<Author’s Notes>

I got home late today, so today’s chapter is a bit short.

While sipping on iced tea and chatting leisurely with Jutia-san, I noticed that she seemed to be mulling about something partway through.

There hadn’t been anything particularly odd in the flow of our conversation, but I grew curious and decided to ask.

[Jutia-san, is something on your mind?]

[Oh, well, not really, not really…… um, how should I put this…… Kaito, is there something you’d like me to do for you?]

[H- Hmm?]

Not understanding how the conversation led to that direction, I tilted my head, but Jutia-san looked completely serious.

[Well, you see, I wanted to help you out, to introduce you to things I thought might be helpful, but you ended up managing just fine on your own. And now, here I am, being treated to this delicious new tea you’re sharing with me…… it just feels like I’m the one receiving too much here…… No, I do know you’re not the type to worry about that sort of thing. But still, but still, I just feel this urge to do something in return for you…… Like I’d really like to give something back……]

[I see, I think I get what Jutia-san meant, but nothing really comes to mind right away.]

I could relate to Jutia-san’s sentiment. If I were in her shoes, and we’d gone out with the intention of helping Jutia-san, only to find she could handle it all herself, then had her treating me to tea afterward…… I’d probably want to do something in return, to help out somehow.

So, ideally, I’d like to come up with something to ask her…… but it’s hard to think of something specific on the spot.

Is there anything…… something that wouldn’t be a burden to her, that I couldn’t normally ask unless it were in a moment like this…… Ah, there’s that.

[……Jutia-san, you’re good at singing, right? I heard you sing in the choir for the Harmonic Symphony, and your voice was so beautiful……]

[Eh? Unn. Well, us Spirits were generally pretty good at singing, but I’m fairly confident in my voice. Singing, you see, is really important to us, as a way of communicating with nature, so we all put quite a bit of effort into practicing our singing and music.]

[I see…… In that case, if it’s okay, could I ask you to sing for me? During the Harmonic Symphony, it was a choir so…… I thought I’d like to hear your solo voice if that’s all right……]

I thought it was a pretty good suggestion, if I do say so myself. As Jutia-san herself mentioned, singing is a strong suit for the Spirits, and Jutia-san, like the others, seemed confident in her singing.

I’d be delighted to hear Jutia-san’s beautiful singing voice, and since it’s an area she’s skilled in, it should be easy for her to showcase her talent, right?

Thinking this, I watched as Jutia-san gave a bright smile and nodded.

[Sure, sure! If that’s what you want, leave it to me! I’ll sing my best to meet Kaito’s expectations.]

[Thank you, I’m looking forward to it.]

Jutia-san readily agreed to my request, taking out a few magic tools and quickly beginning her preparations. Among them was one that looked like the sound-blocking magic tool she bought during Symphonia Kingdom’s Founding Festival, so it seemed she planned to sing here while making sure the sound wouldn’t leak outside.

It was a sudden suggestion, but I was starting to feel quite excited about it.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [With a subtitle like <Date Plan Execution>, I totally thought it would be about his date with Olivia…… but somehow, it turned into a date with Jutia…… Isn’t that title fraud?]

? ? ? : [Isn’t it just the usual?]

Serious-senpai : [……Well, I guess so.]