And that night.
All the prospects attending the Banquet of Swords were gathered together and ate dinner.
It was indeed a luxurious dinner that matched its name of a ‘banquet,’ but most of the prospects went back to their rooms after eating enough except for some prospects with large appetites.
Because they were nervous about the most important part of the Banquet of Swords, a tournament between the prospects, which would start tomorrow.
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jude and Cordelia greeted Lucas before they headed straight to their rooms like the others, and finished bathing with the help of the maids.
And after they ate and took a bath.
The two maids courteously bowed in front of Jude and Cordelia who had changed into pajamas.
“We hope you have a good night.”
“Uh…good night to the two of you too.”
The maids perfectly greeted them politely like the maids of a duke, and they gently smiled at Cordelia’s greeting before they quietly left the room.
And a few seconds later.
After the door was closed with a soft thud, only the two, Jude and Cordelia, were left in the room.
They were sitting besides each other on a large sofa.
‘What, what is this atmosphere?’
I ate well and even took a bath in warm water, so I just need to sleep now.
I should just say good night like always and then go to bed.
But it’s strange.
For some strange reason, my mouth won’t open.
Why?
What’s going on?
No, why is it so awkward in the first place?
It’s not the first time for us to be alone together.
We usually slept in the same room every day in the wild lands and on our way to the royal capital.
Cordelia swallowed hard unconsciously, and Jude responded to the sound of her swallowing.
“Cordelia.”
“Huh? Uh, what?”
Cordelia answered in a hurry as she turned to Jude, and finally realized why it was so awkward.
Because that happened today.
It was such a big issue that she couldn’t just think it was nothing.
Cordelia looked at Jude’s cheek.
His cheeks were smooth and fair like always. Perhaps because of the metamorphosis, his clear and soft skin was like the skin of a baby.
My lips touched there.
How did it feel?
I didn’t think much of that.
But afterwards, a hot feeling emerged as if I was being burned.
Jude’s lips.
My own forehead.
‘Ueueueue…’
What was Jude thinking then?
I did it because I had to root for Jude. Because I had to meet everyone’s expectations then.
Well, anyway, I had a lot of reasons for doing it, but what about Jude?
Was it on impulse?
To show off how much we love each other?
‘Ah.’
She stepped on a landmine at that moment.
You mean, we love each other?
It’s not like that.
It’s not like that yet.
Cordelia’s head began to be feverish, and because of that, her fantasies continued over and over again to the point she was unaware of what she was saying in her mind.
Why?
Why did he put his lips on my forehead?
Does Jude like me, like what I thought for a moment during the day?
‘Should I…just ask?’
I can just stare at him and not say anything.
Then he’ll figure it out and give me an answer.
‘But what if he says it’s not?’
Is there anything more embarrassing in the world than that?
‘That’s right, it’s Jude we’re talking about and not anyone else.’
He teased me so much every time the rankings were revealed.
It’s obvious that he’ll tease me every day if I ask him now.
‘Eueue… Is there no other way?’
There must be a way to check it.
There must be a way to feel or catch that feeling.
‘Should I do it again?’
Wouldn’t I know if I do it again?
But what excuse should I give?
‘G-good night?’
That’s too irrational.
I don’t think that will work.
“Cordelia.”
There should be something else, something more natural…
“Cordelia.”
“Eh?!”
He was right in front of her.
Startled by Jude’s face close to hers, Cordelia pulled back her body and Jude said with a worried face.
“Are you okay? Your face is red.”
“Eh? Uh…yes. I’m okay. Haha, it’s just hot today.”
Cordelia awkwardly laughed and tried to open her mouth to say good night as she thought of running away to the bedroom quickly.
But the problem was that she made eye contact with Jude.
Jude smiled after reading Cordelia’s thoughts, and made a new move.
“Cordelia.”
“Yes?”
“It’s been some time since you’ve cleaned my ears, so can you do it?”
“Eh? N-now?”
“Yes, now. And it’s too early for us to sleep. We need to talk about First Sword. We also need to talk about the Banquet of Swords tomorrow, of course.”
“Okay.”
They came here in the first place to meet First Sword.
