--Pasta's Home .

　That morning, she had an unusual visitor.

　There are not many people who come to her house.
　The number of people who knew that she was based in this house was more than enough for the fingers of both hands, and more importantly, the number of people who knew that she was still running the Orba Trading Company from behind the scenes was very limited even within the Trading Company.

　Moreover, she often went out of her way when she had plans.

　She didn't want her whereabouts to be known too much, and it showed in her actions.
　Most of the time, she travels directly from her house using her familiar carriage.

　The number of people who visit her residence is limited to a certain extent by that.

　And.
　When it came to inviting people to her room to talk, there were so few that she couldn't even break the fingers of one hand.
　Or rather, almost all alone.

"No.

　She said, setting her mug down gently on the low table.

　The young man sitting on the single-seater sofa in front of her rolled his eyes in surprise, then lowered his eyebrows in thought.

So... I thought it was a pretty good idea.
I thought it was a pretty good idea," he said, "but that's before we get to the good and bad. Anyone can come up with an idea. Things don't mean anything until you get them to fruition. And this story is not feasible at the moment.
"...... feasibility.

　Hmm, said the young man who crossed his muscular arms.
　This is the time of the year when everyone wears light clothing as the summer season approaches.
　This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money.

......

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
"Yeah.
"I'll have to call in a real professional. That would inevitably lead to a court musician. Do you understand?
Yeah, because it's state-run.
That's why.

　She nodded and looked at the desk.
　It's a chic desk in her room, decorated in a pale cherry color.

　On the scroll above it, the necessary expenses are written out in detail.

I can't just go to the private sector. We can't just call the private sector. But in order to call on them, we now need the royal family's permission. ...... Well, the fastest way is to talk to that woman. ......
"But?
"But?" "Because she'll definitely use it as a loan to me. You can't just wave a stick around. You don't understand that, do you? You're just waving a stick.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're holding a stuffed animal.
Pasta's nine years old. She doesn't understand.
He's got it in him.
I can't do this without you. ......

　"You can't do this without reopening your mind. " Even the young man, Futa, tightened the corners of his mouth at this.
　I thought that if we started talking about stuffed animals, we could have the usual banal exchange. However, it was difficult for Futa to touch her when she was acting like a middle-aged person who had been drinking heavily.

　Even if he didn't, though.
　For some reason, I felt more awkward than usual today.
　The reason was simple: she wouldn't make eye contact with me today.
　Futa's plan to tease her to get her back to normal ended in failure.

"As the originator of the idea, is there anything I can do?
"First of all, you shouldn't feel responsible for something that's only an idea. But ...... hmmm ...... you're right. Wouldn't it be a bad idea to get Lilac to act on her own?
You want me to inspire Master Lilac?
"That's a very funny letter. It's got that whole 'you can't do this' thing going on.
That's what I'm thinking!　Shut the f*ck up!

　Pasta chuckles and eats the cupcake in his hand.
　Futa seduces Lilac with his artful storytelling.
　It's a performance I'd love to see if it were possible, but I can see it being as difficult as a winged insect making a predator jump.

"Why don't you ask him? "Why don't you ask me? I'm not using you, it's your idea, you can't feel bad about it.
"It doesn't make any difference if I say it or you say it. ...... Or maybe I'm better.
Yeah.

　One small yawn.
　I'm not sure what your perception is, but I'm not going to touch it.

I'm sure you're not going to get a whole lot of support from me because it's related to your business. ...... Well, you're not going to get any less support than me.
Oh.

　I'm not sure what to make of this.
　However, he was sure that it would be faster to have him say it than anyone else in the world, let alone Pasta.

　But still.
　It's also proof that Pasta has yet to analyze Lilac.
　It's not so much about Huta.



　I'm just saying that I don't know how much the words "cool entrance to the music" stick in that princess's mind.

　It is easy to forget that she is a woman who embraced the court mage just for the spectacle.

And the whole point of a performance, including the entrance with the music, is that it's a performance. ...... Do you understand that?
What?
If you do that, you'll be the one who gets the most excited.
".................. Oh.
Stupid.

　She snickers at the distant look in Huta's eyes and tilts her mug of hot lemonade.

　She hides her small face in the cup and lowers her eyes just a little.

　I'm sure he's thinking so much about Spectacula that he forgets about himself, because I know he's talking about how big the tournament was for him.

　Dream reached. Dream come true. A longing fulfilled.
　You shouldn't lose what you've gained, but...
　But still, you're not so full of yourself anymore.


　--I don't know what you're feeling so emotional about.
　She smiled loosely.
　She pulled her expression back from the unsuitable one to the cheeky one and set the cup down.

"Not so much a joke, really. If all you want to do is walk around with an open mind, there's plenty of ways to do that. Don't worry about it so much. I'm just kidding.
No, ...... I hope I can get better at this with practice.
I'm just teasing you. Unless you can be the kind of fighter that attracts people to you on a regular basis.
I can't.
You're right. Stay as you are.

　For example, Izna Sienzan. Every time I visit the Taverna Lute, I'm amazed at how popular he is.
　For example, Ocean Big Wave. His natural charisma had attracted many people to the Colosseum as well.

　She laughs at Huta, who shakes his head in resignation.

