Neither of them had expected anyone to actually show up.
Okamine Tamae flinched violently, and for a moment, a flicker of panic flashed across the eyes of "Itsuka Shidou," who was still gripping her chin.
Melusine's figure emerged a short distance away, her golden eyes cold and unwavering. It was as if all lies and hidden malice in the world were laid bare before those eyes. For anyone harboring guilt, the weight of her gaze was suffocating.
Even though both Okamine and Shidou were physically taller than her, her presence made them feel as though she were towering above them.
Okamine cracked first under the pressure. Having already lost her ability to think clearly from embarrassment, she simply followed instinct and fled in a panic—leaving only Shidou behind.
Shidou's expression darkened. He stared at Melusine for a long moment, then forced a smile.
"Ah, what a shame. You interrupted my big moment, Lancelot… I was this close to winning another young maiden's heart."
He rubbed the back of his head and walked toward her with a self-deprecating laugh.
His features were androgynously attractive, his eyes seemingly gentle. In appearance, he was undeniably Itsuka Shidou.
But his words… were pure sleaze.
"Though…"
Melusine tilted her head slightly. "That young lady didn't look very willing."
"Oh, you're mistaken. Tama-chan's just a bit shy, that's all."
"Is that so? Human emotions are so complex."
Melusine seemed to accept his explanation without resistance.
"I'm looking for Kaguya," she said, holding up the bento box in her hand. "She forgot her lunch. Could you tell me where she is?"
"Kaguya? That careless little kitten… Sure, I just saw her a moment ago. She's probably looking for me right now."
"Looking for you?"
"Indeed. It's exhausting sometimes, being this popular…"
He brushed a hand across his forehead as he spoke, casually dropping a line that, had any other boy said it, would've gotten him crucified on the spot.
He peeked at Melusine's face, expecting a reaction.
But her expression remained cold and unreadable—utterly unmoved.
Her indifference caused a subtle shift in his gaze.
After getting Kaguya's class number, Melusine nodded and said a brief "Thank you," then turned to leave without hesitation.
But just as she took her first step, Shidou stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"Leaving so soon? That's not very courteous, is it?"
Melusine blinked slowly, golden eyes narrowing. "Do you need something, Shidou?"
"I was thinking…"
He stepped closer, that same sly smile on his lips. His left hand slid onto her shoulder.
"When someone helps you, even a little, isn't it natural to show some gratitude? A gesture of appreciation—don't you agree?"
"There's merit in that line of thought," Melusine replied evenly.
"I'm so glad you see it that way."
He smiled, pleased, and raised his right hand to gently lift her chin.
"I gave you what you needed—told you where Kaguya is. Shouldn't you repay the favor somehow?"
Melusine's brow twitched ever so slightly. Her eyes flicked to the hand beneath her chin, then met his gaze again.
"I believe I already said thank you."
"Anyone can say thank you. I'm talking about a real gesture—something a bit more... substantial."
Shidou's tone was mocking now. "The reason there are fewer good people in the world is because kindness is never repaid fairly. A man saves a pregnant woman from a murderer, loses an arm in the process, and gets a thank-you card, a commemorative banner, and a token payout. Who'd want to be a hero after that?"
"…"
Melusine said nothing. Neither agreeing nor refuting, she simply stared at him.
Her golden eyes—bright like twin suns—were so still they felt frozen, unmoved, and strangely terrifying. Stars seemed to flicker somewhere within them.
Shidou tightened his grip on her chin, bending slightly forward.
"In that case, I think I'll start collecting my—"
BANG!
...
In the school hallway, Melusine finally found Kaguya.
Not just her—Yuzuru and Tohka were there too, surrounded by a crowd of students Melusine didn't recognize.
And they weren't wearing school uniforms. Instead… swimsuits? Specifically, the classic school one-piece—the infamous sukumizu.
Melusine immediately sensed something was off. She also noticed the smoldering fury in several students' eyes.
But she didn't flinch. Expression calm, she walked straight up to them.
"Kaguya."
Her quiet call drew the girls' attention. The three Spirits looked mildly surprised, but the surrounding students—upon seeing Melusine—visibly gasped.
"Lancelot? Why are you here?"
"Lancelot! Have you seen Shidou?"
"Query: Lancelot, who is the person slung over your shoulder?"
Three girls. Three questions.
The other students, realizing that this fairy-like beauty knew the Spirits personally, buzzed with curiosity—though they tried to keep their voices low.
"Shidou? Haven't seen him," Melusine replied, blinking her gem-like eyes. She walked over and held up the bento. "Kaguya, you forgot your lunch. I brought it."
"Oh! Thank you, Lancelot. As expected of my loyal ally—you always show up at just the right time."
