So, the conclusion of our lunch meeting and confession strategy was to confront it directly.

Therefore, we decided to bide our time for now.

Specifically, until the end of Raphne's Tower imprisonment.

Raphne, who lost her memory and later lost a bet, had been imprisoned in the Tower for a month.

Although the contract stated it was to grant my wish.

The duration of imprisonment at the Tower is at the discretion of the Academy.

So, the Academy ordered Raphne to be imprisoned in the Tower for one month on the grounds that she had troubled me.

Of course, after such a result, Raphne cannot leave the Tower for the duration of one month due to the power of the contract.

From my perspective, there was no need for Raphne to remain confined to the Tower once she regained her memory.

But since the contract's power was already in effect, we had no choice but to wait out the remaining time.

And as it approached nearly a month since Raphne’s imprisonment in the Tower.

“D-D-Date?”

During our usual dinner time, I brought up the idea of going on a date with Raphne.

“Yes, to celebrate both Raphne getting her memory back and her time in the Tower ending. What do you think?”

“Great! Absolutely wonderful!”

As expected, Raphne blushed and beamed with a big smile.

Come to think of it, although I've known Raphne the longest, I didn’t have any memories of walking around the city with just the two of us.

This would be a good opportunity to create such memories.

More importantly, it’s best to say the most important things in a special place at the right time.

...To be honest, if I were to say it in the Tower, there would be a risk of immediate imprisonment, which is why I'm doing it this way.

Anyway, let's try to think positively about everything.

“Hehe, a date with Ken…”

Raphne paused in eating her soup, cupping her cheeks and swaying her body. She looked extremely happy, as if she was floating on air.

Seeing her like that made me smile as well.

‘Yes, let's spend as much of a good time together as possible and leave with fond memories.’

Ultimately, my plan is to get Raphne's permission for my intentions, but...

In any case, it's Raphne's first date.

I thought it was more important for Raphne to be happy than to stick strictly to my plan.

Especially given all that Raphne has done for me up until now.

And a few days later, time flew by, and the end of her one-month imprisonment in the Tower finally arrived.

“Uh, oh no, what should I do? What should I wear?”

“Any of the three would be fine. They’re all pretty.”

“But... Since I’m going out, I want to look even prettier!”

We were delayed by about an hour at the start of our date because Raphne couldn’t decide on what to wear in the Tower.

She spent a long time deliberating over three outfits that were subtly different in color and design.

In the end, she chose one, and we finally left the Tower.

To me, they all seemed pretty much the same, but it seemed like a world of difference to her.

“Hehe, I’m excited.”

As soon as we stepped out of the Tower, Raphne hugged my arm tightly and smiled like a child.

Of course, just because it was a date didn't mean we did anything particularly special compared to usual.

We simply went out into town, had a meal at a nice restaurant, and browsed various shops while shopping.

Finally, we just walked together in a place with a nice atmosphere.

Sure, there could be better options, but I thought such an ordinary date was actually better.

After all, it wasn’t common for Raphne to come out of the Tower and wander around like this.

It was my hope that Raphne would enjoy this ordinary date course with me as well.

"This is really delicious! Ken, do you want to try?"

"Huh?"

"Here, ah~. I'll feed you."

"I-I can eat it myself. People are watching."

"Why? Are you bothered by the gazes of those women?"

"I'll take it."

We ordered different dishes and shared our food with each other, sometimes even feeding one another.

Raphne accepting the steak I offered with her small mouth, blushing as she did, was incredibly cute.

And the way Raphne playfully offered me her food was also adorably childish.

Looking at it this way, it really seemed like an ordinary couple's date, and I started to feel a bit excited too.

Of course, there were also times when Raphne's gaze toward the women looking at me made my heart race in a different way.

"How is it? Does it look good?"

"Uh, yeah. It looks nice."

"...You can look closer if you want."

"......"

"Want to touch it?"

"Don't say things that might cause misunderstandings if someone hears."

We were talking about the necklace.

Naturally, because it was a necklace, the jewel hung around Raphne's pure white neck, resting above her collarbone.

