Chapter 36. Is Cocolia Coming?
The breakfast table had lost its usual energy.
Bronya hadn't gotten up yet.
Sitting across from each other, Xander and Seele were both silent.
Seele alternated between hesitation and little smiles, her face flushing again and again.
Xander looked absent and distracted.
Last night had been a bit too stimulating for him.
Even now, when he closed his eyes, he felt like he could still hear a faint moan and recall the sensation of soft, smooth skin.
As it turned out, Veliona had really been there all along.
After regaining his memories, he had already suspected as much.
But Seele had always acted completely normal on the surface.
To outsiders she was polite and watchful, and to those close to her she was gentle and obedient.
That made Xander think Veliona didn't exist in this life.
For a time, he even felt it was a pity.
Judging from last night, it wasn't that Veliona wasn't there.
She had simply never come to the surface.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
After Seele became his little follower, her days had been safe and happy.
There had been no danger, so Veliona never had a reason to appear.
Even so, Seele had been a little naughty for keeping it from him this whole time.
He looked up and happened to meet Seele's sneaky glance.
"Eep~" she let out a tiny, cute yelp, and those sky-blue eyes began to dart left and right as if Xander's gaze might scorch her.
Last night, Veliona had actually controlled the body for only a short while.
Soon after, she handed control back to Seele.
From then on, everything was left to him.
Still, thinking it over made him feel a bit rueful.
Among the girls close to him, aside from the gentlest Seele, it felt like he couldn't win against anyone.
Teasing Seele was the only thing that could salvage that little scrap of pride.
Tap—tap—tap.
From the top of the stairs came the slow shuffling of slippers.
Bronya yawned and lazily made her way down from the second floor.
Her drowsy look made it obvious she hadn't slept well last night.
Who knew whether she'd been gaming or doing something else.
"Phew~ Morning~"
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Bronya found her seat and sat down.
Then she bent forward, closed her eyes, and began to eat.
Thanks to that, she failed to notice anything odd about Xander and Seele today.
Just their sitting apart was already suspicious enough.
"Why are you so sleepy? Did you stay up late gaming?"
He asked casually, then noticed Bronya shake her head.
She picked up a steamed bun and, instead of eating it, just squeezed it in her hand.
She pressed it against her lips.
The sight made Seele blush again, and Xander's eyes turned a bit unnatural.
But Bronya's next words quickly drew their attention.
"No, I was just chatting with Cocolia, and didn't notice the time."
She finally took a bite of the bun and spoke with her mouth a little full.
"Cocolia?!"
Now that it was mentioned, Seele realized she herself hadn't called Cocolia in several days.
Thinking that, she decided she would call her tonight.
"Mm.
When I asked Kiana for help before, I promised to take her to the beach.
The Raiden family's private beach is under maintenance and can't be used.
So I thought of borrowing Cocolia's private beach in Europe."
Sleepiness made her yawn again, even warping the pitch of her voice.
"Phew~ I let it get too late without noticing."
"It's a wonder that workaholic could chat with you for that long."
The three didn't find anything strange about Xander's comment.
Ever since becoming Anti-Entropy leadership, Cocolia had been busier and busier.
Sometimes phone calls with her ended in two minutes.
"Who knows.
Maybe she happened to be off yesterday."
Her eyelids trembled as she fought drowsiness.
Like she suddenly remembered something, Bronya looked up at Xander and Seele.
"Oh right.
Cocolia said she'll be coming to the Far East soon for some work.
She'll stop by to see us then."
"Really?!"
Seele was so happy she forgot to be shy.
"Yeah.
It won't be many days.
She'll probably arrive around when our summer break starts in a week."
With that, she yawned again and muttered to herself.
"Why do we have finals in the last week?
So sleepy.
I really want to ask for leave…"
Just then, she looked at Xander.
Whether because she was muddle-headed with sleep or not, she blurted out what was in her mind.
"Xander, I'm so sleepy.
Carry me to school right now, okay~"
The coaxing tone sounded like a joke.
But Bronya's condition wasn't something to take lightly.
How long had those two chatted last night?
Could it really have been longer than the time he spent teasing Seele?
"Brother?"
Seele was worried about Bronya, too, and turned pleading eyes to Xander.
Xander had been about to agree at once.
But Seele's look made him change his mind.
He stood up, walked to Seele's side, and bent to whisper a sentence in her ear.
Seele felt as if a little flame had made her head go woozy.
Whether from shyness or anticipation, she quickly nodded as told.
With permission secured, Xander suppressed his excitement.
He patted Bronya's shoulder and grinned.
"Hey, no need to stand on ceremony between us.
If you're in a bind, I'll go through fire and water for you.
Sleep without worries.
I'll deliver you safe and sound!"
"So enthusiastic?
Then thanks a lot."
Bronya did her best to finish her porridge, then couldn't hold on any longer and drifted off.
There was no helping it.
Seele straightened Bronya's slightly messy clothes.
Then Xander carried her on his back, and they headed out together.
There was still some time before the exam started.
Xander deliberately slowed his pace to avoid waking Bronya with any sudden movement.
Seele, carrying three schoolbags, followed lightly at his side, chatting with him in a soft, smiling voice.
She might be shy, but she still wanted to be close.
Cutting back the time spent with the person you like just because you're embarrassed—Seele thought that was a very foolish thing to do.
Though they drew many looks along the way, there were no incidents.
They safely delivered Bronya to the school gate.
There, they happened to run into Kiana and Sirin.
Judging by her lively bounce, Kiana was more or less recovered.
"How's your body?"
After greeting them, Xander still asked with concern.
"Don't worry, I'm fine.
But it's really embarrassing to have shown you that side of me yesterday…"
Kiana scratched her head, ashamed of her attempt to fight the cat.
Hallucinations didn't affect memory, after all.
"No, no.
I thought it was pretty cool.
Especially the part where you pushed me away and got ready to face the man-eating cat demon alone~"
Seeing that Kiana was truly fine, Xander couldn't help teasing her.
"Ahhh, quit it!"
Puffing her cheeks, Kiana's reddened face looked adorably dopey.
She swatted Xander's arm in protest, then helped Seele support Bronya.
The three of them walked into school together, not even answering Xander's "see you."
Only after Seele and Sirin smiled and said goodbye did Xander quicken his steps toward his own school.
He had walked too slowly to let Bronya sleep.
If he didn't speed up, missing the exam would be a problem.
He didn't want to be stuck taking make-ups while everyone else went to the beach.
Luckily, he slipped into the exam hall in the final minute before it began.
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