After quarreling with Luna-san, we were walking together to the
restaurant where Lilia-san and the others were… But it seems like not
everything is settled yet.
[…Ummm, Luna-san? Isn't it about time you cheer up already?]
[…Huh? What in the world could you be talking about? Doesn't that
make it sound like I'm mad at you?]
[…No, I mean, you had been looking away all this while… Rather than
mad, aren't you sulking?]
As if she was really frustrated that I had teased her earlier, Luna-san
kept her head away and her words were somewhat sharp.
Moreover, the person herself was adamantly not admitting it… The
situation was becoming quite troublesome.
[Huh? I'm sulking? You're really saying strange things, aren't you,
Miyama-sama? Are you implying that I'm being played with by a
youngster who's only been alive for about 20 years, and I wasn't able to
refute him? There's no way that could happen. That's quite conceited of
you!]
[…N- No, I mean, that's the truth.]
[Listen here, "only sulking people call people sulking". In other words,
isn't it you who is actually feeling defeated, Miyama-sama?]
[…I- I guess so.]
Are you a child!? Isn't that totally a child's "only stupid people call
people stupid theory"!? I've always known that she was childish,
especially with her fondness for pranks… You're childish even when
you're angry huh, Luna-san?
However, I give up. With the way she was sulking, it didn't like she was
going to be in a good mood anytime soon. If possible, I'd like it if she
were to somehow cheer up before we meet up with Lilia-san and the
others…
[L- Luna-san, it's my fault, so could you chee… Arehh?]
[...]
I turned to angry Luna-san, trying to calm her down as much as I
could… but there was no sign of Luna-san in sight.
And right after that, for some reason, I could feel hands clinging on my
shoulders from behind.
[Eh? Wait, Luna-san!? Is something the matter?]
[…Help me…]
[…Huh?]
[…Please help me, Kaito-san…]
[A- Are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere…]
I don't have any idea what was going on, but Luna-san's hands were
shaking as she clung on my shoulders, and when I turned my head
towards her, Luna-san's pale face was tightly clinging on my back.
She was clearly acting strangely, calling me "Kaito-san" in a voice
weaker than usual. I called out to her, wondering if she might not be
feeling very well, but with her head held down, Luna-san shook her
head.
When I tilted my head at her reaction, Luna-san pointed somewhere
with her shaking hand.
[…T- T- T- That…]
[…Unnn? That is…"a caterpillar"?]
[Hyyiiiihhh!?]
What Luna-san was pointing at was a tiny… a really tiny caterpillar.
Could it be that she was scared of that caterpillar? I mean, she let out a
shriek and was clinging on my back… wait, if I remember correctly,
Lilia-san told me that Luna-san isn't good with bugs.
[…I don't like bugs… I don't like buuugsss… I don't like
"wooooooorrrrrms"!]
[L- Luna-san, please calm down! I- It's alright! I'm here, okay? I'll
remove it now…]
[Uuuu, Kaito-shan… Q- Quickly… Crush it already…]
[A- Alright. That's why let go of your hands for a moment…]
[Don't wanna! Don't go!!!]
[...…]
What the heck am I supposed to do then!? Luna-san has completely
turned into a big baby! How am I supposed to get that caterpillar out of
the way when you're still clinging to my shoulders? Should I use my
feet? Should I move it away with my feet?
No, but doing that would require me to get close to it, and I don't know
what would happen if I put Luna-san, who is in such a state, near the
caterpillar.
[…Alice, help.]
[No, no, seriously, Kaito-san? You can't just ask a "maiden whose beauty
makes flowers blush" to deal with caterpillars…]
[It's alright. You're not categorized as a maiden whose beauty makes
flowers blush after all.]
[You're saying mean things to me again… No, well, I'm actually fine with
doing this.]
Even though she was complaining, Alice plucked up the caterpillar and
threw it far away before disappearing. Unnn, she really is very
dependable. I'll treat her to something next time.
[L- Look now, Luna-san. There are no bugs anymore! It's alright already,
okay?]
[Uuuuuu… R- Really?]
[Yes, it's alright already! Even if bugs appeared again, I'll be here to
protect you, okay!? I won't let them touch Luna-san, so please be
relieved!!!]
[K- Kaito-san…]
As I frantically called out to the trembling Luna-san, she finally looked
up and looked at me with her moist eyes.
Seeing her expression made my heart unconsciously skip a beat. Even
though she had such a personality, Luna-san was an incredibly beautiful
woman, and the gap between how she usually acts and her current
vulnerable appearance made her look like an ephemeral beauty.
Luna-san stared at me for a few moments, before looking surprised, she
hurriedly moved away from me.
[…I- I'm sorry you had to see that.]
[N- No… Everyone has their weakness…]
While moving her hands to dust off her maid uniform, Luna-san turned
her face away, blushing red to her ears. I never expected that she would
be this bad with bugs.
She was uncharacteristically frightened, saying things like she didn't
like worms… I wonder if she is particularly bad at worm-type bugs? She
might have some kind of childhood trauma regarding them or
something like that.
[L- Let's go!]
[Y- Yes…]
I hurriedly chased after Luna-san, who, perhaps too embarrassed to
look on me, said a few words without looking at me and quickly started
walking away.
Then, Luna-san, who was walking a little ahead of me at a fast pace,
turned her red face down and muttered in a voice that was barely
audible to my ears.
[…M- Miyama-sama.]
[Eh? Yes?]
[…T- Thank you… f- for protecting me. Errr, ummm… You l- look slightly
cool…]
[…Ehh?]
[I- It's nothing! Let's not keep My Lady and the others waiting! Let's
hurry!!!]
[Wait, Luna-san. Wai… You're too fast!]
Dear Mom, Dad————- I had hated that Luna-san hated bugs, but I
didn't expect that it was so bad that she would regress to a baby. Well, I
don't mean to be rude… Looking at Luna-san, looking so vulnerable and
frightened by bugs, unlike her usual self———– Let's keep it a secret
that I thought she was cute.