Chapter 17
See—Lian Qi was wearing a white shirt, long pants, and a loosely-worn tie. You have to understand, this is the Magic Academy uniform—I’m talking about the boys’ uniform! How could I not be shocked?
“…What are you reacting like that for? It’s not like you haven’t seen me wear it before.” She put one hand on her hip and chided me.
“You’re wearing boys’ clothes… on a date with me??”
I’m wearing girls’ clothes, she’s wearing boys’ clothes, and we’re… going on a date together!? What kind of ‘play’ is this?
She hummed twice, pleased with herself. “Do I look like a boy?”
“No!”
I’ve already seen her completely naked. Even if she wears boys’ clothes, her feminine features are impossible to erase from my mind. Besides, I’ve gotten used to seeing her in skirts recently.
“…You actually said no? Should I be happy or disappointed?”
“…Normally, a girl would be unhappy if someone said she looked like a boy, right?”
As for a boy being told he looks like a girl… I… I don’t know, I don’t know…
“The point is, why are you wearing the boys’ uniform?”
Please don’t tell me she’s just doing it for nostalgia.
“I’m doing it to match you.”
“Match me?” I looked down at my Lolita dress, very confused.
“That’s right. If I wear girls’ clothes, people will think I’m your best girl friend. But if I wear boys’ clothes, people will think I’m your… boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend!?”
My face flushed red with a whoosh.
What a shameful word!
It’s over, it’s over. Our genders are all mixed up. Everything is a mess!
“You were so eager to go on this date with me… was this your plan all along? D-Did… you just want me to feel this shame?”
“What’s the big deal? You get embarrassed way too easily.”
…I was too ashamed to answer. Lian Qi would never understand why I was having such a strong reaction of shame.
Seeing her sloppy tie triggered my obsessive-compulsive side. I reached for her collar to straighten it, which also served as a good way to hide my current feelings. She stood perfectly still, just watching me. The atmosphere became strange.
“I remember the last time you helped me with my tie, you said: ‘If your tie is crooked when you go out, people will see it and think I’m an incompetent maid.‘”
“I said something like that???”
What’s with those lines? My “Maid Power” is off the charts…
“So, this time, shouldn’t you be straightening my tie and saying: ‘If your tie is crooked when you go out, people will see it and think I’m an incompetent girlfriend.‘”
My mind was a complete mess after hearing that.
“What do you mean, girlfriend!?”
“Oh? Don’t tell me you think I’m your girlfriend?” Lian Qi looked surprised at first, then that mischievous smile returned.
“Fei’er, just stop struggling. It’s obvious at a glance which of us is the ‘top’ and which is the ‘bottom’.”
“If I went on the ‘attack,’ it’d scare you to death.”
I muttered under my breath, then stared at her chest and pursed my lips in a small smile, deciding to counterattack. “You’re so close, I can vaguely see your underwear.”
“Ah?”
“The shirt is white, so it’s a bit see-through. You’ve shown your weakness.”
“…The boys’ uniform also has a jacket, you know. I’m just not wearing it.”
Lian Qi swallowed awkwardly. Ha… Did I actually manage to make her feel embarrassed?
“So, where are we going now?” I asked with a smile, having finished with her tie.
“Let’s walk around town first?”
We’re way too conspicuous!
If I weren’t wearing a Lolita dress…
If Lian Qi weren’t wearing the boys’ uniform, making me look like her girlfriend just by walking next to her…
I wouldn’t feel this uncomfortable.
Walking down the street… just as I expected, a lot of people gave me a long look as they passed by. You have no idea how embarrassing it was. This experience was completely different from trying it on at home and admiring myself in the mirror. This was… being completely exposed under the sun.
“If you’re feeling shy, you can hold my arm, you know?” Lian Qi teased.
“No way! Wouldn’t that be even more embarrassing?” I glanced at her, abashed, and continued staring down at my feet, watching my white-stockinged legs peek in and out from under my skirt.
