Ch.223223. Two-Way Traffic (5)

“Hic.”

“…”

Cradled in Junon’s arms, Renias could only continue hiccupping repeatedly without saying a word.

Though her body was stiff, her hands were covering her face properly, so it seemed he hadn’t noticed if her face was red or not.

But from behind, everything was visible. Not just visible—it was painfully obvious.

Given her naturally pale skin, the reddish heat thoroughly soaking her ears and neck was clearly visible.

“Shouldn’t you take her to the infirmary first at this hour? Didn’t she twist her ankle earlier?”

Senia said, as if pushing Junon’s back.

As Charlotte also appeared busy trying to hold back her laughter by rolling her lips inward, Junon glared at them with eyes that said, “This is your fault.”

He headed toward the infirmary.

Supporting Renias’s neck with his left arm and the backs of her knees with his right.

He began moving while carrying her in a princess hold. The two women couldn’t help but offer praise at the romantic scene.

Then suddenly, as if remembering something, Charlotte asked Senia in a voice too quiet for Junon to hear.

“By the way, sis. How did you know?”

“Hmm? Know what?”

“That Senior Renias likes Senior Junon.”

When Senia, who had been touching Renias’s cheek, was blocked by Junon and turned to Charlotte. That was when she had revealed this fact.

“Ah~ I just have good intuition about these things.”

“Oh, really. When you suddenly called me over, I was confused when you told me to create ice under Renias’s feet.”

“You didn’t expect it would be something like this, right? Hehe. So, what does our youngest think of my work?”

“I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time.”

“Me too. I’ve never seen such a flustered face before.”

“Right, right! I’ve never seen Senior Junon make that kind of expression either.”

The two of them giggled together.

They smiled contentedly several times, recalling what had happened here, until Junon’s back gradually disappeared into the distance.

But for these two former comrades, this smile held more than just that meaning.

“They look good together, don’t they?”

“They really do.”

They imagined Junon alone, continuing his private worries under dark shadows.

Always with a rigid expression. Every time with an expressionless face, never showing his feelings.

For him, who knew the future, his main concerns would only be countermeasures and plans for what was to come.

Those things must have continuously churned in his mind.

But with Renias, they could see his other expressions.

Just like now, he would naturally reach out to the silver rabbit’s unexpected, bubbly charm.

Sometimes, he might momentarily set aside his burdens with the bright smile offered by the academy’s idol.

When things weren’t going well and his mind became complicated, he would firmly grasp that gentle hand and get back up, dusting himself off.

And… he might even smile for a moment. A smile that no one else had ever seen.

“Junon needs Renias more than us.”

“…I think so too.”

Comrade. Fellow warrior. Party member. Friend.

Though they had such relationships with Junon, it didn’t matter anymore.

If things had already gone wrong with one failure, it would be right to maintain distance for his happiness.

And this time, it had to be a much greater happiness.

‘Something grander and more certain is needed.’

Renias was someone who would stay by Junon’s side in place of many others.

Yes. One role was enough without needing many.

Both Charlotte and Senia knew this in their hearts.

“Senia sis? Where are you going?”

“I told you earlier. I have something important to tell Renias.”

“Huh… wasn’t that a lie? I thought you said that just to play a prank.”

“At this rate, it’ll probably be difficult. Charlotte, even you can see that Junon is dense, right?”

“Pfft. That’s true. How can he not notice such passionate courtship?”

“In that sense, our youngest! Go back to Aris first. I’ll come find you later, okay?”

“Okay. See you later.”

Lover.

Someone who stays by your side during hard times, comforts you when you’re hurt, and fills a difficult life with happiness—a lifelong companion.

The relationship between those two must continue that way.

***

“Hic. Hic.”

Still hiccupping, I see.

People sometimes get hiccups when they’re startled, so it’s understandable.

“We’re almost there. Just bear with it a little longer until we arrive.”

“Hic.”

For some inexplicable reason, Renias’s hiccups only grew more frequent instead of responding.

