Chapter 19: Sierra likes sweet things.

After school, Sierra and Arna were outside the academy grounds.

To make a long story short, Sierra’s negotiation had succeeded.

They had consulted the school doctor first, of course, but Sierra’s wound had healed in just a few days.

Arna had been shocked, yet to Sierra it was perfectly normal.

Ever since taking the transfer exam, Sierra hadn’t once properly left the academy.

Today was her first real look at the royal capital.

The academy sat near the center of the city, so the streets were naturally crowded.

Sierra kept glancing around like a stray cat that might bolt at any moment; even Arna could tell.

“Here, don’t get separated.”

“Yeah.”

Arna took Sierra’s hand and pulled her out of the heaviest foot traffic.

“You said you wanted to play, but is there anywhere in particular you’d like to go?”

“Somewhere I want to go?”

“…Don’t tell me you don’t actually have anything in mind?”

“I don’t really know the capital.”

She had planned to explore eventually, but there wasn’t any specific place she was dying to see.

Hearing that, Arna thought for a moment.

“Hmm… then that means I get to pick where we go, right?”

“That’s fine with me.”

“You say that so casually…”

Even as she spoke, Arna started thinking again.

Truthfully, Arna knew the capital far better than Sierra did.

Sierra had intended to wander around anyway, so she figured she might as well leave it to Arna.

Yet even while Arna was pondering, Sierra’s nose was already reacting to something.

Her keen sense of smell picked up a wonderful scent drifting from a short distance away.

“Is something catching your interest?”

“I don’t know what it is, but it smells good.”

“Ah, there are lots of food stalls around here.”

“Food…”

“If food is okay with you, maybe it’s better not to decide on a destination.”

“Is that how it works?”

“Well, famous tourist spots I know, but I’m not that familiar with food stalls.”

“Then let’s just look around together.”

“Alright, it’s decided.”

Arna looked visibly relieved.

She hadn’t known what Sierra actually wanted to do, so seeing genuine interest made things easier for her.

Walking through the busy streets, the two of them began checking out the food vendors.

The core of Sierra’s diet had always been monsters she and Ains hunted, or wild fruits from the forest.

Of course she had stopped at taverns with Ains from time to time, but there had never been anything she particularly craved.

“There’s a cloud.”

“A cloud…?”

What Sierra pointed at was something white and fluffy.

“Oh, cotton candy.”

“Cotton candy?”

“It’s a sweet made by melting sugar and spinning it into threads… I guess that’s the best way to describe it.”

Sierra nodded with clear curiosity at Arna’s explanation.

She looked far more interested than she ever did in class, and Arna couldn’t help but give a wry smile.

“Since we’re here, want to try some?”

“! Yeah.”

The first thing the two chose was cotton candy—something you could find anywhere in the capital.

“It’s fluffy, but sweet.”

“That’s what cotton candy is.”

Sierra silently stuffed her face.

Arna’s eyes widened at the speed.

“Slow down a little.”

“I think I like sweet things.”

“Sweets are delicious, but too many aren’t good for your body, okay?”

“…Really?”

“Well, one day should be fine, I suppose.”

At Arna’s answer, Sierra’s face lit up.

From then on, the two mainly hunted down sweet treats.

Nothing was particularly rare, but to Sierra everything felt brand new.

When she was with Ains, even if something caught her eye, she had never asked for it.

“Let’s try that one next.”

“If you eat that much you won’t have room for dinner…?”

“I’ll be fine.”

It was a completely baseless reply, but Arna let out a small sigh and ended up going along anyway.

Eventually, ice cream cones in hand, they finally reached a quieter plaza with fewer people.

“Eating nothing but sweets really does get heavy after a while…”

“But it’s delicious.”

“I get what you mean. Here, you’ve got some on your cheek.”

“Nn.”

Arna gently wiped the ice cream off Sierra’s cheek with her handkerchief.

“Thanks. And thanks for coming with me.”

“It’s fine. I’m the one who asked for something in the first place.”

“Magic lessons?”

“Exactly.”

Sierra nodded at Arna’s words.

They had come out to play, but Sierra had also promised to teach Arna magic.

“But I think you’re already good at magic, Arna.”

“Hearing that from you feels complicated. What I need isn’t just the level I’m at now.”

“…? What do you—”

Sierra started to ask, but suddenly stepped in front of Arna.

She scanned the surroundings warily.

“Sierra-san…?”

“Get down.”

“Eh—”

The moment the words left her mouth, Sierra yanked Arna’s body downward.

At the same instant, she caught the incoming 《Needle》 between her fingers as though pinching it out of the air.