Chapter 324 - 320 ~ Rias’s Date

Yuuji stepped out of the swirling blackness of [Gate], the air rippling faintly as the dimensional portal folded shut behind him.The faint hum of magic faded, replaced by the gentle whisper of the morning breeze that swept across the courtyard of his home.

And then—his gaze found her.

Rias stood by the pond garden, bathed in the golden light of dawn. Her crimson hair shimmered like silk and fire, cascading down her back as she stared into the rippling waters below.

The surface of the pond glowed with shifting colors, alive with koi fish that swam gracefully beneath it. Their scales gleamed like gemstones—pearlescent whites that refracted rainbow hues, vivid reds and oranges that seemed to shimmer with enchantment.

For a moment, Yuuji simply stood there, quietly captivated. The scene before him felt almost unreal—a perfect image painted in light, beauty, and serenity.

Rias, dressed in a modern fashion of soft orange and white, looked radiant. Her frilled blouse hugged her figure delicately, its neckline just daring enough to draw the eye, tucked neatly into a white short skirt cinched by a black belt. Thin stockings traced her slender legs, vanishing into white high-heeled boots that gleamed faintly in the sunlight.

A small, stylish white bag hung from her shoulder, its chained strap resting snugly between her soft cleavage.

Yuuji’s heart softened at the sight. She looks stunning...

Noticing a faint shift of air behind her, Rias turned, her bright blue-green eyes meeting his. Her lips parted slightly in surprise before a gentle smile curved them.

"Yuuji..."

He returned her smile, his voice warm and affectionate.

"You look beautiful, Rias."

The faintest blush bloomed across her cheeks as she brushed a strand of crimson hair behind her ear.

"Thank you," she said softly, her tone carrying a trace of bashfulness.

With a subtle wave of his hand, Yuuji’s outfit shifted—his aura gently flickering as his outfit was replaced with a neatly pressed ensemble: a light gray shirt layered under a soft blue collared overshirt, paired with dark jeans.

Around his neck hung a sleek silver chain with a black obsidian—the necklace form of Alice and Aria—and a second pendant that glimmered faintly with illusionary magic: the Necklace of Disguise.

Rias blinked, momentarily entranced by the effortless way he changed. He carried a quiet kind of charm—refined, calm, yet disarmingly gentle.

Then Yuuji stepped closer and held out a small, elegant necklace with a faint azure gem embedded at its center.

"Here," he said, holding it to her.

"For our disguise. People won’t recognize us when we’re outside."

He smiled faintly.

"I didn’t want our date to be interrupted by curious stares or devil gossip."

Her heart fluttered at the word date.

She hesitated for just a second, then nodded and turned around, lifting her hair slightly so he could clasp it around her neck. His fingers brushed lightly against her skin, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

"There," Yuuji murmured.

Rias turned back to face him, her disguise active, yet her eyes shone with the same unmistakable affection.

"How do I look?" she asked, half teasing, half shy.

Yuuji’s lips curved into a soft smile.

"Perfect. Just like always."

The words made her cheeks turn an even deeper shade of pink—but the happiness that filled her heart was undeniable.

"Where are we going?"

Rias tilted her head curiously, her sapphire eyes gleaming with expectation as the morning sun framed her in soft gold.

Yuuji chuckled lightly at her eagerness, his lips curving into a gentle smile.

"There’s actually a pop-up café in Kyoto for that anime we both liked. I managed to reserve seats for us, so... I thought we’d start our morning there—with breakfast."

Rias blinked in surprise, her mouth parting slightly before a spark of delight lit up her face.

"R-Really?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with excitement.

Yuuji nodded, amused by her enthusiasm

.

"Really. And that’s not all," he continued.

"There are a few other pop-up stores related to the series, and I figured we could stop by some of them.

After that, there’s an anime movie I know you’ve been wanting to see—it’s showing only in select theaters, but... We can just teleport from city to city and catch it wherever we want."

Her eyes widened further, a faint flush coloring her cheeks as her excitement built.

"You mean—the limited showing in Tokyo? I thought I’d missed my chance to see it..."

