V4C84 (2/2)
What do they intend to order me to do?
“Ichino-sama, this way! Hurry!”
… Looking at the motivated Carol, I had a feeling that I’ve fallen into circumstances that I have no choice but to be anxious about regardless of who wins.
I want to beat up my 10 seconds ago self.
※※※
“Ichino-sama, please hurry! Haru-san will take the lead over us.”
“That’s trying too hard. It’s just a game, I did say I’ll listen to whatever the winner says but if Carol has anything you want to say you can say it anytime. I’m saying this about myself but I am quite thick-headed sometimes.”
“I know that Ichino-sama is thick-headed but … erm, since it’s something that can’t be said unless there’s a chance like this.”
“What do you intend to say … oh, hey, Carol! The fruits there are ripe. Aren’t those edible?”
Finding pear-like fruits, I asked Carol.
“Ah, yes. That’s the Powpower fruit. It’s apparently a sweet and delicious fruit.”
Perhaps due to her Plant Appraisal skill or perhaps due to the knowledge she had originally, Carol explained to me.
“Ah, but I just barely can’t reach it … maybe you can ride on my shoulder?”
“Shoulder ride?”
“Yup. We’ll be able to reach them like that and Carol won’t get experience if you don’t collect them yourself in the first place, right?”
” ……… Understood.”
Carol nodded while sulking for some reason.
I sat down and Carol sat behind my head with her legs wrapped around my head.
“Well then, I’ll be standing.”
Holding Carol’s legs and sandwiching them under my armpits, I stood up.
Maybe because she could not get her balance, Carol strongly grabbed my head.
“Carol! Please don’t pull my hair! Ah, don’t pull my ears too.”
“So, sorry.”
Carol somehow succeeded in regaining her balance so I told her to stretch her hands out to pluck and drop the Powpower fruits while I collect them into my item bag. We make quite a combination.
At that moment, maybe I was careless but we lost our balance and she was about to fall down.
She slid down to my back.
In the end, she ended up hugging my back.
Her slightly bulging chest pressed against my back.
“Carol, are you alright?”
” … Um … Ichino-sama, can we stay like this for a while longer?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. But, as expected, was it scary? Sorry to ask you to push yourself.”
” … Ichino-sama, I’ve said it countless times but Carol is 17-years-old.”
“Eh? You were 16 previously.”
“It was my birthday 3 days ago.”
“Sorry, I didn’t wish you happy birthday.”
” … That’s not what I meant. I want you to treat me as an adult.”
… She said as she strongly hugged my body.
“Is that perhaps why you’ve addressed yourself as ‘I’ instead of ‘Carol’?”
“You noticed?”
“Since we’ve been together all along. There’s no way I wouldn’t notice. But, I find the previous way you address yourself to be better.”
” … Eh?”
“Hn, you see, nonetheless, I still want Carol to act like Carol. But, I did consider how you don’t like being treated as a kid. Okay, maybe I’ll buy some delicious juice for you later?”
“And I’m saying that’s exactly treating me like a kid.”
Even if she says that, no matter what, I always end up thinking of Miri when I look at Carol.
“Ichino-sama, you said that it’s fine for me to say whatever I want to say right. I want Ichino-sama’s love.”
“To me, Haru and Carol, and tentatively Marina as well, are more important to me than my own wellbeing — ”
“Carol … me, please kiss me!”