At that moment, a couple walked past us, the girl holding the boy’s arm. Lian Qi and I were just walking side-by-side; I was so stiff I wasn’t even brushing her shoulder.
Faced with this couple showing off their love, I wondered… was I being too “tsundere” and disregarding Lian Qi’s feelings?
“Do… you want to hold hands?” I asked cautiously.
Lian Qi didn’t say a word, just offered me her hand.
I held her hand and couldn’t help but frown. “Why is your hand so cold?”
“Why are you so warm?” Lian Qi asked back.
Who made me this… ahem.
“Can’t you tell I’m so nervous my palms are sweating?” I said evasively.
The couple passed in front of me, and the guy suddenly looked back at me in amazement.
“I think… I just saw the Saintess?”
“Hmph, everyone looks like the Saintess to you!” the girl said, annoyed.
“But it really was—”
The guy hurriedly tried to explain to his girlfriend, while I… felt a chill run down my back.
There’s something I just can’t figure out.
“Why is it that I get recognized as the Saintess when I wear a Lolita dress, but not when I wear a maid uniform?”
I remembered being instantly recognized by a noble at Lilo’s birthday banquet (the first time I wore high heels) when I was wearing a formal dress…
“Because regular people would never believe the Saintess would wear a maid uniform. Even if they thought you looked like her, they wouldn’t dare to be sure.”
“Eh? So they would believe I’d wear a Lolita dress?”
The Saintess, gifted to humanity by the Holy Light, likes to dress up as a… loli… If word of this gets out, it’ll probably cause another uproar.
“Isn’t being ‘down-to-earth’ a good thing? Didn’t you always insist you’re no different from ordinary people?”
Down-to-earth!?
What does the Saintess wearing a Lolita dress have to do with being ‘down-to-earth’?…
“You’re not wrong, but…” I looked around, my heart uneasy. Were people staring at me because I was dressed so… childishly, or because they recognized me as the Saintess?
“Still, if I’m recognized this easily, won’t the fact that I’m on a date with you become common knowledge in the city?”
“Isn’t that even better? Isn’t getting word to those old men at the Church exactly what you wanted? You only suggested this date because you were sulking about the Church, right?”
“Y-You… you seem pretty pleased that people know about us now, don’t you?” I shot Lian Qi a reproachful glance and stammered.
I could already guess what she was thinking. It’s like… marking her territory on my body, a feeling of claiming ownership.
“I know, I know. You told me to keep a low profile, to avoid another ‘Einstein’ popping up. He only kept his mouth shut because he had his own selfish plans to betray the Demon King. If it had been one of the Demon King’s other subordinates, we might not have been so lucky.”
Suddenly, Lian Qi squeezed my hand tightly. Her hand, which I had warmed up, was now transferring that warmth back into my palm.
“Hmph. The day I’m strong enough to not fear the Demon King, I’ll definitely let the whole world know that you are my—”
“You’re just going to say ‘girlfriend,’ aren’t you?”
Wait, I’m not a “girl” friend—!
Chapter 18
“You’re not going to say ‘girlfriend,’ are you?”
Wait—I’m not a “girlfriend”!
“Are you being tsundere?”
“Ah… what?”
“Fine. If you’re that against it, then forget it.”
Lian Qi pulled her hand away from mine and started walking off, angry.
Did I… Did I accidentally make her upset?
Those things she said just now while squeezing my hand… she was serious. I could feel it. She must be disappointed by my reaction.
I froze for half a second, then instinctively grabbed her hand. I wasn’t about to let her walk away.
“Wait! That’s not what I meant…”
Lian Qi stopped, her face stern, and glanced at me.
Because of that secret I can’t tell anyone, I feel extremely embarrassed by the word “girlfriend.”
“Don’t be mad, okay? J-Just… just assume I was being tsundere.” I stammered.
I held her hand, and we stood there in a stalemate on the street for a few seconds.
“…That’s more like it.”
I’ve discovered that Lian Qi is super easy to placate.
We’ve argued a few times before, and she always forgets about it after a little while. Even that time I pinned her to the bed, she was really angry, but afterward… she managed to get over it.
