Independence
“...Intimate friends sometimes give a light kiss on the lips, right? Like... a greeting...”
That was the best excuse I could come up with on the spot. Fortunately, Cecil didn't slip her tongue in, so... it seemed to work somehow. As Cecil tilted her head beside me and murmured, Is that so?, I whispered an explanation that lip touches like that were just for greetings. Meanwhile, Veronica had drawn closer.
Unable to finish the rest of my explanation, I gave an awkward smile and looked at her. She still seemed half-asleep, her eyes barely open. Her hair was a bit messy, probably from tossing and turning all night. Veronica approached, tapped her own lips lightly, and said,
“...Do it with me too. It's a greeting, right?”
“...What?”
“Hurry up...”
Veronica started whining. In her sleepy voice, she fussed and demanded a kiss. For some reason, her red lips caught my eye. Cecil was watching from the side, as if wondering why I wasn't doing it.
...Well, at this point, did I really need to be embarrassed about something like this? We'd done way more than just kiss before. A little lip bump was nothing. Like a man would.
I leaned in and lightly pressed my lips to Veronica's approaching ones. They were a bit rough since she'd just woken up, but still soft. There was no need to think about the benefits of kissing or song lyrics or whatever. No quick-witted friend was around to tease me anyway.
Still... my face heated up a little, unavoidably. Not that I'd say it out loud, but Veronica was... pretty, in her own category. Pretty enough that it might've been part of why she came to the academy.
As our lips parted, Veronica let out a pfhh chuckle. Then she blinked suddenly... and her face turned red.
“W-What was that!?”
...Had she been sleep-talking or something? I barely calmed her sudden outburst, then headed to the kitchen with Cecil to make breakfast. We made more than usual because we were hungry... and devoured it all. Veronica's face was still flushed; she clearly hadn't gotten over her anger. I figured adding anything would just stoke the fire, so I quietly cleaned up and washed.
Then I went down to the workshop and geared up for protection. I tightly covered my mouth and nose, and buttoned my gown securely in case anything splashed. Just as I finished preparing and was about to start the experiment,
A signal came that a visitor had arrived.
I stripped off the gear wrapped around me and went to the entrance. A stranger stood there, with a cart loaded full of stuff.
When he asked if this was the Astalote Workshop, and I said yes, he handed me a letter. Unable to resist his insistent gestures to read it quickly, I checked the contents.
To my dear apprentice,
I'll be coming down again soon, so please keep these items safe for me.
Feel free to use whatever you like.
— Ariel
...It was from my master. She said she'd come down again soon and asked me to store these things well. Since it said to use them freely if I wanted... they were probably tools or materials.
“Where should we move them?”
The man who'd been waiting for me to finish reading started urging me. He didn't say it outright, but he kept checking the time, so it was obvious.
I asked him to stack them at the workshop entrance for now, since I didn't know the contents. Once stacked, there was quite a lot. Why send so much when she's not even coming herself?
“What the heck is all this?”
Veronica, back to her usual expression, approached in shock. Cecil came out from the workshop at the commotion, her eyes wide.
“It's from Master... No idea what she's thinking.”
“From Ariel-nim?”
I nodded, and Veronica started eyeing the piles with interest.
“Can we open them?”
“We have to check and sort the contents anyway, so sure.”
How did she know we needed stuff to fill the house after cleaning...? Imagining rooms turning into storage instantly, I followed Veronica and opened a box.
“Asha-nim! May Cecil open some too?”
“No reason not to...? Be careful with your hands.”
“Yes!”
With three of us opening boxes, we quickly checked everything. It was as I'd expected... but not entirely. I thought they'd be Master's used tools, but they were all new... and the unexpected part was...
“This is pretty.”
Veronica smirked and held up a bundle of fabric to me.
“...”
There were a lot of clothes that seemed too small to be Master's. In fact, most of the boxes were clothes. Enough to turn one room into a... not a dressing room, but a clothes warehouse.
I hesitated to get mad, with Cecil admiring them beside me, saying they were pretty. Fine, we can just put them all on Cecil, right? I decided to think of it as a gift for Cecil, not me.
