If there was a set amount of energy you could use in a day, today’s had long since run out. From the moment I glimpsed Aconitum’s memory, I’d felt like I was on a nonstop rollercoaster. The day had been so grueling that I just wanted to rest.

That was my last memory.

“…Mmm.”

I opened my eyes feeling refreshed for once. How long had it been since I’d slept soundly without dreaming or waking at dawn? 

I yawned languidly and rubbed my eyes, and my foggy mind gradually returned. It was nice that I’d rested comfortably last night, but I felt like I’d forgotten something important.

Wait. When did I fall asleep? 

I had no memory of climbing into bed on my own. More precisely, I couldn’t recall anything after welcoming Asrein back to the mansion. Belatedly sensing something strange, I bolted upright in bed.

“What the…?”

The clothes that should have been damp from entering the lake had been changed to better quality ones, and my bothersome hair had been neatly tied and draped over one shoulder. Anyone could see these were traces of another’s touch.

Judging from the situation, I must have collapsed as soon as I saw Asrein, my tension finally releasing. Then surely the one who bathed me and changed my clothes wasn’t Asrein… right? It must have been the statues following his orders.

“He must have… worried a lot.”

He’d repeatedly told me not to overdo it, yet I’d boldly jumped into the lake, so I had no excuse. I had to apologize to Asrein, who must have suffered in various ways because of me.

I staggered out of the room, planning to shower first. When I entered the spacious bathroom, a warm atmosphere wafted over me. I handed my clothes to the now-familiar statue and immersed myself alone in the warm water.

“Haah…”

When I relaxed and leaned back against the tub, drowsiness washed over me again. Even knowing I shouldn’t sleep here, I couldn’t resist my heavy eyelids. Eventually, I was dozing off when I heard footsteps approaching.

“…So you were here.”

A low voice resonated subtly through the bathroom. Soon, a cold touch landed on my cheek with a tap, and I opened my eyes. As soon as I saw the finely lined fingers, I jerked my head up. My eyes met directly with his as he bent slightly at the waist to look down at me.

“Oh? Asrein.”

When I grinned in delight, Asrein frowned instead.

“You suddenly disappeared. I was worried.”

“I was going to come see you right after washing up.”

“How’s your body?”

“I’m fine. Yesterday I was just tired.”

I waved my hand to tell him not to worry and turned my upper body back. If I stood up here, the water would come up to my waist, so there wouldn’t be anything awkward between us. Without much thought, I grabbed the tub and stood up abruptly.

Suddenly my head throbbed from standing up too quickly, and my vision spun.

“Dangerous…!”

I felt dizzy for a moment and staggered, then lost my footing.

“Ugh…”

There was a crash, but I didn’t fall properly… wait, it doesn’t hurt at all?

When I cautiously opened my eyes, I saw not the floor but Asrein’s face right before me. For a moment I couldn’t grasp the situation and just blinked my wide eyes. Asrein seemed quite surprised too, sitting in an awkward position with his arms around my waist.

“…Uh, um…”

Trying to protect me from falling, Asrein had fallen too, and his clothes were completely soaked. 

Not only that. I was being held without a single thread on my body. My bare skin stuck to Asrein’s damp shirt, and the sensation felt strangely vivid.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Still dazed, I couldn’t answer and just nodded vigorously.

I needed to get up quickly. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was already practically pinning Asrein down, and if I moved carelessly and accidentally slipped, we’d end up in a position that suggested… something.

Unable to do this or that, I stayed still, and Asrein moved first.

“You’ll catch a cold like this.”

He seemed to be trying to lift me by pulling my waist, but that became the problem instead.

“Ngh.”

“…?”

I reacted sensitively to the hand carefully caressing my lower back. I made a sound without meaning to and showed an “oops” expression, and Asrein narrowed his eyes. It seemed like he was demanding to know what that sound was, so I let out a clumsy excuse.

“I-it tickled.”

I thought he’d remove his hand at this. But his touch became bolder. Soon the long flowing hair tangled between his fingers. Even as I kept hunching my shoulders in bewilderment, Asrein didn’t stop.

