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“Phew, junior… Was that really what he meant… when he said that to me…?”

Mariel’s eyes, looking at me as if in shock, were shaking uncontrollably in their sockets.

“It is a bit frequent, but… isn’t this kind of normal?”

It’s not like I never talked to other girls, and I’ve heard that other kids sometimes sleep over at their friends’ houses too.

So it’s certainly not something strange, so why is Mariel so flustered?

But then I recalled Mariel’s status, and I could understand why she reacted so sensitively.

Saint Mariel.

Unlike me, who just recently became a Hero, Mariel has been fulfilling her responsibilities and duties as a Saint for several years now.

While she must have friends, being aware of her status as a Saint must have made it burdensome for her to simply play around like other kids.

Even a normal action might attract meanings from those around her that weren’t even there.

Of course, it’s better than me, who had completely severed ties with peers, but she must still feel awkward forming friendships like typical girls.

“W-well….”

“Yes, it’s normal. You shouldn’t let the position of being a Saint bind you too tightly; why not try enjoying life more? If a person lives too rigidly, they won’t last long.”

I meant it sincerely, but Mariel’s face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

After all, it must seem silly for a younger junior to be lecturing her about her long life as a Saint.

But I genuinely cared for Mariel.

Just like when we bumped into each other at the clothing store, I disliked seeing her suppressing her desires.

She had already dedicated the past few years of her life to serving others as a Saint, and knowing her personality, she would continue to help many people in the future…. Doesn’t she deserve to live according to her own wishes at least a little?

If someone were to scold Mariel, I’d be the first to step up and defend her.

“B-but… that’s something you do once you become an adult… and with multiple people…”

“Huh? If anything, once you become an adult, you’ll feel more restrained. And what’s so bad about having multiple people? In fact, the more, the merrier!”

I had my reasons for being alone in a single room during the first semester, and if my finances had allowed, I would have stuck to it.

However, even I found that being in a four-person room with friends made me smile more than before.

Studying together in the room was fun, sitting around a table drinking tea was pleasant, and chatting about the day’s events on the bed before falling asleep was delightful.

I just hope Mariel can fill this moment and her school years with joyful memories.

It’s a time when her innocence still remains, but once she graduates from the Academy and goes into society, she might never be able to come back again.

Especially if the Demon King becomes active, that time could be even shorter.

Of course, there are plenty of conflicts and power struggles even now, but at least for Mariel, I hope she won’t get caught up in those things.

With those feelings in mind, I looked into Mariel’s eyes and conveyed my sincerity.

“I think I heard that such things are common among noble children… But I never thought you’d be one of them…”

“As you know, I don’t really see myself as a noble or anything.”

I shrugged my shoulders and spoke to Mariel.

I’ve grown up as an Assassin, and the identity I’m borrowing now, ‘Elysia Frentz,’ comes from a background of hardship after my family fell from grace at a young age.

After all, what’s such a big deal about sleeping with friends? Why differentiate between nobles and peasants?

“Of course, if you’re a noble, the bed would be bigger and more comfortable… But honestly, it doesn’t have to be a bed.”

It’s not like I do this every day; it’s just that on rare occasions when a friend comes over, isn’t it fine to spread a blanket on the floor and sleep there for a night or two?

“Wouldn’t experiencing something different leave a more memorable impression?”

“Experience… stimulating…”

Just a little while ago, the shaking in her eyes had spread throughout Mariel’s body.

Trembling, Mariel.

This won’t do. If it were just me, I wouldn’t mind, but seeing both Anne and Mariel trembling confirms that the store is definitely too cold.

As I was about to stand up to ask the staff to raise the internal temperature, Mariel suddenly slammed her hands on the table and shot up from her seat.

“I-I’m going to go first! See you later!”

As if she remembered something urgent, Mariel dashed out of the store without a backward glance.

So much that she even left behind the expensive drink I bought for her on the table.

“…The Saint is really innocent.”

Yuli’s assessment of Mariel.

But calling Mariel innocent…

Considering that Yuli hasn’t really talked to her, it’s understandable that she would say that without knowing Mariel’s hidden nature.

If Yuli becomes friends with Mariel later, she’ll be surprised to discover the hidden side of the Saint who tries to pull the wool over others’ eyes.

