Published at 17th of August 2019 7:02 am

Volume 9, Chapter 8: Valentine's Day

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Part 1

Friday, February 12

Kenji was hiding behind the water tank on the roof of the school, impatiently waiting for Koutarou to appear.

“...That letter did reach Koutarou, didn't it?”

“Yes mister Mackenzie! We confirmed that Satomi read the letter!”

A few other boys apart from Kenji were hiding next to the wall of the water tank. They were all part of the unpopular boys alliance, but for some reason they were now working together with their supposed enemy.

Today was the final school day before Valentine's Day. Since this year’s Valentine's Day was on a Sunday, chocolates were given out today. Of course, Kenji had already been given a large amount of chocolate. Kenji had used some of the excess chocolate he had gotten to bribe a part of the unpopular boys alliance. And Kenji was using them to prank Koutarou. That's why Kenji and the boys were hiding on the roof.

The reason for this was because Koutarou had been preparing to prank Kenji beforehand. However, before it could be pulled off, he had been betrayed by some of the boys that Kenji had bribed. With the scheme revealed, Kenji avoided the prank and instead set up a revenge prank.

“Hurry up and come, Kou... what's waiting for is not a girl~”

Kenji soothed his beating heart while holding a sign in his hand.

It read 'You've been pranked!'.

Kenji was smiling as he imagined just what kind of expression Koutarou would make upon seeing that.

When Koutarou came up to the roof, there was no one in sight.

“Eh? Nobody's here?”

During lunchtime, Koutarou had gotten a letter but the sender was unknown. The words 'I will be waiting on the roof after school' were written on the very cute and feminine letter. Koutarou believed that he would find out who the sender by coming here, but sadly he couldn't find anyone. Troubled, Koutarou decided to wait on the roof for a while.

“Hmm... who's it from...”

While waiting for the letters sender to show up, Koutarou examined the characters written on it. He had no recollection of having seen them before.

Harumi and Shizuka wrote more neat characters, and Theia and Ruth couldn't write Japanese this well yet. Yurika's writing was worse than this and Kiriha's writing was on par with a calligraphy master. The closest one he could think of was Sanae, but her writing would have more fluff. She would normally add in hearts or stars.

And as Koutarou was tilting his head—

“Satomi-kun!”

Koutarou's name was called, when he turned to look in the direction of the voice, he spotted Harumi standing near the entrance to the roof, waving her hand.

“Sakuraba-senpai!”

Koutarou shoved the letter in his pocket and ran up to Harumi. It would be faster if he moved to her than wait here.

“So this is where you were, Satomi-kun.”

Harumi welcomed Koutarou with a smile, however, that smile was somewhat awkward. Seeing that, Koutarou realized that Harumi had some business with him.

“Is something the matter, Sakuraba-senpai?”

“W-Well, actually...”

Upon hearing the question, Harumi blushed slightly and began looking through her school bag.

“I was looking for you, so I could give you this...”

Harumi pulled out two flat boxes from her bag. The boxes were about ten centimeters in all directions and two centimeters tall. The boxes were just large enough to fit in each of her hands. Both of them were wrapped with red paper and had a white ribbon around them.

“Could this be chocolate?”

Even Koutarou could tell that the boxes were full of chocolate that Harumi had prepared.

“That's right! Since you're always helping me out I made some for you and Matsudaira-kun!”

Harumi spoke quickly and restlessly, and she presented the boxes to Koutarou. She had a stiff posture, as if she was receiving a diploma.

“Please give one to Matsudaira-kun.”

“Thank you very much, Sakuraba-senpai.”

Koutarou didn't think anything was out of the normal and accepted the boxes from Harumi.

“Obligation chocolate from Sakuraba-senpai huh... I'll be sure to brag about it to everyone.”

Since both of the boxes looked the same, Koutarou naturally assumed that they were both obligation chocolates. There was no way that they'd both be true love chocolate. However, Harumi's obligation chocolate was different from the rest. And Koutarou was very pleased at having gotten some chocolate.

