Hello, it's Serena. I'm alone and absent-minded at the moment. Fred is going to take a bath first, and Elle is going to be in next, so now it's time for us to wait like this. I'm already done, so I'm clean now.


　But I've been having a problem lately. It's been a long time ago, but, well........your mother really wants you to get engaged to Elle....... She says that it doesn't matter if you create a pre-existing fact, but in other words, she wants you to do that with Elle.......

　But but!　But not me!　It's not like Elle is interested in the opposite s*x!

　Come to think of it, Elle has been a really rude guy since her school days....


Good morning, Selena. Hey, you're a little transparent in your bra, aren't you?　Don't let your guard down just because it's summer, okay?
...What?
Okay, I'm gonna go to the bathroom.


　And then he starts mentioning underwear in this way, just as a greeting. If there's a lustful look in there, I'll notice it immediately. I'm used to that kind of look. I don't have a well-proportioned body for an Italian.

　But Elle doesn't have that kind of gaze at all........

　As a matter of fact, it's like, "Oh, dinner?　It's curry, right? It seems to be only about the degree. The existence of my underwear. I don't know if I'm in a good mood. As for me, I don't really feel like I'm in love with Elle. I don't think she is even remotely aware of it, so for now, I think it's better to go out with her as a good friend....

　Well, but?　As a matter of fact, though, if Elle asked me to go out with her, I wouldn't think about it?　And Elle is kind of cool to look at, right?　As well as being tall, he says, "I need muscle for my crops, too. Farming is pretty hard work," and I'm working out, so I have a good body?　''Alchemy is out of standard, and I'm willing to admit that I'm the greatest genius in the history of alchemy. It's not normal for someone to be a jasper-class alchemist, because there is no such thing as a jasper-class "bluesteller" alchemist. In the long history of the three great aristocracies, all of them were at the platinum level. But Elle was a jasper-class "Bluesteller". I used to think that the nobles are all highly suited to be alchemists due to their genes, but an Elle from a farming family is a blue star class "Bluesteller"... but now I respect him.


　Because Elle is serious. Ever since he entered the school and met me, he's been serious. Even at that time.....


''Oh my God, are you insane to learn alchemy for the sake of crops?　This is why the peasants who mistakenly thought they could do a bit of alchemy.... Don't you at all want to learn alchemy for the sake of truth-seeking?
''I can see your point. The three great noble families of the Brew family may have a mission of truth-seeking. But, I'm serious. And I am a platinum alchemist at this stage in my life. And you're a bronze, right?　If you're going to talk about it, you're going to have to show me the results. If you're higher in rank than me, it's a consideration, but you're not. In other words, your search for truth is inferior to my love of crops. By your logic, isn't it?
''Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!　I'm so mad!　This is a duel!　Duel!　I'll apply for a duel in the name of the Brew family!


　I got so hot that I applied for a duel, but I lost miserably. I was keenly aware that this is what it means to be unable to do anything about it. In the end, my pride of being a nobleman is just like this.


I'm sorry. I got too hot, too. I said I was inferior to that, but I stand corrected on that one. You have your enthusiasm. It doesn't matter if it's rank or not. I know the search for truth, the duties of a nobleman (Noblesse oblige), and I know that nobles have a lot going for them. Still, you and I are the same. Our goals may be different, but our means are the same. Through alchemy, we have something to accomplish. It may sound like a superior argument, but I won't make fun of your ... no, Serena's dream.
'....Mr. Willis, no. 'Elle, do you approve of me like this?　I'm just an aristocrat with a mouth....
Of course. 'Just a mouthful?　Then you can be an alchemist worthy of that word. Falsehoods are also the way to the person you want to be. I approve of you.


　I still remember that moment. And I felt like my eyes were opened. And then Elle, and well, Fred and I started being together and I grew up. My alchemy has become much better than I could have ever imagined before... I'm now a knight of the realm, whereas I was considered an outcast in the Brew family. I'm still an apprentice now, but when I think about it from the past, it's impossible.......it's all because of Elle. Because I met him, I am the person I am today.

　So I have a lot of respect for him.

