The Reason My Heart Feels Uneasy
The dorm supervisor's room was dark, its curtains drawn tight. Inside, two figures—one large, one small—stood waiting. Their eyes gleamed in the shadows. A fierce, golden light like the sun and a flickering emerald will-o'-the-wisp. Both gazes burned with suspicion and a hint of killing intent, fixed squarely on the intruder who had just opened the door.
“Hohwawa?! S-Senior? Derke too? Why are you all here at this hour…?”
Raylin stepped boldly inside, only to freeze at the unexpected scene. She had expected to find Breeder, yet he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two dragons higher in the hierarchy—when it came to their claim on Breeder—were staring her down with terrifying expressions.
Gulp.
A bad feeling crept over her. Raylin could only swallow dryly.
“Raylin? Perfect timing. I’ve been meaning to ask you about Breeder.”
“M-More importantly, did you just say ‘pact’?! Tell me exactly what happened last night—desu-yong!”
“Yes. Where is Breeder right now?”
Sofia and Derke emerged from the shadows, still glaring at her. Their eyes were filled with deep suspicion, as if Raylin were somehow responsible for Breeder’s disappearance.
“Hohwaaa?! I-I don’t know anything about that!”
Raylin could only stammer. The two dragons’ murderous auras pressed down on her, forcing cold sweat to trickle down her back.
“Well? Speak.”
“Tell us right now—desu-yong!”
“W-Wait! There must be a huge misunderstanding…!”
“…I see. So that’s what happened at dawn.”
“You’re terrible—desu-yong! You kissed him again without telling Derke?!”
A heavy silence filled the dorm supervisor’s room. The air was so thick it was hard to breathe. Any lesser being who happened to pass by would have been crushed by the dragons’ killing intent. The source of that pressure was Derke and Sofia. They had been staring at Raylin with grave expressions the entire time she spoke.
“Derke? Don’t misunderstand…! I’ve been saying it over and over—I just wanted to do something for Whitey! I didn’t have any other intentions, really…!”
Raylin explained what had happened the night before, wearing the face of a guilty sinner. She carefully left out the part about wanting to deepen her bond with Breeder.
“Anyway, Raylin. So in the end, you don’t know where Breeder is either?”
“No! I really don’t know anything! I just wanted to see Whitey…!”
“Uuu…! That playboy of an older brother—where did he go without saying a word—desu-yong?! When I find him, I’m going to pull his soul out so he can’t disappear again without telling me—eiyap!”
The three dragons put their heads together trying to guess Breeder’s whereabouts, but no useful clues surfaced. They could only wear worried expressions.
“…Ah, that’s it! Senior Sofia?! If it’s you, you should be able to find out where Whitey is, right?!”
Raylin’s red eyes sparkled as she offered a sudden idea.
“Hmm? Me?”
“Yes! You gave Whitey your Dragon Heart yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Aah?! R-Raylin?! You can’t just say that now…!”
Sofia’s eyes widened in shock. Her pupils dilated as if she had just heard a forbidden secret.
“Huh? Senior, what’s wrong? If they’re connected through a Dragon Heart, then finding Whitey’s location should be—”
“Hwaaa—?! W-What did you just say—desu-yong?! Senior Sofia gave Breeder her Dragon Heart?!”
“Ah? Huh? Derke?”
“Was what Senior Raylin just said… true—desu-yong?”
Derke’s expression turned icy. She looked at Sofia with eyes full of betrayal.
“Derke? I-I would never do that. Raylin must have misspoken. Just listen to me first, okay?”
“Hohwaat—?! Y-Yeah! I must have said it wrong! I didn’t mean she gave him her Dragon Heart…! I-It just slipped out, ahahaha…!”
“Hmph! Derke doesn’t fall for lies like that…! Tell me the truth—eiyap!”
Sofia and Raylin tried to backtrack, but Derke’s cold glare didn’t waver. Instead, she raised her voice, demanding the truth from her seniors with surprising boldness.
A will-o’-the-wisp-like glint returned to Derke’s eyes.
“……”
“…Why isn’t anyone saying anything—desu-yong?!”
“Haa… Derke. I think it’s better if I just tell you.”
“Hohwawa—? Senior Sofia? Don’t tell me…?”
“Yes. I have something to confess to everyone.”
“W-What is it—desu-yong?! Did something else happen between you and Breeder—desu-yong?!”
“Haa… Derke, and Raylin too—listen carefully.”
Sofia let out a small sigh and steeled herself. She decided there was no longer any reason to hide what had happened last night.
“…The truth is, last night I tried to find out Breeder’s true identity, and then…”
—Ding!
The target’s favorability has greatly increased!
The target whose conditional rapport was postponed is now requesting rapport with you again.
◆ Conditional Rapport Target ◆
Eros (Lv.350 / Love) – ‘Blind Faith’ relationship
The system messages appeared the moment Sonya and Eros tasted the sausage and vegetable stir-fry. Sonya’s favorability had simply risen, while Eros had triggered a conditional rapport request. The power of the tomato sausage stir-fry was truly remarkable.
Of course, the rise in favorability had been somewhat expected. What Breeder hadn’t anticipated was the sudden return of the conditional rapport request. The same girl who had postponed it yesterday had apparently changed her mind after just one bite.
She acts tough on the outside, but her taste buds are surprisingly weak.
Yesterday she had also gone completely blank after eating the cream-filled chocolate pie.
It’s a little embarrassing, but… it feels good.
Breeder felt a warm sense of satisfaction at their reactions. This was exactly why he kept bringing them desserts and dishes. Zero’s route was looking closer than ever.
—Shiver.
But why do I suddenly feel chills? My heart feels strangely tight…?
Separate from his progress with Sonya and Eros, goosebumps rose across his skin. It felt as though someone was talking about him right now. An inexplicable sense of unease wrapped around him, like he had done something terribly wrong.
“Heuuu—?! I-It’s so good…!”
Sonya cried out, her tongue loosened by the flavor. She wore an expression and used a tone of voice rarely heard from her.
“Pfft. Does it suit your taste?”
Breeder couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the usually prim and proper girl reacting so differently. Somehow, the strange discomfort from earlier seemed to fade a little.
“I-It’s too delicious…!”
“That’s a relief. Then take your time and enjoy it so you don’t get indigestion.”
“Yeees! I’ll eat well—! And thank you…! For making a dish named after me so deliciously…!”
Sonya’s pink eyes sparkled as she kept bowing her head in thanks.
—Clatter, clatter…!
She dove straight into the bowl, completely ignoring his warning to eat slowly. Meanwhile…
“Um… Miss Eros?”
“……”
Eros had been frozen in place ever since tasting the sausage. Her pupils were completely unfocused.
“Are you all right, Miss Eros~?”
“Heuuut…? W-What?!”
She only reacted after Breeder waved his hand in front of her face. The dazed girl finally let out a small sound and came back to her senses.
“Ah? Have you regained your senses now?”
“Hwaaa—?! W-What was I doing just now…?!”
Even after snapping out of it, Eros looked around in confusion.
“Hmm? Don’t tell me you don’t remember?”
“Eh?”
She turned her flustered gaze toward him, and the moment their eyes met—
“Aah?! R-Right! Breeder-sensei—?!”
“Hmm? Have you come back to your senses?”
“N-Now’s not the time for that!”
“Pardon?”
“More importantly…! I have a favor to ask!”
“A favor, all of a sudden?”
Here it comes.
Eros’s conditional rapport quest had finally arrived. The timing was a bit abrupt, but it was actually perfect. If things went well, he might be able to handle both girls’ conditional rapport requests at once.
Anyway…
Just what kind of request is this willful young lady about to make?