Chapter: 193
Have you ever felt like you just didn’t want to get up?
On that particular day, my bed felt unusually cozy, and even though I woke up with the fear that this feeling would disappear as soon as I opened my eyes, I wanted to fall asleep again.
It had been a long time since I had woken up and felt that way, wanting to enjoy this feeling just a little bit longer.
But then, something tickled my cheek, forcing my consciousness, which was about to drift back to sleep, to wake up.
There’s a timing to sleep, you know. Once you’re interrupted when trying to fall asleep, that opportunity doesn’t easily come back.
In simpler terms, my attempt to get back to sleep was completely thrown out the window because of that tickling sensation.
Feeling a pang of regret as my drowsiness faded away, I brushed my cheek.
That’s when I realized the sensation that caught my finger was hair, the culprit that disturbed my sleep.
I frowned slightly at the realization.
If this hair is long, it becomes a problem.
Since it’s so long, it tangles itself every time I wake up.
Occasionally, when I wake up and see hair that had been stuck in my mouth all night, covered in drool, I feel an urge to just chop it all off.
By the way, I have acted on that impulse before, but it was unfortunately a pointless endeavor.
It seems my body has determined that hair is part of me, because as soon as I had cut it short, it was back to its original state in no time.
I guess I’m just destined to live with long hair in this damned world.
By the way, today the feeling of the hair stuck to my fingers felt oddly soft.
I thought, with such expensive shampoo, would I need to use conditioner to achieve this level of softness?
So while I wasn’t complaining about my hair, I wondered if it had always been this nice? When I opened my eyes…
I saw Sylvia’s sleeping face.
Right in front of me.
“Ugh…?!”
I barely managed to suppress a scream that nearly erupted at the sight right before my eyes and quickly closed them again.
My heart almost stopped.
The sight of Sylvia’s sleeping face so close was overwhelmingly powerful.
…What is going on? Why is Sylvia sleeping next to me?
I was momentarily bewildered, caught off guard like it was the beginning of some cliché isekai story where I woke up next to a silver-haired beauty.
Then I realized that Sylvia’s hand was on my head, and I finally recalled what happened yesterday.
Right, I ended up spending the night with Sylvia because of that calming spell…
Looking back now, it’s surprising I managed to fall asleep next to her.
Usually, I would have been too tense to sleep at all, but I must have been completely out of it yesterday.
After calming my heart that was racing from surprise, I steeled myself and opened my eyes again.
Even after bracing myself for it, I couldn’t help but let out a “Wow” at the sight before me.
Sylvia, glowing in the morning sunlight streaming through the curtains, was truly a sight to behold; beautiful as a painting.
The scene went beyond mere beauty, evoking a sense of the sublime or dignity that took my breath away.
I felt that merely touching this masterpiece felt like a desecration.
Yet, when my mind returned to reality, I noticed my hand was slowly brushing through her hair that had tickled my cheek earlier.
Her silvery hair, as smooth as silk, slipped through my fingers.
Caught in that intoxicating sensation, I continued to stroke her hair, wanting just a little more.
While enjoying the feel of her hair against my fingers, I stared blankly at Sylvia.
Her silver hair sparkling in the morning light.
Her skin so clean it looked like it might glow.
Her lips, nestled between her snow-white face, resembled peonies blooming unexpectedly in the first snow.
I wondered if this was what a princess from a story would look like.
“…She’s beautiful.”
Even though many words came to mind, nothing seemed sufficient to capture that beauty, and before I knew it, my admiration slipped out as just that: she’s beautiful.
Maybe Sylvia heard my sleepy voice, as she stirred slightly.
However, she still looked completely asleep, which made me wonder if a kiss would awaken her like in the tales of Sleeping Beauty.
Right after that thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Thinking about it, the princes in fairy tales just kiss random girls without permission, which is quite a thoughtless act.
I definitely wasn’t such a thoughtless person, so I must not have the qualities of a prince.
