Chapter 33

"……!?"

Mimosa's face was as if she had been hit from behind, and her mouth gaped open.

The students, including Rivi, who had heard my unexpected statement, all looked at me with surprised expressions.

"Don't lie! Why would you go to Damian's lab?!"

"I told you from the beginning. I have that lipstick too."

"Your lips are pink right now? The lipstick color is deep red!"

I lied shamelessly.

"That's because it's gone. I didn't reapply it."

Mimosa grumbled, trying to argue, but I spoke first.

"Mimosa, do you remember what time it was when you found the coffee cup?"

In response to my question, Mimosa answered with an annoyed expression.

"…Probably around 9:30. I got off the carriage before that."

"Damian and I met on the way to the main building from the dormitory around 9, and we went straight to the lab to drink coffee. By the way, you know I live in the dormitory, right?"

Seeing Mimosa's sullen face, it seemed she had heard about me.

As I began to logically unravel the situation, the students listened with interest.

I turned to Rivi.

"Rivi, what time did you arrive today?"

"Probably around 10."

That's right. That was the time Rivi was set to arrive at school.

'To meet Damian, you had to arrive early on purpose.'

At that time, I used the energy needed for 'special actions.'

In such games, when working on affection for a specific character, you usually have a daily limit on how many times you can see someone, or your stamina gauge depletes.

[The seats send cheers and applause.]

The continuous notification sounds were ringing in my ears, but now was not the time to check the support window.

Murmurs!

"What? Then the times don't match?"

Cornered, Mimosa's face turned red as she shot back.

"That's just her claim!"

"The time the carriage arrived can be checked in the log."

"Yiik…."

I kindly suggested.

"How about we go check it together?"

Mimosa couldn't answer.

'The game is over.'

Mimosa glared at me, realizing she had lost.

I willingly waited for her to admit her defeat first.

'She can throw tantrums, but she's not a character who insists on her way.'

Mimosa, despite being temporarily infatuated, was a noble lady with royal blood, so she wasn't completely unreasonable.

Mimosa admitted with a very angry face.

"…I admit my mistake. Rivi Squire, I'm sorry for suspecting you. I'll write a formal apology and post it on the bulletin board."

Ding!

[Quest: Receive an apology from Mimosa completed]

▸Reward: Decrease in Damian's club members, increase in Clevebu's club members

'…How is this a reward?'

Now that I see it, the reward is so poor that it wasn't even worth mentioning.

"But, Therese."

The quest was over, but it seemed my issues with Mimosa were not.

"Why were you in the lab with Damian?"

Mimosa, who had been acting like a wild, excited calf just moments ago, now had a very cold and rational expression.

'No, rational? Her eyes are wild.'

Her beautiful, gem-like light purple eyes glowed with a madness that wouldn't let me off without a proper explanation.

But I had anticipated this question.

…Though I secretly hoped it wouldn't come up.

I frowned, as if I didn't understand why Mimosa was asking such a question.

"Damian achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the vice president of the student council at Valhalla. As a board member of the Squire Scholarship Foundation, I have no reason not to meet with him privately."

Of course, in the original story, they never met privately.

Therese, as a direct descendant of a squire, had almost no significant power.

The most valuable thing she had was the Squire Scholarship Foundation, which she didn't even manage properly, leaving it all to others.

She only interfered when it was to the detriment of Damian.

Mimosa, knowing this fact, looked even more confused.

"Why would you, who always can't stand Damian, have a reason to meet with him privately?"

I took a deep breath.

The moment I said this, the 'event' would start.

"I'm going to select Damian West as my bodyguard mage."

"…!"

This was an event in <God's Play> that Therese triggered when the player had filled two red hearts for Damian.

Damian was a standout scholar from the beginning, and if not for Therese's interference, he would have long since become a family retainer and a vassal.

So, this was a very natural thing.

'But I didn't want to do this natural thing…'

A bodyguard who is an assassin. How can I tell if he's there to protect me or to kill me?

Mimosa bit her lip in frustration.

Even as a royal and a noble lady, she couldn't interfere with someone else's family appointing a bodyguard.

I smiled, as if to say, "Do you understand now?" and turned to Rivi.

"Let's go, Rivi."

"Yes!"

Rivi's response was unusually lively.

* * *

After the confrontation with Mimosa, things flowed peacefully.

I finished reading the book Professor Ilya gave me, and I decided to keep the perfume from the Jeanne's workshop instead of throwing it away.

After all, I had already revealed that I went to Damian's lab, so why would I need to throw it away?

What was unexpected was that Damian came to the dormitory to see me that evening.

"Hi, Therese."

I looked at him with a perplexed expression, not feeling very welcoming.

"…Do you know that coming to the girls' dormitory at this time is against the rules?"

"I know. That's why I came without being noticed."

His expression seemed to ask, 'Did I do well?'

My blood pressure spiked.

'Of course, you wouldn't be noticed. You're an assassin.'

"…Is that so? Good for you."

Damian hesitated a bit before speaking carefully.

"I heard about today. You said you're going to appoint me as your bodyguard. Is that true?"

I nodded honestly.

"Yes. It's a bit late, but if you're okay with it, I want to formalize the contract."

This was a matter of ensuring the rights Damian deserved.

Becoming a vassal of a noble family meant promising Damian, a commoner, the treatment of a noble.

Damian, who would not refuse an opportunity to naturally infiltrate a noble family, would likely accept my offer willingly.

Sure enough, Damian agreed readily.

"I'll do it. I'll be your bodyguard."

Ding!

[Seat 'Romance Path' has donated 1,000 coins.]

[Why not get married too?]

I ignored the support window and nodded.

"Sure. I'll inform my family."

Just as I was about to say that our business was done and he should leave, Damian suddenly knelt on one knee and took my hand.

It seemed he was performing a ritual to show respect to the lady he was to protect.

However, this was an unnecessary action since I hadn't officially appointed him yet.

"Since you're not officially appointed yet, you don't need to do this…!"

Before I could finish, Damian kissed the back of my hand.

A very light and ticklish touch, barely touching the skin, quickly detached.

Damian looked up, smiled, and said,

"Isn't this how it's done?"

Grr. Why is an assassin smiling so brightly…?

Damian patted his knee and stood up, a smile that seemed to be painted by the flickering lamp light on his face.

"I'll go now. Good night, Therese."

If the warmth in his smile wasn't just from the lamp light, was it my imagination?

"Sure. Good night to you too."

As I greeted him, Damian smiled and turned around.

Ding!

[Seat 'Stock Genius' has donated 1,000 coins.]

[Let's check the character's affection level; it smells like a spike.]

I also felt a strange sensation, so I immediately checked the affection level.

[Affection Level: ♥♡♡♡♡]

'Huh? When did it change to a red heart?'

It was definitely a black heart this morning, but I don't think I did anything significant to change it.

In the original story, a decisive event could instantly change a black heart to a red heart, or vice versa.

For example, making the right choice when a decision point appeared or successfully resolving a major event.

'But even so, the change is too immediate and fast.'

Since this isn't a game, it's natural, right?

I can see the affection level, but this person is not an AI, but a human.

"……"

I felt a bit scared and lost.

I didn't want to give the characters any emotional attachment.

I didn't want to be emotionally connected.

To be able to escape to paradise without any regrets.