“Phew…”
Abby woke up.
Being a morning person, she had never overslept in her life.
She got out of bed smoothly and headed straight for the changing room. She quickly took off her underwear and stepped into the shower, letting the water fully awaken her senses.
After that, she brewed herself a cup of coffee.
This was her daily routine.
Since today was a rare day off, Abby wondered what to do.
The Magic Swordsman Tournament had successfully concluded—though there had been some behind-the-scenes trouble dealing with the Grim Reaper—but now, at last, she could enjoy a well-deserved break.
However, habits were hard to break. She still woke up at the usual time she would for work.
The clock read 7:00 AM.
“Now then, what should I do?”
Having finished her breakfast and coffee, Abby sat in thought.
Maybe I’ll spend the morning reading the books I’ve been putting off, then head into town in the afternoon.
She didn’t particularly need to buy anything, but staying home all day felt a bit dull, so she figured she’d wander around the city.
“Alright…”
On the desk lay three books.
All of them were romance novels.
She couldn’t help but think, Am I really still reading these at my age? But there was no denying her love for them.
Someday, she, too, wanted to experience a love so passionate it consumed her. With that dream in mind, Abby immersed herself in the world of stories.
—
“Oh, it’s already this late?”
Looking up, she realized it was almost noon.
The rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall finally registered in her ears.
She had been so absorbed that she had devoured all three books in one sitting.
“Well, time to head out.”
Abby stood up and opened her closet.
Since she had no plans to meet anyone today, she opted for a simple outfit—white shirt and pants.
She did own skirts, but they weren’t her style. Given the choice, she would always go for pants.
Without bothering to bring a bag, she slipped her wallet into her pocket and stepped outside.
—
Central District.
Since it was a holiday, the streets were packed with people.
Abby was used to crowds, so she didn’t mind navigating through them.
She decided to stop by a bookstore to pick up some new reads. But before she could, she spotted something—or rather, someone.
Lydia and Cara.
And judging by their behavior, they were unmistakably stalking Ray.
Haah… They’re at it again.
With an exasperated sigh, Abby approached them.
“Hey, Lydia. Again?”
“Oh, it’s you, Abby. I’m busy right now. Talk later.”
Lydia was unusually serious.
Her eyes were locked onto a single point. Following her gaze, Abby immediately understood.
“So, Ray is here… Wait, is he on a date?”
The moment Abby said that, Lydia started rambling at an incredible speed without ever taking her eyes off her target.
“Elisa Griffith. She’s incredibly intelligent. To grasp Dual Code Theory at her age is truly impressive. She’ll likely become an excellent researcher in the future. But—the real issue is… that!”
Lydia clenched her fists tightly as she glared from the shadows at the shopping couple.
Abby had no idea what she was talking about, so she asked directly.
“What do you mean by ‘that’?”
“That delicate charm! That innocent expression that makes you want to protect her! That occasional, breathtaking smile! And the way she looks at Ray—there’s no romantic intent yet. She’s purely treating him as a friend. From my perspective, she’s nearly perfect.”
“…Isn’t that a good thing? Ray looks like he’s having fun.”
Glancing at them, Abby saw Ray and Elisa chatting and laughing in the bookstore.
To anyone else, they would look like a perfect couple.
Honestly, they suit each other well.
But for Lydia, this was clearly a problem.
“Grrr… What should I do? What can I do…?”
“Well, for starters, you could stop acting like an overprotective parent.”
With that, Abby turned to leave—
But in the end, she got dragged into Lydia’s complaints. And worse, she became the sacrificial lamb when Ray referred to Lydia as a “gorilla.”
“W-Wait! Lydia, he noticed us!”
“Ah! Damn it, I lost control! Abby, help me!”
“Huh!?”
And just like that, Abby was shoved out of the alley—
Right into Ray’s path.
“Abby-san? What are you doing here?”
“Ray and Elisa Griffith, huh? No, I was just hit on a little while ago. I took care of it in that alley over there. I might have let a bit of my killing intent slip, though.”
“I see. So that was your doing, Abby-san? I was surprised. To think such a menacing aura would be leaking out in broad daylight like that.”
Ray asked with a puzzled expression. Abby quickly made up an excuse to keep things consistent, but to her relief, Ray didn’t press any further.
“Damn… Lydia, you owe me for this…”
A frustrated murmur escaped her lips.
—Why did she, who had done nothing, have to clean up after that doting parent? Well, whatever. It was always like this.
Abby had grown so used to it that she didn’t even realize how much she had been affected by it.
“Abby-san? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Enjoy your date, Ray! See you!”
With that, Abby made a dramatic exit from the scene.
Wanting nothing more to do with Lydia, she disappeared into the bustling streets.
After finishing her shopping, Abby found herself alone, bathed in the golden glow of dusk, staring blankly at the sunset.
Sitting on a park bench, she reflected on the day’s events.
“Sigh… I wonder how those two ended up.”
Ray had likely continued his date. But what about Lydia? Abby couldn’t help but worry, given her tendency to meddle in others’ affairs.
—Of course, she cared about Ray too, but Lydia sulked far too easily when she got hurt. Hopefully, she wasn’t too upset…
Despite everything, Abby found herself worrying about Lydia.
“Sigh… The day went by in a flash.”
The sun was already about to set completely.
Next to her sat a newly purchased novel from the bookstore.
Gently running her fingers over the cover, she thought back to the past.
“It’s already been three years, huh…”
A simple, ordinary life.
Being able to take it for granted now.
Back then, during the Far East War, she never even had the luxury to imagine a future like this.
Abby had thought she would always be a soldier. Not just her—
Lydia and Carol, too. They had all believed they would continue down the same path together.
But one by one, they started walking different paths.
The sense of closeness hadn’t changed, yet the directions they were heading in had.
After surviving that war, Abby had lost so much… and in reconsidering her life, she had arrived at where she was now.
“Alright then.”
Brushing the dust off her clothes, she picked up the paper bag with her book and started heading home.
Along the way, she spotted Ray, Lydia, and Cara walking together, happily chatting.
That sight brought back memories of the past, but unlike back then, there was no sorrow.
Watching them laugh together, Abby allowed herself a faint smile and strode forward, bathed in the twilight glow.
A few days later.
“W-Waaaaahhh! Abby! What do I do?! Ray, Ray is—aaahhh!!”
Seeing Lydia burst into her house in a panic early in the morning, Abby let out a deep sigh.
—But maybe… this kind of daily life isn’t so bad.
With that thought, she welcomed Lydia inside.
Abby, too, was starting to enjoy the small, ordinary moments of her life.
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