"Not anymore," Yuuji said softly.

"I’ve already arranged everything."

Rias’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart fluttered—partly from the thoughtfulness of his gesture, and partly because of how effortlessly he seemed to make the impossible look trivial.

"And for dinner, I’ve booked an entire restaurant—private candlelight, overlooking the city skyline. It’s in a small luxury hotel I know you’ll love."

He smiled, his tone turning warm and low.

Rias’s eyes shone like stars. Her cheeks burned with an adorable pink hue as she stared at him, unable to hide the affection and admiration swirling within her.

"Y-Yuuji..." she whispered, her voice trembling just slightly.

He extended his arm toward her as the air behind him rippled and folded into a swirling [Gate], the dark portal shimmering like liquid shadow.

"Then, shall we go?" Yuuji asked with a warm smile, offering his arm to her.

Rias didn’t hesitate for even a moment. She looped her arms around his, pressing close as her soft chest rested against him, her expression tender yet brimming with excitement.

"Mm! Let’s go!"

She said brightly, her voice full of joy and anticipation.

Together, they stepped forward into the vortex of magic—hand in hand, smiles on their faces—and vanished from sight as the morning light faded behind them.

As Yuuji and Rias stepped out of the swirling veil of the [Gate], their surroundings instantly shifted from the quiet tranquility of his home to the sun-drenched streets of Kyoto.

The ancient city stretched before them — a perfect harmony of modern elegance and timeless tradition.

Wooden machiya houses lined the narrow streets, their latticed windows adorned with hanging noren curtains that fluttered gently in the breeze. Cherry blossoms drifted lazily from the trees above, painting the air in soft shades of pink and white.

Rias blinked as she took in the sight, her lips parting in awe.

"Waa... it’s beautiful..." she murmured, her voice almost a whisper, as if afraid to break the serenity.

Yuuji turned to her, a smile tugging at his lips.


"You’ve never been here before?"

She shook her head, the sunlight glinting off her crimson hair as it flowed behind her like silk.

"Not like this. I’ve been to Kyoto before for... business. But I never got to walk around freely. Not like this."

Her voice softened at the end, almost wistful.

"Then," he said, offering his hand, "let’s make it special today."

She blinked, then smiled — a radiant, heartfelt smile that reached her eyes.

"Mn."

Her hand slid into his. It was warm, soft, and small in his grasp, but the moment their fingers intertwined, she felt a comforting strength that made her heart skip a beat.

As they began walking down the cobbled path toward the heart of the city, Rias leaned in ever so slightly — close enough for Yuuji to catch the faint scent of her perfume, a mix of cherry blossoms and faint vanilla.

Her voice came softly, teasing yet shy.

"You know... walking like this feels like we’re on a honeymoon."

Yuuji chuckled, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"It’s our first date, and you’re already thinking about our honeymoon? Are you that impatient to get married to me?"

Her face blushed even redder. And to that, she pinched his waist.

"...I-I didn’t say that! Geez!"

"Ahahaha! Alright, alright! Stop pinching me!"

"Hmph."

The breeze carried his laughter through the air, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow — the sound of their footsteps, the distant ring of a temple bell, the soft whisper of the wind.

Rias tightened her hold on his hand.

"Yuuji... Thank you. For... everything."

She tilted her head up, her eyes shimmering with sincerity.

He met her gaze, and smiled, before kissing her forehead.

"I do it because I want to and because you deserve it. You’ve given so much to others... it’s about time someone gave back to you."

Her breath hitched slightly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. She looked away quickly, pretending to admire the view, though her fingers remained tightly woven with his.

And as they continued walking through the ancient streets of Kyoto — hand in hand beneath a shower of drifting petals — Yuuji couldn’t help but think how beautifully she fit into the scene: a crimson-haired beauty amidst a world painted in gold and pink.

A little walk after, they soon arrived at their destination.

The moment they arrived at the pop-up café inside the bustling Kyoto Station, they were immediately met with a sea of people.

The air buzzed with excitement — chatter, laughter, and the faint melody of the anime’s soundtrack playing in the background. Lines of eager fans wrapped around decorative panels covered in vibrant character art and cutouts.

