Millefeuille caught her breath.
It was my first time putting a hairpin in a girl’s hair too, so I felt a little awkward.
“Are you okay?”
“Y-Yes… Se, Senior. I, I’ll go clean the back room for a bit!”
With that, Millefeuille went into my prep room.
It’s probably a bit messy in there—will she be alright?
But before I could say anything, Millefeuille had already disappeared.
—
*She won’t hear me from here.*
*No, she might have already heard.*
Millefeuille sat down in Wolfram’s private room—what he called his workshop—and clutched her chest tightly.
*Quiet down. Just lower the sound of my heartbeat a little.*
*I know. I know very well that this was beyond my station.*
The distance I stepped back, and the stride that brought Senior a little closer.
Even though we both took one step, the distance he closed made me feel like I couldn’t escape—and I felt his presence as a man once again.
And then, that cold voice that followed. The warm words hidden inside it.
The flower brooch he made himself.
A design far too gorgeous for someone like me.
Surely, if I hadn’t met this person, I would never have even been able to gaze upon such a beautiful masterpiece.
An accessory that would easily cost tens of millions of rin.
But.
The moment I wear this, this jewel-like flower becomes mine.
Since it had become such a dreamlike situation, I let out one line.
*Please put this flower on me yourself.*
Even though it was an unreasonable request, his hand reached out as if it were nothing, over my head…
“Wow… Wowwwww… Aaaah…”
Millefeuille covered her face with both hands and started squirming.
*Did he hear? What if he heard my heartbeat?*
*No, there’s no way he didn’t—it’s so loud my ears are about to burst!*
“Le-Let’s do something else. Doing something else will calm me down. Yeah. It’s okay.”
Millefeuille staggered to her feet and looked around.
First, cleaning. Putting away everything except the things I need and organizing them—cleaning gives you courage and soothes your mind.
And…
“There’s a lot to clean.”
No, really.
There was a lot to clean.
“Hmm. Senior lives alone and is busy, so I suppose it can’t be helped, right?”
—
Honestly,
I don’t know how it turned out like this.
“Senior. How should I organize this?”
“Hmm… No. I’ll do that.”
“Senior, sit down. I’ll take care of it.”
“……”
I heard some rustling noises from my personal workshop and office, so I went in to check, and there was Millefeuille cleaning up the trash.
“Millefeuille?”
“Ah. Senior. Just a moment. I’m in the middle of cleaning.”
“No, I can see that, but why are you cleaning?”
“Huh? Because it’s dirty. If it’s dirty, it’s natural to clean it, isn’t it?”
“No, that’s… true, but…”
It’s a sound argument, so it’s hard to refute.
“No, that’s not it. I’m asking why *you* are cleaning *my* office.”
“Living spaces need to be cleaned often, or you’ll catch a cold easily, Senior.”
“…No…”
That’s also true, but!
“Hehe. Senior, just sit and wait. Ah, feel free to give me cleaning instructions too. You’re very tired, right?”
“……Yeah.”
Saying that, Millefeuille began leisurely cleaning my room.
“I’ll help too.”
“Sit down, Senior.”
“No, but this is my office.”
“Yes. That’s why I’m cleaning it for you. You don’t usually get to clean someone else’s office, do you?”
“……”
That’s true, but!
“Millefeuille. I’ll also—”
“Sit down.”
“No, but my office—”
“Yes. Senior’s precious office needs to be kept clean.”
“So let me help—”
“Senior, aren’t you tired?”
I can’t win.
This is an unblockable attack. I can’t overcome this.
And so, I was forced to endure the strange humiliation of my junior cleaning my room.
I’ll live a little cleaner from now on.
—
After that, I enjoyed the dinner Millefeuille had made.
“I can cook too, you know.”
“Surely you don’t think I don’t know Senior’s cooking skills? Today, I’ll take care of everything myself.”
“……”
It felt less like the Millefeuille who had been occasionally very scary lately, and more like the kind, gentle Millefeuille of old.
Who was it? Who lifted the curse that was on this girl?
What Millefeuille made was a stew packed with vegetables.
