I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 254

4 PM.

It was the moment when Edgar checked the clock after tidying up the things they had eaten after the movie.

Waiting a little longer and having a late dinner with her before heading to bed wouldn’t be too bad.

But Edgar wanted to show her a few more things while he had the chance.

“How about we go out for a bit if your back feels better?”

“Sounds good. I was just feeling a bit bored.”

So he tossed the suggestion to her as she seemed a bit freer now, and Ariel happily accepted it.

Having already made a reservation for the place they intended to go, he put his smartphone away.

Fortunately, since she had already washed up, it didn’t take long to change clothes.

“Ed, which outfit looks prettier?”

“They’re both pretty! But I’d say the one with a bit less exposure would be better.”

“Right? In that case, I’ll try this one on.”

Ariel came out of the room holding two outfits. After hearing Edgar’s opinion, she quickly dashed back inside.

For reference, the outfit Edgar had chosen was a striped shirt with a combination of indie pink and white, along with a somewhat thick beige cardigan.

Since Ariel liked comfortable clothing, she thought that wider and cuter styles would also be nice at times.

After changing, Ariel soon emerged into the living room.

She wore a top she had shown earlier, paired with skinny jeans that were a little more form-fitting than the ones she wore yesterday.

Her figure looked great in anything she wore, but this outfit undoubtedly brought out her charm.

“How is it? Does it look okay?”

“Of course it does.”

With an adorably unique look, Ariel spun around in place.

Edgar responded, substituting words for a solemn thumbs-up.

If I were to score it out of ten, I could easily give it 500 points.

“By the way, have you decided where we’re going?”

“Yeah. I thought of a place that might feel a little different for you, and I found a good spot.”

“Really?”

To be honest, every place Ariel had been to so far felt unique in its own way.

Seeing him display such confidence made her more curious about where they were headed now.

“You’ll know when we get there. It’s a place I really liked when I first visited.”

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

The thought of it being a place filled with memories of lovers made her even more excited.

Thus, the two of them left the house together and quickly embarked in the car toward their destination.

Edgar seemed a bit rushed, so when Ariel casually asked, he dropped a small hint that it was a place they needed to get to early, unlike other spots.

Of course, that alone wouldn’t help Ariel figure out what it was.

* * * * * * *

The place that Edgar took Ariel to was none other than an aquarium.

It’s a popular spot visited by many, regardless of age, family, or couples.

Though it was quite some time ago, he had strong memories of the first time he visited this place with his family when he was a child, which made it a favorite.

It felt as if he had become an explorer diving into the depths of the ocean.

“Is everything here just fish?”

Ariel’s reaction was no different.

Dumbfounded, she couldn’t close her mouth while looking at the fish filling the tanks and exhibits.

For her, fish were merely ingredients that frequented her dining table.

There wasn’t even a sea near Hespania, and she could count the number of times she had visited the seaside on one hand.

Maybe that’s why, when she saw the small, cute fish, it struck a chord.

Moreover, there were marine creatures she had never seen before, which naturally drew her attention.

“You might even see jellyfish or some that you’ve never heard of! Take a look around slowly.”

“Wow…”

As Edgar advised, Ariel approached the tanks, her eyes sparkling like a child.

The sight of orange and colorful fish swimming around was quite adorable.

In particular, the tanks were decorated in various styles, making the harmony with the fish fun to observe.

Plus, the dim lighting added to the atmosphere.

She had seen several tanks before, but seeing brightly lit tanks in such dark surroundings made them look even more impressive.

While reading the explanations written in front of the tanks, her feet suddenly came to a halt.

“E-Ed! Look over there! It looks like a weasel!”

“That’s an otter. Though, to be fair, you might not have seen one before.”

It wasn’t exactly a common animal in this world either, but according to Edgar’s memory, it was one she had never encountered in her life.

For Ariel, who spent most of her childhood in Hespania, it was a surprise.

Splash.

“Huh? It fell into the water?”

“It’s an animal that lives in water. Oh, it’s coming this way.”

The otter, having escaped its enclosure, dove into the water and swam toward the glass wall.

Then, as if showing off, it twirled around in place and peeked out.

“It’s so cute…”

Ariel gazed blankly at the otter clinging to the glass.

She wasn’t particularly obsessed with animals, but Edgar couldn’t help but smile as he saw her so captivated today.

Because the joy of seeing someone genuinely enjoy themselves makes it all the more rewarding for those who brought them there.

“Shall we take a picture together? It’d be a nice memory.”

“Should we?”

