"Lea…"

Standing before Lea, who had been fiercely tied to a chair in an embarrassingly posture by the senior sister, Moen couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth, his expression turning odd.

"Can you explain why you're here at this time instead of on the class? And why are you even doing something like this? I remember our appointment is tomorrow, not today."

To be honest, even in his wildest imagination, Moen couldn't have foreseen this situation.

The future saintess of Life Church herself, Lea Angel, had not only appeared during his intimate moment with the senior sister but was also caught… spying?

Is she really the future saintess?!

"Uh… I didn't, I totally didn't spy! I absolutely didn't do anything like that!"

Lea whimpered in denial, her voice growing weaker as she spoke, her confidence evaporating. Her cheeks visibly flushed with crimson yet again.

Suddenly, she bit her lip, lifted her head, and glared at Moen with teary eyes, her tone filled with grievances:

"Moreover, it's all your fault, Moen Campbell!"

"Huh?"

Moen was dumbfounded.

My fault?

Why?!

Was it my fault for being too handsome, for my impressive pecs, or for having utterly irresistible charisma?

Was I so audaciously captivating that it stole your heart?

"It's your fault… You deviated from the agreed-upon schedule and took nearly a month to contact me! I thought you were plotting some kind of conspiracy, and that's why… that's why I came early to scope things out," Lea stammered, her little feet twisting uneasily on the floor.

"Pfft…"

Moen nearly choked on his spit, feeling the urge to cough up blood.

A conspiracy?

Scope things out?

And somehow you scoped your way into this mess?

What kind of storyline is this?

Looking at Lea, who glared at him with an adorably defiant expression, Moen wanted nothing more than to crack open her head and figure out what on earth she was thinking.

"I…"

"Oh, my my? A conspiracy? Scoping things out? These words… seem a bit suggestive, don’t they?"

Before Moen could reply, a meaningful voice suddenly rang out behind him. He shivered instinctively, spun around, and forced out a strained smile while stammering:

"Wha… What suggestive? Senior, you're overthinking! Lea and I are completely innocent!"

"Is that so?"

Anna sat atop the desk, her black silk-clad legs crossed. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear with elegant ease.

No trace of the earlier passionate scene remained. Her attire was neat, her demeanor serene and graceful, her lips adorned with a gentle smile.

Yet in Moen's mind, alarms of death were screaming at full blast. He instantly straightened his posture and declared:

"Abso… Absolutely! Lea is merely a private musician I invited to play a few melodies. We barely exchanged more than a few words before this, our relationship is pure and proper!"

"A private musician, invited to play melodies?"

Anna narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Moen with a faint smile.

"The plot like this sounds awfully familiar… doesn't it?"

Moen froze stiff. "Fa… Familiar?"

"And may I ask, what motivated your need to hire a private musician?"

"Well…"

Off to the side, hearing this pointed question from Anna filled Lea's eyes with panic. She desperately wanted to keep certain matters under wraps—not only out of embarrassment but also due to the secretiveness of her other identity. If word got out, it could have lots of negative impacts to her future.

But…

Lea lowered her gaze quietly.

Given her current situation, what right did she have to stop this?

"Because, as a future duke, isn’t it entirely normal to improve his musical taste? The academy doesn’t offer any music appreciation courses, so I was left with no choice but to hire my own private musician."

"Huh?"

Lea looked up, bewildered, seeing Moen grasp Anna’s hand and feign an innocent tone while pleading:

"Senior, surely you wouldn’t want your most beloved junior to be sneered by obese and brainless nobles, right?"

"My, my… You surely use the same lofty excuses every time, don’t you?"

"It's absolutely not what you're assuming! Nothing, absolutely NOTHING is going on between us! And judging by how Lea tracked down this specific room, I was obviously planning to introduce her to you here beforehand to avoid any misunderstandings! It’s all aboveboard!"

"And who's to say you weren’t planning some sneaky maneuver under my very nose?"

"I'd never play such low games," Moen replied miserably. "If you still don’t believe me, I’ll—I’ll swear to the goddess! If I truly…"

"Forget it."

Anna suddenly pressed her fingertips against Moen’s lips, cutting him off.

"I’m not a follower of the goddess, so your oath means nothing to me," she said coldly.

"Uh… Senior sister~"

"Hmph."

Anna stepped closer to Lea, extending a single finger to tilt the younger girl's chin upward, scrutinizing her delicate features. After a pause, she sighed:

"This face… definitely seems like the type he’d fancy."

"No… No way!"

Lea’s cheeks flushed crimson again, and she shouted indignantly:

"I—! I absolutely have nothing to do with that man, and there’s no way I’d ever be involved with somebody so persistently twisted and dishonorable!"

"Is that so?"

"Absolutely!"

"Hehehe."

Anna chuckled softly and enigmatically and dropped the subject.

"Very well then, I’ll leave you now to your 'music appreciation class.'"

"Huh, already leaving?"

