Shinka no Mi – Chapter 60

Chapter 60 – Date with Rurune ~ Plaza

After the eating competition, we once again headed off to the Plaza where all the stall were gathered.

「I-ya、nevertheless、that Parfait was truly delicious！」(Rurune)
「T、That’s right」(Seichii)

Rurune had given me a share of the ≪Great Parfait≫ that only the winners could taste. …..In other words, in the form of a 『Hai 、Ahhhn』
(Note: Refers to the cliche scenes where girls spoon-feed their love interests with food)

While I was still bewildered by it, Rurune had a mysterious expression on her face, probably because I didn’t really understand her.
On top of that, because after she thrust the spoon into my mouth, she went on to use it to eat the parfait as though nothing was wrong, I felt really troubled. Is it just me who is concerned about the indirect kiss……? Actually、am I just too innocent？ Well, other than that……。

「Rurune, even though you just ate at the Eating Competition, are you still going to eat some more？」(Seichii)
「Eh？ Why would I not be able to eat more？」(Rurune)
「Because you just ate a ton of food!?」(Seichii)

What is this girl saying!

「I’m seriously wondering if Rurune’s stomach leads to another dimension……」(Seichii)
「It’s not like that、Master。My stomach isn’t connected anywhere。Except, it just doesn’t have a bottom」(Rurune)
「That’s even more dangerous……！」(Seichii)

At least the idea of a black hole has some sort of charm! …… No wait, it’s the same. Once I calmly thought about it, either ways, it didn’t change that they were both dangerous. While we were having this conversation as we were strolling along, we arrived at our destination, the Plaza.

「Arrival！」(Seichii)
「Waa！ Look Master！ There’s a stall selling large chunks of grilled meat！ Ah、they even have a juice stall over there！」(Rurune)

At once, Rurune began scouring through the surrounding stalls, with a bright gleam in her eyes. She really likes eating, doesn’t she?

「There’s no need to worry about the cost, so feel free to buy whatever you want。We can eat it together.」(Seichii)
「Really!? If so then let’s buy up all the stalls in this Plaza！」(Rurune)
「Know your limits！」(Seichii)

In Rurune’s case, I have a feeling that she wasn’t joking, and meant what she said seriously……The fact that I have enough money to realise that is another thing though！ The power of money is truly scary！

「If you haven’t decided on anything particular, then let’s just start from the front till the back, and try everything」(Seichii)
「That sounds good！ Let’s go with that！」(Rurune)

Following the High-spirited Rurune, I headed to the front-most stall.

「Welcome！ Our Hamburgers are delicious！」
「Old man！ Two of those burgers please！」(Rurune)
「They’re serving Horse-Deer meat here too!?」(Seichii)

What a ridiculously versatile horse! It would really be a good horse if it weren’t for their head! While I was thinking about such things, the two of us began to eat the hamburgers that we bought as we walked on.

「This is my first time eating Horse-Deer Meat but……Is it any good？」(Seichii)

「It’s delicious. The hamburger that is.」(Rurune)
「You already ate it !?」(Seichii)

Turns out Rurune couldn’t just eat a lot, but could also eat fast too……。 When I bit into the Horse-Deer burger that we bought, the meat-juices inside overflowed out and mixed with the crisp lettuce, making it delicious. Horse-Deer meat is great.

「Master！ Let’s eat over there next！」
「Alright、that stall it is」

The next stall we headed to was one that sold Yakisoba.

