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But today had been different. No, the past few days had been different. Ever since Maris had returned from the academy, Lucan had felt a change. It was subtle at first, a lingering warmth whenever she was near, a quickening of his pulse whenever she spoke.

It wasn\'t just the sight of her—though she had certainly grown more beautiful during her time away—but something deeper, something intangible that seemed to reach inside him and stir emotions he had long kept dormant.

Maris\'s saintly power had always been a part of her, a gentle, soothing presence that Lucan had grown accustomed to. But now, it felt different—stronger, more insistent, like a tide that was slowly eroding his self-control. It was as if her power was drawing out his natural reactions, forcing him to confront feelings he had always been able to suppress.

As he sat there, trying to collect himself, Maris approached, a glass of water in her hand. She was dressed in a delicate negligee that clung to her curves, accentuating the soft lines of her body. Lucan forced his eyes to stay on her face, determined not to let his gaze wander.

"Here\'s some water, Lucan-sama," she said softly, her voice carrying a note of concern.

"Oh... Thank you," he replied, reaching for the glass.

But just as his fingers brushed against it, Maris smoothly pulled it back, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "What are you doing?" Lucan asked, confusion mingling with the heat in his cheeks.

"I thought I\'d give you a drink... mouth-to-mouth," she teased, leaning closer, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Lucan\'s face turned an even deeper shade of red. "I don\'t want that!" he exclaimed, snatching the glass from her hand, more flustered than he had been in years.

As he took a long drink, trying to cool both his body and his thoughts, Lucan couldn\'t help but wonder what had happened to the sweet, innocent girl he had known. Maris had always been affectionate, but this was different. There was a boldness to her actions, a playfulness that hinted at something more.

It was clear that her time at the academy had changed her, though in what ways, Lucan could only guess.

"Um... Maris," he began, setting the glass aside, "let\'s calm down and talk. Since we\'re here, why don\'t you tell me about your time at the academy?"

Maris\'s playful demeanor softened, and she smiled warmly as she sat across from him. "Oh, yes. That\'s fine. Let\'s talk."

As she began to speak, Lucan could see the excitement in her eyes. "I\'ve made lots of friends at the academy. They\'re all really nice people, and I\'m having a very enjoyable school life!"

"Is that so... That\'s good to hear," Lucan replied, relieved to see her settling into a more familiar rhythm.

"The people from the Rainsa Duke\'s household have also been very kind to me," she continued. "Although I don\'t get to see them often because of temple duties, Sister Sarina has been very kind, giving me her own clothes and accessories as gifts. We even went shopping together at the end of last month."

Lucan listened attentively, nodding as she spoke. The mention of Sarina from the Rainsa Duke\'s household piqued his interest. In the game\'s scenario, Sarina was a villainous noble girl who oppressed Maris. If Maris had managed to build a good relationship with her, it might be a positive sign for the future.

He recalled a conversation with a friend who had mentioned that Sarina was known for having the largest breasts in the series when she turned twenty. Lucan quickly pushed the thought aside, focusing on the present.

"It seems you\'ve made a lot of same-sex friends," Lucan remarked, steering the conversation back to safer waters. "So, what about friends among the boys? Any romantic developments?"

Maris blushed slightly, shaking her head. "A romantic development? No, I don\'t have any. Well, I do talk with the boys in my class, but there are no private relationships."

"Really? None at all?" Lucan pressed, though he already suspected the answer.

"None at all," Maris confirmed, her tone firm. "Many boys try to talk to me, but the more persistent ones are stopped by my \'friends.\' I don\'t have any male acquaintances beyond that."

"I see..." Lucan nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. As long as she continued to love him, everything was fine.

Although they were in an otome game world where the main focus was on romance, it didn\'t have to be that way. This wasn\'t just a game anymore; it was the real world, with real people, and Maris had other aspects of her student life that were also important. Deepening friendships, engaging in sports or clubs, and dedicating oneself to studies were also valid forms of youth.

