The next morning after falling asleep, pondering strategies to conquer Aria.
— Knock knock knock.
What woke up was a careful knock on the door.
When I opened it, bright red hair was shimring dazzlingly in the morning sunlight.
“Ian, good morning! Oh…? You’re still in your pajamas?”
“I just got up.”
“Huh, did I wake you up by any chance?”
“Don’t worry. I was planning to get up anyway. So, what brings you here, Lina?”
Although the club room had quickly beco Lina, Danya, and Elena’s hideout right after we created it, this was the first ti Lina had co by so early in the morning.
“Ah! Oh, I made way too many lunchboxes this morning, so I thought we could share…!”
Now that I think about it, Lina was holding a lunchbox in her left hand.
I always welco a morning where I don’t have to prepare breakfast myself.
As I opened the door wide, Lina suddenly flinched and her face turned red.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Th-that…”
She squeezed her eyes shut and pointed at my lower body with her finger. Since it was morning and I was in my pajamas, things were quite… tense.
“Excuse for a mont.”
After I changed my clothes and ca out, Lina had neatly set the lunchbox on the table.
Fresh vegetables, finely grated cheese, and salad topped with bacon and shredded chicken breast.
A perfectly healthy and clean breakfast.
Very much like Lina, who goes grocery shopping every morning.
“Are you okay with money?”
“Now that I’ve been promoted to Aether, I don’t have to worry about tuition fees anymore. Hehe.”
“I see. This is delicious.”
“Th-thank you.”
She glanced at my face once and then, after briefly looking down at my lower body again, blushed and quickly buried her head in her plate.
Hmm. I’d like to calm it down as well, but there’s nothing I can do.
Why, you ask?
Apparently, if you form a relationship with a beastfolk during their Heat Day, it also enhances the partner’s s*xual stamina for a while. My junior has been up for over 20 minutes and still remains firm—it can only be explained by that.
“Um. Sorry about this. It’s a physiological reaction. It’s not because I’m excited about you, Lina.”
Flinch.
Lina’s shoulders shook slightly as she muttered.
“T-That’s … even worse.”
“Huh?”
Lina lowered her head and stared at the empty plate. After about 30 seconds of silence, she finally spoke, her voice strained.
“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not that I’m jealous of Danya, but I want you to praise too.”
“Praise?”
“Yeah.”
Lina looked up at , her eyes pleading like a puppy begging for food.
‘…Hmm.’
Praise, huh.
Lina’s contributions have certainly not been insignificant.
Not only has she served as the party’s fire elent dealer, but she has also practically acted as the eldest sister, looking after Danya and Elena like an older sibling.
More importantly…
‘I think I promised her so sort of reward before, too.’
I don’t clearly rember, but it feels like we’ve had a similar conversation a few tis.
Lina herself sotis needs praise too.
“You’ve worked hard.”
I placed my hand on her head.
I intended to pat her a few tis, just like I often did with Danya.
But then.
— Swish.
Lina suddenly grabbed my fingers.
Then, she brought my hand to her neck.
The soft texture of a black scarf.
“…?”
“I like it here better.”
With each word Lina spoke, I could feel the rise and fall of her breath beneath the scarf.
What does she want to do here?
Lina placed her hand on top of mine.
“Squeeze it like this.”
— Squeeze…
Lina pressed my hand firmly.
Naturally, my fingers tightened around her neck.
“Ian’s hands… they’re so big….”
Lina’s gaze, looking up at , was filled with excitent.
Gulp.
I could feel the tension in the air, even hearing the faint sound of her swallowing.
“Lina, this is…”
“Just like this….”
Lina spoke with a heavy breath, her voice soft but full of heat.
“Just stay like this for a little while longer.”
Her desperate eyes told this was all she needed, as if staying in this mont was the simplest thing.
Strangely enough, I couldn’t refuse her request.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
With the ticking of the clock, my consciousness faded into stillness.
How much ti had passed?
“Hrgh… I-Ian.”
Lina’s ragged breath brought back to my senses.
I realized I had been gripping her neck too tightly and loosened my hold.
“Huff… huff…”
She gasped for air, like a balloon deflating, her breathing heavy and unsteady.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked several tis.
— Drip, drip, drip.
Had she worked up a sweat from all the excitent?
Droplets of water began to drip between Lina’s legs.
“Haa… haa… Hey, Ian.”
Just as she exhaled another hot breath—
— Knock knock knock! Slam!