“She’s a bit deluded, but this is all because of El.”

“Well… that is part of El’s charm, after all.”

“Huh? Why am I suddenly being brought up here?”

Out of nowhere, the two of them were talking, making it impossible to tell whether it was a compliment or a criticism.

But just as I was about to ask what they meant, my words were drowned out by the sudden return of Mariel.

“I’ll enjoy the coffee! The thing I mentioned… I’ll think about it more and get back to you later! See you next time, junior!”

With that, Mariel took the drink she left behind and rushed out, disappearing in an instant.

Thank goodness she didn’t waste the drink; if she left it behind and it was discarded, I would have cried inside as much as my wallet did.

I waved my hand lightly at the distant Mariel, who was already out of sight.

By the way, Anne is still mumbling to herself.

Being someone who loves sweets, Anne must be showing signs of anxiety from a sugar low.

I stuck the straw from the barely sipped caramel macchiato into Anne’s mouth.

Busy mumbling to herself, Anne instinctively took the straw I offered and began to sip the coffee.

As one sip followed the next, life returned to Anne’s eyes.

However, when I tried to take back the coffee from Anne, who was still sipping it, it was impossible to reclaim it.

In the end, I gave up on trying to retrieve the coffee from her and turned to Selian and Yuli.

“Anyway, since we met at a café, why not both of you order something to drink? This time, I’ll treat you.”

Since she only had one sip, Anne should be fine with my caramel macchiato.

But for some reason, despite my offer, the two were silently watching the caramel macchiato Anne was drinking.

It seems both of them want some, so I casually got up and headed to the register without waiting for a response.

“Two caramel macchiatos and one iced Americano, please.”

Since there were unexpected expenses, I ordered the iced Americano, which was the cheapest option.

Not wanting to return to my seat, I waited a moment until my order was ready.

When I returned to the table holding three cups of coffee with both hands, what awaited me was an unexpected situation.

“Anne? Aren’t you nice? Can you put the straw down for a second?”

“Uh, Anne? Can I have a sip too because I’m thirsty?”

For some reason, the two were trying to snatch the coffee from Anne at the same time.

In the midst of it all, Anne refused to let go of the straw in her mouth and merely shook her head.

No one can stop Anne’s obsession with sweets.

“Alright, alright. Don’t bother Anne; you both drink this instead.”

I placed one cup of caramel macchiato in front of each of them and greedily took a sip of my iced Americano.

Yet despite Selian and Yuli having coveted Anne’s caramel macchiato just a moment ago, they didn’t touch the cups placed in front of them.

Instead, their gazes were fixed on me.

“Uh, I just really wanted something bitter all of a sudden… Don’t feel pressured; feel free to drink.”

Did I make it too obvious that I bought the cheapest iced Americano?

Their steady stares were quite overwhelming despite my reasoning.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Yuli spoke up.

“Hey, El? I just need to quench my thirst, so why not drink this instead? I’m not really in the mood for something sweet right now.”

With a caring tone, Yuli slid her caramel macchiato towards me.

“Really, don’t feel pressured…”

“Won’t you drink it?”

Startled.

Seeing Yuli smiling at me gave me a sense of déjà vu, and for a moment there was an imagined scent of apple drifting through my mouth.

“U-Um… thank you.”

Overwhelmed by the unexplainable pressure, I just followed my instincts and accepted the caramel macchiato that both my instincts and reasoning told me to take.

Instead of the caramel macchiato she handed me, Yuli took the iced Americano I was drinking and began sipping it with satisfaction.

“What’s up, Selian?”

For some reason, Selian kept switching her gaze between Yuli and me.

I threw a question to Selian, who was busy shaking her head from side to side without saying anything.

With Anne and Yuli absorbed in their coffee and not speaking, only my voice lingered around the table.

How long did this silence last? Finally, Selian stopped shaking her head and spoke.

“Um, El? Would you like to swap with me? I’m not really into this one…”

Selian said that as she casually slid her coffee towards me just like Yuli did.

But…

“That’s the same caramel macchiato I’m drinking right now, isn’t it?”

Upon hearing my words, Selian’s face suddenly transformed into one of utter defeat.

Was she that averse to caramel macchiato?

 

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