NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31
Clara tends to be quite shy.
Especially when it comes to personal matters, her embarrassment levels shoot up. When changing clothes or taking a shower, Clara can barely speak, stuttering and turning bright red.
She tries her best to act nonchalantly, but it’s nearly impossible to hide such visible reactions.
It’s the same not just in the shower, but also when she needs to go to the bathroom.
Especially in public restrooms at school, she behaves as if she feels shame the moment she steps inside. It’s a relief when there’s no one in there, but even encountering someone at the sink makes her face flush red to the point she can’t even properly greet them.
Even if you describe Clara as ‘beautiful,’ it’s hard not to feel like you’ve done something wrong if she’s making that face. Is it possible that even that quality is part of what makes her a Saintess? Aurora sometimes thinks about this when she sees Clara acting this way.
“We should understand her since we’re the closest to her.”
Although Aurora and Linea had never verbally agreed on it, at some point, they naturally started being considerate of Clara.
Just like they were mindful of her during shower schedules at the convent, they didn’t follow Clara to the bathroom.
This meant that even the three of them, who spent nearly 24 hours together, occasionally had some time apart. Naturally, Linea and Aurora also went to the bathroom alone. There was no reason for them to go together, leaving Clara all by herself in the classroom.
Clara being alone didn’t put her in any immediate danger, and they all knew that she wouldn’t be the type to be attacked or anything. So, there wasn’t any real anxiety about it.
But that didn’t mean she was completely free of worry.
Once, Clara returned from her solo trip to the classroom, lost in deep thought. She might have seen or heard something on her way back that got her thinking.
“Eh, it’s nothing much.”
When they asked her what she was thinking, she typically replied like that and ended the conversation.
Of course, it might not have been anything too severe—
But could it be because they had spent nearly 24 hours together? Aurora felt a bit uneasy about that brief moment of silence.
*
Spending almost all day together also meant eating and sleeping at about the same times. Of course, depending on personal preference, there could be differences in the types or amounts of food consumed, but those differences didn’t really seem significant.
Thus, Clara, Linea, and Aurora shared roughly similar biological rhythms, like that… or rather, their bathroom habits were quite similar.
Clara was extremely hesitant to go to the bathroom with others, so usually, Linea and Aurora would go separately at slightly staggered times. To avoid leaving Clara alone for too long, they silently agreed that if one went, the other would stay behind.
Due to this, even the three of them could occasionally end up apart. Naturally, Linea and Aurora also went to the bathroom alone. There was no reason for both of them to go if Clara was busy in the classroom with someone else.
They understood that Clara wasn’t likely to be in danger if she was alone in class, and they also knew her character wouldn’t lead to her being attacked.
However, that didn’t mean they were completely without concern.
Clara occasionally returned deep in thought after going off alone. Perhaps she saw or heard something on her way back, prompting her to get lost in thought again.
“Eh, it’s nothing much.”
When they asked what she was thinking, she typically finished the conversation with that answer.
Of course, it might not have been anything particularly important—
But given that they spent nearly 24 hours together, Aurora felt a tad uneasy about the brief silence.
*
Spending nearly every day together meant they generally ate, slept, and shared almost the same schedule. Of course, depending on personal preferences, the types and amounts of food could differ, but those distinctions weren’t particularly meaningful.
Thus, the three of them—Clara, Linea, and Aurora—shared roughly similar biological rhythms.
Clara usually despised going to the bathroom with others, so Linea and Aurora typically went at slightly staggered times. Because they wanted to avoid leaving Clara alone for too long, they agreed to a system where if one went, the other stayed behind.
Unsurprisingly, this led those three, who were virtually together 24/7, to occasionally have moments apart. Naturally, Linea and Aurora also went to the bathroom by themselves. After all, there was no reason for them to go together just because Clara was busy in the classroom.
Clara wasn’t likely to encounter any dangers being alone in class, and they knew she wouldn’t put herself in harm’s way. So in that respect, they felt secure.
Yet, they didn’t entirely drop their worries.
Clara, who had gone out alone, sometimes returned lost in deep thoughts. Perhaps she saw or heard something that made her pensive on the way back.
“Eh, it’s nothing much.”
When asked about her thoughts, her typical response would end the conversation.
Of course, it might not be anything grave—
But perhaps spending nearly 24 hours in each other’s company made Aurora feel uneasy about those brief moments of silence.
*
Since they spent almost every waking hour together, it also implied they were eating and sleeping around the same times. Naturally, individual preferences might alter the types or amounts of food consumed, but such differences weren’t very notable.
Thus, Clara, Linea, and Aurora had roughly aligned biological rhythms, or at least they shared similar lifestyles.
Clara was particularly averse to going to the bathroom with others, hence Linea and Aurora typically went to the restroom at staggered times. To avoid leaving Clara alone for extended durations, they came to an unspoken agreement where one would go and the other would remain behind.
As a result, despite being inseparable for almost 24 hours, the trio occasionally found time to themselves. Naturally, Linea and Aurora also visited the restroom alone. After all, there was no reason for the two of them to go to the bathroom together, leaving Clara stuck in the classroom alone.
Clara didn’t place herself in risky situations when left independently in class. They had confidence in her personality—she wouldn’t get attacked or anything of the sort. So, in that regard, they didn’t feel nervous about leaving her alone.
Nevertheless, that didn’t mean they were without concern entirely.
Clara, when she left the classroom alone, sometimes returned deep in thought. Perhaps she’d encountered something that captivated her on the journey back.
“Eh, it’s nothing much.”
When they inquired about her contemplations, she would provide that response and dismiss the conversation.
Of course, it might not be anything exceedingly critical—
But after being together for what felt like an eternity, Aurora couldn’t shake off the unease that settled during those fleeting silences.
*
Spending the majority of their day together meant they shared meals at similar times. While individual preferences might introduce variety in the types or quantities of food eaten, such differences rarely seemed significant.
Consequently, Clara, Linea, and Aurora generally followed similar biological rhythms—not to mention their bathroom habits often aligned too.
Clara strongly disliked using the restroom with others. Therefore, Linea and Aurora would typically schedule their bathroom visits at slightly staggered intervals. Amid their desire not to leave Clara alone for too long, they, through silence and understanding, created a system where one would go while the other stayed put.
This arrangement meant that even the trio, who spent nearly all their waking hours together, occasionally found themselves apart. Naturally, both Linea and Aurora also had their turns at the restroom alone. And with Clara busy in the classroom, they had no real reason to go together.
They knew Clara wouldn’t find herself in danger being left alone in the classroom, and they were aware of her character, which wouldn’t lead her to face any attacks. Thus, they didn’t feel particularly tense regarding her solitary moments.
However, their concerns were not entirely extinguished.
Sometimes knocking on the solitary classroom door would result in Clara returning deep in thought. It happened on various occasions, and it made them wonder if she hadn’t encountered sights or sounds that left her lost in her musings.
“Eh, it’s nothing much.”
So if they ever asked Clara about her contemplation, her indicative response would typically end that conversation.
While she wouldn’t explain so freely, perhaps it wasn’t something hefty—
Yet, amidst their constant togetherness, Aurora found it increasingly hard to dismiss the unease she felt during those fleeting silences.
*
Clara was, after all, in a way, naturally inclined to create such variations through her shy personality.