Proposal...

Out of nowhere, Dolph started saying something outrageous. No, maybe it wasn't that outrageous.

"Just by watching, it's obvious, but Tetsuya, you like Lilia, don't you?"

"...Yeah, that's right. I do like Lilia as someone of the opposite sex."

If I had to say how I feel about Lilia, there's no doubt—I like her. When we first met, she was a beautiful, strong, and kind woman, and my feelings were closer to admiration and respect. But as we spent more time together, that feeling gradually changed into affection.

Since coming to this world, I had been too busy making enough money for lodging and food to even think about romance. But now, I was finally able to live a stable life.

A proposal is definitely skipping a few steps, but I do have the desire to date Lilia.

"Honestly, I still can't believe that you and Lilia aren't together yet. I mean, you two are already living together, aren't you?"

"T-That's because she's protecting my outdoor shop as a guard..."

It's true that Lilia and I live under the same roof, but that's only because it's her job as an employee to protect my shop.

Even so, back when she first started living there, I was extremely nervous about being alone with her. I've gotten somewhat used to it since we've been spending so much time together lately, though.

"Well, I have to admit, Tetsuya's cooking is so delicious that whenever I'm in Al-Flare, I always stay at his place. But maybe I should have been more considerate. From now on, I'll still come back for meals, but I'll book a separate inn."

"No, no, you really don’t have to worry about that!"

Recently, Lange had been staying at my shop whenever he was in town. He even had his own bedding there.

Honestly, I might feel more at ease having Lange around occasionally than being alone with Lilia all the time. And so, he's still coming back for meals...

"Come on, even if it's for work, Lilia wouldn’t live in the same house with someone she didn’t like. Besides, it's really obvious that she has feelings for you."

"Yeah, from my perspective, Lilia definitely likes you too."

"Really!?"

There have been a few times when I thought maybe Lilia liked me. But back in my original world, I'd never even dated anyone, so I had no experience with romance.

I kept wondering if this was just normal behavior or if I was reading too much into it. After all, guys without any experience tend to misunderstand these things. A little kindness can make them think a girl likes them—it’s a sad habit.

But if both Dolph and Lange were saying it, then maybe there was at least a possibility.

"Lilia has spent her life focusing solely on being an adventurer, so she’s probably not that experienced in romance either. If you just sit back and wait for her to make a move, nothing will happen. You have to be more proactive."

"I-I see... I’ll keep that in mind."

Lange, with all his experience with women, was incredibly reliable at this moment. No offense, but this might be the most I’ve ever respected him. I even found myself speaking formally to him... I kind of wanted to be his apprentice!

"If you propose at the same time you give her the Full Potion, it'll seem like you're using it to bribe her. And from Lilia’s side, some people might wrongly assume she accepted just for the potion. It would be better to propose first, and then give her the potion as a wedding gift after she accepts."

"Wow, Lange, that actually makes a lot of sense. I think that’s the best way. Lilia might refuse such an expensive gift as just an employee, but as her partner, she would probably accept it."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. Lange, Dolph, thanks. I have no experience in this kind of thing, so I really appreciate your advice."

For now, I'll go with that plan. First, I'll focus on making sure Lilia accepts me, and in the meantime, I’ll work on acquiring the Full Potion.

"It’s no problem at all."

"Yeah, I don’t have much personal experience, but I can at least give you some advice."

I'm really glad to have these two around. If I were alone, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

"By the way, Berna and Ferry seem to be quite fond of you too, Tetsuya."

"...Huh?"

Out of nowhere, Lange suddenly brought up Berna and Ferry.

"No, no, that’s just because they like my food and snacks. It’s not affection."

Berna and Ferry were both top-tier A-rank adventurers. They were not only strong but also incredibly beautiful and adorable, making them as popular as idols. There's no way they'd have feelings for me. I’m not that full of myself.