Reo never before told anyone about her circumstances – well, anyone except Benevirau, the extremely powerful servant of the Banemor family.

In the first place, she didn’t have a choice in the matter, as the appearance-altering device didn’t work against him.

Thankfully, his only response was – as long as it doesn’t harm the young master or the territory, I can tolerate you.

That had ended up with her in that spot.

Living her life as herself.

”…I kind of wish that Zoemi would know…he likes me as a male friend, but maybe if he knew that I was a girl we could become…!”

Reo stepped away from the tray and murmured to herself, using her right forearm to prop up her voluptuous chest that would put to shame even Burushi’s assets…

*click*

”Mmhmhmm~”

”!!!!!”

The door to the bathroom opened and bare-chested Zoemi walked out humming while drying his hair with a towel, completely tunning the magicless girl who didn’t even let out a single pip as her eyes followed the black-haired boy on his way to the closet.

To make things clear, Zoemi did have his pants on, although they were unbuttoned…

”Hm-hm-hmm-mm-hm-hm-hmm~ hmm…?”

The boy continued to hum cheerfully until he took down the towel – with the expanded field of vision Reo’s frame showed up for him and turned around to face her.

”Whoa…! Ririe! When did you…?! I did not hear you come in…! That bathroom must be soundproof…!”

He flinched and hurriedly turn back and picked up a fresh shirt that he wore immediately.

”Please, excuse the unsightly view, it was not my intention. Ah, you got me a meal, thank you!”

The black-haired boy – now properly dressed up apologized before noticing the tray with food and cheering up.

”Are… are you that upset…?”

Zoemi ended up not going straight for it as the girl was acting a bit unusual – she was lowering her head and was kneading her bright red cheeks with the palms of her hands in silence.

”Ririe…?”

The worried black-haired boy asked tilting his head.

”I… am not upset…!”

Reo muttered, sounding as if she was very much upset…

She really wanted to either tell him the truth or at least make him stop calling her by the fake name!

The problem was that both options had their consequences.

”I am sorry.”

”…!”

Zoemi apologized again and he reached out his hand to pat the girl’s head out of habit before he stopped himself after seeing the girl’s round eyes staring at his approaching palm.

”Ah! I was going for your head! But I apologize for that too! I always had a habit of head patting others – this is not me being condescending, I swear – I just recently realized that I like head-patting others because I myself really liked being head patted by my mom and… You know what? I will just shut up already.”

The black-haired boy blushed a little bit and took back his hand, speaking almost too fast to be understood.

”…”

The brown-haired girl looked up at him shyly and then glanced down at his hand and…

…she slowly reached out and gently grabbed his pinky finger and thumb with both hands and led his hand to her head.

”…I am not upset… sir Zoemi, I don’t mind, I know that you aren’t trying to make me feel bad… and.. and I like it when you are nice to me…”

She murmured timidly without ever trying to make eye contact – but was most definitely heard by the black-haired boy.

They stayed like that for a couple more seconds before Zoemi’s stomach grumbled and he glanced over at the food.

”AH! Sir Zoemi – please, don’t bother yourself with me! Go eat, go eat…!”

Reo gasped and stepped back, repeatedly bowing down apologetically, and moved her arms as if she was guiding a plane onto a landing strip.

”You’re right.”

The black-haired boy nodded and took his place, beginning to chow down on the prepared meal.

”Is there anything scheduled for me to do this evening?”

He asked in between the bites.

”Nothing, sir. Sir Benevirau asked me to tell you that some of the high nobles are holding back on approving the request to officially recognize you as the heir of the Banemor territory but they should give up the annoying resistance within a week or so – he also made sure to clear out tomorrow and the day after, just like you told him… he also asked me to ask you whether you would require his assistance in whatever you have planned…?”

The magicless maid answered with a serious face, focusing so that she wouldn’t forget to pass the whole message.

”Some of the high nobles are… huh…? Did he tell you who are those nobles that try to infringe on the king’s authority…?”

The first part alone was so surprising that Zoemi asked for a clarification.

”Duke Derizno who has the support of her majesty, the queen. Royal magician Lazaram, some of the less important families like Auequas and Ralia also voiced their concern and… lord Moyena also… isn’t keen on the situation…”

Reo nodded and answered to the best of her ability while clenching her fists when her family name ended up ending amongst the people trying to make things difficult.

”…yes, that was expected…”

”It was…?!”

Zoemi shrugged his shoulders and nodded with an indifferent expression while chewing on his food.

”It most of them at least – the queen is encouraging Deriozno family to push the blame for their heir’s death on me, so there was no way that they would do anything that would help me out. Auequas family had been supporting the Derizno family for a long time. Lord Lazaram…”

Zoemi gulped down another bite and explained, deciding to not reveal the information of the connection between the royal magician and the queen that he knew from the game.

”…is questionable, same with Ralia family. And when it comes to Reo’s father… well… I treated two of his children rather roughly and I suspect that he realized that I will not play along with the original plan of returning the Banemor territory to the crown to govern, so with no profits in sight, he decided to act grumpy. I wonder if Reo will forgive me for messing his plans up.”

The black-haired boy pointed out and ended up sighing while looking out the window.

”I-I am sure that lord Reo will understand!”

”…?”

The magicless girl flinched and gasped leaning forward with a flushed face, making Zoemi smirk and glance at her – which caused her to realize her obvious actions and straighten her back while blushing.

”Someone sounds like she is putting a lot of faith in my friend~ Well, I have never seen you two in the same room so I don’t know how you interact, but he also talks very highly of you… And you know, normally a high noble cannot be with a commoner, but if it’s the fourth son… he just has to denounce his title and you know… I am not forcing you to do anything, but I will also not stop you.”

”…eh…?”

Zoemi’s smirk turned into a smile and inked at the utterly confused girl.

|Is… is he trying to hook me up with MYSELF…?!|

Reo was left wide-eyed and speechless while Zoemi continued eating unaware of another feat of complete denseness that was added to his name.