“And... there are names written on the other side, so don't pick the wrong one, okay?”'

“Ah, yes. Okay. I'll make sure of it.”

Koutarou looked under the boxes and saw the names 'Satomi-kun' and Matsudaira-kun' written on the boxes.

“I've put in chocolate that I think each of you will like.”

“I see. Sorry for making you go out of your way.”

“I-It wasn't really all that much! I always prepare all kinds of chocolate for adult tastes and childish tastes for my father and the children at the hospital.”

“I see, so that's what you did.”

Koutarou quickly caught on to what Harumi meant. Harumi had made various chocolates for people that had helped her under the year and for the children she was close to. And she had made some extra for Koutarou and Kenji while she was working on that.

Phew... Thank goodness, Satomi-kun didn't realize...

Harumi felt relieved as she looked at Koutarou putting the boxes of chocolate in his bag. She had partly lied in her explanation. The box for Kenji contained the kind of chocolate that Harumi had mentioned, but Koutarou's box of chocolate was different. In it was the greatest of the dozen or so recipes of chocolate she had tried.

Harumi had processed the chocolate into a creamy form and stuffed it in a small plastic case. And in the box were marshmallows and crackers that could be dipped in the cream. That was the chocolate Harumi had made just for Koutarou that appealed to his taste and playful personality.

Because of the manufacturing process, it was not possible to mass-produce this chocolate that used only the highest quality of chocolate available. On the contrary to Koutarou's imagination, this box contained true love chocolate.

“Okay then, I'll take my leave now!”

Having successfully handed off her chocolate, Harumi quickly left. She had business to attend to, not to mention she would be embarrassed if Koutarou opened the chocolate and ate it in front of her.

“Huh? What about our club activities?”

“Didn't I tell you yesterday? I have to go to hospital this week, so it's cancelled.”

“Oh yeah... Ah, and you're going to give out chocolate while you're there, right?”

“Fufufu, that's right. So, see you later, Satomi-kun.”

“Yes, I'll see you on Monday.”

Harumi gently waved her hand and smiled and left the roof.

When Harumi entered the schoolhouse, the door closed quietly behind her. However, just a short while after that it slammed open again.

“Whoa!?”

“Ah, there you are, Satomi-kun!”

Koutarou had instinctively bent backwards when the door flew open, and in front of him was now his classmate, Maki.

“A-Aika-san?”

Upon entering the rooftop, Maki pointed at Koutarou's face.

“Fufu, Satomi-kun, I have something nice for you.”

Maki then put that finger into the pocket of her school uniform and pulled out a long and slender box wrapped in indigo paper.

“Here, a true love chocolate♪”

Maki shook the box two or three times in front of Koutarou's face before presenting it to him. Koutarou on the other hand was coldly staring at the box.

“...So how much are you planning on charging me?”

Koutarou knew that this chocolate had to be paid for. It was the treacherous true love chocolate that had led his companions in the unpopular boys alliance onto the road to degenerates.

“Nothing at all, geez!”

“You won't fool me! Tell me the truth! What are your goals!? Is it white day? I see, so you're planning on making me pay you back at three times the price!”

Koutarou had never gotten any true love chocolate in his life, but he had heard the rumors of having to repay the gift with three times the value. Koutarou suspected that this was Maki's goal.

“Why won't you just accept it!? It's because you're like this that you're not popular!”

“Leave me be! You wouldn't understand how I feel! All you do is play with men’s innocent hearts.”

“I just happened to get a cancellation on a chocolate, so I figured I would give it to you!”

“Give it here!!”

“As if I would give it to you now!!”

Maki started sulking over Koutarou's impolite attitude and puffed up her cheeks.

“...Well, speaking seriously, if you've worked hard on it, give it to whoever you get along with the best. It would be a shame for the chocolate to go to waste.”

“Satomi-kun...”

However upon hearing Koutarou's serious words, the air in Maki's cheeks escaped and she showed her normal expression. However, below that expression was a small smile and Maki presented the chocolate to Koutarou once more.

