Su Lun finished organizing his gear, checking his Flowing Pulse dagger and the various pouches holding his scrolls. He strapped the Pale Justice longsword to his back, its silver accents glinting coldly in the morning light.
As he stepped out of the gates of the Court of Stars, he spotted Ryuu standing beneath the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard. She wasn't wearing her light combat armor today; instead, she was dressed in elegant, simple Elven casual wear. The wooden sword, Flowing Light, still hung at her waist.
"Ryuu?" Su Lun was surprised. "You're up early."
Ryuu turned around. Her eyes brightened slightly when she saw him, though she quickly regained her usual composure. "Are you heading out?"
"Yeah," Su Lun nodded. "Calculating the time, the Floor Boss should be about to respawn. I wanted to scout the situation first."
Ryuu remained silent for a few seconds before saying softly, "I'll go with you."
Su Lun blinked. Was today Ryuu's patrol day? He tried to recall the duty roster.
Wait!
Over the past half-month, it seemed like every single time he went on patrol, Ryuu was there. This was a bit too much of a coincidence. He looked at Ryuu. The Elven girl was slightly tilting her head, watching a cluster of small white flowers in the corner of the courtyard. The lines of her profile looked exceptionally soft in the morning light, but the tips of her ears were quietly turning a faint shade of pink.
She modified the roster.
The thought suddenly popped into his head, and Su Lun understood immediately. That cunning Lyra—as long as you gave her a little incentive, like helping her with the bookkeeping—would surely be more than happy to fiddle with the patrol schedule.
A complex feeling welled up inside Su Lun. In his previous life, he had been a college student who hadn't really been in a serious relationship, but he wasn't completely oblivious to emotions. Ryuu's special attention over the last three months, the tenderness that slipped out inadvertently, and the blush currently staining her ears...
Miss Elf... is seriously too cute, Su Lun thought to himself.
Back when he read the original series, Ryuu had been his favorite character: the pointed ears, the blonde hair and blue eyes, and that gentle, steadfast heart hidden beneath a cool exterior. She was powerful yet reliable—every trait hit his aesthetic preferences perfectly. And now, this living Elven girl was standing right in front of him, blushing because of a little secret plan.
Su Lun took a deep breath, suppressing the restless flutter in his chest. His current body was young, but his soul was that of a pure-hearted college student. This subtle sense of displacement caused by the age gap sometimes left him at a loss.
"Aren't you patrolling today?" he asked, keeping his tone as light as possible.
Ryuu shook her head gently, her gaze still fixed on the white flowers. "Today... I'm not on the schedule."
She said it nonchalantly, but Su Lun could hear the almost imperceptible tension in her voice. She was lying. Or, at the very least, she was hiding part of the truth. But Su Lun didn't plan to call her out; some things were better left unsaid.
"Then let's go together," he said.
Ryuu looked up, a flash of joy crossing her jade eyes before she quickly suppressed it, returning to her usual calm. However, the obvious upward curve of her lips gave her away.
The two walked out of the courtyard side by side, stepping onto the morning streets.
Orario's mornings were always busy. Adventurers headed toward the Dungeon in small groups, ready to begin a new day of exploration. Vendors pushed carts, shouting to sell breakfast and supplies. Members of the Ganesha Familia patrolled the streets, maintaining the daily order of the Labyrinth City.
"Public safety has improved a lot lately," Ryuu said softly. "Since those strongholds were wiped out, the thugs have lowered their profiles significantly."
"But the roots of the Evilus are still there," Su Lun replied.
Ryuu nodded. After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked, "Su Lun, why are you... so persistent about justice?"
The question made Su Lun pause. Why? Because he had read the original story and knew how much disaster the Evilus would cause in the future? Because the plight of the innocent made it impossible for him to sit idly by? Or was it because...
He wanted to protect the Elven girl in front of him, so she wouldn't have to experience the tragedy of losing everything and seeking revenge alone in the darkness as she did in the original timeline.
"Because things that are wrong should be corrected," Su Lun finally chose the answer closest to his heart. "The Evilus trample on life, traffic people, and create suffering. They shouldn't be allowed to exist."
Ryuu gave him a deep look, her jade eyes reflecting his profile. The intensity of her gaze made Su Lun a bit uncomfortable.
"You... truly are a special person," Ryuu whispered.
She's looking at me like that... Su Lun felt his ears burning. He cleared his throat to change the subject. "Speaking of which, did you have the Goibniu Familia make your wooden sword?"
Ryuu unstrapped the sword from her waist and handed it to him. "Yes. I used materials I found in an Evilus stronghold. The blacksmiths of the Goibniu Familia said it was high-quality material with excellent mana conductivity."
Su Lun took the sword. It felt warm to the touch, and the wood grain shimmered with a faint golden luster in the morning sun. It was indeed a good weapon.
But it wasn't good enough.
"I want to make you a better one," Su Lun said suddenly.
Ryuu froze. "A better one?"
