Bonus chapter: Unwilling

"Marin, are you ok? Your face is fully red," Kaori asked in worry.

"I-I am fine, nothing to worry, Imma head to the bathroom real quick," Marin waved her hand as she ran out of the room in a hurry.

"It looks like I worried for nothing," Kaori smiled since it looked like Marin needed to use the bathroom which was the reason for her red face.

Apophis just smiled as if she knew the real reason for it while others didn't say much about the topic. Yuuya seemed to be a bit relieved since Marin could understand something from this, or at least he hoped she did.

Marin made a full sprint into the bathroom stopping in front of the mirror to see her blushing face. Well, it was justified since she remembered something that made her really embarrassed.

'I remembered what happened that day,' Marin's face turned even redder as she recalled what happened on the day she came to let Yuuya take her measurements.

She had forgotten it before, but seeing Yuuya's reproachful gaze the scene ran through her head again, and for better or for worse it didn't just stop at just Yuuya threatening to push her down, Rather...

"Someone hit my head with a bat," Marin squatted down on the floor covering her face with her hands. Her mind was going places she didn't want it to, Guess this was the side effect of playing too many 18+ games.

It took her nearly half an hour to calm down before she went back again.

***

"Milady is something troubling you?" Francesca asked as she was driving back home with Kaori.

"…Yes, I don't why but I feel a little weird today," Kaori said from the backseat of the car.

"Would it be alright if I ask what it is?" Francesca spoke from the driver's seat.

"Umm, You see …..Normally I am very happy whenever I meet Marin ...But today was a bit different, I don't know why but I feel a little ...I don't know what it is," Kaori voiced out her thoughts looking out the window.

"I see," Francesca spoke with a sigh.

"Am I acting weird Fresca?" Kaori asked with a little worry.

"It is completely normal Milady, on another note I am more surprised by the fact that milady forgot to congratulate Yuuya-sama for the light novel contract," Francesca tried to divert Kaori's attention from the topic before she overthinks it and reaches a weird conclusion.

And it seemed to have worked since Kaori's face changed from the previous unsure one to one full of disbelief.

"Ah, I forgot about that, I really wanted to tell him that I was looking forward to the new series Overlord as well," Kaori was once again in a dilemma but for a different reason.

'I am sorry Milady, but seems like your current lack of common sense is because of me, I have failed you,' Kaori started to read the dark-themed light novels and mangas because she got curious after she saw Francesca reading them.

'No, It isn't too late to show Milady some shoujo mangas, I need to do this ASAP, I shall repent at a later date,' Francesca had a new determination bloom in her heart as they drove back home.

Back at Yuuya's house,

He had just come back to the living room after taking a bath, he wanted to go to sleep but he had something he needed to ask of a certain someone.

"Oh! Am I getting interrogated?" Apophis spoke playfully seeing Yuuya sit down in front of her. She seemed more excited than nervous

"Did you post the photos?" Yuuya asked flatly, he didn't really care about them but just needed to confirm it.

"No, If I did that I would've told you, unless I am getting some spicy punishment I have no reason to hide anything from you," Apophis said with a few winks hinting at something.

"I see," Yuuya just leaned back into the sofa. He knew there was no point in pushing the subject anymore.

"You look really tired for someone who didn't do anything for the whole day," Apophis looked amused.

"...I don't want to go to school," Yuuya said flatly, this was the real reason for his tiredness. He hasn't even gone to school and he was already feeling tired just thinking about it.

"Why are you giggling?" Yuuya looked at Apophis blankly.

"Fufu, It is because you sound a lot like a normal high school student for someone who doesn't want to be a high school student," Apophis still giggled as Yuuya continued to stare at her before he sighed and leaned his head back looking at the ceiling.

"If you really rea~~lly don't want to go, you can avoid it," Yuuya looked in front because he heard Apophis's voice coming close.

And by the time Yuuya's gaze came down Apophis was already sitting in his lap with her arms around his neck as her face was only just a little distance away from his.

"Really?" Yuuya asked, he could see the mischievous glint in Apophis's eyes as she looked at him.

"Yeah, but you'll need to give me appropriate compensation for breaking the promise, So, what do you say? Would you like to negotiate it here or….." Apophis spoke in a flirtatious tone using her finger to trace Yuuya's lips.

Yuuya held Apophis's waist so that she doesn't fall off and stood up, he was currently holding her in a princess carry.

"Oh my, are we taking the discussion to bed?" Apophis asked with a giggle but that changed when Yuuya placed her on the sofa.

"I need to prepare for school, so I'll go to my room," Yuuya said blankly as he walked away leaving a pouting Apophis.

"You are so spiteful," Apophis grumbled as Yuuya looked back his face as blank as ever.

"You had that coming," Yuuya said flatly before he left the living room.

"This plan also failed, Wonder what I should try next?" Apophis sighed laying down on the sofa as she silently stared at the ceiling.

"Apophis-san wouldn't be better to not do something like this?" Grayfia who was standing right behind the sofa Apophis was lying on spoke as she couldn't help it. She had been there this entire time.

"Why? Do you think he'll hate me?" Apophis asked in amusement.

"That's what I think," Grayfia nodded, anyone could see that Yuuya was the type of person who doesn't like to be pushed out of his comfort zone.

And Apophis had done just that, a lot of times at that.

So, Grayfia can see a situation where Yuuya gets irritated enough that he starts to hate Apophis, Which wasn't something she wanted since the two seemed awfully close to each other, and if it happens Yuuya might become more withdrawn than he already is.

"He won't hate me," Apophis shook her head with a smile as Grayfia couldn't wrap her head around it.

"Why is that?" Grayfia was also curious why this was the case, was it something Apophis knew, or were the two just that close?

"I know how far I can push him while getting away with it," Apophis winked as Grayfia sighed.

"Even then it isn't a good thing to do so," Grayfia sighed as she can't see it end well, she was worried about Yuuya's condition.

And as Yuuya was, trying to change him was like walking on a ground filled with landmines while being blindfolded. You don't know which step can end in a disaster.

"Do you think I should leave him alone and let him come around on his own?" Apophis asked.

"That would be better," Grayfia agreed, since a person can change when they feel like they are comfortable with it, forcing them to change very well might worsen their condition.

"I used to think the same," Apophis shook her head as Grayfia's eyes widen. She could see Apophis's face the cheerful look turned in one clouded in complex emotions.

"And that is my biggest regret, I loathe myself that didn't do it sooner, thinking he'd come around like usual," Apophis said slowly.

"So, I've made up my mind about this, I won't make the same mistake again, even if he loathes me with his whole being, I'd be ok with it, as long as I can bring him back to his older self ...I'd be okay with anything," Apophis closed her eyes as her words become smaller and smaller by the end.

Grayfia didn't know what to say as she had just felt an insane gush of emotions from Apophis, it was something very familiar to her own, yet very different and...

'Her emotions are very intense, like she had been keeping it hidden for a long time,' Grayfia felt a bit overwhelmed by it as this was the first time she had felt Apophis's emotions.

"Also I am fine as long as he doesn't punch me in the face," Apophis suddenly opened her eyes as her previous mood went out of the window.

"Huh?"