“Let’s go. Let’s go shopping for clothes.”
Her hand slipped from my grasp, only to grab mine back. I could clearly feel the anger simmering above her head dissipate, and her whole demeanor became lively again.
“…Wh-What clothes?” I asked, as she started dragging me along.
“A wedding dress. For you.”
“In your dreams! Why don’t you wear one!?” I retorted, blushing.
We passed a clothing store, and my soul was instantly captivated by the dazzling array of women’s clothing in the window. Back when I thought I was a girl, I never had such a strong desire for female clothing. It was just… “the stuff I was supposed to wear.” Now… the desire to wear them is even stronger. What the hell is that about?
…These dresses… don’t look like they can be pulled off by someone like me, who has no chest.
“If you like them, let’s go in and look.”
“…I didn’t say I liked them—Uwaah!”
Without waiting for an answer, Lian Qi dragged me inside.
I didn’t want her to see through me so easily! It’s a little embarrassing!
“Welcome~”
The shopkeeper flashed us a professional smile.
Am I not completely out of place, shopping in a store like this while dressed so childishly? I collected myself, trying to act like I hadn’t just been forcibly dragged in by Lian Qi.
“…Which one should you try?” Lian Qi started browsing the racks of dresses, completely at ease.
Since she’s a girl, she’s probably used to browsing stores like this, right? But to an outsider—
“Picking out a dress for your girlfriend?” the shopkeeper asked warmly, standing next to her.
The shopkeeper’s words hit my sense of shame right on the mark! Being mistaken for her girlfriend by a stranger is super embarrassing!
“Yeah, of course.”
I watched with my own eyes as a triumphant smile spread across Lian Qi’s lips.
Lian Qi, oh, Lian Qi… Did you wear the boys’ uniform just for this moment?
The shopkeeper glanced at me in my little Lolita dress and smiled. “Your girlfriend is so cute.”
I didn’t hear that, I didn’t hear…
I stood frozen, wishing I could disappear. I was squeezing my thumbs so hard they were turning white.
“Fei’er.”
Lian Qi pulled a black dress off the rack and held it up for me.
“Try this black one. I’ve never seen you wear black clothes.”
I really didn’t own any black clothes. Not even underwear.
“Why don’t you…?” I muttered quietly, a symbolic, powerless protest. But I still obediently took the dress she handed me.
I’ve always worn white clothes with my white hair, giving off a feeling of purity. It was a total unknown what kind of vibe I’d give off in a black dress.
“Um… excuse me… where is the changing room?” I asked weakly, holding the dress.
As I stood in front of the changing room, a wave of complex emotions washed over me. It didn’t have a door, just a curtain. You could just lift it and walk right in.
“What’s wrong?” Lian Qi asked, seeing me standing there frozen.
“…N-Nothing. When I’m trying this on… don’t you dare peek, okay?”
If I didn’t lay down the law beforehand, it would be disastrous if she suddenly barged in while I was changing.
“Even now… you’re still too shy to let me see you change?”
“You just don’t get it…”
My face crimson, I pushed her a little further away and slipped into the changing room.
And came face-to-face with a full-length mirror.
“Ah…”
So this is what I look like to other people? I swallowed nervously, looking at my shy reflection in the Lolita dress. I couldn’t help but feel bashful. If I put my hair in pigtails, I’d probably look even younger, wouldn’t I?
Right, trying on the dress is more important! I turned and pulled the curtain shut… only to notice there was a gap at the bottom. This means… Lian Qi will be able to see my feet from the outside while I’m changing…
Feeling very uncomfortable, I took off the Lolita dress and put on the black one-piece.
My first reaction was—a black dress paired with the white stockings I’m wearing… feels a little strange.
However, I had no time to think about whether it looked good or not, because there was a much more serious problem! I had no choice but to clutch the dress to my chest and poke my head out of the changing room.
“Um… Lian… Qi… Please come in for a second,” I said, embarrassed.
“Hm? What’s up? Do you need help with the zipper on the back?”
