I had barely managed to survive my morning with Lyria without giving away that I wasn't the Kaito she thought she knew. After her subtle praises and lingering touches seriously, how dense was this guy to miss those signals? she finally excused herself to get ready for the day. That left me alone, lying in bed, mentally preparing for what was next, the rest of the adventuring party
The memories I had were frustratingly incomplete, but one thing was clear every single one of them was ridiculously attractive.
Let me break it down for you:
1. Lyria – The golden-haired sorceress who could probably win a beauty pageant in her sleep. Sweet, elegant, and almost too perfect, she had this habit of doting on me like I was a fragile glass ornament. The way she looked at me? Yeah, it screamed love interest.
2. Reina – The brooding swordswoman with jet-black hair tied in a high ponytail. She had a lean, athletic build and a sharp, no-nonsense attitude to match. Reina was the type who'd rather spar than talk about feelings, but the way her eyes lingered on me when she thought no one was looking? Suspicious.
3. Mira – The rogue of the group, small and spry with short auburn hair and a mischievous grin permanently plastered across her face. She thrived on teasing me, like a cat toying with its prey. If sarcasm were a weapon, she'd be dual-wielding.
4. Dalia – The towering, muscular warrior who looked like she could bench-press a wyvern. With fiery red hair cascading down her back and an easygoing smile, she had this intimidating-yet-friendly vibe. She laughed a lot boisterous, hearty laughs and seemed to enjoy ruffling everyone's feathers, especially mine.
And then there was me - Kaito, the dense protagonist they all seemed to fawn over. Or at least, that's what the body's previous occupant had been. Me? I was just a guy trying to navigate this madness without getting called out for body-snatching.
By the time I made it to the main room of the inn, the party was already gathered around the table, chatting over breakfast. Lyria waved at me with that same radiant smile, her golden locks catching the morning sunlight streaming through the windows.
"Morning, Kaito!" she called cheerfully.
Reina glanced up from his plate, her dark eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't say anything, but the way she stabbed her fork into a piece of meat spoke volumes. Yeah, she angry of about something.
"Look who finally decided to wake up," Mira chimed in with a smirk, her sharp green eyes glinting with mischief. She was perched on the edge of her chair, her feet swinging just above the ground. "Let me guess you were too busy dreaming about Lyria to join us earlier?"
I froze, my brain scrambling for a response. Did she know? Was this her way of testing me? Or was she just messing around?
"Knock it off, Mira," Lyria said, pouting slightly. "Don't tease him so early in the morning."
"Oh, come on," Mira replied, leaning back in her chair with a grin. "It's fun watching him squirm."
"Enough," Reina said, her voice cool and cutting. She didn't even look up from the her food as she eat it. "We have more important things to discuss than Kaito's sleep schedule."
"Right, right," Dalia chimed in, leaning back in her chair with a mug of ale in hand. Yes, ale at breakfast. "Like how he's going to keep us from getting roasted by another wyvern today." She shot me a teasing grin. "Gotta admit, though, kid you've got guts. Taking a tail swipe like that to save Lyria? Bold move."
I forced a laugh, scratching the back of my head. "Just, uh, doing what anyone would've done."
"Not true," Dalia said, her grin widening. "Most people would've run screaming in the other direction."
"Well," Lyria said, her cheeks flushing faintly, "I, for one, am grateful. You saved me, Kaito. Thank you."
The way she said it so earnest and heartfelt I felt a twinge of guilt. The guy you're thanking isn't here anymore.
"Enough," Reina said, her voice cutting through the banter like a blade. Everyone fell silent as she turned her intense gaze on me. "Kaito. Are you ready for today's mission?"
My stomach dropped. Mission? What mission? I frantically sifted through the fragmented memories in my head, but all I got was static. I couldn't admit ignorance without raising suspicions, so I defaulted to my safest move: nod and act confident.
"Of course," I said. "I'm ready for anything."
Reina's eyes narrowed slightly, like she was evaluating me. Finally, she nodded. "Good. We'll need you at your best."
"Oh, relax, Reina," Dalia said, waving her hand dismissively. "Let the kid enjoy his breakfast before you drag him into battle."
Reina's gaze flicked to Dalia, then back to me. "Don't be late," she said curtly before walking out of the room.
Mira let out a low whistle. "Someone's tense this morning. Maybe you should take her out for a drink, Kaito. Loosen her up a bit."
"Mira!" Lyria said, her cheeks reddening.
Lyria leaned toward me, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Don't mind Reina. She's just worried about you after yesterday."
"Worried? About me?" I asked, acting genuinely surprised.
She nodded. "You took that wyvern's tail swipe head-on to protect me. It was so brave, Kaito. But you don't have to push yourself so hard. We're a team, remember?"
A flicker of memory surfaced just a blur of scales and the sensation of being thrown through the air. Great. This guy really was a walking trope.
"Thanks," I said awkwardly, scratching the back of my head.
"Seriously, though," Mira said, cutting in. "If you pull a stunt like that again, I'm not dragging your sorry ass back to the healer's tent. You're on your own."
"She's lying," Dalia boomed with another laugh. "She'd miss you too much!"
"Would not!" Mira snapped, her cheeks turning red.
The banter continued, but I barely heard it. My mind was racing, trying to piece together how this group operated. Clearly, they had a dynamic one I was expected to be part of. Lyria was the heart, Reina the head, Dalia the muscle, and Mira the wild card. And me? I was... what? The glue holding them together? The idiot they all secretly adored?
Whatever it was, one thing was clear: I needed to learn fast if I wanted to keep up.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. How did the old Kaito handle this? "What's the mission today, anyway?" I asked, hoping to fish for some context without seeming suspicious.
Dalia raised an eyebrow. "You forgot already? We're taking out a bandit camp."
"Bandits?" I echoed, relief flooding through me. Bandits, I could deal with. No fire-breathing wyverns, no magic duels just a bunch of guys with swords. I could handle that.
"Don't get cocky," Mira said, noticing the flicker of confidence on my face. "These aren't your average highway robbers. They're organized, and their leader's supposed to be some kind of big deal."
"Nothing we can't handle," Dalia said, flexing her arms with a grin.
Lyria smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Kaito. We'll handle it together, just like always."
Her words were meant to be comforting, but all I could think was, What do you mean, "like always"? I have no idea what going to do later.
Still, I had no choice but to play along. "Right," I said, forcing a smile. "Together."
As the group gathered their gear and prepared to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into something way over my head. But hey, at least I wasn't dealing with a wyvern this time.
Yet.