The Return Of The Exiled Villain

They turned a corner and reached a small open area filled with wooden tables, large bowls of paint, soft brushes, and sheets of thin paper.

Children and adults sat around, dipping their brushes into bright colors.

It was a lantern-painting booth.

Selveria didn’t hesitate. She pulled Gray to an empty table and pushed him down on the bench before sitting right beside him.

”You’re going to make one,” she declared proudly.

Gray looked at the paints... then at her... then at the paper.

”...You want me to paint?”

”Yes. You need to relax your mind sometimes.”

”My mind is relaxed.”

”No, it’s tense in a quiet way,” she replied with a teasing little laugh.

”I can see it in your shoulders.”

’...Really?’

He glanced at his shoulder lightly, and seeing how tensed they actually were, Gray didn’t argue after that.

Selveria handed him a brush and dipped her own brush into a soft gold color.

”Here. Just try it.”

Gray touched the brush to the paper and slowly made a line. The stroke came out shaky, uneven.

’...This was one of the noble etiquettes I refused to train.’

He stared at it like it offended him.

Selveria leaned closer until her shoulder touched his, then guided his wrist gently.

”You don’t have to make it perfect,” she whispered.

”Just let the brush move on its own.”

She reached for another color, a deep blue, and painted a small curve next to his line. Gray copied her movement, making a second curve.

Children nearby watched them with curious eyes.

There was even one little girl who whispered to her friend:

”He paints like an old man!”

Her friend giggled softly.

Selveria heard it, chuckled under her breath, and nudged Gray’s side.

”You see? Even they can tell.”

Gray sighed, but his lips twitched slightly as if he was holding back a smile.

They kept painting slowly.

Selveria mixed colors on the paper, making little swirls and shapes. Gray tried to imitate her, sometimes making awkward strokes, sometimes surprisingly smooth ones.

”You’re getting better,” she exclaimed.

”I’m just copying.”

”Yes, but you’re copying well.”

When they finally finished, Selveria held up their shared painted sheet.

It looked strange... but also quite enthusiastic. A mix of gold, blue, gray, and a few accidental splashes that Gray tried to wipe but only made worse.

Selveria smiled brightly.

”This will make a nice lantern.”

Gray looked at it for a moment, then nodded slowly.

”Not bad.”

She bumped her shoulder against his.

”See? You’re already having fun.”

He didn’t answer her words as he felt nothing different about himself. He knew that it was because of his Sword Art... but he somehow still held a little hope about it.

Selveria stood up and grabbed his wrist again.

”Come on. There’s more.”

She dragged him toward another area of the festival where people were gathered around large wooden poles holding up ropes.

The crowd clapped and laughed as two people climbed the ropes, racing to grab a small flag tied at the top.

A rope-climbing challenge.

Gray stared at it with a deadpan expression.

”...You want me to climb that?”

”Yes,” Selveria replied, smiling like a mischievous fox. ”This one is perfect for you.”

”And what exactly am I supposed to get out of this?”

”A little thrill~,” she purred.

”And a prize if you reach the top.”

Gray’s eyebrow twitched.

Selveria nudged him from behind.

”Go on. Show me how good your control really is, and also, don’t forget to deactivate your mana, it isn’t fun if you use it.”

’...This body is already trained enough that something like this... is easy.’

But as he looked at Selveria’s excited expression, he decided to compromise, as it might bring him some unexpected result.

He stepped forward slowly as the staff member called:

”Next challenger!”

The crowd cheered again, and Selveria clapped behind him with a bright grin.

Gray grabbed the rope with one hand... then the other... and pulled himself upward with calm, steady strength. His movements were simple, clean, without wasted effort.

People gasped as he shot upward like he weighed nothing.

He reached the top in just a few seconds, grabbed the flag, and dropped down lightly, landing without even bending his knees.

The crowd erupted.

”WHAT?!”

”SO FAST!”

”HE DIDN’T EVEN TRY!”

’...Oh, I almost forgot that most of the population here are actually non-mages or warriors.’ Gray thought inwardly.

Selveria laughed loudly, covering her mouth with her hand as Gray walked back to her.

”...Was that enough fun for you?” he asked dryly.

”No,” she giggled, grabbing his arm.

She pulled him down the street again, her hair bouncing behind her, her fingers wrapped tight around his wrist like she was afraid he would escape.

And like that, they spent hours wandering through the festival, going from one activity to another, from archery ranges, strength tests, food stalls, and even a silly hat-making booth that Selveria forced Gray to participate in.

He only wore the hat for ten seconds before taking it off, but she laughed so hard that she nearly cried.

