My heart raced at the sensation of Rosmiel-san clinging to my arm. In an attempt to mask my fluster, I turned to Camellia-san, who was standing nearby.
"Rosmiel-san is in high spirits, isn't she?"
"She seems to be excited by all the rare art. It’s actually quite unusual for Elly to be this forward. Though, in this case, I think she’s just acting unconsciously. She should be realizing it any second..."
"Eh? Realizing what...?" Rosmiel-san tilted her head, confused by Camellia-san’s wry smile. A moment later, a look of realization dawned on her face. She glanced back and forth between my face and the arm she was clutching.
Her face turned beet-red in an instant, and she let go of me in a total panic.
"Ah! S-So-Sorry, Kaito-kun! That was... it was completely unconscious! Um, I didn't squeeze too hard, did I? Your arm doesn't hurt?"
"No, I’m fine. I was a bit surprised, but it didn't hurt at all."
"I-I see. Good, that's a relief."
"Hehe. Unconscious or not, the fact that Elly would hold your arm like that is proof of how much she’s opened her heart to you, Kaito-san," Camellia-san added.
I reassured the blushing Rosmiel-san that it was no problem. My arm certainly didn't hurt; if anything, I was just preoccupied with the sensation of her chest against me. Naturally, I couldn't say that out loud.
The dress Rosmiel-san was wearing had a daringly low neckline, making the contact of her skin incredibly distracting.
"Anyway, there are so many exhibits here. I was briefed on the pieces being introduced on the main stage, but I don't know much about the items displayed specifically for this room. Are there any other rare ones?"
I forced a change of subject to keep my eyes from wandering. The exhibition room was more spacious than I’d expected and filled with a variety of curiosities. I figured I should take the opportunity to see whatever was unique while I was here.
"Oh, um, I’ve never seen the one over there before, either," Rosmiel-san said, pointing. "Blossom mentioned something about it once. She said iron giants exist in the otherworld, so I thought this might be a model of one..."
"An iron giant? Let’s see... Oh. Right. It’s a Robot."
Following Rosmiel-san’s gaze, I saw an object tucked away in a corner. It was... well... the Great Alice-chan Robot. I couldn't tell if it was a high-end figure or a plastic model, but it was a miniature scale replica.
I had a feeling this room was littered with items Alice had made on a whim or as a joke.
"So it’s called a 'Robot.' Neither Lia nor I have ever seen one, so it feels quite exotic to us."
"Exactly. Is it something like an iron golem? Are they common in your world, Kaito-san?"
"No, not exactly. Robots are... well, they’re things from fiction. They don't actually exist. They’re very popular, though, so there are countless different types."
As I gave them a brief rundown of what robots were, I suddenly noticed something. Because of the way Rosmiel-san had been clinging to me, it felt natural enough at the time, but right now I was standing directly between the two of them—Rosmiel-san on my right and Camellia-san on my left. I was literally caught between two beauties.
Once the thought crossed my mind, I started feeling a little self-conscious.
"Hm? Is something the matter, Kaito-san?"
"Oh, no. I was just looking at where we’re standing and thinking it’s a bit like having a flower in each hand."
"Flowers? Hmm... as a Grass Spirit, I suppose it’s all right for me to be considered a flower?"
"I-I suppose? It’s just a figure of speech. It means having a lovely, wonderful woman on either side of me. In that sense, you're definitely flowers."
Unsure of the 'correct' way to handle the question, I simply spoke my mind. Camellia-san gave me a blank, stunned look, as if my words were entirely beyond her expectations.
"I think you’ve surprised her," Rosmiel-san laughed. "She probably never imagined anyone would think that of her. Lia is a beauty, but her self-esteem is so low, and she tends to fade into the background. It’s such a shame."
"I agree. I think Camellia-san is gorgeous."
"What? I... R-Really? Thank you..."
"Of course, Rosmiel-san is very beautiful, too."
"Hehe, thank you for being so considerate. You really are kind, Kaito-kun."
While Camellia-san seemed bashful, clearly unaccustomed to such compliments, Rosmiel-san appeared much more composed. She was shy with strangers, but she had a taste for glamour and could be quite forward with those she trusted. In that regard, she was better at handling this kind of talk than Camellia-san.
Serious-senpai: "I have a feeling Rosmiel is the same type as Isis. The joy of being praised by Kaito completely overrides any sense of embarrassment."