Chapter 47 – Change
One.
It was a strangely refreshing morning.
When I got out of bed after removing the blanket, I was so light that I was surprised even myself.
Is that why?
Ceres felt that yesterday’s events were even more unrealistic. As she recalled her memory, she unconsciously touched her lips as she half-raised her body in her bed.
She forcibly kisses Netoru while holding her body…
What happened next?
Lost in her thoughts, Ceres’ face became serious. No matter how hard she tried to recall yesterday, she has no memory of herself after that, as if her film was cut.
She just woke up and it was already morning, and she was sleeping in her room as usual.
I don’t know why she lost her mind at that moment,
This was kind of weird.
Ceres clearly expected that Netoru would attack him on the spot. The way she forcibly hugged her body, and the way she kissed her…
I don’t know what
After coming to her senses, Ceres ran straight to the bathroom.
She then took off her clothes and checked every inch of her body. But the results were surprising. Strangely, her body was clean, and there was no sign of her having an affair. Only her hair, disheveled in her sleep, is all.
The man really hadn’t touched his body at all.
“… Why?”
Ceres, tying his own smooth waist with his fingertips and looking at the pure white naked body reflected in the mirror, was stunned.
Why are there no traces? Did the man really do nothing and send him back to his room?
Have I ever been unattractive?
No, if it was going to be like this, why did they force their lips together?
Ceres knew only about close relationships between men and women through books, but even so, this was something strange.
Usually there…
“… Ah.”
The thoughts didn’t last long. His head felt dizzy, as if it had overheated. Ceres looked at his reflection in the mirror and turned his head away. His expression was so messed up that it was embarrassing.
It might have been more convenient if he had worked there. Then he just accepted it thinking that he was just that level of a man, so it was enough. But this only makes my head complicated.
But still, on the other hand, I feel a little relieved.
“… Fortunately, it’s not a beast.”
Thanks to that, I inadvertently twisted my lips and the words flowed out.
I don’t know what the hell Netoru was thinking.
Ceres looked in the mirror as usual and gave one gentle smile, then he put the mask back on himself. It was not difficult to change his expression, as it had been repeated in his unit for years.
The only problem is that I don’t have the confidence to keep it in front of that man, but it’s useless to him anyway. So he just needs to be able to show his usual appearance to his troops anyway.
With such thoughts, it was time for him to greet a new day.
Ceres’ will was broken shortly after meeting Karen.
It was because of Karen’s atmosphere, which was so different from when we met in the dressing room yesterday.
Just looking at it, it was something that made me feel uncomfortable.
‘… Did I do something wrong?’
Ceres pondered the reason. He kept replaying his memory to make sure he didn’t do anything wrong with Karen yesterday.
But he couldn’t find an answer at all.
Instead, clues were found.
I could find that Karen’s gaze was still on Netoru and him in the restaurant.
… Something happened between the two yesterday.
-I’ll be waiting for you in my room…
Those suspicions were confirmed in the sight of Karen secretly whispering to Toru Net as she was about to leave her restaurant.
At that moment, Ceres could only think of one thing.
Did Netoru tell Karen about yesterday?
It was only expected, but Ceres felt his heart thump down.
2.
“Why don’t you ask Karen directly about that?”
Why is the grave voice so frightening?
At first, I tried to laugh. I tried my best to act like nothing happened yesterday. But I couldn’t.
No matter how many masks you wear, they break easily.
Just meeting his gaze made Ceres feel her thoughts freeze.
In addition, his sharpness in detecting even lies without difficulty is frightening.
But you must ask this.
“… You didn’t tell Karen about yesterday, did you?”
It was her own ugliness and weakness that she never wanted Karen to know.
Ceres wanted to be a reliable older sister to Karen and her troops.
However, if her true self, which she had been hiding, becomes known to her unit members… Ceres did not want to imagine such a thing. Because her Unit 393 was her important home for her.
She did not want to lose her position here.
Ceres waited anxiously for Netoru’s answer. Then he let out a low sigh and said.
“Don’t worry. Because you didn’t say anything.”
“That is… Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“… Then why is Karen avoiding me all of a sudden? I bet you saw the atmosphere between Karen and me at the restaurant.”
“Well. Why? I don’t know about that either. Aren’t you in a bad mood just because of overheating?”
When he said he didn’t know, Netoru’s face showed no doubt. Rather, it is impudent enough to be shameless.