“…Just come in, you’ll see!”
This scene was witnessed by the shopkeeper, who was passing by with a stack of clothes. She cast a look at us that seemed to say, “Wow, this couple is so lovey-dovey~!”
Once Lian Qi had slipped into the changing room with me, I quickly pulled the curtain shut again.
We stood face-to-face in the cramped space. I kept one arm clutched to my chest, the words I needed to say stuck in my throat, too awkward to get out.
Why was I clutching my chest?
…Because if I didn’t, the dress would fall…
“Th-The dress you… asked me to try on… is strapless…” I said to her, completely abashed.
This was why I called Lian Qi in. I couldn’t very well walk out of the changing room half-dressed.
Lian Qi’s face showed dawning realization. Hmph. She looked so punchable.
“No wonder you were holding your chest.”
…Don’t even mention it.
“Just how flat are you?” she laughed, completely unrestrained, in this public place.
“D-Don’t… don’t say things like that! This is a changing room, people outside will hear—! Anyway… I can’t wear this dress.”
“Sure you can. It’ll be fine if you just wear some invisible padding, right?”
“Invisible padding? How… how could I wear something like that…?”
Just hearing the words, just thinking about it, felt shameful.
“You don’t have to keep clutching your chest. There’s no one else in here… Let… let me check, okay?”
“…This is a changing room—N-No, you can’t! People will hear—!”
Chapter 20
Did my current appearance trigger Lian Qi’s… desire… to bully me?
She lunged, pinning me against the full-length mirror in the changing room, and covered my mouth to keep me quiet.
“Don’t make a sound. Unless you want the shopkeeper and customers outside to hear.”
I froze, still clutching the dress to my chest, not knowing what to do. When she saw I’d become compliant, she uncovered my mouth.
“Don’t mess around… This is a changing room,” I panted, reminding her quietly, hoping she’d come to her senses.
“Then be a good boy and don’t make any noise. You don’t want anyone to hear, do you?”
“Are you crazy!?”
Besides, the changing room “door” was just a curtain. I was terrified someone would suddenly barge in.
Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed my lips.
Doing this… in a changing room… it’s too reckless!
…I’m dying of shame. I gently pushed her away. If… if she found out I wasn’t a girl, would she blast me to death with explosion magic?
“W-We’ve… been in the changing room too long. We should go… or people will get suspicious,” I stammered.
…
A moment later—
“We’ll take this dress.”
Lian Qi placed the black dress I had just tried on onto the counter.
I walked out of the changing room, having switched back into my Lolita dress, feeling extremely awkward. I peeked bashfully at her utterly satisfied expression. I didn’t know what to feel other than embarrassed.
So she decided to buy the dress after all?
“Thank you, that will be 800 Holy Light Coins.”
The shopkeeper smiled, folded the dress, and placed it in a bag.
Just as I was about to get my money, Lian Qi paid first.
“…”
“I earned a bit of bounty from the goblin subjugation, so I’ll buy it for you,” Lian Qi said nonchalantly.
She used the first bounty she ever earned as an adventurer… to buy me a dress. This… feels very strange.
“Thank you for your purchase.”
We walked out of the clothing store, me carrying the newly purchased dress.
I looked at her and said, “So you really bought it.”
“Yeah. Because I thought you looked really good in it.”
“I wasn’t even wearing it properly, and you thought it looked good…” I said, feeling chagrined. It’s my fault for not having a chest to wear a strapless dress.
“I think black suits you well. Especially since you’re wearing white stockings today.”
…Having her say that made me instinctively stare at my own legs.
“I’m a girl, and even I wanted to push you down in that changing room.”
“What kind of thing is that to say…”
Since she bought it for me, I guess it would be rude not to wear it. But I’ll have to use padding…
“Where to next…?”
“After buying the dress… I don’t have much money left for food.”
In a fast-food restaurant, Lian Qi returned with a tray and placed it in front of me. On it were fries, fried chicken wings, and juice.