“Then I really will give it to you.”

“Are you sure?”

“You're my best friend after all. Well, just consider it an investment for next year.”

And Maki, still smiling, gave the chocolate to Koutarou.

“What does that mean?”

“It means, you should work hard to make me give you a real true love chocolate for next year.”

“I don't have much confidence. You seem like you'd be pretty high cost...”

“Geez, why can't you just say you'll do your best!?”

“W-Was I supposed to!?”

But in the end, Koutarou ended up angering Maki.

The door slammed shut just as it had swung open in the first place and Maki left the rooftop, steaming.

And at about the same time as the door closed, something crashed into it.

“Koutarou, come help!”

The very next moment Sanae passed through the door. In a fluster, she spoke quickly and explained what had happened while pointing towards the door.

“Yurika crashed into the door and isn't moving!”

“W-What!?”

Koutarou quickly opened the door, and there he saw Yurika collapsed on the floor. A large bump had formed on her head, showing that she had crashed into the door at a high speed.

“When we were trying to get out on the roof, that Maki showed up with this really angry face.... Yurika quickly jumped away and hit the door just as it slammed shut...”

“I see... sorry about that, Yurika.”

It seemed like Yurika was caught up in Maki's frustration. Which meant that this was indirectly Koutarou's fault for angering Maki. Feeling responsible for the incident, Koutarou picked up Yurika and sat her down on a bench installed on the rooftop.

“S-Shatomi-shan... The whorld, the whorld is spinning...”

Even after being placed down on the bench, Yurika still hadn't recovered. The impact made her dizzy and she was pointlessly spinning her neck round and round.

“We'll leave Yurika be for a while. So, what did you two come here for?”

Sanae was looking down on Yurika alongside Koutarou, but when she heard what he said, she clapped her hands.

“That's right, that's right. Koutarou, hurry on home today, I've bought chocolate so let’s eat it together!”

“I see, so that's what you were after.”

“Yeah!”

Since Sanae was a ghost, she couldn't eat chocolate on her own, so she needed Koutarou's help.

“Yurika, you too?”

“C-Chocolate... I bought shome too...”

Yurika still seemed to be dizzy, but she searched through her pocket and pulled out the chocolate inside. Upon seeing the chocolate, Koutarou instinctively let out a few words.

“...It's so small.”

“Don't say that. Yurika was going to buy a bigger one at first, but then she found a new flavor of instant noodles. That's why this is all the chocolate she has.”

The new flavored noodles, Kanto seaweed soy sauce, cost 78 yen a pack, and Yurika had a total of 100 yen. She was going to buy the ramen and two 10 yen chocolates. However, fate worked against Yurika, with the consumption tax added, the total came to 103 yen, or 3 yen too short to buy two chocolates.

As a result, Yurika was only able to buy a single 10 yen chocolate.

“Valentine's Day, should just vhanish.”

“It must have been hard on you, Yurika... I know, I understand how you must feel...”

Upon receiving the chocolate from Yurika, Koutarou's eyes began to tear up.

Yurika only bought a single chocolate, and since it only costs 10 yen, she couldn't possibly give it to the boy she likes. So she gave it to me as an obligation chocolate. Poor girl...

That was how Koutarou interpreted the situation Yurika was in and he took her hand and nodded repeatedly.

“Yurika, I'll eat your chocolate with great care...”

“S-Shatomi-saaaaan.... Uh, Uhh~”

Nijino Yurika, a first year high schooler.

And thus, her Valentine's Day cruelly ended.

“Okay, I'll see you later, Koutarou. Make sure you hurry home, okay?”

With the winter being so cold, she was planning on waiting for him in the warmth of their room.

“I know. Be careful on your way home.”

“Yeah! Come on, let's go, Yurika.”

“Uuuhhhh.”

Sanae dragged Yurika with her off the rooftop. She wasn't sure if Yurika was crying or if she was still dizzy.

