“You're so heavy... Why don't you get down first?”
“Oh.”
Lillian obediently got off Ain's back, turned around to sit quietly on his right side, and took a bite of the wrap in her hand.
Lillian glanced at Emil, who was sitting to Ain's left, and asked, “Is this your friend?”
“Yeah, he's my senior. His name is Emil.”
“Senior, this is my... uh, Lillian.”
Lillian let out a soft huff of dissatisfaction, but a mischievous, playful smirk curled at the corners of her lips.
“Did you forget to add a certain title?”
Ain naturally knew what was on Lillian's mind.
It was nothing more than master-servant roleplay.
But wasn't this girl embarrassed at all?!
She used to be so timid, so how did she become so bold now?
She didn't actually find this kind of thing thrilling, did she?
Lillian's gaze happened to lock onto Ain's shifting, uneasy eyes.
She suddenly felt that teasing Ain was incredibly amusing.
Swinging her legs back and forth, the young girl happily munched on her wrap with a bright smile.
It was so much fun.
Emil's entire world collapsed.
He pointed at Ain in utter disbelief, his voice trembling slightly.
“W-What is the relationship between the two of you?”
Lillian became instantly energized at the mention of this.
Slapping both hands onto the table, the girl suddenly stood up. At this moment, her eyes seemed to sparkle with a thousand stars, and her chest swelled with an uncontrollable excitement, wishing she could shout it out to the entire world.
“We are—! Mmph! Mmph Simon!”
Ain hurriedly covered Lillian's mouth.
“Uh, haha, Senior, I mentioned her to you on the way here. She's my... girlfriend... haha, my girlfriend.”
Compared to the embarrassing master-servant roleplay, Ain was much more willing to use the term ‘girlfriend.’
It was just like when parents didn't want you to play video games; if you told them you liked to gamble, they would immediately beg you to go play video games instead.
People always chose the lesser of two evils.
Emil could not believe what was unfolding before his eyes.
“Girlfriend?”
“Ain has a girlfriend?”
“He actually has a girlfriend!”
This guy, who is weak, unmotivated, and doesn't even have any class, is actually liked by such a beautiful girl?!
Seriously, what does he have that I don't?!
At this moment, Erylin also sat down in the seat opposite Lillian.
“Ah, hello, Senior Emil.”
Erylin offered her usual gentle smile.
“H-Hello.”
Emil stared at Erylin in a bit of a daze.
Though he was dense, he was surprisingly observant in certain areas.
For a warm and helpful girl like Erylin to sit down and only greet him formally, it could only mean one thing.
Out of everyone present, he was the only one she wasn't familiar with.
Then what was the relationship between Erylin, this Lillian, and Ain?
Emil couldn't help but ask.
“Are you all here... planning to discuss something?”
Erylin replied with a smile, “Nothing, really. We're just having a meal together.”
Just a meal, then.
Emil let out a sigh of relief.
And here I was, worrying over nothing.
It seems they're just ordinary friends.
Scared me to death. Absolutely scared me to death.
Just at that moment, Lillian suddenly chimed in out of nowhere.
“Erylin has been practicing magic lately and always goes back very late. But today, knowing she was going to see you, she spent ages dressing up in her dorm~”
“N-No, I didn't! Lillian!”
A flush of crimson crept onto Erylin's cheeks. Flustered, she clenched her right hand, her fingertips instinctively twirling the silver hair falling beside her ear.
Using this action as a cover, she lowered her gaze slightly, stealing a glance at Ain out of the corner of her eye.
“Are those new earrings and hair clips? They look really nice.”
Receiving Ain's praise, Erylin couldn't help but chuckle softly, her eyes filled with an undeniable, melting tenderness.
“Thank you.”
No, no, no.
This isn't right, is it?
Emil stared blankly at the interaction between Ain and Erylin.
Brother, how are you so close to Erylin?
Brother, the way Erylin looks at you is practically dripping with affection, isn't it?
Brother, don't you have a girlfriend? Why are you still on such good terms with another girl? Doesn't your girlfriend mind?
