Volume 7
Interlude 1
A Warning
About Parties, Part 1
It all began just after Nozomu was discharged from the hospital, where he had been laid up due to the series of incidents caused by Ken.
The party-loving Feo
and Mimuru suggested celebrating Nozomu's discharge at the Ox-Head Pavilion,
and that was the start of it all.
The girls, including
Irisdina, Somia, and Tima, also agreed to hold this banquet.
As it was to be a
modest celebration among close friends, Mars, the representative (provisional)
of the Ox-Head Pavilion, also agreed to provide the venue.
They spoke with Hanna
and the others who ran the Ox-Head Pavilion, finished their respective
preparations, and secretly called Nozomu to the tavern.
And the moment Nozomu,
who knew nothing, visited the Ox-Head Pavilion and opened the shop door, the
surprise was revealed.
"Nozomu,
congratulations on your discharge!"
Along with Irisdina's
call, Feo and Mimuru scattered the confetti they had prepared at Nozomu.
Irisdina and Shina
took the hand of the bewildered Nozomu, whose eyes were wide with surprise at
the sudden event, and sat him down.
Timing it with Nozomu
taking his seat, Mars and Ena began to place dishes on the table one after
another.
"...E- eh? What's
this?"
"As you can see,
it's a celebration for your discharge, Nozomu-kun."
"Well, we kept it
a secret because we wanted to surprise you. Feo-kun and the others suddenly suggested
it yesterday, so we prepared it in a hurry, but if you're surprised, then I
guess everything went perfectly."
Shina and Irisdina
explained the situation to the still-dazed Nozomu.
In the meantime, the
dishes that Mars and the others had brought were stimulating Nozomu's nostrils.
The aroma of chicken
baked with herbs, and a soup that had been simmered for a whole day, was
steaming and stimulating Nozomu's stomach.
He had hardly eaten
while he was bedridden, and even after he woke up, his stomach was weak, so his
diet had consisted mainly of liquid food. Perhaps because of that, his saliva
was overflowing just from smelling the aroma.
But more than
anything, the consideration of his comrades warmed Nozomu's chest.
"Everyone..."
"Nozomu, a
word... is what I'd like to say, but that seems tactless."
"That's right,
shall we just get started?"
Irisdina and the
others smiled at the moved Nozomu.
No more special words
were needed. Only a warm feeling filled his heart.
After a while, juice
was distributed to everyone present. There was no alcohol on the table.
This was because Ena
of the Ox-Head Pavilion had informed Mars that alcohol was prohibited.
The young Somia was
also participating in this banquet, and since there had been a commotion
related to alcohol that had troubled the shop before, it could be said to be a
natural measure.
Mars, who had been
secretly delighted at the thought of drinking during the preparation stage, was
dissatisfied with Ena's alcohol ban, but he was, of course, silenced by Ena's
sharp gaze.
The start of the banquet.
The ones to lead the toast were the proposers, Feo and Mimuru.
But there was no way
these two would give a proper greeting.
"Alright, thanks
for gathering for this boisterous party in the name of Nozomu's
discharge!"
"I've been pushed
to the side right from the start!?"
"Thank you for
participating in mine and Tom's pre-wedding celebration today!"
"Mimuru, what are
you talking about!? I've never heard of such a thing!?"
""Well then,
everyone! Let's drink, eat, make noise, and have fun today! Cheers~!""
""Listen to
me! ""
The banquet hadn't
even started yet, but the fox was already at full speed from the beginning. And
the cat was not to be outdone.
Fierce retorts came
from Nozomu and Tom at their words and actions that immediately abandoned the
main purpose of the banquet.
However, there was no
way these two would listen to such a protest.
The other comrades,
perhaps having given up on retorting at this point, were smiling wryly and
tilting their glasses at once.
Nozomu and Tom, who
had been suddenly left behind, also chugged the contents of their glasses at
once, half in desperation.
A faint fruity aroma
and sweetness spread throughout his mouth.
The moment he drank
it, a fizzy sensation hit his throat, but there was no discomfort at all; rather,
it further enhanced the sweetness of the juice.
Although it was a
juice with a taste he had never had before, it could be said to be very
delicious.
"The juice we
prepared today was made with something called 'carbonated water' that I got
from a peddler in the city."
"Oh, it's my
first time drinking it, but it's a stimulating drink."
"It's a shame we
can't drink alcohol, but this is good in its own way!"
Tom and Mars's faces
broke into a smile at the stimulus of the carbonated juice they were drinking
for the first time.
