Is That My Alter Ego

Chapter 87 – I Will Convey My Heart

Today is the day to receive the salary set by the ‘Patron.’ Contrary to Kalea’s expectation of meeting the Patron in the lower district to receive the money as usual, he summoned her to an alleyway in the upper district.

In a place where the foot traffic is sparse. In the alley where the lower and upper districts meet, the Patron and Kalea face each other.

“Why did you want to meet in the upper district today?”

“Why, you ask? …. Just? Isn’t it nice to change the atmosphere once in a while?”

“….”

He remains an enigma. We’ve met countless times, exchanged words, yet I cannot grasp what kind of person he is. I cannot fathom what thoughts swirl in his mind.

“….Ah. And I’m going to quit the bodyguard job.”

“Huh…? May I ask why?”

Well, it’s because I no longer wish to meet him in a professional capacity. Using the guise of bodyguarding feels as if I see him merely as a source of money.

And now, even without the bodyguard role, I can continue to be with him. I had rescued Kalea, and I was not in urgent need of funds.

—

“….I just. I want to stop now.”

It’s alright if the money isn’t flowing. Spending time with him, facing hardships together, finding ways to overcome them.

Venice had enough wealth that I needn’t worry, and if we lived together, there would be no lack of funds… but, well, that’s just how I feel.

Just… embracing each other. Finding joy in the little things, sharing smiles in our small, everyday moments.

That would be enough.

Carly’s cheeks flushed, and a lovely smile blossomed at the corners of her lips.

The patron, gazing at her with an enigmatic smile that even Carly couldn’t decipher, was lost in thought.

“Hmm… well, if that’s what you want, then it can’t be helped!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the patron muttered something. At the same time, a contract, cloaked in mana, materialized before him.

“If you wish to break the contract, breathe mana into this document again.”

The patron infused the contract with mana and handed it to Carly. She looked down at the contract she received.

The starting point of her journey, taking on the protection of Venice at the patron’s urging. The reason for their fateful meeting.

The beginning of all happiness and salvation. The grateful contract that had allowed her to find the one she loved to the point of death.

“….Thank you.”

With a sense of relief and an incredibly fresh smile, Carly breathed mana into the contract.

Whoosh—!

Through the agreement of the two contractors, the contract was broken, igniting and swirling away in the wind.

“”……….””

Both the patron and Carly quietly watched the vanishing contract.

Moments later, it was completely gone. As if it had never existed at all.

“Well then, this is where our meeting ends.”

“….I suppose so.”

“Why? Are you feeling a bit sad~?”

“Don’t be silly. That’s not it.”

With a playful grin, the patron snuggled closer, prompting Carly to chuckle softly in response.

She felt gratitude towards him… for being the one who had brought her all this happiness.

“….Well. If you have time, maybe we’ll see each other again…”

“Heh. You’re quite adorable, you know. Not very honest, though.”

“What… what do you mean?”

Covering his mouth with his hand as he laughed, the patron looked at Carly and spoke.

“Still, you haven’t confessed your feelings to him, have you? The one you love… your target!”

“Wha… what…!”

How do you know that…!

Kali’s face began to flush a deep crimson in an instant. The patron watching her started to laugh, as if he had expected this reaction.

Just thinking about Venice made emotions swell within her, threatening to explode.

So wonderful… I want to embrace him right now… I want to promise a future, too.

But you see…

Kali’s ears drooped, as if the warmth had suddenly drained from her. Her expression darkened slightly.

“…I’m anxious. What should I do?”

“Hmm~?”

I love him so much. If I confess my heart and he doesn’t accept it, I feel like I would crumble.

I am… so afraid. What if he actually dislikes me? That thought terrifies me.

Always striving to be loved by him. I try so hard… He smiles and accepts me, yet those hollow eyes do not truly see me.

What on earth is he thinking? What does he gaze upon that brings him such pain? I still cannot understand.

I feel like I’ve shown him everything, yet… I know so little about him.

“…I’m just… so afraid it might be one-sided love.”

“…….”

Like a bottomless well, I unwittingly spilled out the stories I had built up inside. The patron before me felt so comfortable that I thought it would be alright to reveal my heart.

He listened quietly to my love story, laid bare with sincerity.

“Hey, Kali. Look up.”

“…Okay.”

“Sometimes, you know, it’s better to just leap than to hesitate.”