“You don't have to cry that much. When we get home I'll give you half of my chocolate.”

“Really!?”

“...Actually make that a quarter.”

“Eeeehh!? Please make it half!! You told me you would!!”

As Koutarou watched Yurika chase after Sanae, he began worrying about her future.

“...Yurika, are you really okay with that? Are you okay with not fixing your life...?”

“If that's what you feel, then you can just look after her yourself. I believe you would be a good fit as Yurika's guardian.”

“Me!?... Wait, what are you doing, Kiriha-san?”

“Oh, just playing around.”

After seeing Sanae and Yurika off, Koutarou noticed Kiriha's arm around his. With their arms linked, they looked like lovers as Kiriha pressed her body towards Koutarou's arm and smiled happily.

“I made a true love chocolate, but sadly I couldn't find the person I wanted to give it too. So I'd like you to serve as a substitute.”

“I see, so that's why you're doing this.”

“That's correct.”

Kiriha embraced Koutarou's arm and drew her face closer to his shoulder. By doing that, her bountiful breasts pushed up against his arm, but strangely enough, Koutarou wasn't panicking as much as he had in the past. That was most likely due to their trusting relationship that they had developed back in October.

“Please take it, Koutarou.”

Kiriha presented Koutarou with a long and slender box. The box was based on brown and black, and had been wrapped with papers of calming colors. Not only did Kiriha's chocolate have an adult flavor, it had an adult packaging.

“That's not like you.”

However, Koutarou didn't accept the chocolate and instead pushed it back towards her.

“What do you mean?”

“Valentine's Day is the day after tomorrow. It's still too early to ask me to be your substitute.”

Today was February 12th, so Kiriha still had two days left to find the person she loved. So Koutarou couldn't accept the chocolate now.

“Fufufu, now that you mention it. Since Shizuka is making a cake for today, I convinced myself that it was Valentine's Day.”

“Is Landlord-san making a cake?”

“Yes, it's a chocolate cake. She wanted to eat it with everyone so she's making a pretty large one. I promised I'd help her make it later.”

“I see. I can't wait, I don't know how many years it's been since I last had a homemade cake.”

Ever since Koutarou lost his mother, he hadn't had any homemade cakes, so Koutarou was happy that for this chance.

“What about homemade chocolate?”

Kiriha presented her chocolate to Koutarou once again.

“I don't know how many years that has been either. But I won't take it today.”

“Then hold onto it.”

“Hey...”

“You'll help me look tomorrow and on Sunday, right?”

“...Well, I guess it's okay in that case.”

“You really are a stubborn man.”

“The same goes for you.”

“You're not wrong.”

And like that, Koutarou finally accepted Kiriha's chocolate. With her hands now empty, Kiriha grabbed onto Koutarou's arm and looked at him with provoking eyes.

“By the way... can I be hopeful for White Day?”

“Aren't you hoping for the wrong guy?”

Koutarou smiled wryly and dropped his shoulders.

“Don't be so cold... can't you just play along a little?”

“I'll definitely find your first love before my body gets ruined from playing with you.”

“That's the lowest of excuses to abandon a woman.”

“If you don't cut it out, even a peaceful guy like me will hit you.”

“I am already well aware that you are not the kind of man that would do that.”

“Seriously, you really have a problematic personality.”

“It is because I love you.”

“Hah...”

And as such the two's pretend lover play continued. Kiriha hadn't promised to help Shizuka until a little later.

Part 2

With Koutarou's constant stream of visitors, Kenji and the other boys had completely lost their chance to come out. There was no point in coming out and telling him that he had been pranked now. In reality, Koutarou already had four chocolates, and their prank was a massive failure.

...Could it be that, I am just a clown...?

Kenji was staring forward blankly as the sign in his hand fluttered in the wind and made a dry sound. Right now, Kenji felt like laughing in harmony with that sound.

“Curse you, Satomi!”

“Quit messing around, Koutarou!? What do you mean by that you are just like us and that you'd only get one or two chocolates!?”