「If ya wanna taste the Yakisoba brought over by the Heros from the other world, then this is the only place！」

Judging from what he said in order to draw customers in to eat, it seems that this world doesn’t really have people selling Yakisoba. We bought 2 again and carried on eating as we walked. As expected, it didn’t quite taste like the Japanese Yakisoba, but at least it’s at a level where I could say it was delicious. Rurune was…… I guess there’s no need to say After that, we earnest continued to eat the various foods that the stalls had to offer. Takoyaki, Kebabs, Yakitori, Popcorn …… All of them were at a level that that wasn’t inferior to that of Earth’s, and I took my time to savour them all. …… A-re? I can understand Rurune, but aren’t I eating a lot too? ………… It’s almost as if I didn’t have a stomach. And so, we finally arrived at the last stall. I saw a sign saying it was a crepe-stall, so it’s likely we’ll be eating crepes. However, as there was already a queue, and we were the last in line, it looked like it would take quite a while. When it was finally our turn when we wanted to order our crepes, it turned out that there was only one left, so we had to make do with only one, as we went towards a bench somewhere nearby to rest.

「How disappointing that there was only one left」(Seichii)
「A-no……Master？ Is this really alright？」(Rurune)
「Eh？ What is？」(Seichii)
「That……I should have the crepe……」(Rurune)
「Don’t worry about it。I’ve already eaten quite a lot, and above all it makes me happy to see Rurune’s happy face as you eat delicious food」(Seichii)
「……Alright」(Rurune)

When I said that, Rurune blushed red, and had a small bite of the crepe. Still, what exactly is going on with my stomach?
(Note: Warning, Density levels have just soared over 9000)
Even though I ate so much, I don’t feel full, nor do I feel hungry either. At last, the physical phenomena that show off how much of a monster I am have begun to manifest! In the meantime, my need to go to the toilet has also ceased! Once again reminded of how my body changed, I couldn’t stop the tears flowing from my eyes.

「Ah……Master！」(Rurune)

When I heard her urgent call, I turned my gaze to Rurune’s direction, and saw her pointing the crepe at me, her face completely red.

「H、How……about one bite……？」(Rurune)

Who are you? I don’t know this girl. When I grasped her hand unconsciously earlier she had the same reaction but, it seems that I really don’t fully understand her feelings. Even though she was treating the indirect kiss earlier at the diner so normally, she’s acting so embarrassed now. Well, there is the possibility that Rurune simply didn’t notice it back the diner though.

「N-No！ Don’t mind me！」(Seichii)
「Is it……no good？ I just wanted us to be able to share the taste ……」(Rurune)

That may be so, but as it’ll be another indirect kiss, as a gentleman here I should refuse!

「……Itadakimasu」(Seichii)

Impossible Do you think I can refuse a request from someone with such a sad face? Do I look like such a courageous guy to you!? Fearfully, I bit into the crepe that Rurune held out. While it was the classic flavour of banana and chocolate, the thin crepe together with the chocolate, and banana all together was exquisite, and very delicious. After I took a bite、when Rurune was going to have another bite of her own, as if realising something, her face blushed red, and she finished the rest of the crepe in a hurry。……Seeing that made even me feel embarrassed！ Blushing unconsciously, Rurune covered her face with both of her hands, as she unintentionally murmurs

「For me, to experience such happiness……Is something that I would never have thought」 (Rurune)

Turning my eyes to Rurune’s face, I saw the expression of distress on her face that I had yet to have seen till this day.

「It is only thanks to Master that I now have this Human form。But, in reality, I should never have had the chance to experience the splendour that is human food, and spent my lifetime as a mere donkey.」 (Rurune)
「My mother once told me that I would never have the chance to form bonds with any of the mares that I might love, and I was told that I would spend my life being forced into toiling away for the Humans 。However, from the knight she once served, the one who came to be known as the Hero of the donkeys 【Rurunerion】, my mother decided to give me the name 【Rurune】based off that. In hopes that I would lead a similar fate in my lifetime」 (Rurune)
「And then, I met Master, and since then every day has been fresh and fun…… I had many of my『First Times』because of you.」(Rurune)

Saying that Rurune turned to face me, her smile filled with kindness – No, something more precious than that.

「My fate……Is with you, Master。The the fact that I was able to meet you …… gave me great joy。So thank you。For meeting me」(Rurune)

『For meeting me』is probably a strange reason to give thanks for、but it must have been very important to Rurune。 However――――。

「Rurune。Would you say you’re happy right now？」 (Seiichi)
「Y、Yes」(Rurune)
「That’s a mistake」(Seiichi)

Rurune’s eye shot wide open in shock at my words. Even though it was slightly embarrassing, I clearly told Rurune.

