Chapter 284

Reina won the spicy hot pot eating contest.

She received a voucher usable at the festival stalls as a prize and returned with a smile.

"Mr. Clael, I won!"

"Yes, that was amazing... You did very well."

"Ehehehe... Now we can buy and eat some sweets, okay?"

"Y-You're still going to eat...? Incredible, Miss Reina..."

Clael, who was used to it, aside, the three friends were stunned by Reina's appetite.

"As expected, the Saint is truly special..."

"A miracle of the goddess... We've witnessed it."

"Well, calling it a miracle of the goddess might be an exaggeration... though not exactly wrong."

Clael gave a wry smile.

The reason Reina could eat almost endlessly was that what she consumed was converted into holy power and returned to the earth.

If one called it the power of the goddess, that wouldn't be entirely incorrect.

"It's gradually getting darker around us."

"Yes. Today was really fun..."

As they continued walking around and eating various things, it had suddenly become evening.

The snow sculptures were illuminated by the setting sun and glowed orange.

"That was fun. It's hard to leave, but... Shall we head back to the hotel?"

"Yes... It went by in a flash."

When Clael suggested they head back, Reina nodded.

However, one of Reina's friends... Meili, stopped them.

"Please wait a moment!"

"Miss Meili, is something wrong?"

"There's still something really worth seeing. Just a bit longer, please."

What could be worth seeing?

The answer became clear immediately.

"Whoa...!"

"Wow...!"

As the sun set, lights were turned on.

The snow sculptures were lit up by the magical lamps and began to shine in vivid colors.

"Beautiful..."

"Indeed, this is definitely worth seeing..."

The sight of white snow illuminated by colorful magical lamps was truly fantastical, as if they had wandered into a fairy world.

(Come to think of it... This kind of light-up was a winter tradition...)

Even in Japan, buildings decorated with lights could be seen throughout the city.

In his previous life, Clael had been a struggling student working part-time every day and had no time to enjoy such unique winter scenery.

(Being able to enjoy such beautiful scenery like this... it proves how happy I am now...)

How did he come to have such happiness?

That was obvious... It was thanks to Reina.

(I'm really glad I was reincarnated into this world and got to meet Reina... I need to treasure this happiness that feels so normal...)

"Hm...?"

Someone took his hand.

Turning to the side, Clael saw Reina gripping his hand tightly.

"Reina..."

"Mr. Clael..."

Reina looked up at Clael.

Then... while still facing upward, she gently closed her eyes.

"Huh...?"

What was with that expression?

It looked like she was waiting for a kiss.

(No, no, no! Sure, it's a romantic situation! In this kind of setting, even a first date could end in a kiss!)

Looking around, other couples were hugging and kissing.

When he glanced at Reina's friends, who were supposed to be with her... they were staring intently at Clael and Reina.

"Y-You guys..."

"Mr. Byrne...!"

Meili gave a firm thumbs-up.

No, what's with the thumbs-up? Don't look at us with that excited face.

(Reina is like a daughter or a little sister to me, and right now, we're teacher and student... No matter how you look at it, kissing would be wrong. That'd make me a pervy teacher!)

"Reina... um..."

"Mmm..."

"No, not 'mmm'! It's such a beautiful view, so let's open our eyes and enjoy it, okay!?"

"............"

Reina kept her eyes closed and slightly puckered her lips.

No, stop making that kiss-ready face.

(This is bad... I don't know why, but this is seriously bad...!)

He didn't know what exactly was bad... but it felt more dangerous than when they were attacked by the black lion.

Reina's beauty. That angelic face seemed to have its own gravity, and Clael was slowly being drawn toward her.

Releasing the hand he had been holding, he instead grabbed Reina's shoulders and pulled her closer.

Maybe it was the mood, but Clael slowly leaned his face toward Reina...

"Hey, make way!"

"Ah...!"

A deep male voice made him jolt in surprise.

He quickly let go of Reina's shoulders, which he had pulled in close without realizing.

"We've got a critical patient! Make way for the stretcher!"

"Shaking... trembling...!"

Pushing through the cuddling couples, a stretcher carrying what looked like a patient passed by.

On that stretcher... was Luei Biscuit, one of the main characters, a small animal-like shota.

Luei was frozen solid and being carried away on the stretcher.

"Now that you mention it, he did fall into the ice water... But why is he being carried away at this timing...?"

Clael watched the frozen Luei in stunned silence.

Did he fall in again after that, or had he been drowning in the ice water the whole time?

Either way... it was a level of idiocy unbefitting a main character in an Otome game.

"Well, despite his looks, he's surprisingly tough, so I think he'll be fine..."

In any case, the mood was now completely ruined.

The other couples around them also looked like they had woken from a dream and stared resentfully at the stretcher.

"...We were so close."

Beside Clael, Reina was also biting her thumb with a look of regret.