Reincarnated in a Shounen Manga - Chapter 274

Chapter 274 - Falling

Most people didn't bother remembering faces; they usually remembered distinctive features. Unlike Wisteria, I understood how the average person's mind worked.

It wasn't really the glasses that did the trick; it was the silver hair. While my facial features might still be familiar to someone like Wisteria, who saw me all the time, that meant there were some subtle changes that the public wouldn't notice.

Of course, I was going to give all the credit to the glasses, no matter what she said. Teasing Wisteria comprised about 68% of my overall happiness, and then some 30% was spending time with her, and watching anime.

Unlike how anime or movies portrayed love, it wasn't like that at all for us. In Wis's presence, I wasn't exactly enamored or worrying about what I should say next. I could simply spend time with her and enjoy it.

Simply, it didn't take much effort to be in her presence. There was no need to put in any effort or think about saying something funny or clever.

I could afford to do or say something silly in front of Wis, whereas if I were to do that with anyone else in this world, I would get a knife on the back before I could even blink. It was also comforting knowing she was intelligent enough not to reveal how I typically acted around her.

Well, she was also a shut-in who never went outside, so it wasn't like she ever spoke to anyone other than Yara and me. But if she did, she was smart enough to know better.

I took us to a small cafe on the edge of town. There were hardly any people there, making it the perfect place for a nice date.

The waitress arrived, took our orders, and brought us coffee. Although the waitress was cute, I made sure not to stare at her, as I was here with my wife.

Wisteria, on the other hand, was looking at her coffee cup, seemingly distracted. Then she raised her head, glanced at me, and returned her gaze to the coffee cup.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked her, leaning forward.

"I'm thinking about throwing this scalding hot coffee cup in your face," she said with the sweetest smile. "You've been extra annoying today."

"Sure, but you only get two throws," I nodded.

Her eyes widened a bit, and she chuckled evilly.

Every now and then, I needed to bring out the weeb in her shell.

Despite being the one who awakened Ord, she didn't possess the clear-headedness typical of an Exorcist. That was something I had to teach her.

If someone more logical were in her place, they would have realized I would never drop her. Even if, let's say, I had been playing her for a long time, for some strange reason. What benefit would there be in dropping the queen to slam into the city roads and turn her into meat paste?

Okay, that was not an image I needed in my mind.

I also have to admit that I am very worried about how she will handle being alone when I'm away on some mission. I mean, she was thinking of jumping off the balcony when she thought I was dead. In some ways, I understand; without the power to protect yourself, this world is damn terrifying. Sometimes, I do wonder if I'm being unnecessarily cautious, maybe bordering on paranoia.

Suddenly, a plastic straw hit me in the head and broke me away from my depressing thoughts. I looked at my assailant, the Queen of Weebs, Mother of Anime, Breaker of Sleep Schedules, also known as Wisteria.

She had a smug look on her face and stuck out her tongue. "You had an emo look in your eyes. Cheer up!"

Did she notice my mood and decide to cheer me up? It was easy to forget how good she was at reading people when she wanted to be. Well, I couldn't have her worrying about little old me.

I dramatically clutched at my heart and sent her a hurt look, "I am hurt, dear wife. Not only did you throw something at me, which is abuse, but the emotional pain will haunt my mind, as the mental scars of my spouse abusing me will never heal."

She raised a questioning brow and had an exasperated look on her face. "You hang out with killers and thieves on the weekend. If they don't mess you up, then I doubt anything else will."

Okay, she got me there.

The rest of the date was relatively normal, with conversations about how our days were going and stories from our past before we met. And by her past, I meant Wis gave me summaries and recaps of the anime she had watched.

After an hour or two—I wasn't exactly keeping an eye on the clock—we found ourselves in a sweets shop, and the conversation had evolved into talking about Ord. Which I was the expert of between the two of us.

"Ord and an Ord user's mindset are closely intertwined," I said as I took a bite of lemon cake, my gaze scanning the restaurant. It was a charming place, tucked away on the outskirts of the capital city, and there were only a handful of patrons inside.

Instinctively, I scanned the surroundings for any potential threats, but found none. This habit had become ingrained in me during my time as an exorcist—always assessing for possible dangers, even during moments of relaxation.

"Anyway, as I was saying," I continued, "Since Ord is linked to mindset, there are certain personality traits that stand out as ideal for maximizing its potential."

Even Wis, who typically wasn't too interested in theoretical discussions, leaned forward in curiosity. "Please, go on. What kinds of personalities are we talking about?"

