Chapter 100 – Isn’t It Fine — A Lively Room Is So Much More Fun!

"Please, do come in!"

"Thank you so much -- coming in!"

"Comin' in~"

Guided in by Letaria, Steshia and Herta stepped cheerfully into the room.

"Oh, Dr. Ichinose!"

Spotting Milea seated on the living room sofa, Steshia's face lit up at once and she called out.

"Oh, hey there~, Dr. Ichinose."

Herta, following behind, offered an easy, casual greeting.

"Ah... um, good afternoon."

Milea scrambled to her feet and returned the greeting a touch awkwardly. She had noticed Letaria doing something on her wrist terminal a little earlier, but she'd never imagined it meant summoning the two corps members here -- she was thoroughly caught off guard.

Timing it for the moment Steshia and Herta had settled onto the sofa as invited, Milea slipped close to Letaria and murmured under her breath.

"Honestly -- if I'd known ahead of time the two of them were coming, I would have gone back to my own room so I wasn't in the way..."

"Somehow I had the feeling that if I told you beforehand, you would flee straight home, so I deliberately did not mention it."

Letaria said this without a trace of shame, chest puffed out smugly. Milea let out a long sigh and looked at her with open exasperation.

"...Where does a child pick up scheming like that all on her own."

"Isn't it fine? A lively room is so much more fun!"

Entirely unbothered, Letaria laughed happily.

"Letaria-san, happy new place! We rushed out and bought this together -- we'll just set it here, okay?"

Herta said this, setting a beautifully wrapped decorative box down on the low table with careful hands.

"Oh my, thank you so very much, Herta-san, Steshia-san! I shall prepare something warm to drink right away."

With that, Letaria gave Milea's back a light push, and the two of them headed for the kitchen server together.

Having efficiently poured fresh herbal tea and set a cup before each of them, the two returned to the others.

"Let us open this box at once."

Letaria untied the box's ribbon with visible excitement and gently lifted the lid, revealing a beautiful, pure-white whole cake, generously drizzled with a rich, glistening berry sauce in vivid red and purple.

"Ta-da! Fetana's special berry cake! We got so lucky today -- caught it right as it came out of the oven!"

Steshia leaned forward, looking as pleased as if it were her own achievement.

"That's the cake that's wildly popular even here in Seldia -- you can barely get one without a numbered ticket... Sora's always grumbling that she'd love to eat a whole one by herself, just once."

Milea, too, seemed intrigued -- a cake with the seal of approval from the notoriously picky-about-sweets Sora.

"Oh my, is that so!? Thank you so very much for such a wonderful gift! Since we have it, let us all enjoy it together!"

Delighted, Letaria reached for the knife to serve it herself -- but --

"You're the guest of honor today, so sit still and behave. ...Here, I'll do this part."

Milea took the knife from her and cut the cake for everyone -- not with perfect precision, but with a slightly clumsy care to keep the portions even.

Watching the two of them interact so naturally, so perfectly in sync, Herta set down her teacup and spoke up.

"You know, Letaria-san and Dr. Ichinose really do seem close."

At her words, Steshia, fork in hand, nodded emphatically again and again in agreement.

"Right!? I thought so during the last test flight too -- you two are really close. It's almost like real sisters!"

At the word "sisters" -- landing far too close to the truth -- Milea's body went rigid for an instant, her eyes darting.

But Letaria showed not the slightest hesitation. If anything, she looked as though she'd been waiting for exactly this moment, breaking into a full, proud smile.

"Yes, that is correct! I have officially become Milea's 'little sister'!"

For one instant, the living room fell into a silence so complete that the small clink of Steshia's fork against her plate rang out clearly.

At Letaria's far too direct bombshell, Milea's face flushed a deep, total red, looking at her with an expression that said this cannot be happening.

"""EEEEEEEHHHHHH?!"""

In the next instant, Steshia and Herta's voices rang out in perfect unison, their startled shrieks echoing loudly off the ceiling of the brand-new room.