After a bit of a spat with Luna-san, we were walking toward the restaurant where Lilia-san and the others were waiting... but apparently, things weren't quite settled yet.
"……Um, Luna-san? Could you please cheer up already?"
"……Hah? Whatever are you talking about? You make it sound as if I am angry, do you not?"
"……Well, you’ve been looking away from me this whole time. Rather than being angry, you’re pouting, aren’t you?"
She was clearly frustrated by my teasing earlier; Luna-san kept her face turned away, and there was a sharp edge to her words. To make matters worse, she adamantly refused to admit it... it was becoming quite the chore.
"Hah! I am sulking? You say the strangest things, Miyama-sama. Do you really believe I would be toyed with so easily by a green youth who has barely lived twenty years and be left unable to argue back? Your conceit knows no bounds!"
"……N-No, but in reality—"
"Listen closely: 'The one who says someone is sulking is the one who is actually sulking.' In other words, isn’t it actually you, Miyama-sama, who is feeling a sense of defeat?"
"……I-I see."
Is this person a child?! That’s literally the 'He who says it is the one who is it' theory, isn't it?! I knew she was a prankster and had a childish side to begin with, but even the way she got angry was immature.
Still, this was bad. With the way she was pouting, it didn’t look like she’d cheer up anytime soon. I wanted to patch things up before we met with Lilia-san and the others, but...
"L-Luna-san, I was in the wrong, so please cheer—huh?"
"……"
Determined to humble myself to soothe her anger, I turned toward her, but she wasn't there. Then, a second later, hands were placed on both of my shoulders from behind.
"Eh? Wait, Luna-san?! What’s wrong?"
"……Help me……"
"……Hah?"
"……Please help me, Kaito-san……"
"A-Are you okay? Do you feel sick……?"
I had no idea what was happening, but the hands gripping my shoulders were trembling. When I craned my neck to look back, Luna-san was looking down, her face pale. She was clearly acting strange, and unlike usual, she called me 'Kaito-san' in a weak, fragile voice. I thought she might have fallen ill, but she just shook her head while keeping it bowed.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Luna-san pointed at something with a shaking hand.
"……T-That…… that thing……"
"……Hmm? Wait, that’s…… a caterpillar?"
"Hieee?!"
Where she was pointing, there was a tiny... truly tiny little caterpillar. Is she terrified of that? She shrieked and clung to my back... come to think of it, I believe Lilia-san mentioned that Luna-san couldn't handle bugs.
"……Bugs, no…… I hate bugs…… I hate 'Worms' so much……"
"L-Luna-san, please calm down! I-It’s okay! I’m right here, so I’ll get rid of it right away……"
"Uu, Kaito-shan…… h-hurry…… defeat it……"
"U-Understood. So, please let go of me for just a second—"
"No! Don't leave me!?"
"……"
What was I supposed to do?! She had completely regressed into a toddler! How was I supposed to get rid of it while she was clinging to my shoulders? My feet? Was I supposed to kick it away? Even then, I’d have to get closer, and there was no telling how she’d react if I brought her any closer to that thing.
"……Alice, help."
"No, no, Kaito-san. Asking a 'blushing maiden' to handle a caterpillar is a bit much, don't you think?"
"It’s fine. You aren’t categorized as a blushing maiden in my mind."
"That’s cold…… well, it’s not like it actually bothers me."
While complaining, Alice lightly pinched the caterpillar, tossed it far away, and vanished. Yeah, she really was incredibly reliable. I’d have to treat her to something later.
"S-See, Luna-san? The bug is gone! You’re okay now."
"Uuu…… R-Really?"
"Yes, it’s fine! Even if another bug shows up, I’ll protect you! I won’t let it lay a single finger on you, so rest easy!"
"K-Kaito-san……"
As I desperately tried to reassure her, Luna-san finally raised her head and gazed at me with misty eyes. My heart skipped a beat. Her personality was a handful, but she was a stunning beauty, and the gap between her usual self and this fragile, vulnerable side made her look like a delicate, lovely woman.
After gazing at me for a moment, her expression changed to one of realization, and she hurriedly pulled away.
"……I-I have shown you a disgraceful sight."
"N-No…… everyone has things they can't handle……"
Luna-san turned her face away, her ears turning bright red as she brushed off her maid uniform. I honestly hadn't imagined she was this bad with bugs. Given her sheer terror and how she specifically mentioned Worms... maybe that’s her specific phobia? Perhaps there was some kind of childhood trauma involved.
"L-Let us go!"
"Y-Yeah……"
She seemed terribly embarrassed; she spoke without looking at me and started walking away at a brisk pace. I hurriedly followed after her. As she walked ahead of me, Luna-san kept her reddened face downcast and muttered in a tiny voice that was barely audible.
"……M-Miyama-sama."
"Eh? Yes?"
"……T-Thank you…… for protecting me. Um, well…… you were a little…… c-cool."
"……Huh?"
"I-It is nothing! We must not keep Milady and the others waiting! Let us hurry!"
"Wait, Luna-san! Hold on…… She’s fast!?"
Dear Mother, Father—I had heard that Luna-san disliked bugs, but I didn’t think she was so bad that she would regress to a child. Well, it might be rude to say, but seeing the weak Luna-san terrified of a tiny bug—a side of her so different from usual—I’ll keep the fact that I thought she was a little cute a secret.
Serious-senpai Act 3 (Delusion): "Kh, an unexpected dark horse…… Not bad…… It can’t be helped. I didn’t want to use this because of the strain it puts on my body, but I can’t afford to hold back anymore. You should be proud in the next world for making me get serious…… Here I go! Serious Fist, 10x!!"
Serious-senpai Act 3: "……If only I could do that……"
???: "Even if you multiply it by ten, your Serious Power is still only ten, you know."
Serious-senpai Act 3: "……"