Chapter 83. < 33. It's Okay, That Could Happen (2) >
Tania's reaction was so nonchalant that it left him confused.
'Does she really think seeing something like this is normal?'
Or was she forcing herself to act like it was fine?
He couldn't tell.
But one thing was certain—regardless of which it was, her words had relieved some of Rumiian's burden.
'Even if she really thinks that way, any ordinary girl would have put on a stern face and walked right out......'
Tania hadn't done that. She was being considerate, in her own way, so he wouldn't struggle.
Of course, even so, there was no helping the embarrassment.
Rumiian spoke again.
"U-um, anyway, I'm sorry. This is, well...... uhh, I didn't know you were my senior, I thought it was just the other guys......."
"It's okay, it's okay. I understand. Don't cry, junior."
"Ugh."
Watching Tania lightly tease him, Rumiian lowered his head again.
Still, it was much less embarrassing than before.
Having somewhat composed himself, he asked.
"By the way, why are you here at this hour...... aren't you in class?"
"I skipped."
"......Does the top-ranking third-year really get to live like that?"
"If it's to visit my lovely junior who's sick, this much is nothing."
"Visit?"
"Yeah. You're sick, right? I heard from Professor Irene."
"Ah...... I see."
Rumiian answered with an awkward smile.
Truthfully, it was closer to faking illness, but he couldn't tell Tania that.
Rumiian expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you. But did you really skip class?"
"I just stepped out for a bit, so it's fine. You haven't eaten, right?"
"Hmm...... yeah."
Now that he thought about it, mealtime had passed. He'd been so depressed he hadn't even realized he was hungry.
But seeing the food Tania brought made his mouth water. Couldn't be helped. No matter how sad someone is, they have to eat to live.
"By any chance, did you personally prepare this food for me......"
"Where would I have the time? I bought it from a nearby shop. Why, do you want to try my cooking?"
Tania said with an enigmatic smile. Her face looked slightly teasing.
Rumiian felt strangely flustered and grumbled.
"No, I was just asking. Anyway, I'll enjoy it."
"Pay me back later."
"Pay you back?"
"Yeah. When I'm sick, you have to come take care of me too."
Tania said as she unwrapped the food packaging.
Rumiian wore a puzzled expression. He couldn't tell at all if she was serious or joking.
Well, it didn't matter. First priority was satisfying his hungry stomach.
Thanking her once more, he took a bite of a sandwich.
"It's delicious."
"Really? Good to hear. I haven't tried it."
"You should try some. It's really good."
He was sincere. He kept saying how tasty it was and reached for a second sandwich.
But Tania's expression was strange.
She was looking at him with an incredibly proud face.
"What, what's wrong?"
"Huh? No! I just thought you had something on your face......"
"Really? Where......"
"Ah, never mind. I saw wrong. I need to eat too, hehe."
The two finished off the sandwiches in no time. To be precise, Rumiian ate most of them, and Tania barely touched them. Instead, she kept stealing glances at Rumiian eating happily.
"I ate too much by myself. Sorry."
"No. Sick people should eat more. You need to get your strength up."
"What's this, you're being awfully kind today. Why the sudden change?"
"I'm naturally sweet, you know? How amazing is it that I'm being considerate so my junior doesn't feel embarrassed after getting caught with erotic books......"
"Ah, I'm sorry. I was wrong."
Rumiian wore a flustered expression. He couldn't think of any words to refute her.
However, unlike when the incident first happened, his heart was at ease. Being lightly teased like this was much better than being stern-faced.
Tania seemed to know that too.
Grinning broadly, she spoke like a mischievous imp.
"Ah, nice. I can use this to boss you around for a while."
"As if there's anything to boss me around about......"
"What do you mean there isn't? I'll call you out whenever I'm bored, so keep your schedule open."
"Ugh, I really should have locked the door......"
The two talked for about thirty minutes after that.
It was a comfortable and enjoyable time. When she said she had to go now, Rumiian felt a slight regret.
"I'll come again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow too? That's too much......"
"When your senior shows concern, you just say 'Yes, thank you!' That's all you need to do."
"Yes, thank you."
"Ahaha, see you tomorrow. Get better quickly."
With those words, Tania left the room.
Rumiian looked at the door for a moment. Then he chuckled.
'I feel somewhat more at ease.'
He couldn't exactly say why.
But he was certain that his mood had improved significantly compared to before she came.
It would sound strange to put it this way, but it seemed more effective than the erotic books.
'But, isn't this situation similar to what I was thinking about earlier?'
Rumiian let out an exclamation of realization.
Just like the knights from his past life who quickly overcame heartbreak, he too had spent time with another woman and healed the pain of parting.
'Of course, the relationship between my senior and me isn't like that......'
He felt slightly peculiar.
"Oh well. As long as I feel better than before, that's what matters."
Rumiian dismissed his concerns with a mutter to himself.
Then he took out the erotic book he had hidden under the blanket again.
This time, he made sure to lock the door.
***
While Rumiian was spending time alone like that, Tania quickly exited the boys' dormitory and covered both her cheeks with her hands.
Rumiian might not know, but she had done some quite bold things today.
Entering the boys' dormitory for the first time.
Letting Rumiian taste food she made herself for the first time. She had said she bought it from a shop out of embarrassment, but that wasn't true.
'And I even called him my lovely junior.'
Of course, to the listener it might not have meant much, but Tania had said those words with genuine feeling.
Her face flushed red as she recalled what just happened.
'Good. Let's get closer little by little like this.'
