Leticia woke up with a yawn. She got up from bed and sat there in a daze for a couple good seconds before swinging her legs to one side of the bed.

“Good morning,” she said to the plants which she grew in her miniature garden.

She turned on the lights and sat in front of her plants. Tenderly, her fingers stroked the leaves.

‘Growing well. I think I can harvest their seeds soon.”

“Do I need to make so much? Maybe I can cook them?”

She pushed out of her room and mechanically headed towards the bathroom with her bath supplies at hand. Looking at her own figure in the mirror, some stains of saliva could be seen stuck on her mouth.

She hung the towels at the handguard rails, took off her nightgown and headed right to bathe.

Schwii and Leticia often met in private, this was something they did even before Sequencee’s engagement with the princess.

As the frequency of their meeting grew, Schwii threw crumbs of clues which eventually made Leticia aware of her true intentions. She wanted to gauge if Leticia would be able to come under her should she become Sequencee’s second partner.

While they weren’t close acquaintances, using the term ‘friend’ to define their relationship wasn’t too far-fetched. ‘It could work out’ was what Schwii told Leticia, but having too many partners would ‘ruin the balance’ was what she feared.

Leticia wiped her body with the towel before wrapping herself up with it.

Using another towel and some magic, she dried her hair.

As she left for her room, she saw Nynim and Dorry in the living room, the former half awake, the latter already changed into his uniform with an apron.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.”

Nynim, saying nothing, got up from the sofa all wobbly and stood in front of Leticia. The half elf looked at the elf suspiciously.

Through the thick and thin, the highs and lows; she was the one who always watched over Leticia in times of distress. Yet today it seems, she wasn’t the kind guardian angel who looked after her, but rather, the devil.

“Good morning–”

Nynim reached out her hands, Leticia slapped it away.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“If it were Sequencee, would you have allowed it?”

“I’d hit him.”

“Harsh.”

Nynim ignored her words, and brazenly grabbed hold of Leticia’s breasts. Lately it seems, this part of her body had developed quite a bit. Just a week ago, Leticia asked if Nynim could accompany her to buy a corset which fit her new ‘upsized’ chest.

The springy feeling of the plump flesh underneath over the texture of a wet towel. Paired with Leticia’s menacing glare, Nynim thought how silly it was to be on the assault. Of course, they were just playing–

The elf was preparing to teleport away the moment she saw the half-elf react. However, Leticia did something unexpected. She took a step back, the soft feeling in her hands went away.

Now Nynim was faced with a dilemma. To be or not to be? To grab or not to grab?

Nynim reached forwards, Leticia would again move backwards, again, and again. Until Leticia’s back hit a wall, she had no place to run. Nynim smiled in her heart.

The air around Leticia changed, suddenly looking away her cheeks flushed up with a distressed expression on her face.

“P-Please.. don’t do this… help, someone..”

Taken aback, Nynim jerked away.

Leticia gripped the front portion of her towel tightly and tilted her body to the side. With a puerile voice, the half elf’s whimper quivering, she squirted her eyes in fear.

“...”

[Passive Trait: Commiseration Grantee]

The effects were killer when Leticia learnt how to use it. A manipulative type of skill which came as a natural part of her life.

Even though Nynim knew that Leticia’s acting skill had improved a lot the past few weeks, she couldn’t help but feel crushing guilt seeing her like this.

‘Serves you right.’

Meanwhile, Leticia felt triumphant in this exchange of two perverts.

When Nynim finally left, Leticia went to change into her uniform. By then, Dorry had begun to make breakfast for everyone. Quora and Daizo also woke up around this time.

Stirring the vegetable platter on top of a heated stove, the cooked veggies were then transferred to a large plate. The meat over the grill elicited a tantalizing flavor, more so when thick sweet-sour gravy was added on top to let it seer.

Seasoning, spices, condiments. Dorry cut up chives to add as a finishing touch, Leticia turned off the magic stove and kept the sauced plate of omelet spinning in the pan as the heat settled.

“Dorry, can you get me that over there?”

“You’re bringing it to him again?”

“Not really.”

Today was the last day for this semester, individual assessments would be carried out. As marks were given based on the assignment being spread over the whole semester, the last assessment wasn’t too big of a deal. If one did well throughout, they wouldn’t need to worry about the examination grade.

Dorry put a generous amount of rice in the container, sprinkling sesame seed up top. Leticia folded the egg and let it sit on top of the rice. Brown gravy with a tangy smell of lime drizzled over, pieces of meat were also placed on the covers. Leticia shut the lid of the container.

