Otto said with a smile, while Mei tilted her head in confusion. It was 2013, and as a sheltered young lady, she did not quite understand internet slang like "simp."
If it were Bronya, she might have understood.
If it were Kiana, she might have tried to guess the word's meaning through her yellow-tinted glasses, then inexplicably come over and pound his shoulder.
Seeing Mei's confusion, Otto merely smiled.
"Don't become a simp. Once you become one, you'll always be a loser."
Otto was not only saying that for Mei's sake. He was saying it to himself as well.
He did not explain further. During a date, talking about another girl in front of a girl was impolite.
Yes, Otto considered this a date with Mei.
And Otto's goal was simple: date her and make her blush.
Herrschers were mysterious girls born from Honkai disasters. Faced with their untainted power, should he use force, or communicate with them through love? Otto's choice was now being put to the test.
Otto's great date operation had begun.
"Are you full? If you are, then it's time for our date."
Otto picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped away nonexistent stains from the corner of Mei's mouth. Hearing his words, Mei opened her mouth slightly, her pretty face turning faintly red.
"A-a date?"
Wait, had she not merely been invited downstairs for breakfast? How had it suddenly become a date?
Mei realized that Otto had set her up. Once he had brought her out of her room, it would be difficult for her to refuse his invitations afterward.
It was like a drunk girl following a strange man home. She could not blame him for whatever he did next.
"When it comes to healthy ways for a man and a woman to deepen their relationship, dating is what we should be doing right now."
"You don't need to worry. Just treat it as going out to have fun, like when you went to the Amusement Park with Ryoma."
"Still, you have to treat me like a boyfriend. Don't treat me like your dad, okay?"
Otto said with a smile. Mei looked down at the table, recalling the last time she had gone to the Amusement Park with her father. She had still been very young then.
Back then, she really had been happy.
But why did her heart hurt now?
The hand resting on the table slowly clenched, and then a larger hand covered the back of Mei's hand and held it.
Though his hand was cold, Otto's gaze was gentle.
"The deepest pain comes from remembering happy times."
"But it's okay. Right now, I'm here."
"Still... I don't want to have breakfast here tomorrow."
Otto lightly tapped the table with his other hand. Mei did not understand what he meant, but Otto spoke at an unhurried pace.
"Don't people in the Far East have a habit of making lunchboxes? I want to eat a lunchbox you made."
"I-I can't cook..."
Mei lowered her head. Having always been a young lady, how could she have ever cooked for herself? She had never even entered a kitchen.
"It's fine. Give it a try. If you try, you might succeed. But if you never try, you definitely won't be able to do it."
"I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of food you make tomorrow."
The hotel's luxurious rooms came with kitchens, but Otto and Kiana always ate in the restaurant. Neither of them cooked.
Still, Otto was no stranger to cooking.
"Mm..."
Mei said uncertainly.
The young lady in her childhood stage had not yet evolved into the ultimate Housewife.
Otto was not worried.
His Soul Steel body was not afraid of poison anyway. Even if he had to eat the plate tomorrow, it would be fine.
"So where do you think we should go next? It's my first time in Changkong City, so you should know this place better."
"I-I rarely go out. I don't know where to go either."
Never mind dating, Mei rarely even went out with friends.
Perhaps, when she had first made friends with them, she had not been sincere either...
That was why, once something happened to her father, they had left her.
"All right. Still, there are only a few places people usually go on dates."
"The cinema, the aquarium, the Amusement Park. Usually, it's one of those."
"Mm." Mei nodded.
"So, let's go to a lingerie shop."
"Mm. Huh!?"
At first, Mei did not notice anything wrong, but Otto abruptly changed the subject.
Why had he brought up a lingerie shop? That was completely different from the previous three options!
"Because I think any man would feel very happy seeing the girl he likes wear cute lingerie that he picked out himself."
"I'm no exception."
Mei lowered her head even further. She rarely interacted with men. Many boys would stop in their tracks because of the Herrscher mask she wore. How could she have endured such an aggressive advance from the opposite sex before?
The Lightning Queen, whose heart had always been closed off, was experiencing this for the first time.
She felt a little shy, and a blush spread across her fair, pretty face.
"Forget it. We won't go somewhere like that."
"I'm worried you're too cute, Mei. I might just eat you up."
Otto spread his hands before him like a little lion baring its claws. Seeing him act so silly, Mei's lips curled into a faint smile.