However, you need to gradually learn to separate your normal self from your swordsman self.
Yes, I do. In the meantime, I'm trying to be a fighter out there - or rather, like you said, I'm trying to be an irreverent guy.
I just hope I don't become ...... miserable.
I don't trust you, .......

　"I just hope I don't become a miserable person.

"Do you have any reference material?
"Reference material?　"Reference material?　You should be looking at your favorite princess.
Unfortunately, if you need a reference, I've got one right here in front of me.
I'm fine with mine because my talent is balanced.
That's what irreverence is.
...... Hey, you're a decent guy sometimes.
"Once in a while is not enough, you little shit.
Well, if we're talking about reference material, we're talking about books.

　And. Then she stopped pointing at the desk.
　He stood up, not paying attention to her face, which was slowly turning red.

What, you prepared it for me?

　It couldn't be, but the sisters' careful preparation had taken its toll.
　For Futa, it's not everyday that someone sees through his actions.
　That's why he reached for his desk as if he was satisfied.

　If you ask me, there are certainly some cool and irreverent people in play scripts and stories that should be used as role models.

"Ahh.

　You pick up the book you're about to read from the desk, oblivious to the inarticulate shouts of the boiling pasta beyond.

What's this? 'Forbidden First Love'?


　The teddy bear was blown away. 　


"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, ！！！！.
"Whoa!　What the hell?
Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look!　No, no, no!　No, no, no, no, no!
What's different? You put so many bookmarks on it. It's just like when you used to give me reference material.
！！！！！！！！！！　Throw all that stuff away - no, throw that book away right now!
What's with all the red? It looks so interesting, I absolutely hate it.
"You f*cking unemployed bastard!

　He gets up from the couch and rushes over to Pasta with his hair standing on end, but Futa holds his head down with one hand.

I'll be back.
"...... Let's see. I'm not sure what to make of this.
It's about a guy who seduces his fiancee's sister!　It's not what you're going for!


Did you get through all this?
"Are you listening to me?

　The book's binding is well done.
　Apparently, it's a script from a play that's been performed before.

"Was he cool?
No, not at all.　If he was cool, it's not like you can play him.　Zako!
What's the matter with you, you can't even take a book from me with your head held down, you're more of a small fish than I am.
"Goooooooooooooooo!

　It's like a brother-sister quarrel.
　Futa happened to open a bookmark and looked at the page.

　Her fiancé's sister was a very strong woman who used to be able to run through the mountains with a man in tow.
　Invited to her fiancé's mansion, the hero meets her for the first time and is intrigued by the toughest and strongest girl he has ever seen.
　Even though she is uptight, her physical strength is that of a girl.
　The protagonist is unaware that the feeling he feels is an interest, a first love he didn't know he had yet.

　He looks down from the book to the flailing girl.
　When I took my hand away from the girl's head, she fell forward as if she was pinned down.
　I bend down a little and hold her.

　In my work, I was forcing her, but...

　I hugged her tightly.

"What the ......?

　I whispered softly in her ear.

"Shut up and obey me.
"......

　Futa doesn't know the reason why he put a bookmark between them.
　To begin with, it was nothing more than a hobby for her to go to the trouble of rereading books.

　Nevertheless, the reason why she put the bookmark in there is because...
　--The reason she didn't make eye contact with me today in the first place.

"......

　Hmm, Huta wondered inwardly.
　He's gone quiet.
　In the story, after he was pushed, he was supposed to say, "Interesting woman.
　Futa's plan is to get to that point and tell her that she could have been quite irreverent. There it was.

　However, this is a discrepancy in the calculation.

　But something strange interrupted Futa's thought that he was trying to overturn it because he had read it once.

　He held her in his arms and whispered in her ear, which of course meant that he had her lips in his ear as well.

　The slightest sound of her breath. Her breath hit Futa's earlobe, and he felt a tingle.

　The girl's warmth brings Futa back to his senses.

　What am I doing now?

　You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.
　The sweetness of the scent comes from around his neck.
　I suspected that my body was made of cupcakes or lemonade, but it's not. The sweet scent is of flowers. But with a hint of sugar in it, it's gentle.

　Flower beds, sugar, and... And the delicate softness of the girl.

"...... Hey.

　A whisper mixed with her breath tickled my ears.
　It's as if she's different from her normal self, insecure, damp, cute.

　Her answer to his words, "Obey me.

"What do you want to do?
"......

　I wasn't going to do anything.
　He asked me what I wanted, and I couldn't answer.
　It's easy to say I don't want to do anything, it should be easy.

　Then why are you at a loss for words? Is there something else you want to do?

　The clearer my thoughts become, the less I know what I'm thinking - my sensitive body is constantly telling me about the "girl" through my skin.

　This is the only time I cursed Natsu's attire.





"Hey, let's eat lunch!





　Both of them walked away quickly.
　Futa, who had his back to the desk, hit his back hard.
　Pasta hit his back and fell on the couch with his knees hooked on the elbows.


"What are you guys doing?
"Oh, lunch, lunch!　--But you're only getting one noodle.
Yeah, I'm getting hungry.　--Yeah, I'm getting hungry! - But you're gonna have to suck on a fork.



Why the hell not? ！！！！！！！！！！



　After they came to their senses, they both apologized.
　Leafy was sucking on his fork and sulking.