The principal and vice principal let out strange cries and left as soon as they realized the Tatsumake was gone.
I wondered what they had planned to do with it.
"Well, it doesn't really matter... yawn."
Today had been full of things since morning, and I was tired.
Once my stomach was full, sleepiness hit me, so I decided to take a short nap.
But if I just lay down, the guys who liked to mess with me might come by and pull pranks.
I switched to Ninja and smoothly climbed the nearest tree.
"This should let me nap without anyone bothering me."
I sat on a thick branch, leaned my back against the trunk, and dozed off for a bit...
"...Leo-kun? Where are you? Leo-kun?"
A voice like ringing bells tickled my ears and woke me up.
I sat up with a start and looked around. The area was already dark.
Down below, Monaka was searching for me by the light of the stars.
When I called out "I'm up here" from the tree, she flinched like she had been struck by lightning and let out a "Kyaa!?"
"L-Leo-kun!? You were up there!?"
"What are you doing out here so late at night?"
"Oh, um. I wanted to properly thank you..."
"Thank me?"
"For building the house for us. Thank you so much. It's really wonderful."
Monaka bowed deeply.
"Did you come all the way out here just to say that? You could have told me next time we met."
"Oh, and I brought you dinner. Have you already eaten?"
Monaka held up a small pot with both hands to show me.
Hearing that reminded me I was hungry again.
"I see. Thanks... Wait, why are you grinning like that?"
"Hehe, seeing you climb trees reminds me of old times."
"Now that you mention it, we used to climb trees together all the time when we were kids.
Hey, why don't you climb up too, Monaka?"
"Eh, me too!? I can't climb trees!
Even when we were little, I always used the ladder you made for me..."
"Oh yeah, that's right.
...All right, wait here a second."
I dropped lightly from the branch to the ground.
While Monaka covered her mouth with her hand and let out a refined "Kyaa!?" in surprise, I quickly built a ladder.
--------------------------------------------------
**Gisu Ladder**
**Quantity:** 1
**Quality Level:** 19 (Material Level 9 + Dexterity Bonus 10)
A ladder made from high-quality Gisu wood.
Thanks to various bonuses, it can easily support ten people at once.
--------------------------------------------------
"Y-You made a ladder in an instant...!?"
Monaka stared in amazement.
I beckoned to her from the middle of the ladder.
"Come on up, Monaka."
I reached out a hand, but she hesitated.
"Y-Yes... But climbing trees seems so unladylike...
Ah, n-no, I'll come up!"
The moment something seemed to click in her mind, Monaka took a determined breath and grabbed my hand.
Holding the pot in one hand and Monaka's hand in the other, I sat down on the branch.
Monaka seemed nervous at first since it had been a long time since she last sat on a tree branch, but she soon got used to it.
When she opened the lid of the pot she had brought, it was full of a hearty soup packed with ingredients.
"Wow, this looks fancy.
You've already managed to get this much meat and vegetables?"
"Oh, this is leftover food from the party after the entrance ceremony, just warmed up.
Everyone in class is having this soup for dinner tonight."
"I see, that makes sense."
"You didn't get to eat any of the party food, right, Leopin-kun?
I was planning to invite you to join my class at the time, but..."
"Onesko and Shinobuko stopped you, huh? Don't worry about it.
More importantly, this soup looks delicious."
"Please eat it while it's still warm. And use this," Monaka said, handing me a wooden spoon.
I took the spoon, dipped it into the pot, and ate heartily.
Monaka watched me with the gentle eyes of a mother looking after a growing child.
Once I finished eating, she smiled and took out a white handkerchief.
"Hehe, you've got something on your mouth. Let me wipe it for you."
"Thanks. You know, you're starting to remind me of my big sister. Especially that caring side."
"R-Really?"
Monaka suddenly gripped the handkerchief tightly.
She looked up at me with tense eyes and asked,
"U-Um, Leopin-kun... May I ask you something?"
"What is it? You're being so formal."
"Um, um, um... Is it true?
D-Did you... k-k-k... ki... kiss... with a girl from Class 1-6...!?"
Monaka suddenly became flustered and started shaking like a woodpecker pecking a tree.
"What? 'Ki' what?"
"Th-Th-Th-That is... k-k-k-k-ki...! Kyaa!?"
She shook so hard that she lost her balance and fell backward.
Just as she was about to tumble off the tree, I quickly caught her in my arms and took a safe landing on the ground.
...Thud!
By the time we reached the ground, Monaka was in my arms in a princess carry, blinking in surprise.
"Oh... my? I definitely fell just now... How...?
Awaaah, thank you, Leopin-kun!"
Held in my arms, Monaka panicked like a drowning otter.
"You didn't cry this time."
"Eh?"
"When we were kids and you almost fell from a branch, I caught you from below, right?
After that you always cried your eyes out."
"M-Mou...! I'm not a crybaby anymore!"
Monaka puffed out her cheeks, then quickly broke into an embarrassed smile.
"But... it's been so long since you held me like this, Leopin-kun...
This feeling feels really nostalgic..."
"It does for me too."
"After you saved me from falling off the branch, you would always hold me until I stopped crying...
Then you would walk me all the way home."
"Then how about I walk you home again for old times' sake?"
"Eh?" Monaka's eyes widened as I started walking through the forest while still carrying her.
At first she narrowed her eyes dreamily in nostalgia, but once we left the forest and approached the residential area, she suddenly grew flustered.
"Kyaa!? L-Leo-kun!? There are other students around!
If they see us like this...!"
"What, you don't like it?"
"N-No, it's not that I dislike it...! I don't mind at all!
But I don't want to cause trouble for you, Leopin-kun...!"
"Don't worry about causing me trouble."
I kept walking without a care, weaving between the rebuilt huts.
The area quickly filled with murmurs.
"H-Hey, look at that...!"
"The garbage guy is carrying Monaka-sama in his arms!?"
"Why!? How can a guy like him!?"
"Does that mean those two are actually really close...!?"
"Damn it! Why him of all people!?
First Akemi-san, now Monaka-sama. He's always the one getting attention!"
The impact of their stomping feet caused the makeshift huts to collapse one after another again.
Screams of envy echoed through the residential area.
Before I knew it, Monaka was clinging tightly to me with her face buried in my chest.
Only her ears peeked out from between her long hair, glowing bright red even in the dim light.
When we finally reached Monaka's house, I set her down near the entrance. She quickly stepped away as if fleeing.
At the last moment, she turned back in front of the door, lowered her flushed face with a quick bow, and said,
"Th-Thank you for walking me home! G-Good night, Leopin-kun!"
"Yeah, good night. See you tomorrow."
With that, I left the residential area.