“You're getting true love chocolate left and right!!”

“You're the real traitor, Satomiiiiii!!”

However, the boys with Kenji couldn't just laugh it off. They waited for Kiriha to leave before jumping out from behind the water tank.

“To arms!! Our target is Satomi Koutarou!!”

“Ooooooohhhh!!”

Today, thanks to the betrayal of their charismatic leader, the unpopular boys alliance was disbanded.

Part 3

Having passed out, Koutarou came to when the sun was starting to set.

Ouch, that hurt...

What had woken him up was the pain for the injuries he had gotten from being beat up by the unpopular boys alliance members. If not for that, he would have been out a little while longer.

There were also one, no, two, more things that had helped with waking Koutarou up.

“Is Koutarou alright!? Will he be ok!? He won't die will he!?”

“Yes, he is alright. It seems they held back when they hit him.”

“I, I see... The fool... he could surely beat those guys with ease. Why didn't he put up a fight...?”

“That's the kind of person he is. That's just how our Satomi-sama is.”

“I already know that! I just needed an outlet for my anger!”

“If you don't like it, then you should stay by his side.”

“I will. I will protect him!”

“I have never heard of a princess protecting her knight though.”

“I will simply do as I please!! Am I wrong!?”

“As you wish, my princess.”

What had helped to wake Koutarou up were two nearby voices, and upon hearing them after waking up from the pain, Koutarou's mind cleared up.

Is that Theia... and Ruth-san?

By the time he could remember whom those voices belonged to, he got a sense of his surroundings. He was currently lying down on something flat and wooden with something warm and soft as a pillow. Even with his eyes closed he could tell that his surroundings were dim, but strangely enough he wasn't feeling cold. It might have been thanks to the two presences nearby.

“Mm, Mmmm...”

Koutarou opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. Since the day was nearing its end it wasn't particularly bright. But he did it to clear his mind.

“It seems he has woken up.”

“I-I see.”

Upon opening his eyes, Koutarou saw Ruth's face in front of him. He could also see Theia standing a little bit behind her. Theia was turned towards the side and wasn't looking at Koutarou. She was gazing at the setting sun.

“Good morning, Ruth-san. And Theia too.”

Koutarou looked around while saying his greetings. He was on the school's rooftop, lying on a bench. The warm and soft pillow he had felt had been Ruth's lap. After confirming his surroundings he looked back at Ruth and Theia.

“I am glad you are alright, Satomi-sama.”

“You are really unsightly.”

Ruth was smiling, but Theia was in a bad mood and sulking. Both their words and gestures were opposite.

“I have nothing I can say... ey up.”

Koutarou smiled wryly and pulled himself up.

“Owowow.”

His wounds began hurting right away. His injuries from yesterday’s fight still hadn't healed, and he instinctively showed a pained expression.

“Y-You fool! Just stay down! Your wounds hurt, right!?”

Theia who had been sulking hurriedly reached her hands out towards Koutarou. She grabbed Koutarou's shoulders and pushed him back down. She looked very worried and her bad mood from before was nowhere to be seen.

“I'm alright, Theia. You don't need to worry that much.”

“I-I am not worrying! I am just amazed!”

Theia finally noticed what she was doing when Koutarou pointed it out. She hurriedly removed her hands from him and showed a sulking expression once more.

“What are you blushing for?”

“S-Shut up, I'm not blushing!”

Shaken, Theia's voice faltered. Hearing her voice, Ruth gave her a helping hand.

“I will ask again, but how are you feeling, Satomi-sama?”

“Eh? Ah, I think I'm fine, I'm sorry for making you worry.”

“Phew...”

Thanks to Ruth's question, Koutarou's attention shifted and Theia let out a sigh of relief.

What am I so shaken for... this is just like normal...

Theia repeated that to herself, but she wasn't able to calm down.

“Well then, let's go home. Before it gets cold, the sun is setting after all.”

