Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!

Chapter 197 : Promising the Future

Today's weather: Clear

Astrological report: No rain expected within the next day

Yvonne took a deep breath after retrieving the package,

Finally...

Finally, this day has come—

She carefully opened the parcel,

Inside this ribbon-decorated jewelry box lay a ring, quietly resting.

When opening the box, Yvonne couldn't help but hold her breath, fearing that her exhalation might blow dust inside, ruining its flawlessness.

Apart from the word 'perfect', she couldn't think of any other adjective to describe this ring.

However, before she could admire it for a moment, this tranquility was broken.

"—Young Lady!"

Parcy hurriedly pushed open her door.

This sudden loud voice startled Yvonne, who quickly hid the ring behind her back,

"I've encountered something strange! Why is your schedule for today completely blank?"

As usual, she had checked and arranged her mistress's daily schedule in the morning, but found that there wasn't a single task to be handled today.

"How many times have I told you not to be so startled... And it's early in the morning, lower your voice."

"I'm sorry..."

Realizing her rudeness, Parcy quickly covered her mouth,

"There's no problem with the schedule, I deliberately left today open."

"Alright, I understand..."

Although Parcy was puzzled, just a few days ago she had been pushed to the limit, time compressed to the extreme, leaving barely enough time to eat and drink. But today was suddenly so relaxed... It really wasn't like the Young Lady's style,

Could there be something particularly important yet unwritable on the schedule today?

"Young Lady, are you planning to go out?"

Seeing Yvonne dressed and ready to leave, Parcy asked after performing a maid's curtsy,

"Yes, I won't be having breakfast at the mansion... Oh right, please take care of Bebe today and take her to play at Chieftain Kukur's place... I have to go out for a while."

"Understood, I'll take care of Miss Bebe! Have a safe trip, Mistress—"

With that settled, next—

Yvonne pushed open the bedroom door,

"Return to Emerald Port? Why so suddenly..."

Woken up early by an inexplicably excited Yvonne, Elsa blinked her confused and sleepy eyes, letting out a big yawn,

"Even if we're going back, it's too early now, can't I sleep a bit longer..."

She tried to fall back onto the pillow, but was pulled by Yvonne.

"No more sleeping in, look at the time, get up quickly!"

"Just a little more... meow"

"If you don't get up, I'll help you change clothes?"

Yvonne wiggled her fingers, indicating she might use some forceful methods to get her out of bed.

"Hehe, if you do that, I might start sleeping in every day?"

Her face clearly said 'Is there such a good thing?', as she hugged Yvonne's arm and lay back down in a comfortable position.

This girl...

Yvonne was quite troubled,

It seems being undressed by her wasn't a punishment at all for Elsa, but rather a form of play.

She began to reflect, wondering if she had spoiled her too much before.

"Besides... Evie, I think it's better for you to stay at home today."

"Why?"

"Doesn't 'Silver Eye' magazine have a column that calculates fortune based on birthdays and zodiac signs? I calculated for you, and today you'll be quite unlucky... You might need 10 bad things to happen before you get one piece of good luck."

"Hmph, 10% good luck... Is my luck a precipitation probability? I don't believe in such superstitions."

Yvonne snorted at this,

"I think it's quite accurate, everyone says it's accurate!"

"That's just survivor bias! Only people who find it accurate would eagerly give feedback and submit entries, right?"

"But..."

"No buts, get up quickly, we have a lot to do today!"

Elsa wanted to say more but couldn't resist Yvonne's insistence, finally leaving the warm bed with tears in her eyes.

In this world with magic, divination results should still be believed to some extent.

·

Originally wanting to try the teleportation gate, they unexpectedly encountered the monthly maintenance day for the transfer network points, so they had to choose to use the Silver Shoes for teleportation.

Actually, Yvonne didn't really want her to use this tool, as continuous use was quite taxing on her body, and not everyone could withstand it.

"If you feel unwell at all, you must tell me immediately!"

"Just occasional teleportation like this is fine..."

Elsa felt somewhat helpless, Evie was always like this, worrying too much about her.

