244: The Secret Girls' Bath

"Phew... a morning soak feels amazing."

"Tura-san, the bath really seems to suit you."

"You think so? Regardless, Cecil, I apologize for the other day. If only I had moved faster, I might have been of more help to you."

"It was my own fault, really. But it was a good lesson. Oh, by the way, did you hear? I heard Neil-senpai and Priscilla-senpai got engaged!"

At Cecil-san’s sudden revelation, everyone present let out a collective "Whaaaaat!?"

Including me, of course.

"R-really!? Engaged... that’s incredible."

"What about you, Shari-san? When are you and Allen-kun going to do it?"

Shari-san began to panic at Cecil-san’s outrageous question. In her fluster, her towel slipped away, leaving her chest completely exposed.

She’s... so beautiful.

"M-me and Allen aren't in that kind of relationship!?"

"Hmm? Is that so? I certainly thought the two of you were quite intimate!"

"Y-yeah... w-well... we’re close, but... u-um..."

Glub, glub... Shari-san sank beneath the surface of the hot water.

The way she turns bright red the moment the topic shifts to her is so cute.

However, just as I was standing there smiling, Shari-san fired a stray arrow right back at me.

"...What about you, Carta-san? Don't you have a thing for Weiss?"

"Huh? Eh? Wha—wha-wha-whaaaaat!? W-Weiss-kun!? Me!?"

"Oh, quite! Weiss-dono is an excellent man, isn't he? I wonder if he’d let me be his concubine as well!"

Tura-san stated such an outrageous thing with total clarity. It was a well-known fact, but I...

Um, um—!

"I-if we’re going there, then Cecil-san, aren't you and—um—you know, pretty close too!?"

In response to my inquiry, Cecil-san simply maintained a perfectly calm expression.

Wow. She isn't shaken at all.

...Wait. She isn't answering. Wait, what?

"Cecil-san?"

"...W-what... are... you... t-talking about!?"

"Um, well, the person you like—"

"F-Fansent-kun and I just happen to both enjoy Battle Universe! T-that's the only reason we're always together! We're just hanging out!"

Just as I thought she was unbothered, her face turned beet red while she began gesturing wildly. Cecil-san, who was usually so cool, calm, and collected, was actually panicking.

It was so funny that we all couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Weiss-dono sure is popular!"

And then, in that moment, I suddenly felt a distinct chill from behind.