Together Even When Leaving
Serafina fanned her flushed face with a hand fan. Yohan's sudden words had flustered her into raising her voice for a moment, but she soon regained her usual composure and looked at him.
"That... would it really be all right? I was worried you might feel uncomfortable."
— No, I'm not uncomfortable.
Yohan shook his head, signaling there was no issue.
⋯⋯Though it wasn't exactly a welcome situation.
Even so, he couldn't bring himself to make her sleep on the sofa.
How could I let her sleep on the sofa?
⋯⋯For some reason it felt as though she were blocking his path forward, yet he had no desire to make her suffer physically as well.
I just need to endure it for a little while.
Roughly five days.
Of course, even after Professor Aria returned he wouldn't be able to rest comfortably⋯⋯. Still.
Still, at least there's the excuse of mana transfer.
⋯⋯He could somehow frame it in a positive light.
"That⋯⋯."
Serafina's hesitant voice reached him.
Yohan waited in silence for her to continue.
Soon Serafina finished steeling herself and spoke carefully.
"Understood. We'll divide the space in the middle with a blanket and lie down."
Her answer was affirmative.
Serafina quickly arranged the bedding and changed clothes in another room. Though the bedroom was the only one, there were plenty of other rooms for convenience, including a dressing room.
"Still, it's a relief there's somewhere to change."
⋯⋯It really was a relief.
Serafina packed the changed clothes into her luggage, stepped out of the dressing room, and stood before the bedroom door.
Beyond this door, Yohan would be waiting.
⋯⋯Is this really all right?
Before opening the door, Serafina paused with her hand on the handle, lost in thought.
She couldn't read Yohan's feelings.
He probably only suggested it out of consideration.
⋯⋯When she first heard the proposal to share the same bed, she had been genuinely startled. Enough to blurt out loudly without thinking.
Though I quickly realized it was said with good intentions.
⋯⋯She had no idea what this strangely disappointed feeling was.
Pat, pat. Serafina raised both hands and lightly tapped her cheeks.
Serafina, what are you doing?
This wasn't the time to dwell on her emotions.
First, she had to make sure Yohan recovered and returned safely to the academy.
"Still, he seemed quite knowledgeable about magical tools⋯⋯."
As expected of someone favored by Professor Aria.
Or perhaps⋯⋯
⋯⋯he simply preferred the Magic Tower over the academy.
She didn't know.
"⋯⋯Huu."
After steadying her breath, Serafina grasped the handle.
Calmly, calmly. As if nothing is wrong.
Now wasn't the time to reveal her heart.
Serafina reminded herself of that once more.
Click. Serafina opened the bedroom door and stepped inside, calling softly for Yohan.
"Yohan, I'm here. Now⋯⋯."
⋯⋯Hm?
Yohan lay on the bed without any reaction.
Serafina quietly approached and carefully checked his condition.
"He's asleep."
Yohan had curled up on one side of the bed and fallen asleep. A single blanket had been drawn across the mattress like a dividing line.
Serafina felt her earlier worries had been for nothing.
Watching Yohan's soft, steady breathing, she gently pulled the blanket over him and turned off the lights.
She considered sleeping on the sofa, but worried he might wake in the middle of the night and come looking for her, so she decided to simply lie on the bed.
Thud. Serafina carefully lay down.
Turning toward Yohan, she whispered in a small voice.
"Good night."
***
Yohan opened his eyes.
Because morning had come?
No.
Because someone had woken him?
No.
This was one of his old habits.
In the dead of night—so quiet that only the most sensitive would notice—he had awakened.
[You've woken up.]
'Yes. Fortunately, right on schedule.'
Yohan slowly sat up.
⋯⋯Time without anyone to interfere.
It was the perfect window to conduct the mana research he hadn't been able to attempt yesterday for fear of Professor Aria stopping him.
[The assistant is asleep.]
'That's a relief. Still, it'll be easier than when Professor Aria was here.'
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Yohan quietly placed one hand over his heart.
He closed his eyes and focused every nerve on grasping the mana still inside his body. 'First—'
Holding the mana in place so it wouldn't leak out due to Mana Void Syndrome.
Yohan first finished the measures to keep the mana he had received from Aria from escaping.
[How is it?]
'I've managed to secure a little over half for now.'
Before, no matter how hard he tried, half had been his limit.
But now it was different.
'It definitely took time, but it seems I've gotten the hang of it.'
He had gotten the hang of it.
He could now hold mana more stably.
[That's fortunate. Can you use magic as well?]
'Yes.'
Yohan nodded and raised a finger.
A very weak flame flickered to life.
He had tried to create only a tiny spark, mindful of the person sleeping nearby, yet the flame was even smaller than expected.
'I still need to adapt.'
He could use it, but not efficiently.
Mana control wasn't easy.
'It clearly requires more concentration as well.'
Because it wasn't easy, it demanded even greater focus.
⋯⋯Of course, even this much was fortunate.
Better than having nothing at all.
⋯⋯Huu.
Yohan let out a sigh.
Thanks to the technique, the amount of mana he could hold had increased.
Fortunately, the remaining mana wasn't leaking either. If he invested a little more time, he would eventually be able to secure all the transferred mana.
'Now what's left is⋯⋯'
[The transmission method, I suppose.]
Yohan nodded.
Now it was time to research how to transmit mana.
'Though that's the hardest part.'
Of course, it was the most difficult task.
***
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the Nest.
Tap, thud, click.
Three people walked deeper into the Nest, their different footsteps echoing through the space.
After walking in silence for a long while, they stopped before a massive door.
"Lord is waiting."
With those words, the great door swung open with a heavy thud.
Aria and Kassian slowly stepped inside.
"It's been a while, Kassian Delmar."
"I greet the Lord."
Kassian knelt respectfully on one knee. What flew toward him in response was—
Whirr—.
A massive spell.
Aria instantly drew her staff and blocked the magic aimed at Kassian.
'⋯⋯Haa, I thought this might happen.'
As expected.
Aria looked at the Dragon Lord, staff still in hand.
"Aria Celestia, was it. It's been a while."
"Honestly, I can't say anything pleasant. What is the meaning of this?"
Aria frowned, demanding an explanation.
The spell hadn't been meant to kill, but given Kassian's condition, serious injury would have been inevitable.
⋯⋯These people, honestly.
Aria's expression showed no sign of softening.
"I apologize for the attack just now. I couldn't contain my joy."
The Lord offered an apology, admitting it wasn't proper behavior before guests.
Of course, it was only half-hearted, but Aria had no choice but to accept it.
⋯⋯She had a purpose for coming here.
"By the way⋯⋯ what brings you here?"
"I assumed you would already have some idea, Lord."
Kassian answered with his head bowed. A moment later, a small laugh escaped the Lord.
"If you're coming here so boldly, I suppose we can assume you've discovered some kind of danger."
Kassian slowly nodded.
The unease he had felt upon seeing that corpse was exactly that sort of premonition.
"But is there any reason we should help you, who chose to side with humans?"
The Lord countered, and Kassian answered respectfully.
"Though we live apart, we exist in the same world. If something happens to humans, I don't believe dragons can guarantee their own safety either."
After Kassian's words, silence fell over the Nest.
Aria gripped her staff, senses sharpened in case another attack came.
After a long pause, the Lord spoke.
"I shall permit you access to the archives within the Nest. However, there is a condition."
Kassian raised his head.
The words that followed were ones he had never expected to hear from the Dragon Lord.
"Rania Delmar will accompany you. Even when you leave the Nest, together."
Kassian's eyes widened.