Chapter 527: A Reminder of the Beginning
Chapter 527: A Reminder of the Beginning
“A-Are you back?”
When we returned to the mansion, Diana, for some reason, greeted us with her hips pulled back in an incredibly wary stance.
“…What are you doing?”
“Ah, um? Ahem. Did your business go well?”
As I muttered in bewilderment, Diana glanced at Sara, who was clinging to my arm coquettishly, and tilted her head in confusion. Then, she cleared her throat and spoke as if nothing was wrong.
Did she think some kind of disaster had struck?
Well, now that I think about it, that makes sense. If I hadn't been rejected, Sara would probably be getting a serious earful from me right about now for being in a bad mood.
I see. So that’s why she was on guard.
“Yeah. Well, I got rejected.”
“…Pfft. Ahem. I-Is that so.”
As I explained the situation nonchalantly, Diana paused for a moment before bursting out laughing.
She immediately covered it up with a cough, came over, and patted my head as if to comfort me.
But seeing the subtle twitch at the corners of her mouth, she looked like she was dying to laugh.
These girls… their beloved gets rejected, and this is how they all react… Fine. I’ll let you off since you’re at least trying to hold it in.
“O-Oppa. Diana…”
“You, I won’t let off.”
“Hmph…”
She was probably about to say that since Diana laughed, I should let her off too.
I cut Sara off before she could finish her sweet-talk, and she let out a cute little whine.
So that’s what it was.
Honestly, she doesn’t need to be that scared.
I did tell her to just wait until tonight, but the truth is, I have no idea how I’m going to torment her.
Not that I’m going to tell her that, of course.
For once, Sara is at a disadvantage with me.
There’s no way I’d give up such a precious moment so easily, right?
“Where are the others? Swimming again?”
“Mm. I believe you already know this, but do not go.”
“I know.”
I still had business with Matilda, but it was already getting close to evening.
There was no telling how long it would take to talk about my conversation with the Pope.
I figured it would be better to take our time and talk tomorrow during the day, rather than rushing to handle it now when we were short on time.
Besides, I had another errand that wouldn’t take long.
“…By the way. You were rejected? What on earth happened? If you don’t mind, could you tell me the details?”
While I was lost in thought, Diana posed a question.
It seemed she’d planned to be mature and let it go, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity.
Well, Diana was never the type to let go of something she was curious about anyway.
“Ah… that… Sara.”
She saw most of what happened from start to finish anyway.
Thinking there was nothing to hide at this point, I gestured to Sara with my chin.
“I-Is it okay?”
But surprisingly, Sara didn’t speak up right away. She just stared at me with a wary expression.
Considering how she was laughing her head off earlier, her mouth must be itching to tell the story.
Does she think I’m setting a trap?
She’s so needlessly cautious.
She should have been more careful earlier.
Well, to be honest, I probably would have laughed and teased her relentlessly in the same situation.
“It’s fine. I’m just going to go rest in my room until dinner.”
I spoke with a tired expression, as if the rejection had actually done some damage, and pretended to head back to my room… before changing direction.
That’s right. I had an errand to run, one that would be difficult if those two were nearby.
And with the others supposedly practicing their swimming, this was truly a golden opportunity.
A chance to be away from all my girls inside the mansion was practically nonexistent.
The place I headed for was the wing where the elder sisters of the Mage Association were staying.
The enchantment magic specialist… I can’t remember.
I was sure they all lived in rooms around here, but I’d have to have been here before to know whose room was whose.
I had no choice but to grab a passing maid and ask for directions.
Since you never know where or how a rumor might start, or whose ears it might reach, I really didn’t want to be seen by anyone.
“Excuse me, miss maid.”
“Yes? Y-Yes?! A-Are you talking to me?”
When I beckoned the maid over, she flinched and approached with a slightly frightened expression.
I may be the only man in this mansion, but isn’t that a bit of an overreaction?
I mean, it’s true I rarely speak to the maids.
No, as a fellow resident of this mansion, I’ve tried to talk to them.
Their maid outfits are cute, after all.
But every time I tried to so much as speak to a maid, Vanessa would pop out of nowhere.
I’ve thought this ever since she started appearing the moment I even called a maid’s name, but that woman is definitely keeping me under surveillance.
Did she get an order from Diana or something?
Well, whatever. That doesn’t matter right now.
First, let’s get this errand done.
“Do you know which room the head of the enchantment school is staying in?”
“Huh? Enchantment magic? Ah… that would be this way…”
Honestly, I was worried she wouldn’t understand what I meant, but the maid seemed to get it.
I mean, I remember the enchantment school had some grand-sounding name, but there’s no way I’d remember every single one.
It’s not like there are only one or two schools of magic.
In any case, following the maid’s guidance, I safely arrived at the room of the head of the enchantment school.
“Thank you. Oh, and please, keep it a secret that I came here.”
“Huh? Ah, y-yes! W-Well then, I’ll be going…”
As I spoke, raising an index finger to my lips, the maid’s face turned red and she hastily returned to where she was before.
Seeing that made me a little anxious about whether my secret would be kept… but there was nothing I could do about it.
If I get caught, I get caught.
“Come in.”
When I knocked lightly on the door, the voice of the head of the enchantment school came from within.
Telling me to come in without even checking who it is.
Well, I suppose the number of people in this mansion is limited.
