“…Mm…”

Bathed in the soft light pouring through the window, Lithia began to stir.

“Are you awake?”

“—Geo…?”

She heard a voice coming from somewhere—

—the most reassuring voice in the world.

“If you’re still tired, you can sleep some more. I’m sorry for overdoing it last night.”

“…What?”

Someone was caressing her hair. As her blurry vision cleared, she realized that she was in her sleepwear, and that Geo was standing beside her bed, peering at her face.

“Is your body alright? Are you in pain?”

She unconsciously nestled against his palm, which had moved from her hair to her cheek. Still in a disoriented state, Lithia tried to muster a reply.

Somehow, it was like the morning exchange between newlywed couples after their first night. Upon realizing that, Lithia’s cheeks flared up and she hastily sat up.

—No, we haven’t done anything! But almost!

“Wait, it’s morning already!?”

“Yes, but there’s no need to rush. Even if you sleep for another hour, we will still catch the train in time.”

She was wide awake. In the room filled with sunshine, Geo had already changed into a fresh set of clothes. No matter how she looked at it, the morning had arrived. She swore that she was about to—no, was pushed down by Geo just a few seconds ago!?

“Oh, uhm, Geo, about yesterday…”

She could only recall up until the blood rushed to her head. Other than that, nothing. Who would’ve thought that she’d pass out at such a critical moment!?

“I know. I’m sorry, I was too bold yesterday. It’s alright, I will refrain from doing that for a while. I know being prepared is important for women. I’ll wait until the day where Lithia is fully prepared arrives.”

“Wait, wait, wait…!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to wait.”

“No, I don’t mean it that way!”

Geo probably thought that she was scared out of her wits. Both her sleepwear and sheets were still tidy, and she felt no sense of discomfort anywhere. Therefore, she could tell that he let her sleep without doing anything.

“I-I wasn’t scared! L-like, we can even do it right here, right now!”

She wasn’t scared. She was just too surprised. Saying that she was unprepared wasn’t exactly right, either. If anything, she was trying to kill her expectations, making the surprise attack way more effective than it should have been.

Also, when she recalled how easily she was pushed down by his large, sinewy hands which crawled from her shoulders to her chest—or the glimpse of his chest, which could be seen from his revealing nightgown…

—He looked like a man. No, I already knew that from the start.

What she didn’t know was that he could be so manly.

“Thank you, Lithia.”

After laughing out loud, Geo sat on the bed and pulled her closer to him.

“…”

I-it’s going to be fine! I’m fully prepared this time!

While she did sound desperate, she truly meant it. Although, the room was a bit too bright… Also, did she smell of sweat? What about her bed head!?

“—Right now, I’m satisfied with those sentiments alone.”

“Eh?”

He gently kissed her forehead. When she thought that she was about to be pushed down, Geo suddenly left the bed.

“I’m going to order breakfast, so please get changed in the meantime. Which would you like, meat or fish?”

“Eh, uh, fish…?”

“Got it.”

Geo walked away, and as she blankly stared at his back, the door was closed with a thud, leaving her alone in the room.

“Eh?”

—Does that mean we’re having something to eat first?

Certainly, it’d be a problem if her stomach rumbled in the middle of it.

But something about his words were off. If anything, he seemed to be postponing it. Although considering what happened yesterday, the possibility it actually was the other way around wasn’t zero.

“For now, let’s just get changed.

Lithia finished her morning preparations with mixed feelings.

　◆◆◆

Conclusion, he was really postponing it.

“Lithia, if you are experiencing motion sickness, would you like to get off at the next stop? You look unwell.”

Currently, the short hand of the clock was pointing diagonally to the upper left of the disk, and Lithia was on bed with Geo, not. Instead, they were inside the Magical Stone Express, bound for Selvi territory.

“You can use my shoulder if you’re sleepy.”

“Okay…”

As expected, it was a sham. The so-called ‘Failed First Night’ morning. Geo’s kindness, which was usually reassuring, felt so painful now.

It wasn’t because of motion sickness or sleepiness, but she was indeed a bit pale. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Lithia borrowed his shoulder.

“Geo.”

“What?”

“…Would you like to get off at a station on the way?”

“You must be really unwell. Of course.”

“No, it’s not like that…”

What should I do?

In the first place, should a woman be asking for such a thing? Geo said that he’d wait until she was ready. She was. So how should she convey it? When she told him that morning, the timing gave the impression she was putting on a strong front.

“Well, I’m not sick, I just want to stop by an inn…”

“Are you sleepy?”

“It’s not that!”

She almost gave up from sheer embarrassment. But if she stopped, there was no saying when the next one would be.

—Lithia Wales, show your courage as a woman!

“L-last night’s, continuation…”

“…!”

s

---

***T/N: Oh?? Oh???????

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