It was the first smile she had shown in days.
"Actually, I already bought movie tickets. We'll watch a movie first, and after that, it should be about time for lunch."
He had bought tickets for a recently popular romance movie.
Mei nodded and looked out the window. The sky outside was clear, and somehow it seemed much brighter than it had in the past few days.
Chapter 39: Năo
Holding hands.
Hesitation.
Agreement.
Buying popcorn and drinks.
Checking tickets.
Entering the pitch-black screening room together.
Sitting in adjacent seats.
Then Otto froze.
Mei was seated to the right of him.
But... why was there a white-haired little ball on his left?
Although the screening room was so dark he could barely see his hand in front of his face, Otto still recognized Kiana sitting upright to his left through the faint light.
And seated to Kiana's left was a girl. Otto could not make out her appearance, but she was most likely that Asakura Miyuki.
Her voice sounded rather delicate. She was probably another young lady from Senba Academy.
Kiana had both hands on her knees, while Asakura Miyuki spoke softly beside her. Kiana responded every now and then.
She was clearly not used to interacting with her "second friend."
This was Kiana's first time being properly invited out by a so-called friend.
She sat there awkwardly, as though she were in prison.
Asakura did not mind and remained very enthusiastic.
The fact that Kiana had helped wipe her desk had moved her, not to mention that Kiana had saved her from falling rocks.
An auntie-like smile appeared on Otto's face. Little Kiana was usually so carefree, yet now she had become quiet instead.
Still, this counted as Kiana taking a big step forward, and Otto was quite satisfied.
Once they went to Schicksal, he could introduce some friends to her too.
It was just that... Otto felt as though he had overlooked something.
Forget it. He would think about it when a problem actually arose.
Otto silently led Mei to their seats. Nervous Kiana did not notice that the cat owner who raised her was seated to her right.
His right hand still held Mei's, though he was rather surprised that she had actually agreed to let him hold it.
It seemed she was making an effort too.
But her hand was cold.
Otto leaned back in his chair and quietly held Mei's hand without speaking.
He had no choice. If he opened his mouth, Bronya would notice him immediately.
Still, holding Mei's hand beside Bronya gave him a strangely thrilling feeling.
Otto ended up giving Mei's little hand a squeeze. When he sensed her body tremble slightly, he loosened his grip a little and began gently stroking the back of her hand instead.
He could not keep pressing her. Knowing when to loosen up was important too.
Mei did not say anything either. Perhaps she did not know what to say.
Mei understood how to pretend to be strong in front of others, but no one had ever taught her how to love someone.
She felt that she probably did not love Otto right now.
But compared to everyone else, Otto had planted a sprout of emotion in her heart. It was tiny, even buried beneath the soil, but one day it would break through the earth.
That was why she had agreed to Otto's invitation to hold hands.
She looked toward the screen. Images gradually appeared, and the movie began.
The sparse conversations in the cinema disappeared. Asakura Miyuki, who had been chatting with Kiana, also closed her mouth. An eerie fluorescent gleam flowed through her dark eyes as she watched the movie along with Kiana.
It was a popular romance film about a man imprisoned by a girl. The girl had become psychologically twisted because of her family, while the man was a novelist. During his captivity, he persistently told her stories every day. In the end, the girl was moved by him. Years after they separated, they met again, and the grown girl had become the man's new editor.
"I'm your fan. I've been listening to your novels since I was little."
Otto was not very interested, though. He turned to look at Mei and saw that she was watching the movie intently.
Otto stroked Mei's hand and did not disturb her.
After all, she would not have many more days when she could be an ordinary girl like this.
Meanwhile, faint chewing sounds kept coming from his left. Kiana was continuously eating popcorn.
Asakura Miyuki and Mei were both watching attentively, but their companions' attention was not on the movie at all. Otto knew that Kiana liked bloody, violent action movies. She simply could not appreciate this kind of fresh, sentimental Japanese film.
However, a playful smile suddenly appeared on his face.
This was what happened when someone had eaten too much and had nothing better to do.
He secretly took out his phone and sent Kiana a message.
"Don't say anything. Look to your right."
Otto's smile remained unchanged. After the message was sent, Kiana's perky butt twitched. Holding the popcorn bucket, she took out her phone in confusion.
Then she saw that Otto had sent her a message. After opening it, she turned her head in confusion.
Before you continue