Coincidences may be fleeting, but for those who know, Tatsuya and Honoka's relationship was a closely guarded secret. Even Miyuki and Shizuku were privy to it, but to others, it remained hidden. Tatsuya's popularity, however, kept Honoka on edge, her days filled with quiet anxiety over potential rivals.
"Tatsuya-san, no cheating, okay?" Honoka said, her voice half-teasing, half-serious.
"I know. Besides, I don't have the energy for that," Tatsuya replied with a faint smile.
Since the incident in April, they'd been secretly dating. The first half of summer break, dominated by the Nine Schools Competition, was behind them, and now they could finally spend time as a couple. Entrusting Miyuki's protection to the Yotsuba family, Tatsuya had brought Honoka on an overnight trip.
"Still, I'm impressed you managed to book a place like this," Tatsuya remarked, glancing around the elegant hotel room.
"It's actually thanks to Shizuku's family connections," Honoka admitted. "Her dad found out and offered it as a sort of celebration."
"I see. I'll have to thank Shizuku later," Tatsuya said.
A friend's father encouraging a high school couple's overnight trip was unusual, but Tatsuya was grateful for the gesture.
"Oh, Tatsuya-san, is your ear okay?" Honoka asked, her tone shifting to concern.
"Hm? Oh, it's fine now," he assured her.
The eardrum he'd ruptured during Monolith Code had already been healed by his innate magic. But Honoka, unaware of this, looked at him with worried eyes.
"Even with healing magic, was it really such a minor injury to heal that quickly?" she pressed.
Tatsuya scanned the room, confirming no listening devices were present, then pulled Honoka close, whispering in her ear. "It wasn't healing magic that fixed it."
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"One of my innate magics—one I can freely use—repaired my eardrum, along with the internal injuries and ribs I got from Ichijou's attack."
This wasn't something he should share lightly. But when he'd arranged for the Yotsuba to guard Miyuki for this trip, Maya had given him specific instructions.
"If you're serious about staying with that girl, you don't have to hide being a Yotsuba. But everything else, you can tell her the truth," Maya had said.
She wanted Tatsuya's happiness and regretted the constraints she'd placed on him. So, except for his Yotsuba ties, he was free to be honest with Honoka.
"Your innate magic, Tatsuya-san?" Honoka asked, her eyes wide.
"I can only freely use two magics: one that decomposes information bodies and another that reconstructs them. Both are considered high-level in modern magic. They take up most of my calculation area, so I can't freely use other magics. And these two aren't exactly ones I can show off," he explained.
Honoka froze, her mouth agape. The revelation was staggering—she'd never even heard of such magic.
"Keep this to yourself," Tatsuya said. "I'm telling you because you're my girlfriend. If I told anyone else, I'd have to… silence them."
"Silence them…?" Honoka echoed, her voice trembling.
"Exactly what you're thinking. My magic can erase someone's existence entirely—no body left behind," he said, his tone calm but heavy.
Honoka didn't know about Tatsuya single-handedly crushing No Head Dragon, nor that they'd been targeted by the group. But his demeanor told her his words were no exaggeration.
"You're telling me this because you want to share your secrets with me, right?" she asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yeah. I told you because I feel I can be with you, Elements or not. So keep it a secret, okay?" he said.
"Of course!" Honoka replied, her voice firm.
She wasn't surprised he knew about her Elements lineage. Her surname made it obvious to those in the know, and Tatsuya knowing didn't faze her.
"Still, Tatsuya-san, you're really incredible," she said, awe creeping into her voice.
"What's that all of a sudden?" he asked, caught off guard.
"You can use high-level magic innately! That's amazing!" she exclaimed.
"But because of it, I can't use regular magic well. No matter how hard I try, I'll never get past a C-rank international license," he said, shrugging.
"Even so! You're an amazing magic engineer, too! Even with a C-rank license, you can make a living with your skills!" Honoka insisted.
"There's one more thing I want to tell you," Tatsuya said, his tone shifting.
"What is it?" she asked, curious.
"I'm already working as a magic engineer."
What he was about to say was even more famous—and shocking—than his innate magic.
"I'm half of 'Taurus Silver.' I earn income as 'Silver,'" he revealed.
"You're… Taurus Silver…" Honoka repeated, stunned.
"Keep this quiet, too," he added.
The barrage of revelations overwhelmed Honoka, her mind struggling to keep up. Then she realized she was still wrapped in Tatsuya's arms, and her face flushed crimson.
"Um, Tatsuya-san, you can let go now," she said shyly.
"…You sure you want me to?" he asked, his voice low.
Tatsuya didn't have the raging desires of a typical teenager, but he wasn't devoid of them either. His urges were faint, but they existed.
"Well… I don't mind," Honoka admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
"I want to keep feeling your warmth," Tatsuya said softly.
Honoka hadn't expected such words from him. Wanting him to feel her as much as possible, she returned his embrace, pressing herself closer.
"Tatsuya-san, isn't it loud?" she asked.
"What is?"
"My heartbeat. It's pounding so hard."
In truth, you'd need to press your ear to someone's chest to hear their heartbeat. Her words were a subtle invitation, a plea for closeness.
"…I can hear it clearly. It's racing," Tatsuya said, playing along.
"Of course it is. You're holding me," Honoka replied, her voice trembling with emotion.
Tatsuya pressed his ear to her chest, over her clothes, feeling the rapid thud of her heart. The act only made it beat faster.
"Tatsuya-san, let's stay like this…" she whispered.
"No choice, huh?" he said with a faint smile.
The room had only one bed—a mistake not by Tatsuya or Honoka but by Shizuku's father, or rather, his deliberate choice, Honoka suspected.
The era of free love had faded, but it wasn't unheard of for high schoolers to take such steps. By sharing all his secrets—save his Yotsuba ties—Tatsuya had removed Honoka's final reservations. As part of the Elements lineage, she had a tendency to depend on her partner, whether emotionally or physically. Honoka embodied both.
That summer night, Tatsuya and Honoka savored their time together, wrapped in a sweet, intimate moment.
📖 Enjoying the story? By joining my Patreon, you'll gain early access to new chapters and exclusive content available only to supporters.
🌐 Find me here: pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ
I, Tomoya Aki, Will Not Be a Simp (45 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: Summoning Furina and the Genshin Gang to Reality (33 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd: Stranded in Another World, Surrounded by Valkyries (33 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: I Refused the Path of Betrayal and Chose to Rewrite Fate (66 Chapter)
I Only Wanted to Fix Machines, Not Help Conan Solve Murders (63 Chapter)
One Piece: I Brought Piltover's Tech to the Pirate Era (75 Chapter)
From Diablo to Marvel: The Barbarian Who Crushes All Heroes (96 Chapter)
Resident Evil: Ethan's Epilogue Is a Road Trip With a Dead Girl (65 Chapter)
Date A Live: Kurumi Rebuild (65 Chapter)
Harry Potter: The Lion of the Serpent House (76 Chapter)
I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?! (145 Chapter)
The Irregular at Magic High School: Everyone Loves My Brother?! (130 Chapter)
Runeterra: Prince of Demacia (17 Chapter)
Love is War: What If Kaguya Ha (10 Chapter)
Blue Archive: One Last Memory (36 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.