And then, Raphne leaned in slightly to show me the necklace.

Naturally, as the neckline of her dress stretched, a glimpse of her skin showed, and Raphne used that to tease me.

"Honestly, you could be a bit more forward since it's a date."

"Raphne, we're in a store…"

But who am I?

I'm a man disciplined to withstand temptation, even when alone with Raphne in the tower, sharing the same bed. I won't be swayed by this kind of teasing.

...Of course, I can't help but notice. It's a man's instinct, after all.

"But isn't a date between a man and a woman... supposed to be like that?"

"L-Like what?"

"Being a bit more forward, more flirtatious than usual, and somehow feeling closer..."

"Where did you hear such things?"

"In novels!"

I suppose I should consider reducing how much she reads.

"...Oh dear."

Then, as we were walking, Raphne gently pulled me aside into an alley between buildings.

She pushed me against the wall firmly, then looked up at me with a seductive smile.

"So you can do whatever you want, Ken."

Today, Raphne is particularly bolder than usual.

I wonder why.

Despite not being in the confined space of the tower, but out in the crowded street, Raphne pressed herself close to me without any hesitation.

Of course, since we're not in the middle of the street but in a shadowy alley, people aren't watching us.

"R-Raphne…"

The date I thought would be ordinary turned out to be a bit different from what I expected.

No, it was quite different from the dates I had with Mary and Emily.

"I want to kiss."

The dates with them were somewhat innocent, exhilarating, and that kind of tickling romance.

Raphne was even more assertive in her attempts to seduce me.

She was more physically affectionate than usual, as if testing my limits.

‘Oh, what should I do…’

Raphne blushed, gently closing her eyes.

And she didn’t release me, pressing her body tightly against mine against the wall as if she wouldn’t let go.

Kissing Raphne.

She used to ask for kisses quite often before I challenged the Tower of Tarlos, so while it was a bit embarrassing, it wasn't something I couldn’t handle.

‘Yeah, it’s a date.’

If Raphne wants it, let's do it.

“......”

No, saying it like that makes it seem as if I don’t want it.

To be honest, my heart was pounding as if it would burst, and desire was welling up inside me.

So, I carefully leaned in towards Raphne, who had her eyes closed.

I felt the familiar sensation of Raphne’s lips after a long time.

Thanks to both of us brushing our teeth after the meal, there was a light mint scent mingled with Raphne’s fragrance.

“......”

“......”

When our lips finally parted, the seductive smile from earlier had vanished from Raphne’s face.

She looked shy, lowering her head and holding her cheeks.

It seemed even Raphne had mustered courage and held back her embarrassment.

And then Raphne nestled her face into my chest, resting there for a moment.

“Today was so wonderful…”

She looked up at me with a faint smile.

And so, the date with Raphne flowed in a very ordinary yet exhilarating manner.

However, as time passed, my excitement slowly turned into anxiety and worry.

Soon, I would confess to her.

After that, I had to bring up an important and risky topic.

"Next time, I want to go to the festival with Ken."

"Sure, let's definitely go to the next festival. Now we can go out whenever we want."

"...Hehe. Ken, you're being especially kind today for some reason."

"Huh? Am I? I'm not really different from usual."

"Of course, you're always kind, but you seem to be humoring my whims more today."

After looking around the shops, we walked along the walking path near the lake.

Thanks to the lake, a cool breeze was blowing, and the pleasant scent of blooming flowers filled the air, making the atmosphere delightful.

In the midst of this, Raphne brought up a topic as if she'd noticed my plan, which made me a bit flustered.

I thought I'd been acting as usual, but maybe it felt different in subtle ways.

Indeed, a woman's intuition is frightening.

"Hey, Raphne."

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to sit down for a bit?"

Sensing that it was the right time, given Raphne's sharp instinct, I started to set the mood.

A bench near the walking path.

We sat there, gazing at the lake.

"I have something to tell you, Raphne..."

Holding Raphne's hand, I began the conversation I had so carefully prepared.

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