The two of them walked briskly down the slope where Fairy Hills stood and were soon back in the noisy streets.
Only after they were out of Cana's sight did Shane finally have the chance to let out a long breath.
Turning his head, he lightly tapped Mira on the shoulder with both hands. "Thanks, seriously. I've never been good at dealing with someone like Cana who acts that familiar with everyone."
Mira shot him a sidelong glance.
Seeing him actually take the initiative to thank her, the last bit of irritation she'd felt about being ignored in the hallway finally melted away.
Especially since this "master" of hers, who normally had few kind words for her, was now talking to her in such an unusually "soft" tone.
The girl pursed her lips. She didn't even notice that her previously cold, stiff voice had softened a little, taking on a faintly girlish note.
"I just didn't want you getting distracted by something pointless and delaying the important stuff."
Tch…
Looking at the way the white-haired girl slightly lifted her chin, Shane couldn't help laughing inwardly.
Why did every girl around him seem to have at least a little bit of tsundere in them?
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, thanks a lot for that just now."
Since she really had bailed him out, Shane went along with it and gave her all the face she deserved.
The two of them walked side by side down the street.
Just then, they happened to pass a warmly decorated flower shop.
The owner was standing in front of it arranging bouquets, wearing a bright, friendly smile.
Only, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were much deeper than Shane remembered.
Shane stopped walking, his eyes drawn to the vivid bougainvillea and carnations at the front of the shop.
After a moment's thought, he turned and walked over.
"Welcome. What kind of flowers do you need?" the shopkeeper called out warmly, clearly not recognizing the black-haired boy who had come by once years ago.
"Could I get some bougainvillea and carnation seeds?"
"Sure thing, just a moment!" The owner turned briskly to go find and pack them up.
"Planting flowers? Since when did you pick up such a refined hobby?"
Mira followed him over curiously and leaned in to look at the flowers.
"Nothing much. I just want to remember a few things."
Shane's eyes shifted slightly as he answered offhandedly.
"Oh."
Mira responded flatly, clearly not that interested in the topic.
Leaning against the flower shop's post, she stared at Shane's profile for a while.
A breeze passed by, and as if something had just occurred to her, she absentmindedly twirled a strand of white hair over her chest around her finger and suddenly asked,
"By the way… which one of those two women do you actually like?"
Shane's movement as he turned his head froze instantly, and he looked at her in speechless disbelief.
"What is it with you? How did you become as nosy as Cana?"
"I'm not some loudmouthed drunk like Cana. Can't I be a little curious?"
Mira puffed out her chest in perfect self-righteousness. "Besides, I just did you a huge favor."
This whole smooth combo of cashing in on a favor—where the hell had she learned that?
Shane ground his teeth inwardly.
You really can't owe troublesome people anything.
Seeing there was no way out of this death question today, Shane let out a long, miserable sigh.
"Fine, you really want to know?"
He turned his face away in complete surrender, looking like someone who had given up on life. "What if I like both of them? Is that so wrong?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Shane shut his eyes with a trace of guilt, ready to be hit with whatever came next—playboy, scumbag, human trash, something along those lines.
But instead, the air stayed quiet for two whole seconds.
The white-haired girl beside him merely gave a casual, indifferent "Oh."
And that was it.
"?"
Now it was Shane who felt awkward.
He opened his eyes again and looked her up and down like she was some kind of alien.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something weird on my face?"
Mira touched her smooth cheek, baffled by the way he was staring.
"You're not even going to comment on it?" Shane asked carefully.
"Didn't I already say? I'm not some gossip maniac."
Mira stretched lazily, and as she moved, the high ponytail behind her head swayed back and forth, tracing a light, cheerful arc in the air.
"Besides, for a jerk like you, forget liking two people at once. Even if a third one showed up someday, I wouldn't be surprised."
Her words were as sharp as ever, but for some reason, Shane had the distinct impression that she was actually in a very good mood right now.
What, knowing my love life is that entertaining to you?
Looking at how refreshed and pleased Mira seemed, Shane clicked his tongue inwardly in frustration.
When it came to relationships, he had always thought of himself as pretty restrained and innocent.
Other than being forcibly kissed by one terrible woman, he had lived with Erza for years without even kissing her once.
He'd even spent all that time dutifully teaching her all kinds of normal things.
Just then, the flower shop owner came back and carefully handed him the seeds wrapped in brown paper.
"Thank you."
Shane took the packet, paid from the wallet he had pulled out of his storage space, and then turned to Mira with a faintly annoyed look.
"I haven't been home in a long time. I'm heading back there first today."
"Mm. Just don't forget about Mystogan."
Mira gave him a little wave of reminder.
"I know. See you at the guild tomorrow."
Purposely not saying goodbye properly, Shane turned and parted ways with her at the street corner.
…
Leaving the city behind, he followed the familiar little road east toward the outskirts.
Even though Magnolia itself had changed in many ways, this gravel path leading out of town was one Shane had walked countless times before. He practically knew the position of every stone underfoot.
And yet, maybe because he had truly been gone too long, the clearer that familiar little house became in his sight, the slower his steps grew, and a strange homesick hesitation rose in his chest.
He stopped at the gate, took a deep breath of the cool air, and only then pushed open the slightly weathered fence.
"Hm? They added another floor?"
The moment he stepped inside, he noticed something different.
Looking up, his gaze settled on the roof. What had once been a single low little house now had an exquisitely built attic added on top.
The wood still looked new, which meant it had clearly been expanded during the past few years.
Puzzled, he pushed open the front door and stepped inside.
The interior felt just as familiar as ever, but there was none of the dead stillness of an abandoned place. Instead, it was full of signs of real life.
Not only was the living room spotless, even his own bedroom—which had sat empty for four years—had been kept perfectly clean. The sheets were neatly made, the windows bright, the whole place clearly maintained with care and regular attention.
When he went out into the backyard, even the outdoor hot spring he had loved soaking in most seemed to have been enchanted by Erza with some kind of temperature-control magic.
Even with him gone, the water still gave off warm steam.
"Looks like Erza's been doing just fine…"
After quickly checking the main places he cared about, Shane finally felt his heart settle.
Since he was in a hurry to plant the seeds, he didn't bother looking around the rest of the house just yet.
Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, used magic to create a small iron hoe, grabbed the seeds he had bought, and headed back to the front yard.
Because Erza often practiced swordsmanship out there, no flowers or plants had been grown in the open space, just to keep it clear.
Shane crouched by a corner near the wall where it wouldn't get in the way.
Unbidden, the image of that lonely goddess he had met in the darkness rose in his mind.
Now that he had successfully escaped the curse and returned to the world of the living, Shane felt like he ought to leave behind something tangible for that solitary mistress of the underworld.
Something like… the two flowers she loved most.
"Bougainvillea and carnations… I hope they bloom properly."
Shane murmured softly as he broke the soil with the little hoe, each stroke making a dull thunk.
His hands quickly became caked with dirt as he carefully buried the seeds one by one.
And just as he was fully focused on what he was doing—
suddenly—
Rustle…
A faint sound of footsteps came from behind him.
Then a cool female voice spoke up at his back.
"What are you doing at my front door?"