Surprisingly, Elise actually fell asleep using my arm as a pillow. When I woke up in the morning, I felt guilty for checking if something was wrong, worrying about what she might have done.
“It was my first time using your arm as a pillow, you know.”
For breakfast, I was simply having toast. I was solving the meal simply in my room using the bread and jam I bought yesterday without going outside.
As she munched on the bread, Elise muttered while gently stroking her cheek with her hand, almost as if recalling yesterday’s sensation.
“It feels surprisingly nice. It’s like sharing warmth with someone you love.”
“……”
Elise laughed softly, looking delighted. While I watched her chew her bread, she tilted her head, asking with a puzzled expression.
“Do I have crumbs on my face or something?”
Elise subtly brushed her fingers around her mouth. But someone who had learned proper eating etiquette at the royal palace wouldn’t have crumbs on their face.
I shook my head to reply.
“No, it’s just that you seem a bit different from the one I knew.”
Honestly, Elise chuckled and asked playfully.
“Is it awkward for you?”
“No, it’s not like that…”
“Then do you not like it?”
“That’s definitely not it…”
Not knowing what to say with my ambiguous expression, I stammered and eventually sighed as I answered.
“There’s no need to act just to please me.”
“……”
“When there are others around, sure, self-restraint is necessary, but when it’s just us, there’s no need to hold back. Just be yourself.”
“Uhuh.”
At my words, Elise shivered slightly, then laughed and replied.
“Are you flirting with me? Or did you prefer me clinging to you?”
“……I can’t really say I dislike it.”
“!”
Elise’s eyes widened, trembling slightly as if she didn’t expect to hear that from me.
Her expression said she never thought she’d hear such words from me.
But hey, I’m a guy too.
Besides, just like with the others, I had already finished all the necessary tasks with Elise. To be honest, it would be weird to hide my feelings now just because I felt shy.
“The reason I seem to push you away is simply because I’m conscious of the times and places.”
“Ah…”
“Just bear with that a bit. Then I’ll try to match your preferences and give you what you want.”
The thought that she was suppressing her desires for me made me feel I should make myself clear so that she wouldn’t misunderstand.
So I bluntly expressed my thoughts, and Elise looked at me, shocked.
“I was, trying to flirt with you…”
“Huh?”
Dropping the bread she was eating, Elise started walking towards me on all fours. I wondered if there was something in what I just said that excited her.
And then, a strange pheromone started wafting from her.
“Why are you flirting with me? Why do you make it so hard for me to resist? Honestly, that’s just too much.”
“Wait a minute! I didn’t think about flirting at all?! I was just worried you might be misunderstanding something and was just letting my thoughts out!”
“All you’ve done is pushed me away, complaining, and now you suddenly come in strong? That’s flirting.”
“…Is it really like that?”
“Of course!”
Elise gracefully settled her butt on my thigh, subtly grinding against me as if to tempt me into making a move.
“……”
“Haah, fine.”
I guess after resisting my instincts yesterday, I should also allow myself some relief as someone who shares much of the burden of the kingdom.
“Thanks to you helping me yesterday, I’ve caught up on everything, so honestly, I have nothing left to do.”
This is kind of funny.
After being tormented by Mei and Eris recently, taking just one day off made my feelings flare up again.
Could it be youth?
I tossed Elise onto the bed while holding her. Being a fan of roughness, she drooled a bit and had an entranced look in her eyes.
As I thought I should teach her a lesson today, the moment struck.
“Daniel, are you here?”
The door burst open, revealing a woman with a sleek bob haircut.
It was Hayun, dressed in a suit with two swords strapped to her waist.
“……”
There was nothing wrong with what was happening.
I mean, it’s not like Elise and I were having an affair or secretly dating; in fact, Hayun had crashed in the same bed before.
But somehow, seeing the situation made it awkward.
As I slowly withdrew and coughed, Elise wrapped her arms around my neck, preventing my escape.
“Where are you going? You can’t just leave without finishing what we started.”
“Hey, come on. Hayun is here.”
Hayun, who was busy with business, coming to visit meant she had something important to talk about, so cautiously, I tried to loosen Elise’s hold, but this time she wrapped her legs around my waist.