“How is it? It’s made in the eastern village style, so it might not suit Senior’s palate, but it’s from my hometown…”
“You don’t need to be so anxious. It’s very delicious.”
“…Huh?”
Hmm.
I mean it.
It’s not some amazing gourmet dish, but the taste of warm home cooking.
My own cooking tends to feel more like eating out, and lately I’ve often just grabbed a few pieces of bread instead of cooking.
“I never thought I’d get to eat such warm food here in Zefflin. This is nice.”
“…If, if you praise me that much…”
“I’m just evaluating something good as good, as is natural. It’s not overpraise. It’s a compliment.”
“……Ugh. Yes.”
Millefeuille’s face turned red, and she bowed her head so deeply it almost touched her plate, then picked up the stew she’d made herself.
I didn’t think I’d praised her that much.
“Lately, instead of cooking, I’ve been surviving on pastries made with Shining Patissiel.”
“…Huh? Then that’s bad for your health!”
“Hmm. But lately I’ve had so much work that I can’t help it. And it’s going to get busier.”
Through my agreement with Eve, I have to not only run the convenience store but also go on Zefflin expeditions.
“That’s, that’s not acceptable. Especially since you’re already in poor health.”
“Hmm.”
When she hits me with that, I have nothing to say.
“Hmm, hmm. I see. Then there’s a way. But… that would be shameless… No. Hmm.”
Millefeuille slowly walked around me, lost in thought.
What kind of calculations are going on in her head?
Still, with those stats, she placed first in her grade as a Zefflin first-year—she’s top-tier when it comes to knowledge.
I’m looking forward to whatever wise answer she comes up with.
A solution that covers both my health and the Zefflin expeditions!
“Should I come every day and cook for you…?”
“No, that won’t work.”
Absolutely not.
“Then there’s no way… Ah. Then, you’ll always have two meals a day with me!”
“……Hm? How? What about your general faculty life?”
“……Ugh, hmm.”
Millefeuille fell into thought again. She’s desperately trying to piece together an answer.
“Hmm. That method is too extreme. But… first, let’s grasp the conditions… This is Magic Faculty 8. There are empty rooms… Ah. Hmm. Then? Ah… Aha.”
After thirty minutes like that.
Millefeuille finally seemed to have found her answer and smiled brightly at me.
“Senior! So, you see…”
Ho.
That answer is quite novel, isn’t it?
—
The next day.
Zefflin Academy’s first-semester closing ceremony.
To be honest, the closing ceremony isn’t that big of a deal.
Each professor assigns free research topics, and the area around the warp portal just gets busier during the break.
Some students will return home to report the information they gathered at Zefflin. Others will visit their friends’ families to reaffirm alliance ties.
Or some will stay inside Zefflin to continue unfinished research.
It’s not a farewell at all. Rather, it’s just becoming more free.
But we had to face one clear farewell.
“*Hic*. *Sniff*. I, Spica Tri-Star. I, I learned so much.”
Spica Tri-Star.
She’s a girl confirmed to enroll next year, which means she’s not currently a Zefflin student.
“Spica. I look forward to your enrollment next year.”
“Yes! President Eve. *Sniff*… Thank you so much.”
“Hehe. Spica, you’re such an excellent student, I’m truly happy.”
She’s already submitted the reports required as a sprout, and her evaluations were apparently very good. Her relationships with the surrounding friends were also good—she’s truly a versatile prodigy.
“…Brother Wolfram.”
“Spica.”
“Revolutions always come with farewells. Ugh, but… I’m so disappointed. It’s so unfair…”
“What do you mean?”
To me, she’s a cute little sister who’s been tainted by her sister, but anyway, Spica looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“I studied, so hard… trying to get closer to Brother Wolfram, but… you went to the sea without me… *Hic*, *sniff*.”
“……”
Ah.
Come to think of it, she didn’t get to go to the sea.
I’m sorry about that. Really.
“When you enroll next year, I’ll take you to see the sea.”
“I-is that true?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s a revolutionary promise, Brother!”
“Mm.”