Although he was
dissatisfied that he couldn't drink alcohol, at the new stimulus that fizzed on
his tongue, Mars's dissatisfaction had also dissipated.
"It's been a
while since I've had this, but it still makes my tongue tingle..."
"Have you had it
before, Irisdina-san?"
"It's been served
at parties in my hometown. The first time I drank it, I honestly felt like I
had drunk a lump of needles."
To Shina's question,
Irisdina added, "I'm completely used to it now, though," and slowly
tilted her glass.
That gesture was, as
expected of a nobleman's daughter, strangely full of elegance.
Nozomu also had no
objection to this carbonated juice being delicious. As if to blow away the gloominess
that was weighing on his chest, he drained his glass at once.
"Gulp, gulp...
Phew~! Damn it! I was made the pretext for a party, but the stuff they served
is so good I can't even get angry!"
And delicious things
can even calm a person's heightened anger. When Nozomu glanced at Feo, he
grinned and gave a thumbs-up with a good expression. It seemed he had even
calculated that this drink would quell Nozomu's anger.
At that moment, Mars,
with a grin on his face, called out to Nozomu.
"Well, I think a
surprise of this level is fine, isn't it?"
"Do you call that
a surprise..."
"Stiff formalities
are enough at the academy. We're here to properly celebrate your hospital
discharge, after all, right?"
Indeed, what Mars said
was true, and if it weren't, Nozomu would have been asked to help with the
preparations as well.
The smiles of his
comrades who had welcomed him when he entered the Ox-Head Pavilion were
certainly genuine, and there was no doubt that they were relieved at his
safety.
"Besides, it's a
sign of affection to be teased, right?"
Adding an unnecessary
remark, Mars's lips curled up in amusement.
"...If my memory
serves me right, weren't you also the one who gets teased and has to
retort?"
At Mars's unnecessary
remark, Nozomu's desire to thank him sincerely was perhaps dampened, as he
replied in a rough tone. But there was not a shred of animosity between the
two, and it was a scene that felt somewhat relieving.
"Who knows.
You're the star of the show today. I'll be enjoying myself from the sidelines
today."
With a mischievous
smile, Mars returned to the banquet.
"Damn it, so I'm
the guest of honor, a.k.a. the one to be teased. Tom, you..."
"Mimuru! What do
you mean, pre-wedding celebration!? I haven't heard anything about it!?"
"It's okay, I
understand! You still want to do your alchemy research, right? Leave it to me!
I'll become a fine wife and support you, Tom!"
It seemed that part
wasn't a joke.
A conversation that sounded
like Tom was heading straight for the graveyard of life was unfolding.
Nozomu decided to
temporarily stop calling out to Tom and watch the course of events. One could
also say he had escaped to the sidelines.
"Of course, I'm
still lacking in many ways to become Tom's wife! That's why I think I need to
do more bridal training."
"Hey Mimuru, are
you listening to me!? ...What's this?"
As if to interrupt
Tom's words, Mimuru offered him a dish on a plate.
On the deep plate, a
golden-brown baked pie crust was puffed up. At first glance, it looked like
some kind of pie dish, but...
"It's a new dish
I made because I wanted you to try it, Tom! I made it with a lot of love!"
It seemed to be a dish
she had put her all into, as the fragrant aroma of the baked pie crust was
wafting through the air.
However, Tom's
expression was as pale as a prisoner who had just been sentenced to death.
"I made a few
prototypes, and this one turned out the best! Eat up!"
It certainly had a
delicious aroma. However, for Nozomu, who had experienced the danger of her
cooking firsthand, to be honest, just looking at her dish made a chill run down
his spine.
And she had just said
"prototypes." Which means, where were those prototypes now...
"Kyaaaah! Dear!
What in the world happened!"
"Could it
be..."
At that moment, a
scream that could tear silk echoed from the kitchen of the Ox-Head Pavilion.
When Nozomu rushed
into the kitchen, he saw the figure of the owner of this shop, Del, collapsed
on the floor.
On the kitchen table,
several prototype dishes that Mimuru had likely made were lined up. From the
half-eaten prototype, it was certain that Del had eaten this pie dish.
"Ah, as I
thought..."
The transcendentally
mysterious dish that Mimuru would sometimes create. Her miraculous skill of
making all flavors coexist seemed to have been fully demonstrated.
What was fortunate was
that this dish was created completely at random, and usually, she made things
that were perfectly edible.
No, considering the
fear of not knowing when you would get a "hit," it might be nothing
but a negative factor.