Completely unaware of Theia's feelings, Koutarou slowly got up. The places where he had been hit hurt, but it wasn't to the point where he couldn't move. Freezing on the rooftop was a bigger problem than that.

“Ah, w-wait!”

However, Theia grabbed the hem of Koutarou's clothes as he started moving.

“Theia?”

Koutarou stopped and looked at Theia. And upon being watched by Koutarou, Theia's face instantly turned red.

“What is it?”

“Ah, u-uhm... eh...”

Theia moved her mouth, but she couldn't say anything. Eventually she looked down and turned towards Ruth for help.

“Ruth, please... I can't continue, any f-further than this...”

“Yes, your highness.”

Ruth nodded at Theia, stood up, turned towards Koutarou and smiled. Unlike Theia, Ruth was just like always.

“Actually, Satomi-sama we came to give you chocolate.”

“Chocolate!? You did, Ruth-san!? Is this for real!?”

Upon hearing that Koutarou would get chocolate from Ruth, he forgot about his grudge over being hit and instinctively leaned in towards Ruth.

Koutarou...

Seeing Koutarou like that, Theia's expression brightened up slightly. However, she quickly hid that and looked at Koutarou with a sulking expression.

“Koutarou, are you happy that you'll get chocolate from Ruth?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Koutarou answered Theia and nodded like it was the obvious answer. He was happy to get chocolate from Ruth.

“Ruth is an alien you know? Are you fine with that?”

Theia continued to question Koutarou, it was like she was confirming Koutarou's feelings one at a time.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

Does he not mind that Ruth is an alien? Koutarou understood what her words meant, but he couldn't understand the intentions behind her question.

“Ruth is an alien, and a noble, even if her chocolate was a true love chocolate, and you became lovers, it might be hard to make a family... is what I mean.”

“Ah, so that's what you mean.”

Upon understanding the question, Koutarou closely examined it.

Because of her position, and we can't get along any better than already, would I still be happy to get chocolate, is what she means. Then...

Fortunately, Koutarou came up with answer right away.

“I would be happy if I were to get a true love chocolate, even if it's from an alien, a monster, a robot or anything really.”

More accurately, she got an answer for her question regarding the future.

Koutarou had been happy when he got the insignia of rank from Charl. The same was true when Alaia entrusted him with Signaltin. It didn't matter who he or the other person were. He was happy people gave him something out of trust or gratitude.

That's why his answer was the same this time.

“...Eh? R-Really...?”

Theia was puzzled by Koutarou's answer. And as she was puzzled, she began putting expectations on Koutarou.

He won't mind, even if it's an alien...? Can you be happy even if it's me and Ruth...?

Theia wanted to know of Koutarou's real intentions. It might have been an obvious answer for Koutarou, but it was more important than anything.

“What do you mean by really... Theia, you were the one who told me.”

Koutarou put his hand on his hips and smiled wryly.

“Eh? W-What did I say?”

“That what's important isn't the sword itself.”

“Wha―”

The moment she heard Koutarou's answer, Theia felt embarrassed. She realized that she was so obsessed over herself being an alien that she had overlooked the most important thing.

“This is just the same. I don't care about your body or where you're from. It would be a waste of chocolate, so give me ten or twenty pieces!”

“Koutarou...”

Koutarou's word spread throughout Theia's chest. And they eventually turned into hope that brightly shone on the dark clouds surrounding Theia's heart.

That's right, what was I so worried about. I was the one who said that Koutarou was a true knight...

Theia was so obsessed about her alien body and that they lived on different planets that she had lost sight of herself. She should have trusted her feelings more. She should have trusted that she would be able to make Koutarou happy after throwing all of her feelings at him.

“If there was a problem, it would be...”

“It would be?”

“Whether that chocolate was bitter or not.”

When she heard those words, large tears began flowing out from Theia's eyes. And without even trying to wipe them away she smiled at Koutarou.

“Then you don't need to worry. All of it is milk chocolate. You won't feel any bitterness...”

Koutarou, please live with us... I promise, if you choose me and Ruth, we will definitely prepare you a very sweet chocolate...

