Chapter Thirty-One: Yoshino's Choice

“Be your own hero?” Yoshino’s expression softened, visibly moved by the suggestion. She’d always wanted to be as brave as Yoshinon, but lacked the courage to face things. Now, with Su Mo and Yoshinon both encouraging her, her heart began to waver.

Seeing Yoshino’s resolve falter, Su Mo seized the opportunity. “Of course you can!”

Just as they spoke, their order of spaghetti Bolognese finally arrived. The aroma was irresistible, and both Yoshino’s and Su Mo’s stomachs grumbled in unison. They stopped talking and began to eat. Compared to Su Mo’s wolfish appetite, Yoshino’s table manners were far more refined—a shy girl like her would even blush just from eating.

After finishing the meal, Su Mo glanced at the two empty plates in front of him, faced with a critical problem.

He hadn’t brought any money.

He had originally planned to take Yoshino home for dinner, but Kotori wouldn’t allow it. During the meal, he’d unconsciously ignored the issue of not having any cash. Only after eating did he realize the gravity of the oversight.

This country was inconvenient in that regard—even with marvels like manifestation devices, everyday technology lagged far behind. People still used flip phones, and mobile payments were nonexistent. You had to carry a cash wallet or you’d be stuck.

Was he really about to dine and dash?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he noticed Yoshino tilting her head, a wry smile on her face. “Yoshino, I have some bad news. I didn’t bring any money.”

“Ah… ah?” Yoshino blinked in confusion, but quickly caught on and stared at Su Mo.

Unlike Tohka, who was clueless, Yoshino had been in this world for some time and naturally understood that meals had to be paid for. On hearing that Su Mo had no money, she was stunned.

“Then… what should we do?” Yoshino was almost in tears. Her first time eating out, and she couldn’t pay the bill.

Su Mo’s eyes suddenly brightened as he looked at her. “Actually, this is a perfect opportunity. Yoshino, do you want to become brave?”

“Mm!” After much encouragement from Su Mo and Yoshinon, Yoshino finally mustered the courage to nod.

“Alright. See that door? When I count to three, follow me and run out—don’t hesitate!” Su Mo had resolved to dine and dash. Of course, he could pay the bill with a call to Kotori—never mind paying, Ratatoskr could buy the entire restaurant. But to train Yoshino’s courage, he decided it was best to go through with it.

“Run? Why?” Yoshino asked in a small voice.

“If you don’t want to get caught for dining and dashing, now’s the only time to run,” Su Mo declared righteously. It was true—this was a good way to train Yoshino’s nerves. She’d always obeyed the rules, and now faced with this situation, she was utterly at a loss.

Her shyness and timidity were too deeply ingrained; drastic measures were necessary.

“Get caught…” Yoshino’s voice began to tremble, her imagination running wild with visions of what would happen if they were caught—cruel punishments, endless torment. She was so frightened she nearly curled up into a ball. Normally, her power would spiral out of control in moments like these, but since Su Mo had sealed her abilities, she could no longer affect the outside world at all.

Yoshinon, the rabbit puppet in her hand, let out a mischievous laugh, as if seeing through Su Mo’s intentions. Fanning the flames, Yoshinon added, “That’s right! If you get caught, I’ll be taken away for experiments and they’ll torment you every day. So hurry up and run!”

Seeing that the time was right, Su Mo grabbed Yoshino’s small hand without hesitation, stood up, and dashed for the door.

Whoosh—

Like a sprinter, Su Mo pulled Yoshino along at full speed before anyone could react, and didn’t stop until they were a considerable distance away.

Gasping for breath, Su Mo bent over, trying to catch his breath, while Yoshino’s face was flushed from the run.

“Su Mo, will anyone come after us?” Yoshino glanced back anxiously. No one seemed to be following, but she still couldn’t be sure.

“Don’t worry, no one’s coming.”

Su Mo nodded. In fact, no one would chase them; he’d already sent Kotori a message during their escape. The restaurant probably belonged to them now—even if they dined and dashed, it didn’t matter. He just wanted to use this experience to build Yoshino’s courage.

After saying that, his gaze drifted to the rabbit puppet in Yoshino’s left hand.

He looked at the puppet and said in a serious tone, “Yoshino, can you let me look after Yoshinon for a while?”

Then he addressed the puppet directly, “Yoshinon, will you entrust Yoshino to me for a bit? I promise I’ll protect her and help her become strong and brave.”

“This…” Yoshino hesitated. She had resolved to become her own hero, but she was so used to having Yoshinon by her side that the thought of being separated filled her with fear.

The rabbit puppet gently stroked Yoshino’s hair with its short arms, then, after a few moments of silence, said, “Yoshino, Su Mo is right. If I’m always with you, you’ll never become strong and brave. This time, you have to make the decision yourself.”

With a look of panic, Yoshino’s left hand, guided by the puppet, slowly extended toward Su Mo.

Seeing this, Su Mo didn’t hesitate. He took the puppet from Yoshino’s hand and solemnly tucked it into his chest.

Without Yoshinon, Yoshino became even more sensitive, lowering her head in silence.

“From now on, you’re in charge. So, what should we do next?” Su Mo stepped forward and gently stroked her hair, asking softly.

“I… I… don’t know!” Yoshino shook her head, eyes brimming with tears, her voice even more anxious than before.

“How about… you decide, Su Mo?” she stammered.

Su Mo frowned. He’d taken Yoshinon away to train Yoshino’s courage, to help her make her own choices instead of relying on others.

So he offered no suggestions, determined to let her decide for herself.

“What do you usually like to do, Yoshino?”

He returned the question, but Yoshino gripped the rabbit ears on her hat, shaking her head furiously and burying her face in shadow, repeating, “I—I don’t know.”

Su Mo wasn’t impatient. He watched her gently, waiting.

Without Yoshinon to help her, Yoshino was flustered. But as Su Mo held firm, insisting she make the choice, her gaze darted anxiously, and at last, she pointed suddenly in one direction.

Su Mo followed her gaze.

“What’s over there?” he mused, rubbing his chin. Yoshino was pointing at a park.

It was the place where he had first met Yoshino, when she was searching for her puppet. In the original story, Yoshino seemed to have a special fondness for parks.

Su Mo’s eyes lit up at the thought.

Then, taking Yoshino’s hand, he led the dazed girl toward the park.