Wait, brother, Erylin doesn't usually talk to people like this, does she?
“Speaking of which... Ain, my mana seems to be getting a bit out of control again lately...”
“Are you trying to trick me again? How long has it been since you became a witch, and you still can't control your own mana?”
Emil suddenly recalled the recent rumors.
After standing frozen in place for dozens of seconds, Emil suddenly leaped up, his eyes filled with sheer horror. He raised a trembling hand, his finger pointing straight at Ain as if he were looking at some unbelievable monster.
“Holy crap! Brother, so you're that lovesick fool from the late-night confession!”
At the words ‘late-night confession,’ Lillian's face instantly flushed bright red. Recalling that night when Ain stood up in front of everyone and shielded her behind his back, the girl's heart pounded wildly, and she hurriedly lowered her head.
She lowered her eyes slightly, hiding all the bashfulness and fluttering excitement that was practically overflowing within her beneath her downcast brow.
A late-night confession...
A lovesick fool...
These words repeated over and over in Lillian's mind, and a secret, warm joy quietly welled up in her heart.
So in the eyes of others... Ain likes me that much...
Hehehe... hehehe...
I'm so happy...
The girl almost started drooling.
“Don't, don't, don't! Senior, could you keep your voice down?”
Ain wanted to stop Emil's shouting, but it was already too late.
“Hey, that guy over there is Ain, right?”
“The guy who tricked a witch into his hands and even dared to try and get close to Senior Erylin...”
“He truly deserves ten thousand deaths...”
From not far away, several stealthy glances were directed at them. At this moment, Ain felt as if he were being watched by countless eyes, making him extremely uncomfortable.
He instinctively glanced at Erylin, who met his gaze.
The girl seemed completely unaware that she was the main culprit, offering Ain a warm, gentle smile instead.
Eating with a popular star is indeed a different experience.
As they spoke, another girl wearing the academy uniform walked over with light, brisk steps. Erylin waved to her as well.
The two greeted each other familiarly, a sense of closeness evident in their expressions. After some brief pleasantries, the girl pulled out a chair and sat down next to Erylin.
Emil was dumbfounded.
Another one?
Surely this one can't have anything to do with Ain too, right?
“My, it's been a long time...”
“Ain.”
The girl smiled faintly, but her eyes betrayed an endless, chilling intent to kill.
“The things you did to me... I remember them very clearly...”
“And I will never, ever forget them for the rest of my life, you know?”
She spat out each word individually, as if nursing an immense grievance in her heart.
“Ain, you... you!”
“You actually picked up another one?!”
Emil questioned Ain.
The latter, however, waved his hands in a frantic panic.
“No, no, no! Senior, where on earth do you see any relationship between her and me?!”
Vanessa chuckled softly, a mesmerizing allure rippling through her eyes.
“You know, it's perfectly fine, Ain. If you want to develop a relationship with me, I'm actually looking forward to it~”
In an instant, the ambiguity in the girl's eyes vanished, leaving behind nothing but a spine-chilling, boundless intent to kill.
“And you still say there's nothing?!”
“It has nothing to do with me!”
Looking at Ain, Vanessa wanted nothing more than to chop him in half right now.
It was this guy...
It was this exact guy who had lured away her two best friends!
Go to hell...
Just drop dead, Ain!
Die, die, die, die, die!
Ain felt a sudden chill. He was just about to explain himself when, without any warning, a gentle touch brushed against his back. The soft weight leaning against him instantly cut off his train of thought.
A sweet fragrance instantly enveloped him as a girl's bright, striking pink hair cascaded down, resting gently over Ain's shoulder.
“Ain! I missed you so much!”
Emil's brain had completely overloaded.
Yet another one?!
Reconstructing worldview...
Brother, aren't you single?
Brother, how do you have a girlfriend?
Brother, how are you on such good terms with the academy's goddess?
Brother, why are there so many women around you?
Brother, aren't we best friends?
Brother, didn't we promise never to betray or abandon each other?
Brother, how did you get to live the good life first?
Rate on N.U.
