Chapter 250: Vacation Again(2)
Chapter 250: Vacation Again(2)
The long-awaited vacation had finally arrived. For the freshmen, it was like rain after a long drought; for the sophomores, it was a standard period of rest.
The arrival of vacation also meant that the exhibition was only about a week away. I wanted to reach the territory as soon as possible to see my family.
While I was at it, I needed to assess how things were progressing back home. Based on the snippets of news I’d heard, I could already imagine my father’s exhausted face.
Still, I was full of anticipation, as the territory was reportedly undergoing steady development. The Maishal territory, once nothing more than a quiet rural village, was now growing into a city of culture.
First, I planned to head straight to the Maishal territory via teleportation with Cecile’s help, but I decided to check in with my friends first.
Mari and Lina planned to make a formal visit after thorough preparations, but everyone else had different circumstances.
First was Leona. Surprisingly, she told me she would be traveling separately. When I asked why, she said she wanted to spend some quality time with her mother after being away for so long.
She planned to share stories and catch up during the carriage ride to the Maishal territory. Knowing her heart was full of filial piety, I understood.
Instead, I paid for her carriage fare to ensure she had a comfortable journey. Since she was reuniting with family after a long time, they should at least be able to talk in comfort.
Leona was the type of student who had to work part-time throughout the break just to survive the next semester. When I paid the fare for her, she hopped around in pure joy.
The money was one thing, but she seemed more touched by my consideration for her private time with her mother. Her calling me "Husband" in a voice dripping with aegyo was a bonus.
With Leona settled, that left Cherry. She had said she would attend the exhibition, but I wondered how she had prepared.
If her family, the Roseberrys, found out about this, she’d be dragged back home amidst a storm of curses, so that was out of the question. She essentially had to come with nothing but the clothes on her back.
Currently, Cherry was publicly known as my acquaintance—specifically, Xenon’s acquaintance—and was using the pen name "Mary."
I had already informed my family of this, so introducing her wouldn't be difficult, but her appearance was a bit of a concern.
Her cherry-blossom-colored hair already drew enough attention; if she wore a dress, she’d stand out even more. On the other hand, wearing a robe would look even more suspicious.
The chances of Cherry’s parents attending the exhibition were very low, but rumors have a way of spreading.
If any noble recognized her pink hair and struck up a conversation, things would get incredibly complicated.
It was a dilemma, so I asked those around me for help. If possible, I wanted to change at least her hair color.
Cecile provided the solution quite simply.
"We can just use dye magic."
"Is that possible with magic?"
"Yeah. I can even change her eye color if you want."
According to her explanation, before the Xenon Biography was published, "disguise" was essential for some demons to leave Helium.
Pitch-black hair and blood-red eyes were traits unique to the demon tribe. Even if they hid their horns, those features made them easy to spot.
Because of that, disguise magic had flourished, allowing for changes into a variety of colors. This would be a huge help for Cherry.
"Thank you so much. Magic really is amazing."
"If you're thankful... you know, right? I'll be expecting a lot two months from now."
"..."
Was she really determined? I gave a lukewarm expression to Cecile, who was winking at me with a seductive smile.
She was usually playful, but considering her recent behavior toward me, her jokes didn't feel like jokes anymore.
It seemed Arwen’s "reincarnation" comment and Volume 19 had caused a significant shift in her heart.
Regardless, with Cecile’s help, I was able to change Cherry’s pink hair and eyes to a perfectly ordinary brown.
Cherry looked at her reflection with wonder as her signature pink hair turned brown through magic.
Seeing curiosity spark in her usually dull, dark eyes made me feel strangely proud. Now, she could enjoy the exhibition with a light heart.
However, given her exceptional beauty and her... large chest, she would likely stand out wherever she went. Moreover, I had already been singled out by Hiriya.
I might not have much time to look after her during the exhibition. I wanted to show her everything there was to see, but the situation wasn't exactly ideal.
Although Lina said she would handle things, I had no idea how it was progressing. Leort and Lina might even use me as a pawn to keep Hiriya in check.
Considering these factors, I explained the situation to Cherry. I told her I might not be able to take her around everywhere, and that while I’d try my best to stay with her, circumstances might make it difficult.
To my explanation, Cherry’s response was...
"Yes."
"...Is that it?"
"Is there anything else I need to say? It is your 'request,' Senior."
"No. Don't you think I'm being irresponsible? I'm the one who invited you to the exhibition."
"Is there a problem with me following Senior's 'request'?"
"..."
It was no use. We weren't on the same wavelength at all. Even a 'Yes-man' wouldn't give an answer like that.
She looked like she’d actually take her own life if I ordered her to. Her dark, sunken eyes added a chilling credibility to that hypothesis.
I wanted to ask her about it right then, but I pushed it to later. The priority now was introducing Cherry to my parents.
I suggested she travel with us via Cecile’s teleportation, but surprisingly, she shook her head and declined. When I asked why, she said she needed to buy a new dress.
The dress she had brought was a pink one that matched her hair, but now that her hair was brown, she said she needed a dress to match the new color.
Seeing this, she wasn't just a doll who followed my words blindly, but a person with her own agency. She was a strange, unique girl in many ways...
"If Senior requests it, I will wear the old one. Or, as I mentioned before, if you wish, I can go naked—"
"That's enough."
...And a girl with a few screws loose. I’d seen it with Adelia too, but Cherry was so extreme that it made me realize all over again how important one's home environment is.