“It’s okay. I’m happy eating anything,” I said with a smile, trying to comfort her. I knew she must have wanted to take me somewhere nicer for our date, but the bounty from her first quest was limited. We ended up here.
“Fei’er, do you want fries?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Okay, open wide.”
Lian Qi picked up a fry and held it to my lips. Feeding me in public like this… it made me a little embarrassed.
But it was already at my mouth, so it felt rude not to accept the fry.
“These fries aren’t made from magic potatoes, are they?”
“You don’t eat magically-grown ingredients either?”
“No, it’s just… ever since I saw that 150-kilogram magic potato, I can’t help but think of it whenever I see potato-based foods.”
“Then it’s fine. Here, have another one.”
“You should eat some too,” I said bashfully.
She fed me again. It’s hard to refuse such hospitality.
What’s gotten into Lian Qi today? I’m so used to her bullying me… why is she being so nice today?
“Mhm, I know.”
Lian Qi fed another fry into my mouth.
“Don’t be in a rush to eat this one.”
I held the fry in my mouth, staring at her blankly.
After a few seconds, she pulled the fry from my mouth… and ate it herself.
I froze, stunned. “You don’t mind eating something I’ve had in my mouth? …What kind of way to eat is that?”
“It’s the ‘dip-it-in-Holy-Light’ method, of course,” she said, and even licked her finger. “Mhm. It’s sweet, just as I thought. Maple-flavored french fries.”
“Y-You… Are you using me as dip??”
I blushed beet-red from embarrassment. This way of eating is way too shameful!
Lian Qi smiled mischievously. “Hehe, discovered a new function.”
One wasn’t enough. Lian Qi started stuffing fries into my mouth, one after another.
To an outsider, it might have looked like Lian Qi was being incredibly sweet to me, feeding me non-stop, faster than I could even swallow. But that wasn’t what was happening at all!
To think I was just praising her. I take it all back! This girl, Lian Qi… she’ll even find a way to bully me while eating french fries!
“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… Want to challenge how many fries your mouth can hold?”
I couldn’t speak, feeling like my mouth couldn’t possibly fit anything else. I quickly made an “X” with my hands, rejecting her.
“Just one more?”
“Mmph! Mmph!” My head shook like a rattle drum.
“Fei’er, your mouth is so small.”
I shot her a reproachful glare. As if her mouth is any bigger. She probably couldn’t hold as many as I did.
“Alright, alright, I’m eating.”
I thought Lian Qi was just playing around, teasing me, and that she’d throw out the fries I’d had in my mouth. I didn’t expect her to not waste the food. She pulled the fries from my mouth, one by one… and ate them.
If it were just saliva, it would be gross. But in reality, the fries were coated in Holy Light, as if they were covered in a layer of powdered sugar.
My body is just that weird… I watched, mortified, as Lian Qi finished the last one, licked her fingers, and smiled mischievously. “I’ve had a little too much sugar today.”
I sat with my knees together, hands clasped between them, looking at her, completely abashed.
With that, I pushed the fried chicken wings toward her.
“We’ll share. You eat the drumette, and I’ll eat the flat?”
We shared one combo meal. This feeling… it’s very strange.
After our simple lunch, I started to wonder where I should choose for the next part of our date.
We walked side-by-side down the street, chatting as we went. “If it were up to me, I’d say going to the movies is a great choice for a date. It’s a shame this is another world.”
“Right… It’s too bad our world doesn’t have movie theaters. If you wanted to see one, I wouldn’t refuse, of course,” I said with a weak laugh.
“Movie theaters are very dark, you know,” Lian Qi said, looking at me with that mischievous smile.
“Why are you emphasizing the ‘dark’ part?”
I felt like there was a hidden meaning in her words.
What was she planning to do… in the dark?
“Or an amusement park would be a good choice, too. Lots of exciting rides. I’d love to experience that with you.”
“Yeah, and I’m curious if you’d scream on your first rollercoaster ride.”
“…Why are you looking forward to me screaming?”
