Chapter 85: Heartfelt Bracelet ⑩ Shiro & Narcissus
Shiro-san emerged from Chive-san’s room.
Her white hair, not silver but pure white, flowed down past her waist, adorned with a white hair accessory. Her eyebrows were sharp and elongated, and her eyes were pure white. Her skin was like freshly fallen snow. She wore a white Gothic Lolita dress. From head to toe, everything about her was completely white.
Shiro White Weiss Blanche Album Sefid.
A first-class explorer, known as the “Immortal White Rose Princess.”
Though she looked just a year or so older than me, her true age was unknown—she was of the same kind as the witch.
“This will do.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t have done it myself.”
Shiro-san had taken the unconscious, sweat-soaked Chive-san to the bath, washed her, dressed her, and laid her down in her room. I was truly grateful.
“It’s fine. This much is enough. Now, what happened?”
“Actually…”
I told her about the bracelet. Shiro-san’s expression darkened slightly.
“That token of gratitude… I didn’t get one.”
Suddenly, the air grew cold, tinged with ice.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ve prepared one for you properly.”
“Good. Then that’s fine.”
“Please hold out your hand.”
“Like this?”
Shiro-san elegantly extended her arm. Her skin was pure white, slender, soft. I slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.
A white bracelet with a white band and white gemstones—perfectly suited for her.
“White, huh.”
“Yes. Because it’s Shiro-san.”
“Of course, it’s Shiro. Still, completely white from head to toe is rare.”
She examined the bracelet, her voice bouncing with delight. Good, she liked it. Then she looked at me.
“Shiro-san…”
“I see. This bracelet makes one want to give thanks.”
“Makes… one want to?”
“Wof-kun, this bracelet is a legacy.”
“A legacy…?”
“Yes. But it’s not a bad thing. Not bad at all.”
Then, suddenly, Shiro-san kissed me.
Her lips were soft and cool, pleasantly so. And slightly surprising.
A sweet-and-sour taste, like strawberry ice cream, spread in my mouth.
“…Mmm… Shiro-san…”
“Fuu… I just kissed for the first time…”
She pulled back shyly, strands of clear liquid trailing.
“Sh-Shiro-san…”
“Yes?”
“Wh-why is the thank-you a kiss…?”
She should know the reason. Shiro-san tapped my lips lightly with her finger.
“Secret.”
She whispered this and withdrew her finger.
“Hey, Wof-kun. I’m going a little far away.”
“…You’re leaving?”
“I have something I must deliver. But don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not goodbye. We’ll meet again. We will.”
“…Yes. We will meet again.”
“At that time… I want to continue this kiss…”
Shiro-san smiled faintly.
Later, near evening. Mineha-san told me to go buy ingredients for dinner.
“There she is.”
It was Narcissus-san. Dark purple hair tied in a side-tail, vivid purple eyes, a strong-willed beauty.
She headed into an alley with a few men. Ah, yes.
Waiting a bit, I followed her into the alley, and saw Narcissus-san atop a pile of corpses.
“Wof! Just in time. Help me!”
“Cleaning, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s do it.”
I used Vanish.
After the cleaning, Narcissus-san looked satisfied.
“Perfect for warming up.”
“Do you usually do this?”
“Sometimes. Not that I’m saying it, but the security here is bad.”
“The city will return to normal soon. It’s just a temporary festival effect.”
People were gradually returning to normal flow.
“I see.”
“Good timing. I need to ask you something, Narcissus-san.”
“What?”
“…Do you know the sword called Generous?”
“Sword?”
“Apparently, it’s the Sword Goddess.”
“Ah, yes, I know. A goddess in the form of a sword. It was the beloved sword of the king of Generous.”
“That’s it! Huh? The king of Generous?”
“Yes. You don’t know? Generous is a species.”
“Species…”
“So, you’re not exactly a reincarnation, but a descendant. A direct descendant of Generous.”
“Then the ‘boy god’ must be…”
“The last king.”
Ah, like Tutankhamun.
“And the sword… it broke.”
“Eh? It broke?”
“Yes. During the war of the gods, it snapped. From the broken blade, multiple swords were forged.”
I hadn’t known that.
