We left the office and headed toward Lilia-san's room... though the journey ended almost as soon as it began.
"Lilia-san, your room is basically right next to the office, isn't it? Just one room in between?"
"Yes. This middle room is used for storage and records, and my bedroom is just beyond it. There's actually a door in my room that leads directly to the Reference Room, but it's protected by a Special Restriction Magic that only I can bypass. In your case, Kaito-san, I suspect your Blessing of Shallow Vernal-sama would simply nullify it... but if that nullification ends up shattering the magic formula itself, it would be a massive chore to repair. That's why we're taking the hallway instead."
That was a fair point. When I had first touched Alice's kigurumi, my power had essentially forced a cancellation of the magic formula. Back when we dealt with Zex-san's barrier magic, it had felt more like a bypass—allowing me and anyone I touched to pass through without actually breaking the barrier itself.
Since we didn't know exactly how the restriction magic on her door would react to being ignored, going the long way around was the most sensible option. It wasn't like it was much of a walk anyway.
Entering Lilia-san's room at her invitation, I found the space to be quite large. It was furnished with expensive-looking pieces that certainly felt appropriate for a noble's residence... and yet...
"I hope this doesn't sound rude, but this room feels completely lived-out. Like it has zero personality."
"The truth is, I don't use this room at all. I think the bedroom through that door is a bit more personal, but this room is... Well, I used to keep some of my smaller models here instead of in the storage room. But now that I've moved everything to the world received from Eden-sama, I honestly find myself questioning why this room even exists."
"Don't you ever use it to take a break or relax?"
"I usually end up doing all my resting and reading in the office. I also use the office for guests when the reception room is occupied, so I have a sofa and everything I need there. Effectively, the office has become my real room."
"I see..."
There was definitely no sense of daily life here. It felt like the furniture had been placed there when the room was first built and had stayed exactly where it was ever since.
Just as she said, since everything she would normally do in a living room happened in her office instead, the office was her true home. Even I always headed straight for the office whenever I came looking for her.
We walked through the functionally empty room and finally approached the main destination: the bedroom. Even though we were lovers, the thought of entering a woman’s bedroom made me feel strangely nervous.
It was the middle of the day, and I obviously didn't have any unseemly intentions, so there was no real reason to be anxious. It was just that I’d had very few opportunities to enter a woman’s private sanctuary before.
Most of the people I knew didn't actually need sleep. When I had stayed at Isis-san’s castle, the room I used felt like it had been prepared specifically for me—a human who needed rest—rather than being a space she used herself.
Perhaps it would be like Sieg-san’s family home, which was more of a studio apartment where the bed was just part of the living space? Regardless, the idea of stepping into Lilia-san’s bedroom had me on edge.
Lilia-san, however, seemed unfazed. Perhaps she simply wasn't overthinking it. Or perhaps—since she could be surprisingly bold despite her usual bashfulness—she simply felt it was perfectly fine to invite her lover into her private space.
"This is the bedroom. Since I use this room for sleeping and changing, I think you'll find it feels a bit more lived-in."
"Oh, you're right. There are a lot more personal touches here."
Just as she said, the bedroom felt like a place where someone actually lived. There were various small trinkets and items that looked like magic tools arranged for her convenience. Even for a bedroom, it was massive, feeling more like a suite in a high-end hotel. With this much space, she really didn't need the other room at all.
As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on a familiar object sitting on a small table next to the bed.
"Wait, is that...?"
"Yes. It's the music box received from Kaito-san. I often play it for a bit before I go to sleep."
"I see. I'm really glad you like it, but it's also a little embarrassing to see it there."
Knowing that she treasured the music box I had given her enough to keep it right by her pillow filled me with a mix of bashfulness and genuine joy.
Serious-senpai: "Wait... what? Hold on. Isn't this getting a little too sweet? I mean... what happened to the flow of stomach pain? Is this allowed?"