Re:Zero - Jobless Reincarnation: Succubus Sword God? I don't recognize it!

Chapter 556 Near and Far

How to express the joy and longing of a long-awaited reunion?

Does it require the act of shedding tears, or the expression of ecstasy?

No.

Ecstasy arises from the constant inability to fulfill one's expectations.

The tears were because of the grievances she had endured while being single and strong in the capital for the past two years.

Hilfi felt that this shouldn't be done.

She only needs to speak in the most relaxed manner, with a calm demeanor as if she has taken care of everything.

Go welcome Allen.

Welcome him back to Yals, where he hasn't been for over two years.

Welcome him back to the home that I have always managed to keep perfectly in place while he was away.

Only then can he relax his tense shoulders and anxious heart.

Because I showed him through my words and actions

—Look, Allen, everything at home is fine while you're away.

so.
After alighting from the carriage, Allen continued his unfinished story about the carriage to Aisha:

“She’s not like that, Aisha. Although Lufi may seem weak on the surface, she is actually very strong-willed, resilient, and empathetic.”

Because she is strong-willed, she will not weep.

Because of her resilience, she never showed her emotions.

Because of empathy, even with a thousand different feelings, she would only smile and calmly welcome me back.

Only in this way can they pretend to be relaxed when welcoming me back.
Returning to the home she had so painstakingly prepared.

"You've worked hard, Allen. Welcome home."

"Thank you for your hard work, Lufie. I'm back."

The sound of their tacit conversation fell in front of Boreas's mansion.

Sylphie's red pupils shimmered with a beautiful, undulating light.

The moment Allen responded to her, she couldn't help but take quick, short steps toward him, but after only two steps, she seemed to realize she was being too eager and forced herself to slow down.

She was slightly shy and expectant, yet deliberately composed.

Her heart pounded with excitement, but she pretended to be calm and walked step by step to stand in front of Allen.

at last
She returned to the 'tree'.

My gaze traveled up Allen's boots, down his calves, thighs, waist, chest, neck, and finally to his face.

Hilfi gazed quietly at Allen's face, dappled sunlight dancing in her eyes through the gaps in the leaves, like koi swaying in the shimmering water, her expression serene.

Unlike Hilfi, Allen was not indifferent.

He looked at Hilfi, who was dressed in a proper dress, had grown five centimeters taller, and had her hands folded in front of her, displaying the demeanor of a well-mannered noble lady. Her soft, waist-length hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, and one glance was enough to feel the softness of her hair.

Her pointed ears were adorned with delicate and charming ruby earrings that swayed slightly with each step she took.

Surprisingly, the magic stone necklace that looked so exquisite two years ago appeared rather rough around the edges.

Allen stared at the necklace, slightly distracted.

The last time he felt the two years fly by was on Isorti's gaunt face, but as a member of the Water God School, he was very sensitive to sword intent, so he quickly adapted to his reunion with Isorti.

She is still her.

But at this moment, the changes in Hilfi were truly imprinted in his eyes.

He watched Silphi walk the whole way, still not completely shaken off the sudden change in his impression of her.

For Allen, the Great Transfer has only taken a little over three months.

But for Sylphie
She had been waiting for him for two whole years.

Seeing Hilfi's changes through the positioning system was far less moving than witnessing them firsthand.

Hilfi looked at Allen's somewhat unfamiliar face, but at the micro-expressions that she knew all too well because she had been secretly observing him and recording his daily life in her diary.

In just a few blinks, the image of Allen's current face in his memory overlapped with the image of Allen from the past.

From strangers to acquaintances, it's just a few glances exchanged amidst a pounding heart.

During these days, she had already prepared herself mentally and imagined the situation thoroughly.

But when the moment of their actual reunion arrived, Sylphie realized:

How ridiculous is this determination to 'adapt to the changes in Alan's appearance, not show any surprise, approach him as before, follow him, listen to him speak, and then respond appropriately, rejecting the estrangement of not seeing each other for so long'.

Allen or Allen
You can see it at a glance.

No prior 'practice' is required.

The familiarity built up from spending two years in Buena Village and one year in Roya, three years of constant companionship, cannot lie.

The answer is your own heartbeat.

Thinking of this, Hilfi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that she was really super awesome.

She suppressed her excitement and waited for him to speak.

Allen would, as always, be very organized and methodical in arranging what to do next, so all I had to do was follow behind him, look at his face, and gradually let my overwhelming joy dissipate.

Then, in the evening, after finishing the chores of returning to the capital that day, when the two of them have a chance to be alone, they can whisper sweet nothings to each other.

That's right, that's what a proper wife should do when waiting for her fiancé to come home.
Hilfi waited for a while, counting her breaths, but she never saw the familiar curve of Allen's lips open or close, nor did she utter a sound.

She blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts, only to see Allen's dark eyes, now a different color, still staring at her.

