PHASE 68 - EYEGLASSES MAKE ME LOOK CUTER!

Days really go by so fast. There’s roughly a week before Helena’s return, but we’re not afraid of her. Not anymore. We already know the appropriate course of action to take. All we need to do now is to polish our skills so that we can fight Helena on our full force.

But we still have time to relax even during our work.

It’s an early Saturday morning. The wind’s breeze coming from the windows is especially cool and comforting. Rikkun is on his office desk on the Kozukata Shrine, busy typing on his laptop. Actually, he’s just playing some RPG game to kill some time, waiting for breakfast. The shrine maidens said that they are cooking something delicious, so we’re both looking forward to it.

As his secretary, I’m in charge of keeping the room clean and tidy. I put the books on the shelves, swept the floor and cleaned Rikkun’s desk full of potato chip crumbs.

When I’m halfway cleaning the desk of our great leader, my eyes were fixated to something.

It was a black square-framed eyeglass. It looks so simple, yet I can appreciate its beauty. The glossy frame and scratchless glasses make me want to try it on.

“Rikkun, is that yours?”

“Huh?” Rikkun tilted his head, and then he looked at the glasses just beside his laptop. “Oh, this? It’s just my old gaming anti-radiation glasses.”

“You used to always wear that kind of accessory back when you’re in grade school and junior high,” I said.

I just realized this, but I do have a memory of him on his grade school days where he’s wearing such eyeglasses. I guess Necchan’s memories are now assimilated into my brain like a chaotic mix of burritos and blueberry milkshake, and I don’t know which of it are mine or hers anymore.

“Yeah. I always wear that whenever I go to school or even taking a bath. My eyes are quite sensitive to lights back then, but I think I no longer need it.” Rikkun explained proudly.

“Hey, hey~” I pushed my face to him. “Do me a favor, Rikkun. Wear it.”

“No.” Rikkun blushed, crossed his arms as he looked away. “You’ll laugh at me. You’ll say that I look like a nerd.”

“Pleaaaase~” I clasped my hands as my face drifted closer to him. One more inch and I’ll be able to kiss that soft lips of his.

Rikkun sighed as I finally convinced him with that adorable puppy eyes of mine.

The moment he put it on, I was fazed by his cuteness. He looks like a delicate and innocent Harry Potter on his early teens. When the fan blew his hair, sparks fly around his face. I can’t help but blush.

“Woaaaaaah…” I muttered.

After three seconds, Rikkun immediately removed it. “There. Savvy?”

“Yep~” I happily said as I pumped my fists. “You look cuter and more innocent with that.”

Rikkun immediately gave a smirk at me. “Hey, why don’t you try it on too? Pleeeeease~” He copied my accent.

I’ve never tried eyeglasses before, so I think it’s worth a try. Rikkun is sure excited to see a new look for me, so I happily agreed.

So I tried it on.

“...C-Cute…” Rikkun muttered as he was stunned to see me in eyeglasses. His cheeks are red, and blood is about to come out from his nose.

“R-Really?” I blushed.

“Yes, for real!” The prince charming smiled with a cute blush. “Next time we go shopping, I’ll buy you a set of cute eyeglasses!”

“Ahahaha…T-That seems unnecessary… ” I made a dumb laugh as I scratched my head. “H-Hey, s-since you’re telling me that I’m cute with this… can I borrow this for a while?”

“Of course!” Rikkun jollily said.

<>

Breakfast finally came, and we ate the meal in the outside picnic table of the shrine. The beautiful view of the mountains from the top and the sweet gentle breeze of the morning winds are soothing. It is the perfect place to relax our body and minds.

The four goddesses are happily eating together with us.

This atmosphere, together with this honey pancakes and bacon on our plates should make the best breakfast ever.

But no.

This beautiful place felt like a courtroom to me because I’m being judged and mocked.

“Oh, Tiara! This is the first time I’ve seen you in eyeglasses! Now you look less like an airhead bimbo!” Asumi-nee’s tone sounded like praise, but the meaning of her words says otherwise. Does she really mean that I look like an idiot girl all this time?

“You have a great fashion sense. Wearing eyeglasses does make you look cuter, but it doesn’t make you look smarter.” The blonde gay Eliseo dropped a harsh comment before he put the buttery pancake on his mouth.

“Right, right. You inherited Jeannette’s soul, not the brain. Dressing up like that won’t change the fact that you’re still an idiot.” The pink-haired maid Emily coldly commented.

“...”

Key just made a silent glare at me, saying “Why the heck are you playing smart when you’re not?”.

“Does this eyeglasses really look bad at me, after all?!” I shrieked.

“No, it looks good on you.” The four goddesses answered in sync. “But we’re just telling you that you can’t change your intelligence just by wearing eyeglasses.”

“I didn’t wear this to look intelligent!” I cried.

I just made a resolution that I will not wear eyeglasses for the rest of my life.

<>

After breakfast, I proceeded to clean the utensils. All the people already went to their respective businesses, except for one person who approached me.

“Tiara…”

It was the white-haired homunculus Key, who is pinching my sleeve. She still looks like a young adult woman, and I think it will be her permanent appearance from now on. I miss the cute and adorable Key-chan that I used to hug on my bed. Maybe I won’t be using the suffix “-chan” because she doesn’t look cute anymore. Now she is more like a big sister to me.

“What is it, Key… -chan?”

“We have some kind of trouble about one of the goddesses. It’s Eliseo… Or appropriately, Venus.”

“I-Is she running around nude again?” I worriedly asked.

“No, not that.” Key waved her hand, but her face is still emotionless. “He seems to be out of focus. He acts like a klutz and an idiot more than you do. It’s clear that he’s out of his mind for the past few days. If this continues, he or she won’t be able to cast the right.”

“T-That’s bad! W-What should we do!?” I said.

“You’re good with convincing words and character development stuff, right? Try talking to him.” Key said.

“E-Eeeeeh?” I made a troubled look.

“I’m not good in handling human emotions and their subjectivity. And you seem to be an expert with that. You’re able to convince Kristoff’s wife to forgive and marry him, right?”

“Y-Yes, but…”

“So I’ll be leaving the rest to you.” Key waved her hand as she went back to the training field.

Key is right. If something is troubling a member of the Aether Crusade, then it’s my responsibility to fix the problem. I’m the secretary after all! I’ll do my best!

“With determination, I refuse to give up!” I pumped myself.

<>

I watched over their training, and Goddess Venus seemed to do things the wrong way. She can’t muster enough prana to create a , even if she is able to. When she tried to tether her Goddess Core on Lord Athena, it immediately broke. Something is really bothering his mind, I guess.

I wonder what’s happening with her.

Lord Athena told her to take a break for a while, while the three goddesses continued to practice materializing their divine chains.

Lord Venus reverted back to her/his base form Eliseo as he watched his fellow goddesses give it they're all. His pink eyes are trembling as if he’s worried about something.

This is my time to talk him out. I approached him immediately to keep him company.

“Here.” I have an ice-cold bottle of water to him, which he immediately accepted.

“Thanks.” Eliseo smiled but frowned thereafter.

“Is something bothering you?” I pushed my face.

“Y-Yeah…” Eliseo scratched his cheek. “Apparently, my father is going home.”

“How is that a problem? You should be glad that he’s going home!” I said.

“I know, I know. But the thing is… He recently found proof of my homosexuality, and he seems furious about it. He thought all this time that I’m a manly straight guy, and now he’s disappointed that I swing the other way. I’m quite scared of what he might do since I ought to meet him this Monday.”

I think I just caught myself into some controversial trouble.