Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 293 293: Honjou Nia Is a Terrible Adult

December 30th, 9:00 PM.

Ryougi Yutsuki strolled alone on a quiet, chilly path.

There wasn't any special reason for coming out at this ti. It was just that after being cooped up indoors grinding for two or three days, her body felt a bit stiff. After dinner and returning to her room, she had a sudden whim to go out for a walk to clear her head and stretch her limbs.

She originally intended to invite soone to co along, but the people in the apartnt were basically out cold due to the fatigue from the past few days' busyness. Shido and Kotori seed to have so other things to handle, so she went out alone.

"Phew... This is quite nice occasionally."

Taking a slow, deep breath, the cool night air circulated through her body with her breathing, making Yutsuki feel a bit more clear-headed.

There were surprisingly few pedestrians on the street. Perhaps because it was close to the end of the year, most people were at ho preparing for the New Year. Besides police officers patrolling the streets and a few beggars on the roadside, Yutsuki barely saw anyone.

"Honestly... why can't things stay peaceful around here even when it's almost New Year's."

Involuntarily grumbling to herself, Yutsuki let out a sigh that turned into a white mist and drifted away.

Walking along the sidewalk, an enticing aroma wafted past her nose. Yutsuki turned her head and saw a food cart not far away, emitting a warm orange light.

"Perfect timing. I'll have a drink before going back."

Yutsuki felt a bit peckish. Although she wasn't very hungry, she usually refrained from drinking out of consideration for everyone being minors. Since it was a rare chance to be out alone, she decided to go for a quick drink.

"Boss, I'll have an order of oden and a draft beer, please."

"Alright, custor, please take a seat and wait a mont."

Originally, Yutsuki thought she'd have to waste so breath explaining her apparent age to the boss. However, surprisingly, the boss didn't raise any doubts and readily took Yutsuki's order.

However, upon seeing the custor who had arrived before her, the doubts in Yutsuki's heart instantly vanished.

"Hm? Oh—Isn't this Biri-chan? What a surprise eting here."

Seeing Yutsuki, Nia let out an exaggerated gasp of amazent.

"Give it a rest." Yutsuki rolled her eyes in annoyance and said, "You probably used your Angel to find out where I was going and deliberately ambushed here."

If you tried to tell her that eting the shut-in NEET Nia at this roadside stall at this hour was a coincidence, Yutsuki wouldn't believe it even if she were beaten to death.

"Well, anyway, sit down first. It's my treat."

Without denying or confirming Yutsuki's accusation, Nia patted the empty seat next to her and enthusiastically invited her.

Yutsuki sighed helplessly, didn't refuse, and sat down next to Nia.

"So, what's the reason for coming to see on the eve of the final showdown?"

"My~ Don't rush straight to the main topic. It's a rare treat from , let's eat and drink to our hearts' content first! Co on, Biri-chan, cheers!"

Saying this, Nia chuckled, waved her hand, and raised her glass to Yutsuki.

(This girl... is she the type who can't bring up a topic without warming up first?)

Yutsuki guessed in her heart. It was the sa when she t Shido last ti; she beat around the bush and gave many hints before confessing her Spirit identity to Shido.

"...Cheers."

Although she didn't know if Nia wanted to use the alcohol to bolster her courage or just build up montum by acting mysterious, Yutsuki had no reason to back down. She raised her beer and clinked glasses with her.

"Glug glug glug—Ah—"

Refreshing herself by downing the beer in one go, Nia couldn't help but let out a satisfying burp.

"Ah—A drink after finishing work is so refreshing I can't stop. Although I still have the doujinshi sales event tomorrow. Say, Biri-chan, how are things on your end? How's the manga you're preparing for coming along?"

"Don't worry. Everyone managed to grind it out after staying up two nights in a row. Tomorrow, we'll definitely teach a certain stubborn old fossil a lesson."

Yutsuki rolled her eyes and answered grumpily.

It would have been fine if she hadn't ntioned it. But bringing it up, looking at the grinning culprit in front of her, Yutsuki instantly felt a surge of anger.

"Oh ho, didn't you guys work quite hard (laughs)? Although it's still a bit unrealistic to want to beat , I'll give a 'like' to your stubbornness for now."

While speaking provocative words, Nia nodded with a smiling face to express her admiration. Honestly, the current Nia in Yutsuki's eyes looked incredibly punchable.

"Ara? Could it be, Biri-chan, are you angry right now?"

Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Nia looked at Yutsuki's strange expression and couldn't help but draw out her words, courting death with her question.

