kscans

Chapter 248 - Flight from Reality

"――――………………………………My lady?"

"Please, don't say anything."

Monday arrived after a quiet family weekend. As usual, it was just the two of them at the dinner table.

The main dish for the evening was rolled cabbage. The young girl, who possessed more than a little enthusiasm, dexterity, and a quick mind for learning, had already been granted the seal of mastery in cooking from her self-proclaimed maid and ‘master’—

—and she was now desperately averting her eyes from the ‘Soup of Cabbage Wraps and Meatballs’ that was so majestically served on her plate.

Generous, dice-cut fresh tomatoes brightened the soup, and a sprinkling of onion chips and parsley flakes gave it a proper look, but… this was,

"Well… it's not wrong, I suppose. They are properly rolled cabbages."

"Ugh…!"

Even the unflappable Itsuki had nearly burst out laughing when the girl started simmering the cabbage rolls, completely forgetting about the ground meat she had so carefully prepared.

Well, these things happen, she thought. Seeing how much of a mess the girl had been all day, Itsuki had a feeling she was going to mess something up when she volunteered to make dinner as a distraction.

She must have been too excited to sleep last night. She overslept and missed preparing breakfast—something she normally pouted about if Itsuki handled it—and then left for school without her bag.

She had apparently managed to act “normal” while she was out, but the moment she got home, she fell asleep on the sofa without even changing. When Itsuki gently chided her and urged her to rest in her bed, she had walked off in a daze and promptly collided with the closed door.

It was obvious that her mind—or rather, her heart—was in turmoil, but this was a bit much. If Itsuki could rewind the day with a camera in hand, she wouldn't hesitate to offer the contents of her useless bank account to the gods for the chance.

"Are you sure you'll be all right seeing your Knight tonight in this state?"

"...!"

At that single, deliberately pointed remark, the girl—Sora—jumped. In a motion so fluid it was almost artistic, the meatball she had scooped onto her spoon tumbled off.

…Under normal circumstances, such a breach of etiquette from a 'young lady' would warrant a stern lecture, but fortunately, neither the table nor her clothes were soiled. I'll let it slide for today.

Across from the older-sister figure who had swallowed her meddlesome comment, the “younger sister” eventually set down the spoon she had been waving around helplessly and looked down with a sorrowful sigh.

"Will I be okay seeing Haru… I wonder…"

I can say with absolute certainty that you will not be okay, Itsuki thought, swallowing those words as well before taking a whole 0.3 seconds to formulate a response.

"Just go hug him and kiss him like you always do."

"…………I'll do my best."

While secretly teasing the girl who was finally starting to get swept away by her own emotions, the self-proclaimed maid, watching over the young mistress who had begun to show such irresistibly cute expressions, started to enjoy the handmade meal with a wide smile.