Chapter 2: Uncontrollable Things
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Thank you for your concern! However, I have already prepared everything here beforehand!”
“Ohh~, as expected of Sia.”
It was after returning home from the academy.
Dinner had been taken, Byleth had finished his bath, and Sia had finished her duties within the mansion.
In her room, where she showed him the study tools she had prepared with both hands, Byleth was immediately impressed.
“Ehehe… It is because I wish to study by Byleth-sama’s side for even just a little bit longer…”
“Haha, thanks for that.”
This had become a daily routine recently.
The nightly study session.
“Just don’t overdo it, okay? I’ve said this many times before, but you are already busy enough as it is, Sia.”
“If it means I can be with Byleth-sama, I would gladly overdo it… is what I want to say.”
Sia hid the lower half of her face with her study materials, looking up at him with adorable puppy eyes that seemed to block any counterargument.
“That much?”
“That is how much I want to be by your side…”
“I see.”
“Yes!!”
“Then I’ll have to reduce the number of study sessions.”
“Eh!?”
Sia’s feelings were truly something to be happy about, a request that naturally brought a smile to his face.
However, he couldn’t just let himself be swept along.
He wouldn’t be talked into it.
Byleth was ready to ruthlessly place restrictions on her.
“If you promise me you won’t push yourself too hard, I will withdraw what I just said.”
“I-I promise!”
“If you break that promise even once, there will be a penalty where the number of sessions is reduced further, okay?”
“Understood!!”
The reason he had to drive the point home so firmly was that he could imagine it all too easily.
—The image of Sia trying to keep up appearances as usual, no matter how physically exhausted she was.
And because Sia was so skilled at keeping up those appearances, the image of himself failing to notice it immediately.
“Alright. If you understand, shall we move to my room?”
“Please, by all means!”
Recently, Byleth had been accompanying her to pick up her study materials.
It was an action that wasn’t strictly necessary, but being able to spend even that brief moment together was enjoyable. Feeling a sense of happiness, they walked down the hallway shoulder to shoulder.
And so, when they entered Byleth’s room and placed the study tools on the wide table.
Sia, holding the chair that had been placed opposite his with both hands, scuttled along with small steps, moving it.
The place she repositioned the chair was—right next to his, parallel to each other.
A position so close the chairs were practically touching.
“Where would Byleth-sama like to sit today?”
“Hmm. Yesterday was the left, so maybe I’ll take the right today.”
“Then I shall sit on the left side!”
Smiling brightly, Sia pulled out Byleth’s chair.
Byleth still harbored the feeling of [I can at least handle my own chair…], but seeing that expression of joy at being useful, he couldn’t bring himself to interject.
“You’re always a big help. Thanks.”
“Think nothing of it!”
And seeing her face soften into a mushy smile, he was reminded every time that letting her do as she pleased was the correct choice.
“Well then, shall we start studying?”
“Yes. I will do my best to make it fruitful!”
“Then I’ll try not to lose to you, Sia.”
Unlike Sia, who still had plenty of time until graduation, Byleth had less than four months remaining.
Switching gears, he began to tackle his studies seriously.
“……”
“……”
Compared to the study session they held on the day of their date inside the mansion, the conversation in this one was sparse.
“…………”
“…………”
No, it was practically nonexistent.
The only things asserting their presence in the room were the sounds of pens racing across paper and the sound of each other’s breathing.
A silent study session.
In terms of [Time alone with a lover], one might think this was plain and a waste.
But that wasn’t quite right.
Even in a quiet space, there was physical affection unique to lovers.
She would peek over at him a little, quietly lean her head against his shoulder, or grasp his resting left hand with her small one.
—Mostly initiated by Sia.
Of course, after such things were done… once he reached a good stopping point, he would touch Sia’s soft hair.
Every time he returned the affection, she would jump slightly, her hand would stop.
Then her profile would look happy, and she would blush.
Even though she knew that if she initiated contact during study time, he would definitely retaliate and temporarily hinder her work, Sia still did it.
Honestly, Byleth was finding himself healed of his study fatigue by her reactions and actions—
“……Hey, Sia.”
“Yes?”
“You’re doing it too much.”
“Hwha!?”
When the physical contact became extremely frequent—as if her ‘lover switch’ had been flipped—he would warn her.
Touching the small ear hidden by her hair, pinching it slightly. As a deterrent.
The expression she showed at such times seemed, somehow, not entirely displeased.
The idea that she [made him point it out on purpose] might not just be his imagination.
Sia, who had said she would [do her best to make it fruitful], seemed to include things other than studying in that statement.
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Despite such exchanges, after finishing the quota of two hours and thirty minutes of study.
“……Um, Byleth-sama.”
“Hm?”
“It is not about me, and it is rather sudden, but…”
Nonchalantly, yet boldly holding Byleth’s hand and initiating contact, Sia prefaced her words before continuing.
“There is one thing I wish to consult Byleth-sama about.”
“Ah, I’m really sorry. Making you wait until after studying… Whether it’s about you or not, next time you can tell me before we study, okay?”
“T-Thank you very much…”
“No, actually, I’d be happier if you did.”
He shook his head as Sia squeezed his fingers tightly in gratitude, conveying his honest thoughts.
“I understand. Then, from next time, I shall take you up on your kind words.”
“Please do. So, what is this consultation of yours, Sia?”
“It is regarding Luna-sama.”
“O-Oh…”
This was the first time she had consulted him about something like this.
What on earth could it be?
Just as he braced himself, getting his mind ready to remain calm and think clearly no matter what he heard, Sia spoke.
“This is secondhand information, so there may be mistakes, but… it seems Luna-sama was approached by another noble in the library… From the nuance of what I heard, I felt it was something terrible, but has Byleth-sama heard anything?”
“No, nothing in particular from Luna.”
“I-Is that so…”
Even interacting with her during lunch break today, he hadn’t sensed anything amiss.
However.
“But… I don’t think you’re wrong for consulting me about this, Sia. Besides the nuance, if it were just a simple greeting, I don’t think it would have spread enough to be heard secondhand.”
“T-That is true!”
Actually, Byleth had a few reasons to believe it.
He had heard it directly from the person herself.
[I have started responding to any voice that calls out to me,] she had said.
[I thought that responding would serve as practice to fix my poor speaking skills and unsociable personality,] she had said.
[I thought that was something you would praise me for,] she had said, trying to grow.
And, when he had been invited by Luna into the librarian’s office, he had encountered a group of three men coming to greet her.
It wouldn’t be strange at all if something like what Sia described had happened.
“Luna-sama is a strong person who can clearly assert her own thoughts, but I am still worried…”
“Really, thank you. For consulting me about Luna.”
“N-Not at all! She is a precious person to Byleth-sama, after all!”
“So are you, Sia.”
“E-Ehehe…”
Sia, worrying about his lover.
That was also something that made him happy, as was the fact that she relied on him.
“So, about this noble who might have said something terrible to Luna… you didn’t hear what time of day it happened?”
“No, not the specific time… Since they are nobles, information that could identify the other party seems to be suppressed.”
“Ah… I see.”
Self-defense to avoid being targeted.
Above all, it was likely an essential measure to prevent retaliation.
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