Chapter 70
"Nn... Is it morning already?"
Clael rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up in bed.
Sunlight filtered in through the curtained window.
In the dim light, he glanced at the clock on the wall—it was still only six in the morning.
"Suu... suu..."
Turning his gaze to the side, he saw Reina sleeping peacefully in the bed a short distance away.
Eyes adorned with long lashes. Rosy lips exhaling soft breaths. A tall, slender nose bridge.
Like a porcelain doll crafted by an artisan over a lifetime.
Her features were so perfectly sculpted that it was hard to believe she was a living human being.
"......O-oh."
Not good. He had been staring, enchanted.
Before he knew it, the second hand of the clock had gone around about ten times.
No matter how long he looked, her beauty never grew dull—it was truly a work of divine art.
(Seriously... This is bad. What am I doing?)
Clael cleared his throat and shook his head.
Even though he was like a parent to her, he was staring at the sleeping face of the girl he raised—how creepy could he get?
More importantly... he should get changed before Reina woke up.
"............"
Clael held his breath and moved toward the travel bag on the floor, careful not to wake Reina.
He took out a change of clothes, placed them on the table, and reached for the buttons on his shirt.
"............"
"Nn...?"
For a moment, he felt a strong gaze on him.
Clael turned around... but Reina was still sleeping peacefully, just as before.
"............?"
Was it just his imagination?
He felt as if someone had been watching him... but Reina was asleep, and there was no one else in the room.
(Reina pretending to sleep just to watch a guy change... that's impossible.)
Clael snorted and turned his back. He resumed changing clothes.
He took off his shirt, leaving his upper body bare, then removed his pants, down to just his underwear.
He felt an especially strong gaze... but it was probably just his imagination. Ignoring it, he slipped on a fresh shirt.
He put on new pants, tightened the belt... and finished changing.
"Alright..."
"Suu... suu..."
He turned back to check on Reina.
Her eyes were still closed, unchanged.
He checked the clock—it now pointed to seven.
It would soon be breakfast time... maybe it was time to wake Reina?
"Nn... Lord Clael?"
"Ah, you're awake. I was just about to wake you."
Reina rubbed her eyes bashfully and sat up in bed.
Her body, hidden beneath the sheets, was revealed, and from her disheveled nightgown peeked her cleavage and thighs...
"Oops... I'll be in the next room."
Clael averted his gaze from her pearl-white skin and walked into the adjacent room.
"Once you're done changing, shall we head to breakfast... see you in a bit."
He closed the door and sat on the sofa in the next room.
He opened a paperback book he had brought from the shrine at home and let his eyes glide over the pages to clear his mind.
After waiting about ten minutes... the door opened, and Reina peeked in.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm done changing."
"Ah, I see."
He closed the paperback, placed it on the table, and stood up.
When he looked at Reina... yesterday, she had worn a white dress, but today it was a sleeveless black one.
It had a daringly open chest design, with only strings over her shoulders.
"............"
Without a word, Clael rummaged through the travel bag and pulled out a shirt to drape over her.
"Lord Clael?"
"......Well, we are inside the hotel, after all."
A swimsuit might be acceptable at the beach, but inside the hotel, that outfit showed too much skin.
He felt like he might be overreacting... but he couldn't help being overprotective.
"Muu..."
Reina pouted and pressed him with silent pressure... but then let out a sigh.
"Well, it's fine. I don't dislike this sort of thing."
"......What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying I feel safe being wrapped in your scent, Lord Clael."
The shirt he had hastily draped over her was Clael's.
In hindsight, he probably should have dressed her in her own clothes... but he couldn't just rummage through Reina's bag, which likely contained her underwear.
"......Shall we head to the restaurant, then?"
"Yes!"
Clael couldn't bring himself to ask for the shirt back now, and so he left the room with Reina in tow.
(Come to think of it... when Reina left for the royal capital to enter the academy, a few of my shirts went missing...)
That question suddenly popped into his head, but it was probably just the wind blowing them away while they were drying or something like that.
Really, why did such a thought come to mind only now... Clael tilted his head in puzzlement.