Ch.225225. Two-Way Traffic (7)

In the Tembris Party room, once again, one person who couldn’t join them remained behind.

“You all go ahead. I’m just…”

Aris, still feeling the deepest guilt.

For her, choices simply didn’t exist.

Senia and Charlotte might at least have the right to show their faces briefly and offer a word of congratulations or thanks, but she couldn’t even show her face.

Fortunately, she had stopped tensing up every time she saw him, but that was as far as it went.

If there was to be any progress, she would need forgiveness from Junon.

But could she really be forgiven?

Despite once being comrades, she had ruthlessly pushed him when he couldn’t even resist.

And even this time, she had attacked him one-sidedly?

It was impossible. Having even asked him to save her students, her debt only grew day by day, making forgiveness out of reach.

With this, her interests now aligned with the other two, Senia and Charlotte.

If forgiveness was impossible, then it was better to distance herself.

Better not to be another burden on his already heavy shoulders.

Aris would never face Junon unless collaboration with him was forced upon her.

Time passed, and the door opened. Very slowly.

A little miss was struggling to push the door open bit by bit.

“Nngh, darn.”

The blue-haired girl opened the door gradually, standing on tiptoe, making sounds that wouldn’t be heard from outside.

With her petite frame, the youngest member still found it difficult to open the club room door.

“You could have just knocked. I’m in here.”

“Whew. If I were a bit taller, it would have been easier to open.”

“Why complain? You’re just adorable. If you were any bigger, you wouldn’t fit in my arms, and that would be a shame.”

“I appreciate the affection, but I’m already seventeen.”

“What does age have to do with it? Being cute is all that matters!”

“Uwaaah.”

Aris burst into laughter as she pulled Charlotte into a tight hug the moment she entered.

The youngest, who fit perfectly in her arms, always received plenty of affection from Aris.

But there was always someone who would nag her to stop whenever she did this. Though not present now.

“Come to think of it, where’s Senia? She should have come with you.”

“Sister Senia is still talking. In the middle of it, Senior Renias… pfft.”

“Huh?”

Aris tilted her head at Charlotte’s sudden laughter.

Charlotte carefully explained what she had seen, subtly asking Aris about it, hinting at Renias’s gaze.

“Hmm… no matter how I think about it, that kind of reaction suggests Renias likes Junon…?”

She scratched her head wondering if she was mistaken, but Charlotte agreed that was probably right.

She said Senia had immediately approached and said the same thing.

“That’s why Sister Senia is late. She’s trying to bridge the gap, suggesting that Senior Renias should get closer to Senior Junon.”

“I see. I was wondering what was going on.”

“For someone saying that, your face looks quite bright, sister?”

Of course it would.

This was a chance for Junon’s lonely side to be filled.

Considering who Renias was and what kind of person she was, Aris couldn’t help but brighten up.

With a slight smile, she recalled the scene on the terrace that she had witnessed with Senia.

They had been dancing. Awkwardly, but still.

Exhaling a relaxed breath, she recalled the scene at the beach.

A splendid couple gazing at the evening sea.

‘They made a good pair.’

Yes. Junon, who had saved countless lives only to be cursed, needed someone like Renias.

The Tembris Party could not help in any way with the enormous burden that this man had carried throughout his life.

All they could do was grow stronger to prevent the same things from happening again. Like in this recent Sacred Beast subjugation.

Avoiding the path of the past that he alone remembered, Junon would continue to clash and wear himself down.

Would the present be any different? Could things change just because someone remembered the past?

No. There was no guarantee that Junon wouldn’t break down this time either. Nothing in this world is perfect.

Having witnessed his frustration after seeing Adel’s condition in the hospital room, Aris was all the more anxious.

A man who couldn’t lean on anyone, couldn’t even reach out his hand, and was persecuted, criticized, and rejected.

That was Junon’s life, and his daily struggle alongside the Tembris Party.

But with Renias by his side, perhaps a different outcome might emerge.

It wasn’t unreasonable for her expression to soften as she sighed in relief, knowing Renias could become a sanctuary for the gradually wearing down Junon.

“You also hope those two will get together, right, sister?”

“Of course. After all that suffering, shouldn’t he be happy this time?”

“So about that. I need your help, sister.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s the preparation period for the Real Winter Parade now. A festival!”

Real Winter Parade, Junon, and Renias.

There couldn’t be a better opportunity for couples or lovers to spend time together.

“But why are you bringing this up?”

Aris asked with curiosity. They would obviously enjoy it together anyway.

Charlotte replied that Junon was such a dense blockhead that he might not know how to enjoy the festival.

“That’s true… that guy, not being able to pick up on such things…”

“Well, Sister Senia will probably solve that issue… but there’s another problem.”

“Another problem?”

“Since it’s a festival, it would be good to know some date courses for the two of them, but in the Tembris Party, only you, Sister Aris, have enjoyed the parade before.”

Now Aris could guess what Charlotte was trying to say.

“Don’t tell me. You want me to plan a date course for the two of them?”