"Well, people have diverse personalities and goals, but one common thread stands out," I replied with a sly smile, trying to build suspense in my words. "Two key personality traits."

"Alright, quit teasing and spill the beans already," she groaned.

"You either need to be incredibly delusional or an exceptional liar to reach the pinnacle of Ord," I explained, maintaining my smile.

"That sounds like some made-up bullshit to justify equally bullshit beliefs," she sighed.

"Well, delusional individuals genuinely believe in their thoughts, regardless of reality. They are their truest self. Their Ord rebels against the world itself. On the other hand, skilled liars can deceive themselves into believing certain things, even when they're untrue," I elaborated.

"Which category do you belong to?"

"Who's to say? I might not be the finest Ord user out there."

"Right…" She looked at me with a skeptical expression that spoke volumes. It was clear she wasn't buying into my explanation.

"The liar type," I admitted.

"Oh? How do you manage to convince yourself of certain things?" She asked, showing genuine interest, which was unusual for her when it wasn't related to anime.

"Well, I often trick myself into thinking that this world is merely a manga, and I'm the main character living in it. In this scenario, I can do anything," I confessed.

"Pfft!" She covered her mouth, nearly spilling her coffee, and then chuckled. "And you make fun of me for being a weeb? You're even worse! Who imagines themselves as the main character in a manga? That's just plain cheesy! Lame as hell!"

Okay, she didn't have to add that last part.

Wis continued to laugh at my expression. I understood that such a method of belief was odd to someone like her, but for me, it made the most sense.

Believing that I could do anything because I was in a manga, was the simplest mindset to adopt.

After her fit of laughter subsided, she turned her gaze toward me and inquired, "Seriously, how can someone do that? Convince themselves?"

"Allow me to demonstrate," I said, taking a deep breath and channeling all my animosity toward Wisteria. "I will kill you."

She leaned back slightly but remained otherwise unfazed. "I can sense the weight of your Ord, but nothing more."

"Of course, because I don't truly hate you," I replied, closing my eyes and focusing.

"Alright, show me the rest, with intent and all."

"Are you sure? I'm not very good at controlling this."

"Don't worry, I can handle it."

Killing intent was something typically imperceptible to ordinary people, only discernible by Ord users. Still, after my encounter with Tamae no Mae, during which it seemed to have affected her physically, I needed to exercise caution. I couldn't go all out on her.

Oh, right, there was that irritating scene in the manga where Wisteria acted obnoxious. She was an annoying character overall.

I want to get rid of her...

"I will kill you," I declared.

Instantly, she flinched, leaping off her desk and retreating against the wall. I ceased the killer intent as fast as I could and flashed her a reassuring smile.

Her chair had crashed to the ground, causing a loud bang that drew the attention of other customers. They stared at us with odd expressions, likely assuming the worst.

I smiled and waved at them. "Sorry, everyone. We just received news from an Exorcist that my wife is pregnant!"

"Congratulations!"

"Good for you, young man."

"I can already tell he'll be a great father."

"Look at how young they look. Nowadays, we have kids raising kids."

"Aren't talismans that can detect pregnancy kind of expensive? That wasn't a good economic decision for a couple like that," one of the people whispered.

Not everything they said was positive, but I didn't mind and nodded appreciatively. Wisteria swiftly hid her true feelings behind her mask, which was somewhat eerie. Even I wouldn't be able to tell she was acting, if I didn't know her true character.

"Apologies," I said to her. Despite our outward interactions, I did genuinely care about her. "I may have gone a bit too far."

"So, what did it feel like to project such a strong killing intent?" she inquired.

"I was imagining you as a manga character I despised."

The truth was, Wisteria had never appeared in the original story. I had merely convinced myself that she did.

It wasn't until I noticed her odd expression that I realized I might have said too much. She even added insult to injury, "You're such a weeb."

She was in no position to insult me that way, but the word 'hypocrite' was nonexistent from both our vocabularies. She continued to look at me like a weirdo throughout the entire date.

...

At the end of it all, when I flew back to the castle, she smiled at me. Her blue eyes lit up, and she said, “We aren't as different as we thought we were.”

“Yes, I know. We are both toxic and allow the worst parts of each other to come out.”

“And I wouldn't have it any other way.” Her smile widened as she hugged me.

My heart skipped a beat at that moment, and for the first time in this life, I felt a blush rushing to my face. I leaned my chin atop her head so she wouldn't see my expression.

Damn, I think I'm falling for her...