Ariel, at the mention of a photo, moved closer to the otter and subtly adjusted her pose.

It hadn’t been long since she discovered the existence of pictures, and already she was showing signs of being a pro.

Click.

With that, Edgar smiled as he approached her after capturing a shot of the cat and the otter together.

Holding her hand, they moved on to another area, revealing yet another part of the aquarium.

This section was smaller than the previous exhibit, but Ariel felt it looked like an entrance leading somewhere.

“Are we there already?”

“Why? Where do you think we are?”

“You’ll find out when we pass through. It’s my favorite place.”

Without even a hint this time, Edgar playfully led her on with a mischievous smile.

As they passed through an archway, the surroundings suddenly brightened.

“What, what is this!?”

Ariel flinched and took a step back in surprise at the unfamiliar space.

It wasn’t just that it had gotten bright; the scene that unfolded before her was simply unbelievable.

“How about it, isn’t it amazing?”

“U-Um… Could it be that these are fish too?”

“Exactly. The whole place is a tank.”

What Ariel was marveling at was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the aquarium—the tunnel tank.

Beyond the arched glass entrance lay a vast underwater world.

Not only were there the small, cute fish they had just seen, but also fish that seemed to be half the size of Edgar swimming around.

“What’s that? It looks particularly scary.”

“That’s a shark. You’ve seen them in books, right?”

“A shark? Those are the ones that attack people, aren’t they?”

She never thought she would see a shark here that she had only read of in books.

Startled by the appearance of creatures that even experienced seaside dwellers rarely encountered, Ariel gaped at the shark that just swam past.

“It’s not all like that, and it varies by species. These ones probably aren’t very aggressive.”

“Still, it feels quite scary… This glass is safe, right?”

“If it weren’t safe, that would be a big problem.”

Seeing her worry like a child brought a smile to Edgar’s face.

He found it fascinating that she could be so timid.

“Hey, Ed, check that out.”

“What is it? Oh, it’s a stingray.”

“A stingray? I’ve never heard of that name.”

“Really? Seriously?”

Edgar tilted his head, wondering if it was a fish that didn’t exist in her world.

In this world, it was a fish that often appeared on the dining table.

“It’s funny. It looks really strange. Like a grumpy person!”

Seeing the stingray from the front, Ariel couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Edgar seizing the opportunity, mashed his face with his hands and presented it to her.

“How about me? Do I look kind of similar?”

“Pfft…! What the heck!”

At that, Ariel couldn’t hold back her laughter, doubled over and chuckling for quite a while.

It was the first time Edgar had ever tried to be funny by acting ridiculous like this.

“Why are you laughing so much at my face?”

“Whew… but you’re just too funny.”

“It’s true, huh?”

Edgar had no intention of scolding her for laughing since he was only trying to amuse her.

He was just curious about what reaction he would get if he pretended to have a stern expression.

Indeed, Ariel was no pushover as she only laughed harder before returning to her normal state.

“Huh… Are people around us looking at me as if I’m weird because of you?”

“Who cares since we’re leaving tomorrow?”

“That’s true. Right.”

Even though she recognized that she would say goodbye to this world tomorrow, Ariel didn’t feel sad.

No matter where they went, this man would always be by her side, and that fact remained unchanged.

The memories of the past three days wouldn’t fade; instead, they would be cherished as wonderful memories.

Perhaps it was better to enjoy these moments rather than mourn their fleeting nature.

With her hands behind her back, Ariel walked along the tunnel tank, spinning around.

Fortunately, since no one was nearby, she felt this was the right moment to say this.

“Looking at this, I can’t help but remember something Minette said.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that even though she’s a magic researcher, she’s never thought of magic as a miracle. Magic, after all, exists within the realm of human imagination.”

For instance, flying in the sky or lighting a fire without touching it.

Those are all phenomena that a person has likely imagined at least once.

But on a day like today, Ariel had never once envisioned such a scene in her mind.

Fish swimming above her and exploring the ocean without feeling suffocated.

In that sense, she thought today was more magical than any magic she had used until now.

“So thank you, Ed. For gifting me this magical time.”

“Really? But I shouldn’t let you be this surprised. There’s much more amazing stuff ahead.”

“Oh, I see? I’m looking forward to that.”

Ariel cautiously extended her hand toward him.

At that moment, Edgar took her hand with a solemn demeanor, as if they were about to dance at the ball in Hespania.

Though it was merely a three-day magic, there was no such thing as eternal magic in this world.

So he resolved to play the role of the magician until that time came.