Chapter 119 – Shh! You Mustn’t, Steshia-san!

Even as she gently stroked the fluffy Pomme with both hands, Letaria's gaze was fixed helplessly on the figure standing at the entrance.

A tall frame, short gray hair. A faint shadow of stubble along his jaw.

Dark sunglasses covered his eyes, but there was no mistaking that distinctive presence, that sense her own instincts confirmed instantly -- it was undoubtedly the corps' vice-captain, Ethan Broe, himself.

Guided by a staff member, Ethan was shown to a table further back, a fair distance from where Letaria and the others sat.

Almost immediately, a swarm of friendly Pomme came trotting eagerly toward him too.

In the next moment, an unbelievable sight met Letaria's eyes.

That formidable, famously gruff-looking figure of the corps, Ethan, began stroking the Pomme with astonishingly gentle hands, and finally, gathering one that had climbed into his lap, cradled it carefully in both arms, cooing softly, "there, there."

(Th-that is Ethan-sama... cradling and cooing over a Pomme...!?)

The sight was so wildly at odds with his usual image that Letaria completely lost the power of speech, her hand frozen mid-stroke, staring in blank astonishment.

Steshia, who had been utterly smitten with the Pomme herself just moments before, noticed how unusually quiet Letaria beside her had gone and peered at her with suspicion.

"What's wrong, Letaria-san?"

"Eep... ah, um...!"

Letaria snapped back to her senses. With her hand having stopped, the under-petted Pomme let out little disappointed squeaks and began climbing up into her lap instead.

While Letaria hesitated over whether it was really her place to casually reveal Ethan's secret, Steshia followed her gaze and looked over toward his table herself.

"Eh...!? Isn't that--"

"Shh! You mustn't, Steshia-san!"

Before Steshia's voice could rise any further, Letaria hurriedly pressed a finger to her own lips to silence her.

"He is surely here incognito, to enjoy his day off in peace."

"Ah...! Y-you're right..."

At Letaria's words, Steshia hastily clapped a hand over her own mouth.

From a distance, though his expression was impossible to read behind the sunglasses, Ethan looked remarkably practiced, stroking the Pomme's heads and feeding them their specialty gel one small bite at a time.

"Th-this is surprising... to think the Sergeant Major would be a regular at a Pomme café..."

"Ethan-sama must simply be worn out from his duties day after day. Let us pretend we never saw this, and leave him be."

"You're right..." Steshia nodded deeply in agreement.

And so the two of them tried their best not to look toward Ethan's table -- but once something catches your attention, it's simply impossible not to keep glancing back. Without ever bringing it up directly, the two of them kept sneaking glances his way as they resumed playing with the Pomme.

He continued doting on them with the same perfectly natural ease as before. His eyes were still hidden behind the sunglasses, but an unmistakable aura of pure adoration radiated from his entire being.

And then, one more thing -- Letaria's instincts caught a faint sense of something odd.

One of the staff members serving customers kept casting Ethan meaningful glances. At first it might have looked like simple wariness toward an intimidating-looking customer, but watching the exchanges as she brought over drinks and nutrient gel, the staff member's manner carried an unmistakable warmth, a certain quiet delight.

(...Oh my? That staff member seems remarkably close with Ethan-sama... ah, I see.)

Letaria had a vague sense of what might be going on, but pressing further would simply be poor manners. Setting aside her curiosity, she chose instead to sink back into playing with the adorable Pomme in front of her.

◆◆◆

Thoroughly soothed by all the Pomme and having savored some delicious tea and cake, Letaria and Steshia settled the bill and stepped out of the café.

"They were so cute, the Pomme! I feel so refreshed~"

"Yes, truly. I would very much like to visit again sometime."

The two of them exchanged satisfied smiles.

"Still though... what a surprise, that the Sergeant Major likes Pomme."

Walking down the street, Steshia lowered her voice and let out a small, amused giggle.

--The very next moment.

"It certainly was surprising, wasn't it."

A low, weighty voice rang out from behind them.

""...!?""

The two of them, their necks stiffening with tension, slowly turned around --

"E-Ethan-sama...!"

Standing there was Ethan, in civilian clothes and sunglasses, radiating an unmistakable air of intensity and presence.

"G-good work today... Vice-Captain...!"

Steshia bowed her head quickly, a little frightened.

An awkward silence stretched on for a few seconds. ...Then Ethan let out a short sigh, pressed his hands together in front of his chest, and bowed his head.

"...Please. That's my one guilty pleasure on my days off. I'm begging you both, keep this an absolute secret from everyone in the corps. Please."

Seeing Ethan, of all people, bowing his head to beg like this -- so utterly at odds with his usual image -- Letaria and Steshia exchanged a glance and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Fufu, understood. We shall keep your secret."

Letaria smiled gently, and in the same breath, Steshia cut in with a shrewd, opportunistic grin of her own.

"In that case! Treat us to a delicious meal after this!"

"Wait, Steshia-san!?"

While Letaria's eyes went wide at such a blatantly transactional demand, Ethan let out a defeated, wry chuckle behind his sunglasses.

"...Ha, all right, fine. As hush money, I'll take you both somewhere with genuinely excellent food. Follow me."

Wry but somehow pleased despite this unexpected little "blackmail," Ethan led the two of them, and all three set off together into the streets of Seldia in good spirits.