"If I say yes, would you be willing to let deliver a fierce blow to your stomach? The kind that'll make you throw up everything you ate today."

Gently stroking the other party's flat stomach, Yutsuki asked back with a smile.

Nia suddenly shivered, feeling instantly sobered up.

"I'm sorry! I got carried away!"

"Honestly... whatever..."

Since Nia had apologized, Yutsuki didn't pursue it further. After taking a small sip of beer, she said,

"If you ask if I'm angry, then I'm definitely angry. You're soone who has already entered society. Although Shido and the others were also in the wrong during the whole process, don't you think it's very unsightly to compete with a group of high school and middle school students?"

Unlike Tohka and the other Spirits who were ignorant of the world, or Miku, Kotori, and Origami who, despite having other jobs, were still students, Honjou Nia was an adult who had lived in society for many years.

Even if many manga artists have quite unique personalities, that couldn't be an excuse for her immaturity.

"You clearly said you wouldn't use Rasiel for spoilers, but in reality, which of the dates Shido and Kotori planned didn't you know about in advance? And after breaking all the flags, you deliberately confessed to Shido saying 'I only like 2D'. If it weren't for this, do you think they would have co up with those terrible ideas and ended up making you angry?"

"Ugh..."

Nia was montarily left speechless.

"Moreover, what makes the most angry is that you were the one who actively sought out Shido, but you selfishly beca disappointed in Shido because of your own issues."

Yes, the thing that made Yutsuki the angriest. The cause of this whole incident wasn't Shido, but Nia herself proactively showing up at their door.

If Shido had been the one to propose the date, then even if he hit a wall during the conquest and stepped on Nia's landmines like he did now, Yutsuki would only evaluate that Shido brought it upon himself.

However, Honjou Nia took the initiative to seek Shido's help because she wanted to escape DEM's harassnt and live a peaceful life.

"Let give you an example you can understand instantly. In my eyes, your actions are just as unreasonable as borrowing money from a friend to pull gacha, failing to pull the SRR rare card you wanted, and then blaming the friend who lent you the money."

"Ahhhhhhh—Enough! Please stop talking, Biri-chan, I'm starting to hate myself."

Slightly putting herself in the shoes of Yutsuki's example, because it was too vivid, Nia couldn't help but cover her face and wail.

"Ugh... Biri-chan's sharp tongue is still stinging and hits the nail on the head. Although it's true I was in the wrong here. Couldn't you point it out a little more tactfully?"

"If I don't speak harshly about this kind of thing, people won't learn their lesson."

Yutsuki shrugged.

Just as Yutsuki was planning to eat sothing and pause, the boss very tily brought over the side dishes. Moreover, the dishes included one more plate of skewers than Yutsuki and Nia had ordered.

—Don't fight. The boss smiled, wagged his finger, and hinted silently.

Look! This is a truly mature adult!

Yutsuki's expression softened slightly.

"Well. Although there are many more lectures I want to give, I'll stop here."

"There's more?!"

Looking at Yutsuki with a distressed face, Nia seed to have thought of sothing and asked in confusion:

"But, since you think I'm being unreasonable, Yutsuki, why didn't you stop the boy from having a manga showdown with back then?"

"Then let ask you, why didn't you say this to after hearing my words: 'I was wrong, I'll go apologize to the boy, this manga competition doesn't count, I'll go on a date and fall in love with him'?"

"..."

"That's how it is. Even if I said these things, you wouldn't change your mind, right?"

Yutsuki sighed a long, helpless breath.

That's right, even if Yutsuki said these things, it was impossible for Nia to fall in love with Shido. It didn't an Shido hadn't made mistakes, and it didn't an Nia would lay down her pride and admit defeat before fighting.

You have your reasons, and I have mine. You are right in so aspects, and I am right in others.

In this world, for many things, if the person involved doesn't figure it out themselves, it's useless no matter what others say. If mishandled, it might even add fuel to the fire.

Yutsuki knew this very well because the past her wasn't much better than Nia.

"If problems could be solved just by reasoning, this world would have definitely been at peace long ago."

"You are absolutely right..."

Nia sighed with deep agreent. After letting out a light breath, she picked up a skewer and chewed silently.

Yutsuki didn't say any more, picked up her char siu, and tasted it quietly.

"Say... Biri-chan..."

After a long while, when the side dishes on the table were mostly finished, Nia slowly spoke up.

"What?"

"You guys t with Takajo, right?"

"...Mhm."

Without denying it, Yutsuki nodded gently.