Charlotte enthusiastically confirmed with a “Yes!”

After all, those who know how to have fun are the ones who’ve had fun before. She wanted to entrust the planning to Aris, who had always taken the lead during most festival periods.

***

It was bewildering.

Senior Senia was firmly holding both of her hands in hers.

‘And asking me to stay by Junon’s side…’

The sad face she showed, the talk about owing a debt, being a burden, or needing to distance herself from Junon.

Renias couldn’t understand any of these meaningful words.

Just one thing.

It had something to do with Junon.

But no matter how deeply she pondered, there was nothing she could figure out.

Yes. There probably wasn’t anything to figure out.

Renias shook her head from side to side, then covered Senia’s hands with her own and finally opened her tightly closed lips.

“As you saw earlier… I’m not particularly perceptive. But I think I understand one thing. Senior Senia… no, all of you are worried about Senior Junon, right?”

Unlike Junon or Senia, who could analyze situations and devise clever plans, this girl didn’t fit that mold.

So her answers could only be simple.

She could only think in flat, one-dimensional directions.

“Senior Junon. He faced position discrimination, was targeted by nobles, and suffered harassment. When he achieved results, there were scoundrels trying to obstruct him, and he was often caught up in conspiracies and false accusations, so you want to help him like when he was stoned in front of the hospital, right?”

But this one-dimensional thinking sprang from an untainted purity.

That alone was enough to elicit a positive response from Senia.

“Yes. I don’t want Junon to get hurt, I don’t want him to struggle, and I don’t want him to be cursed at.”

“If that’s the case, leave it to me. I’ll follow him around and drive away any bad people!”

Making a gesture of swinging her fists with both hands clenched.

Really, how could people not be drawn to her?

But weaknesses needed to be addressed.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“Here. I captured that entire scene, so keep it safe.”

Click.

The lens she suddenly produced showed the scene on the terrace in its entirety.

“H-hwaaa?! W-when did you…!”

That’s right.

While her feelings for Junon were completely exposed, she also lacked immunity to embarrassment.

Renias quickly grabbed the lens to destroy the evidence, and Senia, seemingly indifferent, had already finished scanning her.

“Hmm, first, let’s take off those stockings.”

“E-eh? Why? But it’ll be cold…”

“Renias, you have pretty bare legs, so why hide them? Geez.”

“W-what are you saying…! D-don’t tell me… Senior Senia, you have that kind of preference…?”

“It’s not about preference, think about it. If you look a bit cold, wouldn’t Junon pull you close and embrace you?”

“Ah…?”

“The advantage of a long sweater is that it accentuates your figure, making your waist look slender. But wearing these stockings ruins the effect.”

Maria had said something similar. “Why don’t you take off those stockings?” she had subtly suggested.

The silver rabbit’s gullible ears perked up once more at Senia’s subtle encouragement.

“You know Junon’s personality, right? When you pretended your leg was hurt earlier, he immediately carried you like a princess. If you look cold, won’t he subtly pull you close?”

“…!”

“Especially with a long sweater. How slender and cold you’ll look. He might not only grab your waist but also cover you with his coat?”

“…!!!”

“And then naturally nestle in his arms? If you use the cold as an excuse, anything is possible, right?”

“!!!”

“Still want to wear those stockings?”

At first, she was shocked at being told to take them off, then she hesitated a bit, and now it seemed she was imagining it in her head as she glanced around.

Even her silly hair twitched in response to Senia’s indoctrination(?).

And before long, Renias removed her black stockings and handed them to Senia.

“That’s right, good job. And I think I have some more tips~.”

Gulp.

A lump of tension went down her throat.

Nevertheless, the silver rabbit’s expression showed inner anticipation. Wondering what she would be taught next.

“Are you sure you can follow my instructions?”

Nod, nod.

“Alright. Then, first—.”

The perceptive fox’s indoctrination on romance began.

***

“Ha, haha…”

A forced laugh escaped him.

Hey, Senia… she’s been in there for a while, when are you planning to let her out…!

By now, it should be time to help her relax her muscles and send her outside!

“She must be saying something weird in there again.”

No. The more awkward she is when she sees Renias’s face, the better.

That’s right. I shouldn’t show signs of being flustered.

As soon as she comes out, I’ll ask how her cramped leg is doing to buy time, and I’ll apologize for trying to touch it, but I’ll have to convey that when Senia isn’t around.

Click.

‘Oh!’

The sound of the lock being released. Is she finally coming out?

“Are you okay? How’s your cramped leg…”

Huh. Bare legs? Where did those black stockings go, leaving only bare skin?

As I was looking at that, Senia strode over and spiked me in the back.

I involuntarily cried out and glared at her… but I had no right to glare.

Because she was waving the stockings Renias had been wearing right in front of me…!

“See this? Huh? You tried to forcibly touch her and tore them. That’s why the poor girl is hiccupping in shock!”

Oh my god.

I’m a terrible person… I’m sorry…!