Leaving Del's care to
Ena and Hanna, Nozomu returned to the banquet for the time being.
"The victim this
time was Del-san..."
"I-I see. I feel
bad for him, but in a way, I guess I was saved..."
A color of relief
appeared on Tom's pale face.
The fact that the pie
Del had eaten was a "hit" probably meant that the other pies were
safe.
While letting out a
sigh of relief, Tom began to eat Mimuru's pie.
When he broke the pie
crust with a spoon, a piping hot stew leaked out from inside. It seemed what
she had made was a stew pie.
A sauce made with
plenty of mushrooms, chicken, and seasonal vegetables soaked into the broken
pie crust.
He was sure that if he
ate it, the crispy pie crust and the rich stew would create a wonderful harmony
in his mouth.
His comrades, who were
making a lively commotion around him, were also munching on Mimuru's stew pie
with smiles on their faces.
Nozomu's throat
naturally rumbled.
"W-Well. I think
marriage is too soon, but... for now, let's eat."
Tom brought the stew
pie to his mouth. The light sound of the pie crust breaking could be heard even
by Nozomu.
But the next moment,
Tom's eyes flew wide open.
"Guh!?"
"...Eh?"
Tom, who had frozen
with a surprised expression, then collapsed onto the table.
The way he was
convulsing was exactly the same as Del from before.
"...Could it be
that this one was also a 'hit'?"
It seemed the pie Tom
had eaten was also a hit.
Seeing as his other comrades
were still eating the stew pie deliciously, theirs seemed to be fine.
"A hit
isn't limited to just one."
Come to think of it,
the victims of the sandwich from before were also both Nozomu and Feo...
While trembling in
fear at the tragic scene before him, Nozomu for the time being gently pushed
the stew pie that had been placed in front of him to the edge of the table and
pretended he hadn't seen it.
In the corner of his
vision, Mimuru was saying something like, "Tom, was it so delicious you
fainted! I'm so happy~~!", but he of course ignored it. It was impossible
for him to deal with that miracle dish in his post-illness state. Not that he
would want to eat it even when he was healthy...
At that moment, a
clear and cheerful voice echoed in Nozomu's ear.
"Nozomu-san.
Congratulations on your discharge!"
The one who had rushed
over to Nozomu with a broad smile was Somia.
Behind her were
Irisdina and Shina.
"Ah, thank you,
Somia-chan. And thank you too, Iris and Shina."
"Don't worry
about it. We're just doing what's natural."
"As for the party
preparations, we didn't do much."
"No, not just
that... Um, including while I was bedridden."
Nozomu looked straight
at Irisdina and the others with a slightly embarrassed, wry smile.
At Nozomu's gaze,
Irisdina and the others looked away shyly.
"Umm..."
"I heard from the
female doctor who was treating me. That you nursed me every day while I was
unconscious.
I can't repay you in
any significant way, but at least let me say thank you. Thank you so
much."
"I-It's fine. Um,
we were also saved by you, so..."
"Th-That's right.
As I said before, both Somia and I owe you a debt we can never repay. This much
is only natural."
At his unadorned,
straightforward words of thanks, the two of them felt their faces growing hot.
To cover up their
growing embarrassment, the two interrupted Nozomu's words. But they couldn't
hide their faintly blushing cheeks at all.
"A debt I can
never repay... I was also saved at that time, though..."
But Nozomu's offensive
did not cease.
For him as well, it
was his true, unfeigned feeling that he owed Irisdina and the others a debt he
could never repay.
They had saved him
when he was on the verge of rampaging, without regard for the danger to their
own lives. And they were still accepting him, who was still carrying a bomb.
For Nozomu as well,
there was nothing more he could ask for.
However, for Irisdina
and the others, any more attacks would be unbearable.
Now that they had
become aware of their own feelings due to Nozomu's fall into unconsciousness,
his safety and his earlier words of thanks resonated in their hearts more than
a hundred gifts.
But at the same time,
the embarrassment that Irisdina and the others were feeling had broken through
the heavens, and it had reached a point where they felt they might die of
mortification.
"Th-Then, we're
even..."
"Got it. Thank
you."
Therefore, Irisdina
forcibly ended the conversation.
Although her voice was
small and raspy, Nozomu also gave his thanks one last time at the end, and
without bringing up the topic again, he just scratched his cheek shyly.
Well, from a third
party's point of view, it was undoubtedly a scene that would make one want to
hurl insults like "All of you, just explode!"...
Irisdina and the
others then sat down next to Nozomu and began to enjoy some idle chat while
drinking their drinks.
