"Are you for real?!" Belle exclaimed. "You're really a Half-Elf?!"
Belle couldn't believe that Will was the real deal. She only thought that the boy was one of those cosplayers that liked to go to conventions while portraying their favorite characters. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would meet a real, breathing, fantasy creature, in the flowerfield right outside their villa.
"Can you cast Magic?" Belle asked.
"I can't," William replied. "My powers are currently sealed."
"Then, can you tell me more about your world?"
"It is a very long story, are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Definitely!"
Belle listened to William's tale. The boy said that he was born in the Elven Continent then taken to a town called Lont and was raised by my relatives and a goat named Ella. William also told her about the exciting battles against Magical Beasts and the people he met along the road to the temple.
"I think Est and Ian are traps," Belle said. "Either that or both of them are girls in disguise."
"Est and Ian are girls?" William snorted. "Impossible. I've been around them for a long time. Do you really think that I can't differentiate between a boy and a girl? Especially that snot-nosed pansy. If he was really a girl, I'd spell my name backwards!"
"Haven't you heard about women's intuition?" Belle smiled mischievously. "Most of the time I'm right, and this is one of those occasions when I think that I am right."
"Something is off with your intuition then."
"How mean…"
William was about to continue the story when they were interrupted by Belle's maidservants. It was time for dinner, and the Head Maid had ordered them to bring the food inside Belle's room because she seemed to be having a good time with their guest.
Although she didn't know where William had come from, the Head Maid was a good judge of character. This was also the first time that she had seen their Young Lady so happy that she didn't dare to destroy it. She had been depressed for a long time after the operation, her Father decided to let her spend some time in the Villa to recover.
He was hoping that the lush scenery and the fresh air of the countryside would improve her mood.
After the two finished their dinner, Belle told William more of her observations.
"This girl Wendy is really in love with you," Belle said like an expert in romantic relationships. "You better treat her well. However, your Ex-Roommate Kenneth, isn't this like one of those soap operas when a girl pretends to be a guy to be near the guy she likes?"
"... You sure have a wild imagination," William replied. "You watched too many dramas."
"Oh? You know about dramas? Does your world have any modern technology? Based on what you said earlier, I thought that it was a pure fantasy world. Is it Sci-Fi? Do you have spaceships? Interstellar travel?"
"Forget about what I said about dramas… My world is pure fantasy."
The Half-Elf scratched his cheek as if reprimanding himself for saying something unnecessary. Belle just smiled and didn't pry any further. She felt that Will was hiding a few things from her, but it didn't matter. She was not the kind of lady who would force people to tell her their secrets.
"Still, you should pay extra attention to Est, and Ian," Belle insisted. "As for Kenneth, he's still fifty-fifty. He could be a trap or a real girl in disguise."
"Okay," William replied half-heartedly.
Belle knew that the boy was only agreeing on the surface, but he had no intention to find out whether her conjectures were true or not.
"You know, something is bothering me." Belle leaned her back on the chair she was sitting on.
"And that is?" William asked.
"You have many bride candidates around you. Let's not talk about the unconfirmed Est, Ian, and Kenneth. Rebecca, Wendy, Amelia, and even that little girl Brianna. But, are you planning to become a Harem Protagonist?"
Belle's gaze locked on at William. For a brief moment, William thought that the girl was looking at him like he was some kind of scum.
"You know, harem protagonists are the worst," Belle added without mercy. "How can they have so many girls? Isn't that being unfaithful? Neh~ tell me, are you planning to have a harem?"
The Half-Elf coughed lightly as his eyes wandered around the room. Clearly, he didn't want to answer this touchy subject.
"Will, I know that polygamy is not banned in your world. However, you must promise me that you will not go after girls willy nilly and not care about their feelings at all," Belle said with a serious expression. "If you do that I will cross between worlds and pull on your ears until they detach. Do I make myself clear?"
"...Yes." William lowered his head.
His dejected expression made Bella's expression soften. She didn't want to admit it, but she felt a little irritated when the handsome boy mentioned the names of the girls around him.
'Why am I feeling this way?' Belle thought. 'Is it because Will is the only boy I have interacted with aside from William? Their names are very similar as well.'
When Belle thought of the sickly boy that would often steal glances of her while she was in the Archery Club, she wasn't able to stop herself from feeling sad.
William noticed the sudden change in her mood and thought that it was due to him being a "harem protagonist" he immediately stood up and held her hand and looked into her eyes.
"Belle, I am not someone who takes relationships lightly. Please, believe me." William said with a serious expression on his face.
For a brief moment, the sickly boy's face in her memories overlapped with William until the two of them became one.
"Belle?" William asked. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
"I-I'm fine," Belle replied as her hand unconsciously gripped William's hand. "It's already late. We can continue our talks tomorrow. Since you have no place to go, you can stay in this residence until we figure out a way to send you back."
Belle didn't know how or why the Half-Elf suddenly appeared in her world. However, one thing was certain, she wanted to know more about the red-headed boy in front of her.
"You don't have to worry about that," William replied. "I think I will return to my world after three days' time."
"Three days?" Belle asked in surprise. "How do you know that you will return in three days?"
"I just know. Call it a Half-Elf's intuition."
"That thing actually exists?"
"Yes," William replied as he looked at the ticking counter that had suddenly appeared on his status screen.
< 71: 57: 06 >
The timer had suddenly appeared after Belle's change in expression. William didn't know what triggered the timer, but he felt half happy, and sad, at the sudden development. Happy because he knew that after the timer ended, he would be sent back to Hestia. Sad, because it will also marked the end for his brief encounter with the girl that he had loved a lifetime ago.