Chapter 147 – Trial (5)

“When did you realize?”

“…From the moment our foreheads touched.”

“So, practically from the start.”

Learning that I’d known almost from the beginning didn’t disappoint Rubia; instead, her smile brightened.

“What tipped you off?”

“Well… um… The Rubia I know wouldn’t have stopped at… just foreheads… Ahem.”

She would’ve used her tongue, too…

“Oh my…”

Rubia, who had been approaching me with a constant smile, faltered.

“And… and… when I showed you my underwear, you wouldn’t have just… stood there…?”

Saying it was fine since no one was around, breathing all perverted and rushed… just, like… Heehee…

“…Wouldn’t have just what?”

Rubia finally stood before me, a strained smile on her face. The corners of her lips trembled.

“There’s… something like that…”

Embarrassed, and fearing she’d discover my strange train of thought, I looked away.

“A k-kiss…? Th-That’s possible, right? Yeah. I definitely would have… Hehe… At least a kiss with Noah…”

Seeing me avoid her gaze, Rubia’s voice trailed off.

“More than… a kiss?”

“…Mhm.”

Rubia gasped and clapped both hands over her mouth. Then, very cautiously, she spoke.

“You mean… all the way?”

“…Hehe.”

I had nothing more to say… so I just chuckled.

“Whoa, sh—! Ha! This crazy woman… You’re way too fast…”

“Eek! Don’t badmouth Rubia…!”

“No, I… Yeah. Sorry.”

Flushed, Rubia muttered to herself before slapping her cheeks lightly.

“Th-That could happen. Yeah… The past me, definitely…”

Taking a deep breath, she composed herself, her expression returning to normal.

“Whew… Well, I knew you’d find out someday, but not this quickly. Okay, just one more question.”

“Yes…?”

“Why did you show me your underwear?”

“Ugh… That’s…”

Such a stupid reason.

So petty and pathetic…

“A while ago… Rubia and the other ‘me’ went underwear shopping together. So… I wanted… revenge…”

Rubia’s teeth ground together. Grind.

“…You two went underwear shopping together?”

“Yes! They even picked out underwear for each other! Isn’t that awful?!”

“Wow… That’s… news to me… Ha, that’s just ridiculous. So, they just waltz off, thinking I’ll never find out?”

Now flushed for a completely different reason, Rubia gritted her teeth as she gently took my hand.

“Let’s get revenge.”

“…How?”

“Hmm…”

A brief silence.

Then, a hesitant, almost embarrassed voice.

“Miso… soup.”

“…What?”

“I want to try miso soup.”

“Oh, um… But we should finish the trial—”

“No.”

Rubia cut me off firmly, a playful smile on her face.

“Time’s… frozen. It’s fine.”

“…What?”

“So, relax. Let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

“Hmm…”

Taking my silence as agreement, Rubia beamed and tugged my hand.

“Heehee… This is the first time I’m having food made by Noah.”

***

Click.

“Ahem… Excuse me.”

After much hesitation at the door, I finally led Rubia inside.

But… as expected, the house was empty.

“Hoo… I just take my shoes off, right?”

“…Right.”

I slipped off my shoes and stepped inside, then knelt to help Rubia with hers.

“Oh, oh… I-I can do it myself. Ugh…”

Muttering, “I hope they don’t smell,” Rubia wiggled her freshly un-shod toes before stepping inside.

“Oh, wow… The floor is so soft!”

“…The linoleum is warped.”

“Linoleum? Hmm… Still comfy though! Heehee.”

With light steps, she came to my side.

“Lead the way, Noah.”

“Lead the way…?”

“Yes!”

Rubia nodded brightly, her face full of anticipation.

But… what is there to show in this tiny place?

“Well… okay.”

I opened the door right next to the entrance.

My room.

Not exactly as it used to be.

Something felt subtly different…

Though, nothing had changed except the contents of my closet.

“This is…”

“My room… Nothing much to see, really…”

“Is that your bedding?”

“…Yes.”

“Gasp…”

Rubia slowly entered, scanning the room before cautiously approaching my bed.

Then,

“Can I smell it?”

She flopped onto the bed and buried her face in my pillow.

If you were just going to do that, why ask?!