"But... This place has changed a lot too."

This quiet seaside town had changed considerably,

Compared to when they left, there were many more buildings with a magical industrial style, and the shops on the commercial street had become more numerous.

Due to the convenience of the teleportation gates, many scenic cities began vigorously developing tourism based on their religious culture and historical stories. Places with beautiful scenery like Emerald Port were very popular among various backpackers.

"We've reached Fish Tail Street, can I go say hello to the owner of 'Sea Breeze Pavilion'?"

"Mm, go ahead."

While Elsa went to greet them, Yvonne had to prepare well herself.

She went to a dark alley on Fish Tail Street.

A month ago, Yvonne had arranged for the 'Phantom Light Magic Band' to set the mood, truly making thorough preparations for this outing.

Speaking of the Phantom Light Magic Band, they were a popular performance group known to everyone in Oz Kingdom. Their performance style combining magic and band music was eye-opening. With them present, it was equivalent to having lighting and BGM.

Yvonne had already planned that at the right moment, she would give these people a signal, and that would be their cue to appear.

However, upon reaching the meeting point, only a small rabbit-eared girl holding a mandolin timidly stood before her, greatly disappointing Yvonne:

"Wait? Why can't the other members come?"

"I'm sorry, employer... The band leader's wife is having a divorce dispute with him, so he couldn't come..."

This rabbit-eared girl who called herself Mimi seemed to be a new member,

At least she wasn't there when Yvonne signed the contract with that group last time.

"Then why are you the only one here? Where are the others?"

Yvonne remembered the band leader was a kind-looking chubby man who played the drums. Even if the drummer wasn't there, if the others were present, they might still manage

"The bassist Vic broke up with his girlfriend of 7 years and said he couldn't bear to see a proposal scene..."

"Then what about the keyboardist... no, the pianist?"

"It was the pianist who stole Vic's girlfriend, and got his bones broken by him..."

After hearing this information, Yvonne held her forehead in distress,

...It seems the internal relationships in this band are quite complicated?

"Um... Employer!" Seeing the employer's disappointed expression, Mimi felt quite guilty. She raised her beloved mandolin, actively seeking ways to remedy the situation.

"If you don't mind! I can do it alone!! I'll try my best to heat up the atmosphere!!"

This small rabbit-eared girl was the band's new guitarist and lead singer. She didn't look very reliable, and Yvonne didn't know how skilled she actually was.

However, her willingness somewhat comforted Yvonne,

"What type of songs are you good at?"

"How about you listen to this!"

Saying this, she set up the mandolin strapped to her body, and after a professional strum, began to sing

Yvonne listened to Mimi sing a song on the spot and nearly cried.

The destructive power was no less than "Mother in the Candlelight" and the folk song "Little Cabbage",

Although it sounded nice but...

Such songs absolutely cannot be used for a proposal!!

"B-But... If I sing acapella, I can only sing songs like this..."

Mimi's ears drooped.

"Evie~~"

Hearing Elsa calling her, Yvonne had to terminate the transaction with the 'Phantom Light Magic Band'.

"I'm sorry... You should go back. Don't rush to return the deposit, I'll contact you again."

"Thank you very much! Employer—"

Hearing that the 'deposit' didn't need to be returned yet, Mimi breathed a sigh of relief as if completing a mission, then hopped away.

"Eh, who was that child just now?"

"You must have seen wrong... Haha, just a lost child!"

"Why was she carrying an instrument?"

"Ah hahaha... Alright, alright, don't mind these small things... I heard there's a restaurant in Emerald Port that's rated five stars by 'Silver Eye', let's go eat there today."

"...Okay?"

Moving along, seeing the small booklet in Yvonne's hand densely written with today's itinerary, Elsa felt somewhat overwhelmed.

This is too terrifying!... Even more packed than her work day schedule.

Clearly, the other was planning something,

Elsa felt troubled.

She knew Evie wanted to give her a surprise... but now... should she pretend not to notice, or react appropriately...

·

"......"

"......"

