Entering her assigned bedroom, Anima takes out her pajamas from her magic box. Previously, she used to sleep without wearing anything, but after being persuaded by Kaito…… having received pajamas as a gift, she now wears them normally and sleeps.
(Today was really a wonderful day. I was with Master all the time, we talked a lot, took a bath together…… unintentionally slackened my cheeks…… No, this was all because of my lack of physical condition management, so that is something I should be reflecting on but…… Uuuu, it’s no good. All of such thoughts are overridden by the feeling of happiness of being with Master.)
She found herself asking herself the same question several times, but the feeling of happiness ultimately outweighed how she felt apologetic…… and although that’s something she also feels guilty about, she found it difficult to amend.
Even as she prepared to change and go to bed right now, what inevitably came to her mind wasn’t self-reflection, but rather the feeling of happiness being with Kaito.
(I can spend tomorrow with Master again. The last time we went swimming, I was but a newcomer among his lovers, and I was in the company of great people such as Shallow Vernal-sama, Alice-dono and Kuromueina-sama, so I couldn’t help but feel reserved. Although I was told to put aside our status, I still couldn’t help feeling conscious of it.)Anima has a strong sense of reverence towards Alice, who is her target in various fields, Kuromueina, who is her actual teacher, and Shallow Vernal, who reincarnated her. Her faith towards Shallow Vernal is especially deep, so it’s impossible for her not to be conscious of them at moments like the beach swimming before where all the lovers were gathered.
But tomorrow, she will be bathing with Kaito at a private beach, and since it will be just the two of them, she will be able to enjoy herself in a more relaxed way than last time.
(The fact that I’m alone with Master is a blessing in disguise, but when I see him caring for me in so many ways as he did today, even though I really feel apologetic…… the strong feeling of being valued and cherished really just brings me joy. Rather, because we were together until just now, I now feel slightly lonely…… Hm!? This won’t do! For me to think of troubling Master any more than this, what am I doing!!!? I think I’d better get a good night’s sleep and be ready for tomorrow…… For that reason, let’s go to sleep early.)
Shaking off the slight feeling of loneliness in her heart, Anima changes into her pajamas, gets into her futon, and turns off the illumination magic tool in her room. Looking forward to swimming in the sea tomorrow with Kaito, she quietly fell asleep.
While feeling the sensation of her consciousness surfacing from a comfortable slumber, Anima’s eyes remain closed as she thinks in a daze.
(Ahh, it’s morning…… I guess fatigue really has accumulated in my body huh? Sleeping feels so comfortable that it feels a bit like a chore to open my eyes. The warmth enveloping me also feels comfortable, and dozing off while basking in the scent of my beloved Master, what happiness this…… happiness…… arehh? Master’s…… scent?)
As her consciousness gradually awakens, Anima immediately notices something out of place. As a Beastman Demon, she has a very good nose, and even though she wasn’t quite awake yet, there’s no way she could mistake the scent of her beloved being, Kaito, for anything else.However, that in itself is strange. She should have slept in a separate bedroom from Kaito, and there was no way she could have smelled Kaito’s scent. Not only that, this warmth she felt underneath the futon…… felt like warmth akin to human touch, so bewildered, Anima opened her eyes…… but seeing Kaito’s sleeping face in front of her, Anima’s mind went blank.
[ ———– ! ? ! ? ! ? ]
It was a shock that almost made her jump up to the ceiling, but at the last moment, the thought of “not wanting to wake the sleeping Kaito” kicked in, so Anima swallowed the shriek that was about to leak out of her mouth.
However, even though she had suppressed such a feeling, she still couldn’t understand the situation.
(M- M- M- M- Master!? W- W- W- Why is he in my futon!? Did he get the wrong bedroom…… No, that’s impossible. Even though I was asleep, how is it possible that I would sleep through anyone…… much less Master himself entering my room without me noticing?)
Her confused mind frantically thought. Anima is one of the high-ranking powerhouses in the world, with a power comparable to that of a Count, and no matter how tired she is and how soundly she sleeps, it’s impossible for her not to notice someone coming into her room.
Furthermore, she can say with certainty that it would be impossible for her not to notice the presence of her beloved Kaito approaching…… but with such impossibility having occurred before her eyes, her mind couldn’t catch up at all.
Even though confused, still trying not to wake up Kaito, Anima carefully moved her gaze…… and noticed something.
(……Arehh? That window…… is in a different position? The window should be over there from my bed…… Arehh? Then, this isn’t my room, but Master’s room…… which means, I’m the one who snuck into Master’s room and got under his futon…… Eeehhhh!?)
Despite realizing the shocking truth, the reason she refrained from screaming was solely due to how earnest her feelings for Kaito were. Well, it goes without saying that Anima’s mind went blank once again.
<Afterword>
? ? ? : [Phew.]
Makina : [Arehh? Where have you been?]
? ? ? : [Yes, I just finished some work as the Cupid of Love…… So, what are you doing?]
Makina : [Ahh, I’m just making my preparations just in case someone turns into solid chocolate. Like, I brought in tools to break and melt chocolate.]
? ? ? : [……Ahh…… That so…… Hmm???]
