* * *
“Bati’s not feeling well right now, so we’ll need to rest. Sorry. If there’s a better opportunity in the future, we’ll visit then.”
Anyone could see he was in perfect health, but those were the words that came out of my mouth.
That’s how social life works.
“…The Count will be disappointed.”
The reply came back in a warning tone.
Was that supposed to be some kind of threat?
Like he’d penalize us or something?
What’s he gonna do?
Block our commissions?
With monsters swarming everywhere, does he really think he can manage using any random adventurers?
Go ahead and try.
“Please let him know I was very much looking forward to meeting him, but regrettably had to decline due to my condition, with tears in my eyes.”
“…”
What?
Got a problem?
“Understood.”
The Count’s servant turned away with a disgruntled expression.
Clearly annoyed that Bati and I weren’t playing along.
But seriously, what can one regular guy do?
Go run to the Count and tattle, that’s about it.
“So, should we start packing again?”
Bati gave a nod.
We packed up and got ready to leave.
Naturally, I thought we were heading back to Swindlin, but Bati had another suggestion.
“Let’s go to Grid.”
Grid, if you don’t know, is a city of mages. Magic central.
Swindlin has a lot of mages too, sure, but Grid is where you trip over them in the street.
Most of them are crazy obsessives who don’t even know how to hold a conversation, lost in their research.
Still, they fund that research by selling tons of magic items.
“You’re really going to get me a real artifact?”
“You thought I wasn’t?”
“Of course I believed you! I mean…! But wouldn’t it be better to just go back to Swindlin? Buying something brand-new in Grid would cost a fortune. You can get second-hand stuff from other adventurers for way cheaper.”
“You can’t trust the performance of those.”
Sure, there are scammers, but I can spot most of them!
Dealing with people is my specialty!
But no matter what I said, Bati clearly wasn’t listening.
Is it really worth spending that much on me…?
“And Grid’s even farther than Swindlin!”
I tried spitting out other reasons, knowing Bati wasn’t going to care how much he was spending on me.
He looked down at me calmly.
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Whoa!”
He easily picked me up and cradled me in his arms.
“We’ll be there soon.”
“Wait—huh?”
While I was still trying to process things, he took off.
A powerful gust hit me.
My hair whipped painfully against my cheeks, and I instinctively buried my face in Bati’s chest.
The speed felt like it was tearing through space.
I was seriously on the verge of throwing up.
Clinging to him for dear life, I got a real-time lesson in just how insanely fast a healthy Hero can move.
It felt like my insides were getting scrambled.
‘I… I’m gonna hurl.’
Now I finally understood just how much he’d been holding back on the way to the temple.
He must have been totally exhausted from all the battles.
Even after we stopped, my head was still spinning.
Losing my balance, I started to tip over.
Bati gently held my shoulder and pulled me into his embrace.
“You okay?”
“N-Not really…”
I mumbled with my face pressed against his chest.
He was wearing armor, so it wasn’t exactly cozy, which was a bit of a shame.
But just being able to lean on him like this… I was already grateful.
“Let’s walk the rest of the way.”
“We’re almost there. A little more.”
“Please… just walk.”
When I begged him with all I had, Bati’s eyes changed.
He looked at me like I was someone who needed to be handled with care.
Bati is just ridiculously overpowered, and I’m just a normal guy.
It wasn’t fair, but I didn’t argue.
Yeah. If thinking that helps you go easy on me, I’ll take it.
Being able to walk on my own two feet is a blessing.
Time to power through.
So in the end, we walked the rest of the way to Grid and made it there within the day.
But I was already wiped out from motion sickness, and walking so hard drained the rest of my energy.
In the end, I entered the magic city literally being carried in Bati’s arms.
As soon as I started wobbling, he didn’t hesitate—just picked me up.
I guess he doesn’t even see me as someone who can manage on my own anymore.
What am I to Bati, anyway?
A weak, helpless boyfriend he needs to protect?
As soon as we entered the city gates, I could feel eyes turning our way.
First, because it was Bati.
Second, because I was the one being held in Bati’s arms.
Not mages, but fellow adventurers, probably here to buy magical items just like us.
I even saw some familiar faces.
“Zerbin Batista ?”
“That monster is traveling with someone? Who is it?”
“Looks like a Florenti? Is he… dead?”
Excuse me?
Is carrying a corpse more believable than carrying a person?
You really just went straight to assuming I was dead?
“Raul’s dead?”
“Hey, go ask him—”
“Are you nuts? If he’s dead, let’s just bury him when Bati drops him.”
Those bastards.
I was planning to stay quiet since I was exhausted, but nope.
Not happening.
Ugh, still dizzy!
I wiggled around in Bati’s arms before jumping down.
“I’m alive, okay?!”
“A ghost!”
“I’m not!”
“You’re… alive? Then how come…”
The guy looked between me and Bati in shock.
Clearly couldn’t wrap his head around why I was being carried like that.
“I thought you mouthed off and got… dealt with.”
I smacked him in the back of the head.
“Not like that. I’m just…!”
Dating him.
That’s what I wanted to say—but the words caught in my throat.
Can I even say that?
Come to think of it, Bati and I never really discussed whether we should go public or not.
Maybe he doesn’t want people to know. If word gets out, people are going to start talking.
And Bati hates that kind of thing.
Not to mention, now that people know he’s not made of stone, others might try to hit on him and annoy him…
“Just? What?”
Can I say it?
I instinctively turned to Bati.
He was behind me a second ago, but now he was already by my side.
Bati slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him.
Before I could even react, he kissed me.
Just a light press of lips.
Barely a kiss, really.
But the impact it had on the people around us was explosive.
Screams erupted everywhere.
From the sound of it, not just adventurers—mages too were shocked.
Of course I was shocked too.
‘I-Is this really okay?’
Even though he was being so obvious about it… my heart was pounding so hard it was practically harmful to my already exhausted body.
I couldn’t hold myself up and buried my face in Bati’s chest.
I thought I heard murmurs from the people around us, but that wasn’t something I could care about right now.
Still, even so.
It feels incredibly good.
That Bati likes me, and that he wants everyone to know it—even if it brings him trouble—that’s just…
It makes me happy.
His strong arms wrapped around me, grounding me.
Even though we were on a crowded street, I felt oddly comfortable. I could stay like this for a long time.
“Why—why does it have to be Raul Florenti, of all people?!”
…What the hell is this now?
* * *
😂😂😂