「Because, from now on, I’ll make you even happier」(Seichii)

「Not just me, but Saria and Al too。All the kind people around you will have you so happy that you’ll never say that you’re already happy right now」(Seichii)

Rurune said it was her destiny for her to meet me, but that’s the same for me too. It was by chance, that because I learnt how to communicate with demons and animals, and again, that I had not yet bought another Horse, that I was able to meet with her. I don’t know whether it was because my luck stat is high, but even so for us to meet, is a miracle that only happens once even amongst the many people. The phrase “once-in-a-lifetime encounter”, is exactly what it is, and I think our meeting is something I should treasure greatly.

「That’s why, I’ll be in your care from now on！」(Seichii)
「Tsu！ Hai！」(Rurune)

Rurune answered me energetically, her face full of smiles. At that moment, the 【Necklace on Endless Love】on my neck began to glow.

「This is……！」(Seichii)

When the light faded, in my hand, was another of the same necklace that I had on me. …… Hold on a second The【Necklace Of Endless Love】’s effect was to divide into the number of people who love each other but……Why did the number increase？ Of course, if you were to ask me if I liked Rurune, I would be able to confidently answer that I liked her. But、that like is a different kind of like。Yeah、『Like』！ No, come on, even if one is told [Can’t “Liking” mean both “Like” or “Love”?!], it cannot be helped….. In the first place, this isn’t just about me. Rurune’s feeling is also related. How do I put this? I’m not hated……I think。I hope。I want to hope！ However, I know nothing about this at all. It’s because I have no experience with girls! A Girl’s Heart has always been a mystery since the very start! Well, it can’t be helped that the number of necklaces has increased. That being said, I decided to hand the necklace over to Rurune.

「A-no……Master、this is？ Saria-sama and the others wear these necklaces but……」(Rurune)
「A–to……What would be a good way to say this……」(Seichii)

It’s really embarrassing to explain what the necklace is. If she doesn’t understand it properly, it may end up making me look like a bastard after all! Then just don’t explain it! Well, I can’t actually do that, so I decided to just obediently tell her。…… I was still embarrassed though. Rurune, upon hearing my explanation ――――。

「F-F-For mew and Master to be……Mutually in Love!? T-that’s not possible！ I’m not a good match with Master、and in the first place I’m a Donkey！」(Rurune)

Rejected it with all her being, while her face was flushed red. While I don’t think that we don’t match, the issue about her being a donkey is not even a problem for me. After all, Saria is a Gorilla! Like it’ll matter at this point! Just that、going by Rurune’s denial、it could mean that the【Necklace of Endless Love】’s effect was rather broad。It said mutual love、but it might be just to the extent of having goodwill towards the other person。……A-re？ I have a feeling that two aren’t all that different……。 In any case, I didn’t have a choice not to hand the created Necklace over to Rurune, so I did just that

「Well, it might be impossible that Rurune loves me 、but please take it。It has all sorts of handy functions, and it doesn’t cause you any harm either」(Seichii)
「T-That……I, about Master……」(Rurune)

Just when Rurune was about to say something, it looked like she immediately realised something and fell silent. I wonder what happened? Because there was no other way, I just went up to Rurune to place the necklace on her myself.

「It’s something that I got coincidentally、but here’s a present from me」(Rurune)

While she was still gazing at the necklace in shock, her hands grasped the necklace gently, like it was something very precious to her. In the meanwhile, with a strangely awkward atmosphere around us, I brought Rurune to Noado-san’s『Cafe Akkoriente』 and treated her to some delicious cake and tea. Once we started eating, the awkward atmosphere faded away, and it returned to normal but, the cake was so delicious that Rurune repeatedly ordered for more, to the point where I got to see the normally calm Noado-san in a state of surprise.