The feeling of the cold floor in my hands was overridden by the warmth I feel in my body.

  I can hear the faint sound of Lilia-san’s breath in my ears, and my nerves are so tense to the point where I can even feel her chest rise and fall with each of her exhales.

  The heartbeats I’m feeling are incredibly loud, and thinking about the fact that it’s definitely being transmitted to Lilia-san as well, makes me feel even more embarrassed.

  It’s just…… the loud heartbeats I feel aren’t just mine.

  I wonder if Lilia-san is as tense as I am, as I can feel her heart beating quite quickly from her chest that is touching mine.

  I’m currently draped over Lilia-san’s body while looking to my right, and she’s facing the opposite direction from me, so I can’t see her face, but when she’s this close to me that I can even hear her breathing, I can’t calm down.

  It’s not that I’m feeling uncomfortable being in this situation with her, but feeling the vaguely oppressive silence, I was feeling a little ashamed of myself.

  Seriously, I’ve always been causing trouble to Lilia-san, and even when I’m thinking of helping her out a little bit, something like this happens…… I’m really sorry about that.

  I don’t know if it’s because of the silence that dominates the area, but as I feel like I’m unable to endure being silent anymore, I spoke out the thoughts that are bubbling up from within me.

  [……Lilia-san.]

  [Y- Yes!?]

  [……I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve always caused you.]

  [……Eh?]

  Hearing the words I said, the nervous Lilia-san…… for some reason, have a wondering expression on her face.

  [Did Kaito-san ever bother me?]

  [……Ehh?]

  Her voice doesn’t sound like she’s teasing me, as if she’s really wondering what I’m talking about.

  ……Why did Lilia-san react like that? Could it be that I’ve knocked her out that bad that she had amnesia!?

  [……Kaito-san?]

  [Eh!? I- I’m sorry.]

  Calling me out right at that time, as if she could see through what I’m thinking, I reflexively apologized.

  Thereupon, as if she somehow found something funny, Lilia-san laughs.

  [Fufufu, what’s the matter, Kaito-san? You’ve just been apologizing for a while now, you know?]

  [……No, look…… It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose, but I’ve been getting to know a lot of people, getting caught up in all sorts of situations, and I’ve been troubling Lilia-san……]

  [That’s right, isn’t it? Geez, Kaito-san, you’ve really been surprising me with things that are way more than I can handle, troubling me with various things, and making me really worry.]

  [Ugghhh, I’m sorry.]

  When I heard the thoughts of the person in question once again, I felt even more apologetic.

  After hearing me apologize for the third time, Lilia-san was silent for a few moments…… before she replied to me with a gentle tone.

  [……However, I never thought of that as bothering me…… not even once, you know?]

  [……Eh?]

  [I never felt displeased with Kaito-san. I also never felt disadvantaged by Kaito-san.]

  [……Why?]

  I always thought I was always being a nuisance to Lilia-san.

  I’ve made her faint many times, made her cry many times…… but Lilia-san told me that I wasn’t a nuisance, that she was never displeased with me.

  [Of course, if Kaito-san had been maliciously pestering me or enjoyed bothering me, I might have been displeased…… but that’s not the case, right?]

  [Yes.]

  [Then, there’s no reason for me to feel troubled by Kaito-san.]

  […………………]

  This person really is too kind even among the kind people I know.

  […..All those surprising things, and things that would make me angry…… Please pardon me from that. I’m not a flawless human. I would sometimes get angry, and sometimes, I would even cry.]

  [Yes.]

  [Also, Kaito-san is troubling me all the time. Yes, seriously…… I’d appreciate it if you could have at least given me some time before you make a ruckus again. This way, my stomach could at least hold it…… I even feel like I’ve lost weight.]

  [Ugghhh, I- I’m sorr—–!?]

  With a teasing tone, Lilia-san started complaining to me, and just as I was about to apologize again, Lilia-san’s hand went around my back and she gently embraced me.

  As I feel Lilia-san’s heartbeat more intensely and closely than before, I heard her calm voice resound in my ear.

  [However…… if you ask me if I like or hate Kaito-san…… I’ll say I like you.]

  [……Lilia-san?]

  [……You really a troublesome person. You won’t even let me become the calm and composed Duchess I’m trying to be. You are absurd, a menace in various ways…… And yet, you are always kind, warm and caring. There’s no way…… that I would hate you like that……]

  [………………]

  Those were not lies nor falsehoods, they’re words showing her true feelings.

  Lilia-san’s words, which she gently told me, warmly and gently sunk into my heart.

  I can sincerely feel that it was really good that the person who summoned me was this person…… As feelings of gratitude that are close to happiness spread through my heart.

  [……Well, but can you please take it easy for a bit? I’ve really had enough so……]

  [I’ll do my best.]

  [……That kind of makes me feel uneasy.]

  [……Haha.]

  [……Fufu.]

  The both of us chuckled. The feeling that my heart was closer to Lilia-san than it was somehow earlier makes me feel very happy.

  Saying words of gratitude rather than words of apology…… Such thoughts began to dwell in my heart.

  [Ummm, Lilia-san?]

  [Yes? What is it?]

