From Kaito’s perspective, Illness looked perfectly composed as she leaned against him, sipping her wine with elegant grace.
However, just as she had admitted, she wasn't nearly as calm as she appeared. In truth, she was quite shaken.
This is... more than I expected, she thought. My heart won't stop fluttering. Just because we're lovers now, everything feels so different.
She was currently unsettled by sensations she had never felt before. After their talk, she had realized that she didn't need grand words to express her feelings. Once she had simply told him how she felt, Kaito had reciprocated, and they had officially become a couple.
On paper, it was a simple change, but new emotions were surging through her heart. It was a light, restless feeling—a chaotic mix of joy, happiness, bewilderment, tension, and bashfulness.
I'm certainly not drunk, she told herself. I don't get intoxicated from this little, and I can't get drunk unless I consciously choose to. But this floating feeling in my heart... it's almost ticklish. It’s restless, yet not at all unpleasant.
She was bewildered by her lack of emotional control, but she certainly didn't hate the feeling. Above all, she was happy. Leaning against Kaito gave her an indescribable sense of security.
When Kaito eventually reached out and pulled her closer, she felt her temperature rise.
Is this what being a couple is like? she wondered. Since I've never had much interest in romance, I'm quite ignorant. Kaito-sama is the one leading me. I suppose he's accustomed to this... The way he put his arm around me was so natural, as if he didn't want to startle me. Experience really does make a difference.
Kaito was actually quite nervous himself, but through Illness's eyes, he seemed perfectly at ease. While he had been tense the moment he touched her shoulder, he had relaxed once they were settled. He smiled as he continued to drink.
"It might be a bit late to mention this, but we really do drink wine together quite often, don't we, Illness-san?"
"That... is true... I never had a specific preference for wine... but I have had many chances to drink it with you, Kaito-sama... Perhaps because we often share... the wine I buy... that's why it feels that way..."
Previously, Illness had used the salary she received from Kaito to buy wine to share with him. Since then, she had frequently visited his room to do exactly that.
As a maid and a subordinate of the Phantasm King, Illness had always lived on the bare minimum, leaving the rest of her salary untouched. However, she had found a secret joy in using the pay she received from Kaito to buy wine they could share.
"You always pick out the wine yourself for those evening drinks, right?"
"Yes... I go to a wine specialty store... and try to pick something new... every time..."
"I've actually never been to a shop like that," Kaito said. "If you'd like, would you want to go together next time? We could pick out something for our next drink."
"That... sounds lovely... Yes... I would like that very much..."
Illness wore a happy smile at his suggestion. Just the thought of going with Kaito made her look forward to their time together even more than she already did.
She now understood that this was the joy of doing something with someone she loved. With a blissful expression, she leaned more weight against Kaito's side.