Takajo Hiroki, the author of the shonen manga Other Fake, a woman who uses a male pen na and refers to herself as "kousei" just like Nia. She was also the manga artist who was closest to Honjou Nia a few years ago.

Right before drawing the manga, Kotori took Shido to et this manga artist, learning about Honjou Nia's past from her.

According to her, Nia had a friendly personality and could converse amicably with anyone. However, she disliked talking about things before she beca a manga artist. Especially when asked about past interpersonal relationships, she would gloss over them vaguely.

Moreover, when she beca intimate with soone to a certain degree, she would deliberately distance herself from them. Takagi was one of them.

Takajo's own opinion was that she thought she had done sothing wrong and beca hated. But to Yutsuki and the others, the situation was different.

Rasiel—knowing all things in the world, the omniscient Angel. Nia, who possessed it, probably couldn't control her hands back then and investigated the backgrounds of everyone around her. And then, she was severely disappointed.

Was she angry at the betrayal brought by superficial illusions, or disgusted by the ugliness of humanity? Or perhaps both?

Or was she simply feeling afraid?

"Takajo-sensei has always wanted to reconcile with you."

"Ah... even if it's a lie, please don't say that, okay? It'll make have strange expectations." Taking a heavy gulp of beer, Nia sprawled dejectedly on the table and said self-deprecatingly, "What kind of scumbag who monitors everything about others like a walking high-definition surveillance cara can beco friends with anyone! As expected, the 2D world is my only true ho!!"

"Don't use the 2D world as a shelter, honestly."

"Shut up! Then Biri-chan, what would you do if you were ?"

"?"

Hearing Nia's question, Yutsuki thought for a mont before answering calmly.

"Well... honestly, I don't really know your standpoint back then, so it's hard to comnt. However, I've seen quite a bit of humanity's so-called dark side and ugly parts too. If you ask ... you're too extre."

"Extre?"

Nia was montarily taken aback.

"Everyone has a surface and a dark side. It's natural for humans to have an ugly side. The surface doesn't equate to hypocrisy. If it were , I probably wouldn't get so hung up on it."

After a long silence, Nia sighed with a very complex tone.

"...If soone else said that, I would absolutely think it's easy for them to say because they're not the ones hurting. But coming from you, it's very convincing."

"In my opinion, you rely too much on Rasiel. While taking what it shows as the truth, you've also started to doubt the things you can see with your own two eyes."

"I can't argue with that."

Nia answered, completely convinced.

"However, since Biri-chan dares to say this, then in your eyes, you must have also seen the beautiful side of people, right?"

To this, Yutsuki didn't give an answer, rely saying plainly:

"...Tomorrow, you'll naturally find out."

Nia seed to understand sothing, smiled knowingly, shrugged, and said:

"Alright, alright, I'll wait with anticipation for tomorrow to co."

...

Nightti, 11:40 PM.

"Let go of , Biri-chan! I want to drink more!"

Sprawled on Yutsuki's back, Nia, her face flushed red, shouted with high spirits.

"The night—has only just begun!!"

"It's over! It's already over! You have to set up your stall at the doujinshi event tomorrow. If you don't want to lose by default, go to sleep like a good girl."

Facing Nia, who was throwing a crazy drunken tantrum, a vein throbbed on Yutsuki's forehead, and she scolded loudly.

After that, Nia seed to not have drunk enough and continued to order several more glasses of alcohol from the boss, chatting with Yutsuki about nonsense while downing them. Originally, Yutsuki thought it would take half an hour at most, but who knew this person would just follow her whim and drink for two hours.

"La~ lalala hahaha—"

Honestly, Yutsuki really regretted not just dumping her at the food cart and leaving.

"You said it was your treat, but in the end, I had to pay the bill. You better rember this!"

Yutsuki said fiercely. But the person in question didn't seem to grasp the severity of the situation, happily shaking Yutsuki's shoulders and shouting.

"Hey! Biri-chan! Biri-chan! Bi! Ri! Chan!"

"Ah—I know! I heard you! What is it?"

"Actually, the reason I ca to find you today, Biri-chan. There's one more thing I want to ask you."

Nia pressed against Yutsuki's ear and whispered softly.

"Ugh—The sll of alcohol is so strong!"

Hurriedly turning her head away, Yutsuki looked at Nia with disgust, but still asked:

"Tell first, what is it?"

"Well—"

Nia took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and with a very open and aboveboard voice, shouted in the street:

"Let's—rge!!"

rge—

rge—

rg—

The voice echoed down the empty street.

(Alright! I'm leaving this idiot on the street!)

Yutsuki thought without hesitation.