“Let me… go now.”

He just stared at my face intently, like when giving deep kisses. He seemed to have noticed that his persistent gaze made me react even more sensitively. When I finally bit my lower lip to hold back sounds, the hand leisurely caressing my waist stopped abruptly.

“Tae-oh.”

“Y-yes?”

“I think you’d look pretty if you kept growing your hair like this.”

The slightly rising corners of his mouth looked particularly mischievous today. Heat rushed to my face, whether from the hot steam or embarrassment. I turned my head to avoid his gaze and muttered in a shrinking voice.

“…I’ll think about it.”

When I answered curtly, a pleasant laugh tickled my ear. Asrein, who’d been gently stroking my hair, straightened his upper body and kissed my forehead. Though it was a light kiss, perhaps because we were in the bathroom, the sound was vividly audible.

“I’ll wash up and go, so rest comfortably.”

“…Okay.”

Soon Asrein gestured to the statue standing by the door and said.

“Bring out new clothes and take Tae-oh to his room.”

The statue that approached with large strides wrapped a large towel around my shoulders. Only after wrapping it around my body like a robe and leaving the bathroom did I come to my senses.

I’m crazy. I’m crazy. I kept muttering the same words and stood before the mirror to find a tomato standing there.

“No wonder Asrein laughed…”

I tried to shake off the thoughts and changed clothes efficiently. But no matter what I did to distract myself, I couldn’t ignore the aftershock. Even trying not to remember, the sweetly resonating voice and the sticky sensation came back in detail.

“…I’m going to lose it.”

Asrein told me to rest, but I couldn’t be comfortable at all. Eventually I entered his room and sat in a corner of the bed with my knees up. Hugging my legs and curling up like a hedgehog with raised quills somehow made me feel at ease.

Waiting obediently like this for Asrein to come, the door opened before long.

“Reply appropriately to the letter that came previously. If an answer comes again, don’t report it and dispose of it.”

Even on his way back after showering, work didn’t cease. He walked straight to the desk and rummaged through documents, looking quite busy. My conscience pricked at having kept such a busy person tied up.

“Nothing from the crown prince’s side?”

“……”

“No, never mind. There’s no need for me to contact him first.”

I wondered when he’d notice I was here and quietly followed Asrein with my eyes. Then I suddenly noticed his unusual attire.

He always pursued perfection in public settings. His tightly buttoned appearance with no skin showing was also a symbol revealing his personality. But now he was walking around without fastening his shirt buttons at all.

“Ah, tell the Flora sanctuary that we’ll send another professor in response to their request.”

Between the open front, his firm body was revealed, and golden hair flowed down over it. I held my breath and took in the sensual sight. Then a water droplet he hadn’t wiped off fell from the end of his hair and trickled down his chest.

“…Hup.”

I lowered my eyes like I’d seen something I shouldn’t have.

Wait, no. Can’t I look openly? I’ve already seen everything there is to see anyway…

Though I didn’t intend to. And frankly, we’re dating, so what does it matter? Even if not before, now we’re in a relationship where this much is acceptable.

“Mm.”

After earnestly debating with myself, I lifted my head decisively. But Asrein, who’d been at the desk just moments ago, had disappeared. Thinking something was strange, I turned my gaze to the side and met a slightly frowning face.

“Eek!”

When I shrieked in surprise, Asrein’s brow furrowed even more.

“What are you doing here alone?”

“Obviously, …I was waiting for you.”

When I smiled awkwardly, a suspicious gaze stuck to me. So I hastily added more.

“To eat breakfast together.”

It was a hastily made excuse, but fortunately it was effective. Asrein patted my head with rough strokes and said, “Then let me just finish getting dressed.”

With those words, Asrein turned his steps toward the statues. He seemed to be planning to leave dressing to them as usual. But for me, this was an important opportunity I couldn’t miss.

“Um…!”

I suddenly grabbed his arm and said, “Can’t I do it?”

“Do what?”

After hesitating for a long time, I cautiously gauged his reaction.

“Button your shirt and dry your hair… things like that.”