　 I've fallen in love with him and your mother is obsessed with Elle. She's determined to make him her son. Huh, I don't know what will happen........


Serena, come here for a moment.
Hmm?　Is there something wrong, Mother?


　Now Elle has just taken a bath and I'm sitting in the garden idly reflecting on the past. Just then, his mother calls out to me.

Elle and Fred have gone home on an urgent business. Why don't you take a bath again?　Didn't you go in earlier to go in again?
Yeah that's, well...

　I love taking a bath, so this is a unique opportunity for me. I don't blame you two for leaving so abruptly, but it's fine for this. I'm sure we'll see each other again anyway.


''Well then, mother, I'm going to go take a bath.
Well ... enjoy your stay.


　And so I headed to my home bathhouse.


'Hmmmmmmmmm.'

　A bath is a great thing, no matter how many times you take it. We put a lot of effort into our bathrooms and they're pretty big, you know?　It would be a shame to go in alone, but I don't mind. And when I opened the door with a caracara and entered, there was Elle, who was soaking in the hot water.


　So ... there was Elle.


'Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!　You must have come home on an urgent matter!
Huh?　That would be Fred, right?　I heard you had some kind of emergency meeting or something, and you left in a hurry?

　Ha, I was set up!!!!!


　This is a trick of your mother!　And anyway, we need to get out of there right away!

　So I put my hand on the door and it doesn't budge.


''What...?''
Look, Selena. It's an established fact, it's an established fact, and I'm going to seal this door for half an hour, and you're going to do it right.
'Mother aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!


　The door was completely sealed off with alchemy. Your mother is a platinum 《platinum》 alchemist, and this door probably won't open by me. I could ask Elle, but that would seem incomprehensible to me, so I'll have to be open-minded and go in with Elle.


'What's the matter, Serena. You're shouting all of a sudden.
'Hey!　It's nothing!　Then I'm going to wash up.
Oh I'm in hot water. Ah, it stings.


　This man................................is not perturbed by the situation I am entering with!　Oh, you're coming in with us?　Okay?　Do what you want? I can't believe I'm in hot water in an atmosphere like that!　Ugh, how could I let this happen....


　Feeling miserable, I wash up and then soak in the hot water a little far away from Elle. Then Elle looks at me with a puzzled look on her face.


What is it, Serena?　Come on over here. Let's chat like we always do.
Yeah, well, I understand.


　I move closer to Elle, swearing that I will never take the towel off. Elle also has a towel on her lower body, so well, it should be okay........ta, maybe?


'The baths at Serena's house are amazing..........so big and quite pleasant. I could go in this one forever........
Really?　Well, well, this bath is our family's pride and joy, so it's no wonder!

　Yes, yes, I'm talking to you like it's nothing!　I can handle this.........

''　Selena, you look awfully red. Are you blotting it out?
'What?　This is not a problem!　Ohohohoho!


　And Elle comes closer to me. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!　It's close!　We're close!

　Glancing at his body, his abdominal muscles are nicely cracked, and he has a lot of muscle around his shoulders and his upper arms. Ka, cool........ha!　This is not the time to think about that!


'Speaking of which, how is the Order?　Are you doing it right?
'Yes. The seniors are nice to me, so I'm doing well. When I told them I was friends with Elle, they all wanted to introduce me to her.
'Hahaha, I'll refrain from doing that. I don't want to make any more connections. Well, it's only if I get a chance...
Yeah. Okay, I'll let her know.
'Come to think of it, I can't believe you and Serena got close enough to bathe together... I can't think of a time since then.
Yes, it is. I had no idea that Elle and I would be in this situation.


　What!　What the hell!　On purpose!　That was on purpose!　He's making statements that are deliberately trying to test me!


"Well I'll be leaving. I'll just go home, so long, Selena. Invite me back to the house.
Yes your mother is looking forward to it and I hope you'll enjoy it.

　With a grin, Elle goes up with a zap and walks straight out with a flop.




　A long sigh. Huh, was it good or bad........no, but it wasn't bad. Yeah....


　I don't tell you that I spent that night in agony because I couldn't get Elle's muscles out of my head........