The four of them
surrounded a round table. Irisdina and Shina sat on either side of Nozomu, and
Somia sat opposite him.
While they were
engrossed in various conversations, Shina asked Somia something.
"By the way,
Somia-san, you have a magic tool incorporated into your soul, right? Is there
any problem?"
"You mean the
Spirit Flame Furnace? Hmm... I didn't know it was like that until my birthday
this year, but I've never felt unwell without any warning before."
Although in a
different form from Nozomu, Somia had a foreign object incorporated into her
soul. Shina was probably concerned about whether it was having any adverse effects
on her.
But Shina's concern
was immediately dispelled by Somia's cheerful words.
At that moment, Nozomu
showed a surprised expression at the fact that Shina knew Somia's secret.
"Wait, you knew
about the Spirit Flame Furnace too, Shina?"
"Yes, when I
asked Irisdina-san about your power before, she told me about it at the same
time."
Hearing Shina's words,
Nozomu showed a convinced expression.
Indeed, when their
relationship had soured due to the incident with the corpse dragon before, she
had heard about Nozomu's power from Irisdina.
If Irisdina at that
time were to explain his power, she would have had to talk about the secret
pact with the Wajiart family and Somia's secret as well.
The secret pact that
the Francilt family had made with the Wajiart family hundreds of years ago was
something that the Francilt family did not want outsiders to know.
But Irisdina had
prioritized Nozomu even if it meant talking about it.
At her feelings,
Nozomu's chest grew hot, but at the same time, he also felt sorry for having
made her bear an unnecessary risk.
But he did not let
those feelings show on his face. In fact, there was no color of regret in the
expression of Irisdina, who was listening to the story. Nozomu felt that
carelessly apologizing to her here, saying "I'm sorry for making you
talk," would be nothing but an act of trampling on her will.
As if to swallow the
words that had come up to his throat, Nozomu drank them down along with the
contents of his glass.
Come to think of it,
what had happened with that secret pact?
Nozomu threw a frank
question at Irisdina.
"By the way,
Iris, what happened with the negotiations with the Wajiart family?"
"After hearing
the story, my father moved immediately. It seems he's been proceeding with the
negotiations in secret since it can't be leaked to the outside, but it seems to
have been mostly resolved.
I was informed by a
letter from a trusted maid who serves my father."
"I see. That's
good."
At Irisdina's words,
Nozomu let out a sigh of relief and his shoulders slumped.
"A trusted
maid..."
"A woman named
Mena. She has served my father for a long time, and when she was young, she
also served as my mother's personal attendant.
She is a very capable
woman, but she was also a strict person."
"I was also
taught various things like studies and etiquette by her, but I was often
scolded. Come to think of it, it seems she has been sending various things to
my sister recently..."
"Ah,
that..."
As if remembering
something at Somia's words, Irisdina suddenly let out a sigh and looked up at
the ceiling. Her expression seemed somewhat exasperated.
At her unusually
melancholic appearance, Shina called out to her.
"What in the
world was sent to you?"
"Well, it's
nothing much. What she sends are documents about my marriage candidates."
"M-Marriage
candidates!?"
A loud voice
unintentionally escaped Nozomu's mouth.
On the other hand,
Irisdina was not particularly agitated and had an expression as if to say it
couldn't be helped.
"It's not
unusual. They're sent to Somia too."
"Come to think of
it, I think you mentioned something like that before..."
Nozomu muttered as he
remembered the content he had been told on his date with Somia before.
At Nozomu's state,
Somia began to talk about the documents she had been sent in a light tone.
"Yes. I received
about five letters this month."
"I received
twenty. Even though they say I'm still too immature for a husband..."
If it's twenty letters
a month, that's 240 a year. In other words, that many influential people were
hoping for a marriage with Irisdina.
As for Somia, even
though she was still only 11, she received five letters a month. To be honest,
it was a story that Nozomu couldn't even imagine.
"According to
Mena, 'the sooner you find a good match, the better!'"
Somia was continuing
the story in a light tone, but wasn't the number of marriage proposals a bit
too much?
Ignoring the stunned
Nozomu, the one who interrupted the sisters' conversation, which an ordinary
person would never be involved in in their lifetime, was, surprisingly, Shina.
"So you have such
things too."
"You too, Shina-kun?"
"Yes, the number
of elves has drastically decreased because of the great invasion, so the elders
are desperate to get the young ones married. In fact, I've had a marriage
proposal come to me before."
