"One day, a formerly peaceful village was suddenly attacked by an unknown parasitic lifeform…"
"Run!"
"But…"
"Hurry up and find the monster Magna's weak point! Thanks for watching the next episode of Hornless Demon: Giant of Light—The Fog Rolls In… Alright, that's it for now."
Shichen took a sip of the tea Rem poured him to moisten his throat.
Telling so much in one go had left his mouth dry.
"Eeh~ you're stopping there? I still want more—what do I do~" Roswaal looked like he hadn't had his fill.
"Idiot. If I told it all now, what would you listen to next time?" Shichen shot back.
"Fair point…"
"How can you call Roswaal-sama an idiot… But that Hornless Demon story is really good," Ram said, conflicted—enchanted by the tale yet irked by Shichen's attitude toward Roswaal.
"You actually listened. Don't you have any thoughts?" Shichen gave Ram a funny look.
"Thoughts? About what? That monster coming up does seem a bit like the White Whale. Are you hinting at the White Whale?" Ram stared, puzzled.
"Rem, see? Your sister doesn't care at all—she's even forgotten. So what are you still so hung up on?"
"Shichen, Rem isn't hung up anymore!" Rem said cheerfully.
"Really?"
"Mm. I'm more concerned about when you'll continue things with Rem."
Shichen: "…"
Bold of her to say that in front of Ram and Roswaal.
"Bastard! You're not allowed to do bad things to Rem!" Ram snarled at him through gritted teeth.
Shichen ignored her and sighed to Rem. "Rem, can we… not say that kind of thing in public? Do you not know how to be shy?"
"Shy? Rem doesn't feel shy—only happy."
"Forget it… Let's eat. I'm a little hungry."
"Okay~ I'll go cook with Sister." Rem happily tugged Ram toward the kitchen.
"Wait, do you have to drag your sister along? What can she even do?"
"Hmph~ Look down on me, do you?"
"Sister is amazing."
"…You're still brainlessly praising your sister."
"Hehe~"
After the two left, Shichen had no intention of lingering with Roswaal and slipped out as well.
It had been two days since Roswaal announced his public support for Emilia.
The first day had been buzzing; by the second afternoon it was calm again.
Shichen had taken Emilia around to "reset" people's perceptions; now many were actively supporting her.
Arlam Village was settled first—Shichen and Emilia often visited and were familiar faces, and the kids like Petra had influence.
In truth, Rem and the others regularly shopped there; the villagers were already friendly to the Roswaal household.
They'd still had an instinctive fear of silver-haired half-elf Emilia, but a little explanation changed that.
Familiarity matters.
Petra and the kids didn't care at all about Emilia's looks—in fact they liked them. They're kids: fewer worldly biases, plus Shichen's presence.
He was their lifesaver; with him there, they weren't going to show any resistance to Emilia.
When Petra learned Shichen was now effectively one of the manor's "masters," she even decided she'd become a maid someday to repay him.
A maid's wage at the manor far outstripped village pay; Shichen wouldn't stop her.
And such a cute little thing—she'd suit a maid uniform.
Leaving the sitting room, Shichen walked to Emilia's door. He didn't knock—just pushed it open.
A simple room; a radiant back at the desk.
"Shichen? What brings you?" Emilia turned at the door and saw him.
"Still studying?" Shichen came to her side and saw she was poring over materials.
"The selection has started. I need to learn everything I don't know as fast as possible," Emilia said with a smile.
"Working this hard… Do you want to be king?"
"I… I'm not sure," she shook her head.
"Then why push yourself like this?"
"I just want to do what I can," Emilia said, face earnest.
"I see. That's admirable." Shichen set a hand on her head and ruffled gently.
"Honestly, Shichen, you're treating me like a kid again." Emilia looked up, puffing her cheeks in mock anger.
"I'm praising you."
"Really? Then… if you're not… treating me like a kid, then…" Emilia trailed off.
"What?"
"Shichen…"
She bit her lip, took a deep breath, then met his eyes as if steeling herself. "Can you tell me what happened between you and Rem?"
"That's it?" Shichen blinked.
"Mm… I don't know why, but I care. I want to know," Emilia said, hand pressed to her chest.
"You care, huh…"
"Shichen, do you not want to tell me?" A hint of nerves flickered in her eyes.
"Of course I will. But… tonight," he smiled.
"Tonight? Why?"
"No Puck to interrupt us later—and it's almost dinner. We might miss it if we start now."
"Is that so? Then… okay."
"Mm. And I want to hear what you wanted to tell me the other day."
"Before?" Emilia blinked, confused.
"You forgot? At Crusch's. You said you had something to tell me."
"Ah~" She remembered.
"You forgot?"
"I've been a bit busy these two days, so…"
"Forget it, then I guess it wasn't important."
"No, it's very important!" Emilia said suddenly, seriously.
"Is it? Then I'll be all ears tonight."
"Mm…"
After dinner, Shichen played a few rounds of five-in-a-row with Est and Beatrice, then went to bathe.
He finished quickly and headed straight to Emilia's room.
"Emilia?"
This time he knocked.
"P-please come in," came her tense reply.
Shichen opened the door and saw a gentle girl in a pink-and-white nightdress, silver hair down over her shoulders, standing a little stiffly at the bedside.
He stepped in, closed the door, came to the edge of the bed, and sat, grinning at her.
"What are you so nervous about?"
"N-not nervous at all." Emilia denied it and sat as well.
"Then tell me—what was it you wanted to say that day?"
"Huh? Already? Aren't you supposed to explain first?"
"Ladies first."
"That's not fair… Fine."
She accepted with a helpless smile, chewed her lip, gathered herself, and finally spoke slowly.
"Shichen, you said… you like me, right?"
"I do," Shichen nodded.
"Then… why do you like me so much?"
"Love at first sight. The moment I saw you, I liked you."
"So blunt… Is it because you didn't know about the Witch of Envy then?"
"But I know now and I still like you. When I liked you without that knowledge—wasn't I liking the real you?" he countered.
"I… suppose that's true." Emilia's lips pressed tight, a smile still slipping out as her eyes curved.
"So—is that what you wanted to tell me?"
"Mm… It still feels like a dream. That you'd like me—when there are so many girls better than me…"
"The one I like is the girl named Emilia—not just any girl."
"Mm… Then, could you prove it to me?"
"Prove it?"
"Prove you like me," Emilia said, eyes intent on his.
"Proof… Easy. And I can explain what happened with Rem at the same time."
"At the same time?"
"Emilia." Shichen turned to face her and suddenly took her by the shoulders.
"Shichen?"
"Do you know the most direct way to prove someone likes someone?"
"Mm… I don't."
"You don't? What about a kiss?"
"A kiss?!" Emilia stiffened.
"So you do know." He smiled at her.
"So, Shichen—you're going to kiss me?" She realized, then asked nervously.
"Isn't that the best proof?"
"It is… Are you really willing to kiss me?" Hope crept into her eyes.
Shichen made a wry face, then nodded.
"Really, really willing to kiss me?"
"Really."
"Really really really willing to kis—mmph!"
~~~
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