Moreover, our princess must have been very tired last night from casting that calming spell on me, so I hoped she would sleep a little longer.
I stopped stroking Sylvia’s hair and carefully got up, so as not to wake her.
After all, I owed her for yesterday in many ways.
I should at least prepare breakfast as a thank you.
With that thought, I playfully whispered into the ear of the still-sleeping Sylvia,
“Thanks for yesterday. You must be tired, so please sleep a little longer, my princess.”
*
“…W-Wait, did Scarlet make all of this?”
“…Did you actually prepare all this just for breakfast? You really didn’t need to go to this extent after everything yesterday.”
I had woken up a bit early to make breakfast and called Yoon Si-woo and Sylvia in, only to get strange reactions from them.
“Um, I just thought I should do something to repay you for yesterday, but… is it too much? I’m really sorry. Feel free to leave some if it’s too much, just eat what you can.”
They seemed quite flustered at the breakfast spread laid out on the dining table.
…Honestly, even I thought it looked a bit excessive for breakfast, so it made sense.
It was my first time preparing meals for three, and in my effort to show my gratitude, I might have gone a bit overboard.
Thinking of the punishment for wasting food, I felt a bit down for making such a mistake, and then Sylvia suddenly shook her head and exclaimed.
“No, it’s totally fine! I happened to be really hungry! And it looks like you were too, right, Yoon Si-woo? You’re hungry, right? So it’s plenty to eat!”
“Um…? Oh, uh! This is perfect! I was super hungry too! There’s no way I’d leave any behind if Scarlet made all this for us! I gotta eat it all, somehow!”
I thought I saw an intense gaze exchanged between the two of them, but what was that about?
Either way, at least they both seemed hungry, so I was glad as we started our meal, but just as I took a bite, Sylvia’s eyes widened and she exclaimed.
“Wow, this is delicious! Scarlet, I had a feeling you’d be great at cooking since you make macarons, but I didn’t know you’d be this good!”
“Ahaha… I’ve been trying to learn quite a bit.”
I often cooked to save on expenses, so I was somewhat confident.
Besides, I occasionally visited Leonor’s house with Mei when I had free time to learn cooking as well.
But when I received compliments, I felt bashful and shyly smiled, while Sylvia grinned at Yoon Si-woo and muttered.
“Hmmm, some people are really lucky, living alongside someone like Scarlet who can cook so well.”
“Cough…”
Yoon Si-woo coughed awkwardly, making Sylvia giggle and mutter to me.
“Well, who knows who I’ll end up living with later? Scarlet, if you ever dislike it here, just let me know. I can easily get another house.”
“I get the feeling that it would actually happen if it were you, Sylvia…”
It seemed like a joke, but since it was Sylvia, it really felt possible, and I replied with a hesitant smile.
But more importantly, it seemed Sylvia was a bit more cheerful today.
Her voice seemed oddly higher than usual; did something good happen?
As I pondered this, Sylvia turned to me.
“Ah, Scarlet, there’s a place I’d like to go to this morning. Could you spare a moment? It won’t take long.”
I had work to do today, but thought a little time in the morning wouldn’t be a big deal, so I nodded.
Then Sylvia nodded back, indicating she understood, and said.
“Okay, once you finish eating, could you get ready to leave? Yoon Si-woo and I will take a little longer to finish. We have some things to discuss.”
“Got it. I’ll wash up while you two finish eating. Enjoy your meal!”
As I said this and got up from the table, Sylvia and Yoon Si-woo simultaneously looked at the still abundant food on the table with a stiff expression.
There was quite a lot left over, but since they said they would eat it all, it seemed like we could take our time preparing.
*
So, after leisurely washing up and getting ready, I found the table cleared of any dishes, revealing only empty bowls.
The problem was that the cheerful Sylvia I saw before now wore a very distressed expression.
…Though they said it was enough, it seemed the food’s quantity was just too much to handle.
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