One night and two days was surprisingly short . The three of us played cards all night and in the blink of an eye, the sun had risen . I’ll keep the outcome of the games a secret . I’ll say that my memory flew away since I was so excited all night long .

            I’ve never won against Keito before but I never thought I wouldn’t win against Neriel either… I thought he would definitely be like me: someone who shows their emotions easily on their face!

            “I really was the weakest one by far . ”

            “Marichan is honest after all…”

            “Thanks…”

            But you know, Neriel… Kindness can hurt people too you know . Emotional pain .

            “Thank you for having us over . I had a lot of fun . ”

            “Me too! It’s been so long since I’ve seen the two of you so I was really happy . ”

            “Our next vacation, I’ll invite you to my house okay?”

            “Yes!”

            Our next vacation is… When was it again? It will probably be something like a winter vacation, I don’t think we have something like a fall vacation .

            Which means, it will be around another half a year until I can see Neriel again . There will probably a couple more opportunities for me to go home, but not enough time to play with Neriel . After winter vacation, Neriel will enter the academy too . Fortunately, he’ll be in the same dorm as me!

            When I think like that, there’s no need to feel sad or anything .

            “Then, see you . ”

            “Yes, see you . ”

            “Thanks for having us!”

            Just like when we came, we left empty-handed . It didn’t feel like we had stayed a night . It feels like we just played for a couple of hours and then left . In reality, more than 24 hours had pa.s.sed . It’s easy to lose your sense of time .

            After waving goodbye to Neriel, we departed from the villa .

×　×　×　×

            “I’m home!”

            “Welcome home . Did you have fun?”

            “Yes, a lot of fun!”

            Only my mother was there to greet me . My father’s default state is being busy . I know it’s amazing for him to even be able to eat dinner with us, so I won’t complain .

            “After you change, let’s eat dinner, okay?”

            “Yes . ”

            “A letter and a package for you arrived . I left it in your room . ”

            “A package… okay . ”

            It’s probably a souvenir from Primella or Eru . I didn’t think it would come right when I was out . I’ll have to send a thank you letter later .

            When I entered my room, there was a package wrapped up nicely on the table . You couldn’t miss it .

            I wanted to open it immediately but then I’d be keeping my mother waiting for dinner . Also, I was hungry .

            I quickly changed out of my clothes . I’ll leave my dirty clothes to Ann . In the beginning, I had searched for a was.h.i.+ng machine, thinking it was common sense . You know, it’s hard to let someone else pick up your clothes that you’ve just taken off .

            “Thank you for waiting . ”

            “Welcome home, Maria . ”

            “I’m home, father . ”

            When I got to the dining room, my father and mother were already sitting down . My father, who was smiling and welcoming me home, really was a dreadfully handsome man . I suspect he is a teen parent, even though he is my own parent .

            “Did Neriel-kun seem well?”

            “Yes! I’m thinking of inviting him here next time . ”

            “Of course . It’s been a long time, I want to see him too . ”

            Although she said that, my mother doesn’t actively converse with my friends . My mother simply watches over me and my friends from a distance . Although, she could pa.s.s as my older sister and join us .

            When Primella and Eru first saw my mother, I was a little bothered . If our eye colors weren’t the same, misgivings that she was my step-mother might have surfaced . Even though I introduced her as my real mother… although, it is true that as I’ve matured, my traits that were similar to my mother’s, which were already few, were disappearing even more . Ultimately, besides my eye color I will completely change into my father… even though I originally didn’t resemble him much!

            “Let me know when he will come . I want to make some sweets . ”

            “Waa, I’m looking forward to that . Though, it won’t be until our next vacation, which is a long time away . ”

            My mother’s sweets are my favorite food . There’s a permanent chef at our house, so my mother’s home cooking always came in the form of sweets . She makes ones that don’t really appear at parties too . I’m glad I don’t get fat easily .

            After dinner, I took a bath and then returned to my room wrapped up in my pajamas .

            Until I saw the package on my table, I had completely forgotten about it . I thought it would be safe to send a thank you letter tomorrow morning, it’s about time for bed after all .

            “Ah, yep, it’s from Primella . ”

            The name on the card stuck to the package was as I expected . I was thinking it might be Eru’s, but it was Primella’s after all .

            The small card was crammed with where she went and what she did . Just by reading it I could tell she had a lot of fun . It seems like the souvenir she sent me was the region’s traditional accessory .

            It works like an amulet against evil, apparently . When the new semester starts, I think I’ll wear it every day . Truly thank you, Primella . You sent me something I really needed… The villa wasn’t selling any souvenirs, I’m sorry I don’t have anything to give you in return .

            “Hm? This is…”

            Next to the souvenir was a white envelope with my name on it, but no sender name . I initially thought it was from Primella but her package came with a card so I concluded that it wasn’t .

            Thinking it was from Eru, I opened it carelessly .

            “… . Hah?”

            Involuntarily, my voice slipped out . Confusion pa.s.sed through me, among various other feelings, and I felt like I was frozen .

            My hand froze and the card slipped and fell to the ground . What was written on it was a dream-like reality . Although rather than a dream, it’s more accurate to call it a nightmare .

            The sender wanted to talk with me in three days at a certain restaurant .

            The store’s name is Dear . It’s a restaurant with private rooms for royalty or n.o.bles on official business . It’s not a place for children like me to go to, but the kind of place that entertains and serves adults . I know of it, but I’ve never been there, nor did I have plans to go there .

            What eccentric invited a student like me there? Hoping that I had misread the name signed at the end of the card, I picked it up .

            The white and gold embellishments were beautiful and suggested the sender was an excessive person .

            “Luna Vi Leonova” was written in neat letters that were easy to read . My hope that I had misread the name was crushed .

            I went pale . For a while now, my fingers have been feeling strange . It was like my hands had gone numb and my temperature was gradually being stolen .

            I felt like throwing up and I wondered if I couldn’t just refuse the cause of my deteriorating health . I knew it was impossible, but shouldn’t you allow me to escape from reality at least this much?