Chapter 87: With Claudia
A private room at the academy. I was sitting on a sofa, facing Claudia. Claudia had invited me. She was in high spirits, smiling cheerfully.
“So, Clau, what did you need? To go as far as to have everyone else leave…”
Cornelia, who was always with me, wasn’t here. It was because Claudia had requested that we be alone.
It was probably a very important discussion. Various possibilities crossed my mind.
For example, about the Holy Sword Cornelia has. That was originally a Demon Sword sealed in this academy. I don’t think it’s possible, but could it be that the theft was discovered?
For example, was there someone else who had fallen to the Curse of the Evil God? People in the country’s central leadership, for some reason, are susceptible to the Curse of the Evil God. I’m the one who secretly cures them. This is something I absolutely cannot speak of, but even the King had contracted the Curse of the Evil God.
Or could it be that they observed a sign of the Evil God’s revival?
In the game, it should be around the time the Evil God’s revival is prophesied…
In this world, Klemens hasn’t yet made a move for the Evil God’s revival. Is that why the Evil God’s revival is delayed?
“Yesterday, Dee, you invited El to a private room, just the two of you, didn’t you?”
“Hm…?”
This was a rather unexpected topic. Was there some kind of problem?
“It’s not fair that it’s only El. I want to chat with Dee alone too!”
“Eh…”
It seemed I was called for such a trivial reason that all my bracing myself felt foolish.
“What did you talk about with El? Or was it something you can’t tell others?”
“Something I can’t tell others…?”
What came to mind was Eleonore’s lap pillow from yesterday.
Actually, I was awake at that time. Due to the effect of the “Guts Necklace” I’d taken from the Cultist leader before, my consciousness had awakened the moment I fainted.
But, since I had angered Eleonore, I didn’t know how I should act, so I continued to pretend I was unconscious, and then…
For some reason, Eleonore was giving me a lap pillow.
I didn’t understand what was happening either, but when I realized it, Eleonore was giving me a lap pillow.
Eleonore’s touch as she stroked my hair and cheek was gentle…
“That expression… Don’t tell me you really did something you can’t tell others?”
“N-n-n-no way, of course not!”
“That’s suspicious. Did you perhaps kiss her?”
“I didn’t! Besides, I angered El and got hit. There’s no way something like that would happen, right?”
“You angered El…? That’s strange. When El came out of the private room, she looked undeniably happy, you know?”
“Even if you tell me that… It’s true that I got hit, okay?”
Or rather, Eleonore looked happy?
Just when I thought she’d knocked me out, she gives me a lap pillow, and then she looked happy? I don’t understand Eleonore’s emotions.
“You say El hit you, but what did you do to El?”
“I didn’t do anything weird, you know? Her face was a little red and she seemed to have a fever, so I just checked her temperature.”
I mimed it, saying “Like this,” brushing my hair up and bringing my forehead close. Claudia watched me with a half-lidded, scrutinizing gaze.
“See? It’s not weird, right?”
“I suppose so. In your mind, Dee… Is it perhaps because Ria-san has been around since you were little?”
Claudia’s eyebrows drooped, and an indescribable expression appeared on her face.
“Could you try doing the same thing to me that you did to El?”
“Yeah.”
I stood up from the sofa and pressed my forehead against Claudia’s.
From point-blank range, I gazed into Claudia’s blue eyes. Her sparkling blue eyes were as beautiful as jewels. Whoa, her eyelashes are so long!
“!!”
Claudia flinched and blinked her eyes.
“Well? Did you figure anything out?”
“No, um? I was just surprised at how naturally you did it…”
“Really?”
Is that how it is?
“But like this…”
“Hm?”
Just then, Claudia moved.
“Chu.”
“!!”
I felt it on my left cheek. The sensation of something soft and moist being pressed against it. I immediately realized it was Claudia’s lips.
Claudia k-k-k-kissed me!? Aieee!? Why!? A kiss, why!?
“C-C-C-Clau!?”
“Fufufu.”
Claudia, her face bright red, was looking at me with an affectionate gaze.
“I thought you were going to kiss me, but you didn’t. So I went ahead and did it myself.”
“No, ‘went ahead and did it’ you say…”
“Did you dislike it?”
“…It wasn’t unpleasant…”
“Perhaps El also thought you were going to kiss her? That’s why she instinctively lashed out.”
“Hmm…”
“But I don’t think El disliked it either. After all, she looked so happy.”
“You think so…?”
“Yes. Fufufu. Being liked by the two princesses of this country, you’ve got a flower in each hand, don’t you? Which one is your true love?”
“Eh!? No, that’s…”
“I understand. It’s El, isn’t it? But please, don’t forget about me either, okay?”
No, even if you say that… What am I supposed to do!?