Yet, amidst the crowd, Yuuji and Rias were ushered in swiftly. Thanks to Yuuji’s foresight — having made reservations the very day he discovered the café was themed after Rias’s favorite anime — they were able to skip the wait entirely.

He had originally intended the reservation as a small gift to commemorate her newfound freedom from the engagement with Riser... but he hadn’t expected it would become the setting for their first official date.

The café was a delight to the senses — colorful banners hung from the ceiling, and every table had small decorations referencing famous moments from the show.

But what impressed Yuuji most was how much effort this cafe made for this collaboration event.

This wasn’t one of those lazy tie-ins collab cafe that merely slapped a character name or screenshot onto an overpriced dessert. The dishes here were carefully recreated from scenes in the anime itself, beautifully presented and bursting with imagination.

Each drink shimmered with layered colors matching the characters’ themes, while the desserts took inspirations from moments in the anime.

"Yuuji, look!" Rias’s eyes sparkled as she pointed at a parfait crowned with pastel whipped cream and candied petals.

"This one was in episode seven! The one the heroine shared with—"

"With her love interest," Yuuji finished with a knowing smile. "Yes, I remember."

Her cheeks flushed as she laughed softly.

"Ah, that’s right. We watched that together too...""

"Hahaha. If anything, I’m amazed you remembered that. While we’re watching it, you’re already dozing off to sleep." He teased gently, his tone warm.

And to that, Rias pouted, her cheeks blushing.

She... She did doze off for a while. But that was his fault!

He was hugging her and it felt so comfortable that she couldn’t help but become sleepy.

She had to rewatch the episode again the next day since she missed most of them.

They ordered nearly everything on the menu — not out of gluttony, but pure excitement. The staff looked both amused and amazed as their table filled with colorful dishes and glasses. Rias sampled each one eagerly, savoring the flavors with childlike delight.

"This one’s incredible! You have to try it!" she exclaimed, scooping a small spoonful and holding it up to Yuuji.

He leaned forward slightly, his lips brushing the spoon — their eyes meeting for a brief, charged moment. The faintest blush dusted her cheeks, but she smiled, undeterred, and continued feeding him between giggles.

In turn, he returned the favor, offering her a taste of his drink.

"Here. You’ll like this one."

Their easy laughter and closeness drew attention even through their disguises — two strangers in love, radiating affection so genuine that people couldn’t help but smile as they passed.

By the time they finished, the table was a battlefield of empty plates and half-drunk glasses, and both were laughing softly at how much they had eaten.

"Shall we go check out the merchandise before they sell out?" Yuuji suggested, wiping his hands and standing.

"Of course!" Rias replied, her excitement rekindled instantly.

In the end, they bought one of everything.

After they’re done, Rias took his hand without hesitation as they exited the café, fingers naturally intertwining, and head to their next stop.

Once they reached a quieter alley near the station, Yuuji cast an invisibility spell with a flick of his hand. The world shimmered around them for an instant — and then they vanished, stepping through the folds of reality into another place entirely.

A moment later, they appeared in Tokyo, just outside another pop-up store filled with rows of anime merchandise.

Rias’s eyes widened like a child in a candy store.

"Look at all this! Badges, acrylic stands, posters—oh, they even have the wall scrolls I wanted!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious. Yuuji chuckled softly as he followed her through the aisles, watching her pick up item after item with glowing joy.

Each time she found something she liked, she would turn toward him expectantly — and every time, he simply nodded.

"Get it."

She beamed every single time.

By the time they reached the register, Rias’s arms were filled with goods, and even the staff seemed astonished by their haul. But to them, it wasn’t about the price.

For Rias Gremory, heiress of a noble house, and Yuuji Tsubakihara, the hidden master of realms and industries, money was never the issue.

What mattered — was the happiness they shared in these fleeting, ordinary moments.

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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this Chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!!

Also, if you’d like to read additional Chapters ahead and get a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to check out my at patr_eon.com/verglasx ~!

Thank you~!