For Nozomu, this was
another unexpected story. But upon thinking about it, this was also
understandable.
"What kind of
person was your partner?"
"One of the
influential people who is currently running the elf city."
"Wow, that's a
great expectation. But if I remember your spirit magic, Shina-kun, it's an
understandable story."
A curious Somia and an
Irisdina who was nodding with a convinced face. At the reaction of the two, Shina
waved her hand and gave a wry smile.
"It's more the
influence of my sister and mother than me. The two of them were among the
priestesses who served the Great Tree Spirit."
Although Nozomu
couldn't imagine it, the Great Tree probably referred to the giant tree that
towered in the center of the Foschia Forest.
The homeland of the
elves. A forest that had boasted a robustness comparable to an impregnable
castle wall until its fall due to the great invasion. That was its key giant
tree.
According to Shina's
story, nearly 20 priestesses with strong spirit power took care of the giant
tree, and by communicating with the Great Tree through rituals, they were able
to make a fog descend over the entire forest and prevent the invasion of
external enemies.
Shina's sister and
mother were also chosen as those priestesses.
Considering that, her
powerful spirit magic was also understandable. Although she had had the support
of magic tools and Tima, she had maintained a magic power network that could
cover the entire Arcazam in the recent incident.
"Somehow... It's
really a world of nobles..."
The words that Nozomu
had unintentionally uttered, feeling as if it were an event in a distant
country.
The girls who heard it
all let out a sigh in unison, as if exasperated.
"What are you
saying, like it's someone else's problem..."
"It's not someone
else's problem for you either, Nozomu. If it becomes known that you're a
dragonslayer, people who want to arrange a marriage with you for various
reasons will pop up from all over the place."
"Ah..."
Nozomu couldn't help
but let out a voice at Shina and Irisdina's remark.
"You weren't
expecting that?"
"No, well. I was
more focused on things like human experiments or being sent to the
battlefield... But is the ability of a dragonslayer hereditary?"
Books that tell of
past dragonslayers having children with their wives or concubines are a story
that can be found from time to time on the continent.
There are stories of
them inheriting their father's great power and becoming heroes, and there are
also stories of them having no talent and disappearing into the populace.
Also, some are said to
have crossed to the East, or to have disappeared into the phantom city in the
middle of a lake, and the types of these stories are various.
However, not only for
the past dragonslayers but also for their children, there are traces of various
additions, and many of them are of dubious credibility.
"It's not
entirely without precedent. And even if the ability is not passed on to the
child, it becomes a chain to bind you. Both the woman, and the child to be
born."
In fact, there is a
country that tells a story of a dragonslayer having founded a nation.
The Cremazione Empire,
located next to the country of Forsina, is one such example.
It seems that about a
thousand years ago, there was a nation where a dragonslayer was said to have
become the first emperor. That first emperor also took many consorts and had
many children.
However, after his
death, there was a past where the country was ravaged for decades by a power
struggle among his bloodline.
In the midst of that
turmoil, that country had been divided, declined, and merged repeatedly, and
had apparently become the Cremazione Empire.
But the blood of that
dragonslayer was lost in the turmoil, and it seems that there is no one who
carries that blood at present.
An element that has
bound many wise men, regardless of whether they were heroes or powerful
figures, since ancient times.
Money, women, power.
Even for the strongest
uncertain element in the human world, called a dragonslayer, in the end, they
were bound by one of them.
"But the blood of
a dragonslayer is more than enough as a diplomatic card, right?"
"That's right.
But at the same time, there are also risks. The rampage of a power that we
cannot control, the external pressure and internal subversive elements that
would increase by possessing a trump card, and the possibility that the
complexly intertwined interests could cause an unpredictable situation. There
will also be people who are concerned about those things."
"It's a
headache-inducing story..."
Nozomu felt a headache
at the future with so many uncertain factors.
Even if he were to be
under the protection of some other faction, in the end, there's no telling what
will happen.
"But considering
what would happen if he were actually exposed, there are also advantages to
belonging somewhere. Although there are various constraints, you can at least
avoid being socially isolated."
"But to suddenly talk
about marriage proposal is a bit..."
Marriage is the
easiest and most certain way to deepen ties with a specific power. He could
also understand the reason why the first emperor of the dragonslayers had taken
many consorts.
However, Nozomu
couldn't help but feel a sense of wrongness about it.
A feeling of
gloominess in his chest. As if to shake it off, Nozomu wolfed down the chicken
that was close at hand.
"Nozomu... are
you not good with this kind of talk, after all?"
