"Hmph~ hmph hmph hmph~"

As I stepped into the entrance hall, Oriental September’s humming drifted from the bathroom.

"Come down for dinner after your bath."

"Yes—"

Seriously, is it really okay to be this casual in someone else’s house?

In the kitchen, I set tofu pudding in a bowl, fried dough sticks on a plate, and filled a cup with soy milk. I opened the fridge, grabbed a cucumber, chopped it finely, added coriander, and tossed it into a cold salad.

Soon after, Oriental September came downstairs. She dried her hair with a towel, wrapped only in a bath towel, the scent of shower gel hanging in the air. Her fair skin glowed faintly pink, droplets clinging to her shoulders. Her chest was utterly flat. Flawless cheeks held a trace of confusion, dark eyes flickering with panic, pink lips slightly parted as if words failed her.

"Is it really okay to dress like this in someone else’s house?" I glanced at her casually, mixing the salad and adding seasonings, completely unfazed.

"Hmph! Not even a flicker of reaction? I’m disappointed." She tied her hair up with the towel, pouting. But the tension in her eased with the banter.

"Disappointed my ass. Dressing like this in a stranger’s house? You’re begging for trouble. Last night, you crawled into my bed naked too. If something happened, you’d regret it too late."

"I trust you wouldn’t do that." She clasped her hands together, head bowed awkwardly.

"That trust makes zero sense." Had my protagonist aura suddenly kicked in? Endless peach blossom luck, girls throwing themselves at me? I placed the cucumber salad on the table and sat down.

"Hehe, I trust my own judgment."

"..." Ignoring her, I ate cucumber, fried dough sticks, and soy milk.

"What’s this thick, long thing? Ugh, weird taste!"

"Wow, your soy milk’s amazing—tastes like milk too!"

"Ah! So hot! Can’t take it!" A lewd panting followed. Her words made my cheeks burn.

Thud! I stood and chopped her head.

"Ow! Soy milk’s all over me!"

"Stop saying things that invite misunderstandings. Eat properly." This young lady was hopeless.

"S-sorry."

"Hmm."

"I’ve never tasted commoner food before. Wow, this cucumber’s crispy and delicious!" Her pampered life must be enviable—daily feasts on delicacies.

"Hey."

"What?"

"Sorry." Halfway through eating, Oriental September fell silent. She set down her chopsticks, head low, cheeks blazing like fire.

"What’s with the sudden repentant act?" Her mood swing confused me.

"I-I-I’m so shameless! Sleeping naked in a boy’s house, wandering in just a towel... Sob... will they call me a pervert?" She covered her face, peeking through her fingers, too shy to look up.

"Took you long enough to notice." How slow was her reaction time? I rubbed my forehead with a sigh. "With your IQ, I could trick you into bed five times using the same trick."

"Y-you’re underestimating me?!" She shot up, stepped on her chair, and pointed at me—then the towel slipped off.

"Damn right I am." Her chest was flatter than mine. Even elementary kids had more.

"Hmph... sob..." Cheeks puffed, she sat quietly, rewrapping the towel. Her whole body flushed crimson. She nibbled cucumber, as if cooling down.

Silence filled the air.

"All my friends are girls. You’re my first male friend. I forgot your gender because I’m used to staying over. Sorry."

"No need to apologize. Thanks for the meal."

"Hmph." Her face burned redder.

"Um..."

"What now?"

"Can I stay here awhile? So many fun things—I don’t want to leave."

"What do you see me as?"

"A man?" Was I a woman now?

"I mean, what’s our relationship?"

"Brothers! We click surprisingly well."

"Then no issue. Do brothers need permission to crash? Treat this as home. I’m rarely here anyway—just visit sometimes." I cleared the table, wrapped leftover salad in cling film for the fridge, tossed scraps, and stored clean dishes.

"Exactly! Wahahaha! True brotherly loyalty! Hand it over." Her shyness vanished. She thrust out her palm cheerfully.

"Uh... what?" A question mark formed in my mind at her empty hand.

"The keys! How else do I get in?"

...Silence.

"Aren’t you embarrassed? I was just being polite."

"Pfft! We’re brothers—don’t be stingy!" This idiot was oddly likable.

"Oh! And the virtual butler’s permissions too!"

"Give you sunshine, and you bloom like a weed."

"What else? We’re brothers!" Did she treat that phrase as a magic spell?

"Violet Evergarden."

"Good morning, Master. How may I assist?" Data shimmered mid-air, forming a projection. Violet Evergarden appeared—a golden-haired, expressionless beauty.

"Record Oriental September’s voice. Grant her main permissions."

"Yes, Master."

"Thanks." She patted my shoulder from behind and skipped upstairs, grinning. I watched her silently, tidied the kitchen, and left. I’d stay elsewhere for a few days.

4

Snowflakes drifted from the sky like blessings from an ice goddess. Tiny fairies fluttered through the city, dancing as players gathered to watch. Rooftops, towers, streets—every inch thronged with clapping crowds. "Emperor" wasn’t just an adventurer’s paradise; it was an artist’s playground where wild dreams became real. Beside me, the Guild Leader and I walked like lovers down the road.