"But… But when you will, I will be very rude… I will be very, very rude and say that I don't remember you and even call for help… But I will only be acting! I swear it will be only an act! There's no way your big sister could ever forget or come to hate you!"
She took a deep breath and pulled away only at the arms reach, still holding on to Rotsard before declaring, and then hurriedly insisted while looking into Rotsard's shocked, beastly yellow eyes.
"Never! But I have to for… for… for appearance's sake! There are certain circumstances, similar to those that led to our first meeting, that force me to act that way… and I'm terribly sorry… but please… please understand…"
She added her lips shaking as she was holding back an outpour of tears.
"...it has to be done… when you see me tomorrow, call out for me… and… and… and… and… U… uuuuuuuu…! Rotti! I don't want to be so mean and horrible to you…! I don't…! I don't! That's not fair…!"
Demi-Leigh mumbled, nodding to herself, but then something inside her broke, and she burst into tears, hugging Rotsard again... This time, fully leaning onto him and just crying while letting out sorrowful little whimpers.
"...eh… R-Rotti…!? Y-you're freezing…!"
"...?!"
The princess stopped crying on her own, although what seemed to be the reason for her coming back to her senses stunned the bleached-blond-haired youth.
"Rotti, you need to go to bed and warm yourself under the covers!"
With her face still wet from tears, Demi-Leigh took off her cape and put it over Rotsard's shoulders before turning him around and giving him a light push on the back…
But although Rotsard complied with being turned around, Demi-Leigh's attempt at moving him forward failed miserably, resulting in her just pressing her palms against his back…
…and it was hard not to notice how needlessly long her palms touched him even when it was obvious he would not budge…
"Rotti… when you call out to me tomorrow, I will be horrible and act as if I don't remember you and think of you as a nuisance… and… and it's okay to be hurt… because I will make up for it! It needs to be a big commotion, and I apologize for everything that will happen, but… but… it has to happen… I promise you there is a reason for that. There is…! So…"
"Big sis Demi, don't worry. I believe you."
Demi-Leigh was about to burst into tears again, but right then Rotsard looked at her over his shoulder and assured her with a smile.
Honestly? Even though he felt bad for the third princess's circumstances, the coincidences aligning were just too good.
Not only Demi-Leigh remembered him, but she would go along with what was supposed to happen according to the doefol's story without any need for his interference!
"...Rotti…!"
When met with something so clearly appearing as complete trust, Demi-Leigh was about to burst into tears again, but just then, a sudden noise from the hallway made her flinch and lean out of Rotsard's room.
"Rotti, my guards and servants must already be looking for me… I need to go… just… just please keep in mind that no matter what I will say tomorrow, I could never hate you!"
She made a worried expression and said one more time, only getting more upset instead of calming down.
"Of course, big sis Demi. Go, and don't worry. Here."
"...bye-bye…"
Rotsard reassured her and nodded as he took off and returned her cape, which seemed to convince the third princess and gave her enough peace of mind to be on her way.
"Bye-bye."
"Bye-bye, big sis."
Even though she stepped out of the room, she just stood there, timidly waving her hand, and wouldn't budge until Rotsard waved back, which really reminded him of how she acted back when they were children.
…the adorable, boisterous third princess who would lose all of her confidence and needed affectionate reassurance the moment she was about to be left alone…
The door finally closed, and the third princess rushed down the hallway.
"Rotti…! Your big sister will protect you! Since I'm finally here, I won't allow some stupid future hero to harm you!"
As she hurried back to her own room, Demi-Leigh pressed the cape Rotsard returned to her face, and muttered to herself while taking in the lingering scent.
"Rotti…! My lovely Rotti..! The world without you isn't worth saving! To hel with that stupid story and to hel with some Grand Fae who wants to sacrifice you!"
She kept muttering, her eyes cloudy with infatuation.
Meanwhile, Rotsard, unaware of his childhood friend's… disposition… was about to return to bed when someone knocked on his door again.
"...? Big sister…?"
Taken aback, the bleached-blond-haired youth rushed back and opened the door to face…
"Hmph!"
Very grumpy vice headmaster of the Royal Academy, Syon Gemlewere.
Syon was standing in front of Rotsard's room, crossing his arms and pouting so much it looked as if his cheeks were about to burst.
"HMPH!"
Syon scoffed once more as if he wanted to make sure that Rotsard heard him, or maybe he really was that ticked off about something.
"Oh…. how long have you been here…?"
"...you have no right to complain about me getting tunnel vision anymore…"
The bleached-blond-haired youth raised his brows and asked a bit awkwardly, which prompted a very grumpy response as the vice headmaster entered his room.
"...!"
Suddenly, Syon opened his arms and rushed straight at Rotsard, who flinched and…
"Guh…!"
Stepped to the side as the circle and wings of light appeared around him, while he also created an ice pillar that intercepted the sudden hug, which forced an annoyed gasp out of Syon's mouth.
"What got into you so suddenly?"
Rotsard asked while staring at Syon with annoyance.
"Hmph! I see how it is! The third princess gets special treatment while I get the ice!"
But even then, Syon was the angrier person in the room as he leaned into the ice pillar, hugging it while pouting and scoffing.
"Did you miss the part where I knew her before? She's my childhood friend."
"A very clingy one at that! She was rubbing on to you as if she wanted to mark her territory!"
Rotsard sighed and shook his head while making the ice pillar disappear and free the vice headmaster, who instantly pointed out with the same amount of grumpiness.
"..."
…and that comment made Rotsard glance down and look at his body while sniffing…
"..."
"!"
He even got a bit self-conscious and fidgeted nervously, but that made Syon take it as an admission of guilt and pout even more.
"Haaaa…! Don't make it weird! You want to research that perfect mana unity or not!?"
"I do! I do!"
In the end, Rotsard let out an angry sigh before asking aggressively, causing Syon to answer back in immediate compliance.