Chapter 77
“Seriously, that guy is so weird.”
He talks like that, but when it comes to worrying, he’s even worse than Lilia.
Because of that, even though we bickered, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him.
Once I confirmed that Xenon had joined the others, I let out a small sigh and started walking.
The meal was over, and now I just wanted to go back to my tent and rest.
‘Ugh, finally.’
Stretching to loosen up my stiff body after cooking stew for so long, I noticed how sore my wrist was.
Just stirring stew for dozens of people with a ladle was enough to make my wrist ache.
As I rotated my wrist to relieve the soreness…
“Huh?”
My fingers brushed against something solid.
Startled, I turned my head to see Darwin standing there with a sullen expression.
“What the—Darwin, you’re still here?”
“Yeah, I’ve been standing here the whole time while you were talking.”
The solid object my fingers had touched was none other than Darwin’s muscular chest.
I had been with Darwin before Xenon arrived, but I assumed he would’ve wandered off while I was talking.
‘Did he wait here the entire time?’
Could it be that he was still sulking over the slap I gave him earlier?
With his typically boisterous personality, it didn’t seem like the kind of thing he’d hold a grudge over…
…But I couldn’t be sure, so it seemed better to apologize.
After all, we weren’t strangers, and I owed him for all the help he’d given.
“Darwin, about earlier. It was just a joke when I hit you. If it upsets you…”
“It’s not about that.”
“…What?”
Cutting me off, Darwin put on a surprisingly serious expression and spoke slowly.
“I’m here to ask you out.”
His words caught me completely off guard.
“A date?”
Suddenly, I remembered what he had said before we confronted Agatha’s faction head-on.
‘I’m going to burn everything down, so promise me a date when I get back?’
I thought it was a joke.
A silly comment meant to break the suffocating tension of impending war.
That’s what I assumed.
Given Darwin’s usual cheerful and playful demeanor, it made sense.
“Yeah, a date.”
But judging by the sincerity on his face, it seemed it wasn’t a joke after all.
“Oh…”
Caught off guard, I could only stand there with my mouth slightly open, unsure of how to respond.
I never imagined I’d be asked out like this.
“I’m not trying to force you into anything. And I’m certainly not saying you owe me for leading the charge in battle.”
Watching me quietly, Darwin continued speaking, his tone firm yet gentle.
“I’m simply asking out a woman who’s been on my mind ever since I first saw her.”
Since when was Darwin so eloquent?
“I’m not asking as a hero or a warrior. Just as Darwin, one man asking Wendy Porcelain, one woman, for a date.”
There was no boasting about his heroics on the battlefield, no manipulation or pressure—just a straightforward and earnest request.
“You’re free to refuse if you want.”
His words brought a small smile to my lips.
With his oversized frame and nervous expression, he looked like an oversized puppy, and it wasn’t exactly convincing.
“I can’t say no when you look like you’d cry if I did.”
Darwin’s face lit up with a bright, genuine smile.
What a simple guy.
Despite his massive build, he had an unexpectedly cute side to him.
“Let’s go.”
At my words, Darwin grinned and started walking ahead of me.
It felt less like a date and more like taking a giant dog for a walk on a leash at night.
But if he was happy, that was all that mattered, right?
The walk with Darwin turned out to be surprisingly uneventful.
He wasn’t overly forward or flirtatious.
He didn’t try to hold my hand or initiate any skinship.
The only thing he did was take off his coat—which felt more like a blanket—to wrap around me when I shivered from the chilly breeze.
I suppose that’s exactly how his character was in the original story.
He’d approach with a flirtatious attitude, only to awkwardly follow Lyria around like a lovesick puppy, willing to give her his heart and soul.
Wait, he chased after Lyria?
“Hey, how old are you again?”
Now that I thought about it, Darwin’s age…
“…Huh? Twenty years old.”
That was right.
Darwin was only two years older than Lyria.
Because of his rugged, towering physique, it was something that I hadn’t even considered.
Even so, his face still looked youthful for his age.
Fortunately, Darwin wasn’t a minor.
In Darwin’s nomadic tribe, where infant mortality rates were high, age was calculated from the second year of life.
