After learning that i already had Elias as a boyfriend, the paracium looked visibly disappointed.
However, this naturally lively white-haired bundle of energy quickly perked up again.
Standing before Elias with her hands on her hips, Kiana scrutinized him with a serious gaze and said,
"I didn't expect i to already have a boyfriend… Ah~ oh well. But Elias, right? Since you're i's boyfriend, why aren't you protecting her properly?"
Letting his own girlfriend experience school bullying—as far as Kiana was concerned, this guy was totally unqualified for the role of boyfriend.
"Kiana, it's not like that! Elias has already been protecting . It's just that we, um…"
i wanted to explain to Kiana that she and Elias were only pretending to be a couple—that in reality, she had already received trendous help and comfort from him.
But she didn't know how to put it into words—after all, the fake relationship was supposed to be a secret.
Even though i was grateful to Kiana for stepping up to help her today, it was clear that Elias still held the overwhelming advantage.
Having experienced betrayal firsthand, i wasn't ready to fully trust anyone else besides Elias.
(Elias: "Paracium, you're too late! i is already mine~")
This ti, Elias had gotten there first.
If things had followed the original plotline, i—who had been drowning in despair—would have been rescued by Kiana and developed such overwhelming feelings for her that even her orientation shifted.
But right now, Elias had beco the person i trusted the most. And since i had always been a devoted and loyal girl, combined with the environnt of school bullying, all these factors together—
ant that while i had completely lowered her guard around Elias, her wariness toward others had skyrocketed.
Even the paracium wasn't an exception.
Although i hesitated, unsure how to explain—
Elias didn't hesitate at all.
"Alright, alright. To be honest, i and I are just pretending to be a couple. Unfortunately, by the ti I transferred here, it was already too late—i was in an even worse situation than now. So, to protect her as much as possible, we decided to act like we're in a relationship."
"Eh? R-really?" Kiana blinked her dumbfounded blue eyes and tilted her head.
"Yup, that's exactly it." Elias nodded confidently, one hand on his hip.
"Uh… Well, alright then. Looks like I misunderstood. So, Elias, you're actually a good guy! In that case, from now on, I'll protect i too! Hmph, with around, no one's going to ss with her anymore!"
"That's great! With Kiana here, it's like having the strength of 100 people."
"That's right! Hehe, Elias, you really get it~"
Being praised like that, Kiana imdiately bead with pride—her favorability toward Elias shot up by at least 10 points.
Elias: "Easy win~ A re early-stage Kiana? Please. She hasn't even turned into Firefly Kiana or Herrscher of Finality Kiana yet. As long as you pet her fur the right way, she's completely harmless."
As for why Elias so readily told Kiana about the fake relationship, it was simply because he knew that this girl would never spill the secret.
If it were anyone else, Elias might have kept it hidden, but with this paracium, there was no need for secrecy.
This foolish, clumsy, yet kind and courageous girl was soone he could be completely open with.
"But Kiana, is this really okay? If you stay too close to us—no, to —everyone might start isolating you too." i said worriedly.
She longed for warmth and wanted to beco close friends with Kiana, but as kind-hearted as she was, i didn't want anyone else to be ostracized because of her.
Kiana, however, carelessly waved it off as if it were nothing.
"It's fine! Besides, I don't even want to be friends with people who enjoy bullying others. Anyway, the only reason I ca to this school was to—cough, cough—never mind, never mind."
"..."
Elias suddenly felt uncertain about his earlier judgnt.
Would this paracium really be able to keep her mouth shut?
As for the real reason Kiana enrolled at this school, Elias obviously knew all too well—she was here to investigate Honkai energy and search for her father, Siegfried Kaslana.
In any case, now that two of the Main Trio were gathered, only a certain dumpling was missing.
Elias was eagerly looking forward to Bronya's debut—he couldn't wait to see what the real-life "Silver Wolf" looked like!
After that—
The three of them quickly beca close friends, and with Elias and Kiana by her side, i's situation drastically improved.
At this point, almost no one dared to confront her directly.
Of course, the three of them were inevitably isolated, but to Elias and Kiana, that was nothing but a minor inconvenience.
Neither of them cared in the slightest.
In fact, perhaps it was thanks to this environnt that their bond deepened so quickly.
...
Chiba Academy rooftop.
This place had essentially beco the trio's private hideout—every day at noon, Kiana would run all the way from the first-year building so they could have lunch together.
Elias glanced around, seemingly by chance, thinking to himself:
"In the future, this place is going to have a wormhole."
"Kiana, you're eating way too fast."
"Can't help it, I'm starving!"
In just a few bites, she had already finished off her bread, while Elias and i hadn't even opened their lunchboxes yet.
And yet, she still looked hungry, lying on the ground with a pitiful expression, staring longingly at Elias and i.
Lately, the Honkai energy levels in Nagazora City had been rising—Kiana had been going out at night to hunt Honkai Beasts and zombies.
Although the Kaslana family possessed superhuman physiques, the energy she burned was far beyond that of a normal person.
Not to ntion, on her way to Nagazora City, Kiana had lost Siegfried's black card—aning she was completely broke.
Surviving on just two or three pieces of bread was practically pointless—the mont she swallowed, they'd probably already been digested.
"Alright, alright, stop looking at like that. Here, just take it and eat."
"Hehehe, Elias, you're the best!"
Cheerfully accepting Elias' lunchbox, the girl revived on the spot, instantly transforming into a ravenous food goblin as she began devouring the al in huge bites.
"Eh~ I really can't do anything about you."
Elias, half-amused and half-helpless, ruffled Kiana's head, tousling her hair.
The soft, fluffy texture of that white hair was absolutely top-tier—it hit all his sweet spots perfectly.
"..."
Beside him, i's expression was a little complicated.
Kiana was obviously a girl, and yet—watching them like this…
For so reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that her fake boyfriend was petting a cat.
Elias first used his lunch as bait to completely capture Kiana's attention.
Then, the mont she got lost in her food-fueled bliss, he went all in, seizing the opportunity for a full-blown, shaless head-patting session!
User Comments
0 comments from readers