, favorability will go up too."

"Favorability?"

"It makes me happy when you rely on me. So, favorability goes up. So, Lumel should rely on me aggressively and raise favorability."

"Fufu, what's that. But, I see... so it was okay to rely on you."

It seems Lumel feels guilty about relying on others. Does she think relying means causing trouble? Even though that's not the case at all. If Lumel relied on them, I think everyone, not just me, would listen.

"Rio always has thoughts that I don't have, I think that's amazing. You were amazing back then too."

"Back then?"

"You know, when you persuaded everyone. Everyone was in a mood where retaliation was only natural, right? I thought it was amazing how you calmed that down. I also, um... was against retaliating with violence just like the teacher, so I couldn't say anything."

"Then, did you hate that I threw that brat?"

"That, I didn't hate so much. Probably because it wasn't punching or kicking?"

As expected, Lumel wasn't fond of violence. Th-thank goodness... If I had chosen based on my usual thinking, the event might have failed. Good thing I reconsidered.

"I thought I had to solve everything myself, but Rio solved it all."

Saying that, Lumel laughed a little troubledly.

"...Honestly, I was a little frustrated."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah. But, more than that... I was relieved."

Stopping her walking feet for just a moment, Lumel placed her hand on her chest.

"When Rio is by my side, I feel like everything will be okay. It's strange, isn't it. Even though it's my own problem, I feel like it's okay to leave it to Rio."

"Doesn't that mean you're relying on me?"

"...Maybe so. I am relying on Rio."

Starting to walk again, Lumel glanced towards me. That gaze lasted just a little longer than usual.

"Hey, Rio."

"Hm?"

"If... I have trouble again."

"Yeah."

"Can I rely on you then too?"

She directed a gaze that seemed to probe my feelings. No need to even ask that.

"Of course! You can rely on me infinitely!"

"...Infinity. Fufu, then maybe I'll do just that."

Lumel laughed softly and averted her gaze this time. However, I could see her cheeks were faintly red.

"Rio is kind, you know. Just when I think you're joking around, you actually have a heart that can care for someone. That kind of thing is wonderful."

"At times like that, you have to say Rio is wonderful."

"Geez, Rio. ...But, maybe so. Rio is wonderful!"

I said it jokingly, but a beaming smile came back. My heart skipped just a tiny beat. Even though I said it myself, the impact is too strong. As expected of the capital's number one beautiful girl and archangel Lumel.

Lumel's hand reached out and squeezed my hand tightly. Tilting her head slightly, Lumel smiled.

"So, I want you to be even friendlier with me from now on."

My heartbeat naturally quickened at that dazzling smile—.

Piroron!

*[Lumel Eliamir: Affection Rank Up Event Cleared]*

The window opened, a large flower bloomed behind Lumel, and light shone. Apparently, this is the event clear effect.

Which means, event cleared! Y-yay! First event clear! So that means Affection has changed, right?

Opening the Window and checking the Affection column, Lumel's Affection indicated 20. And the rank had changed from 'Normal' to 'Person of Interest.'

...Person of Interest. Hmm hmm, so does that mean Lumel will look at me with those kinds of eyes? I'm super excited about what will happen from now on!

"Rio, what's wrong?"

"Ah, no, nothing!"

Shoot. I was looking at the Window too much. When I hurriedly returned my gaze, Lumel was tilting her head curiously. The moment I tried to gloss it over—strength was squeezed into the hand holding mine.

"Fufu, weirdo. But that part of you is funny."

"I-is that so?"

"Yeah!"

Brightly nodding, Lumel seems to have no intention of letting go. The walking distance, too, was close enough that our shoulders almost touched before I knew it.

...Huh? Changes are already appearing, aren't they?

The body heat transmitted to my fingertips remained strangely in my consciousness.

"Hey, Rio."

"W-what?"

"From now on, let's go home together, okay!"

That wasn't a confirmation or a proposal, but said almost like a decided matter.

"Every day?"

"E-every day...?"

"Yeah. You don't want to?"

Looked at with upward-glancing eyes so anxiously, there's no way I can refuse.

"I-I don't not want to."

"Glad to hear it!"

A smile like a flower suddenly blooming. The strength of the hand holding mine became just a little stronger.

What is this feeling. Rather than the event progressing, it feels like the world itself has been rewritten.

This... what's going to happen next?

Expectation and anxiety spread simultaneously deep in my chest. But somehow, it seems like it's going to become more interesting than before.