"Well then, Lucan-sama. Shall we go to bed?" Maris\'s voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to see her standing by the bed.

"You\'re not suggesting... we sleep together, are you?" Lucan asked, his heart skipping a beat.

"Hehe..." Maris giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

---

Later, in the bedroom, Lucan looked at Maris, who was already sitting on the bed, looking at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"No! Absolutely not! It\'s out of the question!" Lucan declared, trying to maintain his composure.

"Is it really impossible? Truly?" Maris asked, her voice tinged with a pleading note. She looked up at him with teary eyes, her expression so innocent and vulnerable that it tugged at Lucan\'s heart.

Lucan sighed, running a hand through his hair. The more time he spent with Maris, the more he felt like he was losing his grip on reality. Her saintly power was affecting him, and he could feel his resolve weakening.

"Maris, you\'re already an adult woman. Even though we are family, there are things that need to be understood," he said gently, trying to find the right words to let her down without hurting her feelings.

"But we haven\'t seen each other in a while. You said you\'d do anything earlier..." Maris pressed, her eyes wide with hope.

"I didn\'t say \'anything,\' and we\'re done after the bath!" Lucan replied, trying to sound firm.

"Maris, you are a refined lady attending school now. Even though we are family, please refrain from sleeping in the same bed with a man... Understood?"

Maris looked down, hugging the pillow she had brought from her room. She seemed quite disheartened, but Lucan knew there was no helping it.

"Please don\'t misunderstand. I\'m not saying this because I dislike you, Maris," Lucan added, his voice softening. "I want you to become a wonderful lady. For that, even as family, we need to adhere to certain rules. As the saying goes, \'Even in close relationships, there should be etiquette,\' and we need to maintain clear boundaries."

Maris remained silent, her expression unreadable.

"Of course, I welcome you to rely on me with moderation. As a father figure or a brother figure, I\'ll gladly accept it. So, please listen to what I say here."

Maris finally nodded, though her movements were slow and reluctant. "Yes... I understand. I\'ll sleep in my own room."

Lucan felt a pang of guilt but knew this was the right decision. "Alright, that\'s good... I\'m sorry for being so strict."

"No... I understand that Lucan-sama is right. I\'m sorry for being selfish..." Maris\'s voice was quiet, her gaze downcast.

Lucan quietly sighed with relief. "You don\'t need to rush or be overly dependent. There is still a long summer vacation. Tomorrow, let\'s go out together again. Whether it\'s a restaurant or shopping, let\'s go wherever you like."

Maris managed a small smile, though it didn\'t quite reach her eyes. "Thank you... By the way, I wanted to ask..."

She buried her face in the pillow, only her eyes peeking out as she looked at him. "Lucan-sama, you also attended a noble school, right? I heard that in the second year, there\'s a class on monster hunting..."

"Yes, that\'s correct," Lucan replied, curious about where this was going.

"For nobles, fighting monsters and protecting the country and its people is a significant duty. Therefore, even students aiming to be bureaucrats or priests must participate in monster hunting classes."

"I heard that sometimes those classes involve staying overnight... Did you ever end up alone with a woman while camping?"

"Of course not..."

He was about to answer, but Lucan stopped himself.

Come to think of it, there was an incident where he ended up alone with his female friend Julia due to an accident.

Both were exhausted, so they had no choice but to sleep closely inside a tent with monster-repellent powder.

"No, I did stay in a tent with an old friend. She was a woman, but it was an emergency situation..."

"That\'s hypocrisy."

"Not counting..."

Suddenly overcome by drowsiness, Lucan fell forward.

Instead of crashing to the floor, he ended up burying his face in Maris\'s chest.

"Good night, Lucan-sama."

"Mm... Hmm..."

As his consciousness faded, he heard Maris\'s gentle, motherly voice. He briefly felt a chill from her embracing arms.