13. A Resolution

13. A Resolution

Priscilla carefully placed the book I gave her into her desk drawer, as if it were something precious. After telling her that she had to return it later since I borrowed it from the library, I sat down with the hairdryer.

Long hair and a voluminous tail were inconvenient in this regard.

They don’t dry well when wet and require consistent daily care.

When I was younger, I couldn’t forget my past life as a man and tried to cut my hair short, but my sister vehemently stopped me, so I couldn’t.

Now I’m used to long hair, but it’s still bothersome. I sighed and turned around, and my vision was filled with red rolled-up hair.

I feigned surprise and asked.

“Priscilla?”

“I-I’ll dry it for you!”

Priscilla quickly reached out and took the hairdryer. Her movements were much slower than mine, but I readily handed her the hairdryer. After all, I was about to ask her if she wouldn’t mind drying my hair.

I don’t know why Priscilla, who was so shy just yesterday, is being so proactive about drying it.

I didn’t do anything special today?

… Well, it’s a good thing that our relationship has progressed. I decided not to overthink it.

Priscilla held the hairdryer in her hand, swallowed, and started to touch my tail. As the roaring wind and heat enveloped the white fur, and Priscilla took a deep breath as if not to miss the escaping air-

“Priscilla.”

“Nyehet?!”

“If you’re going to do it, wouldn’t you mind drying my hair first? I need to dry my hair before my tail.”

-I called out to her and stopped her.

The fur on my tail is relatively resistant to damage, so it can be dried slowly, but my hair is not, so I need to dry my hair first… I recalled what my sister told me and asked Priscilla.

“Ah, yes! Yes….”

Priscilla, flustered, quickly tidied herself up and started drying my hair.

Having my hair dried by someone shorter than me felt similar to being dried by my sister at home, so I couldn’t help but smile. I smiled and thanked Priscilla.

“Priscilla, thank you.”

“Yes, yes…!”

Priscilla dried my hair with a flushed face. In between, I could hear her muttering something like, ‘It’s because of her tail… It’s because of her tail…’, but the words were lost in the sound of the hairdryer.

It’s definitely a magic-powered artifact, unlike the hairdryers from my past life, so why is the sound so loud? I don’t understand.

Anyway.

After the hair drying, which strangely involved a lot of ear rubbing, I finally presented my thoroughly wet tail to Priscilla, swaying it.

“I think it’s dry. Thank you, Priscilla.”

“Ah, yes! Yes….”

I shook my fluffy, dry tail once. As the tail’s trajectory left a trace, the residual heat in the fur scattered. Priscilla took a breath.

“Haaat…”

“Priscilla?”

“Yes, yes!”

Why is she so restless? Her face is also very red. I reached out my hand towards her forehead and asked.

“Are you still a little sick…?”

“No! I’m not sick! Not at all!”

Priscilla vehemently denied it, waving her hands away. Her strong demeanor forced me to retract my outstretched hand.

… Anyway.

Drying my long straight hair and voluminous tail took quite a bit of time. It was time to go eat dinner soon.

I called out to Priscilla, who was sniffing her hand.

“Priscilla.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go eat.”

Then Priscilla seemed to stammer, “Eh, ah,”.

My sister told me that in this world, not clearly expressing refusal means agreement, so after getting Priscilla’s permission (probably), I headed to the dining hall holding her hand.

Looking at Priscilla, who followed me meekly with her head bowed, without any sign of stopping, my sister’s words were all true.

She really is my sister. I should send her a letter this weekend.

However, on the way to the dining hall, someone blocked our path. A woman with red rolled-up hair, who resembled Priscilla but had a much more elegant appearance-

“Priscilla, you were here… Grand Duchess?”

“Oh, Sister?”

It was Priscilla’s sister.

Priscilla’s sister, who frowned for a moment upon seeing us holding hands, changed her expression to a gentle smile as if nothing had happened when she saw me and asked.

“Grand Duchess, I apologize, but I have something to discuss with my sister. Could I have a moment…?”

“No.”

“Even just for a moment…”

“No.”

“Just a moment…”

“No.”

If I let Priscilla go now, her sister would surely try to do something bad to Priscilla. Since I haven’t yet devised a plan to improve the relationship between Priscilla and her sister, we shouldn’t leave them alone together for now.

“I have to go eat. Move aside.”

“Grand Duchess. This is a family matter.”

“I heard that before. Move aside.”

Priscilla was trembling behind me, looking restless. She was probably scared of her sister. I drew my sword to take a firmer stance.

“Move aside.”

“No…”

“I won’t say it twice. Go away.”

Behind me is Priscilla, trembling with her hands clasped tightly, and in front of me is her sister, trying to find Priscilla.

My father told me. I must become a steadfast wall protecting the territory’s people from the onslaught of monsters. Recalling his words, I stood between Priscilla and her sister.

Priscilla leaned close to my ear and asked. Of course, my ears are on top, so strictly speaking, it was against my temple, not my ear.

“Um, Skadi, I’m fine, so please let me go…”

“No. Later.”

I firmly refused Priscilla’s request. It was an unavoidable decision to protect Priscilla from domestic violence.

After a few minutes of standing there with my sword drawn, Priscilla’s sister declared in an angry voice.

“Priscilla… Tomorrow, we will definitely meet.”

“No. I will stop you.”

“You really…! Hmph…”

Priscilla’s sister, who sighed while clutching her forehead, then glared at us menacingly and walked away with a clatter.

Hmm.

Perfect.

“S-Skadi, you didn’t have to go that far…”

“It’s okay. I have a lot of power, even if I don’t look like it.”

I don’t remember using my power, but I probably do.

Well, even if I’m mistaken about something, the title of Grand Duke shouldn’t be low. Didn’t Priscilla’s sister retreat before me just now?

“That’s not what I meant… No, let’s just go eat quickly.”

“Right. We’re running late.”

I’m hungry.

I sheathed my sword and headed to the dining hall again, holding Priscilla’s hand.

——

“Skadi, I didn’t get to say it last time, but you shouldn’t make slurping noises when you eat… Ugh?!”

“Here, eat.”

“…”

After we fed each other.

Priscilla and I returned to the dormitory and prepared for bed. We changed into comfortable pajamas and lay down on the same bed. I wrapped my tail around Priscilla.

“Wait, S-Skadi, why are you naturally getting into my bed!”

“Can’t I?”

“… U-um.”

I asked, swaying my tail. Priscilla blushed, then gently hugged my tail, giving a silent affirmation.

“Then let’s sleep together.”

“Yes, yes….”

And so, time passed.

The sun set, the lights went out, and the room was dark. As I tossed and turned, hugging Priscilla with my tail and arm, I suddenly felt Priscilla’s breathing change.

“Priscilla, aren’t you sleeping?”

“… Yes, yes?!”

“You weren’t sleeping.”

I said to Priscilla, closing my eyes tightly in the darkness. I could hear her breathing very close by.

“Priscilla, don’t worry.”

“… About what?”

“About your sister. I promise I’ll make sure you two get along.”

Priscilla said nothing. She just buried her face in something-probably my tail-and took a deep breath.

She’s probably worried about her sister.

I gently patted Priscilla’s back.

Resolving to make sure her relationship with her sister becomes proper.