"So, looks like they skipped class again?"
Sylphy looked toward Hilda, who was elegantly sipping her black tea at the small round table. Though her expression was slightly awkward, her posture remained perfectly graceful.
"…Seems so, okaa-sama."
Meanwhile, Rudy—who was visiting Hilda's tea room for the first time—was dumbfounded, glancing toward the window with a stunned look.
Through the rain-streaked glass, on the rooftop directly across from them, stood two very familiar silhouettes.
Allen and Eris. The sibling duo of professional class-skippers.
Rudy and Sylphy had been intercepted by Lir, the cat-eared maid, on their way up and politely invited to Hilda's tea room.
Originally, Rudy wanted to decline, feeling too ashamed—after all, what kind of failure of a teacher gets caught red-handed by the lady of the house because his students keep skipping class? But Sylphy, ever polite, had immediately changed direction and followed Lir without hesitation.
Left with no choice, Rudy followed them, nerves tangled into knots.
And then he saw this…
Even with the rain obscuring much of the view, he could still make out Eris striking that familiar pose—back arched, hands in her hair, performing the Boreas-Style Plea toward Allen.
He'd seen this before.
Vividly.
A few months ago, during swordsmanship class, he'd witnessed Eris do this to Allen for the first time. As a bystander, he had been completely floored.
That violent, wild young lady—acting that cute?!
It was like seeing Star Platinum meowing like a kitten.
Absolutely impossible!
He had jumped up, about to protest such absurdity, when Allen cut him off with two simple lines.
The first was an incomprehensible phrase said with a weird accent:
"Ore, kusa?"
The first word was "I" in human language, the second meant "grass."
What?!
Before Rudy could question him, Allen immediately followed up with a second, perfectly clear line:
"Do it again."
And Rudy had been silenced for the rest of that class.
Just like now.
In his line of sight:
Allen stood arms crossed, saying something righteous-looking to Eris.
But before he could finish, Eris cycled through several adorable poses—
Then silence.
The two stared at each other.
And then…
Allen silently drew his sword and began demonstrating how to swing it.
So honest.
Unbelievable!
And Sylphy said Allen would bring her back to class?!
Rudy turned to Sylphy with disbelief.
But she calmly sipped her tea, gracefully tracing the rim of her cup, pretending not to notice his accusing gaze.
Like this was just another Tuesday.
And suddenly Rudy realized—
So this was why she had gone from flustered to unfazed over the past few months.
She had seen this countless times during her early tea sessions with Hilda!
I'm the only one who didn't know?!
The actual reading and math teacher?!
Hilda, still watching the scene unfold, chuckled as Allen once again yielded to Eris's tactics.
Then she turned to Rudy, speaking gently.
"Apologies for the trouble, Rudy."
Rudy flinched and instinctively straightened his back.
"I-I'm sorry, my lady! It's my fault!"
"No, this is also the result of me intentionally turning a blind eye. Sylphy had suggested persuading them, but… for some reason, I found this scene amusing. It makes me happy, so I told her not to disturb them."
"Eris has never cared much for reading or arithmetic. And since we still have plenty of time ahead, I thought a little relaxation wouldn't hurt. Besides, it's rare for her to be this attached to a non-beastman human other than Ghislaine."
Rudy opened his mouth helplessly.
"My lady… but… I mean, on the rooftop—it's dangerous, isn't it?"
"I asked Ghislaine as well. She said that as long as Eris is with Allen, she'd be safer on a rooftop than on flat ground. Something about Allen having a North God Style technique called 'Four-Legged Form' that lets him move as if he's walking on solid earth."
Rudy stared blankly at the rain-blurred window.
Then looked at Hilda again.
"…Okay."
He gave up and sat back down, copying Sylphy's slow, elegant tea sipping.
The host had spoken.
What else could he say?
Still…
As he gazed at the ripples in his cup of tea, a thought came to mind.
Is it really "overwork" to have seven consecutive days of classes?
Maybe one more rest day would help Eris refocus…?
Silence fell upon the room.
Hilda quietly watched the rain.
Lir silently replaced the tea again and again.
——
But tea couldn't fill the belly.
Despite the elegant pastries, Rudy was starving an hour later when they left Hilda's tea room.
After tutoring Ghislaine for a bit longer, the two headed to the dining hall.
They chose a quiet seat by the window and sat down.
Halfway through the meal, Rudy finally felt satisfied. He slowed his pace, glanced at Sylphy—who had seemed oddly thoughtful all morning—and casually chewed his bread.
"You were right after all, Sylphy."
She blinked, looking up.
But Rudy didn't meet her eyes. He stared at his bread, tearing at its crispy crust as he continued.
"I mean half a year ago, when I asked you to help Allen together. It looks like… he's pulled himself together on his own."
"So your judgment was correct."
Sylphy froze, then looked down.
After a pause, she murmured—
"No… that's not true."
"Oh? How's it not? Isn't everything going fine now? Ghislaine says Allen's Silent Blade is back to peak condition."
"…Rudy, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ghislaine also said that although Allen's Silent Blade technique has recovered, it's only because he compensated for his lost talent with technique—there's been no change in his stagnating desire, right?"
Rudy swallowed the bread in his mouth and set it down.
Then looked up.
His expression turned serious.
"Then why aren't you worried?"
Sylphy stirred her soup slowly and said softly—
"I am doing my best."
"Really?"
Sylphy blinked.
The words of Roxy's letter floated in her mind.
She looked straight at Rudy and didn't blink.
"But right now, I think I need to take action myself—to help him in a more direct way."
Rudy stared at her determined face and paused.
Then suddenly, his expression lit up. He slammed the table.
"You've realized it?!"
Sylphy jumped at the noise, staring at Rudy, confused.
But before she could ask anything—
He leapt up from his chair, arms spread wide, eyes gleaming.
Confident.
So, so confident.
He declared—
"Tonight, go to his room."
"Wear your favorite dress—no, the one Allen likes most. That moon-white one."
"Don't forget the garter stockings Lilia gave you. And the little black leather shoes from Lady Hilda!"
He nodded, deep in thought.
Then—bam!—punched his palm in realization.
"Oh! And the cat-ear pajamas! The ones from Lady Hilda you've never worn in front of him! I remember them!"
"Double the appeal!"
"One night—no, even one second—he sees you in that outfit and his spirit will instantly be restored!!"
(End of Chapter)
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