That’s how Spica and I promised.
“Then, Wolfram. Spica and I will be in Eden for a while. If you need the warp portal, contact me anytime.”
“Got it.”
“Let’s go, Spica.”
“Brother Wolfram…! When we meet next time, I’ll definitely—”
“It’s treason, Spica.”
The two entered the warp portal like that.
Eden. The Tri-Star domain, huh.
Come to think of it, I should go there to adjust the contract distribution ratio too.
I’ll probably have to go at least once.
Next was Nefty.
She was the one who hesitated the most, right up until just before leaving.
I fully understand this.
The duty of a 【Royal Guard】, no matter what anyone says, is to protect the imperial family.
For her to return home is a serious dereliction of duty.
A grave crime worthy of capital punishment.
“Honestly, I should be protecting you, Senior.”
“No. This is an order from your lord. Go home, report, talk enough with your family, get permission, and come back. My 【Royal Guard】, Nefty.”
“I humbly accept your command. My lord.”
We looked at each other and smiled lightly. But the trust contained within was by no means light.
“Ah, Wolfram. Rudika is going.”
“You seem to be in quite a hurry.”
“…Ah, that’s because I have to convince my clan.”
“Convince?”
“Something like that. I’ll go, have some spars, check my skills, and more than anything… next time, I have to try to beat the man who gave me my first defeat.”
Is she talking about me?
Ha, well now.
I’m not going to fight you though? I won? Why would I fight? Haha.
“See you in the second semester, Rudika.”
“Yeah. Wolfram, Rudika’s best friend. …I’ll be back.”
“Mm.”
Next was Eve.
“When are you planning to go home?”
“Who knows.”
I feel like if I go home wrong, I’ll get stabbed and die, so I probably won’t go back.
“Right. Anyway, I have things to report to the imperial family, so I’ll go ahead. But your other siblings are probably waiting for you too.”
“If I feel like it, I’ll go.”
“Will you feel like it within summer break?”
“If I feel like it, I’ll try to feel like it within summer break.”
“……Die. Trash.”
“Ha. Go to grad school.”
We raised our middle fingers at each other and said our goodbyes.
The last one to say goodbye was Millefeuille.
“Then, Senior. I’ll be going too.”
“Go carefully.”
“…Yes! My place to return to is the convenience store!”
“That… isn’t wrong, but.”
“Isn’t it? Boss?”
“……No, you’re right. Part-timer.”
At my answer, Millefeuille covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.
That day. Millefeuille, who had been alarmed by my meals and lifestyle, made a very strong request.
That request was—
*”Then, I’ll work part-time at Senior’s convenience store!”*
*”…Part-time?”*
*”Yes! So that every time I work, we can have dinner together, take walks, and talk, Senior!”*
*”……”*
The first person to say they wanted to work part-time for me was Nefty, but after many twists and turns, she became my Royal Guard.
Truth be told, even if there were no customers, I wanted someone to assist me at the convenience store.
So I eventually agreed. After summer break, Millefeuille would become my part-timer.
“Then, I’ll be off!”
“Yeah. Go ahead.”
After that, I also spoke with Vanilla, Yogurt, Emily, and other students.
It was only a little over a month of summer break, but everyone left their farewells and departed.
It’s not like it’s a farewell for life.
Isn’t that right?
Anyway, after going along with their emotional rhythms and returning to the convenience store, she was there.
“Oh my. Did you see your little sister off?”
“Sister Filtia.”
“Yes, it’s your sister. Did you see everyone off well?”
“Yeah. Finished without a hitch.”
“Hehe. I see. Well then… shall we get down to business?”
“Of course.”
Even if everyone returns home, I still have things to do at the convenience store.
Research and development of new convenience store products.
The Zefflin exploration that has to start at the beginning of the second semester.
And…
“Investigating the great ancestor’s legacy to conquer the Demon Realm Gate.”
“Yeah. Finding Dad’s treasure. Hehe. Your sister is really looking forward to it too.”
Summer vacation, arriving after a grueling first semester.
But. I, Wolfram von Lohengrin, have no time to rest.
