Chapter 86: Another Dimension (1/2)

After that meeting, we were then sent to our rooms. The exploration will start tomorrow so the Spirit Queen had us rest first.

With how huge their palace is, we were given individual rooms.

We should be alone in the room but…

”Can I stay here for a moment?”

Jayna asked when I opened the door for her. She's not in her usual dress, she's wearing a tight-fitting shirt that really shows that body of hers and a pajama pants that was made from fabric native here. I guess it's soft and comfortable to the skin.

”You're already here. Come in.”

I nodded and led her inside. Since this palace and rooms were made by the Spirit Beasts, the design is quite simple. At least they put a bed and a quilt to ease the hardness of the bed.

”Daisuke, tomorrow. Can I stay by your side?”

Jayna opened her mouth when she settled herself on my bed.

”Of course, you can. I see no problem with it.”

I smiled at her and answered.

I'm already planning to do that, anyway. Her skills can complement mine very well. Even if she ran out of Spirit Energy, I can easily throw a Spirit Boost to her.

”Thank you... Uh… One more thing.”

Ah. This. I had a premonition that it's about that…

”Hmm?”

”Are you still interested in me?”

With a voice that could be compared to a whisper, Jayna asked me.

This is her real purpose for coming here. She's here to hear me say it again.

”I am. Say, is this enough to show my interest in you?”

Answering truthfully, I reached for her hand and clasped our fingers together.

”Eh? This...”

Jayna was almost speechless as she lifted our entwined hands. Her curiosity kicked in again while looking at it interestingly. Though I've already held her hand a lot of times during our infiltration mission, those were all situational.

After that confession by Yumiko, I felt like I shouldn't keep restricting myself since it would still eventually lead to this. Call it destiny or something but this is really part of my nature…

”What about you?”

Throwing her question back at her, I tightened my hold on her hand. She kept looking at it and slowly, her face was turning into a shade of red. She's probably starting to realize what holding her hand means.

But upon hearing my words, she looked up and mustered enough courage to give me an honest answer. She drew her lips closer to my ears before whispering…

”Don't tease me about this, Daisuke. I feel the same...”

Right after saying that, Jayna hurriedly took her hand and ran out of my room while cupping her blushing cheeks.

I didn't even have the chance to call out to her to ask her to repeat it.

Err... How can I tease her when everyone already noticed her interest in me? That girl…

Should I blame the destiny which the Spirit Queen kept talking about? The one that was soon to converge is obviously Jayna.

She doesn't have that much experience with the opposite gender. There's Ren but he's an older brother figure to her and her father is just a doting old man.

I guess it's better this way. She doesn't need to rush this kind of thing or she'll just be more confused. Admitting our interest with each other is enough.

She's a pampered daughter of a Noble Spirit. Unlike Avelin and Erin, she didn't have any inkling about it, not until I showed up before her. I could blame the orb but we were already bound to meet because of Yumiko.

Does this mean the convergence of our destinies happened just now? I don't know. Only the Spirit Queen can confirm it. To base it to something like that, it's kind of stupid, no?

Leaving my thoughts at that, I started to think that coming here and meeting the Spirit Queen is a mistake. I shouldn't have known about her eyes and the destiny she was seeing.

Before the night deepened, Yumiko also visited me.

Tomorrow's exploration will be filled with the unknown so she probably wanted to be spoiled by me before plunging into that unknown ruin where she'll become our vanguard.

Ah. It's also possible that she's thinking about what will happen when we go back to Earth. By then, I'll be accompanying Yuko again.

Is she thinking that I won't have time for her that's why she's taking all the chances she can get here?

Err… Knowing Yuko, if I tell her about Yumiko, she'll even urge me to spend some time with her as well.

”Yumiko, about the communication equipment you were using…”

After spending our time in silence that's slowly turning the atmosphere awkward for us, I asked her about the thing I wanted to acquire.

I know, my motive for asking it was to have a way to communicate to those girls again but yeah, it can also be used for us to stay updated as to what was happening in their respective world.

”You mean, this? This is made by someone from this world, she's quite a legend at equipment crafting, however, it's hard to find her. She's a wanderer.”