When I worked at House Ameli before, I’d often seen people attending to clothes. Back then, naturally, I didn’t think much of it. Rather, I disliked the count for making others do things he could do himself. But when the subject became Asrein, my feelings completely reversed.

I was envious enough of the statues doing that work every day.

“You want to attend to me?”

“…Yes.”

When I nodded shyly, Asrein made an expression of genuine incomprehension.

“Why?”

Why indeed. Could there be a special reason? Because I want to see you up close. But I couldn’t readily reveal my ulterior motives and vaguely deflected.

“Just because I want to. …Is that not okay?”

“No, it’s not that it’s not okay.”

“Really?”

When I made my eyes sparkle brightly, Asrein reluctantly nodded. I inwardly cheered at the consent I’d obtained with difficulty.

“Thank you!”

“This isn’t such a big deal…”

It is too. I quickly got up from my seat and reached for his shirt hem. Seeing him up close, his body really was good… No, actually trying to fasten the first button made me quite nervous.

With trembling hands, I barely fastened one and let out a deep breath.

“But why do you have the statues attend to your clothes?”

“Because I can process documents with empty hands in the meantime.”

“…That is efficient.”

I could take care of you for life with that kind of efficiency. The inner thought rose to my throat, but I forced it down. Asrein still seemed oblivious to why I’d volunteered to attend to him.

After neatly fastening the last button, I drew a satisfied smile.

“Hehe, all done.”

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

I grabbed Asrein again as he was about to leave. Then a somewhat troubled light crossed the golden eyes that looked back at me.

“I can dry my hair with magic.”

“But I’m here?”

“But if I use magic, you won’t have to be bothered either…”

“I’m not bothered at all.”

When I looked at him with burdensome eyes again, Asrein finally surrendered. The sight of him obediently sitting on the bed with his back to me somehow felt cute. I received a soft towel from a statue and slowly dried his hair.

While humming a pleasant tune, I suddenly remembered something important.

“Oh, right. Are you busy next week?”

“I don’t have any particularly important schedule.”

“That’s good. Actually, Sezan’s birthday is coming up. There’s going to be a banquet at the mansion, and I’d like you to come with me.”

“…A banquet?”

I felt an unwelcome emotion in the voice that came out a beat late.

“I know you’re uncomfortable at such occasions, but he said he’d like you to come with me.”

“Lord Sezan did?”

“Of course.”

Since Sezan asked, it’s not a lie anyway. I thought I’d passed it off quite naturally, but Asrein instantly noticed the lie.

“Marquis Piart said that.”

“…You already knew.”

“Lord Sezan doesn’t do things that make others uncomfortable.”

I was at a loss for words at the continued correct statements. Was I going to fail like this? I waited anxiously, but an unexpected answer came back.

“Well, if you’re going with me, I don’t mind.”

“Really?”

“I do owe them quite a bit.”

Thank goodness. I’d been worried about going to such an important banquet alone, but if Asrein was with me, there’d be no problem at all. Something that had been weighing on my mind was resolved, and laughter naturally leaked out.

“But when is your birthday, Asrein?”

“Well. I’m not sure.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t think of it as that important.”

At the voice that flowed out indifferently, I could only let out an “ah” of lament.

It made sense that he wouldn’t remember. Asrein’s birth was in the distant past, and he hadn’t celebrated birthdays since. To begin with, birth probably wasn’t that important to the immortal him. Still, it was important to me, so I couldn’t just let it pass.

“Then want to share my birthday?”

“Share… you mean?”

“Yes! We celebrate each other on the same day. How about it?”

I felt like I’d had a decent idea for once. Quite excited, I grabbed his shoulders and asked again. How about it? Huh? When I acted spoiled like a child, Asrein chuckled and answered.

“If you’re okay with it.”

After that, I continued drying his hair while exchanging trivial stories. What we’d do on our birthday, who we’d invite, and what kind of cake we’d eat. The topics were utterly ordinary, but somehow they felt special.

I wished the future would be filled only with days like this.

“There, done!”

Though it probably won’t go as I want.