Page 148

After that, Seron and I first had to decide what to do about our soaked clothes.

The carriage back to the academy was scheduled to return this afternoon.

But we couldn’t just stay wet forever.

On top of that, we hadn’t eaten yet, and I was starting to get hungry.

So, we made a simple decision.

“It’s not simple at all!”

Seron shouted beside me.

What was she even saying after coming all the way here?

Currently, we were standing in front of a rented inn room, holding the key.

Seron and I had rented a room at a nearby inn for a short stay.

Zerion Academy had a lot of noble students, so even a regular inn had private bathrooms.

Here, we could wash up and dry our clothes while resting.

Plus, we could ask the inn staff to bring food up to the room.

There was no better way to take care of everything at once.

However, Seron was standing beside me with her face flushed bright red.

I had thought that, at most, her limit when it came to intimacy was just kissing.

But it seemed like she knew more than I had assumed.

“T-This is, um…”

Seron fidgeted, her face turning an even deeper shade of red as she twisted her body awkwardly.

Our eyes met.

She quickly lowered her head.

“…It’s not like I hate it or anything.”

Wait, didn’t I just hear something that I, as a man, absolutely couldn’t ignore?

But unfortunately, love was something deeply intertwined with desire.

“Seron, I think you’ve forgotten something.”

So, I decided to remind her of a harsh reality.

“I once shared a bed with Lady Iris and didn’t even lift a finger.”

Iris possessed an inherent, decadent beauty, and on top of that, she had the charm of a cursed being.

Yet, had there ever been a problem when I was with her?

Sure, I had almost suffocated when my face was forcibly buried in her chest,

but I never did anything.

Even Hania, who loved Iris, acknowledged my self-control.

So, would I really feel any desire for Seron?

I had to shake my head.

“Don’t worry. I’d never lay a hand on you.”

I even gave her a thumbs-up to reassure her.

And then, her fist came flying at me.

Of course, I dodged it.

“You idiot! How can you say that to a girl who came to an inn with you?!”

“…A girl?”

I dodged her incoming kick.

It was an impressive strike.

“Touch me! You might as well touch me! I’ll beat you to a pulp!”

“This isn’t something that can be solved that way.”

There really were people who were emotionally dense in real life.

Like how some men got so nervous on their wedding night that they couldn’t perform.

This was one of those unavoidable problems.

“Achoo!”

Seron sneezed, shivering slightly.

She must have been cold.

“Stop being stubborn and just take a warm bath.”

I had fire magic from the dragon magic, so I could generate my own heat.

But Seron wasn’t the same.

If she kept losing body heat like this, she’d catch a cold.

“I can’t believe I like such a dense idiot…”

Muttering complaints, Seron opened the door and stepped inside.

Then, she glanced back at me before heading toward the bathroom.

“Just try peeking.”

“I won’t.”

“At least pretend to!”

What was I supposed to do with her?

Still fuming, Seron disappeared into the bathroom.

I followed her inside the room.

Since it was autumn, the room was pleasantly warm.

The inn also had magic tools for washing and drying clothes.

I took off my soaked coat and shirt and placed them inside the device.

Then, I unwrapped the Veil Bandages.

Even though they didn’t have much sensation when worn, they were still wrapped around me.

It was best to remove them whenever possible.

This way, it would take longer for anger and sorrow to completely consume me.

I could finally breathe a little easier.

I carefully rolled up the Veil bandages and set them aside.

Luckily, there was a bathrobe provided in the room.

After wiping off the rainwater, I wrapped myself in it.

I sat on the bed and let myself relax, listening to the sounds around me.

Beyond the wall, I could hear the sound of running water.

Seron was showering.

Women took longer showers than men.

If I waited a bit, she’d come out eventually.

I absentmindedly dried my damp bangs with my hand as I started thinking about food.

“What should I eat…”

Just as I was pondering over dinner—

“Ahem, Prince Dense.”

The bathroom door opened, and a cloud of white steam rolled out.

Seron emerged, wrapped in a bathrobe with a towel over her head.

“You should wash up, too—”

She trailed off mid-sentence, freezing in place.

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at me.

Her pupils trembled violently.

Only then did I realize—Seron wasn’t used to seeing me like this.

Her face rapidly turned red, as if she had only just realized she was alone in an inn room with me.

“Seron.”

“Eep!”

Her voice came out in an unusually high pitch.

At just that, she flinched and instinctively stepped back.

