"Mei, Mei, don't be shy. You should be more confident. Look, no one is saying anything, and they're even envious of you ♬ ~" Elysia said to Mei, who was pulling her.
Hearing Elysia's words, Mei quickened her steps.
"Mei, slow down, slow down! I can't keep up." Elysia jogged along, following Mei's pace.
Mei continued pulling Elysia until they were out of the Academy gate before she slowed down and sighed in relief.
Elysia walked to stand beside Mei, turning sideways to look at her. "Mei, are you shy ♬ ~"
Mei turned her head away, not wanting to look at Elysia. For Mei, Elysia also came from Nagazora City and was now by her side. She felt she had to do her best to take care of her. But how long had it been? It wasn't her taking care of Elysia at all; it was Elysia taking care of her.
"Oh~ So Mei can get shy too. Be bolder! Maybe those classmates are all envious of you." Elysia continued to prod Mei's spirits.
Mei originally wanted to reach out and pinch Elysia's face, wanting to ask her how she could be like her...
But then she realized that ever since the rooftop, she hadn't let go of Elysia's hand, and she was still holding it now.
Mei was stuck on the choice of whether to let go or not.
But then Mei didn't have to agonize over it anymore.
Elysia directly hugged Mei's arm to her chest. "Hey, Mei, where should we go next ♬ ~"
"Elysia, could you please let go of me first?" Mei bit her lower lip, then whispered softly.
"Oh no, that won't do. After all, this is practically a date for the two of us ♬ ~" Elysia said playfully.
Before Mei could retort, Elysia continued, "The way Mei hugged Kiana just now made Elysia jealous. Sure enough, Mei is gentle to everyone. Elysia didn't misjudge you. I really still want to gently hold you in my arms ♬ ~"
"Elysia, why do you care about me like this?" Mei was a little confused. Normally, a person who saw the culprit who ruined their family wouldn't keep caring for them like this; they might even be hostile.
But Elysia didn't. She was very tolerant of her, even caring for her, making her, a sinner, even more unable to forgive herself.
But she said she believed it wasn't her doing and gave her warmth.
Mei had never felt this way about anyone else.
From her father, there was strictness, but more often, it was concern within that strictness.
From Kiana, Mei saw light, because it was Kiana who broke open the box that had sealed her.
As for Bronya, after spending this time together, Mei also knew that she was a pitiful girl. Many times, she didn't know what she was thinking, but from her, Mei could feel that she was always surrounded by a sense of regret.
Teacher Himeko and Dean Theresa, these two bore immense pressure to allow her to enroll in St. Freya Academy.
So what about Elysia? Mei didn't know, only that Elysia was very gentle, a feeling no one else had ever given her.
Elysia didn't know Mei was thinking so much. "Why do I care about Mei? I don't know either. Or rather, a child as cute and gentle as Mei, anyone would care about her, right?"
"Thank you, Elysia." Mei seemed to understand something, then pulled her arm free from Elysia's embrace, and then, pulling Elysia, she began to walk quickly down the small path.
"Eh, eh, eh? Why are you suddenly saying thank you? Slow down, slow down!" Pulled into a stumble by Mei's sudden increase in speed, Elysia protested slightly.
Looking at Elysia like that, a slight smile reappeared on Mei's lips. Sure enough, this kind of Elysia was better. Now she seemed more like an older sister who wasn't much older than herself and cared deeply for her. Before, Elysia had felt more like an elder who cared for her.
"There's still a lot to do this afternoon. After all, we need to buy daily necessities for Elysia. Elysia has nothing right now, so we need to buy everything," Mei explained hurriedly.
"But, but there's no need to rush so much! If we can't finish buying today, couldn't we come back tomorrow or the day after?" Elysia quickened her pace to keep up with Mei. After all, her hand was still being held by Mei; she couldn't slow down even if she wanted to.
People they encountered on the road all made way for them, as their hurried steps gave the impression that they were very busy.
But seeing their clasped hands, some people also thought of other things.
After all, St. Freya Academy is a Valkyrie Academy, and all the students in the Academy are girls. Except for a few male teachers and some male logistics staff, there are no men in the entire Academy.
Soon, Mei led Elysia to the commercial street.
Having already purchased daily necessities once, Mei was quite familiar with the commercial street.
Leading Elysia through various shops, they quickly bought most of the daily necessities.
Both Elysia and Mei were carrying bags.
Seeing that they had bought quite a lot, Mei led Elysia into a furniture store.
"Elysia, do you prefer a softer mattress or a slightly firmer one?" Mei asked Elysia after looking around.
"Ah, well, a softer one would be better." Elysia didn't know how to describe her current feelings.
Being pulled by Mei into a shop, then asked what style she liked, and then Mei would lead her to choose. The bags she was carrying now were all spoils of war.
After Elysia spoke, Mei directly pulled Elysia to a display area.
Then she put down all the items in her hands and gestured for Elysia to put hers down with them.
"The mattresses here are all quite soft, Elysia, you can try them." Mei was more professional than a professional sales assistant, directly pulling Elysia and starting to talk about mattresses.
Under Mei's recommendations and Elysia's own feeling when sitting on them, they quickly chose a mattress.
"Mei, for something so big, the store should deliver it, right?" Elysia asked, a little scared. Something this big, there's no way they could carry it back directly! No way, right, no way!
"The store will help deliver it to the door, you don't need to worry about that, Elysia." After taking out a small notebook from her bag and writing down the product number of this mattress, Mei pulled Elysia to another area of the store.
"Elysia, bedding can also be purchased here. Just choose what you like." Mei finished speaking and pointed to the area ahead.
"How about, Mei, you help me choose? If I choose, it will take me a very long time." Elysia gave up on the option of choosing herself. Her decision-making paralysis was about to act up, so it was better to let Mei choose.
"If Elysia doesn't mind, then I'll go choose." Mei walked straight in, not waiting for Elysia's response.
From the previous shops, Mei had already figured out Elysia's shopping habits. If she let her choose by herself, they might have to live here tonight!
Watching Mei walk in to choose things for her, Elysia breathed a sigh of relief. Mei was still too scary at this time. Wasn't it just that her decision-making paralysis was acting up? So it was better to let Mei help her choose, and she wouldn't have to agonize over it.
Soon, Mei walked out.
After coming out, she pulled Elysia towards the counter. Elysia said with some uncertainty, "Ch-chosen?"
"Yes, chosen. Next, we'll pay and have the store help deliver the items to our residence," Mei immediately replied.
Walking to the counter, Mei pulled out her small notebook and told the counter staff the product numbers.
After a series of conversations, Mei took out her card to pay, then handed the items she had bought earlier to the service staff at the counter, then walked to Elysia's side and took the items from her hands and placed them on the counter.
After that, she led Elysia out of the store.
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