After finishing his bath, Shichen left the bath alone.
Rem stayed behind to soak by herself—she needed a little quiet to settle down. It wasn't that the two of them had done anything; they'd only finished a straightforward massage and back-scrub. What Rem needed to digest were the things Shichen had said to her.
He was a little regretful he couldn't bathe with Rem—but there would be other chances. Today wasn't the right moment; there would be plenty of tomorrows.
"Shichen…"
Freshly dressed, Shichen had just stepped out when he ran into Ram. Her expression was… complicated.
"You heard?" Shichen asked evenly.
"Mm… thank you," Ram nodded.
"I don't need your thanks. I didn't do it for you. I helped Rem because I wanted to."
"I know. Even so, I still want to thank you," Ram said, bowing.
"Suit yourself. Just don't go in there right now," Shichen added lightly.
"I know. I won't let your efforts go to waste."
"Waste? No—Rem isn't who she used to be. She's still got a ways to go, but it won't be long before she's completely free."
"Is that so? Then I'll leave Rem to you."
"Mm."
Shichen nodded and headed for his room.
He had little else to say to Ram. She herself was quite nice—cute, with a good personality—but unfortunately she'd already given her heart to someone before he ever met her.
He could feel Ram's eyes on his back the whole way to the door, but he didn't look back until he stepped inside.
Est and Beatrice were playing gomoku.
This world didn't have gomoku, and neither did the worlds they came from. Est might have learned it from him, but Beatrice certainly shouldn't have known it… ordinarily. Beatrice now somehow "knew" about Tohru and the others out of the blue—picking up gomoku didn't seem so far off.
"How's the board look?" Shichen came to the bedside and glanced at the grid.
"Hmph~ There's no way Est could be a match for me," Beatrice tilted her chin, as smug as could be.
And she wasn't wrong—Est's stones were on the back foot, ringed in by Beatrice, who was constantly setting up threes and pressing the attack. Still, in gomoku, a single oversight can flip the game.
"Is that so? Come on, Est," Shichen said, ruffling both their heads.
"Shichen, if I win, you're going to be my cushion afterward," Beatrice declared.
"No problem. Whoever wins, I'll hold them," he grinned.
"Good! Hurry up, Est!" Beatrice urged, full of momentum.
"Don't rush," Est kept calm, eyes locked on the board, searching for a line. But Beatrice really was a step stronger; in the end, Est couldn't overturn the position.
"Hmph~ Shichen, hold me," Beatrice spread her arms, delighted.
"Alright~" Shichen climbed onto the bed, scooped her up, and settled her on his lap.
"Mmm, you smell nice~" Beatrice wiggled her hips to find the perfect spot, then melted back against him, inhaling the clean scent of his freshly washed skin.
"...Don't act like a perv," Shichen tapped her lightly on the head.
"Hee-hee~"
"Beatrice, again. Next round if I win, I'm taking Shichen as my pillow," Est said.
"Hmph~ Beatrice won't lose to you."
They started another game. Shichen just held Beatrice and watched them play. He had to admit, Beatrice's play consistently kept Est under pressure; she won again and again—right up until Ram came to call them for dinner.
"Shichen, Beatrice-sama, Est… Roswaal has returned, and Rem has finished preparing dinner. You may come to table."
"Okay."
Shichen lowered Beatrice, got off the bed with both girls, took one small hand in each of his, and followed Ram to the dining room.
Roswaal had gone to repair the village barrier—the barriers in this world weren't really his specialty, and he had no plans to learn them. His own warding magic was a cut above, anyway.
In the dining room, Emilia and Roswaal were already seated. Rem was there, too. When she saw Shichen, a smile bloomed across her face—but she quickly turned away, offering him only a coy profile and ear.
Shichen chuckled and sat beside Emilia. Seating, at this point, didn't matter.
"Shichen, you're here. Thank you for what you did today—things might have gone poorly otherwise~" Roswaal offered.
"No need to thank me. I did it for Emilia."
"Shichen…" Emilia looked at him, moved, lips lifting in a small smile.
"For Emilia-sama, hmm… Even so, I still must thank you. Without you, I truly don't know what I would have done~"
"I doubt you'd have been helpless."
"Regardless, you helped."
"If a certain someone could think as kindly of me as you do, that would be nice," Shichen said, and let his gaze slide—purposefully—toward a particular person. That "certain someone" ducked her head, flustered.
"Someone?" Roswaal followed his line of sight and noticed Rem's reaction. Something had happened? He'd have to ask Ram tonight.
"Alright, enough politeness. I'm treated the same as you here; what thanks could you offer? I'll have Emilia thank me. Let's eat. We're hungry, and we can't let Rem's cooking grow cold."
"Indeed~"
"Shichen, how do you want me to thank you?" Emilia couldn't help asking softly.
"Talking during a meal isn't a good habit~" Shichen teased.
"Ugh, you're awful," Emilia huffed, rolling her eyes at him.
"Heh~ fine, fine. It's nothing dramatic. Remember what I said about working hard but resting, too?"
"Mm. And?"
"When you're tired of studying, go on a date with me," Shichen smiled.
"A date… but that doesn't count as thanks."
"It's more than enough for me. And if we don't call it thanks, who knows when you'll stop studying? Balance, remember?"
"I know… But in that case, isn't the 'thanks' just benefiting me?" Emilia realized.
"That's not how I'd put it. It benefits you, yes—but it benefits me too."
"A date counts as a benefit?"
"Of course. Going out with a girl as cute as you puts me in a great mood."
"Cute… I understand. If you say so, Shichen, I'll go on a date with you," Emilia answered, both shy and resigned.
"Then it's a promise. Let's set it soon—I can't wait."
"Honestly, are you that excited? …Fine, I get it," Emilia said, but she couldn't hide the anticipation brightening her face.
After dinner, while Rem and Ram cleared the plates, Shichen took Est and Beatrice back to rest. Rem still seemed shy around him and couldn't quite meet his eye; it seemed she hadn't fully processed everything yet.
Back in his room, Est challenged Beatrice again—swearing to take a game. Beatrice was happy to oblige. She'd been bored for ages; with Est to play with, she was delighted.
The stakes were the same: Shichen as the prize—winner gets him as a lap cushion. Shichen didn't mind; whether he held one little loli or the other, he was content. The only pity was that he couldn't do anything mischievous with Est; he missed the silk-smooth feel of her skin. But with Beatrice right there, any funny business would be spotted immediately.
Besides, the more practical issue was that Est simply couldn't beat Beatrice—he had no chance to hold her.
"Hm?" With Beatrice on his lap, Shichen suddenly sensed Ram heading to Roswaal's room.
"Don't mind them. Focus on me," Beatrice huffed, giving him a little hip-bump.
"I am thinking about you."
"I don't believe you. There's nothing over there worth caring about. You're not even interested in Ram. Why pay attention?"
"Well, when you put it like that…"
"They've done this more than once. You know what goes on."
"You're right. Alright, I'm not thinking about them."
"That's better."
"But I am going to help Est. Otherwise she'll never beat you."
"Eh? Why?"
"It's simple. I don't want to watch you bully her forever."
"Why should I? We're playing fair and square!" Beatrice protested hotly.
"Mm~ the choice is in my hands."
"I get it! You must want to hold Est and use the chance to do something to her, right?"
"How could you—"
"You hesitated! So it's true!"
"Ahem."
"In that case, I'll take you both on at once. I won't let you get your way!"
~~~
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