Chapter 27

Cecilia seemed to be acting strange.

Oscar noticed this about a week after the summer break ended.

Even if you thought about it normally, it was strange enough that she was wearing a boy's uniform, acting like a prince, and charming female students one after another. But even if you conceded that it was "business as usual" for her, her recent behavior was odd.

"Mr. Mordred!"

With a bouncing voice, she crossed the courtyard and ran up to Mordred. Oscar watched her from the second-floor window, his gaze fixed.

"What is she up to?"

Her flushed cheeks and the side of her face that looked so happy. For some reason, a strange sense of urgency welled up inside him at their too-close proximity.

Now that he thought about it, why had he thought she was a boy? She was clearly a girl, no matter how you looked at her. Really, preconceptions were a terrifying thing.

(I can't ask why she's dressed as a boy, but...)

"Can I at least ask what she's doing now?"

Oscar muttered to himself.

Cecilia was dressed as a boy because she had to. There must be a significant reason behind it. This was evident from Gilbert's words. Perhaps her sudden closeness to Mordred was also due to that reason.

(She's probably trying to get closer to him to get his help...)

If that was the case, her actions made sense.

Oscar watched Cecilia and Mordred's backs as they walked away, then turned his gaze from the window.

"If she's in trouble, I want to help her..."

As a friend and as a fiancé, he felt this way. And just a little, really just a little, there was a bit of competitiveness with Gilbert. He didn't like the fact that Gilbert was the one Cecilia relied on.

And that opportunity came sooner than he expected.

"Oscar! Have you seen Mr. Mordred?"

The next day, as Oscar was walking down the hallway, Cecilia called out to him. She ran up to him as he turned around. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, making her look adorable.

(She looks like a puppy...)

Oscar cleared his throat and tried to maintain his composure. He had decided to go along with her lie, even though he didn't fully agree with it. If he didn't stay focused, everything would fall apart. He wasn't particularly good at lying, after all.

"Is something wrong with Mr. Mordred?"

Oscar asked in the same tone he used before he knew her true identity. From her expression, it didn't seem like she suspected anything.

"Nothing's wrong, but I want to talk to him at least once a day, so I'm looking for him!"

"Once a day?"

"Yeah, once a day."

(What kind of quota is that...?)

He couldn't understand what she was trying to do.

Unaware of Oscar's puzzled expression, Cecilia crossed her arms and looked troubled.

"Mr. Mordred doesn't teach any classes, and if he's not in the infirmary, I don't know where he is. It's not a day for visiting him, but I'm going anyway!"

"You've been getting unusually close to Mr. Mordred lately. Do you have some kind of goal?"

"Huh?"

Cecilia widened her already large eyes and looked up at Oscar, tilting her head like a small animal. ...She was cute.

Oscar cleared his throat again and tightened his lips.

"It's too sudden and seems unnatural. If you're having trouble with something, I can help you with anything—"

"Really? Oscar, you'll help me?"

"Ah, yeah..."

"Yay!"

Her overwhelming joy made him a bit taken aback. Then she suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Come on, follow me!"

Cecilia wrapped both arms around his arm.

At that moment, something soft touched Oscar's elbow.

"!"

Even though it was flattened by her boy's uniform, there was no mistaking what it was.

Realizing what it was, his body stiffened, and he couldn't stop the heat rising in his cheeks.

"Here, this way!"

Cecilia led Oscar to an empty landing on the stairs.

Just that alone made his head throb.

(What is this idiot doing—!!)

He had to hold back from shouting.

Cecilia released Oscar's arm, her cheeks still flushed, and fidgeted, pressing her fingertips together.

"Well, you see... actually..."

The sensation of her chest against his elbow was still fresh in his mind, making it hard to focus on what she was saying, but he tried to maintain a calm expression.

(I decided to go along with this idiot's lie!)

It was a promise that was about to crumble.

Cecilia looked up at Oscar with her big eyes. At the same time, Oscar wanted to cover his face but held back. This was probably a battle with himself.

"Well, you see... I want to get closer to Mr. Mordred..."

"So, what do you want to do with him? If it's something I can do, I can do it for you instead of Mr. Mordred."

"Do what?"

"Exactly! Aren't you trying to ask him for something?"

"Ask him?"

Cecilia remained frozen for a moment, then shook her head.

"No. I just want to get closer to him."

"Get closer?"

"Yeah! Just to get closer! I want to have an intimate relationship like lovers!"

"......What?"

He couldn't process her words. He couldn't understand.

(Did she just say 'lovers'...?)

His headache reached its peak, and now he felt dizzy.

His cute fiancée was dressed as a boy for some unknown reason and was telling her future husband that she wanted an intimate relationship with another man, like lovers.

To put it mildly, it was hell.

"I want to have a relationship with Mr. Mordred where I can talk about anything!"

She was an innocent girl who could pierce someone's heart so easily.

Oscar instinctively put his hand on the wall to keep from falling over.

(C-Cecilia is such an unfaithful person!?)

For a moment, he suspected that she was the type to have a lover while engaged, but he knew better than anyone that she wasn't that kind of person.

(But, it's not a mutual feeling. Maybe she likes Mr. Mordred—)

That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he quickly suppressed it. He didn't want to think about that possibility right now.

Cecilia took Oscar's hand, looking happy.

"Oscar, will you help me?"

Her radiant smile made him want to nod reflexively.

But Oscar shook his head. He had to resist.

Why did he have to help his beloved get closer to another man?

However, he didn't have the courage to say no to her expectant eyes, so he averted his gaze and pressed his forehead.

"S-Sorry, let me think about it..."

At his words, she pouted cutely and said, "Aww," in a disappointed voice.

Everyone likes this kind of development, right?

Me? Of course, I do (laughs).

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