I wouldn’t call it bragging—in fact, it was quite the opposite—but since I’d arrived in this world, I seemed to have an unusual knack for finding trouble in the bathroom.
I had been lightheaded from the heat, fainted when the blood rushed to my head too quickly, and had even been caught in the middle of a self-destructive magical mishap. At this point, I’d started to wonder if I was genuinely cursed whenever I stepped into a tub.
However, despite my shameful wealth of experience with bathroom disasters, I had no idea how to handle the situation I was currently facing.
I had managed to carry the unconscious Anima to the dressing room and draped a large towel over her, but after that, I was at a total loss. Logically, I knew I should probably dry her off, but that was a hurdle I wasn't prepared to jump. It felt like a trap that would lead to a catastrophic misunderstanding in more ways than one.
Still, I couldn't just leave her there. I wished I could use awakening magic, but since I couldn't... wait, there was another way.
"Alice, help me."
"I don't mind at all, and I think that’s a wise choice... but could you dry yourself off and get changed first? Alice-chan is a pure, innocent girl who can’t look at that sort of thing directly, you know?"
"Right. Got it."
I was truly glad Alice was there. No matter how much I loved her, the guilt of drying off an unconscious, naked Anima would have been overwhelming.
Heartfully grateful for Alice’s presence as a fellow woman, I quickly dried myself off and changed. After giving Alice a shout, I stepped out of the dressing room.
Scarcely ten minutes later, the door swung open with a bang, and Anima emerged, dressed in casual clothes.
My relief at seeing her awake was short-lived. With a panicked expression, she sprinted toward me, dropped low, and performed a magnificent sliding dogeza, skidding across the floor before coming to a perfect halt at my feet.
"I am terribly sorry!"
A sliding dogeza? Since when had she mastered such an advanced technique? No, that wasn't the point. She was clearly apologizing for making me worry or for being a burden.
"No, I was the one who was careless. I should have been paying more attention to how you were feeling."
"N-No, it was my—"
"Stop right there."
"Huh?"
I knew Anima's personality well. No matter how much I tried to deflect, she would insist the fault was hers. If I let her continue, we’d just end up in a circular argument where we both kept apologizing. The best way to settle things was to meet in the middle.
"I know what you want to say, Anima. But I feel responsible, too. So let’s just agree that we were both a little careless this time."
"Master..."
Yes, a shared responsibility was the best compromise. For someone as earnest as Anima, this was easier to accept than me simply telling her she had done nothing wrong. Sometimes, you just had to be a bit forceful with her.
"So, I’m sorry too. That’s the end of it, okay? No more apologies."
"Y-Yes. If that is what you wish, Master, I will not argue."
"Good. Now, come on, stand up. How about we go for a walk to catch the night breeze and cool off?"
"Yes! I would be honored to accompany you!"
My intention seemed to have reached her, and she gave a bright, energetic nod. I was acting composed, but my own head was still a bit hot from the earlier events. The cool night air sounded like exactly what I needed.
I grabbed a portable lighting magic tool and headed outside with Anima. The riverside was quiet, far from the city, with only the gentle sound of the water flowing by. The area was open enough that it didn't feel dark or creepy.
"Heh... heh heh."
"What is it, Master?"
"Oh, I was just remembering... I bought this lighting tool from Alice back when that whole incident with Eta and Theta happened."
"That does bring back memories."
Anima was right; it really was nostalgic. Eta and Theta, who had been our enemies back then, were now like family to us. Looking back made me realize just how much had changed. At the time, I didn't even know Alice was the Phantasm King, and I didn't have a single lover to my name.
"Actually, if we don't count Sieg-san, who was watching over us from the shadows, you were the first one to rush to my side back then, Anima."
"It was a coincidence, but..."
"Even so, I was happy. It gave me a lot of courage. Thank you."
"The honor is mine."
Anima smiled bashfully, and I could tell she wasn't as anxious as she used to be. It felt good to see how much she’d grown. Back then, I honestly never imagined she’d become my lover. But now, it felt completely natural. It felt right for her to be by my side.
Lost in those thoughts, I reached out and gently took her hand.
"M-Master!?"
"Do you mind?"
"N-No, not at all... In fact, I... I’m very happy."
Anima squeezed my hand back tightly. She was so adorable that I couldn't help but smile. She had truly become a captivating woman... though in reality, she had likely always been this charming. I was just the one who had finally noticed.
In that sense, maybe I had grown a bit, too.
"It’s a beautiful night."
"Yes. The moon is so clear."
The moon... That reminded me of a bit of literary trivia from my world. I never thought I’d actually have a chance to use the phrase, but maybe I could afford to be a little romantic for once.
"Yeah. 'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?' That’s exactly how I feel right now."
There was a famous story about the author Natsume Soseki, who supposedly suggested that "I love you" should be translated as "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" It was a phrase that carried a hidden confession.
I wondered if Anima knew the meaning. It was from my world, after all, so she probably didn't realize what I was implying—
"If I were to answer correctly, I should say 'I could die'... but even if the meaning is different, as someone who has actually died once before, that phrasing makes me a bit uneasy. So, please, let me say this instead... 'It must be because I am watching it with you'..."
"Anima... You knew what that meant?"
"Yes. Epsilon-dono taught me about your world's culture... To have you say those words to me, Master... I am so very happy."
The response Anima had almost used—'I could die'—was another classic line from the author Futabatei Shimei, who used it to translate "I am yours." It was the standard way to accept such a confession.
But the line she chose instead—'It must be because I am watching it with you'—was a different classic response. It carried the meaning: "I want to keep watching the moon with you forever."
It was a poetic, sophisticated exchange, but the sentiment behind it was clear. Our feelings reached each other perfectly. And more than anything else, Anima’s radiant, happy smile as she looked at me was far more beautiful and captivating than any moon in the sky.
"Hmm, what a lovely story. I'm almost jealous. I quite like this kind of situation."
Serious-senpai: "...Mm... morning..."
"Good morning. You certainly slept well."
Serious-senpai: "Yawn... Is the Machina Arc starting soon?"
"It already started."
Serious-senpai: "............What?"
"The Machina Arc is running simultaneously with the Anima Arc. It's already past the halfway point."
Serious-senpai: "Simultaneous!? That's impossible! Why didn't anyone wake me up!?"
"Well, the Anima Arc wasn't finished yet..."
Serious-senpai: "Ugh, you...! No, I'll complain later! Dammit, can I still make it!?"
"...And there she goes. I guess she’s running toward the latest chapter? Honestly, how does this space even work? Is that how you're supposed to move between stories?"