  [ [!?!? ] ]

  Thinking that I wanted to say my thanks to Lilia-san, I turned my face, which had been turned to the right towards Lilia-san, but as if it was arranged beforehand, Lilia-san also turned her face towards me at exactly the same time…… And our eyes met, closer than ever before.

  [……Li- Lilia-san……]

  [……Kai……to-san……]

  We are so close that we can feel each other’s breaths. I should be so embarrassed that I would immediately look away, but I can’t turn my gaze away from those breathtaking blue eyes.

  My voice calling out Lilia-san’s name naturally leaks from my mouth, and she calls out my name as well.

  Her glossy, soft lips, blushing red cheeks, and her beautiful eyes, shaking from agitation, but not diverting away from mine…… All of them are so sensational.

  A second passed in silence that felt like eternity…… Lilia-san gently closed her eyes…… and immediately after that, I heard the sound of footsteps.

  [……Ah.]

  [ [ Ehh? ] ]

  When I heard a voice, I moved my gaze along with Lilia-san who opened her eyes…… and there was Lunamaria-san standing there with an awkward expression on her face.

  It seems that she noticed that Lilia-san hadn’t returned earlier than she expected and came to look for her.

  [……It seems that I’m intruding. Please excuse me……. I’ll come back after “around 2 hours”.]

  [Wait!? W- Wait right there, Luna! It’s a misunderstanding!!!]

  [……Spring has finally arrived for My Lady, this Lunamaria can’t help but cry in tears of joy.]

  [Can you listen to me!? It’s a misunderstanding!!! Quickly help us out here!!!]

  At Lunamaria-san’s words which she said in a matter-of-fact manner, Lilia-san turned as red as a boiled octopus while shouting towards Lunamaria-san.

  However, the other party is that Lunamaria-san. Even if she can clearly see the situation we’re in right now, she remained calm and treated Lilia-san’s angry voice as if it was just a breeze.

  [……Miyama-sama, My Lady is the type who is weak at being pressed forward. If you ask her hard enough, she’ll agree to most of the play you can think of, you know?]

  [ ~ ~!?!? ]

  [Oi, stop right there, you useless maid……]

  She’s obviously having fun watching our situation…… I don’t know why, of all the people here in this mansion, she’s the one who came to help…… In this case, I have no choice but to use that method.

  [……Lunamaria-san, please help me.]

  [Please stop joking…… Interfering with people’s love is something I……]

  [If you don’t help me, I’ll tell Kuro that Lunamaria-san is bullying me.]

  [I will rescue you two as soon as possible!!!]

  Lunamaria-san, who immediately shifted to zealot mode, rescued us in a matter of seconds.

  It doesn’t look like we received any injuries but…… Lilia-san, as soon as she was rescued, held her bright face in her hands and left the warehouse with a terrific speed.

  Indeed, even if we were rescued already, being seen in that kind of situation would make me feel heat rise up on my face.

  Lunamaria-san said that she would sort out the arrangement of the warehouse later, so I decided to walk off the warehouse too…… Returning to my room, still feeling the heat on my face that had not yet cooled.

  Dear Mom, Dad—— The event finally ended, though in an embarrassing way. I felt very tired, but I was still glad to hear Lilia-san’s true feelings. Once again, I realized—– I think Lilia-san is a really kind person.

  Lilia was sitting in the corner of her room, with her face blushing red and her head covered with her hands.

  [Uuuuuhhhh…… Luna, you idiot……]

  [Hmmm. That was quite disappointing, isn’t it? If I had been a few seconds later, I might have been able to see Lili’s memorable first kiss.]

  [Wha!? L- L- Like I said, didn’t I tell you that it’s a misunderstanding!? K- K- Kaito-san and I aren’t in t- t- that kind of relationship!]

  Lilia, with her face still bright red, frantically screams at Lunamaria, who was speaking to her with a teasing tone.

  While looking at such Lilia with a smile, Lunamaria speaks again.

  [But if, for example…… if Miyama-sama had tried to kiss you over there…… You would have accepted it, right?]

  [!?!?!? ]

  [Fufufu, Lili, you’re really easy to understand.]

  [L- Luna!!!]

  As if Lunamaria’s statement hit right at the bull’s eye, Lilia’s originally red face reddened even more as she felt like smoke was about to come out of her ears.

  [Isn’t it alright though? Haven’t I been telling you about it for a long time already? That Miyama-sama, for the unlucky in love Lilia, is someone who rarely appears in Lili’s life…… and he’s “the right one”.]

  [N- No, b- b- but what about K- K- Kaito-san’s feelings and t- t- there are also all sorts of stuff to think about……]

  [That means, that the problem isn’t on Lili’s side then?]

  [ ~ ~ ~!?!? ]

  Hearing Lunamaria’s words, Lilia looked like she had reached her limit, as she opened her mouth in response, but no words came out.

  Seeing her easy-to-read master like that, Lunamaria chuckled again.

  [……Well, at the rate things are going, it seems like it would take some time before some progress can be made…… Well, starting to be aware of it is already a step forward…… I will be rooting for you.]

  **********

  {Author’s Notes}

  Lilia is cute (and I’m sure of it.)

  Kaito, go explode! (I wish this happens.)

  T/N: 25/104 + 100… well, f*ck. Thank you, but still……