“Wah! Wh-What are you doing?!”

I rushed over and carefully pulled the pillow away.

“Wow… Noah’s scent is so strong…”

“Ahh! D-Don’t say weird things!”

As she inhaled deeply — pervertedly — I clutched the pillow protectively. She then glanced at the closet and gulped.

“…The teddy bear.”

“Eek! N-No…”

Pillow in one hand, I grabbed her hand with the other.

“R-Rubia, you pervert…!”

“That’s right. I’m a pervert.”

“…Huh?”

“You’re just realizing this now? Remember when your bandages went missing? And ‘I’ said I’d washed them?”

So many times…

“I stole them all… Um, for my dignity’s sake, I’ll leave it at that.”

“Wh-Wh-What… what d-did you… even do…?”

“Go outside and ask. Ask what I did with your underwear.”

Grinning mischievously, Rubia giggled and jumped up.

“Anyway… that square box, is that a compu… computer?”

“Ah… Y-Yeah…”

“Hmm…”

She stared at the computer for a moment, then shook her head, turning away.

“It’s probably better if I don’t look. So… anything else you want to show me?”

Noticing the subtle shift in her demeanor, I quietly nodded.

Just in case, I held Rubia’s arm firmly as I led her out of the room and into the bathroom.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked around before heading straight to the sink and carefully turning the tap.

“Wow! The water pressure is amazing!”

Giggling, she began washing her hands.

“The soap smells so good… and it lathers so nicely! Wow… I want to take some with me.”

It’s a tiny bathroom, and the soap is cheap…

Seeing her so delighted made me feel…

“R-Rubia… See that bottle over there?”

…excited, too!

“Bottle? Hmm… yes.”

“That’s… shampoo. It’s like liquid soap, but for your hair.”

“Oh my, they have that, too?”

I grabbed the shampoo and held it under her nose.

“What do you think? Nice scent, right?”

“Wow…”

“And this one next to it… um… it makes your hair soft. It’s called conditioner!”

I let her sniff it before squeezing some into her hand.

“My goodness, even more hair products? Why won’t this wash off? It’s so slippery…”

Oh, right… I didn’t think of that.

“Um… J-Just scrub a little harder. Hehe…”

I grabbed the cheap herbal soap and helped her scrub away the conditioner until her hands were clean.

“And… this is something really amazing…”

I pulled a hairdryer from the cabinet and presented it with a flourish.

“This is…?”

“Watch…”

I unraveled the cord and plugged it in.

Click-click.

Whirrrr!

“Oh? Warm air…”

“Yes! It’s a hairdryer! For drying your hair!”

Rubia’s eyes sparkled with renewed curiosity.

“Wait… it works without magic?”

“Of course!”

I switched off the dryer and gently placed it in her hands.

With slightly clumsy movements, she turned it on.

“—Oof! That startled me… Um, is this how I use it?”

Startled by the sudden noise, she cautiously aimed the warm air at her hair.

“Exactly!”

I playfully moved her stiff arms, helping her spread the airflow.

Like a child with a new toy, she grinned and aimed the dryer at my face.

“—Ugh!”

“Heehee! Wow, this is amazing…! It’s like an artifact.”

“Well, it is kind of like one…”

After happily experimenting with the hairdryer, Rubia switched it off and looked at me expectantly.

“Anything else?”

“…I have my secret weapon.”

“Gasp! What is it?”

“Heehee… Wait and see.”

I grabbed my phone from the kitchen counter.

“…What’s this?”

“This is… a smartphone…”

I pressed the power button. Click.

“…Oh my.”

“See? It’s like a communication crystal, a video-calling artifact… and… all sorts of other things… Huh? Rubia? Are you even list—Eek?!”

Rubia, who’d been listening half-heartedly with a strange expression, suddenly beamed and hugged me tightly.

“Wh-Why are you suddenly—?!”

“I was trying so hard to resist touching you… but you seduced me first, Noah.”

“Huh? What are you talk—Eep?!”

Rubia nibbled my earlobe and lifted my wrist, showing me my phone screen.

“Oh… right.”

It was my wallpaper:

The Priestess of the Black Sun.

My favorite character.

An illustration of Rubia herself.