...Still, judging by the quantity and quality, they looked expensive. Where'd she get the money...? Well, Master wouldn't be short on cash, but this gift felt sudden.
Anyway, I'd ask when she came soon. I moved the tools and materials to the workshop. The clothes got shoved into one room for now. Come to think of it, I should've gone furniture shopping, but I'd forgotten. Because we couldn't separate the rooms, I'd suffered this morning's indignity too. Not really indignity... ahem. Time was tight today anyway, so tomorrow for outings.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, went back to the workshop, and donned my gear again—only for another visitor signal.
This time, I heard murmuring too.
“...What now.”
I roughly shed the gear once more and opened the door. A familiar face this time: Claudia, beaming and waving.
Behind her... piles of what looked like furniture.
“...What's all this?”
Claudia grinned back.
“What else? Furniture for the empty rooms.”
“Why'd you bring it, Dia...?”
“Thought you'd like it... Not happy?”
“N-No, I mean... I like it. I like it.”
...Of course free furniture was great? But even free, I wasn't the type to drink sewage water from a past life saying. It felt fishy. Reading my expression, Claudia chuckled.
Over her shoulder, I saw sweaty workers standing by the items. They didn't look super reliable, but considering their effort hauling it here, I stepped aside. Definitely not to save money.
The empty room filled with beds and basic living furniture in a flash. It fit perfectly, like measured ahead. But... unlike my plan for two rooms, an unexpected extra room appeared.
Like they'd stuffed in the leftovers and ta-da! That couldn't be—three extra beds?!
To Claudia, left alone after the workers left, I said,
“...Just so you know, you can't live here. Need... Master's permission.”
“Huh? Wasn't planning to. Might crash sometimes, but... wanted to live together?”
“...As if.”
Leaving smirking Claudia, I exited the new room. Veronica and Cecil were peering around. Might as well assign rooms now.
With Claudia following, I approached them. Veronica looked amazed.
“What day is it today?”
“...Yeah...”
Agreeing with Veronica, I called Cecil. A spirited reply came.
“Sha'a-nim!”
“Cecil...”
To innocent Cecil, who seemed to love the bustling house,
“From today, you sleep alone.”
I declared independence.
“Pardon? Sh-Sha'a-nim, C-Cecil must have misheard?”
In a tone that felt strangely nostalgic... not, Cecil's pupils shook. Her face screamed shock. Like an abandoned puppy staring at me, it tugged at my heart—but for my own good, it was necessary.
But this was awkward. Explaining meant admitting I couldn't sleep together because her affection aroused me... too weird, right? No child-rearing history, first time in this situation, hard to make excuses.
Claudia nodded in agreement but didn't butt in. Veronica helped.
“Cecil, normally people use separate rooms.”
“Is... that so?”
“Yeah, me, Sha'a, and you all had our own rooms back then.”
...Our heights were similar, but I didn't point that out. As Veronica persuaded Cecil, Claudia whispered behind me,
“Thought this before, but... where'd you pick her up? Seems short on common sense.”
...Agreed. Cecil lacked some outward common sense. She learned fast, so I hadn't worried.
“...Personal circumstances.”
“Oh?”
She backed off without prying. Persuasion ended quick. She was shocked at not sleeping together, but obedient.
After assigning rooms for Veronica and Cecil... Cecil still looked downcast. Without thinking, I said,
“...On scary nights, you can sleep together.”
Cecil brightened. Less from fear, more joy at still being able.
“Yes!”
A prickly stare hit my nape. What could I do? My heart wasn't at ease. One day wouldn't hurt.
Thus, another day faded. Thanks to sudden arrivals, no progress today either.
Not no gains—house full of stuff now. Tomorrow for real. For real.
Claudia, who'd made dinner, left obediently. Going far tomorrow, came urgently today. After seeing her off and finishing up, I lay on the squishy bed... the room felt a bit empty.
Actually... it was empty. No Cecil or Veronica sharing anymore.
Then, a knock at the door.