Her body, which had been completely stiff, hadn’t relaxed even after being held in my arms for dozens of minutes.

‘I’m worried. If her muscles are cramped, it must be quite painful.’

I’m moving as quickly as possible toward the medical facility while carrying Renias, but somehow this doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

And why is her body temperature so high?

The temperature near her head, where my left arm is touching her neck, and her cheek against my chest are extremely hot.

Looking closely, her clothes aren’t particularly warm… I should cover her with a blanket as soon as we arrive.

“Excuse me, could we borrow a bed? I think Renias has twisted her ankle.”

As soon as we arrived, I followed the guidance, sat Renias on a bed, and covered her with a blanket.

Renias jumped up and exclaimed,

“N-no! I didn’t twist my ankle…! It’s just a little cramped, so I’m, I’m fine. I’ll just rest for a moment and go!”

She adamantly denied it.

Since she says she didn’t twist it, it seems like we just need to wait for her fever to go down and her cramped leg to loosen up.

For now, I changed my priority to checking her temperature, as it would be strange if she didn’t catch a cold in that outfit.

“Is your temperature okay? Move your hands so I can check your forehead.”

“Hic.”

Renias shook her head vigorously, refusing to let me touch her forehead.

Her constant “hic, hic” hiccups are quite bothersome, but her leg is the priority right now.

However, when I tried to take off her shoes and reach for her calf, Renias fled to the back of the bed in terror.

“S-s-s-senior?! Why are you touching my leg?!”

“You were stiff the whole way here. I’m trying to help you relax.”

“N-no! You don’t need to! I… I’ll be fine in just a little while!”

Hic. Hic.

I might be imagining it, but her hiccups seem to be getting faster…

‘Still, there shouldn’t be any complications.’

How many times have I seen things get worse from waiting? Even if she didn’t twist her ankle while slipping, I clearly saw her body stiffen momentarily.

It was the same on the battlefield. Starting with a sprain, if proper measures aren’t taken, the pain can last a long time.

I firmly grabbed Renias’s leg as she tried to escape.

“S-s-senior! I’m really, reeeally fine! Hic!”

“When muscles are cramped, massaging them by hand is the best remedy, Renias. You know that. Remember when I helped you before you became an Albegi?”

“Whaaat? S-senior! That’s… wait, wait a moment…!”

I finally managed to catch her as she tried to push me away and struggled.

Now I just need to help her relax.

“Oh my, my! Goodness! Junon, what are you doing?”

Senia said that as she rushed over and immediately pulled me away from Renias.

“Hey… Senia, why are you following us again?”

“I told you back there. I originally had something to talk about with Renias.”

Senia said that with a nonchalant shrug.

“That aside. Huh? Are you going to be rough like that with a girl?”

“Rough? I was only thinking about properly loosening her cramped muscles.”

“Well, well. What I saw was you grabbing Renias’s leg as she tried to escape behind the bed?”

“Hic!”

At first, I was going to explain that it’s better to take care of it before it gets worse. Something like that.

But hearing the hiccup, my thoughts changed a bit. Or rather, I finally came to my senses?

‘Ah. What an idiot I am.’

I just forcibly grabbed the leg of someone who had retreated behind the bed saying she was fine.

I rushed over thinking she had twisted her ankle, but Renias had already denied that.

So maybe she really wasn’t hurt…

Why did I do that, seriously???

“And you know what? What if someone had seen you?”

“…”

I had to remain silent again at the question of what would have happened if someone had seen.

What Senia saw was me forcibly grabbing Renias’s leg as she tried to escape behind the bed.

If others had seen that…

Being branded a pervert would be instantaneous… and after that.

Oh shit. I really could have been screwed.

“Are you coming to your senses now? Grabbing a girl’s leg like that? Huh?”

“Hey, hey, hey!! I was wrong, so please stop bringing it up…”

“You think you can just gloss over this? I saw everything! How you were with Renias, huh?”

