“I see, I see. So that happened.”
“This isn’t a laughing matter, Onii-sama! Those people tried to launch magic in the room!”
“That’s everyday — forgive them.”
“Everyday!? What kind of unruly gang!?”
“Proof they love me.”
“That…… true. ……Frustrating, but I accept.”
“Right? And they’re as hardworking and earnest as you. You’ll get along.”
”…… Yes.”
That was my cute sister’s gripe — thirty minutes ago.
Mashiro and the others apparently went wild at Cerecia’s tea party. Yet no damage to the room — controlled chaos.
So it’s playful range.
I told Cerecia she’d see more of them, get used to it. She replied Onii-sama is becoming odd too! and returned to her room.
Tomorrow’s plan is incognito city-tour with Cerecia, decided. She loves outings; that’ll fix her mood.
“Right, route check…… mn?”
A modest knock.
When I permitted entry, there stood Karen in a nightgown.
…… Night raid? — I almost said reflexively, punched my own face, averted disaster.
Since the proposals succeeded, my withheld desires want out.
I must steel myself again.
“Ouga!? What suddenly!?”
“Don’t mind. A flying bug landed on my cheek.”
“Yet you hit hard……”
“If a bug drained Karen’s blood — unbearable.”
“O-okay then……”
Not convinced but no further pursuit; she gently stroked my cheek.
“Pain-pain, fly away~”
”…… Karen, weird chant?”
“You can’t talk now!”
She used her recently-trained healing magic; my cheek pain faded.
I thanked her; she poked my just-healed cheek and muu’d.
“Don’t remember? You taught me this.”
“Of course. I used it on crybaby young Karen.”
When Karen cried from injury, panicked me chanted a phrase from my past life children’s saying.
I couldn’t use magic so no actual healing, but it made her stop crying.
I kept using it to console her till the engagement break — a nostalgic memory.
”…… So even after the engagement break, you remembered our memories. ……Same for me.”
She slipped under my blanket.
…… Hold on.
The smooth motion made me accept it, but wait.
“What’s wrong, Ouga. Not sleeping?”
The bed’s owner — me — and Karen already inside.
I made to remove her, but Yueli’s day-advice popped up.
“Skin-to-skin contact lets you feel the heart connecting; that joy.”
…… If she went this far, that means this.
Rather than over-reasoning, I observed Karen.
”……Ah.”
Her ears bright red……
”…… Right. Let’s sleep together.”
”……! Mn!”
I entered the bed. My bed is large; with two, there’s still distance and sleep space.
But we can’t touch like this.
I shifted toward her. Each move her eyes darted; her surface flushed.
Little fingers touched; our hands met as our gazes did. I gripped her hand.
”…… Wow……”
”…… Too sudden?”
“No. ……A huge happiness and embarrassment together; can’t process…… my heart’s pounding.”
She hid her flushed face in her palm.
One hand can’t cover all; corners of her mouth visible upturned.
I felt loving feelings welling up, watched her, and she rolled over.
Not just hearts — bodies facing now.
”…… Want to hear?”
“What?”
”…… How much I love you, in sound.”
Her exposed chest under a slight collarbone. The source — below it.
Should I accept this.
A brief hesitation…… instinct whispered more touch goes beyond contact alone.
”…… Not great as a lullaby.”
”…… Probably.”
I think Karen wanted to hug.
She extended courage; I refused. So I’ll tell her honestly why.
Real reason different.
I wanted to enclose her, but releasing the dam would lose control.
”…… Karen too.”
”…… Mn.”
“Please understand — I’m enduring too.”
”……? ……Ah! S-sorry…… right. You’re a boy too.”
She understood.
She backed slightly, repeating apologies.
But hands stayed linked.
”…… Cancel earlier. You’d be too loud to sleep.”
While I was silent, she breathed deeply to settle.
In-out a few times; she squeezed my hand tighter.
”…… You don’t have to listen, but…”
She slowly raised my left arm.
Not resisting, I followed.
”…… Feel here?”
My hand wrapped in softness. I knew without words.
Subtle movement on the back of my hand, but strong presence — a heartbeat.
Pulse fast on both sides — sleep won’t come soon.
“Glad I came tonight.”
“You stopped bottling alone — growth, Karen.”
“Caught?”
“You yourself said you didn’t forget our memories.”
“True. ……Yeah.”
“Saved me from rummaging all closets.”
“Fufu, I won’t hide anymore. You taught me I don’t have to.”
She laughed quietly, kept my hand at her chest.
Her breathing rises and falls; heart-jarring.
”…… Tomorrow you tell Gordon-san. About all our relationships.”
“He probably realized when I brought everyone, but report properly. Preparation needed too.”
“Should we go with you?”
“For the report, no. First Father and me. There’s other reporting too.”
Faces already met; Father won’t refuse my choices.
And the Enkalton matter needs to be told; tomorrow me alone is best.
”…… Nervous.”
“You’re already fiancée?”
“This and that differ. ……Marriage suddenly feels close.”
…… Karen had been engaged to the Crown Prince; perspective differs.
That engagement was insecure. Her childhood engagement to me was broken; engagement-equals-marriage was conceptually understood but practically vague.
Finally a real engagement; she feels nervous.
”…… Karen.”
“What?”
“Looking forward to your wedding dress.”
”——”
Without seeing her face, her emotion came through her hand.
She tilted her head to check.
”…… I’ll show you a really beautiful me.”
A perfect-score smile, matching my imagined one.
Worries gone, we chatted lightly until eyelids fell — wonderful time.