"It's not that
I'm not good at it, it's that I can't imagine it... no, I understand it in my
head, but there's a part of me that just can't accept it. Besides, I..."
"What's with the
gloomy face? It's a party, so let's have a more cheerful face."
"Whoa!"
Along with a loud
voice, Feo leaned on Nozomu's back. Nozomu almost dropped the cup he was
holding.
"Hey Feo. That's
dangerous."
"Come, come, my
lord, another cup!"
"Who are you
calling 'my lord'..."
While ignoring
Nozomu's retort, Feo refilled Nozomu's cup with juice.
He then refilled
Irisdina and the others' cups with juice and then sat down in the seat between
Somia and Shina.
"It looks like
you guys are having a fun conversation about marriage proposals and marriage.
So, whose story is it? Nozomu's or the black-haired princess's? Or Shina's?
Don't tell me it's the little princess's..."
"Well, if I had
to say, all of us?"
Although he felt a
touch of anxiety at Feo, who was leaning forward with great interest, Nozomu
went on to tell Feo the story from before.
"I see, I see. I
can certainly understand the stories of the black-haired princess and Shina. I
was a little surprised that the little princess gets five marriage proposals a
month, though."
While nodding in
understanding, Feo continued to talk while reaching for the food.
Although his manners
could hardly be called good, Shina also didn't seem to say anything tactless,
as it was a party among friends.
"So, what kind of
guys were listed as marriage candidates? Shina's side also seems to have some
pretty famous people, but I'm also curious about the partners of the
black-haired princess and the little princess~"
"Feo,
you..."
Nozomu let out a
bitter complaint at the inconsiderate Feo, but Feo didn't seem to mind at all.
"B-Because, I'm
curious! Aren't you curious, Nozomu?"
"..."
At Feo's words, Nozomu
was at a loss for words for a moment.
Their future partners.
What kind of men would they be?
An indescribable
feeling was rearing its head.
"...This isn't
the kind of story you should be forcibly trying to get out of them."
As if to shake off the
feeling of unease in his chest, Nozomu tilted his glass.
Feo, with a
dissatisfied face at the unresponsive Nozomu, shrugged his shoulders as if to
say it couldn't be helped.
However, Feo curled
his lips into a grin and threw an outrageous question at Irisdina and the
others.
"Then! What kind
of partner do the three of you want to marry?"
"Pfft!"
At the
straight-to-the-point question, Nozomu couldn't help but spit out the juice he
had been about to drink.
"W-Well. Let's
see..."
"..."
For a moment, a
silence flowed through the noisy Ox-Head Pavilion.
Irisdina, who was
sitting with her slender legs crossed and her back straight, but for some
reason, her gaze was wandering.
Shina had shrunk like
a small animal and had frozen like a statue with the cup in both her hands to
her mouth.
The two of them showed
different gestures. However, their cheeks were beginning to turn a faint red.
"Hey Feo..."
"Yes, Nozomu, you
be quiet for a bit~"
"Mmph!"
Feo stuffed a nearby
piece of bread into the mouth of Nozomu, who was about to interrupt.
Nozomu, whose mouth
was stuffed full of the hard-baked bread for preservation, couldn't spit it out
and could only make muffled, incomprehensible sounds.
Nozomu struggled to
spit out the bread that had been stuffed into his mouth, desperately trying to
secure a breath.
While looking at such
a Nozomu, Feo whispered softly in the ears of the two.
"Well, it seems
the two of you have someone you're particularly interested in recently..."
At those words, the
cheeks of the two, which had been beginning to turn red, were dyed crimson at
once.
Irisdina's
obsidian-like eyes widened, and the depths of them wavered. Her gaze was
furtively peeking at the boy who was writhing next to her.
Shina hung her head
even further than before, and she had become so small that she seemed as if she
would hide under the table.
"W-Well...
someone I'd want to entrust my back to..."
"Phew! Feo, I
thought I was going to die!"
"Tch! You're back
already..."
Nozomu somehow managed
to swallow the contents of his mouth and secure a breath.
Feo clicked his tongue
with a look of genuine disappointment. A vein popped on Nozomu's forehead.
Although Nozomu
couldn't understand what Irisdina was saying at all due to the extreme
suffocation, he opened his mouth to at least give him a piece of his mind.
At that moment, the
girl who had been next to Feo dropped an outrageous bombshell with a cute
voice.
"Oh, I'd like
someone like Nozomu-san."
"...Eh?"
At that moment, the
air inside the Ox-Head Pavilion literally froze.
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