“He said that the tournament prize was great, right? I’m looking forward to it. Since it’s the Banquet of Swords, will it be a sword? What swords are related to Duke Spencer?”
Cordelia’s gamer brain began to work, and she spoke fervently instead of her earlier shyness, and Jude spontaneously smiled at that. He somehow thought that this was so like Cordelia.
“Anyway, can I ask you to clean it?”
“Hmm, okay. Since I agreed to it.”
Cordelia calmly replied and used her telekinetic power to get her bag on the table and take out the ear pick.
She tapped on her lap and said.
“Lie down.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Jude immediately answered and lied down on his side as he put his head on Cordelia’s lap.
It was something familiar to them since they had already done this several times.
But today was a bit different for some reason.
It wasn’t only Cordelia who felt that way as Jude felt it too.
Thus, an indescribable atmosphere was formed between the two.
It was something that couldn’t be described as awkward.
Jude and Cordelia gulped at the same time.
The two tried to open their mouths to say something.
But it was at that moment.
“The honey is seriously dripping, seriously dripping down. Makes me want to stab you two.”
A loud voice came from behind their backs.
Having been focused on each other, Jude and Cordelia looked back in surprise at that voice, and Jude jumped out of his seat and even assumed a combat posture.
And the one who stood in front of those two now.
She was wearing the ladylike maid uniform of those who worked for Duke Spencer, but it somehow looked strange on her because of her vibrant red hair.
“Scarlet?!”
Cordelia exclaimed in surprise, and Scarlet pinched and pulled Cordelia’s cheek, having caught her off-guard before saying.
“Yes, Pink Bomb. I’m Scarlet.”
Why was she here?
No, how did she know that Cordelia was Pink Bomb in the first place?
As the two thought that, Jude couldn’t hide his surprise while Cordelia was so surprised that she couldn’t even resist on what was being done to her cheek.
Therefore, Scarlet was deeply satisfied.
She said with a mischievous smile.
“Because I’m the Rogue Master.”
Though she was still a candidate.
She smiled again and began to talk as she continued pulling Cordelia’s cheek.
And that night.
All the prospects attending the Banquet of Swords were gathered together and ate dinner.
It was indeed a luxurious dinner that matched its name of a ‘banquet,’ but most of the prospects went back to their rooms after eating enough except for some prospects with large appetites.
Because they were nervous about the most important part of the Banquet of Swords, a tournament between the prospects, which would start tomorrow.
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jude and Cordelia greeted Lucas before they headed straight to their rooms like the others, and finished bathing with the help of the maids.
And after they ate and took a bath.
The two maids courteously bowed in front of Jude and Cordelia who had changed into pajamas.
“We hope you have a good night.”
“Uh…good night to the two of you too.”
The maids perfectly greeted them politely like the maids of a duke, and they gently smiled at Cordelia’s greeting before they quietly left the room.
And a few seconds later.
After the door was closed with a soft thud, only the two, Jude and Cordelia, were left in the room.
They were sitting besides each other on a large sofa.
‘What, what is this atmosphere?’
I ate well and even took a bath in warm water, so I just need to sleep now.
I should just say good night like always and then go to bed.
But it’s strange.
For some strange reason, my mouth won’t open.
Why?
What’s going on?
No, why is it so awkward in the first place?
It’s not the first time for us to be alone together.
We usually slept in the same room every day in the wild lands and on our way to the royal capital.
Cordelia swallowed hard unconsciously, and Jude responded to the sound of her swallowing.
“Cordelia.”
“Huh? Uh, what?”
Cordelia answered in a hurry as she turned to Jude, and finally realized why it was so awkward.
Because that happened today.
It was such a big issue that she couldn’t just think it was nothing.
Cordelia looked at Jude’s cheek.
His cheeks were smooth and fair like always. Perhaps because of the metamorphosis, his clear and soft skin was like the skin of a baby.
My lips touched there.
How did it feel?
I didn’t think much of that.
But afterwards, a hot feeling emerged as if I was being burned.
Jude’s lips.
My own forehead.
‘Ueueueue…’
What was Jude thinking then?
I did it because I had to root for Jude. Because I had to meet everyone’s expectations then.
Well, anyway, I had a lot of reasons for doing it, but what about Jude?
Was it on impulse?
To show off how much we love each other?
‘Ah.’
She stepped on a landmine at that moment.
You mean, we love each other?
It’s not like that.
It’s not like that yet.
Cordelia’s head began to be feverish, and because of that, her fantasies continued over and over again to the point she was unaware of what she was saying in her mind.
Why?
Why did he put his lips on my forehead?
Does Jude like me, like what I thought for a moment during the day?
‘Should I…just ask?’
I can just stare at him and not say anything.
Then he’ll figure it out and give me an answer.
‘But what if he says it’s not?’
Is there anything more embarrassing in the world than that?
‘That’s right, it’s Jude we’re talking about and not anyone else.’
He teased me so much every time the rankings were revealed.
It’s obvious that he’ll tease me every day if I ask him now.
‘Eueue… Is there no other way?’
There must be a way to check it.
There must be a way to feel or catch that feeling.
‘Should I do it again?’
Wouldn’t I know if I do it again?
But what excuse should I give?
‘G-good night?’
That’s too irrational.
I don’t think that will work.
“Cordelia.”
There should be something else, something more natural…
“Cordelia.”
“Eh?!”
He was right in front of her.
Startled by Jude’s face close to hers, Cordelia pulled back her body and Jude said with a worried face.
“Are you okay? Your face is red.”
“Eh? Uh…yes. I’m okay. Haha, it’s just hot today.”
Cordelia awkwardly laughed and tried to open her mouth to say good night as she thought of running away to the bedroom quickly.
But the problem was that she made eye contact with Jude.
Jude smiled after reading Cordelia’s thoughts, and made a new move.
“Cordelia.”
“Yes?”
“It’s been some time since you’ve cleaned my ears, so can you do it?”
“Eh? N-now?”
“Yes, now. And it’s too early for us to sleep. We need to talk about First Sword. We also need to talk about the Banquet of Swords tomorrow, of course.”
“Okay.”
They came here in the first place to meet First Sword.
“He said that the tournament prize was great, right? I’m looking forward to it. Since it’s the Banquet of Swords, will it be a sword? What swords are related to Duke Spencer?”
Cordelia’s gamer brain began to work, and she spoke fervently instead of her earlier shyness, and Jude spontaneously smiled at that. He somehow thought that this was so like Cordelia.
“Anyway, can I ask you to clean it?”
“Hmm, okay. Since I agreed to it.”
Cordelia calmly replied and used her telekinetic power to get her bag on the table and take out the ear pick.
She tapped on her lap and said.
“Lie down.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Jude immediately answered and lied down on his side as he put his head on Cordelia’s lap.
It was something familiar to them since they had already done this several times.
But today was a bit different for some reason.
It wasn’t only Cordelia who felt that way as Jude felt it too.
Thus, an indescribable atmosphere was formed between the two.
It was something that couldn’t be described as awkward.
Jude and Cordelia gulped at the same time.
The two tried to open their mouths to say something.
But it was at that moment.
“The honey is seriously dripping, seriously dripping down. Makes me want to stab you two.”
A loud voice came from behind their backs.
Having been focused on each other, Jude and Cordelia looked back in surprise at that voice, and Jude jumped out of his seat and even assumed a combat posture.
And the one who stood in front of those two now.
She was wearing the ladylike maid uniform of those who worked for Duke Spencer, but it somehow looked strange on her because of her vibrant red hair.
“Scarlet?!”
Cordelia exclaimed in surprise, and Scarlet pinched and pulled Cordelia’s cheek, having caught her off-guard before saying.
“Yes, Pink Bomb. I’m Scarlet.”
Why was she here?
No, how did she know that Cordelia was Pink Bomb in the first place?
As the two thought that, Jude couldn’t hide his surprise while Cordelia was so surprised that she couldn’t even resist on what was being done to her cheek.
Therefore, Scarlet was deeply satisfied.
She said with a mischievous smile.
“Because I’m the Rogue Master.”
Though she was still a candidate.
She smiled again and began to talk as she continued pulling Cordelia’s cheek.
