Chapter 28 - Volume 3 (1/2)

School Arc – Chapter 9 Shade POV

「I really want to know who’s the person that made you make that kind of face」

My words made her gaze back with a startled look.

Prior to this, she had glanced towards my elder sister and the person who I fear will be my future brother-in-law, flirting with each other. Placing the standard distance from there, were the onlookers, who were watching them, while blushing for some reason; but, I dare say, they were probably a Lycoris or a Wolf fan. Those two had whimsical devotees that thought things like『I want to watch over the pair’s romance』.

I really want them to stop it. In various meanings of the word.

「May I invite you for a dance?」

Even though I invited her with my best smile, the girl– Lilium’s answer was blunt.

「The purpose of your invitation isn’t for a dance. It’s to have a talk with me, isn’t it?」

She’s a smart girl.

「Could the talk be about staying away from your elder sister」

「No way. I don’t have the right to say such a thing」

「But, the reason why she doesn’t have any special friends even though she’s been yearning for them for so long, is because you have been an obstruction, is it not?」

She’s not only smart, she seems to be fairly strong-willed too.

「That’s a misunderstanding. Neither I nor Wolf had ever considered a thing like wanting to keep Lycoris a loner, you know?」

「But, if she had your cooperation, she should’ve found it easy to cultivate an understanding with those around her」

「Well, it’s… like, you know. It’s not as if I proactively made her a loner or anything, but still…」

I dipped my voice a little lower.

「If that person ends up spending all her time on other people, wouldn’t it be lonely?」

Is she going to ridicule, or reprimand?

But, Lilium’s reaction was neither one of the two.

「I can also understand that kind of sentiment」

(Oh?)

Maybe it was because I showed her my true intentions, Lilium’s expression became a little calmer. Even so, it was only to the extent that I turned from a 『threat』 to just another 『stranger』.

「You can understand why we’re jealous. Then, what kind of sentiment would be difficult for you to understand?」

「…………」

I decided to try to get one step closer to her thoughts.

「For instance, familial affection, perhaps, or maybe friendship?」

「It seems you know a great deal about my past, don’t you?」

Without flying out into a rage, she showed a provocative smile. It was a smile I’m sure was an expression that was the opposite of an 『it was supposed to be impossible for you to find out』expression.