NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2085: Date Plan Execution ㉗
Olivia remained in turmoil, her swirling thoughts refusing to settle. On the other hand, Kaito, bewildered by Olivia's sudden freeze, had called out to her several times but received no response.
This was not a case of Olivia ignoring him, however; she was simply unable to keep up with her thoughts…… After a moment, her mind caught up, and Olivia frantically lowered her head with such force that it seemed as if she were about to hit the desk.
[M- M- M- My sincerest apologies! I was so startled by the suddenness of it all that I failed to respond to Miyama Kaito-sama’s calls promptly. I have committed a grave sin worthy of immediate execution. I have no words to excuse myself and will accept any punishment you see fit!]
[No, that wasn't some serious crime or anything, so please calm down. For now, could you raise your head……?]
Seeing Olivia panic-stricken as she apologized, Kaito let out a wry smile and gently prompted her to lift her head. He had grown somewhat accustomed to Olivia’s tendency to react with excessive seriousness whenever she feared she had shown him disrespect.
[S- Such generosity…… Miyama Kaito-sama’s heart is as vast and pure as the great sky. Your kindness toward me is truly saintly…… As expected of the one blessed by Shallow Vernal-sama, your very soul overflows with divinity……]
[Let’s try to calm down, Olivia-san……]
Kaito tried to soothe Olivia, who was clearly flustered and praising him to an extreme degree. He recognized this as a sign that her mind was overwhelmed————- though to be fair, even when not flustered, Olivia often thought similarly effusive compliments in her heart……
Once Olivia finally calmed down, Kaito retrieved a neatly wrapped box from his magic box and placed it before her.
[And so, here are the clothes I mentioned. I’d be happy if you could wear them when we go out together next time, but of course, there's no pressure to do so……][Ah, errr…… I- It's a truly great honor but…… I don’t believe I have done anything to deserve such a gift from Miyama Kaito-sama. Is it truly okay for me to accept this?]
[Yes, of course…… I mean, it has nothing to do with any accomplishments. I simply wanted to give you a gift…… Errr, I thought I’d like to see you wearing this outfit, so please accept it without worry.]
[Y- Yesh.]
To Kaito, his words were intended as reassurance to ease Olivia’s reluctance, and hearing this, Olivia had indeed accepted the box.
However, the result diverged somewhat from Kaito’s intentions. While his main point had been to tell her “Please accept it without worry”, the reasoning he provided was intended only as a supportive gesture to make it psychologically easier for Olivia to accept.
On the other hand, while Olivia certainly understood Kaito’s considerate intentions, what lingered most prominently in her mind was his remark: “I’d like to see you wearing this outfit.” That single statement echoed repeatedly in her thoughts, replaying over and over.
(……Miyama Kaito-sama wants to see me in this outfit…… He desires it…… What is this feeling!? My heart won’t settle down. It’s as if my feet aren’t touching the ground…… I know I need to clear my mind, but more than that, I feel happy…… Wait, no! First, I must properly express my gratitude to Miyama Kaito-sama!)
Inexperienced with such emotions, Olivia found herself bewildered by her own feelings. It wasn’t unpleasant———— on the contrary, joy was welling up within her———— but she struggled to manage these unfamiliar sensations, leaving her feeling unsettled.
[……My deepest gratitude to Miyama Kaito-sama. When we go on our…… d…… d- d……]
[Hmm?]
[……When we go on our date, I will absolutely wear this outfit.]
[Ah, yes. I’ll look forward to it.]
Holding the box as if it were a precious treasure, Olivia expressed her heartfelt thanks. However, unable to fully control her emotions, her cheeks flushed, and she faltered mid-sentence.
(W- What is this? How can I be so unsightly in front of Miyama Kaito-sama? I couldn’t even manage to say the word "date" properly after so many tries! T- This is unacceptable. My mind is unsettled…… Before continuing my expression of gratitude to Miyama Kaito-sama, I must first sharpen my mental focus once more……)
Thus began the unimaginable ascetic struggle of Godism Church's leader, Founder Olivia.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [It’s like her emotions haven’t fully matured yet, or maybe it’s because she was sheltered until she met Kaito, so there’s this strong sense of innocence that makes her easily flustered…… T- That's quite an impressive level of heroine power she’s got there……]