Anyway, now that I was done talking with my acquaintances, only Adelia remained. Given Adelia’s personality, she had prepared everything in advance, so all we had to do was leave.
Naturally, we used Cecile’s help for the move. Teleportation was always a marvel; in the blink of an eye, you were in a completely different place.
"I'll come find you in a week, so see you then."
"I'll be working hard on the preparations."
"Nothing for me before I go?"
I didn't forget to give Cecile a light kiss before she left. Soon, Cecile departed, leaving only Adelia and me at the entrance to the territory.
Adelia had been watching Cecile and me kiss with eyes full of envy. She probably thought she was hiding it well, but she didn't say a word.
Honestly, with her lips pouting and her sky-blue eyes filled with longing, it would be weirder not to notice. I chuckled, seeing her reaction.
"Are you jealous?"
"W-what are you talking about! Who's jealous...?"
Adelia started with a flustered shout, but her voice quickly trailed off. Seeing her peeking at me with a beet-red face, it was clear she wanted one too.
Feeling mischievous, I smiled and leaned in close to her ear, whispering.
"I can give you one if you want."
"Hieeeek...!"
At my whisper, Adelia jumped like a startled fish before collapsing onto the ground. It seemed her legs had momentarily given out.
If I had better reflexes, I would have caught her hand to keep her from falling, but unfortunately, I didn't possess such skills yet.
I grabbed her hand and helped her up. Adelia, looking dazed, took my hand and stood.
"...You're really mean."
Adelia muttered timidly while brushing the dirt off her backside. Her expression was grumpy, but her face, flushed as red as could be, spoke volumes about her true feelings.
I laughed softly as she pouted in protest. Sometimes, Adelia felt more like a younger sister than an older one.
The more I expressed affection, the more she struggled to even meet my eyes, showing just how starved for love she really was.
"Just you wait. You think I'm an easy target because I always let you win, don't you?"
"I just think you're cute."
"..."
Adelia tried to counterattack, only to be hit by a counter-punch and completely sunk. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hide her reaction, but her burning face betrayed her efforts ruthlessly.
Eventually, when she was so red that it felt like red water would drip out if I poked her, she slowly opened her eyes. Her moist, sky-blue eyes were filled with resentment toward me.
I simply shrugged and started walking leisurely. Once I moved, Adelia grumbled once more before matching her pace to mine.
Glancing sideways, I saw her adjusting her stride to mine with disciplined movements. Even though she was grumbling with her head turned away, she naturally slowed down whenever I did.
One way or another, she remained a reliable guard knight. And soon, she would be a maid as well.
Come to think of it, can't maids accompany students at the Academy too?
About a year ago, I had visited a clothing store with Nicole to buy formal attire.
I had run into Jackson there, with whom I wasn't on good terms, and I remembered a servant following him around.
Perhaps Adelia would do the same in the future. Imagining Adelia following me in a maid uniform felt strange.
I want to see her in it soon.
What kind of charm would Adelia exude in a maid uniform? She already had plenty of "gap moe," but if she showed even more...
"Again. There you go again. You're thinking about something weird, aren't you? You pervert."
Had she sensed my gaze? Adelia pointed at my face and called me out.
Her face was still red, but I was more concerned that my inner thoughts had been read. I asked back with a surprised expression.
"How did you know?"
"It's written all over your face. How could I not know?"
"Hmm..."
I touched my face after hearing her answer. I wondered if I was really that obvious.
My family, Mari, Cecile, Arwen, and now Adelia—everyone close to me seemed to read my mind.
I didn't think I was bad at controlling my expressions, so I wondered how they did it.
"How do you know?"
"I just feel it. It's a kind of intuition."
Adelia, like Mari, had sharp intuition, so I figured it was a similar case. The difference was probably whether they could discern the other person's true intent or not.
Still, it wasn't something I needed to worry about. Being caught was a bit embarrassing, but I could speak my mind boldly now.
"You're right. Just like you said, I was thinking about something 'weird.'"
"Like what?"
"I was thinking about how good you'd look in a maid uniform."
"..."
Was it an unexpected comment? Adelia didn't look embarrassed; she just blinked and looked down at herself.
She seemed to be checking her own physique. Her height was definitely on the taller side for a woman, so the uniform might need to be custom-made.
However, she didn't seem to have any objection to wearing a maid uniform itself, only offering a non-committal "Hmm."
"I don't know. I'm not just a regular maid; is there a specific outfit for an exclusive maid?"
"Well, since you also have to act as a guard knight..."
As I imagined it, the image began to form clearly in my mind. For the sake of mobility, not an ankle-length skirt, but one that barely covered her thighs.
A specially made garter ring or garter belt that could be used immediately in an emergency.
Finally, thinking about Adelia wearing such an outfit...
"I think it would suit you perfectly."
"Really? Honestly, with my face and body, I think a butler's suit would be better than a maid's..."
"No. It has to be a maid uniform. No, it must be a maid uniform."
I wasn't usually the type to pour my personal desires into an outfit. But I couldn't give up on Maid Adelia.
If this were Earth, she might have refused vehemently, but this was a fantasy world. Adelia didn't have any complaints about wearing a maid uniform itself.
Look at her now. Even as I insisted, she just looked a bit bewildered before nodding in agreement. I smiled with satisfaction.
This is the beauty of fantasy.
Once again, I felt grateful to have been born into this world.