Whether it’s screaming or any other kind of… noise… if I can’t control it, it’s just embarrassing, okay?
I glanced at her. There was something I had to say. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience. Who did you date in your original world?”
“I think I told you, right? No one.”
“Ah—so today is really your first date with someone?”
“What else would it be?” She pointedly avoided looking at me.
“Me too…”
“Hmph, I know. You’re only on this date with me because you’re sulking about the Church.”
“Don’t talk like that, all sarcastic…”
I didn’t want her to still be hung up on that.
“But—”
Lian Qi paused.
“…I’m still really happy. To be with you.”
…Hearing her say that so suddenly, I couldn’t help but feel shy.
The midday sun seemed to shine a little brighter.
Although, this whole date experience… with her in boys’ clothes and me in girls’ clothes… is just shameful.
I was about to say, “Me too,” when Lian Qi interrupted.
“But, it’s only noon. We’re only halfway through. You have to make the next half unforgettable for me, too.”
At this moment, Lian Qi’s bashful expression didn’t match her boys’ uniform at all. No matter how you looked at it, she was just a girl.
“Unfortunately, our world has neither movie theaters nor amusement parks. Is that… still okay?”
“The place isn’t the point. It’s who you’re with, okay?” Lian Qi said to me, very seriously.
So Lian Qi wasn’t reminiscing about her old world? When she mentioned movies and amusement parks, I thought she was homesick.
If she’s willing to stay here (whether it’s for me or not), shouldn’t I show her more of our world?
“In that case… let me take you somewhere. Just… don’t get bored, okay?”
Chapter 21
“Where are you taking me? You’re not… planning to skip straight to the ‘main event’ or something, are you?”
Lian Qi looked at me, slightly surprised, then covered her mouth with her fist, pretending to hesitate, her cheeks turning a little red. “Don’t tell me… it’s because we went too far in the changing room just now?”
“Of course not! Where does your mind go?”
I took Lian Qi to the museum.
That’s right. The museum.
It was the best date spot I could think of at the moment.
Lian Qi stood in front of the museum’s grand entrance and shot me a meaningful glance.
“You actually brought me here? A girl who chooses a museum for a date… in my original world… is pretty… unique.”
“I only felt confident bringing you here because you said, ‘The place isn’t the point, it’s who you’re with.‘”
“I didn’t say I disliked it. It’s a good chance to learn about your world’s history,” Lian Qi said, one hand on her hip. We looked at each other and smiled.
“Mhm, that’s what I thought, too.”
I took Lian Qi’s hand, and we walked into the museum.
Entering the museum’s forecourt, the first thing we saw was a giant statue made of many people. Lian Qi pointed to it and asked, “What’s this statue? It looks like the US Marine Corps Memorial.”
“The US Marine Corps Memorial? Your original world has a statue like this?”
“No… it’s just that the composition, with all the people piled together, made me think of it.”
“This is the Monument to the Founding of Humanity. The figures on it are the adventurers who established the Twelve Kingdoms long ago. According to historical records, they were also the first humans to use magic,” I replied with a smile.
No matter what, I was a native of this world. Questions from Lian Qi wouldn’t stump me.
“Adventurers?”
“Mhm. I mentioned it at the Adventurers Guild—the pioneers who established the human kingdoms were adventurers. Among these people is Tristina’s ancestor, Mel-Ril.”
“Oh? Your ‘bestie’ the Queen?”
“Mhm.”
“The name of this kingdom is ‘Holy Flame’?”
“Yep.”
“Only now do I finally hear you talk about your world’s…”
“It’s not really something that needed to be said…” I said weakly.
“There’s an elf among them.”
“That must be Sister Mouyue’s ancestor. Elves were part of the group, so they can use magic too.”
“The long torch held by the central figure… what’s that?”
“That is the Kindling of the Holy Light,” I answered.
“The Kindling of the Holy Light?”
“Mhm. I’ve taken you to see it. It’s in the Holy Light’s sealed room.”
Lian Qi was shocked. “It’s so big now, but it used to be that small?”