So, an 18-year-old was actually 20 in their reckoning.
In a way, he really was an adult.
Why did I forget about that?
“An immature brat already drinking alcohol at that age!”
But the Confucianism deeply rooted in my bones couldn’t forgive that.
Whether he started counting at two years old or not, he was still technically 18!
Suddenly, his naive reactions made more sense.
At 18, what would he even know?
It’s an age where even holding hands could make your heart race.
“In our tribe, 18 is adulthood.”
When I smirked and jabbed at his side, Darwin, looking briefly puzzled, grumbled in response.
Ah, right. He was from a nomadic tribe.
Even without tribal customs, an 18-year-old in the world of Three Lives Chronicle could be treated as an adult.
“Okay, fine, I won’t treat you like a kid.”
As I said that, I jumped up and put Darwin in a headlock.
“But don’t talk informally to your older sister, you punk!”
Strictly speaking, we were the same age, but in this life, I was a 25-year-old adult!
So technically, I was his older sister, right?
Though with the size difference, I looked half-hanging off of him.
‘This is oddly fun.’
It was like clinging to a massive old tree.
It reminded me of childhood memories.
Chuckling to myself, I reached out and tugged at his cheek.
“…Okay, I get it. Let go.”
“Oh? Are you rebelling against your big sister now?”
Darwin grumbled as he walked, still carrying me draped over his shoulder.
But he didn’t shake me off or shove my arms away.
Instead, he adjusted his hold to make sure I didn’t fall and walked more carefully.
“Heh, this ride is smoother than expected.”
Who would’ve thought he had such a considerate side?
Half-carried by Darwin, I chuckled and enjoyed the cool night breeze.
My legs had been sore, so this worked out perfectly.
Wrapped in Darwin’s coat for warmth, and supported by his broad back, it was surprisingly comfortable.
It turned out to be quite an enjoyable night walk—or rather, a night date.
***
“Well then, sleep tight.”
“Snort!”
After a leisurely stroll around the area, we returned to the tents. Darwin’s goodbye made me snort with laughter.
“…Goodnight, Wendy *nuna.”
“Alright, you too. Sleep well.”
When Darwin awkwardly tacked on “nuna” and blushed slightly, I couldn’t help but grin.
I raised my hand to pat his head…
“…”
…only to realize Darwin was much taller than I’d thought.
Jumping a little, I managed to ruffle his hair. Darwin looked pleased as he walked away.
Finally, I slipped into my sleeping bag.
“Ah, I’m dead tired.”
Every muscle in my body ached.
‘I really pushed myself today.’
Fighting in the Black-and-White War, preparing the memorial service, hosting a banquet, and even going on a night date.
I’d done it all so thoroughly that I felt like I’d pass out the moment my head hit the ground.
But before sleeping, I needed to check one thing.
Luckily, my teammates were already snug in their sleeping bags.
Everyone seemed to be asleep, so I could clean up quietly.
‘Alright, let’s see…’
I summoned my inventory.
Immediately, familiar rectangular windows appeared before me in neat rows.
<‘Wendy Porcelain’s Personal Inventory: 14/20 slots filled>
- Tattered winter dress
- Slightly crude flower necklace
- Handmade flower bracelet
- Fenrir’s Molar
- Half-used premium healing potion
- Resurrection Stone
A mix of random odds and ends filled my inventory.
Apparently, my increased magic power had expanded its capacity from 10 to 20 slots.
‘Now I can store Yeriel’s incense pouch safely.’
I’d been worried about it breaking, but now I quickly added it to the inventory.
[‘Fragrant Scent Pouch’ has been stored in the inventory.]
Oh, so it even auto-names items.
I stared at the screen for a moment, intrigued, before shaking my head.
Well, the flower necklace and bracelet Xenon had gifted me had auto-named too.
‘I didn’t have time to appreciate it back then, but it’s neat.’
But that wasn’t what I needed to focus on right now.
I turned back to examine my inventory.
*( Nuna means “older sister” and is used by a younger male to refer to or address his older sister or an older female he is close to.)
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