Seeds of Doubt (2)

Seeds of Doubt (2)

Whether it’s because I had just seen Rumi’s tears earlier, or because the situation of a cat coming to give me advice seemed unreal, I’m not sure.

As I was feeling dizzy, unable to accept the current situation,

The boss cat starts meowing, trying to convey something to me.

“Meow meow meow.”

What could it be saying?

Unable to understand at all, I look at Luna.

Luna, saying ‘Master really can’t do without me, can he?’, provides a translation.

[He asked if he should teach you how to pounce first.]

Due to their way of thinking being too different from humans, they’re more of a hindrance than help.

I wave my hand at the boss cat, signaling it to go away.

The cat looks at me as if I’m pathetic, sticks its face forward, and says something.

[This time he asked if you’re chickening out!]

To think a mere cat would even taunt me.

Thinking it’s quite an interesting fellow, I look down, and the cat starts saying something while making eye contact with me.

“Meow meow. Meow meow meow.”

[He said if that’s not it, then don’t hesitate to tell him. He says not to feel burdened since you’re both males!]

Actually, talking about my concerns itself wasn’t a big problem.

But I didn’t want to seriously consult a cat about such worries, so I thought it would be better to ignore it.

Just as I was about to pass by and go to my room, Luna started explaining something to the boss cat on my behalf.

“Meow. Meow! Meow meow.”

I couldn’t understand what they were saying.

It’s a bit funny to see two cats having a serious conversation.

As I was about to pass by, thinking that if I had seen this on Earth, I would have found it quite interesting.

[The boss cat told me the method!]

Rumi blurted out something rather surprising.

‘Could it be that Rumi relayed my situation on my behalf?’

Given that she said she was told the method, it seems that way.

As I was sighing, unsure whether to be grateful for this or consider it meddling.

Rumi told me what she heard from the boss cat.

[If a female keeps pushing you away, it’s also a good method to provoke jealousy.]

“Jealousy?”

[Yes! First, if you start flirting with another female and treat her better, there will come a moment when the one who was playing hard to get will regret it.

Then, if you use that to approach her again, she’ll be more likely to accept due to the psychology of loss aversion!]

It’s strangely professional.

The moment I heard those words, I thought that the boss cat might be more capable than I expected, and as I looked at him.

The boss cat smiled confidently and started meowing.

‘… A moment when she’ll regret it.’

I’m not sure if this applies to the current situation.

But given that I have no other options right now, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to keep this in mind as I spoke to Rumi.

“I’ll think about it.”

[Okay!]

I felt that I needed to reward Luna and the boss cat who came to help me anyway.

After giving them the treats I usually give to Luna, I continued speaking.

“Leave without making a mess.”

Using Deren’s manner of speaking that had naturally become a habit even when I didn’t want to use it, I slipped out of the laboratory.

* * *

I wandered outside, lost in thought.

The ‘making regret’ that the boss cat talked about is a method to use when Rumi at least likes me.

It was an ambiguous method to use when she doesn’t even like me.

‘I’m not even sure if Rumi likes me now, or if she ever liked me at all.’

That’s why it was ambiguous to use it recklessly.

So while I was thinking that my head was a bit complicated as I moved forward.

I see someone waving their hand and calling me from far away.

“Deren Deren!”

Thinking I could tell who it was just by hearing the voice, I looked ahead.

Delia quickly ran towards me and hugged me, then greeted me with a grin.

“Thanks so much for earlier!”

Not knowing what else to say, I didn’t give any answer.

Delia slightly raised her face and then tilted her head, saying to me.

“Do you have something on your mind? Why is your face so stiff?”

I thought my face looked the same as usual.

But it seems Delia noticed some changes.

I shook my head and answered “It’s nothing” to Delia’s question, but she shook her head and said.

“No, there’s definitely something. It can’t be that your research is stuck… Hmm, it must be about Senior Espin or Rumi.”

Delia, who quickly guessed my concern, continued speaking while still in my arms.

“However, in Senior Espin’s case, unless it’s a really big problem, he’s the type to handle things well on his own. It seems you’re making that expression because of Rumi.”

I was somewhat surprised inwardly that she guessed the correct answer so quickly.

Delia moves slightly away from my embrace and tells me.

“I’m not sure exactly what problem you’re worried about regarding Rumi… but considering that Senior Espin also had some issues recently. I guess it’s related to the group that attacked our family, right?”

I nod.

Delia continues speaking to me with an even more focused expression.

“And if we consider Rumi’s personality here… since she’s the type to avoid causing trouble for others. I suppose she’s trying to run away saying, ‘I can’t cause you any harm!’ right?”

She accurately guesses all the reasons to the point where I wonder if Delia has always been this sharp.

Just as I’m somewhat surprised by Delia’s words.

Delia shrugs her shoulders and tells me.

“That means you, Deren, are probably finding it troublesome that Rumi keeps trying to distance herself from you. After all, you don’t really like it when things deviate from your own thoughts.”

While I’m thinking how amazing it is that Delia can accurately guess the situation with such limited information.

Delia smiles brightly and tells me.

“Then why don’t you just leave Rumi alone?”

“Just leave her alone?”

“Yes. Although the reliability is a bit low since I read it in a book, according to what was written there, people only realize the importance of something when they ‘lose’ what they had.”

“……”

“So, I’m telling Rumi, who keeps trying to run away. If you run away now, you’ll never have this kind of opportunity again, that sort of thing.”

The content is a bit different, though.

It’s similar to the advice the cat boss gave.

As I hear this consecutively, I’m contemplating if it’s really the right thing to do, when Delia playfully smiles and says to me.

“So why don’t you focus on me for a while? Hmm? Even if it’s just for show to Rumi, focus on me.”

The moment I hear those words, I realize this was Delia’s intention all along and laugh inwardly.

I thought it was strange that Delia was helping, considering Rumi would be a competitor from her perspective.

I lightly flick Delia’s forehead, who is transparent but not dislikeable, and she makes a sad face and says to me.

“Isn’t it too much to reject me after I’ve said all this?”

“I never rejected you.”

“… Huh?”

When I tell her I never rejected her, Delia blinks and looks at me.

Then, flustered, she says to me.

“Um… so when you say you didn’t reject, does that mean you’ll do it?”

When I silently nod my head.

Delia, truly surprised, opens her eyes wide and stammers for a bit before grabbing her skirt and exclaiming to me.

“Um, s-so. I’m not wearing my, uh, lucky underwear today, so can I quickly go home and change?”

The moment I hear those words, I start to regret giving permission, but.

Delia giggles and says to me.

“Just kidding! I haven’t even kissed or pecked yet, so there’s no way I’d be concerned about underwear!”

It seems she finds it fun to throw out embarrassing jokes.

I was shaking my head while looking at Delia.

Delia, with a bright red face, clings to me again and speaks to me in a hushed voice.

“S-still… I’ll have things prepared… so when you’re ready later… it might be okay.”

“……”

What was a joke until now, is probably sincere this time.

I’m feeling somewhat confused by Delia’s words.

Then, I start to hear footsteps of someone approaching in this direction.

‘If the servants see this scene, it could become quite troublesome.’

As I try to move away for a moment.

Delia shakes her head and whispers to me softly.

“Judging by the footsteps, it seems to be Rumi. So, just keep holding me tightly and ignore Rumi.”

It was clearly a self-interested suggestion, no matter who looked at it.

I decided to do as Delia said for now, so I continued hugging her.

In the distance, I could see Rumi walking towards us.

Upon noticing Rumi.

I slowly turned my gaze and made eye contact with Rumi, who was approaching with a dying expression.