Chapter 208: Getting Closer
After nearly an hour inside the clothing store, Noah finally finished trying on everything.
In the end he had chosen six complete outfits.
Three had been selected by Arisha.
The other three had been picked by Lyria.
Standing in front of the large mirror while changing clothes over and over again had been an oddly new experience for him.
Even stranger the entire time, two beautiful young women had sat nearby, watching him walk out in different outfits before giving their opinions.
"That color suits you."
"You look much better in this one."
"Try the black jacket."
"No, the white shirt looks better."
Each compliment had felt surprisingly genuine.
It had been the first time in his life that any girl had spent so much effort helping him choose clothes.
Noah couldn’t help smiling to himself.
’...It wasn’t bad.’
Eventually, the three of them carried several shopping bags toward the checkout counter.
The cashier began scanning every item one after another.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
After a minute, the total appeared on the display.
Noah looked at it. Then looked again.
"The hell?! Why is it so expensive?!"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Arisha glanced at the amount before quietly leaning closer to him.
She lowered her voice so only he could hear.
"...Noah."
"Hm?"
"I think I’ll only buy one outfit."
She smiled helplessly. "This is far too expensive. For my dress, just tell me which one you liked the most out of the three, and I’ll take that one."
Noah gave a small nod.
He had been thinking the same thing.
Even buying two outfits, one chosen by Lyria and one by Arisha, would already be stretching his budget.
After all Arisha came from a commoner family.
And Noah although he carried the Eldritch surname, he had long since been exiled from the family.
The allowance he received was nowhere near enough to casually spend such a large amount on clothing.
Just then Lyria stepped beside them.
She looked at both of them before smiling gently.
"You don’t have to worry."
Both Noah and Arisha looked toward her.
"I’ll pay for everything."
Silence fell.
Noah blinked.
"...Lyria."
She smiled warmly.
"It’s fine."
"No."
"It really is."
Arisha sighed before rubbing her forehead. "Daughter of a duke..." She laughed softly. "No wonder this amount is nothing to you."
Noah nodded with complete seriousness. "Lyria is an angel."
Arisha immediately agreed. "Definitely."
Lyria’s cheeks turned pink.
"S-Stop it, you two!"
Her embarrassed expression only made both of them laugh even harder.
In the end despite Noah insisting several times for giving some money, Lyria refused to let either of them pay.
She quietly settled the entire bill herself before the three of them finally left the clothing store.
By the time they stepped outside, nearly three hours had already passed.
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully.
They wandered through the bustling streets of Novaris City, visiting small souvenir shops and bookstores before stopping at several roadside stalls.
The aroma of grilled meat, roasted corn, and freshly baked pastries filled the lively streets.
Noah bought grilled skewers while Arisha insisted on trying nearly every snack she came across.
Lyria quietly followed behind them with a gentle smile, occasionally laughing whenever Arisha dragged Noah toward another food stall.
As the afternoon slowly faded. The three eventually arrived at a peaceful park.
Children played happily across the green fields while couples strolled along the stone pathways. A cool breeze rustled through the trees.
The atmosphere felt calm.
Noah found himself genuinely enjoying the moment.
By the time they began walking back toward the academy, the sky had already turned orange. The setting sun painted the entire campus with warm golden light.
The gentle evening breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers through the stone pathways.
Noah walked quietly between them.
"...Today was nice," he muttered.
Neither of the girls spoke immediately.
The peaceful silence felt surprisingly comforting.
After a few moments, Lyria slowly stepped a little closer to him.
She lowered her gaze toward the stone path. "...I’ll miss you two."
Noah looked at her. He smiled sheepishly. "True. I will miss you two as well."
Then he chuckled softly. "Hah... my days back home are probably going to be incredibly boring."
Lyria looked up at him. "You can call me from time to time."
Her smile grew warmer. "We can just... talk."
Noah smiled. "Of course. I’ll even video call you."
Lyria giggled.
"I’ll be waiting."
"Hey." Arisha folded her arms dramatically. "Don’t forget about me."
Noah laughed. "As if I could."
"Hmph."
She nodded in satisfaction.
"Good answer."
For a while, the three continued walking beneath the orange sky.
Then Arisha suddenly moved closer. Without warning, she slipped her arm through Noah’s and held his hand.
His body stiffened slightly.
"W-What are you doing?"
She looked at him with an amused smile. "So...How does it feel?"
Noah blinked.
"...How does what feel? I mean..."
Her teasing expression softened. "You were completely down."
She looked ahead as they walked.
"But now...it seems like you’re finally smiling again. Genuinely."
Noah fell silent. He hadn’t even realized it himself.
After a long moment. A small, genuine smile slowly appeared on his face. He’s hand slowly intertwined with her.
"...Thank you."
He looked forward at the road stretching toward the academy.
"...Thank you... both of you."
Lyria smiled softly.
Arisha simply squeezed his hand. Her ears turned into soft shade of pink.
Lyria was oblivious to this.
The three of them continued walking side by side beneath the golden evening sky, their shadows stretching across the stone pathway as the academy gates slowly came into view.
They were growing closer to Noah slowly.
---
Meanwhile, back at the academy.
Inside the training hall, Damien sat on the floor, exhausted and drenched in sweat after another grueling training session with Morgana.
"You did well today."
"Thank you, Master," Damien replied, breathing heavily.
Morgana gave a slight nod.
"Anyway, enjoy this remaining month with your family. Next month, we will be visiting the Duchy of Thornveil."
"Thornveil?" Damien asked in surprise. "You mean the duchy where Ophelia is from?"
---
[A/N:] Shit, I kept writing and writing, and I just couldn’t stop. Sorry for stretching this date for so many Chapters. Tch! The sad thing is, you guys will never get the chance to go on a date with two beautiful ladies... well, neither will I. Sigh... At least I can write it in a novel.]
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