Was she really planning to give one of her sandwiches?
From the way her fingers lingered by the lunchbox and how hesitant her eyes were, it definitely looked like it. The lunchbox was packed generously—more than enough for just one person to finish. Honestly, anyone could tell it was ant for sharing.
"H-Here..." she murmured, almost in a whisper, her voice barely cutting through the quiet of the corridor.
Her hands trembled slightly as she extended one sandwich toward .
"I-I just... made an extra today, so I wondered... maybe you could have it," she said, her eyes darting away, trying not to et mine, cheeks tinged with a soft flush.
"You don’t have any other friends to share it with?" I asked, my voice calm, but tinged with genuine curiosity.
"I-I really don’t..." Zeruel answered, her voice dropping to a fragile murmur. "W-Well, I think I tried to get along with the others back in our first year, but... as the year dragged on, and even now in the second year... the situation with my mother just took so much of my ti. I couldn’t really make friends."
Right... her mother.
She was afflicted with Eternal Slumber, a rare, incurable illness that left her trapped in a coma-like state, which she have been cured now.
Given how much that must have weighed on her, it was no wonder she didn’t have the energy or freedom to build friendships. It made perfect sense. A heavy, understandable loneliness.
In that case... maybe I was the closest thing she had to a friend right now.
I reached forward, gently took the sandwich from her, and settled myself onto the stair beside her.
"W-Why are you sitting here?" she asked, startled, her eyes widening ever so slightly.
"Well, it’s kind of rude to eat while standing, right?" I replied with a slight smirk. "So I figured I might as well sit."
"N-No... that’s not what I ant..." she stamred, looking flustered. "I an, why are you sitting here with ? A-Aren’t you supposed to go back to Princess Titania?"
So that’s what she ant. She thought I’d leave right after taking the sandwich and that I’d return to eat with my girlfriends. She didn’t expect to stay—especially not with her.
"I an, I could go back," I admitted with a small shrug. "But I think they’ll be fine eating on their own for a little while."
"I-I see..." she whispered, shifting in place. Her shoulders tensed, and she looked down, visibly uneasy about the situation.
Still, she lifted the sandwich to her lips and took a careful nibble, chewing quietly. I followed suit, unwrapping the sandwich she gave , lifting it slowly toward my mouth.
The mont the scent hit my nose, my stomach reacted instantly.
A warm, toasty aroma greeted ... it was egg and sothing sweet mixed with a slight tang that stirred my appetite instantly. The scent was sharp but comforting, laced with just enough spice to make it interesting.
I took a bite.
Imdiately, flavors exploded across my tongue. The softness of the egg paired perfectly with a subtle sweetness and just the right amount of sourness. Salt and pepper danced at the edges, perfectly balanced—not too much and not too little. The bread had been lightly toasted, just enough to give a delicate crisp, and carried a gentle burnt edge that enhanced the aroma.
It was, in a word, amazing.
"This is a good one," I said genuinely, chewing thoughtfully. "You made this?"
Zeruel turned red in an instant, her cheeks blooming with color even as she still had a bite of her sandwich between her teeth.
"Y-Yes," she managed, her voice muffled. "My sister told to make one... and she also told I should give you one too. But... I couldn’t give it to you for the past few days... for so reason."
She lowered her gaze again, her fingers fidgeting nervously on her lap.
"Well," I said, chuckling softly, "you could make a business out of this, honestly."
"Hehehe..." she laughed quietly, eyes softening. "If you put it like that... I would love to turn it into a business. But... this sandwich is really special to us. Sothing we only make for important days. And only for important people. So... if I sold it, it wouldn’t feel special anymore."
So that’s how it was.
There really were people like that.
People who believed that so things should stay aningful and reserved only for those who mattered. Sothing personal and not ant to be shared with everyone.
And I respected that.
Honestly, I felt a little bad for even suggesting it could be a product.
"So... does that an I’m a special person now, since you’re giving one?" I asked.
I wasn’t teasing her. I genuinely wanted to understand what it ant.
If the sandwich was only for special occasions, only for people they held dear... then receiving one—it ant I was part of that group. Right?
Her blush deepened instantly, and she looked away in a hurry. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her skirt, and she fumbled with her words for a mont before answering.
"W-Well... you did bring our mother back to us," she said softly. "So I guess... it’s fine for us to consider you soone very special."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, and the redness on her cheeks practically glowed now.
Seeing her like that... it struck sothing in . She looked genuinely adorable.
I averted my gaze, unsure of what to say, and just quietly continued eating beside her.
The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt peaceful. Serene.
Until—
"Kukuku..."
A strange, theatrical laugh suddenly echoed behind us.
Zeruel and I glanced at each other instinctively, eyebrows raised. Then, as if synchronized, we turned to look behind us.
And there she was.
Soone I absolutely didn’t expect to see here right now.
"Lady Isiliraiellyn is here, Partner! And I would like to let you know that I’m...!"
She struck a dramatic pose, one foot forward, one arm bent behind her back, the other flung high into the air like so kind of self-declared magical heroine.
"Bam, bam, bam!"
With each loud exclamation, she threw out another over-the-top pose—complete with exaggerated motion, like she had her own built-in sound effects.
"I have been able to study everything down to the last detail of the video you sent ! And I’m ready for it now, Partner!"
She ended with one final flourish—legs spread wide like a battle-ready stance, one hand placed confidently on her hip while the other ford a peace sign beside her eye. Her grin stretched proudly from ear to ear, as if she had just finished performing on stage.
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