Moen froze, quickly rushing forward to grab Anna, his voice worried:

"Are you upset?"

"Upset? Who’d bother getting upset over someone as scoundrel as you?"

Feeling the warm embrace enveloping her, Anna softened slightly in her tone, yet sighed helplessly:

"I’ve already wasted enough time waiting for you. Silence Agency has been pressing me multiple times now."

"Is it really necessary to rush like this?"

Moen, still yearning to find another place to resume their earlier unfulfilled… rendezvous, didn’t want her to hurry away.

"This is your punishment."

"Huh?"

"It’s the punishment for your dishonesty," Anna declared, flicking Moen lightly on the forehead.

"Once you decide to behave properly, perhaps I’ll let you come find me again."

"No… I don’t want that…"

"Go away."

"Just one hug—no, at least one kiss before you leave…"

"Who allows you to hug me? Hmph, let go."

"Heh… Senior says one thing but does another; your body doesn't seem to mind."

"Brat…"

After a brief episode of playful banter, Moen reluctantly watched Anna leave.

As he turned, he looked towards the other girl remaining in the room.

Lea, who had been secretly glancing his way but turned her head aside hurriedly as soon as Moen turned back.

"Sigh."

Moen sighed helplessly and moved to untie Lea’s bindings.

The tension in the room shifted, growing quiet and awkward.

After a while, as she stretched her sore arms, Lea finally broke the silence, speaking softly:

"Moen Campbell…"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn’t you tell the truth earlier?"

"What?"

"You know… the real reason you hired me," Lea murmured, twisting her fingers nervously.

"If you’d just told your senior about that night, she’d at least understand that you were simply being kind and helping me out. There wouldn’t have been so many misunderstandings."

"… Since when did I claim I intended to help anyone? I simply needed a private musician. That’s all there is to say," Moen answered fiercely, casting a sharp glance her way.

"And regarding misunderstandings—aren’t YOU, the person who staged this mess, the real cause of them?"

"Uh…"

"Sigh. Forget it. I can take some blame too for ghosting you for a month without explaining things properly."

Moen sighed again.

"Don’t worry about it too much. Someone like senior sister, who’s both composed and kindhearted, wouldn’t draw unnecessary misunderstandings from something like this."

"Is that so?"

Lea’s gaze grew slightly distant.

She recalled the senior sister just moments ago—

Mature, intelligent, with an unmistakable air of dominance, seemingly like the type who wouldn't be easily deceived by a scumbag. Clearly leagues apart from Lea herself, a younger student.

And yet, she had so plainly and fervently fallen, entirely captivated by Moen Campbell.

Lea also thought back to the senior sister's pointed glance earlier and turned to observe the blonde man before her.

He stood bathed in soft daylight reflected from the snowy landscape outside, gazing off into the white expanse as though chasing some unseen silhouette.

Despite being alone, just a man and a woman in a room under such unusual circumstances, and just after experiencing such peculiar events, his azure eyes remained clear, untainted by the slightest impurity.

"Sorry."

"Huh?"

Moen blinked, puzzled by this sudden apology.

"Sorry, Moen, for I misunderstood you again."

Feeling a surge of warmth deep in her heart, Lea sniffed slightly and wiped away tears forming at her eyes with her fingertips, smiling faintly.

"Turns out you’re not really as the rumors—or even Ariel—described you."

"I’ve been working on reversing my reputation for quite some time, and yet you realized just now? Honestly, I’m feeling a little out of breath right now."

Moen chuckled, pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to Lea.

"Here, wipe your tear. I’d hate for my private musician to look like she’s crying while performing melodies."

"Okay."

Lea accepted the handkerchief, dabbing at her moist eyes.

"Hmm?"

But after a moment, she realized something strange about it.

The handkerchief carried a peculiar scent and warmth…

Would Moen Campbell, a grown man, actually spray perfume on his handkerchief?

More than that, its texture and color—

Lea tilted her head downwards and stared at the piece of fabric.

The black “handkerchief” was oddly rebellious in its shape and design, with a set of drawstrings and lace edges that added an exquisite softness to its touch.

And sitting prominently at its center was a tiny red bow, giving off the appearance of a butterfly fluttering gently in the breeze—as if poised to take flight at a moment’s notice.

Flapping...

Flapping...

Along with the "handkerchief" unfolding in her hand.

But this was no ordinary handkerchief.

It was...

Lea's delicate face instantly turned bright red once again. Her tear-filled eyes widened as she lifted her head to glare fiercely at Moen, whose own expression had stiffened.

"Wait, Lea, listen to me! I can explain! This is a misunderstanding! This time it really is a misunderstanding!"

"Moen Campbell, you—"

The furious and embarrassed cry thundered through the entire building, accompanied by a crisp slap and someone's pitiful scream.

"Pervert! Scoundrel! Shameless! I was wrong about you! You really do have nothing but filthy thoughts in your head!"

"Ugh... You villain!"