"Eh?! You're not going?!"
That evening, inside a certain inn in the royal capital, Emilia stood in the room looking both speechless and exhausted as she stared at Roswaal in front of her.
The situation was this: when they returned tonight, he had suddenly informed her that he would not be attending tomorrow's Royal Selection.
"...?"
The Shogun, who had been lying on the bed absentmindedly, turned her head slightly toward the two of them. She had almost fallen asleep, but Emilia's sudden raised voice woke her up.
"Mm~hm~ That's exactly how it is~"
Roswaal leaned against the wall, elegantly sipping red wine. He showed no sign of concern. Instead, he casually brushed his flowing hair aside and replied with the same infuriating smile he always wore.
"Why? We already agreed on this before, didn't we?"
Emilia sat back down on the edge of the bed where the Shogun was lying and asked with a confused and troubled expression.
"Well~ things like this are always beyond one's control~ Something suddenly came up at the mansion and they need me to return immediately."
Roswaal took another sip of wine. Under the chandelier on the ceiling, the glass reflected a jewel-like crimson glow as he spoke with a tone of helplessness.
"How can that be... Tomorrow is the Royal Selection day."
Emilia sighed. After hearing the explanation, she didn't press further. Questions like this would never produce a real answer anyway.
"It's fine~ Tomorrow, just let Miss Raiden accompany you. If it's Miss Raiden, I can rest assured."
Roswaal smugly pointed toward the purple-haired woman lying limply on the bed.
"..."
The Shogun narrowed her eyes but ignored him completely, her head resting on her arm in a completely unbothered, lazy posture.
"Mm... I guess there's no other choice."
Emilia glanced at the purple-haired woman behind her and smiled helplessly, reaching out to rub her shoulder.
"...You don't want me to accompany you?"
The Shogun asked lazily, her voice soft with a faint nasal tone as she squinted at her.
"No, of course I do. I'm just annoyed about someone's broken promise."
Emilia gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair by her ear and complained toward the elegantly dressed clown-like man across the room.
"Hehe~ It's not like I always keep my promises~! Lady Emilia should already be used to that by now~"
Roswaal mocked himself with a theatrical tone, took another sip of wine, then straightened up and walked out of the room, leaving the bedroom to the two of them.
"Ugh— he's always like this, right, Shogun~?"
Emilia sighed helplessly. Then she leaned forward and suddenly wrapped her arms around the alluring woman lying sideways on the bed, her voice carrying a slightly dissatisfied yet coquettish tone.
"...What are you doing?"
Feeling herself being hugged, the Shogun squinted and turned to look at her.
"Nothing... I just wanted to hug you."
Emilia lifted her eyes and met her gaze, smiling softly as if she were petting a cat.
"...Haa."
The Shogun slowly sat up and hugged her knees, glancing at the silver-haired beauty in front of her before looking toward the window.
Outside, the night had already fallen completely dark. The moon was not large, but it shone brightly, carrying a faint sense of loneliness that felt oddly out of place with the troubled atmosphere of the royal capital.
"Ah— you're pretending to ignore me again~"
Emilia puffed out her cheeks and poked her in the face.
"I'm not ignoring you... I'm simply not used to this."
The Shogun turned her gaze back to Emilia and answered quietly.
"Then you'll get used to it eventually."
Emilia replied playfully.
"...You must not do that."
The Shogun protested in a quiet, slightly sulky voice.
"Pfft... Shogun, sometimes you're really too cute."
Hearing that, the Shogun frowned slightly before relaxing again. She couldn't quite understand what Emilia meant.
How exactly was she "cute"?
Why had so many people said she was cute before?
She herself had no idea she possessed such a trait.
"Um... Shogun, can I ask you something?"
The girl suddenly withdrew her smile a little, her tone becoming more serious.
"What is it?"
She looked at her.
"Who is the 'Kokomi' you were murmuring about in your sleep earlier?"
Emilia asked with great curiosity. Her eyes were filled with intense scrutiny, almost like she was trying to catch someone cheating. The stare left the Shogun momentarily stunned.