His pupils had lost some of their former gentle brown color, and gained a sharper edge.

I don't know if it's because of the color of my pupils, or...
She froze for a moment, her previously composed demeanor nearly crumbling, and suddenly panicked. She quickly touched her face, her composure breaking instantly, and hastily asked:
"Um...is it that I'm a little different? There are a lot of things going on in the capital, so...ah...these past two years..."

Hilfi touched her face, growing increasingly flustered. Her red pupils widened as she stared at Allen's face, her body swaying unconsciously, the hem of her dress trembling slightly.

Hilfi: @_@ Oh no! I was just practicing my reaction when I saw Eren's changed appearance, but I didn't practice practicing how to react when I haven't seen Eren for two years and feel like a stranger to him. What...what should I do?
The next instant, he heard Allen's voice enter his ears.

“Sylphie is even more beautiful now.”

Hilfi was taken aback.

Allen bent down slightly, looked at Hilfi's familiar flustered expression, and smiled.

"Her flustered look is also cute. However, overall, she is already a mature and capable woman."

Hilfi stopped frantically touching her face, stared blankly at Allen, and subconsciously reached out her hand.

The latter subconsciously 'presented' her face to Hilfi's hand.

Hilfi naturally stroked Allen's nose, lips, eyebrows, and eyes.

Allen raised an eyebrow and asked, "Um, isn't it... a little different?"

The two were so close that Sylphie could only respond in a whisper:
"It's still the same. The nose is the nose, and the eyes are the eyes. At first glance, they seem slightly different, but if you look at them a few more times, Allen's expression becomes vivid, and it's still the same as before."

Their smiles are the same, the direction their eyebrows raise is the same, the way their eyes crinkle is the same—clearly, nothing has changed.

Allen was taken aback, then suddenly realized what was happening.

Yes, even if one's appearance has merged with that of their past life, it is difficult for one's expression to change.

Previously, both Isorti and Lokishi had always judged Allen's facial features in a very subjective and stream-of-consciousness manner, asserting that Allen's appearance had not changed much.

So Allen hadn't thought of this before, but when he heard Hilfi's expression when she spoke of it, he suddenly understood.

Why do couples who have been together for a long time start to look alike? Why do they begin to resemble each other more and more?

It's nothing more than the fact that after spending a long time together, the two people will subconsciously imitate each other's micro-expressions. As they imitate each other, when they make expressions, to outsiders, that vaguely similar, yet seemingly alike, couple's resemblance will naturally emerge.

Allen doesn't need to learn his own expressions, because he's always been like this.

Therefore, to unfamiliar people, one's appearance appears to have changed drastically.

To those who know him well, he still looks the same.

Hilfi suddenly closed her eyes, then opened them forcefully, looked at Allen again, and then exhaled.

"It really feels like a dream, Allen. I was waiting for your next letter, but instead of a letter, Allen is standing right in front of me. I'm still a little stunned. If only I had a little more time to prepare."

"What should we prepare? A warm welcome?"

"!! We're all set to welcome Allen home!! It's been so long, I've imagined so many scenarios for our reunion."

Why do we need to prepare for that kind of thing?

Hilfi instinctively wanted to explain, but then she felt that Allen was asking a question he already knew the answer to; he must know what she was thinking.

However, when he looked up, Allen's hair was strikingly white.

Sylphie reached out and gently pinched a stray strand of hair from Allen's forehead: "...Hair color...Did your magic power deplete? That's hard to restore."

Allen glanced sideways at Hilfi's fingertips.

Siluf used to help with farm work in Buena village, and her fingers had a thin layer of calluses, but they are no longer visible.

He felt relieved.

"Yes, our magic is depleted, just like yours. You've changed a bit, and so have I, but we've become more like a married couple."

"!? Is...is...is that so?"

"yes."

"What nice words."

"The term 'couples look alike' is not something I made up. Haven't you heard of it?"

"I...I've never heard of that."

"Now you've heard it."

"!!"

that's it.

Hilfi, who had originally planned to whisper sweet nothings to Allen later that evening, was prompted by Allen's casual remark to start a conversation.

Two years have left obvious marks on her; she has grown into a dignified, beautiful, and capable young mistress of the Boreas family.

But in front of Allen.

In the blink of an eye, she transformed back into that stammering, sentimental girl.

Why?
Because in front of Ellen, she doesn't need to wear any mask.

Allen loved her for everything.

Aisha stood quietly a few meters away.

Yellow leaves fluttered down, landing on Allen and Sylphie's shoulders.

It's very beautiful, like an oil painting.

Aisha quietly watched Eren and Sylphie interact, looking at Eren's gentle, water-like eyes, and at Sylphie's barely suppressed shyness.

Along the way, after spending half a month together, she already felt that she was very, very close to her brother.

But at this moment.

Even if Allen were standing right in front of me now.