70

Michelie is the first person to welcome me home.

As I get off the carriage and enter the house, she jumps toward me with a cute smile, which heals me instantly.

The fact that the adorable Michelie is the one I love most still hasn’t changed. I pat her head in happiness.

She interrogates me.

“……Big sister.”

Michelie calls my name slowly, and with a soft tone, yet I feel a strange pressure.

I gulp.

I wasn’t aware of it, but it seems that I’m nervous.

On her fingertips is a strand of black hair that was on my shoulder. I noticed it as well when she was welcoming me back.

I don’t see the point though.

“What’s this?”

I don’t know what she means. There’s something indescribable behind her smile, but I don’t know what it is, or why I’m feeling pressured. She’s not just angry. It’s something else, well, how should I put it?

But staying silent is the worst and most foolish option.

I’m a genius, and thus I will not resort to the passive and foolish tactic of silence. I have to be resolute and honest.

“What do you mean…… Isn’t it my hair?”

“Don’t try to trick me!”

I wasn’t trying to trick her, but she shouts fiercely for some reason.

“Huh? Well……”

“There’s no way it’s yours! Do you really think I can’t tell?! Hmph!”

“Ah, um, sorry. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sorry.”

Michelie begins to rage. I’m not scared. In fact, seeing an angel get angry like that is adorable. But I still don’t know why she’s angry.

I’m sorry, Michelie. I know you’re really angry. I think I know why…… it’s because I couldn’t tell it wasn’t my hair.

No, I’m serious.

It’s the same color and texture. Sure, it’s a little short, but that’s not enough to say that it isn’t mine.

“But is this really not my hair?”

“It’s totally different! I can tell! It’s not the same black color!”

“I- I see.”

It looks the same to me, but there’s no way Michelie is lying. She’s positive that it’s not my hair, so she has to be right. There has to be some way she can tell, but I don’t know how.

Let’s say it isn’t my hair.

I still don’t know why she’s angry.

Hair tends to stick no matter how careful you are. There’s no way Michelie can get so narrow-minded and angry over such a trivial thing…… or is there?

“Well then, big sister. What’s going on? Whose hair is this?

“Huh? Maybe it’s Leon’s.”

“……Leon.”

He’s the only black-haired person I’ve met today. Michelie stiffens when I mention his name.

It doesn’t seem like she remembers him. She tilts her head slightly.

“Leon……?”

She tries to recall by repeating his name. Looks like she doesn’t remember after all.

It’s probably strange coming from me because I called him trash on our first meeting, but I pity him a little for being completely forgotten by Surfania as well as Michelie.

“Remember that guy? The commoner who climbed the wall here and fell off a while back. You treated him, right? And we were at the Founder’s Festival together, remember?”

“Ah…… Yeah. I remember. That guy with the black hair…… and black eyes!”

She got it right.

I pat her soft golden hair, praising her for taking the effort to remember him.

“You remembered. Good job, Michelie.”

“Ehehe. I did a good job?”

“Yup. You did great. And you’re so cute, my adorable Michelie!”

“Ehehe. And you’re the cooles- hey, wait!”

I couldn’t pull it off.

I look slightly away from Michelie. I thought I could make the matter slide through our usual banter, but it didn’t work this time. Oh well, it was just a small chance. Yup, never mind.

“Big sister. Don’t look away.”

“Okay.”

Maybe she detected my guilty feelings, but it’s fine now. I’m mentally prepared to talk it out with her.

I look her in the eyes.

“You haven’t seen Leon all this time, right? Why are you meeting that kind of guy? Weren’t you going to see Miss Surfania today?”

She puffs her cheeks as if telling me she isn’t in a good mood.

I want to poke her soft and adorable cheek with my finger, but this will probably put her in a worse mood instead.

“But I did. She’s a shut-in as usual.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I brought her to see Leon.”

“You went with Miss Surfania?”

“Yeah. You got along with her pretty well for a first time. They’re surprisingly compatible with each other.”

Michelie crosses her arms in thought.

“I see…… that’s fine, then. As long as he’s not another one like Charles……”

“Yeah. Leon’s studying at the church, under Mariwa’s guidance. For free, too.”

I stop myself from complaining about the unfairness of having to pay for my education. It’s not like I want to disturb Mariwa’s privacy anyway.

“Ah, Miss Mariwa was there too.”

“Well? If you want to meet him, I could bring you along next time, you know?”

I was thinking about making this a routine for Surfania when we’re both free, too.

I brought this up because I remember seeing Michelie look a lot happier after our first meeting with Leon, but she shakes her head without giving it too much thought.

“Nope, it’s fine. I don’t remember him much anyway. Since it looks like they’re getting along pretty well, why don’t you bring Miss Surfania next time?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Good luck, Leon.

I’m relieved that she’s not taking it to heart, but also cheer him on for his unrewarded efforts.