Chapter 40: I Can Explain Roxy Being in My Bed
The next day, as soon as Rudeus stepped out of his bedroom, he went to find Allen. They had agreed yesterday to wake up early and review the previous day's battle in the courtyard, to summarize and improve.
He walked down the hallway, rubbing his sleepy eyes. But for some reason, it sounded more lively than usual downstairs. It was the sound of Zenith and Lilia bustling about, making breakfast. They seemed to be happily chatting about something.
Rudeus paid it no mind. He walked to Allen's door and pushed it open directly.
The door opened smoothly—Allen usually didn't lock his door.
The curtains in the room were not drawn open as they usually were in the morning, but were tightly closed, leaving the room dim.
Rudeus looked towards the bed and saw the thin blanket Allen usually used, bundled up and still rising and falling slightly.
Allen is sleeping in for once... Was he drained from yesterday's battle?
Come to think of it, he was the one who suggested getting up early, and now he's the one sleeping in... hehe...
At this thought, Rudeus tiptoed to the side of the bed, grabbed a corner of the blanket, and yanked it off with a sharp tug!
"Get up! Naked man!"
He flung the blanket into the air. Just then, a breeze from outside gently swayed the curtains.
The light fell on the hazy, sleeping face of Roxy on the bed.
Rudeus stared at Roxy's face with bleary eyes, silent for a long moment.
Then he slapped himself across the face.
Am I still half asleep? How could I mistake Allen for Roxy? Hehehe... so weird...
But wait, why is Allen wearing Roxy's clothes...
He rubbed his face hard and looked at the bed again.
Roxy—no, Allen—seemed to have been disturbed by the slap. His beautiful eyelashes trembled slightly, about to open.
Footsteps sounded at the door, and someone pushed it open.
"Roxy, you really should get up now. If you don't get up soon, Rudy will be here..."
Rudeus watched the familiar figure of Allen enter the room, slowly turned his head to look at the sleepily opening eyes of Roxy, then slowly turned his head back to the horrified expression on Allen's face.
The air froze.
Allen looked at Rudeus, completely numb. He blinked rapidly.
"Rudy... calm down. I can explain—"
Rudeus looked at Allen expressionlessly, radiating the same killing intent he had exuded when his child in the original story called the Dragon God 'Dad'. He squeezed out a smile devoid of any warmth and said.
"...Please do. I'm listening..."
"Ah, it's Rudy. Where's Allen?"
But just then, Roxy's eyes opened. She sat up, her face still hazy with sleep, and turned to look at Allen at the door.
"Ah... Allen, you're here... Good morning. Thanks for last night. If you hadn't woken me up this morning, I wouldn't have even known when I got into bed... but I still remember we were at the table... Anyway, I haven't slept so comfortably in a long time... You were a great help... and you even helped me boil bath water this morning..."
Blue Mama, do you even hear what you're saying!
A giant character for 'DANGER' appeared on Allen's forehead.
Save me, save me!
The next moment, Rudeus's furious roar echoed through the Greyrat household.
"ALLEN!!!"
"Let me explain!! First of all, she has clothes on!! Wai-Wait!"
"Water Ball!"
"Flowing Secret Art! Hey, hey, hey!! Wait! The bed is wet! Roxy is still on the bed!!"
"Water... huh?"
The two of them stiffly turned their necks in unison to look at Roxy, who had been drenched by the water ball that had been redirected by the Flowing Secret Art. She was hugging her head and blinking, still not fully awake and unsure of what had just happened.
Just then, Zenith and Lilia, who had been informed by Allen this morning of Roxy's return, ran to the door.
The former saw the drenched Roxy, then looked at the extremely colorful expressions on the two 'children's' faces. She squinted, squeezed her fists, and spoke gently through gritted teeth.
"Allen, Rudy. You two seem to have such a great relationship... How reassuring..."
At breakfast, Allen and Rudeus, both sporting black eyes, sat乖巧 (guāiqiǎo - well-behaved/obediently) at the table.
Zenith was still fuming, nagging them non-stop.
"Before Allen came, I always thought Rudy was so easy to manage, such a good boy. Turns out it was just because he lacked peers to play with... hehe... And you, Allen, you're four years older than Rudy, why are you acting like such a child..."
"We're sorry!" they said in unison.
The two, who were in fact peers, exchanged a silent glance. They both looked across the table at Roxy, who had gone from voluntarily wanting a bath to having to take one. She had changed into a set of casual clothes from her suitcase and was now sipping her tea, her eyes fixed on her nose and her nose on her heart. Only the faint hint of a smile at the corner of her eye betrayed her true thoughts.
Paul, on the other hand, was cheerful and said, "Since Roxy was just passing by, she should stay for a few more days. Today, we'll clear out the storeroom next door for... uh, for Allen to live in."
Roxy glanced at Allen. This was the alibi Allen had forced her to memorize this morning. On the one hand, they didn't want the Paul family to worry too much. On the other, Rudeus still didn't know Allen's true identity. In Roxy's mind, Rudeus was still young, and it was better for him not to know about these family feuds.
Allen was simply worried that if Rudeus knew he was Eris's brother, he might let it slip when he went to Roa for the home tutor period of his youth.
Exposing his identity to James wasn't a huge deal, but the butterfly effect it could trigger would be a major disaster.
"But to think you were robbed by a thief and had to walk all the way here, arriving in the middle of the night... hmm, that does sound very much like Roxy's style."
Roxy choked with a pfft. Zenith naturally reached out to pat her back.
The former clutched her chest and glared at Allen with her half-lidded eyes.
This ridiculous excuse was also Allen's idea. He had even said it "fit her character"...
'What do you mean? Am I that clumsy?'
"Oh, darling, being clumsy is one of Roxy's charms~"
"Oh... that's true."
Roxy: ...
Allen: ...
Rudeus, however, looked at Allen and Roxy exchanging glances and wore a sorrowful expression.
'How is this Allen guy so popular with the opposite sex? I'm so jealous... My goddess... I must get my revenge on Allen... eh, wait a minute...'
At this thought, he suddenly froze, his eyes widening as he looked at Allen.
'He has a hold on me with the shrine incident... damn it... this sinister man!'
Allen felt Rudeus's intense gaze, but he really couldn't say anything more. He could only facepalm in resignation.
But as he put food in his mouth, he felt like he had forgotten something...
But for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was...
Allen shook his head and continued to eat.
'...Forget it. It'll probably come to me eventually.'
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