Theia believed that there was a future where they could all be happy. And even if there wasn’t one, she was resolute to make one herself. Theia would no longer hesitate, she would work towards that future with all her might.

“Your highness...”

In that moment, Ruth was able to sense the change in Theia's feelings. That was the first step towards the ideal that Ruth strived for. It was the moment where everything started...

Your highness, so you've made up your mind... that's it. Now everything will surely go well. And that's because Satomi-sama said that he was happy these past ten months...

Ruth trembled from joy and looked like she would start to cry any second now. However she held her feelings in, as she believed it was best to smile right now.

“Theia, why are you crying?”

“It's nothing, I was just casting away my own heart's weakness. I'm fine now.”

At last, Theia wiped her tears away. And her eyes began to shine, her eyes no longer gave off the impression of her worrying or suffering. She had wiped away her hesitation and uneasiness. Leaving behind her normal and powerful clear blue eyes.

Theia...?

However, there had been one big change from before, and that was the new feeling residing in her powerful eyes and how it greatly changed the atmosphere around them. Koutarou found himself unable to look away from those eyes.

“Ruth, give me the chocolate.”

“Yes, your highness.”

Ruth pulled out a small wrapped package from her bag and gave it to Theia. Theia then removed the wrapping, revealing a transparent case.

“Is this... Saguratin?”

“That's right. Me and Ruth made this.”

Inside the transparent case was a Saguratin made from chocolate. Some of the detailed parts had been simplified, but they had reproduced the design of the very sharp angled sword well.

“You too?”

“Yes.”

Hearing that Theia had made the chocolate with Ruth, Koutarou was overcome with a mysterious feeling.

What is this... It was the same during the ski trip but this is more, different...

A warmth spread through his chest. And while he felt comfortable, he felt just as strongly that he wanted to protect this feeling. It was a feeling of security that he would feel from his parents. The feeling of duty of wanting to protect a small child. The two feelings intertwined and created a complex emotion.

“Satomi-sama. We have only made this chocolate sword, there is nothing else.”

“We have poured our feelings into this one chocolate... Will you accept it?”

“Yeah... thank you.”

Koutarou reached out with his hands as if he was being drawn in. It was incredibly difficult for him to disobey Theia right now.

“Thank you for everything, Satomi-sama.”

“And if possible, we want you to keep helping us in the future.”

“That's a given.”

Koutarou nodded firmly after receiving the case from Theia.

“A given, is it?”

Theia narrowed her eyes and slightly tilted her head. That expression was more gentle than usual.

“Yeah. Is that so strange?”

“Of course it's strange... If that's your answer I don't know what we were fighting over all this time. Fufufu.”

Theia laughed in a gentle voice, and Koutarou felt that her laughter was very comfortable. Even though just ten months ago, they would start fighting just when he heard that voice.

“But I won't let you win right away.”

“I understand. I don't want Kiriha to fall into any danger either.”

“...Thinking about it calmly, you're right about it being strange, Theia.”

“Right?”

Koutarou and Theia laughed together, they both looked so very happy. It was quite strange to see an invader and her victim together like that. But to them that was now their everyday life, and it should be their everyday from now on too.

Their laughter continued for a while longer. Ruth watched over her master whom she adored, and the legendary knight she had nothing but hopes for. With the miracle she had hoped for occurring right in front of her, she was satisfied.

And once the laughter had died down, Ruth finally opened her mouth.

“Your highness, Satomi-sama, let's go home. It is starting to get cold.”

The only worry Ruth really had now was their health.

“That's true. Let's go before we catch a cold.”

“I'm hungry.”

“Once we get home, Shizuka-sama's chocolate cake might be ready.”

“That's right, I almost forgot.”

The two agreed with Ruth's suggestion and the three of them headed towards the entrance to the rooftop.

Ruth, who was in the lead, opened the metal door and entered the school building. Theia followed behind her, however before she passed through the door she stopped and turned back to Koutarou.

