Chapter 52
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「Well, well, if it isn’t you again.」
Anon greets me with a flourish reminiscent of a male lead in the Takarazuka Revue, his arms outstretched in welcome.
Anon’s gender, age, and everything else about him remain a mystery.
「Indeed, it hasn’t been long.」
「I knew you’d definitely come back here.」
「Hey, I need your advice on something───」
I begin, but Anon holds up his palm, cutting me off.
「Hold on. Let’s not be crass. We’re close, you and I. I know exactly what you want to say.」
His residence is a small, unremarkable house in the suburbs.
It’s equipped with the bare necessities – a refrigerator, kitchen, living room, and bedrooms. While it has everything needed for a basic life, I can’t help but feel a lack of Anon’s presence here.
「I’ve been waiting for you to come.」
He says, ushering me inside.
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「I’ve been preparing for your arrival.」
Anon remarks as he brews a pot of warm tea.
Sensei sits beside me, while Anon takes a seat across from us.
He mentioned making various preparations.
It’s odd, considering we only recently met. I can’t fathom why he trusts me to such an extent.
Perhaps it’s because Milan spoke highly of me, or he heard about me inadvertently helping people around town. Still, I inwardly shake my head at the wholehearted faith he has in me.
「Sugar?」
「Ah, just half a spoonful for me, please.」
「What about Low’s… companion? Sugar?」
「Hmm. A heaping spoonful, if you would.」
Plop, plop, plop.
Anon scoops a mountain of sugar onto the spoon as instructed and drops it into the tea.
「Here you go. Drink it while it’s hot.」
I think consuming that much sugar would make someone ill, but Sensei is already in the realm of the supernatural. I wouldn’t be surprised if she absorbs some mysterious power or has an enigmatic energy source within her body. Given that, illness is likely out of the question for her.
「I anticipated Low’s arrival, but I never imagined he’d bring someone along.」
Anon says this, then slurps his tea noisily… and faces her.
「Let’s do proper introductions, shall we?」
「Ah, this person is──」
I start to explain, wracking my brain for the right words, but Sensei interjects.
「My name is Omi.」
Silence.
An instant later, tranquility envelops the room.
Sensei’s jet-black hair shimmers like polished obsidian as she sits with her back ramrod straight.
She was the first to introduce herself.
Her elegance and grace evoke the untouchable beauty of a peony blossom. That allure – that gravitational pull – captivates both Anon and me.
The gaze, expression, and demeanor she displays before me now are unlike her usual self. They exude a refinement, temperament, and dignity I could never have imagined from the Sensei I know.
「O-oh. Omi, is it?」
Anon stammers, his typically grandiose and imposing manner of speech somewhat cowed by the aura of divinity Sensei emanates.
「No need for honorifics. Just Omi will do.」
「In that case, Omi, I’ve heard plenty about you from Low. You probably already know, but I’ll introduce myself properly. The name’s Anon. I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Nice to meet you.」
Sensei flashes an enigmatic smile. 「The pleasure is mine, Anon,」 she nods magnanimously.
「By the way, Low.」
Anon turns to me abruptly.
「Eep!」 I startle at the sudden shift in attention.
「What’s the deal with you and Omi? You seem to call her ‘Sensei,’ but this is clearly no teacher-student relationship.」
My relationship with Sensei?
I struggle to find the right words to define our connection.
Is she simply my 「partner and teacher」?
Sena feels a familial affection towards Sensei.
I feel the same. We’ve spent a fair amount of time together since the three of us started living under one roof. I can no longer think of her as just my 「teacher.」
As I flounder for an answer, Sensei grins like a mischievous cat. 「Kuhu,」 she chuckles, and I get a sinking feeling.
「My relationship with Ichi- ahem, with Low is───」
She begins, drawing out the suspense.
「Is?」 Anon echoes, hanging on her every word.
「Low is my daughter’s husband. Which would make him and I in-laws, I suppose.」
Wh-WHAT?!
The MMR in my mind lets out a scream of shock.
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