Seeing the "Closed Today" sign, Yvonne began to have a self-mocking premonition of 'Could it really turn out like this?'

Which divine person wrote that divination column anyway?

Then, as if to prove her right, the subsequent items also went quite unsuccessfully,

"Well~ Just eating some street food like this isn't bad either..."

"It shouldn't be like this..."

Elsa secretly observed the person beside her. Yvonne, munching on taiyaki, seemed to have lost her spirit.

"Sigh..."

Yvonne couldn't help but sigh.

The sun had already begun to set,

The precious day was about to end, but she hadn't accomplished anything.

Was she too hasty? Or not prepared enough...

Perhaps today really wasn't suitable...

"Don't make that face! If we're going to play, let's play happily."

Elsa stuffed the remaining taiyaki into her mouth and pulled Yvonne up.

"Let's go play on the beach!!"

·

The sea breeze with its salty, damp scent was unique to this area.

However, standing on the shore in this season was still a bit chilly and damp, let alone taking off shoes to play in the water.

"Come to think of it... We didn't get to play in the water in summer."

Speaking of which, this game previously had plans for adaptation into a slice-of-life anime, and the trailer seemed to have a fixed swimsuit episode.

...Although she didn't understand the significance of otome games having swimsuit episodes.

"Then we can't miss it next summer."

"Next year..."

Yvonne silently calculated the dates in her heart,

Next summer would be the time point when she would originally face her doom ending.

Although everything had been safe so far, what would happen when that time actually came was still unknown.

It was precisely because of this that she wanted to make a certain promise for this uncertainty.

"Um... Elsa."

"Hm?"

Yvonne gathered her courage and stepped forward,

Even without a romantic dinner, even without a warm atmosphere, she still had to—

"I have something to—"

Splash~~

But just as she took the box containing the ring from her pocket, it was snatched away by a seagull swooping past.

"................."

Left with only a white feather,

The two looked at each other, taking a long time to react, and by then the mischievous seagull had already flown who knows where,

Yvonne trembled with anger,

"Damn—it!!!! I'll slice you down with wind blades and turn you into grilled bird skewers—!!"

"Calm down! Magic can't reach that far!!"

Elsa quickly hugged Yvonne, who was on the verge of going berserk,

After the impotent rage came a deep sense of frustration.

What to do now...

The most important thing for making a vow is gone...

Why such a failure?

"It shouldn't be like this..."

She crouched down with a tearful voice,

"It should have been more romantic... more luxurious... more grand..."

But now, there was nothing.

She hadn't done anything well.

Too much of a failure...

"Evie..."

Elsa quietly moved over and patted her shoulder,

"If Elsa wants to comfort me, just forget it... Let me be alone for a while."

"No, Evie, there seems to be something dirty on your hand."

"...Where?"

"Really, look for yourself."

Just as Yvonne dubiously extended her hand to check, she was grabbed by the hand like catching a rabbit.

"Caught you—"

She blinked, and Yvonne realized she had been tricked.

"Here... Now you can't escape, right?"

To Yvonne's amazement, she put a ring she had prepared at some unknown time onto Yvonne's left ring finger.

"This, this is..."

No matter how many times Yvonne blinked, the ring was still securely on her hand.

"Well... This must be the 10% lucky event, right?"

She chuckled,

"...The person who prepared in advance wasn't just you, Evie, you're really reckless, even disrupting my pace..."

Showing a slightly reproachful expression, her cheeks were tinged red by the sunset,

"...Let's make a promise."

Elsa cleared her throat,

"I know, although there are still many uncertainties now, but..."

Saying this, she paused her words, just gazing directly at Yvonne.

"...I will definitely make you happy for a lifetime."

Saying this, she lifted Yvonne's left hand and kissed the face of the ring,

Yvonne's mind went blank,

In an instant, emotions, joy, memories of being together, all vividly flashed before her eyes, welling up in her heart,

The sunset illuminated and sparkled on the sea surface, also making the person she loved most shine brightly.

Wanting to turn this love into something tangible, wanting to promise a future with the person she loves.

"So... Will you accept me?"