"I'm worried about that boy who ran away," Fee said. "The inn proprietress and the others don't seem that anxious, but I think this is serious."
"I agree," Yugo replied. "I'm not sure how long he's been gone, but there's no way he's safe spending the night alone in the forest. I'll ask the President if we can prioritize the search tomorrow."
After dinner, Yugo sat in their assigned room, relaxing with Fee as he gazed out at the moonlit village. His mind was heavy with concern for the runaway boy.
Serel hadn't seemed particularly worried, but no matter how he looked at it, the situation was precarious. If they didn't find the boy soon, it could become a matter of life and death.
Just as Yugo decided to stop brooding and talk to Presia the next morning about balancing their ingredient gathering with a search party, he turned around and finally addressed the other people in the room.
"So... why the hell are you guys here?! This isn't your room, is it?"
"Don't be such a spoilsport," Anhel replied, waving her hand dismissively. "It's an overnight trip. What's the big deal if we hang out in each other's rooms?"
"That might be true, but this is still weird! Why is Melt casually taking a shower in here?!"
Yugo directed his long-simmering frustration at Anhel, who was lounging on one of the beds.
This room was supposed to be for him, Fee, and Marcos—who was currently out—yet the girls had made themselves at home. They had even beaten the boys to the shower.
Listening to the sound of splashing water, Yugo couldn't help but recall the time he had accidentally seen Melt naked. The image burned in his mind.
He knew he shouldn't be entertaining such indecent thoughts, but he felt the girls were at least partially to blame for creating this situation. Sensing his inner turmoil, Anhel’s expression turned uncharacteristically serious.
"Yugo... do you actually understand why you were shoved into this remote room?"
"Huh? It's the usual thing, right? Vice President Hao wanted to keep me away from the President."
"That's part of it. But it's not the only reason. They didn't just want you away from Presia—they wanted to separate you from us, too."
"What? Why would the Vice President care about that?"
"It wasn't just him. It was those two—Cyan and Egos, right? They’re the ones behind this."
Anhel sighed, looking at Yugo with an "I knew he didn't get it" expression. She began to explain the details to the skeptical boy.
"I've talked to that Cyan guy before. He's a creep who does nothing but stare at a girl's chest. Even during the trip today, he was constantly glancing at Melt and me, just waiting for a chance to talk to us."
"R-Really? I didn't notice at all..."
"Girls are sensitive to those kinds of looks, Yugo. We know immediately if a guy is staring at our chests or checking us out from behind. Fee, make sure you don't grow up to be the kind of man who gives girls those rude stares, okay?"
"Wh—?! Why are you lecturing me...?" Fee stammered, turning bright red.
Anhel teased the boy with a grin before turning back to Yugo. She looked slightly exasperated that he still hadn't connected the dots.
"Look, it was definitely Hao who invited those two on this trip. He probably asked them to keep an eye on you or act as 'stoppers' if things got out of hand. That means he’s formed a partnership with Cyan and Egos. You could call it the 'I Hate Yugo-kun Alliance.'"
"Ow... that actually hurts a little..."
"And Cyan and Egos are after Melt and me. Right now, you're the one closest to us. To them, you're a nuisance and an obstacle. They want you as far away as possible so they can make their move. Even someone as dense as you should understand why we're here now, right?"
"Yeah... I get it."
Their plan was likely to isolate Yugo and Fee, then corner Melt and Anhel while they were alone. If the girls had stayed in their own room, they probably would have received a "friendly" visit from Cyan and his cohort.
They would have used the same excuse Anhel just gave—that it was just a sleepover—to force their way in or lure the girls to their room. Yugo could see the logic: start with a group, gradually thin the numbers, and eventually get them alone. It was a classic, bottom-tier move.
Realizing that Melt and Anhel had fled to his room as an emergency refuge, Yugo went quiet for a moment before muttering a question.
"...They're supposed to be Hero Candidates, right? Would people like that really do something so sleazy?"
