Chapter 161
"......"
Silence flowed coldly.
The fox and rose who had met after a long time were glaring at each other.
Clear hostility was reflected in their black and green eyes respectively.
How long had it been since they returned that they were growling?
I was just smiling awkwardly while pressed by the fierce atmosphere.
Though it was honestly an expected part...
'As expected is as expected, I guess.'
I muttered bitterly.
I thought there would be at least some joy in reunion no matter what.
Far from being glad, they threw provocations from the start, and expressions stimulating the other side ran rampant.
Especially Elise scratched at Irene as if she had properly caught a handle.
"Won't you congratulate us? It's happy news."
"Well... I'm curious if the person involved feels the same."
"You're denying reality."
"If it's a delusion, I have no intention of interfering."
"How pitiful. Many things happened between us while you were gone."
"......"
Attacks tapping consecutively.
Was the imperial son-in-law declaration that dropped earlier shocking?
The fox couldn't even make any counterattacks.
She just looked down at the rose in the wheelchair with sunken eyes.
Nevertheless, Elise met her gaze head-on as if it was funny rather than scary.
She covered her mouth corners twisted in pleasure with her hand.
In the end.
"Stop."
I who stepped up belatedly mediated the two's battle of nerves.
I placed my hands on orange and red respectively, and stroked their heads meaning to calm down.
The following touch gradually withdrew as the cold air spread around.
Afterwards I spoke while meeting eyes with each one.
"Haven't I asked many times? I'd like you to get along well with each other."
"......"
"If you only show such cold treatment, I'll just be disappointed."
Perhaps they acknowledged they had overheated too?
The rose and fox sinking into silence involuntarily.
Then they muttered in quiet voices.
"...Sorry."
"I'll be quiet."
The situation settled for now.
The two showed appearances of stepping back one step each, perhaps reacting to the words of disappointment.
Though their glaring gazes remained the same meanwhile.
I pressed my brow along with a faint sigh.
As I chewed over the brief silence given like that...
Knock knock-.
Late-arriving guests knocked on the dormitory door.
I greeted them as if I had been waiting.
Three people with pink, blue, and purple hair were waiting in front of the entrance.
They greeted with faint smiles when our eyes met.
The joy returning was great as it was a reunion after nearly two weeks.
"Yo, Young Lord! I heard you returned...!"
"You really... you should at least say something when you return! Don't make me hear belatedly every time!"
"Welcome back. You don't know how much I missed you, my disciple."
The voices of Regia, Emilia, and Selena in order.
I answered along with a brief smile.
"I missed you all too."
The group gathered in the dormitory.
It seemed today would be bustling in many ways.
***
We spent time with small talk.
Stories piled up over the past two weeks.
It was an opportunity to hear one by one what kind of things happened to the children meanwhile.
Even if it wasn't great content, calm daily life stories were enjoyable.
I listened quietly while sitting on the sofa.
"Recently I've been spending time with Efri... how should I say, it feels like he's become more affectionate..."
"That's amazing. To be building a bond with such a fierce summoned beast."
"It, it's not particularly special. Efri is just such a gentle child..."
"As expected, Miss Regia is humble."
"He, hehe..."
An expression melting harmlessly.
I stroked the pink hair along with small praises.
Some affection was reflected between the pilot's green eyes.
Seeing such cute reactions, I couldn't help but smile.
'You're growing.'
Was she gradually finding her position from the original work?
Our protagonist was taking definite steps of progress, though immature.
It seemed she had left the level of competing with ordinary students.
Following her deepened presence, the frequency of stuttering had decreased too.
It was truly great progress compared to last year when she was weak.
"Hmph... a commoner putting on airs."
"Young Lady Beniti?"
"I'm studying [property change] on my own? It means I'm challenging the extreme of magic. This much is fitting for the noble Beniti name..."
"If you wanted praise, you could have just said so."
"Th-that's not it?!"
"Is there any need to particularly decline? Young Lady, you come closer too."
"No, I, I didn't mean that, ugh..."
"You're always working hard."
"......"
The villainess who pretended to dislike it with words, but silently accepted when a hand was extended.
Blue eyes wavered while holding heat.
Her characteristic roll bun hair swayed each time the touch reached.
Before she knew it, a flush had risen on her snow-white cheeks.
I whispered sweet words in her ear as if filling her desire for acknowledgment.
"Because Young Lady is amazing."
"Ugh..."
The wall of vanity crumbling helplessly.
I laughed quietly while sneaking glances.
Emilia too seemed to be pondering her next step in her own way.
Because her value existed in endless jealousy and vanity, and the desire for improvement originating from that.
It was a diligent effort not to fall behind anyone.
"Young Lord's words are right! I'm always admiring Young Lady!"
"Co-commoner? Don't butt in presumptuously...!"
Seeing Regia follow her like that says it all.