“It’s gotten much bigger than it was back then.”
But I thought, isn’t it good that it’s burning so brightly? It represents the unending vitality of the Holy Light. If it were as small as the one on the statue, I’d worry it might go out…
After viewing the monument, Lian Qi and I arrived at the museum’s central hall. Speaking of which, there were very few people visiting the museum today (though I rarely come here myself). I only saw a few boys and girls scattered about, wearing Magic Academy uniforms. Maybe a school-organized trip?
“Eh—? Isn’t that a Tyrannosaurus Rex?”
Lian Qi suddenly perked up and ran straight for the giant dinosaur skeleton.
“A museum just isn’t complete without dinosaur fossils, huh? I can’t believe even another world has them.”
I was a bit surprised. I stood behind her and asked with a smile, “Lian Qi, you’re actually interested in this?”
“It’s always a little novel to see an extinct creature. Especially after watching Jurassic Park, I have a really strong impression of how ferocious dinosaurs are.”
I said weakly, “They’re pretty big, but… I think dragons are still more ferocious.”
“Fair enough, I get it. This world has plenty of scarier monsters. But still, you can see the shadow of dragons in dinosaurs, can’t you?”
…The shadow of dragons?
“Well… Lian…” I couldn’t help but say, “The dinosaurs of our world… don’t seem to be the same species as the ones you know.”
“How is that possible? Isn’t this dinosaur fossil right here?” Lian Qi asked, pointing at the massive skeleton, completely confused.
This… How should I explain this to Lian Qi?
Luckily, I’d visited the museum before and knew what was inside, so I could let Lian Qi see for herself.
So I said to her, “The museum has many prehistoric creatures that were frozen in permafrost. This dinosaur is one of them.”
“Frozen in permafrost? Like being trapped in amber! Your world has a perfectly preserved T-Rex? Where? I have to see it.”
I took her hand.
“I’ll take you to see it.”
A few minutes later—
I led Lian Qi to the “Permafrost Zone.”
All-assorted prehistoric creatures, sealed in ice, were gathered here for display, making the temperature in this area much lower than elsewhere. A light breath was all it took to send a puff of white mist into the air.
“Where’s the T-Rex you mentioned?” Lian Qi looked all around.
I pointed to the behemoth frozen in the ice in front of us. “That’s it.”
Lian Qi looked up, and let out an incredulous “Huh?”
“Isn’t this… a giant sparrow?”
“This is the dinosaur.”
Lian Qi took a step back, utterly shocked.
“That’s impossible!”
“Lian Qi, aren’t the dinosaurs from your original world like this?”
“No—I mean, no one’s ever seen one. They went extinct tens of millions of years ago. What we see are just the reconstructions made by scientists.”
“Oh, is that so? Because our world has permafrost, its appearance was preserved exactly as it was.”
Lian Qi stared in astonishment at the behemoth she had first mistaken for a “sparrow.”
“I mean… I heard dinosaurs had feathers… but this is way too many feathers… And the T-Rex’s little short arms… were they actually tiny wings…?”
I seemed to see a trace of… disillusionment… on her face.
“If dinosaurs really looked like this… then Jurassic Park isn’t scary at all.”
“Kinda ‘adorkable,’ right?”1
“So cute.”
—A soft, female voice suddenly spoke up from nearby, sighing with a similar sentiment.
Lian Qi and I looked over. A green-haired girl in a Magic Academy uniform was standing a few meters away, staring intently at the dinosaur frozen in the ice, her eyes filled with pity.
“No… it’s so pitiful, being trapped in the ice.”
The green-haired girl reached out instinctively to touch the ice. I was about to warn her to be careful of frostbite, but she seemed to… unconsciously… activate some kind of magic!?
I watched, wide-eyed, as the ice wall, which had been radiating a biting cold, simply… vanished. The dinosaur, once frozen, woke up and shook its giant head.
The permafrost… melted!?
Footnotes
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The term used is 萌哒哒 (méng dādā), a popular internet slang term for “cutesy” or “adorkable.” ↩