Seron really was weak to this face of mine.

She couldn’t even look directly at me.

Like a lost puppy, she trembled slightly, avoiding my gaze.

She had no intention of coming closer.

I sighed and stood up.

As I approached, she reflexively stepped backward—

until she bumped into the wall, trapping herself.

Seron pressed her hands together in front of her chest and looked up at me with wide, nervous eyes.

She looked exactly like a frightened puppy.

And yet, she couldn’t take her eyes off my face.

No, not my face—her gaze flickered lower before she gasped and quickly looked away.

Her expression was dangerously flustered.

“You’ll catch a cold like that. Hurry up and dry your hair, then go to bed.”

“Y-Yes! Yes, sir!”

With a startled yelp, Seron practically dove onto the bed.

Then, she pulled the blanket over her head and let out a silent scream.

Seriously, this girl’s reactions never gave me a moment to rest.

Growl—

My stomach rumbled.

I should hurry up, wash up, and eat.

* * *

After washing up thoroughly, I had a meal with Seron.

It's been a while since I had a proper break.

Maybe because I stayed in Vikamon's form until the end, Seron seemed embarrassed and picked at her food hesitantly.

I've never seen Seron eat so timidly before.

After that, things were simple.

We wandered around town, visiting different places once the rain stopped.

Since I had returned to my usual form as Hannon midway, Seron also regained her usual energy.

She laughed throughout our date, clearly enjoying herself.

That alone made the outing worthwhile.

By the time afternoon arrived, we boarded the carriage back.

Having spent the whole day playing around, Seron rested her head on my shoulder.

"Somehow, it feels like a dream on an autumn night."

Seron murmured softly as the carriage rattled along.

A dream on an autumn night.

It's been quite a dynamic autumn.

Now, winter is slowly approaching.

With the end of Act 4, Scene 6—Winter Dungeon—the world was already tense with the upcoming events that would soon unfold.

"Prince Sweet Potato, you bought a ring earlier, didn't you?"

Did she notice?

Since I had promised Sharin, I bought a ring while we were out.

Seron knew well enough that the ring wasn't for her.

A slight pout formed on her face.

"Never mind. I got to do more things today anyway."

But soon, her expression softened.

"Prince Sweet Potato, today I finally understand what it means when people say you don’t know love."

I don’t know love.

As I am now, no matter how much people around me try to win me over, my reaction remains the same.

It seems that today, Seron realized this painfully.

"That’s why I’ll face it head-on, fair and square."

Seron declared with determination.

"A battle to stand by your side—the person who can make you regain your love."

Then, her expression shifted slightly.

"...Senior Nikita must have realized that too. That’s why she backed down so easily today."

She was talking about Nikita, whom we met today.

I tilted my head in confusion.

Watching me, Seron clicked her tongue.

"You must be overjoyed, huh? Having so many women who like you? You total playboy."

"That really makes me want to gloat."

"Ugh, that smug look is so annoying!"

And yet, she still likes me.

Seron must like me quite a lot.

"Just wait until you get your love back. You won’t have even a sliver of that composure then."

"I think I’ll still be just as composed."

"We’ll see how long you can keep saying that."

I have no idea what will happen once I regain my love.

By then, the carriage had safely arrived at Zerion Academy.

When I stepped out, I saw the academy buildings already shrouded in darkness.

After thanking the coachman for his efforts, I walked Seron to the girls’ dormitory.

"You sure know how to escort a lady."

"No, I just have another appointment at the girls’ dormitory after this."

"…Say that in front of me one more time, and I dare you."

This is out of my control.

Seron was unusually possessive today.

As I dodged Seron’s attempt to bite my head, we finally reached the dormitory.

"Hannon."

A familiar voice called my name, stopping me in my tracks.

Turning toward the voice, I saw Hania standing there.

Her peach-colored hair stood out as always, and she was dressed in casual clothes.

Her eyes, however, were filled with unease.

Ignoring Seron, who was still gnawing on my head, I tilted my head at Hania.

"Hania, is something wrong?"

She looked troubled.

As her ex-boyfriend, I couldn’t just ignore her.

"It’s about you, Hannon."

Something about me?

Before I could ask, Hania answered.

"The Saintess."

My face froze.

"The Saintess has secretly come to visit Zerion Academy and is meeting with Lady Iris in private."

The Saintess—Acrede Saint Narea.

She had come to the academy during the break.

And she did so in secret.