"A weapon in nearly every way comparable to a First-Tier armament," Su Lun said seriously, handing the wooden sword back to her. "Using the best materials I can find, combined with my techniques and enchantments. A weapon truly worthy of you."
The moment those words left his mouth, Su Lun realized what it sounded like. It sounded like a confession—or at least a very intimate promise. Ryuu clearly realized this as well. Her hand trembled slightly as she took the sword, and her cheeks flushed crimson at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Th-This is...
Ryuu felt her heart racing uncontrollably. Her head felt dizzy, as if she had drunk too much Elven mead. Su Lun wanted to make a weapon specifically for her? Using the best materials? One "worthy" of her?
In Orario, a weapon meant everything to an adventurer. While it didn't strictly have the effect of an engagement gift, crafting a weapon specifically for someone—especially between members of the opposite sex—often carried a special sentiment.
Is he serious? Or am I overthinking? Ryuu's mind was in a whirl. Her fingers tightened around the wooden sword.
Over these three and a half months, that subtle feeling had been fermenting in her heart. Every time she patrolled beside Su Lun, every time she watched him focus on his research, every time he calmly analyzed a strategy... just looking at him brought her peace, and she felt an involuntary urge to be near him. She had secretly modified the schedule just to spend more time with him. Even if they didn't speak, just walking side by side calmed her heart and made her body feel light.
But she never dared to say it out loud. She didn't dare tell the Goddess, she didn't dare tell Alise, and she didn't even dare admit it to herself.
And now... Su Lun had suddenly said something like that.
"I..." Ryuu opened her mouth, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "My current wooden sword is already very good..."
"It's not good enough," Su Lun said firmly. "You're one of the aces of the Astraea Familia. You should have the best weapon. And..." He paused, looking at Ryuu's jade eyes, which were wide with flustered surprise. The awkwardness he felt earlier suddenly vanished.
Since I've gone this far... Su Lun thought, I might as well be direct.
"And I want to give you a gift," he said. "A token of my special feelings for you."
That was practically an explicit declaration.
Ryuu felt like her face was hot enough to fry an egg. She lowered her head, her pale blonde hair sliding down to hide her reddened cheeks. She gripped her wooden sword tightly, her fingertips rubbing against it. A feeling of happiness, like a warm current, surged from her heart and spread through her entire body. That light, dizzying sensation made her feel like she could barely stand.
"Th-Then..." Ryuu's voice was as quiet as a mosquito. "I'll leave it to you."
The moment she said it, she wanted to find a hole in the ground to crawl into. It was too embarrassing! How could she agree so easily? At the very least, she should have been a bit more reserved...
Seeing Ryuu so embarrassed she looked ready to start steaming, Su Lun's own nervousness disappeared. It was replaced by a sense of tenderness.
Miss Elf... is truly, unfairly cute. He confirmed this fact once again.
"Then let's skip the Dungeon today," Su Lun said. "I'll go prepare the materials. The Hephaestus Familia should have some stock that's suitable for an Elven weapon."
Ryuu looked up sharply. "But the Goliath..."
"The Goliath can wait," Su Lun said. "Your weapon is more important."
This sentence sent Ryuu's blush up another notch. She bit her lower lip and nodded, not daring to look at him again.
The morning sun bathed the two of them, casting overlapping shadows on the stone street. In the distance, the bells of the clock tower rang, announcing the official start of a new day. The pedestrians on the street began to increase, and occasionally, passing adventurers would cast curious glances their way. After all, "Gale" Ryuu Lion of the Astraea Familia was standing there with a bright red face and her head down, while "Thousand Faces" Su Lun stood beside her.
Su Lun cleared his throat. "Let's head back first. I need some time to prepare. Probably... three days?"
"Mhm," Ryuu answered softly, finally gathering the courage to look at him. Her jade eyes were shimmering, filled with a lingering shyness and a soft emotion.
The two turned and began to walk back. Ryuu's steps were more energetic than usual. Although she still kept her head down, the uncontrollable smile on her lips was obvious to anyone.
Su Lun walked by her side, catching glimpses of her reddened cheeks and the upward curve of her lips. A sense of warmth filled him as well.
Maybe... this isn't so bad, he thought.
He had crossed over into this dangerous world, struggling to survive and fighting against the darkness. But if on this path he could have someone to walk beside him—if he could have soft moments like this outside of battle—then perhaps this transmigration wasn't entirely a disaster.
Ryuu stopped at the gate and turned to Su Lun. "Then... I'll wait for you."
"Yeah," Su Lun nodded. "See you in three days."
Ryuu gave him one last deep look before turning and heading into the courtyard.
Man...
It was a day that hadn't gone according to plan at all. He shook his head with a wry smile, but his mood was unexpectedly good. He turned and headed toward the workshops of the Hephaestus Familia.
Since he had made a promise, he was going to do his absolute best. A weapon worthy of Ryuu—this would be the first thing he truly put his "heart" into crafting since arriving in this world.
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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