“Do you know where those swords are now?”
“No!”
“Right…”
Even said confidently, I couldn’t argue.
“But why are you looking for such a thing?”
Well… maybe I can tell her.
“Actually, I can’t wield a sword.”
“Can’t wield?”
“I think I’m cursed by the Sword Goddess… I can’t hold a sword because of it…”
“I see. That’s tough.”
“I can use knives, though.”
“Ah, true.”
So it broke… and pieces of the blade became swords.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Right… can you hold out your arm?”
“Sure. Here.”
Narcissus-san extended her arm straight. I slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.
A dark purple band with pale purple gemstones.
In fact, all the bracelets in the pouch are plain. But when held and imagined, they take on their proper color and gemstone.
“Heh, a bracelet, huh? Nice.”
“It’s a bracelet.”
“Yeah… it’s a nice bracelet. Are you giving it to me?”
“Yes. It’s a token of my gratitude.”
“Gratitude… I see. Really?”
Well… a lot happened, but it’s true that I am grateful.
“Yes. I am grateful.”
“…I see. Hey, then I want to thank you for the bracelet.”
Here it comes. Narcissus-san’s cheeks flushed red, and she fidgeted nervously.
“Narcissus-san?”
“What should I do?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, I want to thank you, but how should I do it?”
“How…?”
This was a new pattern. Narcissus-san looked at me, clearly troubled.
“I want to give thanks. Since I received such a nice bracelet, I want to do something for you, Wof.”
“It’s a bracelet.”
“But I don’t know what to do.”
“Even if you say that… you don’t have to—”
“No! I can’t just leave it as it is! My pride won’t allow it!”
“Well, even if you say that…”
This desire to give thanks must be the bracelet’s effect.
But why was Narcissus-san so confused? Why didn’t she understand?
“Oh, that’s right. Since it’s a token of gratitude, others must have received it too, right? This bracelet.”
“It’s a bracelet.”
“What did the others do to give thanks?”
“Uh… that is… a kiss.”
“Huh? W-wait, don’t joke around.”
Narcissus-san’s expression turned slightly annoyed.
“I’m not joking. It really is a kiss. Usually on the cheek.”
“W-wait… on me?”
“Yes. As thanks.”
Ah… her face turned bright red, all the way to her ears.
“W-wait… a kiss!?”
“I’m not saying you have to do it.”
“B-but everyone else has done it as thanks, right?”
“Well, yes, for some reason. But that doesn’t mean you have to.”
She doesn’t have to force herself.
“Um… who did you give it to before?”
“The witch, Munieka-san, Shiro-san…”
“W-wait… they kissed too…?”
“Yes. But that doesn’t mean—”
“I’ll do it.”
“Huh? N-no, you don’t have to force yourself.”
“I will. As thanks… a k-k-k-kiss.”
Narcissus-san’s eyes were slightly teary. Her face was red enough to seem like steam was rising. Clearly, she was forcing herself. Very much forcing herself.
“Narcissus-san… maybe we shouldn’t—”
“Close your eyes!”
“Huh?”
“Just close your eyes!”
“Okay… okay.”
I closed my eyes as instructed.
“D-don’t you dare open them!”
“Y-yes. I understand.”
It’s a gesture of thanks, after all.
Then I sensed her approach, and my cheeks were gently held by her hands.
“H-here I go.”
A small voice whispered, and then her lips touched mine, soft and slightly wet.
I thought it was over, but then her tongue entered my mouth, and I was startled.
“!?”
She entwined her tongue with mine, licked and sucked, and then abruptly pulled back. The sensation vanished instantly.
Her hands released my cheeks, and I was told I could open my eyes. I did.
“…That just now—”
“It was thanks.”
“But, um—”
“Because it’s thanks.”
As she said this, Narcissus-san’s entire body was flushed red, and she turned her face away from me.
She finished by saying, “Thank you for the bracelet,” and then left.
A bracelet, indeed.
Stepping out of the alley, I headed toward the main street.
The crowd was still thick, but somehow it felt smaller than before.
“Hey, young man.”
“Ah… you are—”
I was surprised to hear a voice.
It was the turbaned street vendor from whom I had bought the bracelet.