By the time the sun dipped lower, they had slipped into a small ice-cream shop near the end of the festival street.

It was calm inside.

The air smelled sweet, and quiet music played in the background. Lantern-shaped lamps hung from the ceiling, giving the place a warm glow.

Selveria sat by the window with a huge smile on her face, her crepe stuffed with whipped cream, fruit, and a single scoop of chocolate ice cream.

”Mhm~”

She held it with both hands like it was a treasure.

Gray sat across from her with a small bowl of vanilla ice cream.

He took slow bites with his spoon as he looked at Selveria, practically wondering how she could have been laughing practically all day.

Selveria kicked her feet lightly under the table, humming as she ate.

”You know,” she said between bites, ”I haven’t done this much walking in years. And you—” she pointed her fork at him, ”—you actually enjoyed yourself.”

Gray raised an eyebrow.

”...Did I?”

He didn’t particularly feel anything other than the vast emptiness inside of him.

”Yes,” she nodded confidently.

”Your face didn’t look like a stone the whole time.”

”That’s because you dragged me everywhere.” Gray took another spoonful.

”And you followed me everywhere,” she replied with a little smirk.

”...That’s because you told me that you’d guide me on how to have fun.” He just looked out the window for a moment, watching the festival lights flicker in the distance.

The reflection made his eyes somehow look softer than usual.

Selveria leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she stared at him with open curiosity.

”Gray,” she uttered, ”you know... you’re not as difficult as you pretend to be.”

He stopped mid-bite.

”...What is that even supposed to mean?”

”I mean... you’re calmer than before. Much more normal than your stiff self. Still rude sometimes, but... easier to talk to.”

”That’s because today was supposed to be simple,” Gray sighed.

”Well, it was.” She took a big bite of her crepe and talked through a laugh. ”And you did great, even at the rope climb.”

”That was nothing.”

”It looked fun.”

”Not really.”

”You smiled.”

”I didn’t.”

”Yes, you did. Very tiny, but I saw it,” she stuck her tongue out lightly.

He looked away, hiding the faint twitch of his lip.

Selveria giggled again, clearly enjoying how easy it was to poke at him.

”Want a bite?” She lifted her crepe toward him.

He stared at the messy pile of cream and chocolate.

”...No.”

”Try it. It’s sweet.”

”No.”

Selveria leaned over the table, pushing it closer.

”Come on. Just one bite.”

Gray clicked his tongue, but finally leaned in and took a small bite from the edge. The mix of warm crepe and cold ice cream made his expression stiffen for a moment.

Selveria watched him, waiting.

”...Better than I thought,” he admitted quietly.

Her face lit up instantly.

”See? I told you. You should trust me more.”

Gray ate another spoonful of his vanilla, then said:

”I trusted you enough to lead me.”

”That’s true.” She leaned back in her seat, smiling softly as she watched him.

”And I’m glad you did.... but there’s something that makes me curious...” She eyed him intensely, practically narrowing her eyes.

”The first time we met... You teased me a lot, like a lot... but now...” Selveria looked him up and down.

”You’re cold as... one could be. It was as if you entirely lost... the emotion of being happy...” Her eyebrows furrowed.

”Gosh, I don’t know how to explain...”

Gray stared at her eyes after hearing her words.

’...That’s because during that time, the Shadowless Sword Art hadn’t consumed all of my emotions, and I still had my ’forced’ personality of being a stupid playboy.’

”I guess... it was mainly because Jess, a dear friend of mine, died...” Gray had already thought of a reason and expressed it directly.

Upon hearing his words, Selveria’s curious and happy expression turned sour immediately, her eyes widening as if she had completely understood the reason for his changes.

But still... something wasn’t right...

Actually, two weeks ago, already much before a student named Jessica had died, she had seen Gray looking very happy while hanging around with Lyra.

And yet... he looked like this now.

This made Selveria very curious...

’Does he have a split personality where he hides his sadness and bad emotions?’ she thought inwardly, watching as he took another bite of his ice cream.

That was the conclusion she came to, which actually explained a lot if it really was true, since Gray had a girlfriend.

And if truly was empty side like he is now... he probably wouldn’t have a girlfriend.

Thinking of this, she took another bite of her crepe.

”So,” she spoke with a playful tone, ”after this... want to try the fireworks show next?”

Gray looked at her quietly, spoon paused halfway to his lips.

”...Fireworks?”

”Mm-hm. It’s the last event of the festival.” Her smile softened.

”It’s beautiful. You’ll like it.”

Gray tilted his head.

”...What’s that?”

Selveria froze immediately at Gray’s confused expression.