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose; I thought she was hurt! And please lower your voice…!”

Every time the conversation continues, Renias’s hiccups keep reaching my ears, making me feel strangely guilty.

I also feel somewhat wronged…!

I should be apologizing to Renias, but why am I raising both hands and feet in surrender in front of her…!

But she’s right, so what can I do? She’s the only witness. The Junon standing here could face condemnation from the entire academy with just one word from witness Senia.

With her annoying smile glaring at me like that, I had no choice but to lower my tail.

“So… what do you want me to do?”

“Oh~ Now we’re talking?”

I’ve known you for years, how could I not know that!

“Your eyes look strange. Do you have some complaint?”

“…No, ma’am.”

How did she figure that out too…? It really feels like she’s got me by my weakness, and I can’t even talk back.

“As I said earlier, I came to talk with Renias. You know what I mean, right?”

“…Just the two of you?”

“That’s right.”

If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t worry, but with Senia, there’s definitely cause for concern… but what can I do? I’m the one whose weakness she’s caught.

I should just give her the space she wants.

Right, well. Let me ask one thing before I go.

“Um… can I ask you one thing?”

“Hmm?”

“You two aren’t fighting, right?”

“What an unnecessary worry. It was just a joke, a joke.”

Compared to Senia’s immediate response, I’m concerned about Renias who’s completely covered herself with the blanket, but well, that’s enough of an answer.

Actually, I suspected from the beginning that I might have overreacted.

“Done with your question? Now, get out. Quickly.”

“Huh…? I was going to leave anyway…”

“I want to talk with Renias now~.”

Yes, I’m leaving right now!

What else can I do but leave immediately?

Senia folded her eyes prettily and tossed one last comment at me as I went outside.

“Don’t come in until I tell you to, okay?”

SLAM.

After that… the door closed.

“Good grief… getting caught up in something so strange.”

Pushed outside, I had to fold my arms with an inexplicable, uneasy feeling.

“I hope she’s not saying something weird again?”

Feeling anxious, I thought about going back in, but…

Click.

“She’s already locked the door.”

Well, I’ll just have to wait. Let’s pray she doesn’t say anything strange to Renias.

…Though that’s probably wishful thinking.

***

Meanwhile, between Renias and Senia who were now alone, instead of the tense confrontation from earlier, a predator-prey dynamic had formed.

A silver rabbit and a fox.

“…”

“Aw~ Don’t be so scared. Someone might think I’m going to eat you.”

And with that, Senia slowly approached Renias’s side.

The perceptive woman already knew too well the state of the frightened silver rabbit.

“Since your leg doesn’t actually hurt, you don’t need a massage, right? And let’s get rid of this blanket. I’ve worn that outfit too, so I know. It’s quite warm, so the heat Junon is worried about is completely different from a cold.”

“Hic.”

“Ah, but I should give you some sugar water. The hiccups aren’t stopping.”

The aftereffect of hiccups still remained intact.

For a girl who had shown jealousy for the first time and was unfamiliar with the emotion of love, such aftereffects were to be expected.

The door was already locked, and sugar water could be quickly prepared here. Senia promptly warmed up some sugar water and handed it to Renias.

But Renias didn’t immediately accept it.

“If you keep hiccupping, Junon will find it strange too.”

“…!”

“I told you, I didn’t come to eat you, right? It’s just sugar water, so drink it comfortably. Or should I take the first sip?”

“No… I’ll drink it right away.”

When Junon was mentioned, her eyes immediately changed, and she took the sugar water and drank it.

Senia keenly observed this scene.

“You like Junon, don’t you?”

“Kack, cough! Cough!”

With that, Renias, who had been gradually stabilizing after finishing the sugar water, experienced a sudden brake in her breathing.

Her facial skin, which had been returning to its pale color as the heat subsided, began to flush red again.

Confirming that Junon was the object of the beautiful girl’s first love and unrequited feelings through her extreme reactions, Senia wore a mischievous smile while Renias choked and coughed.