They had now become close friends.
Villainess and protagonist. I felt needlessly pleased listening to their continuing casual conversation.
Because it was an unimaginable combination in the original work.
I chewed over the moment.
"Student Yuda."
"Master."
I conversed with Selena too.
Drunkard. Now that she had quit alcohol, it was a name that no longer suited her.
The woman leaned her shoulder on this side with her characteristic seductiveness.
Curved body lines were vividly felt at the point where we touched.
It was a blatant sensation.
"Did you receive the letters I sent during that time well?"
"They were a great help, thanks to you."
"You know it was hard organizing materials and handling work alone in various ways, right?"
"Of course. I'm always grateful to Master."
"Holding me all day is enough for thanks."
"I'll keep it in mind."
"In the research lab, just the two of us..."
"That wouldn't be bad either."
Leisurely daily life.
It was a day flowing calmly.
We swam in peace.
The season reflected outside the window was full spring. The warm air around was probably because of that.
In the scenery where not even a trace of winter remained, a boy and girls were sitting.
As if we could live a lifetime with just this leisure.
I enjoyed the silence.
Of course.
"The arrogance of a beast pierces the sky."
"No matter how much you try, you'll only be like yourself."
"An annoying fox."
"Don't get in the way annoyingly."
It wasn't quite all around.
Sounds of subtle arguing.
Had they already forgotten the words to get along well?
Elise and Irene were in the midst of another battle of nerves, having caught fire at some point.
This too was daily life.
'They were always like this usually.'
The two were always similar when in the same space.
They fought so much that even the watching children now reacted as if used to it.
They even took on the role of stopping the quarrels.
The pilot and vain girl admonished the fox.
"A-Ah, Miss Irene! You'll be in big trouble if you speak to the Imperial Princess like that...!"
"Haa... aren't you tired of this? I'd like you to maintain minimum dignity."
On the opposite side, the little prince turned the rose's wheelchair.
"Elise. Stimulating the other side is a bad habit."
They separated the two along with a few words of nagging.
I who was watching smiled bitterly.
Should I say this is harmonious, or chaotic...
As I took in the bustling scenery with my eyes, suddenly the drunkard in the seat beside pulled my sleeve.
Then she whispered in a quiet volume.
"Student Yuda must be worried beyond measure."
"Well... peace is difficult by nature."
"But I'm a little worried. I wonder how they'll act when living together later..."
"Pardon?"
Living together...?
I gazed to the side with a question mark, but what returned was just a meaningful eye-smile.
Selena poked this side's cheek as if saying to think for myself.
"There's no law saying you must choose just one, right?"
"......"
"I'm fine even if it's multiple people. The important thing is the fact I can be together with Student Yuda."
Well.
I just don't know the other children's thoughts.
The woman added while caressing my cheek.
She held a bewitching smile on her mouth corners.
"So."
A quiet request.
Her voice gently dyed my ear.
"Don't abandon me even later, okay?"
"...I'll keep it in mind."
Is this what experience is?
It felt like a weak point was pierced.
In the end I nodded, and emptied my head along with a faint sigh.
I had to unload complicated thoughts to avoid being needlessly swayed.
My eyes closed drowsily as I chewed over stretching consciousness.
I sank into the peaceful atmosphere like that.
'Together...'
We were together until late.
Even until morning dawned.
Though curfew time existed in the dormitory too, it wasn't a particular problem.
Because a professor and even the top assistant were mixed in this group.
This much was a part that could be covered with authority.
Though.
[Young Lord Snakers enjoys a promiscuous sex life.]
[It's said his jewel box includes not only classmates, but professors, maids, and even imperial princesses.]
[Some students' mouths say a special investigation and arrest should be carried out immediately...]
The next morning.
Five people including professors and students.
The scene of them leaving my dormitory was caught by someone, and I had to go around with unsavory rumors for a while... but let's gloss over that part.
Anyway it was daily life flowing noisily.
***
Like that.
Days continued peacefully.
But, even I didn't know such calm would break so soon.
I looked at the person sitting opposite with a bitter expression.
An unexpected guest was there to see me.
"Yuda Snakers."
It was a face I hadn't seen in a long time.
Since rising to the position of top assistant, he was a person I hadn't particularly had contact with.
His family's characteristic blue hair fluttered like winter even in spring.
Eyes reminiscent of someone glared fully at this side.
It was a sharp gaze.
I muttered quietly.
"Young Lord Beniti."
House Beniti.
The villainess's only remaining blood relative, and painful finger, was her twin younger brother.
The boy who would be the key to the next chapter was sitting before my eyes.
He spoke with a quite serious expression.
"I came because there's something I must warn about."
Rusca Beniti.
His sunken gaze was colder than ever.
I listened calmly.
"It's related to my sister."
It seemed.
The next story was approaching.