"She is my—"
"Your~?"
Emilia immediately seized on the key word, smiling mischievously as if she had caught something.
"...My... close friend?"
"Why are you saying it like a question?"
Emilia asked, puzzled.
"Because I'm not entirely sure either."
Even she wasn't certain.
What exactly was that fish to her?
A close friend, perhaps. Or simply a friend in general?
But compared to an ordinary friend, they were probably closer than that. After all, they got along extremely well.
Since Ayaka was her childhood friend...
Then Kokomi could be considered her close friend. Someone she met later.
Yes. Thinking about it that way seemed quite fitting.
She would define it like that from now on.
"Not sure... that's suspicious."
"By the way, why did you suddenly ask that?"
The Shogun asked in confusion.
"Eh? I—I was just curious, that's all... nothing else."
Emilia suddenly blushed and waved her hands awkwardly to brush it off.
"There's really nothing between us. We've just slept together before."
The Shogun said casually. She raised a hand and removed the hair ornament at the side of her head, then loosened her braid.
Her long purple hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. At that moment, a faint fragrance belonging only to her spread through the air.
"S-slept together?! And you say that's nothing?!"
Emilia's face turned even redder. Her voice involuntarily rose with a trembling tone, her expression adorably shocked.
"...Is that strange? Haven't you slept together with me before? That's nothing, isn't it?"
The Shogun tilted her head in confusion at her reaction.
"Uh... w-well, when you put it like that..."
Emilia awkwardly looked away and laughed it off.
"Besides, I've never slept alone."
The Shogun casually removed the black stockings from her legs, folded them neatly, and placed them by the bedside together with her hair ornament, pressing the ornament on top of the folded stockings as she spoke.
"Eh? Never means... what exactly?"
Emilia's mouth twitched slightly in disbelief.
"Literally. Every time I sleep, someone is with me."
She explained.
"All... the same person?"
"More or less. My mother is always the one who sleeps beside me."
She answered while removing the dress she was wearing and changing into a nightgown. After tidying her long hair, she slipped directly under the blanket, turning her back toward the silver-haired girl behind her.
"I'm sleepy. Going to sleep."
She simply informed the girl behind her. Even though the lights were still on, she had already gently closed her eyes.
"..."
Emilia stood there in a daze.
"You should go back to your room. It's late."
With her eyes closed, the Shogun spoke again, reminding the person behind her. She was not trying to drive her away. It was simply that tomorrow was important, and staying up late was not advisable.
Ever since Ei enabled her ability to sleep, she had never stayed up late again.
It simply wasn't possible.
Once the time came, drowsiness would arrive. Once she became sleepy, she would not want to move. If she didn't want to move, she would lie on the bed. Once she lay down, she would close her eyes.
And then she would fall asleep.
Of course, there was a prerequisite.
Someone she trusted had to be nearby so she could relax and avoid nightmares.
"Um... actually, I didn't book a room."
Emilia scratched her cheek and answered cautiously.
"..."
The Shogun fell silent.
"Don't suddenly go silent like that/// S-say something... even complaining would be fine..."
Emilia felt so awkward she wanted to disappear into the floor.
"...Oh."
That was the Shogun's simple response.
"Don't just say it like that~! Sigh... I'm sorry... I originally planned to—"
"It's fine. Just sleep here. The bed is big anyway."
The Shogun raised a hand and lightly patted the empty space behind her without opening her eyes.
"Really? You don't mind?"
Emilia asked.
"Haven't you slept beside me before? When have I ever minded?"
The Shogun replied, sounding slightly exasperated.
"Mm~!"
Emilia happily took off her clothes and slipped under the blanket with her. She then reached over and turned off the bedroom light.
The bed was large, and the blanket was large as well. It was more than enough for two people.
Both of them had warm body temperatures, so it felt comfortable and balanced rather than awkward.
"Do you remember the route for tomorrow?"
The Shogun asked.
"I do. I've memorized it."
Emilia moved closer behind her, pressing her small face gently against the back of the Shogun's neck as she whispered.
"That's good..."
"..." ×2
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