Sorry for no updates for some time. We are sorting out our schedule. Here is the chapter. Enjoy~
âAnd the other option?â
Lay asked.
âThe two of you must work together to find another way.â
Lay and Misa looked at each other.
âSo, if we fight, one of us can definitely go on, but if we try to go on together, we may not find a way?â
âThat is correct, yes.â
âWell, um, what should we do?â
Misa chuckled in annoyance.
âIf I lose on purpose, Lay-san will be able to proceed without fail, so that might be a better option.â
Rina then said to me,
âDonât worry, they can both go.â
âBoth of you can go. Iâm pretty sure I know where the other road is.â
I informed them through the <Thought Communication Leaks>.
They both nodded.
âI guess weâll have to work together.â
âMmm. Then Iâll give you a hint. The way forward lies somewhere in between these choices. The time limit is five minutes. If you canât find it by then, you will fail. You will have to return to the Trials Room, so think carefully.â
Eniyunienâs presence disappeared as soon as he announced this.
Rina immediately said.
âYou see those two stone pedestals between the choices?â
There were pedestals at the top and bottom of the circular room.
âI think one of the pedestals has a stone statue on it.â
The pedestal at the bottom end had two stone statues on it.
âIf they both get on the other pedestal and strike the same pose as the stone statues, it will open the most direct pathway to the Sky.â
I sent those exact words to the two of them in <Thought Communication Leaks>.
âThat seems to be the idea.â
âEh, ummâŠâ
Misa stared at the stone statue, as if she was shying away.
âWhatâs the problem? Youâd both better hurry up.â
âYes, I know, but⊠but the pose of this stone statueâŠâ
The two stone statues on the pedestal at the bottom end are embracing.
One had its hands around the otherâs waist, and the other had its hands softly resting on the otherâs face.
Both of them had happy smiles on their faces.
ââŠWell, but I guess itâs a good thing that Misa is the one who came hereâŠâ
Lay said with a wry smile.
âIndeed. If I had been there, it would have been quite a challenge.â
Huffing, Lay smiled refreshingly.
âI guess I would have had to go all out against Anos again.â
âEh, letâs see. Which tournament are you talking about again?â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âIâm sorry. Itâs nothing.â
Misa waved her hand hurriedly, as if to get rid of her thoughts.
âMisa!â
Lay jumped up on the pedestal and reached out his hand to her quickly.
âCome on. Itâs okay.â
âAhâŠha, yesâŠâ
Misa grabbed Layâs hand and climbed up onto the pedestal.
âUm, guys, donât look, pleaseâŠâ
âHmm. Unfortunately, thatâs hard to do. Thereâs no guarantee that he wonât try to do something when I close my eyes.â
ââŠAh, yes, thatâs rightâŠI seeâŠâ
âDonât worry. I wonât, so chill out.â
âYes, yesâŠI know that, butâŠâ
Misa turned over with a bright red face, fidgeting and rubbing her hands together.
Even while she was doing this, the time limit was ticking away.
It looked like she couldnât make up her mind, so now she would have to leave it to Lay.
Well, I guess thereâs nothing to worry about.
That man, Hero Kanon, had given courage to others many times in the past.
Iâm sure he would be very good at this kind of thing.
âHow many times have I said that?â
Lay said casually.
âI didnât countâŠâ
âForty-seven times.â
âAh.â
Misa blushed.
ââŠisnât that Forty-eight timesâŠ?â
âHmm?â
âWell, forty⊠eight times⊠well, Lay-san⊠if you count the time we passed each other in the hallway the other day, when we were lightâŠâ
Lay quickly placed his hands gently on Misaâs face.
âI knew it, I remembered.â
Lay smiled at her.
ââŠTa, itâs not fair to test meâŠâ
Misa said, fearfully putting her hands around Layâs waist.
âIâm sorry. You lied to me about not remembering, and I just wanted to be mean to you.â
Misa hugged Lay even tighter.
The two of them were in roughly the same position as the stone statue.
ââŠOh, what? Nothingâs happening, is it?â
Then Rinaâs voice echoed in <Thought Communication Leaks>.
âMaybe itâs the expression?â
ââŠAhâŠâ
Misaâs face tensed up, as if she was nervous.
âIs it okay if itâs like this?â
She tried to smile, but it didnât quite work.
It was far from the happy smile of the stone statue.
When I think about it, this ordeal was quite a challenge.
Aside from the posture, a happy smile was something that not many actors could imitate.
âMisa.â
Pulling her face closer, Lay stared into her eyes.
âLe, Lay-san⊠arenât you too closeâŠ? This isnât like the posture of the stone statueâŠ?â
âIâm sorry. I was just trying to make up for earlier.â
âWhatâŠ?â
Misa looked over at Lay with a puzzled expression.
âIâve missed you so much during this exam.â
It couldnât have been more than an hour, though.
ââŠIâm sure I missed you a lot moreâŠâ
Hmm. They do say that those who are in love donât want to be separated even for a moment, but I didnât expect it to be that much.
Love was a profound thing.
ââŠLay-sanâŠâ
With those words, their shame seemed to have flown away, and their faces drew closer as if they were being sucked into each otherâs gaze.
It was as if they were about to kiss.
âI donât want to leave you anymore.â
âItâs okay. I wonât let go.â
With those words, Misa smiled a big smile.
Lay smiled along with her and returned to the same position as the original stone statue.
It was probably the path to the upper floor.
Thatâs what I call a brave man.
Iâm not surprised you were able to break Misaâs tension so easily.