What Is This Adorable Creature!?

It was early morning, the sun only just beginning to rise.

Yuri felt the automatic alarm built into her body go off and sat bolt upright. She immediately threw off the covers, reaching as always for the hair tie on the table—

"I can't eat any more... Uhehehe..."

"Auuugh..."

"..."

She noticed something wriggling right nearby and froze.

At some point, Charlotte had invaded Yulia's bed and was tightly hugging her, chomp-chomping on her hair. Yulia, her hair endlessly pulled, let out pained whimpers as if trapped in a nightmare.

Charlotte's sleeping habits had always been terrible, and Yulia had always suffered for it... It was a sight she hadn't seen in a long time.

Come to think of it, from now until vacation ended, she would get to see this every single day. Memories of how desperately she had longed for this moment welled up ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all at once, and Yuri nearly burst into tears.

This peaceful daily life I so desperately wanted to reclaim...

Charlotte and Yulia were here. Three full meals a day. A warm place to sleep. As the urge to not merely ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stay for the vacation but settle down here forever surged over her, Yuri desperately shook her head and steeled her resolve.

Not until I uncover Aslan Belmont's true nature...

I have to endure. For Charlotte and Yulia's sake. Until I reveal Aslan Belmont's true face, I can never let my guard down...!

With that vow, Yuri carefully tiptoed out of the room so as not to wake the children.

"Morning jog of ten laps, was it? Kind of a pain."

After a quick splash of water on her face, Yuri stepped outside and drew a deep breath of dawn air. Was she the only one awake this early? The entire mansion lay in complete silence.

Just as she was about to start running, heavy footsteps approached from behind. She turned.

"You're up early. Do you have something scheduled today?"

"Yes, Count. As an academy research student, I have work to do..."

"I'll provide a carriage. Feel free to use it for coming and going."

"Ah...!"

Aslan's offhand offer left Yuri flustered, unsure how to reply. Just for me going back and forth, a coachman and carriage? Was this some scheme to later demand usage fees and force her into debt?

"I won't demand any compensation, so stop being suspicious and use it. I'm only offering it because I want you to return home quickly."

"May I ask why you want me to come back quickly...?"

"With a peer around the children's age moving in, they seem excited. Won't the kids be happier if you come back soon?"

"..."

With a faint smile, Aslan turned and went back into the mansion. Yuri stood frozen in place, staring blankly for a moment.

Because... that smile Aslan had just shown... it hadn't felt all that unpleasant...

It was strange. Even expressionless, he was unpleasant. When he smiled, he was even more unpleasant. So why had that smile just now seemed okay? Yuri could only tilt her head in utter confusion.

"Huff, huff..."

"...?"

A moment later, from the direction Aslan had come, Silvia appeared, gasping for breath. Her face was flushed bright red, her body and breathing still heaving with residual excitement. Her clothes were filthy with grass and dirt, as if she had been rolling on the ground.

Yuri stared for a long while. Then her mouth fell open in shock.

A-Aslan Belmont! What shameless acts did he commit outside with the instructor!?

What on earth had he done to leave the always neat and composed instructor in such a disheveled state!? Was the instructor in that kind of relationship with Aslan Belmont? Or had Aslan Belmont simply harassed her one-sidedly?

All sorts of wild imaginations ran free. Yuri's mind grew chaotic even as her face flushed red in an instant.

As expected, Aslan Belmont can't be trusted...!

What? Aslan's smile didn't look unpleasant? Nonsense. There's just no hard evidence yet, but Aslan Belmont's true nature is surely vile...!

Yuri shuddered and vowed once more that during this vacation she would definitely tear off Aslan's mask.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

"Ugyak...?"

Opening her eyes in pitch darkness, Yulia tried to sit up—only for her hair to pull taut, forcing her flat again. Looking over, sure enough: Charlotte had invaded this bed as well and was chewing contentedly on her hair.

"Mmm... The meat seems a bit tough... Hard to chew..."

"..."

Of course it's hard to chew. It's hair...

Yulia heaved a deep sigh. She gently scratched Charlotte's chin until her mouth opened and finally rescued every last strand. Ugh. Look at all the drool on my hair. Even as she grimaced, she couldn't stop the soft chuckles escaping.

"I thought things would be awkward after yesterday's fight."

Yesterday's raised voices and argument already felt like a dream. She had been so frustrated she had yelled and gotten angry, and when Charlotte still wouldn't understand, they hadn't made eye contact or spoken even through mealtime. She had even worried their relationship might become irreparable.

But contrary to those fears, first thing the next morning Charlotte was clinging like this as if nothing had happened. Charlotte really did forget her anger quickly.

When I fight, I always lie in bed thinking, "I should have retorted like this then," and can't forget. There were times I envied Charlotte for being so quick to be brave and so quick to forget grudges. Moments like ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this made Charlotte look big-hearted and me look incredibly petty. Well... it wasn't entirely wrong...

As Yulia was feeling downcast—

"Hak!? I had a dream about eating a super gross steak...!"

"...!?"

Bolt upright! Charlotte sprang up like a spring with a loud cry. Yulia froze in surprise. Charlotte rubbed her eyes, then noticed Yulia late and flinched.

"A-Ah. Yulia. Um... Morning..."

"Y-Yeah..."

The moment their eyes met, Charlotte averted her gaze and mumbled a greeting in a mousy voice. Seeing that, Yulia was certain.

Ah. Charlotte's awkward too right now.

It's not just me who finds it hard to face someone the day after a fight? I'm not the only petty, small-minded one? Right!?

Ah. A little relief. Even Charlotte, who forgot everything so quickly, could stay sulky until the next morning after a real fight.

Just as Yulia secretly sighed in relief—

"Um... This is kind of embarrassing..."

"Huh? Suddenly? Why?"

"I never thought there'd be a time when Yulia climbs into my bed... You're always so shy you never came to my bed first..."

"What? No, this is—"

"I know! You came without realizing while sleep-talking! But the subconscious doesn't lie! Yulia likes me so much she comes looking for me in her sleep...! Uhehe!"

"No. Charlotte, you're the one who came to my bed."

"...Really?"

Hugging a pillow and rolling around squealing, Charlotte belatedly looked around at Yulia's dumbfounded tone. A moment later she realized this was Yulia's bed and grew sheepish.

"Ehehe! Of course! I was wondering why Yulia would come find me first!"

"..."

Scratching the back of her head awkwardly, Charlotte earned a hollow laugh from Yulia, who thought to herself: As expected, I'm the only petty one. Charlotte had already forgotten yesterday. Well—they had reconciled with Aslan's mediation, so of course. I was the only one still holding onto lingering feelings.

"Huet? Yulia? Why are you suddenly hugging me?"

"Just... I regret fighting with you... Imagining us ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠growing distant suddenly got so scary..."

"Uhehe. We won't grow distant over something like that. We fought because we like each other too much, so why would we grow apart?"

"That's true, but..."

"Even if we really do fight, it's okay. I'll come to you again and again. So you can relax."

"Th-That's... I mean... It always feels like you're the one who approaches first or lightens the mood... So I wanted to try being brave this time..."

"..."

Yulia whispered, stammering with shyness. Seeing that, Charlotte was briefly speechless.