It was clear that he knew something. Thanks to this, Ceres raised her voice involuntarily.
“Don’t lie. Surely you know something… !”
“Shh. Don’t raise your voice like that. Other troops will listen.”
“… Town!”
Netoru suddenly covered Ceres’ mouth with his hand. Ceres glared at him at that sly attitude, but couldn’t resist.
In fact, as he said, a member of the unit passing by the hallway was giving him a curious look. It was a worried look, as if it felt quite serious.
Eventually, Netoru, avoiding the gaze of such a unit member, quietly whispered in Ceres’ ear.
“Don’t be cowardly to avoid it, check it yourself. Because Karen wants to talk to you anyway.”
And at the end of his speech.
──Kikiiik
As if waiting, the door started to open. Before one knew it, Netoru opened Karen’s door.
“Ruler. Go in.”
Like that, Ceres was pushed into his room without hesitation.
“… Ceres?”
Then I saw Karen staring at me in surprise. Unprepared, Ceres involuntarily held her breath.
An awkward silence lingers between the two as they exchange glances.
And behind him, the blond man was just shrugging his shoulders carelessly.
Ceres hated Netoru so much.
3.
“… “
“… “
The current situation was too unfamiliar to Karen, who had never even had a small argument with Ceres before. When was it ever so burdensome to be alone with Ceres?
‘… Netoru. Bad boy.’
-Let’s have a good talk together.
The culprit of this situation, the blond man, spoke silently, and then she disappeared as if she were running away alone.
I think I was willing to help on my own, but thanks to that, things got more complicated.
Karen needed time. She told Ceres that she had no time to think about what to say.
At least it wasn’t something that came so suddenly.
But it happened.
‘… I can’t help it.’
In the silence that followed, Karen let out a low sigh inside her and looked at Ceres.
It’s the first time I’ve seen Ceres with such a dark face.
Was it such a shock to have been avoiding it since morning?
But what I can’t help is, I saw Ceres like that yesterday, so I can’t be comfortable with her. Karen needed to prepare her mind.
‘I’ll have to pretend not to know that for now.’
Of course Karen said she knew about yesterday and she had no intention of telling Ceres. She said that she must keep it a strict secret. It was obvious that if Ceres knew about it, it would only make things even more awkward.
I hate that. Although she couldn’t help but be awkward in the morning, Karen still liked Ceres.
She is a trustworthy older sister who smiles gently every time.
Karen said she didn’t want to lose that relationship.
So what should she do here? She has only one goal she wants anyway.
To prevent the coupling between Ceres and Netoru as much as possible.
Karen decided to admit it. Realistically, it is impossible to completely prevent the coupling between the two. As Netoru said, it would be a great force, but it would be foolish to blindly block it.
But… Wouldn’t it be okay to swap small battles? Ceres doesn’t have to keep coupling with Netoru every time.
Alright, let’s start here.
Arranged in her head, Karen cautiously opened her mouth. She preferred a frontal assault rather than needlessly turning her horse around.
“Ceres. She has something to suggest. Can you listen to me?”
“A suggestion? What is it?”
“That… It’s about swapping this time.”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, Ceres listened to her as if the silence she felt was uncomfortable.
However, the problem was how to propose the proposal to alternate couplings with Netoru.
The plate has already been opened.
Karen told Ceres as logically and persuasively as she could about her thoughts, which she had been organizing in her mind.
Even in the middle of this, it was not easy because she had to somehow pretend not to know about yesterday.
“… Anyway, so why don’t we take turns swapping?”
It was then that the story was over.
She thought she would think about it a little, but Ceres answered firmly without the slightest hesitation.
“Karen. I cannot accept that offer.”
“No? Why?”
“… That. Karen knows that too.”
“… “
Karen, who was about to argue with her, shut her mouth for a second.
-You know that too well, don’t you?
Ceres’ words now are very similar to what Netoru said yesterday.
So Karen involuntarily repeated the same words.
“… Ceres, are you trying to say that I’m not good enough as Netoru’s coupling partner right now?”
“Yes. It is impossible for you to replace me.”
And this time, Ceres was saying the same thing as Netoru.
Even though I saw myself like that yesterday.
Awesome-.
When Karen saw Ceres pretending to be strong in this way, she felt a moment of emotion.
Why won’t you be honest with me?
Karen was confident that even if Ceres showed her true self, she would treat her like normal.
So that.
It was closer to sadness than anger.
