Chapter: 20 ( Date )

[ Time Skip ]

Three days have passed since my encounter with the devils, and I still haven't used the teleportation circle provided by Sona Sitri.

It's not that I'm uninterested in getting to know them—after all, you can't judge a book by its cover. I'm waiting for the world to recognize me as a resident of this reality. The red string of fate, still forming around me in a dense cocoon-like structure, suggests that the world has some big plans for me. I plan to enjoy whatever it has in store.

I've trained like a madman for what feels like an eternity—enough to drive any sane human insane. The solitude of a silent world can shatter one's mind, but the constant threat of monsters and the presence of Sera have kept me grounded.

I often wonder why God couldn't make it easier and simply establish me as a resident of this reality with His powers, like in some novels. Instead, He chose this long and confusing process. I suppose gods have a different mindset than mortals, so I just let it be.

According to Sera's calculations, it will take only three to four more days until my destiny and fate fully align with this world. At that point, I can bring out my real body and merge with it.

This is also why I'm not actively trying to court any girls right now. Even though I am the same man in soul, I still have reservations about having intimate moments with my women in a different body. It's like I'm blue-balling myself, and I don't want that to happen.

Sera is different, though. Since she's also using a proxy body like mine, we can do whatever we want with each other without any hesitation.

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I was sitting in a cozy café, waiting for someone who had called me here. In this world, I had few friends and even fewer acquaintances—people I could count on one hand.

"[Looks like she's here. I'll check on our real body, so enjoy your date,]" Sera said, residing in my personal dimension. It was her way of giving me an excuse to have some alone time with the person who called me here.

"Hi, Rudra. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Hello, Miu. No worries, I just got here too. Have a seat," I said to the beauty who invited me for a celebration. The magazine we worked on together had become a huge hit.

She sat down, fidgeting slightly in her seat, glancing nervously around the café.

"You don't have to worry about someone recognizing you. Even I'd have a hard time believing it's you with that getup," I reassured her. She had come in disguise due to her sudden surge in popularity.

Although she had been a small-time model, her fame skyrocketed after our collaboration. I had seen digital copies of the magazine on my PC, and the comments on the photo where our lips were centimeters apart were quite something. People were saying things like we were the perfect couple of the decade, a match made in heaven, or made for each other—embarrassing stuff that made Miu very self-conscious.

She thought I might be offended by some of the comments, so she got my phone number from Hikari and contacted me. We talked for a bit, and I dismissed her concerns regarding her dilemma. Then she indirectly proposed a date as a treat from her.

I accepted, and here I was, sitting in front of the current hottest model in the industry. It could also be called my first date if you don't count Sera. So, I made some effort to dress up.

My looks are already great, with black hair and black eyes, a chiselled body, and a face that could make any woman dream about me. I'm not being narcissistic; it's just the truth. I wore a white shirt, black pants, black shoes, a black wristwatch, and black sunglasses. I looked like a certain shadow monarch. I didn't bother to wear any caps or masks to hide my identity. Instead, I cast a spell that made my presence thin among the crowd, making them ignore me unless I approached them.

But unlike me, Miu is a normal human, so she disguised herself with a cap and glasses. Despite her efforts, her beauty couldn't be hidden. Her hair cascaded down, and although her eyes were behind sunglasses, I could still see them clearly.

Though not voluptuous, her body could put models from Earth to shame. She had the right curves in the right places, healthy white skin, and a slightly blushing face that made my heart race.

*Doki**Doki*

For the first time, I felt something other than indifference towards someone besides Sera. I had met Akeno, Rias, and Sona—dream girls for many people on Earth, myself included. Yet, even after meeting them in real life, I felt nothing but indifference. I couldn't muster any feelings of lust or a crush on them. But Miu was different.

Even when I first met her and worked with her, I was conscious of myself, a feeling I had completely forgotten when I met the devils. Today, after seeing her cute and adorable reaction, I felt for the second time that I could love someone.

Seeing his handsome looks and muscular body, which were evident even through his clothes, made Miu's heart race.

After her shoot with Rudra, Miu couldn't sleep at night. Every time she closed her eyes, Rudra's face appeared in her mind, making her heart pound. After two consecutive sleepless nights, she went to the agency for another project, where she met Hikari.

Noticing the bags under her eyes, Hikari asked about her problem, and she reluctantly shared her experience. Hikari laughed after listening to her dilemma and said, "Listen, Miu, what you're experiencing is your first love. You know, I don't usually believe in such things, but if the man is Rudra-kun, I can understand."

"T-then what should I do?" Miu asked nervously, her face flushed with embarrassment and excitement.

"Leave it to me," Hikari said with a wink.

Hikari then taught Miu some dating tips. She believed every word he said, not noticing the mischievous glint in his eyes. Miu, a college student and a model, had numerous boys propose to her, but she rejected them to focus on her career and studies. This made her inexperienced in love, despite having read and watched various romantic dramas. In real life, she was just a novice.

Taking Hikari's words to heart, she invited Rudra for a date under the guise of a celebration. She wanted to gradually become his friend and then proceed further. Miu wasn't thinking about confessing her love yet because she had uncertainties about him. She didn't want to love him just for his looks, and she knew very little about him other than his name.