“I just saw the hungry look in your eyes wanting to devour me, and you expect me to stop here? Are you joking?”
Feeling a sense of pressure made me gulp involuntarily. I could tell just how much she genuinely hoped I would pounce on her.
“Haah, I never imagined you would be doing this from the morning! Didn’t you do enough yesterday?”
Hayun inquired while brushing her forehead with her hand, which made Elise puff up her cheeks in irritation.
“Yesterday was to heat things up! Today is the release, so could you step outside?”
“Sorry, but that’s not happening. I have business with Daniel too.”
“Ugh.”
Elise sighed in annoyance as she loosened her legs and let me go. She then stood up straight and glared at Hayun.
“Today, I’m claiming him for myself. You can have him tomorrow.”
“But you already claimed him yesterday. You didn’t use your chance.”
“That was a strategy!”
“A strategy?”
As Hayun tilted her head, Elise began explaining her long-winded plan.
“Other people have said that my master seems to prefer feeling attracted to someone during ordinary life rather than being overtly clingy.”
“Hmm.”
Hayun crossed her arms, intrigued. I felt embarrassed, flushed with heat. I wanted to escape from this place.
“You have that subtly feminine sensibility! But it’s also charming, isn’t it? That’s why I aimed for that to stimulate my master, and everything was going so well this morning… until!”
“I arrived?”
“Exactly!”
As I focused on expressing my annoyance towards Hayun, she shifted her gaze towards me nonchalantly.
“So what now? Should I just go?”
“……Come in.”
“My master!”
In a situation like this, I couldn’t just send Hayun away and regain that atmosphere with Elise.
Hayun smiled as she passed Elise and walked in, and Elise wore an expression of utter defeat.
I had never seen Elise get so emotional before, so it was startling, but it also just meant she had high expectations.
Thinking I should spend more time with Elise when I got the chance, I handed Hayun a piece of bread.
“Want some?”
“No thanks, I had breakfast already.”
Her slender body.
While our group was average in terms of growth, Hayun had a unique healthy charm with her slenderness.
Honestly, if we’re talking about volume, she wouldn’t be my first choice.
What if we include volume?
……
Wouldn’t it be a clear victory for Eve and Eris?
The pouch at her waist was still there. However, the love bracelet that had once broken was hanging beside it as an ornament.
She had once explained to me that she kept it as proof because she no longer needed it since her love was realized.
“I came because Daniel needed me. I heard the competition was starting early, so I thought you’d be alone at the academy.”
“It doesn’t sound personal?”
“Yeah, I wish it was personal.”
Hayun smiled bitterly, feeling regretful. She had been the first to become overwhelmed in the chaotic month of work and was quite disappointed.
It’s been a while since we met, but it was still work-related.
Clearly, with her stubbornness from the old days, Hayun was intensely dedicated to her work.
“I’m going to sleep here!”
Suddenly, Elise sprawled on the bed, trying to take off her pants, catching both of us off guard.
We looked at her in shock.
“I’m going to do it! You guys aren’t paying any attention! You blatantly ignored my turn, so I’m going to interrupt!”
“……So what’s that about?”
“Are you going to just talk while ignoring me?”
What can we do if she says she’s going to do it?
Nodding, I urged Hayun to speak, and she opened her mouth with an embarrassed expression.
“We’ve got a chance to showcase our clothes at a famous fashion show called Armand.”
“Hmm?”
It might not mean much to me, but if Hayun is saying it’s famous, it must be quite important.
“We want to draw attention with some unique materials that other brands can’t showcase, but we have no idea how to execute that.”
“Fashion-related things won’t help me much.”
I had no sense in that area.
“I’m really going to do it! I’m taking off my underwear!”
“I’m not looking for that from you. Our designer would totally blow up if she found out you touched it.”
Hayun giggled, casually reassuring me.
By the way, the designer was Tana.
“There are plenty of things you can’t find anywhere in the world, but there are actually places people can’t access.”
“Ah.”
At that point, I understood perfectly.
After all, this was what I did before becoming a student.
“I came to ask our Sherpa for a little guidance on the route.”
“I’ve taken it off! I’m serious! I’ve even taken off my fingers…!”
