Stelle pieced things together based on all the heroines she'd ever analyzed.
The kind that says "no" out loud, but is completely honest in their heart.
And if they weren't actually disgusted by it…then there was an eighty percent chance they were the classic tsundere heroine type.
Thinking about how Sylvia always ended up throwing hands whenever she saw her, yet still fussed over her afterward with all those contradictory little actions—Stelle felt extremely satisfied with her conclusion.
When Sylvia heard herself being called "wife," she definitely just got embarrassed.
She acted all awkward and fidgety, refusing to firmly deny it. Looked angry on the surface, but was probably secretly happy inside.
Still…
Couldn't jump to conclusions too fast. Otherwise she'd end up trapped in one of life's three greatest delusions, and that would just be humiliating.
She needed to test things a little more. With her slightly strange little brain running at half capacity, Stelle's thoughts promptly veered off in an increasingly bizarre direction.
So she obediently looked at Sylvia and explained, "But it's more comfortable without one…"
"There are comfortable kinds too!"
"Ehhh—do I really have to?"
What era are we living in? Of course there were softer materials and better designs now.
Either Stelle was too lazy, or she'd never paid attention in the first place. Once she realized taking it off felt better, she just never bothered wearing one again.
Sylvia opened the Interastral Peace Corporation shopping app on her phone.
Then, with absolute forcefulness, shoved it into Stelle's hands.
"Buy them. Ten sets!"
Holding the phone, Stelle blinked blankly and nodded.
That forceful?
Got it. Tsundere probability increased by another ten percent.
Stelle blinked her big eyes and looked at the prices on the screen. She really did want to accept Sylvia's suggestion, but there was no way someone like her—with zero income of her own—could afford it.
"So expensive—I don't really get allowance money."
"Himeko would probably reimburse this kind of expense… actually, forget it. I'll buy them for you, alright?"
Originally Sylvia had planned to tell her to ask Himeko, but after thinking about it, she gave up on the idea.
This wasn't exactly the kind of thing that needed the whole crew finding out.
That would be awkward. Even if they were both girls, embarrassment was still embarrassment. Better to preserve the kid's dignity a little and just buy them herself. It wasn't like it cost that much anyway.
As for Stelle, she puffed out her cheeks slightly, but inwardly, her confidence in her own deduction started wavering again.
This didn't really feel tsundere-like, did it?
She was caring for her so openly… maybe her guess had been wrong?
Normally, shouldn't a tsundere keep scolding her, secretly buy the stuff afterward, then awkwardly hand it over while pretending not to care?
Better play it safe for now.
Seeing Stelle's expression morph wildly like she was glitching out, Sylvia assumed she was genuinely resisting the topic.
She couldn't help letting out a long sigh.
"You, honestly…"
Before she could finish, Stelle suddenly spread her arms while sitting on the bed and wrapped Sylvia in a hug.
That soft, ample warmth pressed tightly against Sylvia's lower stomach, squishing slightly from the pressure.
The softness was impossible to ignore.
"Wifey doesn't like this~? If I wear those, you won't get to feel it anymore—ow!"
The spoiled little routine she'd learned from who-knows-where failed spectacularly and earned her a sharp flick to the forehead from Sylvia.
Stelle narrowed her eyes and flopped backward onto the bed, clutching her forehead while making exaggerated yelps. But inside her little head, she was already thinking:
She hit me that hard—Sylvia's definitely a tsundere!
She was totally embarrassed just now!
Completely unaware of the nonsense going through Stelle's brain, Sylvia flexed her fingers.
Looking down at Stelle rolling around and howling while holding her forehead, she resisted the urge to crack her skull open for real.
"Where exactly did you even learn that?"
Stelle figured now was not the time to charge headfirst into danger, so she decided to confess honestly.
Sorry, March 7th. It's not that I'm abandoning you.
I'll treat you to something good next time.
For now… please take the blame for me.
Stelle silently offered a prayer for March 7th in her heart, while very obediently selling her out aloud.
"March recommended a drama to me…"
"…"
Sylvia's fist clenched.
Very hard.
Right. Of course. I knew it. Nobody else on the Express watches this kind of ridiculous stuff besides March 7th—and then recommends it to Stelle too!
"Don't copy things from dramas ever again. Those are made for entertainment, not for you to practice in real life!"
"Oh…"
Stelle wore a pitiful expression and sneaked a glance at Sylvia with her little eyes.
Her face was still red, and she hadn't calmed down yet. Mm. Definitely still shy.
Guess she needed to act more pathetic.
Thinking that, Stelle kept the same position and stopped talking, just staring at Sylvia, putting on a helpless little "I want to say something but don't dare to" expression.
The sheer artificiality of it nearly made Sylvia laugh from irritation.
This girl really was something. If she had even a shred of acting talent, it wouldn't look this painfully fake.
Still, after being interrupted like this, Sylvia couldn't bring herself to keep scolding her harshly. She opened her mouth, stopped, thought for a moment, then warned her again instead:
"You are absolutely not allowed to do that with anyone else. Got it?"
"Mhm mhm mhm!"
Stelle shot upright immediately. Her forehead was still red, but it didn't hurt anymore.
Mom! She likes me!
Inside, Stelle was giggling like an idiot, her focus completely drifting to the weirdest possible place.
'Not allowed with anyone else.'
What did that mean? Didn't that basically mean she was only allowed to do it with Sylvia?
Hehe, I knew it. Sylvia definitely likes me!
So what if she's shy? So what if she's tsundere?
I get it, I get it. A tsundere has to be like this to be classic. This is what makes them cute.
Sylvia hitting her that hard just proves she likes her!
Stelle's mood instantly brightened. Not only that, she even broke into a silly grin.
Ehehe. Her forehead was definitely red by now, so next Sylvia would probably fuss over her a little, right?
With that thought, Stelle tilted her head up and blinked at Sylvia.
That reaction left Sylvia completely speechless.
"…"
This dumb kid couldn't actually have gotten knocked stupid from one forehead flick, right?
Just moments ago, Stelle had looked utterly unwilling and stubborn and now she'd suddenly become obedient, sitting there clutching her forehead while grinning ear to ear.
Did I break her brain??
Sylvia even felt like—
If Stelle had a tail behind her right now, it'd probably be spinning like a propeller.
Sylvia gave her a puzzled look, then reached out and gently touched Stelle's forehead, carefully rubbing it while sending a small thread of Abundance power into her.
"...Does it still hurt?"
Sylvia looked at Stelle worriedly as the girl's face scrunched into a happy little bun after having her forehead rubbed.
She hadn't actually flicked the poor kid stupid, had she…
"Hehe. Doesn't hurt."
At that moment, Stelle finally locked in Sylvia's personality setting in her mind.
Absolute tsundere.
Thinking back to all those times Sylvia pinned her head down or pinched her cheeks while lecturing her—
At first, she hadn't thought much of it, but now, with this weird filter layered over everything…
Wasn't that just the ultimate tsundere move? Getting flustered and lashing out because she was embarrassed?
So cute!
Sure, getting smacked hurt a little, but she'd absolutely do it again next time.
Still, better behave for now.
Wouldn't do to make Sylvia genuinely angry again.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL