Witnessing
“Nn…”
As sunlight touched my eyes, I slowly opened them.
My futon or bed is always soft, yet today the feel of it and even the ceiling above me seemed a little different from usual.
…Right, I am staying at Florence-san’s mansion today.
“Have you woken up, Lux-sama?”
Just as I remembered that, a voice came from beside me.
“Florence-san…?”
“Yes, good morning, Lux-sama.”
“Good morning, Florence-san.”
After returning her greeting, I turned toward her.
As always, Florence-san’s beautiful face was right beside me, and while pressing her body against mine, she held me in her arms.
“…That reminds me, why are you in my bed, Florence-san?”
“Fufu, it seems Lux-sama is still a little sleepy. Last night, so that you could rest peacefully, I stayed by your side. Holding you like this was part of that.”
As she said this, Florence-san pressed herself even closer.
Because of that, two soft and generous sensations touched me.
…Right, yesterday we read together, then got into bed together, and then lay down togeth—
“Huh!? W-wait, did we really sleep in the same bed last night!?”
“Yes, we did.”
A moment ago my mind was still foggy, but once I saw the scene in front of me and finally grasped the situation, the drowsiness vanished in an instant and I blurted out my words.
“I am sorry! I did not mean to fall asleep in the same bed as you, Florence-san, but I was so sleepy yesterday…!”
“There is no need to apologize. I was the one who suggested it to you. And also,”
With her cheeks flushed, Florence-san spoke in a delighted tone.
“I doubt there is a single woman in this world who would dislike sleeping beside the man she loves.”
“Ah…!”
Flustered by her words, I instinctively turned my eyes away.
Seeing that, Florence-san spoke again.
“Lux-sama, you are truly pure, beautiful, brave, and someone who strives to grow. You are a person I treasure. Lux-sama, I love you.”
Right after she tightened her embrace around me, a knock sounded at the door, followed by a loud voice.
“Mast—”
The voice stopped abruptly. When I lifted my head and looked toward the door, Siana stood there, frozen in shock.
Siana’s Side
…A few hours earlier.
“She completely outplayed me…”
Upon waking, Siana muttered this while preparing herself as a maid.
Last night, because Floria was under the same roof, Siana could not bring herself to leave Lux unattended, so she had planned to visit his room before bed… but.
The guard stationed in front of her room told her that unnecessary outings were forbidden. If she had acted as Third Princess Felisiana, she might have forced her way through, but as a maid she had no such freedom.
“To tell the guards to keep me from leaving and limit my movements. It is simple, yet highly effective…”
Normally, obstructing Siana without Lux noticing would not be easy, yet having a guard there would not seem strange from his perspective.
For the guards as well, telling a guest to avoid unnecessary outings was perfectly reasonable. The fact that Florence’s mansion, which already had excellent security, had gone out of its way to place a guard specifically in front of Siana’s room meant that Floria was preventing any contact between her and Lux and ensuring she would not get in the way. Siana was the only one who could see through that.
“Either way, I need to hurry to Lux-kun right now.”
Once she finished getting ready, Siana rushed toward Lux’s room.
She believed nothing had happened to him.
Soon after arriving at his door, Siana knocked and entered.
“Mast—”
She began to call out to Lux… but.
The moment she saw Lux and Floria lying together in the same bed, her voice faltered and her expression darkened.