Kaguya beamed as she took the bento.
"And Yuzuru's question… hmm."
Melusine glanced at the small green-haired girl slung over her shoulder and fell into brief silence.
"…I found her on the way here."
"Understood."
Yuzuru accepted the explanation without a trace of doubt.
After spending so much time with her, they trusted Melusine completely. Her knight-like honor had been proven through action. If she said something, they believed it.
Tohka, Kaguya, Shidou—they all felt the same.
Even if Melusine lied to them, they'd believe she had a good reason.
And judging from the unkempt state of the girl's hair, her story seemed plausible enough.
What surprised Melusine was that none of them questioned her further.
Just then, someone from the crowd couldn't resist and decided to ask the most approachable target—Tohka.
"Tohka, who's that super cute, knightly little girl?"
"She seems really close with you guys. She even brought Kaguya a bento! How come we've never seen her before?"
"Ma Ji washes pantyhose."
"Eh? Ayi, Mai, Mii…"
Tohka flinched, suddenly nervous.
"Y-you're talking about Lancelot, right?"
"Lancelot? Isn't that from the Arthurian legends?"
"A nickname? Or a title?"
"Ma Ji washes pantyhose."
"I-it's not a nickname! I mean, I don't think it is! When Lancelot introduced herself, that's the name she gave! And… everyone calls her that…"
Tohka became visibly flustered.
"Names are super important! There's no way hers would be fake! Lancelot said so herself—someone very important gave it to her!"
Tohka cherished names. Her own had been a gift from the person most dear to her. It was the start of her happiness.
But trying to introduce Melusine to outsiders was clearly straining her, especially since she knew the rule: never reveal a Spirit's identity to ordinary humans.
Aside from that, her strongest impression of Melusine was…
"Lancelot's cooking is amazing! Since Shidou's been too weak to cook lately, she's been making all our meals!"
A round of gasps followed.
People were stunned that such a young, beautiful girl could cook so well it left Tohka in awe.
Noticing that the topic had turned to her, Melusine glanced at the crowd, then returned her attention to Kaguya.
"Is something going on? Why are you all gathered here like this…"
She paused, eyes drifting to Kaguya and Yuzuru's outfits.
"…And dressed like that. Do you have swimming class next period?"
At her question, the twins' expressions immediately turned stormy.
"It's that awful Shidou's fault! He crossed the line this time!"
"Agreed. His actions today are completely unforgivable. He must pay dearly."
"He snatched my panties and ran off!"
"He said, 'I'm obsessed with the glimpse of lingerie beneath clothing,' and dumped water all over Yuzuru."
"We couldn't find anything else to wear! Thankfully, the school swimsuits were available!"
Melusine could feel the seething rage—not just from the Yamai sisters, but from Tohka and the surrounding students. The air itself seemed hostile toward Shidou.
And surprisingly, among the overwhelmingly female crowd, Melusine spotted a few angry-looking boys.
Oh no… don't tell me this is exactly what it looks like.
She glanced at the green-haired loli on her shoulder.
Wow. That little girl really went for the kill. She's destroyed Shidou socially.
And judging from how deviously effective her plan was… this loli had likely experienced malice firsthand before. She knew how words—and public opinion—could hurt.
"Kaguya, Yuzuru, Tohka… do you have a moment? I need to speak with you."
She had no interest in explaining things to everyone—just the people who needed to know.
The three girls exchanged glances, then looked back at her.
"As your sworn ally, of course I'll hear you out."
"Affirmative. Time is available."
"Lancelot, is this something important?"
"It is…"
Melusine nodded.
"…It's about the girl on my shoulder. And about Shidou."
At the mention of his name, their expressions turned serious.
They could rage all they wanted, but deep down, they still cared about him.
Otherwise, after what he allegedly did, the ICU would've been a more likely destination.
"But first… I have a question."
Melusine paused, then asked, "Before Shidou pulled those stunts, did he disappear for a while? Do you know where he went?"
The twins blinked, then turned to Tohka—since Shidou wasn't in their class, they wouldn't have known his whereabouts.
"Eh? That's strange…"
Tohka furrowed her brows.
"He was sitting next to me the whole time… but later, he suddenly came in from outside the classroom. I didn't even notice when he left!"
The students around them gasped.
"Wait—Tohka didn't notice him leave? The girl who's practically glued to Shidou?"
"And their seats are right next to each other…"
"Ma Ji wears pantyhose."
---
T/N: Ma Ji wears pantyhose. (theres actually no meaning behind its basically just nonsensical words) also i realized i translated Kazamachi instead of Kaguya, last 5 chapters let me know if u spot them so i can fix it
(I AM NOT FIXING THAT SHIT LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DO NOT TRUST ME)