You… are a woman. The patron’s fresh smile was playful yet profoundly serious.

“If you just keep it bottled up inside, nothing will ever happen.”

“So… you mean I should reveal my feelings to him?”

“Yes! You know it well! No more hesitation. Isn’t that you, Kali?!”

“…..Ha… ha.”

Listening to him, I realized he was right. When did I become so hesitant?

Had I been overthinking it all along? When I think about it, it was such a simple matter.

…Yes. I’ve made my decision. Today, I will surely… reveal my heart to him.

Kali’s expression begins to harden. The love she holds for him swells even greater than before.

Yes. What if he rejects me? Right now, even if he does not love me, what does it matter?

I can color him as I wish. To make him love me, to make him see only me. I just need to stay by his side.

I… can wait for as long as it takes.

“Yes. That’s you, Kali.”

“…Thank you. Truly.”

“And this is… a little gift for a friend, perhaps?”

“This is….”

The patron, with a playful smile returning, rummaged through his cloak and placed something into Kali’s hand.

“Is that… gold coins?!”

Kali gasped as she opened her palm. What the patron had given her were three gleaming gold coins.

Her eyes widened, round as saucers, and she stared at the patron, mouth agape in disbelief.

“You….!”

“Shh. With this, go to the clothing shop right next door. Sometimes, clothes can make a person soar, you know?”

Why are you giving this to me? Such a large sum of money…! She wanted to voice her thoughts, but the patron cut her off firmly.

He pointed to the stylish clothing shop just beside the alley, with an air that said he would never take it back.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while; you dress far too carelessly.”

“But…”

There was no arguing. With no money, it was easy to wear the cheap black tank top and comfortable shorts.

Yet, thinking back, he had a point. To confess to the one I love, showing up like this is a bit off, isn’t it…?

“…Ah!”

Perhaps it was my attire that kept him from truly seeing me.

Indeed…! He always dressed impeccably, while I wore the same thing day in and day out.

Could it be… that he sees me as a loose woman? I hadn’t realized until now, but this outfit was a bit too revealing.

“Heh. Have your thoughts changed a little?”

“….Yes. I’ll go right away. Thank you so much.”

“Take care. I hope to see you again.”

Kali dashed into the clothing shop next door, and the patron watched her with a mysterious smile, quietly.

“….It won’t be long now.”

Click-clack. Click-clack.

The patron begins to step into the depths of the choked alleyway. Walking toward the suffocating wall, the patron.

Sssss…

The patron’s silhouette vanished, swirling in black smoke. As if it had never existed from the very start.

*

“Guest…! You are so beautiful!”

“Really?!”

“Yes! At this level, even a man would lose his senses!”

Amidst the attendant’s fluster, Kali gazes at herself through the full-length mirror.

Not in the tank top and shorts she always wore, but in a dress that shimmered with a hue of red.

Having never worn such clothing, nor even imagined it, she felt a twinge of awkwardness.

“Wow…! You are the first guest to wear this dress so well!”

“R-really?”

It seemed she had grown somewhat close to the attendant, who had spent hours deliberating and chatting while trying on dozens of outfits to present her perfect look.

“Ahem…”

“Oh….”

The attendant’s words were not lies, as the gazes of men entering the shop indeed turned toward Kali.

Her cat ears, sprouting from her head, were a realm not easily traversed by ordinary humans, yet her stunning beauty overshadowed even that.

With sun-kissed skin that radiated health and muscles that were attractively toned without being excessive, along with the attendant’s skillful application of makeup, she appeared striking.

Her slightly bashful expression was more than enough to tug at the hearts of men.

“Then… I’ll be going…!”

“Guest! This is a gift from me…!”

With a solemn expression, the attendant handed Kali a bouquet of roses. Understanding the gesture, Kali smiled and expressed her gratitude.

“Alright…! Let’s go…!”

This should be fine, right?

She had heard that in some city on the continent, it was customary to confess one’s feelings by presenting a bouquet to a beloved.

A ritual promising marriage… was it called a proposal?

What does it matter! It was a bit infuriating that other men were eyeing her, but the thought that Venice could wear such an expression for her brought joy to Kali.

Alright…! I will surely win you over today….! I will convey my heart to you!

With the bouquet of roses in hand, Kali strides confidently toward our home, where he awaits.