"Haa... I understand the sentiment, but you know better than anyone what guys like Zenon and Isaac were really like. They framed you for cheating in front of the whole school, stole dangerous Demonic Swords, and robbed students of their materials. Even after Isaac died, Cyan and Egos didn't show a hint of sadness. They were more like looters, trying to snatch up the materials he’d extorted. Melt and I know their true faces, which is why we’re on our guard."
Despite the trust and respect Cyan and Egos commanded from the student body, the truth was that the Hero Candidates Yugo had encountered so far were all hiding something dark and rotten inside.
Yugo conceded the point, but he still had one objection.
"Wait a second. I get why you're here, but that still doesn't explain why you're showering in my room. Isn't that a bit much?"
"What's the harm? Most guys would be on cloud nine in your position. If you want, you can go in and join Melt. I'll just hop in with Fee later."
"What?! E-Eh?!" Fee squeaked.
"Hey, cut it out! Don't you dare lay a hand on my brother!" Yugo snapped, stepping in front of Fee to shield him.
As they descended into a noisy argument, the door suddenly swung open. Marcos came rushing in, looking panicked.
"Yugo! Something's happened! Melt is—! Wait, Anhel? Why are you here?"
"Yo. Sorry to intrude. Also, stop calling me Anhel. It's Ann."
Marcos stared at her, his urgent message forgotten in the face of the bizarre scene. Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Melt stepped out, fresh from her shower.
"Bath's all yours! Next!"
"Melt?! Wh-Why are you in here?!"
"A lot happened, so Ann and I came over to play! We're borrowing the shower too, so don't be mad!"
"What's the matter, Marcos?" Yugo asked. "Weren't you saying something about Melt being in trouble?"
"...No. Never mind. Forget I said anything."
Yugo was suspicious—he was sure he’d heard Marcos shout her name in a panic—but Marcos just shook his head, looking dazed. Seeing an opening, Anhel flashed a wicked grin and began to needle him.
"Hoo? I bet I know. You wanted to do some sleepover 'love talk,' didn't you? Like... 'The truth is, I have feelings for Melt...' that sort of thing?"
"Wh—! Preposterous! I would never say such a thing! Besides, Melt is far from my type!"
"Oh really?" Melt chimed in. "But when we first met, didn't you say I had a great body and tell me to become your concubine?"
"Th—That was a time when I was confused! It was just a misplaced sense of rivalry with Yugo! I realize now that I was acting strangely—!"
Marcos flailed under the girls' teasing, his reactions proving that he wasn't entirely over his embarrassment. Melt giggled as she watched him squirm, then slipped past him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Marcos, but I can't return your feelings. My heart already belongs to someone else!"
"Wha—?!"
As she spoke, Melt wrapped both arms around Yugo’s arm, clinging to him tightly. She leaned her head on his shoulder, pressing her chest against him as she looked back at the other two boys.
"Yugo and I have already had our first kiss, and he's seen me naked... As a one-man woman, I can't be swayed by anyone else. Sorry, Marcos, but you'll have to give up!"
"You! I told you you're wrong!! Whether you become Yugo’s lover or share a bed with him, it’s none of my concern!!"
"Marcos, stop saying such dangerous things!" Yugo shouted. "And Melt, let go!"
"Muu... I'm going this far, so show a little initiative, you dummy. Be a man and respond to a girl's feelings."
"Ugh... I—I get it..."
It was mortifying to be teased like this in front of his little brother, but Melt wasn't lying. Yugo knew he eventually had to face her feelings as a man.
Melt was wearing pajamas much thinner than her school uniform. As she clung to him, Yugo could feel the soft, distinct pressure of her chest against his arm. His face turned beet red, but he decided that being cold to her now would be wrong. He didn't pull away.
"Hehe! Finally giving in, Yugo?"
"Just... don't stick so close. Fee is watching..."
"Oho, things are getting heated," Anhel teased. "If Fee's in the way, should I take him to the bath? If we kick Marcos out too, you two can flirt to your heart's content."
"Stop it. Just stop. I'm at my limit here, so please give me a break..."
Between the girl clinging to him, his brother watching, and the complex situation with the other Hero Candidates, Yugo’s brain felt like it was about to short-circuit. He could only mutter a weak protest as he braced himself to endure the embarrassment.