“That's right, Koutarou, let me tell you something else that's strange.”

By turning around, Theia's golden hair swung around and shone in a burning red color as it was bathed in the setting sun's light. And at the same time, Theia's expression was shining just as much.

“Hm? What?”

Koutarou stopped, and the two stood so close that they could feel each other’s breaths.

“Actually... it's about that chocolate.”

Theia reached her hand out and touched the transparent case Koutarou was holding.

“What about it?”

“Yes. You see, this chocolate is without a doubt...”

Theia looked up at Koutarou and showed a mischievous smile.

“...a true love chocolate.”

Theia spoke those words as if it was nothing, but Koutarou couldn't do the same when he heard them.

“...Eh?”

The moment the words reached Koutarou's ears, he was unable to think. It was as if someone turned off the power to his brain.

“That's all I wanted to say. Brrr, now let's hurry home, Koutarou.”

Having said everything she wanted, Theia showed a satisfied smile and she left Koutarou behind and entered the school building.

“...Eh?”

Even after being left alone, Koutarou stood still on the roof for a little while longer.

Part 4

The chocolate cake making in Shizuka's room, room 206, was currently paused as the dough had been put in the oven. Since the plan was to eat the cake after dinner, it was more convenient to hold off on any more work until everyone was done eating.

Sanae and Yurika were still pressed up against the oven when Kiriha left Shizuka's room and headed to room 106 alone. Kiriha was planning on using her spare time before dinner to check on Koutarou's clothing. She would patch holes and turn over frayed parts. Since Koutarou was so active, it was important to check his clothing regularly.

“Now that I think about it, I haven't touched this drawer...”

Having opened the wardrobe, Kiriha pulled open the bottom drawer. The wardrobe had several drawers and the upper ones were summer clothes and the lower ones were winter clothes, so the clothes got thicker the lower you went. As a result, Kiriha hadn't checked the bottom drawer until it got really cold like today.

“They're clothes used during a more inactive time, but I'll give it a check.”

Kiriha pulled out the clothing in the drawer one at a time. After getting everything out, she would return everything that looked normal. That was her standard procedure.

“Oh?”

After Kiriha had pulled out all the clothing she noticed a paper bag pushed into the back of the drawer.

“Based on how it feels, this has clothing in it too...”

Kiriha picked up the paper bag and looked inside.

Inside was all kinds of stuff, not just clothing. There was a half-knit sweater, a knife that was old-fashioned, but well crafted, a wooden plate with wool decorations on it and more. None of the things inside seemed to have anything in common.

“Oh no... This was something I shouldn't have opened. Sorry, Koutarou.”

Looking at the things inside, Kiriha realized that they were memorabilia, and she decided to return it to the back of the drawer without touching anything inside.

However, when she was about to close the bag, her eye caught something.

“T-This is!?”

It was an antique necklace. The necklace had polished jewels and fangs strung together by a colorful string, it was more old-fashioned than modern accessories.

“What, h-how!?”

At first, Kiriha thought that the necklace was just an illusion. However, no matter how many times Kiriha blinked, the necklace didn't disappear.

“I'm not seeing things...”

Kiriha reached out towards the necklace. Her emotions were elevated and her hand was trembling. She was normally calm, but her heart was currently racing and her mind was blank.

Her fingertips reached for the necklace. And a feeling she remembered was transmitted to her brain. With her trembling fingers, she picked up the necklace and slowly pulled it out of the paper bag.

“T-There's no mistaking it... this is my mother's keepsake...”

Because her hand was trembling, the small stones and fangs on the necklace collided and made small sounds. It was almost like the sound of a pocket watch.

“But, why is it here!? This is impossible!!”

Even though it was right in front of her, even though she was touching it, Kiriha couldn't believe that the necklace was right here. But regardless of what she believed, the necklace existed right here. It was the truth.

“But, no matter how much I can't believe it... if this is here then... that would mean...”

And that truth pointed to something.

What Kiriha had been waiting for these last ten years had finally happened.

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