So, without thinking for long, I decided to find him. Because of his popularity, it didn't take much time. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't catch him. It was as if he saw right through me; he foresaw my every step. The stronger the interest heated up in me.
And finally, I found him, purely by chance. He was going down the street. So, without hesitation, I decided to talk to him. But by chance, I knocked him out.
Back then, it was the beginning of our communication. Of course, I was saddened that he didn't say anything about my mom. How did he know? Why did he lie to me that a friend told him? I didn't understand why.
I just didn't understand what I should do then. If he doesn't want to tell the truth, there's nothing I can do about it. So, I just came to him every day and just watched him. And I didn't notice how I started to get used to him.
So, with each day, we became closer and closer to each other. Until I noticed how every minute my thoughts were only about him. During the descent into the dungeons, when I slept, while walking, while communicating with other people. I was always just thinking about him.
I didn't understand, what is this? What is this feeling? It was the first time for me. The new feelings were both frightening and at the same time I felt a thrill.
And each time this feeling grew steadily, it grew too quickly, until I was completely immersed in this feeling.
And when I first saw him talking to Lefiya, it was as if I was plunged into cold water. I don't know why, but I can definitely say one thing: I didn't like how he paid attention to someone else.
But from these thoughts I was ashamed in front of Lefiya.
Lefiya is a kind and very good friend. But seeing how he pays more and more attention to her, all the time that he only paid to her, suddenly switched to another, causing new feelings. But I quickly decided to ignore it, but casting another glance at them - at Kopii and Lefiya arguing - this strange, disgusting feeling surged with new force.
She focused so much attention on them that she unconsciously squeezed the spoon too hard, turning it into an incomprehensible piece of metal. But quickly noticing this, she hid everything that was left of the so-called spoon.
But in a few seconds, we had already finished and went home. But last, I looked at Kopii's face. My heart was filled with warmth from his small smile.
"Bye."
"Bye, Ais."
Waving goodbye, I left.
Approaching Lefiya, but before I could open my mouth, she beat me to it, starting the conversation first:
"How he pisses me off! We haven't known each other for very long, but he's already picked my brain out! It's annoying."
Starting to walk forward, she growled from indignation.
"How do you tolerate him, Ais!?"
Looking at me with a questioning gaze.
"Well… He doesn't talk to me like that."
"Naturally, even someone like him knows how to talk to the Sword Princess. At least he's capable of something."
I became a little uncomfortable because of the statements about Kopii. But I quickly suppressed this feeling.
"Okay, enough about him… I wanted to ask you, Ais."
"What?"
She lowered her eyes to the ground, unable to maintain eye contact with Ais, and said in a calmer tone:
"Can you cook something for me, the best dish you can make?"
"…"
"Of course, you can refuse!" She babbled, waving her hands.
"Of course, Lefiya."
Unable to suppress a smile, seeing how Lefiya's eyes filled with delight. If such a small gesture can bring such delight, then why not try it.
Remembering this, a small smile spread across my lips.
Not seeing Kopii today, she returned home in a depressed state, because she hadn't seen him for almost a month. But tomorrow she definitely intends to find him.
Of course, I had thoughts of coming to him at night. But I quickly abandoned this idea. But this thought didn't leave my head, constantly asking myself the same questions:
"What's stopping me?"
"Will he be against it? Or, on the contrary, will he be happy?"
I didn't know if he would be happy or not. But one thought that he would not be happy with my night visit completely stopped me. So, I didn't dare to do it, no matter how much I wanted to.
The next day.
I was training at the training ground in the Loki Familia. I, as always, was training my sword skill, bringing it to perfection.
Deciding to take a short break, Lefiya came to me in the same second, with triumph on her face.
"You see, Ais, I was right!"
She exclaimed in full voice.
"… Yes?"
"Yes!"
"And in what?.."
"…"
"You don't know?"
"About what?"
"About that bastard."
…
Hearing this, I immediately understood who it was about. I pricked up my ears, waiting to see what she would say next.
"I always believed in his true nature at first glance. How others couldn't understand this, but I could. I have done what even the Sword Princess could not do. No one could do it, except me."
With each word, her smile became wider and wider. My thoughts began to race at the speed of light. What will she say next? That he's leveling up? This was very likely, because I was personally convinced of his talent. But the tone clearly spoke of something else.
But before I could guess, she interrupted my thoughts, continuing to say:
"That he is a pathetic pervert!"
"Pervert?"
I asked in confusion.
"Yes, a pervert! I heard rumors that he was harassing elves and walking around the city completely naked. What a disgrace! But what else could you expect from someone like him."
"Harassing elves, completely naked," Lefiya's words flashed through my mind. I couldn't believe what I heard, because I knew for sure: Kopii was not that kind of person. He couldn't be a pervert.
Remembering every moment with Kopii, I could say with certainty that he wasn't a pervert. I knew exactly how perverts behave, because my goddess was still that pervert.
"Rumors," I remembered that Lefiya said at first, that these were just rumors. Putting everything together, I began to understand that it was all nonsense and nothing more. After all, there are too many envious personalities, and it is very easy to spread a rumor about someone who has something that he does not have. Knowing his popularity, I know that these rumors will quickly spread around Orario like hot cakes.
But what if the rumors are true? Involuntarily, I thought about this outcome, imagining how Kopii walks around completely naked and how people glance at his naked body. It caused a strange feeling. The same feeling as when I went to Kopii with Lefiya. This feeling completely captured my mind, unable to calm down.
The mere thought of it heated this feeling to the limit. I tried with all my might to think that these were just rumors.
But the seed of doubt had already been planted.
"I see."
I replied, starting to take the sword and standing up, starting to train harder. I was trying to distract myself from this devouring feeling about Kopii. And training will help me with this.
.