She planned to spend time with him to judge his character before confessing her feelings. Hikari also recommended some clothes for the date and other important tips.

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[Rudra's POV]

I called the waitress, and we ordered our food. The menu was filled with Italian and Chinese cuisine, which I hadn't eaten in my previous life but wanted to enjoy here.

As the waitress left, we sat in awkward silence. I was nervous, unsure of what to ask or how to start a conversation. Miu looked equally uncomfortable. Gathering my courage, I broke the silence.

"*Ahem* So, Miu, do you still study?" I asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Y-yes, I study at Kuho Academy College in my first year. I'm following my dream of becoming a model," she stammered a little.

"Oh... I was also planning to enroll in Kuho Academy."

"Huh… you're also going to Kuho Academy?" she said enthusiastically.

After that, we talked about various mundane things until the waitress brought our food. We enjoyed chatting about each other's hobbies and passions without delving too deeply into personal details, respecting each other's privacy.

She talked about her coworkers, how long she had known Hikari, and her college life, including the trouble she faced when her friends discovered her identity. I didn't share much about myself, as there wasn't much worth telling in this life. I mentioned that I was brought up by my grandfather after my parents abandoned me and that he died a few years ago, which caused me to repeat some classes.

She became sad hearing about my background, but I stopped her from apologizing. After we finished eating, I paid the bill despite her insisting that it was her treat.

"You can pay next time, Miu. Let me handle it this time," I said.

She reluctantly agreed. After exiting the café, we spent some time exploring the city and playing in the arcade. She mentioned how much she missed having fun while focusing on her career and studies.

I understood what it was like to sacrifice your youth chasing after a dream, only to regret it later. It's not wrong to chase your dreams, but you shouldn't chase away the happiness that comes with your youth. You have to enjoy it while you can. Otherwise...

People only know the value of something when it's truly gone.

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I don't know when, but the distance between Miu and me shortened considerably. I noticed the red string of fate coming from my pinky finger and coiling around hers.

She became a lot more open when we went to the amusement park. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the rides and games. Honestly, I hadn't had this much fun in my previous life, which made me regret abandoning my passion for a lousy dream that turned me into a puppet of society, a lifeless doll moving just for the sake of it.

Currently, we are on the Ferris wheel. The sun has set without us even noticing. We are sitting in a compartment of the Ferris wheel and are about to reach the top.

The Ferris wheel stopped abruptly, leaving us hanging in mid-air. I heard giggling next to me. When I turned to look, my breath caught for a moment.

In this star-filled sky, the moon began to shine, and as its light fell on Miu, her wavy brown hair, parted on the right side, and her brown eyes began to sparkle. Her beauty seemed to be magnified as if the moon itself was trying to make her even more beautiful.

Her white one-piece skirt and the sparkling stars gave her an ethereal appearance, reminding me that this is the real world and Miu's beauty is unparalleled.

"What a beautiful sight, right?" Miu asked, gazing at the stars.

"Yes, truly beautiful," I said, mesmerized by her beauty.

Right now, I want to smack the animators who made her look mediocre in the anime. She is clearly more beautiful than Rias, and I can guarantee that.

Abruptly, she stopped looking at the stars and started staring at me. "Oops…" I quickly averted my eyes.

"A-Ano…" she said in a cute, small voice that was barely audible.

"Yeah," I responded, turning to her with my natural expression, though I felt a bit hot near my ears.

"Wh-?" She was about to say something, but suddenly the wheel started moving again, and we fell silent once more.

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After exiting the park, it was time to part ways, and we walked in awkward silence.

"Miu, where do you live? I'll walk you there," I said, breaking the silence that lingered from our time at the park. She nodded slightly and replied, "I live near the Kuho Academy Residential Block."

"What a coincidence! I live there too," I exclaimed happily.

"Really?" she responded.

"Yeah, let's go," I suggested, and we started walking instead of taking a taxi. It was only half an hour away.

As we walked side by side, our hands occasionally lightly brushed against each other. Summoning my courage, I reached out and held her hand. She didn't try to pull away; instead, she intertwined her fingers with mine.

Glancing sideways, I saw her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. She looked incredibly cute.

We continued walking in silence. We were nearing her home, and coincidentally, my home was nearby too.

We stopped in front of a single-floor apartment building. Miu stood there for a moment, took a deep breath, and then spoke, "You know, Rudra, today was the best day of my life. I haven't had the chance to enjoy all of this before, so thank you very much for giving me such a wonderful day." Her voice carried a hint of emotion, and I felt a pang of sympathy knowing she had missed out on so much in life.

"It's okay, Miu. See that house over there? That's mine. Whenever you feel like enjoying yourself, just come over. I'll always be there for you," I said, a bit clichéd but sincere.

"Um… I—Rudra, I…" she started, fidgeting nervously, looking left and right. Then, unexpectedly, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek before quickly running inside her home. I stood there stunned for a moment before recovering.

Sera chimed in, [Will you look at that, already got a kiss on the first date.]

"Haha," I chuckled awkwardly, feeling mentally drained. Courting a girl is harder than I thought.