Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Conflict (4)
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"Sorry, I went too far with my words this time."
"…."
"It wasn't something to get so worked up about... I just lost my temper and said something I shouldn't have."
I didn't beat around the bush with any small talk. First and foremost, I offered my apology.
I'd spat out unnecessarily sharp words. If they'd hurt Lete's feelings, the context or justification didn't matter much.
What good would shoving rationalism into interpersonal relationships do? Even if it was out of character for me, that was no excuse to avoid apologizing and dig in my heels.
Especially since I could guess why Lete was showing hurt in a way she never had before—
'I'm the one in the wrong.'
I silently chewed my lip, watching her closely. She was sitting on the bench, and with me standing behind her, I couldn't see her face...
But at least she was still holding my hand from behind the bench. That meant there was still plenty of room for conversation, right?
It was a relief she hadn't shoved me away immediately. I hadn't expected her not to let go either.
Tension gnawed at me, and I swallowed dryly.
Eliya hadn't been wrong about a single thing. No matter how heavy the emotions weighed, the circumstances made it clear: Lete harbored feelings for me.
And lately, I'd felt my own heart waver several times at her alluring behavior.
It wasn't one-sided; it was mutual. Comparing the depths of our feelings could wait a few priorities down the line.
'...If I'm wrong about this, it'll be embarrassing as hell.'
But better to face a little embarrassment than stay ignorant and end up regretting it later.
Lete still sat there silently, without a word.
Yet if I so much as twitched to move, she'd yank my hand to keep me from going anywhere.
Without seeing her face, it was hard to read her thoughts.
If she'd at least shown some proper reaction, I might know where we stood. But she just sat there like a statue, blankly unresponsive—conversation wasn't going anywhere like this.
If things dragged on, neither the apology nor the talk would get anywhere. So I decided on a bold move.
One hand was already trapped in hers anyway, useless for anything else.
Better to go all in than hover awkwardly like this.
Whoosh!
"Eek, wha...?!"
I surprised her with a back hug out of nowhere, and finally, she reacted properly.
Trapped in my arms, Lete whipped her head around to look at me desperately. Her flushed face resembled a perfectly ripe apple.
She struggled to pry my arms off, but I'd resolved not to loosen my grip.
Without using Divine Power, her physical strength couldn't break free from my hug—not a chance.
"L-Let go."
Resigned to not shoving me off physically, she opted for words instead.
Even though she'd sulked and ignored me whenever I'd tried talking.
"Nope."
"Wh-what?"
Now she turns to look at me and says 'let go'?
As if.
I snorted openly and hugged her tighter for emphasis. Not content with that, I buried my face in the nape of her neck, inhaling her scent.
'Hmm.'
It was a completely different type of bodily fragrance from Israfeel's lavender. Maybe from perfume, but there was a strangely refreshing citrus note...
Either way, it wasn't unpleasant, so I was about to nuzzle deeper into her hair when—
"Y-You're insane...! What the hell are you doing? Pervert!"
"Urk."
Lete panicked and smacked my temple with her palm. It felt like a signal to get away from her neck immediately.
"...Y-You're really crazy."
Instead, I squeezed her even tighter. I had a hunch that if I let go now, it'd be a while before I could get close again.
Well, even if she went all out with Divine Power, she probably couldn't push me away if I didn't want her to—
"...Why are you doing this now, of all times...?"
She just fidgeted anxiously, her voice laced with conflict, showing no real intent to overpower me physically. She was being surprisingly docile.
And from that, I gained even more certainty.
Our feelings probably weren't all that different in the big picture.
"...Lete Heresia."
This was the turning point. Even as my lips dried up, I forced out the first words.
"I did say I was sorry."
"...Eek."
Lete flinched and stopped struggling, so I continued softly.
"You gonna accept it or not? If not, I'll stick to you like glue until you forgive me."
"…."
"Well... if you're still mad at me, let me ask one more question."
I whispered for her not to dodge this time, tickling her cheek while still hugging her.
Her body trembled faintly like a spasm. But... it wasn't displeasure.
Quite the opposite. Hearing her heartbeat grow clearer, I murmured,
"...What are we to each other?"
That nailed the essence of this whole mess.
Lete's body stiffened.
I stretched her soft cheek like mochi and drawled on slowly.
"Just regular bad friends? Occasional sex partners who sleep together because of Divine Power? Is that it?"
"…."
"Or is there more to it?"
It might seem cowardly, skirting direct mention and beating around the bush.
But I figured she'd get the point. Lete understood what I meant.
She finally gave up pushing my arms away. Instead, she silently placed her hand over mine.
Over my hands, which were wrapped around her neck like an embrace, resting near her collarbone.
Thump, thump.
Distinguishing heartbeats no longer mattered. The pounding pulses—mine or hers?—were impossible to tell apart.
I felt my consciousness blur as heat gradually seeped through my body.
If this awkward silence stretched on, it would be hard to hold back—for me or her.
With a deep sigh, I added,
"One favor, Lete."
"…."
"...Answer me."
Even after all this, Lete Heresia might cling to silence.
Or dodge the question... pull some trick to escape the moment.
Either way, it wasn't what I wanted.
What could I do? My authority ended at begging for an answer. Force or coercion—I didn't want a response dragged out of her.
If this fizzled out, so be it. I'd give up for now and at least end our four-day cold war. Just as I resolved that—
"...An answer."
Lete finally spoke. Her small voice was plain, devoid of strong emotion, making her feelings hard to gauge.
"What we are to each other. I never thought you'd ask first, but... you want to hear my answer?"
That was fine. I felt a sliver of relief and swallowed dryly.
Was this the opening to real conversation I'd barely hoped for?
"Sorry."
The faint hope I'd glimpsed shattered with Lete's following murmur.
A straightforward refusal, no deep thought required.
I stiffened my expression and looked at her. She gently pushed my arms away and turned her head aside—
"I haven't fully realized my own feelings for long either."
"...What?"
Her real answer started now.
I flinched and looked at her again. Those sapphire-blue eyes unique to the Heresia family gleamed softly.
"I'm not great at putting this feeling into words..."
"…."
"So, I'll give my 'answer' with actions instead."
She asked if that was okay, a faint smile on her lips. Before I could fully grasp her meaning—
Snap!
This time, Lete grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me toward her. Those beautiful pale blue eyes, half-lidded, vanished from view in an instant.
Our breaths mingled. I couldn't see her gaze anymore, but I could boldly assert our thoughts aligned.
I couldn't dodge Lete's clumsy kiss pressing lightly against my lips.
Even if I'd had the presence of mind to— I wasn't foolish or immature enough to reflexively avoid a kiss of this magnitude.
I had no intention of pulling away.
As if fearing I'd dodge or push her away, Lete gripped my nape tightly and pinned one of my arms.
Her touch was so fragile, it seemed it might crumble at a mere brush. Was this her idea of restraint?
I'd never planned to evade anyway.
To ease her anxiety even a little, I stayed perfectly still this time, not twitching a finger.
And so... the girl's soft lips pressed a deep, rich seal onto mine.