Things had become a little awkward, but since our original objective—finding a place for the Tabletop Clock—was settled, we should have been able to return to the office without any trouble. Or so I thought, but Lilia-san remained stationary, seemingly locked in a state of deep indecision.
I decided it would be better to wait rather than interrupt her thoughts. After a long moment, Lilia-san finally spoke up, looking as though she had reached a monumental decision.
"……K-Kaito-san, I have a question for you……"
"What is it?"
"Well, I happened to hear a rumor that in the Otherworld, lovers often sit side by side on a bed to talk…… Does that actually happen?"
"Yes, that definitely happens. It might be hard for you to imagine, but back home, some people live in rooms less than half the size of this bedroom. In those cases, the bed often serves as a chair, so sitting together on it is quite common."
Of course, between lovers, there were also more atmospheric reasons—Sitting Side by Side on a Bed and Talking to set the mood before moving on to certain things—but it wasn't the sort of topic to bring up in the middle of the day. I chose to steer clear of that angle for now.
It was probably difficult for Lilia-san to grasp the concept of a One-room Apartment, so I simply left her with the image of a very cramped living space.
"I see…… So, in principle, it is similar to sitting side by side on a sofa."
"That’s right. That’s a fair way to look at it…… but um, Lilia-san, did you want to try it? Sitting together on the bed, I mean?"
"…………………………Yes."
Since she had asked, I figured she probably wanted to try it out. After a moment of bashful hesitation, Lilia-san gave a shy nod.
Among my lovers, Lilia-san and Alice were the undisputed members of the Romance Bottom-tier Group. When we first kissed, she had been so overwhelmed with embarrassment that she actually passed out for a while. Even this small admission just now must have required an incredible amount of courage.
"Then, since we’re here, let’s try it. Though, like I said, it really is just sitting side by side."
"Ah, yes! I am quite inexperienced, but I look forward to your guidance!"
I wasn't entirely sure that was the right response for the situation, but her nervousness was palpable. Based on my past experiences, I knew that with people who were as extremely late to romance or as pathologically shy as Alice, I had to take the lead and be a little forceful.
I sat down on the bed first and gave the spot next to me a light pat.
"Come sit here, Lilia-san. You don't need to be so tense. Just think of it like sitting on a sofa."
"Y-Yes…… Excuse me."
Lilia-san sat down beside me with hesitant, cautious movements. Unlike a sofa, a bed has a tendency to sink more deeply under weight, which naturally caused us to dip toward each other. The physical proximity felt significantly closer than usual.
Beside me, Lilia-san sat perfectly upright, her back as stiff as a board and her hands clenched into tight fists resting on her knees.
"A-Ah, u-um, Kaito-san…… W-What should I do from here?"
Now, that was a difficult question. Since the scenario she requested was already complete, there wasn't really a "next step" in place, but……
"I’m sorry to answer a question with another question, but what would you like to do, Lilia-san? It can be anything. We could just chat, or even just relax and take it easy……"
"……C-Could we do…… something lover-like?"
"……"
That was dangerous. My self-control nearly snapped right then and there. The destructive power of Lilia-san looking up at me with those blushing cheeks was immense, and my mind started racing in a very questionable direction. However, thanks to the experience I’d accumulated, I could tell that there wasn't a hint of ulterior motive behind her request.
In this context, what Lilia-san likely wanted was just to be held close or to lean against me—the absolute limit of her imagination was probably a kiss. Anything beyond that would definitely exceed her capacity. In fact, I could tell she was so nervous that she might faint if I just hugged her without warning.
For Lilia-san, simply proposing that we "do something lover-like" was a monumental feat of courage. I had to respond like a perfect gentleman. At the very least, now was not the time for anything more.
"……Then, Lilia-san. I’m going to put my arm around your shoulder, okay?"
"H-Hyah!?"
"It’s okay, you can relax a little more……"
"Ah…… Hau……"
To avoid scaring her while she was perched on the edge of a panic, I made sure to announce my intent before gently pulling her closer.
She gave a small, startled jump, but after a moment of being held, she seemed to calm down. Lilia-san eventually let out a happy little smile, closed her eyes, and leaned her weight against me as she relaxed.
Serious-senpai (Financier): "Another member of the Romance Bottom-tier Group alongside Alice…… s-she’s actually doing it…… If their relationship starts progressing for real, it’ll be terrif—Huh? What’s this? A financier?"
Machina: "……Mm, it has a gentle sweetness. Delicious."
Serious-senpai (Financier): "Why are you eating my arm without a moment's hesitation?! I'm still perfectly conscious! Wait, what?! Has my arm turned into a financier!?"