The door to the club room flew open abruptly.
“Brother! I have arrived! Oh, what are you two doing? The room seems unusually hot and humid!”
Elena.
That girl.
I taught her how to knock, but I suppose I need to teach her how to wait next ti.
◆
The [ Dessert Research Society ] is filled with peace.
After the exhausting trials of the promotion exam, everyone seed to be basking in the post-victory lethargy.
One by one, the mbers gathered in the clubroom, lounging about in full relaxation mode.
Elena, who had stord in with such force earlier, was now dozing off by the window.
Danya arrived not long after, smiling mischievously. “Hey, Ian,” she greeted with a playful wink before curling up on the ultra-soft cushion placed on the floor and lying down.
It seems Laurent Trading Company’s “Drug Cushion” has caught her fancy. I should suggest to Silvia that they market it to beastfolk buyers—it seems like a good idea.
s for Lina, she seed to have cald down, or at least was trying to?
— Swish. Swish.
As she gently brushed Danya’s pink tail until it glead with a glossy sheen.
Watching this scene was like a mont of pure healing.
‘To think I have to co up with a plan to gaslight soone in the midst of such peace.’
..Am I being too grim?
I shook my head to clear the thought.
It’s unfortunate for Aria, but there isn’t much choice. Forcing her to spill everything with drugs would be much worse than this, wouldn’t it?
[12:00]
The clock struck noon.
After making lunch for the lazy club mbers still lounging around, I grabbed my coat.
I also slipped the ‘gift’ I had prepared for Aria into my pocket—sothing I’d dug out from my stuff last night.
Elena, who had been nodding off, quickly ran up as I was about to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m just going out for a breath of fresh air. I’ll be back soon.”
“Safe travels, Brother.”
Elena returned to her spot by the window, dozing off once more. It really does feel like raising a little squirrel sotis.
I bet Elena will grow up and have plenty of exciting storylines to explore once she matures a bit. She’ll be a key player in the future.
Lost in thought, I finally arrived at my destination.
The Lichten branch church of the Deus Church and Celeste faction.
As the service ended, I made my way through the exiting crowd.
Inside the now-empty chapel, a priestess noticed and greeted with a gentle smile.
“What brings you here today, sir?”
“I’m not a believer. I’m just here to et soone.”
“I see. Who are you looking for?”
“I’m here to see Aria Lumines Bell.”
The priestess smiled apologetically.
“I’m sorry, but eting with the Saint is difficult unless you have an appointnt. May I ask your na?”
“Ian Blackangers.”
“…Oh.”
The priestess let out a short gasp before responding.
“She did say that if you ever ca by, we should bring you in right away. Let guide you.”
I stopped her before she could turn to leave.
“I don’t need to et her. Just deliver this to Aria.”
Aria was in a fragile state of mind right now.
‘Normally, Pongpong would have been the one to comfort her.’
Aria would have likely clung to Ian for comfort, but not anymore.
Aria had coldly rejected Ian, so eting her wasn’t an option.
Even so, she was probably still waiting for that comfort.
I could tell from how the priestess imdiately offered to bring in the mont I ntioned Ian’s na.
Aria was likely waiting for Ian to co to her, but the guilt she felt was holding her back.
‘That makes things easier.’
I was going to break Aria’s guilt wide open.
And the tool I would use for that was…
“Please deliver this.”
I placed a small figurine of a sword-wielding figure into the priestess’s hand.
[ Chronicles of the Hero ]
It was the board ga piece Aria had thrown when she rejected Ian’s confession.
“…Are you sure you don’t want to et her? Aria seems to be waiting for you quite eagerly.”
The priestess asked, her face filled with concern.
“Yes.”
My answer was firm.
I couldn’t approach Aria right now. The next part of the scenario was [Act 3: The Emperor’s Assassination], and it would take place within the imperial palace.
I just hoped that while I was away, Aria would be consud by her growing guilt.
◆
That evening, the clubroom was quiet and empty as the mbers had all gone ho.
I was deep in thought, planning for the next scenario, when soone knocked on the door.
— Knock, knock.
Did Elena leave sothing behind again?
When I opened the door, my vision was filled with brilliant white light.
Moonlight illuminated the white hair of the person standing there.
Squinting, I saw the figure chuckling softly.
“Is my appearance still too dazzling for you?”
Princess Asteria.
“It’s been a long ti, my dear.”
She smiled radiantly.
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