The Assassin Girl Who Stayed by My Side in Another World… Somehow Followed Me Back to Modern Japan - Chapter 41: I…──

Chapter 41: I…──

“Hiroto, hurry up. …Or do you want me to touch it?”

That’s what Aira said to me with a completely straight face.

“O-Of course not!! A-And hello!? We’re in public!!”

“Then hurry up and stand.”

She wasn’t asking anymore.

That was a full-on order.

“………………Please, just give me a break. Fine… I admit it.”

I gave in.

I lost to Aira and ended up saying it.

The one thing I really didn’t want to say.

“You mean… you got excited because of me?”

“…………No. I’m just admitting that it happened. I never said it was because of you or anything. And it’s not even your fault, okay?”

“Then why did it happen?”

“…Can we just drop this already? Go look at some books or something.”

Please don’t press any further.

Please don’t touch anything.

I packed all of that into my tone as I spoke.

“No. I’m curious.”

“…I’m begging you. Just let it go.”

​───────​───────​──────

After things finally calmed down down there,

I actually found a light novel I was genuinely interested in—so I reached for it.

But… the cover featured another busty anime girl, and the exact same thing happened again.

Aira started leaning in like she was about to smush her chest against me again.

So yeah… I bailed.

Left the bookstore entirely.

…Not like Aira was really interested in the books anyway.

“…Got excited over your daughter.”

“—A-Aira?! I told you already—that’s not what happened! And also, can we please just forget about it?!”

“If you admit I’m not your daughter, then it wouldn’t be weird anymore.”

“…………Let’s go get dinner.”

It was still a little early, but I threw that out there—

Just trying to dodge Aira’s words.

“…Okay. …Bit by bit is fine. Back in that world, I had already given up.”

“…Sorry, Aira. But I can’t return your feelings. So I need you to give up here, too.”

“Nope. Because here, Hiroto actually sees me as a girl.”

“…I don’t.”

Even as I said it, I knew—

After what just happened, there was zero weight behind those words.

Still, I sped up my pace a little.

“Hiroto, it’s okay. You can be honest anytime, okay?”

That’s what she said as she walked beside me, still holding my hand tight.

“…”

I didn’t reply.

I just kept walking beside her.

…Aira is my daughter.

At least, back in that world, I was sure she was nothing but my precious little girl.

…But ever since we came to this world, I…