NOVEL NEXT Ch. 210
Chapter 210
After parting with Erika, Clael returned to the staff dormitory accompanied by three bear plushies.
"Phew... Man, that was a bit of a walk..."
He loosened his tie and tossed his tuxedo onto the bed.
Formal attire really was exhausting. If the place hadn't had a dress code, he would never have worn it.
"Kuma kuma"
"Kuma—"
Without being told, the bear plushies returned Clael's discarded clothes to the closet.
They were exceptional. They even handled all the housework, including laundry, and would iron too.
"You guys always help me out... but try not to stand out too much, okay? It'd be a problem if someone saw you."
"Kuma—"
When warned, the bear plushie placed its hands on the wall in a 'reflecting on its actions' pose.
It's not like they were trained monkeys—how did they even know such a pose?
"Shower... well, whatever. I'll just take one tomorrow morning."
After everything that had happened, he was completely exhausted.
The unfamiliar outfit alone was tiring, and the unfamiliar restaurant didn't help... but it was Erika's bizarre behavior that really drained him.
It was no wonder his mental energy had been worn thin.
(Seriously... what the hell was Erika trying to do...?)
Erika Jermie's actions made no sense.
One moment she invited him to dinner out of nowhere, and during the meal she suddenly got angry and threw him... then even tried to headbutt him.
If the bear plushie hadn't shielded him, his skull might have been cracked open.
(She's way too emotionally unstable... Did she get dumped by some guy?)
She probably made a reservation to invite a man, and when that failed, she invited Clael instead.
And... because she was still frustrated, she ended up unleashing that mysterious anger.
That explanation made sense, but for Clael, who got caught up in it, it was a huge nuisance.
At the very least, having the dessert he'd been looking forward to ruined was unforgivable.
He really wanted to teach Erika just how terrifying food grudges could be.
(Well, I guess... she was paying for the meal, so maybe it's not my place to complain.)
"Guess I'll sleep... Good night."
Telling the bear plushies that, Clael stripped down and lay on the bed in just his underwear.
Letting the mental fatigue take over, he decided to just sleep like this tonight.
He had work tomorrow too. Being a teacher was busy, so he needed to rest properly.
"Nn..."
As he turned off the lights and closed his eyes... drowsiness immediately swept over him.
Without resisting the sleepiness, Clael let go of consciousness and drifted into the world of dreams.
"That's right... next time, restaurant... invite Reina..."
Murmuring in a half-asleep daze... a soft lily-like fragrance tickled his nose.
"It's a promise. You have to take me, okay?"
"Mmm..."
"You praised me so much, didn't you? Said I was more attractive than any other woman. That my figure was perfect and my personality was great. I... was really happy."
Slender fingers stroked Clael's head, gently combing through his hair.
The affectionate touch was so delicate, it was like handling a precious gem.
"So... just for today, I'll forgive you. But no cheating, okay?"
"Nn..."
"Fufufu..."
The graceful hand continued to caress Clael's hair for a while... but eventually, as if satisfied, the fingers withdrew.
A blanket was neatly pulled over Clael's body, and the presence in the room vanished.
"...I absolutely won't lose."
Just before the floral-scented presence disappeared, he thought he heard that whisper... but it faded like mist, leaving no trace in Clael's sleepy memory.