“Excuse me.”
“Oh? It’s you. What is it?”
When I opened the door and went inside, the Archmage looked at me with a curious expression.
Of course she would. We’d naturally gotten closer living in the same mansion, but I’d almost never had a one-on-one conversation with these elder sisters.
This was the first time I’d ever visited one of them in their room.
“Yes. I was hoping to ask for a little enchantment magic on some jewelry.”
Saying that, I took out the three necklaces I had bought earlier.
That’s right. I was planning to have a spell cast on these necklaces that would let the wearers know when I was nearby, just like Sara’s dagger.
The reason for this plan was simple.
Leia looked like she wanted one, too.
Besides, it meant Sara would have to constantly check a glowing dagger whenever I wasn’t in sight.
Staring intently at a glowing dagger all the time? She’d look like a completely dangerous person.
In fact, when she was tailing us today, it was a miracle she wasn’t arrested as a suspicious person.
So, since I was making them anyway, I figured I’d make three accessories and give one to each of them.
Plus, an accessory can be worn anytime, anywhere, even when sleeping with me.
And if it’s a necklace, it can be hidden under clothes even if it glows, so it won’t draw the aggro of monsters in the dungeon.
Though, if her chest starts glowing while we’re having sex in missionary, it might be a little distracting, so I’d prefer she take it off then.
Anyway, when I conveyed the gist of this to the Archmage, she nodded as if she was proud of me.
“Ho ho ho… I see. Indeed. It seems you are being considerate of Lady Diana.”
…Is it just my imagination, or did her words have a slight edge to them?
No. It’s definitely not my imagination. Could this be…
“Don’t tell me you know what I was doing today?”
“Hoho. You say the most amusing things. Of course I do. Do you understand? If even a single teardrop falls from Lady Diana’s eye…”
As she said that, the Archmage made a thumbs-up with her hand, then dragged her thumb across her throat.
Isn’t magic supposed to be an elite field of study for the smartest people in this world?
For one of the leaders of such people to make this kind of thuggish gesture… No, I mean, I understand her affection for Diana.
“It’s fine. …I got rejected.”
For now, at least.
“Is that so! Is that so! Wonderful!”
No, that’s not something to celebrate.
Seriously, whether it’s this woman or the others, when it comes to anything related to Diana, everyone from the Mage Association just loses their minds.
If it weren’t for that, they’d seem like perfectly normal scholars passionately researching magic.
“In any case, leave it to me. I shall handle it perfectly. So. What should the recognition range be?”
“100 meters, please.”
And just like that, I successfully obtained three necklaces that would glow whenever I got close.
Is this all thanks to being rejected by Rachel…?
Afterward, until Vanessa came to announce dinner, I returned to my room, took a shower, and rested on my bed as if nothing had happened.
“……”
“What is it? Is there something on my face?”
Vanessa, who came to get me for dinner, was still in full makeup even after her swim.
Her expression was… well, she’s basically expressionless by default, so it’s hard to read what she’s thinking.
Still, I could tell her atmosphere was different from usual.
“……”
“Right. You heard I got rejected, too?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. Congratulations.”
“It’s not something to congratulate me for!”
Honestly, between the Archmage and this one, why are all the people who like Diana so abnormal!
Of course, I, who can confidently say I love Diana more than anyone, am perfectly normal.
“Dinner is ready. Let’s go.”
“Are you ignoring me!”
No matter how worked up I got, Vanessa walked briskly toward the dining hall without a single change in her expression.
“My angeeeeel!”
The moment I arrived at the dining hall, I was enveloped in Leia’s embrace.
If Vanessa, who was swimming with her, knew, then of course Leia would know too, right?
Only my angel will comfort me.
“Oh, my. Guwon, you’re such a… It’s okay.”
As I buried my face in her ample bosom and pretended to cry, shaking my head from side to side, my angel gently hugged me and slowly patted my back.
See this? Did you see, you two! This! This is it! This is the reaction I wanted!
As I shot a sharp glare at Sara and Diana, conveying my thoughts, Sara’s face turned pale, as if the night ahead had become even more terrifying.
Diana, on the other hand, was playing innocent, as if she hadn’t laughed at all.
Stop trying to whistle when you can’t even do it properly.
“B-Be! Be strong!”
And then, as I was being held in Leia’s arms, something slender clung to my back.
There’s no mistaking it. This vibration. It’s her!
That’s right. Even our Silvia, to comfort me, had clung to my back, risking her own life.
Sniff. Yes. You two are the only ones who will comfort me!
Overcome with emotion, I pulled away from Leia and this time, hugged Silvia tightly.
Silvia’s body twitched and trembled, as if she never expected me to leave Leia’s chest to hug her.
But as if she had to endure it to comfort me, she held back the scream she would normally let out, trembling and holding on.
But that action was the problem.
I mean, think about it. Isn’t it moving? She comforted me despite the danger to her own life. How touching is that?
Isn’t it an understandable situation for me to get so moved that I’d get a little carried away?
I ended up giving Silvia a light kiss on the cheek.
“Ah! Hey! Idiot! Guwon!”
Sara, who was watching, tried to say something, but it was already too late.
“Uuuuh… I-I can’t… Hyaaaaaaaaaaah…”
In the end, Silvia melted on the spot.
“Silviaaaaaa!”