Finishing up with preparing the breakfast table, Leticia, with a lunchbox in hand headed to the door.

“Leticia, don’t go!!” Nynim grabbed her from behind.

“What do you want?!”

“Don’t go!”

‘This spoiled brat..’

“Come on Nynim, don’t be like that.”

“Dorry, do you have that century old wine left in your storage?”

“I hear wine?” Nynim turned around.

– The fact about the wine was a lie.

‘Ugh.. this elf and her obsession with wine..’

Daizo gave a confused nod, Leticia slipped out Nynim’s grasp and rushed out. “See you!” she exclaimed as she exited– bumping head first into someone.

The container in her hand fell– or that was what it seemed until she saw it floating mid-air.

“Whoa there.. morning.”

“Why are you here? Hmmmm?”

“Risa wanted to make sure her delivery was going to arrive.”

“Liar.”

Sequencee Arch, the son of Anna of the Rending Wind and Sovereign of Demons, Bartonn Arch.

“Oo, morning,” Nynim greeted from behind the door.

“Morning Nynim.”

“Ah, you know what? I won’t disturb you two, go off and have fun~”

“Alright, thanks for your consideration,” Sequencee smiled wryly.

“...”

“Is there anything?” he ask, finding odd how Leticia was studying his face intently,

His blue eyes were a little hazy, his hair somewhat messy. It added a wild accent to his features which was what created his strikingly good looks.

“You were waiting for me on purpose?” Leticia asked.

“I suppose, yeah.”

“Suspicious.”

“I do have to take care of my little princesses now don’t I?”

“Well..” Leticia pouted, her ears turning red. “..How about Schwii?”

“She’s with Lilian and the rest.”

Leaving the apartment complex at the breaking of dawn, they headed to the central pagoda.

“Did you sleep last night?” Leticia asked.

“No, not really. I was up fighting against Sir Aaron and Sir Jonnathan.”

“What? I thought Evelyn forbade you from doing that? You should take care of yourself better.”

Sequencee smiled bitterly.

‘Guilty as usual.. And we even have our final semester assessment..’

There were just some things you can’t change about your partners.

“So how did you fare against them?”

“I almost got Sir Jonnathan, a long way to go to reach Sir Aaron’s level though.”

“That’s really amazing.”

Belying her compliments, Leticia found it a little discomforting.

Sequencee was changing.

His movements contained a certain grace to it that Leticia couldn’t help but notice. He had become much softer in his gestures, less brazen in his speech. Perhaps some of the fancy royal etiquette Evelyn possessed had rubbed onto him.

Though they were friends, Leticia hid the fact that she was slightly mad at the princess. As someone who had previously laid her plans down with Schwii in regards to their future together, the princess’ luck was a black swan which nobody expected.

“Do you still do the magic bead thing?” Leticia asked, revealing five floating orbs around her.

“I still do.”

“How many have you gotten now?”

“I lost count. I change the number depending on my mood.”

“Such a thing is possible..”

The life of a prodigy is truly different.. no, rather, it was because he was a demon lord.

“What did Risa ask you to prepare anyways?” Leticia asked.

“This? It’s omurice, or something like that.”

“Why omurice?”

“Why? I gave her a taste of it one day and she said she wanted me to make it. I promised that I’d do it someday.”

“I see.”

Sequencee decided against asking why it was that Risa didn’t ask Iona for it, thinking that it would be rude.

They stepped on the bridge and crossed over to the island pagoda.

“Magic training later as usual?” Sequencee asked.

“I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t even eat a lot.”

“I’m eating more lately though.”

They entered the dining hall.

“Morning!”

“Good morning, please take a seat.”

“Morning Sequencee.”

“Hello!”

The heroes’ party, Risa, Shiro, Evelyn, Linton, Linzy, the currently missing Reese and..

Evelyn and Leticia’s ominous smile directed at each other.

“Here’s your food Risa,” Leticia placed the container on the table.

“Waa! Thank you!”

“It’s a surprise that you’re here Sequencee. Couldn’t sleep because of this?” Evelyn asked.

“He doesn’t even sleep properly to begin with.. can I have some?”

“Help yourself.”

Leticia stole a few pieces of garlic bread to nibble on.

“That’s-that…” Sequencee sighed.

“Don’t be too worked up over it. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure it will,” Sequencee responded sarcastically.