I Think My Fiancé Has Regressed

Chapter 63: Witch of Walpurgis (2)

After dinner, Ariana and I took a short stroll through the Imperial Academy Park, enjoying the quiet, with not even a hint of unease in the air.

It was an unusually warm afternoon in Eloreal today, despite the winter, so it was a pleasant enough time for a leisurely stroll around the grounds.

Of course, there’s no such thing as a bad time when I’m alone with Ariana.

Ariana turned her head in my direction as she pulled on a pink furry hat from a stall.

“Alex, what do you think of this hat?”

“It’s cute.”

“And this shawl?”

“It’s cute too.”

“…And these gloves?”

“Yeah, they’re cute.”

“…….”

Ariana, who had been happily trying on hats and gloves at a stall selling them, gave me a pointed look as if she didn’t like something.

“Are you sure you’re looking at this seriously?”

“I’m looking at it seriously, why?”

“Well, you keep saying the same thing. Guys just don’t enjoy shopping with girls, do they?”

I was just blurting out the first thing that popped into my head, which apparently didn’t resonate with Ariana.

“I can’t help it, Ariana, anything you wear is bound to be cute.”

“…What?”

“Clothes are like angel wings to you, Ariana, and no matter what you wear, everyone will think you’re cute and beautiful. No matter what else you wear, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re an angel underneath.

So no matter what you wear, Ariana, it’s only going to help bring out the tens of thousands of things about you.”

“…….”

“This furry hat also hides Ariana’s finely braided hair, but instead enhances her innocent, gentle smile.

This shawl will cover the soft nape of her neck, but it will accentuate her cozy image. And these gloves….”

“Oh, I see! I’m sorry for being so mean to you!”

I don’t remember her saying anything that warranted an apology, but Ariana blushed at my words and hastily covered her mouth.

After paying for the items she was wearing at the stall, she walked away, hand in hand with me, to another location.

“…Hmph.”

Ariana smiled happily as she pulled on the pink furry hat I’d complimented her on, and a small flutter of excitement began to rise in my chest.

I realized that after all these years of seeing her up close, I was still able to see her in a new light.

I took a moment to be silently grateful for that fact.

…even though it’s a shame that I won’t be able to see the new Ariana that I know will emerge in the future.

I’m not going to waste any more unnecessary time on a future that I can’t control.

With all the time I’ve wasted trying to find a cure for my illness, it would have been much more efficient to do something productive with that time.

Either that, or spend a little more time with Ariana.

In the end, it was my destiny to accept what was in front of me.

After all, the future that Ariana and I had created over the past year was a far better one than the one I had in my previous life.

There was no destruction of the southern villages by demons off the coast of Canbina, no student casualties from the High Elemental Rampage at the Academy.

Most importantly, the woman who had stuck by my side and tried to manipulate the state at will was gone, so the future was looking favorably for both of us.

I can’t say that this is enough, of course, but it’s certainly enough to make me feel satisfied enough to not regret it.

For now, I just focus on living for her until the end of my days.

“Ariana, why don’t we go to that dessert shop you mentioned the other day, you said there was a dessert you wanted to try.”

“It was kind of a passing comment, did you remember that?”

“Of course I remember anything you say, Arianna.”

I even remember the fifth day of our carriage ride to the Eloreal Empire, even whether it was morning or afternoon.

“After today, there’s no telling when we’ll have time again. Ariana has a lecture tomorrow afternoon, right?”

“You’re right, if I’m going to enjoy my date with Alex, I might as well make the most of it without regrets.”

A sentiment that resonated with me a hundred times over.

“Anyway, I asked Eamon about a dessert shop the other day, one of the ones near the entrance to the academy….”

Suddenly, I felt a chill run down my back.

At the same time, I began to feel an ominous sensation in my head that I expected.

It was an unnerving, ominous sensation that could only be described as foreign to the surroundings.

It was a familiar sensation, one that I remembered encountering in my previous life.

It didn’t take long to realize what it was.

“Did you feel it, Ariana?”

Turning my head to study Ariana’s expression, she seemed to have noticed the change in the flow of energy around her as well

“Yeah……..”

I didn’t need to explain what I felt.

Ariana’s eyes had already changed to a look of intent to end this date and solve the reason she had come to the Empire in the first place.

“…Perhaps we should save dessert for another time.”

“…Right.”

The tone of her voice hinted that she was going to have a less than pleasant time, though it would probably be the witch of Walpurgis, not Ariana, who would be spending that time.

* * *

On the way to the research building of the Imperial Academy, I sent an urgent call to Eamon through the communicator.

After briefly explaining that the Witch of Walpurgis had appeared, I asked them to gather at the location of the Witch of Walpurgis’ appearance with their weapons drawn.

“What? Now?”

“Yes, Eamon. The Academy’s research wing.”

“Oh, I was just having a good time with Charlotte.”

“Don’t be silly, Eamon, and fly over quickly.”

“Who says I’m not going?”

After hearing Eamon’s final reply that three minutes was enough time, I quickly walked toward the Academy’s research building.

With Ariana cradling herself in my arms, I powered off the communicator and returned it to my pocket.

“Gee, being held as a princess in front of so many people…I’m a little embarrassed, to be honest.”

“I’m sorry, Ariana, I just couldn’t think of a better way to do it.”

“That’s okay, I’m just a little embarrassed to be seen by others, not that I don’t like it.”

Since Ariana can’t use any magic other than dark magic, she can’t use arcane or wind magic to accelerate her body like I can.

That’s why I’ve been traveling with her in a carriage for nearly ten days, wasting away.

The Witch of Walpurgis was a demon I had defeated in a previous life.

It was not an easy hunt, to say the least, as I had to deal with a creature that had grown stronger and stronger in my previous life.

Thousands of soldiers’ lives were sacrificed like ants to simply weaken the Witch of Walpurgis.

And, of course, I remember clearly what happened afterward.

“Gee, now’s the time, folks, to pour all of our magic into them while it’s still weakened!

With those words, the deaths of thousands of soldiers became the deaths of dogs.

Although I and Eamon miraculously defeated the rejuvenated Witch of Walpurgis, it was a battle that ended with both of us severely wounded, requiring over a month of treatment at the church.

…Compared to then, I must say that the situation is certainly favorable in many ways.

The Witch of Walpurgis has not yet regained her full power, and the stage is set for a definite collaboration with Eamon from our first battle.

Most of all, I have the most capable Ariana in the world by my side now, not the same woman I had then.

“Koooooo!”

As we neared the research building, I heard a cry I hadn’t heard in a long time.

Judging by the volume of the sound, it probably wasn’t too strong, so maybe I could take care of it before Eamon got here.

“There they are! Prepare to attack!”

Until I heard the voice of an Imperial Academy professor right behind me.

As I’ve said many times before, the Eloreal Empire is a land of magic.

Its mastery of magic is unrivaled by any other nation.

On the other hand, it was also a country that was not prepared to use anything other than magic to solve everything.

Presumably, when they say prepare to attack now, they don’t mean to prepare an effective physical attack against this thing.

“All hands, fire!”

The first thing I saw when I turned the last alley and the Academy’s research wing were dozens of wizards, chanting a single professor’s words, firing magic in unison at the Witch of Walpurgis.

The result, of course, was obvious.

“Koooooooooo!!!”

The creature, which was the size of a tall adult at most, grew to the size of half the research building in an instant.

…I guess it’s going to be hard to end this early and resume our date.