Now that things had ended with Leyton Wyno, this was her chance!
Let's approach this methodically!
Tanya Eloyze, making this resolution inwardly, walked off to return to class.
That's right. She too was now aware of it.
That she held good feelings for Rumiian.
***
Tuesday, and Wednesday as well, Tania visited the boys' dormitory.
Probably Thursday—today—would be the same. Rumiian waited for her with strange feelings.
'My mood is weird.'
Tanya Eloyze—talking with her put his mind at great ease.
This was something impossible considering Rumiian's usual self.
He always hid his true self. He acted cool to impress women, and forcibly created an atmosphere suited to the situation.
But in front of Tania, he didn't need to do that. He showed himself as he was, and comfortably laughed and chatted.
'Of course, that's the same with Theorona, Boomer, and Karl Krone, but......'
It was a little different.
In any case, Tania was a woman, not a man. Even if it was comfortable, the feeling was bound to be different.
And as he became conscious of this, his feelings toward Tania began to change as time passed.
It wasn't just comfortably at ease like the first day. But he didn't dislike that.
Somehow he felt giddy, and his heart beat a little faster too. Today especially, he was looking forward to Tania coming more.
This was the feeling of excitement.
Though he hadn't yet recognized it in his head, Rumiian too was gradually becoming conscious of Tania.
Click
Knock knock knock!
"Tanya senior?"
"Yeah. Can you open the door?"
"Yes, just a moment."
Rumiian rose from his seat, undid the lock, and opened the door. There he saw Tania with a smiling face.
"What's this. Why'd you lock the door? By any chance......"
"Ah, no. I threw away all the books."
Of course, that was a lie. Tania suspected as much, but she giggled and let it slide.
She placed a sandwich basket on the table.
"I brought some again today. But aren't you getting tired of it? You've been eating the same thing for four days."
"No. I'm not tired of it. It's really delicious...... Let's go to the shop together sometime later."
"H-huh? That's......"
"Why?"
"Ah, never mind. Let's do that. Haha."
Tania let out an awkward laugh. Rumiian tilted his head at this, but soon focused his attention on the sandwiches.
Just like yesterday, she happily watched him eat.
And when he finished one piece of sandwich, she casually asked.
"By the way, is your worry resolved?"
"Huh?"
"You said you had a worry. At the beginning of the semester."
"Ah......"
He had completely forgotten.
It was funny. Just a few weeks ago he had been walking around with a sour expression because of that, and now he wasn't even thinking about it.
'If I just let go of the worry about consequences, I could go anytime......'
Rumiian fell into thought.
Until now, he had no reason to think about going to Rodisia because things had been going well with Leyton Wyno. Why would he need to explore the Kingdom of Women when his ideal type was right beside him?
But now that his relationship with her had fallen apart, he couldn't help but be interested again.
It definitely should have been that way.
'But...... I'm not really feeling it.'
It was strange.
Despite remembering the fact he had forgotten, no interest in Rodisia arose at all.
The situation still hadn't changed. Beautiful female knights would be swarming there.
Just knights?
Mages, scholars, officials, maids...... all kinds of beauties would be waiting. At least in Rumiian's imagination.
But.
Really strangely.
He wasn't interested.
'Hmm......'
Rumiian wore a serious expression.
Could it be that his celibate lifestyle had been so long that his libido had decreased?
Even though that thing had appeared, had the Lord God taken away his desires because he couldn't do anything with it?
'No. Considering how vivid this morning was, that's not it.'
He had even finished reading all three erotic books hidden under his bed.
Rumiian fell into confusion and remained silent.
Tanya watched him with worried eyes.
"What's wrong, why are you like that? Did I say something wrong......?"
"Ah, no. I just had something to think about for a moment...... And thank you. I think my worry is mostly resolved now."
Startled, Rumiian answered Tanya's question.
Far from being resolved, it was a worry he had forgotten, but for now he could only say that. After all, he wasn't really struggling right now either.
"Hmm, really? Then that's good."
Tanya nodded.
It didn't feel like he was just making excuses, but fortunately his expression didn't look bad.
She continued speaking.
"Ah, and I can't come tomorrow."
"Huh? Why?"
"I've skipped too many classes. It's too much now."
"Ah, I've been living each day waiting for you as my only joy......"
"Flattery. You're not even sick anymore, are you? You look completely healthy. How long are you going to rest?"
"Hmm......"
It was true.
His body had been fine from the start, and now he had somewhat composed himself from the pain of parting. Thanks to Tanya.
Thinking that way, there was no reason to keep resting.
Rumiian nodded and said.
"I am better now. I should start attending classes next week."
"Right. Let's meet outside from now on."
"Huh?"
"The weather's been great, and I'm getting tired of just talking in the room. Since it came up, want to go out together sometime? A delicious cake shop opened outside the Academy."
Tanya's face was utterly casual as she spoke.
As if it was just—if you have time, let's go, if not, whatever.
However, she couldn't help that her cheeks turned slightly red.
But Rumiian didn't notice this.
He was more focused on his own heart pounding.
"Um......"
"Why? Don't you like cake?"
Tanya leaned her upper body closer to Rumiian.
It was an action she took with some courage, and she got the response she was hoping for.
Rumiian looked flustered yet excited, which she quite liked.
Just as she was waiting for his answer with sparkling eyes—
Flap flap
A golden parrot flew in through the open window and cried out loudly.
-Sex!
"......."
"......."
Silence fell.
Fire sparks flew from Rumiian's eyes.
'Why is this bastard suddenly acting up?'