An Unexpected Journey

"But Shirone, if you're really planning to do something on the island, there's one problem."

"Huh? What problem?"

"Actually, for this vacation, I planned a paired trip."

"A paired trip? You mean, guy and girl, guy and girl, like that?"

"Yeah. My partner is supposed to join me here. I should have told you earlier, but I didn't expect you to say you wanted to investigate ruins."

Shirone looked up at the dark ceiling.

A paired trip... That meant he needed a partner as well.

"Alright. I'll bring someone."

Rian turned his head in surprise.

The Shirone he knew was a hopeless case when it came to girls, someone who would blush just from seeing the face of the witch back home. Finding a partner was supposed to be the biggest hurdle, so he had held back from saying anything. Yet, against all expectations, Shirone accepted without hesitation.

"Wait... Are you popular with girls?"

"Huh? No, it's not like that. But I do have someone I can ask. Actually, I've been thinking about it for a while. If you hadn't suggested it, I would have asked first."

"Oh?"

Rian's eyes sparkled with interest.

He didn't know what Shirone meant exactly, but it implied there was a girl he had in mind.

"Hah! Our little witch back home is going to be disappointed."

"Reina? Why would she be?"

Of course, he liked her, but he never thought she would see him as a man.

"Heh, never mind. Anyway, now I'm really curious. Who is she? Is she pretty?"

"Yeah. She's pretty, but... I'm not sure if she'll come with me. She might just refuse outright."

"No way. You have to bring her no matter what. Go ask her tomorrow and make sure she says yes. In the meantime, I'll head home and get ready."

Shirone hesitated to answer.

If Rian had a partner, then he would definitely need one as well. But to be honest, he wasn't sure about this at all.

Judging by his usual experiences, there was a very high chance he'd be turned down.

'I don't know. I'll just have to try.'

Worries weighed down on his mind, but at the same time, there was excitement.

This was his first real trip, and he was going with a friend. Not to mention, Galliant Island was a world-famous tourist destination with a unique southern charm.

'What kind of place will it be?'

Shirone lay awake deep into the night, unable to sleep.

The next day, Shirone parted ways with Rian at the entrance to the noble district.

Since they were leaving tomorrow, he had to convince Amy today no matter what.

Not knowing his way around, he asked for directions multiple times before finally arriving at Amy's house.

What he found was a mansion so beautiful that it was hard to believe it had been built simply for residential convenience.

'So this is the main house of the Karmis family.'

Though he and Amy spoke casually at school, now that he was actually here, the thought of entering her home made him nervous. The guards at the gate eyed him suspiciously, making him even more tense.

"Uh, hello?"

"What brings you here?"

The guard's hand moved to his sword.

It was an unusual reaction, but it happened before he could even think. That was how much Shirone's aura had grown—enough to instinctively overwhelm others.

"Is Amy here?"

The guard's expression stiffened.

They knew Amy was admired by many young men, but it was almost unheard of for someone to come all the way to the main house.

"May I ask who you are?"

"My name is Shirone. I'm a friend of Amy's from the magic academy."

The unsure guard glanced at his superior, who looked unimpressed.

'Hah, a friend, huh?'

It was rare, but in his twenty years at the Karmis estate, this wasn't the first time.

'Sigh, it starts again the moment vacation begins.'

Still, there were no orders forbidding outsiders from visiting, so he had to report it.

"Go check."

At his superior's nod, the guard rode off toward the mansion.

Shirone waited anxiously.

Meanwhile, the superior kept glancing at him.

Handsome and with a decent personality, he seemed fine enough, but there was no way he'd be allowed inside.

So many had been turned away before. Even a distant royal relative had once left without seeing Amy's face.

A few minutes later, the guard returned in a hurry.

The superior could tell the outcome just from his dumbfounded face.

This was when gatekeepers had it the hardest.

If a noble got angry, there was no choice but to take the slap and endure it.

To protect his subordinate, the superior made up an excuse.

"So? I heard there's something urgent that needs to be handled today?"

"Uh… She said to bring him inside."

"Hmm, I see. Of course, she must be— Wait, what?!"

The superior blinked, certain he had misheard.

The reporting guard looked equally bewildered.

"Um, Lady Amy asked for him to be brought in."

"Oh, so she's home. That's a relief."

Shirone sighed in relief.

If Amy had been out, there would've been no way for a commoner like him to wait inside.

Moments later, a carriage arrived at the gate.

An elderly man with a gentle demeanor stepped down, leaning on a cane.

The guards immediately straightened up. It was Adel, the Karmis family's chief steward.

Shirone turned to the guards. "Can I go in now?"

"Ah, yes! Welcome to the Karmis estate!"

The superior hastily saluted, though he still didn't understand what was happening.

Granting entry was one thing, but for Adel himself to come out to greet him?

The chief steward only met guests of political importance.

'Who is this kid? If he's Amy's friend, he can't be Lord Karmis' guest… Is there some special event today? No, I haven't heard anything.'

Adel approached Shirone with a kind smile. For someone who managed such a grand estate, he carried a surprisingly warm demeanor.

"Welcome to the Karmis residence. I am Adel, the chief steward."

"Hello. I'm Shirone."

"I see. Forgive me for asking, but before I escort you inside, I need to confirm something."

"Ah, what is it?"

"I must verify your identity. Are you truly Shirone?"

"…What?"

"Lady Amy gave a specific order. If it's Shirone, bring him inside. I interpret that as: Only Shirone may enter. Therefore, you must provide proof that you are indeed Shirone."

"Uh… I am Shirone, but how exactly am I supposed to prove that?"

Adel's gentle expression remained, but a strange pressure weighed on Shirone.

His breath shortened. His heart pounded.

'This… This is some kind of technique.'

The guards watched sympathetically.

Adel's infamous "Pressing" had begun.