“Ouga, I’m sorry!”
“I got carried away and put too much pressure……”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m not trained so softly that I lose consciousness from that.”
A lie. The truth is, it had been very, very close……!
I’d alternated between the joy of softness and the agony of breathlessness — Alice rescued me, and I survived.
The terror of crush-death by boobs is that the person sandwiched doesn’t want to escape.
Once you’ve experienced that supreme softness, an ordinary person’s reason can’t suppress instinct.
I was on the verge of falling myself…… going forward, I’ll have to undergo training against this kind of pleasure too.
—— Following that act, the girls are now flowering into chatter.
“Eh~!? So the Council President turns down marriage proposals from any nobility!?”
“I haven’t achieved any results I can be proud of myself…… and I don’t have much interest in that sort of thing.”
“Not even once……? It seems like the Council President would be drowning in proposals on excellent terms.”
“Fufu, not once. In truth, I can’t do housework at all.”
“Eh~!?”
Mashiro’s reactions are entertainingly big.
Reina and Karen were giggling and looked to be having fun.
“But I get how Miss Liche feels. The Council President has the image of doing everything competently.”
“That’s just what I make it look like. If I had time to learn housework, I directed it toward magic training instead.”
“Ahh, I see~”
“True, with Headmistress Milfonti as your master, you wouldn’t have much room to spare for other things, would you.”
“Yes, Sensei is very strict.”
”…… How strict?”
”…… Let’s just say, very.”
“But, given who the Headmistress is, I’m sure she’s designed a menu tailored to you with care.”
“Yes, perhaps.”
“I’m envious, I want to get stronger too……. Um…… if I asked the Council President, do you think the Headmistress might teach me too, even just a little……?”
“——You should stop.”
It was launched in a strong tone clearly containing rejection.
But Reina, possibly speaking from reflex, immediately put on her usual smile and rushed in a follow-up.
“Because Miss Liche and Sensei have different elemental aptitudes. I’m sure Ouga-kun will bring you the perfect teacher.”
“R-right~. I keep being too dependent……”
”…… Reina’s right. Although Mashiro doesn’t yet have the basics to even receive instruction.”
“Ahh, Ouga, you don’t have to say it like that~”
Mashiro puffed her cheeks and lightly batted at me.
The previously-heavy air dissolved with that…… mm, good timing.
“It’s about time to wrap up.”
I set down my empty teacup and snapped my fingers.
Alice began briskly clearing the table.
In not even a few minutes, all the cleanup was done.
“All right, Mashiro. This pajama party thing involves sleeping together, right?”
“Ah, yes! Though one bed might not be enough……”
“No need to worry about that. I have a guest sofa-bed prepared. But there’s only one blanket. Mashiro, Karen — sorry, but could you bring blankets from each of your rooms?”
“Yeah, on it.”
“Okayyy. Walking around the dorm at night is so thrilling~”
“Just the other day there was that incident. We can’t risk anything. Alice, go with the two of them.”
“Understood.”
“Then, we’ll be off. Back soon.”
Mashiro headed off in high spirits, Alice trailing behind. Last to leave, Karen turned to look at me just before the door and gave me a crisp wink.
She must have read my intent.
That’s why she’d agreed to it right away.
Heh. My women — all capable and good. Hard to know where to even start being grateful.
”…… Thank you.”
The previous liveliness was gone; in the now-quiet room, Reina dropped a thin string of words.
“For what — if anything, the one who should be thanking is me. Thank you. You’re kind, Reina.”
Reina had refused Mashiro’s request.
That was, surely, her looking out for Mashiro to keep her from suffering Floné’s black-corporate labor.
Letting that strong tone slip out must have been because, inside, Reina doesn’t think well of Floné.
Until I’d interacted with her like this, I thought Reina was a cold-hearted iron-mask woman, but the reality differed.
She’d had to wear the iron mask. To protect herself from the over-worked environment.
In an unintended form, even a glimpse into her heart——
”…… I’m not as kind as you think, Ouga-kun.”
“Doesn’t matter. My opinion is mine. No matter how much you deny it, it won’t change.”
I understand this self-deprecating mode of speech too.
A spiraling state of being worn down by a supervisor’s harassment, convincing yourself everything bad is your own fault.
The very picture of a black corporation……!
“So I’ll keep maintaining you’re kind as many times as it takes.”
What Reina needs is recognition from others.
And, ideally, from someone at her level.
Because of her high position as Council President and Floné’s apprentice, she may not accept praise from Mashiro and Karen at face value.
As Reina’s future boss, I can at least do this much.
I’m a man who’d sell his soul to a demon to acquire what he wants.
Once I catch her, she’ll never escape…… heh heh heh.
”…… You’re a strange person, Ouga-kun. With you…… everything seems to spin out and not quite work.”
“Heh heh heh. Assuming you can manipulate me to your convenience is your first mistake.”
“You’re right. ……You really are…… if it’s you……”
Reina rose unsteadily and stepped closer.
She must want to help with cleanup.
“Reina. Sorry, but I’d like to move the table to the edge. I’ll take the other side——uoh!?”
The moment I made to move, my body was placed on the table.
That’s right. Reina had lifted me with ease.
Where on those thin arms is that strength…… while I was thinking that, she was sitting on my lower abdomen.
…… Wait? Reina-san?
“What’s beneath this clothing…… you’re curious, aren’t you, Ouga-kun……?”
So saying, she popped open the first button.
Tch…… so she’d noticed after all.
My sympathetic gaze that had thought Reina’s boobs are probably small……!
That’s why she’d made her move with the two of us alone.
If I said I want to see, despite the sympathetic gaze, she’d surely throw back a cold smile and disgust, like so in the end you just wanted boobs, of any kind?
…… But! But if I were to shout my actual honest feelings——
Even small boobs — if I can see them, I want to see them!!
In my past life, I had absolutely no luck with women. Naturally, no experience of seeing a girlfriend’s boobs.
Yes — I had never seen raw breasts up close.
Damn it, Reina…… coincidence or not, to stab at that weak point……
“Ouga-kun…… please answer honestly.”
In a serious expression, Reina urged my reply.
Phew…… stay cool, Ouga Veret.
You can’t act on momentary desire. Worst case, my relationship with Reina ends.
That’s right. Remember Mio’s night raid.
I rejected Mio on the grounds that I’m a big-boob purist, didn’t I.
That cool past me can do it.
Now — say it. “I refuse”——
“——Let me see.”
Hold on what!? The truth slipped out!?
What kind of serious face am I making while delivering this absolute lowest-of-the-low line!
Damn it! Was my reason eroded by the boob sandwich……!?
“I’m prepared to accept any (kind of) chest.”
Fine, I’m going for broke!
What’s out of my mouth can’t be put back.
So I added words to brace the impression even a little — and Reina’s reaction……?
I checked the expression of the woman straddling me, dreading what I’d see.
”…… Truly, any kind, you say……?”
Ah, this is bad.
Reina looks like she’s about to cry.
I’m done for.