Chapter 22: Chapter 21

“Will you grant me a wish if I tell you?”

For the first time, Kalisten looked like his age. He was a young man who had just turned 21. I was someone who went to graduate school, and I don’t know the age of this body, but it’s probably past adulthood.

This place that hands out stimulants from the time you turn 18.

“Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll listen to everything you wish for.”

As I said that, our eyes met, and he looked at me with softened eyes.

There seemed to be a question fluttering in his bright red eyes. It’s like he’s trying to confirm if I’m being sincere.

“I am the illegitimate son of the emperor.”

“Huh?”

“My mother was the emperor’s secret mistress, and it was the Empress who sent me here.”

Probably Kalisten’s memory was returning because he was so powerful. It must have been difficult for an Esper to erase and manipulate memories of someone with strong abilities like Kalisten.

As he spoke so bluntly, my mouth opened slightly agape in surprise.

“Even if you can’t believe what I’m saying, it’s true.”

“I trust you.”

“… .”

“I believe everything you say.”

Then he looked at me with an altogether peaceful and softly calm countenance.

Kalisten was different from what I knew, before his aura resembled a sharp cat and now before my eyes it transformed into a gentle dog.

So without realizing it, I put my hand on his head.

“What?”

And then I gently stroked his hair. He was so tall that I had to straighten my back, but he didn’t reject it since he was bowing over and accepted my hand.

“Since you dare to touch my head, you’ll have to grant me two wishes.”

“Yes. What wishes would you like me to grant?”

“Well, let me hit you.”

“Ha ha ha… . Please hit me gently… .”

“Hehehe.”

Were my words funny? I was wondering but he looked at me with an evil smile. The soft dreamy gaze of the past had disappeared, and only a playful smile filled its place.

“It’s a joke.”

“Ha. Ha.”

He took my hand from stroking his hair and sat me back down on the chair. Then he exhaled and said,

“Let’s start.”

“Okay.”

Once he gives me magic, I can give him my magic.

But—

“Ugh… .”

As he gave me mana, I was strangely close to the floor. My shoulder hurt and my vision went dark.

***

When I opened my eyes, I was in a place flooded with light. The brightness stung my blinking eyes, making them more sour and irritated.

“Awake?”

It wasn’t Kalisten who spoke to me.

“How did I get here?”

“If I tell you, you have to let me braid your hair.”

“… fine.”

Surveying my surroundings….. I was in a very large room. It was Alexis Rainier who was looking down at me as if he found me amusing.

“This is—?”

“My room. So there’s no surveillance.”

I couldn’t be reassured by his words so I got up. Then I inspected the room. I heard that awakened high-ranked Espers were given special treatment, and it seemed to be true.

Compared to the other rooms that were made almost like chicken coops, this one looked like a residence for a real living human. Just—

“There’s no shower here, is there?”

“No, there isn’t.”

Indeed, that’s why he went in and out of the showers.

The room was very neat. The books were also neatly arranged. There was a window at the top, and there was also a window that could not be opened but gave a glimpse to the outside. The curtains were also pretty sky blue.

There’s a sofa.

The bed I was lying on.

I spotted a painting of a sunflower. Looking at it, I realized that there were quite a few illustrations here. His taste was reflected in the abundance of Art Nouveau-style paintings.

I opened the closet next to the window. The lab uniform was folded neatly on top, and the uniform coat hung on the hanger to be worn when going outside.

It was a neat black uniform.

“This… ”

“Ah, it’s a uniform. Shall I wear it?”

“… Sure.”

I didn’t really want him to try it on, but said that because maybe it would stop him from jeering at me. But he was still smirking as he came over and took the uniform from the hanger.

“Fine, let’s.”

Then.

“Ah!”

He just started taking off his clothes.

I was so surprised that he took off everything but his drawers in an instant. I turned to the closet, grabbed the door, and bowed my head. My skin trembled in tension, probably because of the noise of the cloth rubbing against his skin as he moved. All the clothes in the closet were the same uniform.

I began to look closely at them to distract myself.

Uniforms and assorted badges. And…

“Ah… .”

“I have to wear this too.”

His clothes were disheveled. He took the cravat on my right side and put it around his neck.

“Aselia.”

“Ah yes… yes… … .”

“I don’t know how to put this on.”

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