“The ice cream on top is going to melt completely.”
Placing her fork into the slightly melted chocolate ice cream atop the waffle, I cut a small piece and brought it to Anne’s mouth.
Only now did Anne release the straw she had been holding in her mouth, and she took the ice cream from the fork with a quick slurp.
Indeed, the tactic worked. Anne finally set down her chocolate shake and earnestly began eating the waffle.
She generously piled the slightly melted chocolate ice cream onto a piece of waffle and popped it into her mouth.
With her mouth filled to the brim with sweetness, Anne wore a joyful expression while her hands diligently prepared the next piece.
The next piece of waffle was cut a little larger than the previous one, with even more chocolate ice cream piled on top.
Swallowing the waffle already in her mouth, Anne grabbed the freshly cut piece as though the previous sight of her not touching her food was all a lie and quickly shoved it into her mouth.
Watching her stuff her mouth full without pause reminded me of a little hamster.
“Ah, wait a moment.”
As I watched her happily eating, I too was enjoying Anne’s cuteness, but then I rose from my seat and leaned forward across the table toward her.
It looked like the large piece she had so enthusiastically stuffed into her tiny mouth caused the melting chocolate ice cream to smudge quite a bit around her lips.
Though she extended her tongue to lick around her mouth, since she couldn’t see her own face, there remained a trail of the dark chocolate around her lips.
If we were in my dormitory room, I might have liked just watching this pure Anne with chocolate smeared around her smile, but in the middle of the café where people, both familiar and strangers, come and go, it seemed a pity to expose this clumsy side of Anne.
“Eh? E, El…! Uh…!”
As I moved closer, Anne slightly recoiled and flinched. Extending my hand toward her lips, I gently wiped away the chocolate around her mouth with my thumb.
Still flustered, Anne seemed to understand my sudden action when I showed her the chocolate-coated finger, and she let out a little squeak.
Bringing my chocolate-covered finger to my own mouth, I licked it and tasted the intense sweetness.
I even bit down on the finger, sucking the remaining chocolate a few times. Watching this, Anne’s face flushed red, like a perfectly ripe tomato.
Though not a child, she probably felt embarrassed about eating so messily in front of me.
I wondered what could make her blush so much over this kind of thing between us. But recalling how Anne minded people thinking she looked younger due to her shorter stature compared to other students, it made sense.
Her wobbly gaze soon lowered, focusing on the waffle still on her plate.
Meanwhile, the chocolate ice cream continued to melt. If Anne didn’t hurry, the waffle would soon become completely soggy.
Realizing the situation even in her flustered state, Anne quickly grabbed another large piece of waffle and stuffed it into her mouth, making a dent in the ice cream this time too.
Despite already having shown me an embarrassing moment earlier, Anne’s lips were once again heavily smeared with chocolate ice cream.
Perhaps knowing the situation herself, Anne still stared at me with wide, curious eyes after finishing the mouthful of waffle and chocolate.
“Really, you’re quite clumsy…”
It seems she’s asking me to clean her up again.
If I don’t do something, her waffle might become saturated with melted chocolate, so once again I stood and extended my hand toward her lips.
It would be cleaner if we had a napkin, but frankly, the assassin guild-trained pauper in me wouldn’t let me pass up the chance to legally claim some of the ice cream for myself.
Even between men, this might invite a punch, but based on my experience with friends, women are surprisingly more forgiving on multiple fronts, so this should be acceptable.
Look, even as I wipe her lips, Anne remains quiet and docile.
Earlier, she was startled and remained motionless, but the fact that she’s still sitting quietly for a second time suggests this kind of behavior is considered normal in interactions between women.
“!”
To my surprise, Anne stuck out her tongue and playfully licked my finger as I was cleaning her mouth.
“Hey, Anne! If you keep fooling around like that, I won’t be able to clean you properly. Sit still.”
Only then did Anne stop licking my finger at my words.
Though Anne licking the finger ensured some of the chocolate went into her mouth, plenty of it remained on my fingers due to the extensive smears around her mouth.
Rather than let Anne take more of the chocolate, I quickly directed the finger to my own mouth.
Having Anne’s saliva mixed with the chocolate on my finger made things potentially awkward to acknowledge, though I maintained my composure and calmly placed my finger back into my mouth.
While sucking the chocolate from my finger, I couldn’t help but feel bashful realizing Anne’s saliva was entering my mouth.
Moreover, detecting that the chocolate on my finger tasted a bit sweeter than before, I wondered if I was verging on perversion.
Anne, whose lips were finally clean, again scooped up a generous amount of waffle and ice cream into her mouth and waited for me to wipe her chocolate-smeared lips again.
In the end, I several times cleaned Anne’s face, and through this repetition, she managed to finish eating the waffle before the ice cream melted entirely.
“Clumsy like this, how well do you think you’ll perform in tomorrow’s tournament?”
Directing this question at Anne, who immediately picked up her chocolate shake straw again after finishing her waffle.
Unbothered by the lack of melting pressure, Anne was savoring the shake in small sips.
“Hehe… Of course! No matter who comes, I’ll knock them all down!”
Though Anne’s appearance while raising a fist was undeniably cute, her sword tomorrow will be anything but.
Even now, every time her sword swings during our sparing sessions, it sends shivers down my spine.
The heavy wind pressure created by her large sword swinging is something I’ve yet to fully adapt to.
“I’m not overly worried, but don’t get too complacent. Since upperclassmen and even students from other departments are participating, you might face some tough opponents.”
“Hehe! With this body trained by the master, no one can stop it!”
Anne’s confident boasting is understandable; given that she’s receiving guidance from a Sword Master, her confidence is well-founded even if she knows not her mentor’s true identity.
“Alright, alright, let’s meet in the finals. Though, naturally, the championship is mine.”
“Huh?”
Having intended it as a supportive cheer to boost her fighting spirit, Anne instead tilted her head in confusion and emitted a blank response.
Did I just say something strange?
“Isn’t it that El, the hero, is not participating in the competition?”
Anne looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if this were obvious.
“Of course. How could I participate when I’m co-hosting the champion’s award ceremony with the saint?”
“Huh? But didn’t you just say something about meeting in the finals…”
Well, did I really say that? But I don’t recall it. I only cheered her on; that’s all…
“Well, it must’ve been a slip of the tongue. Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing important.”
“But… if my hearing is correct, you did say the trophy is mine…”
Did I really say that? But I don’t remember. I was just trying to encourage her…
“Sigh… well, I suppose…”
With the straw still in her mouth, Anne shook her head left and right, trying to recall my exact words.
“Alright, it seems like you’ve finished your chocolate shake, so let’s go ahead and stand up.”
In her deep thought, Anne must’ve forgotten that she was rationing her drink, because she promptly gulped down the rest of her chocolate shake.
We’ve spent more time than expected at the café, so it’s time to enjoy the festival.
After I returned my pancake plate and cup to the counter, I noticed Anne doing the same before we headed out of the café.
“Anne?”
However, Anne kept stopping mid-step on our way out, occasionally glancing back with a reluctant expression.
“If you’re that reluctant to leave, shall I get it to go for you?”
“Aah, no! Let’s go quickly!”
Out of concern, I suggested the takeaway option, but Anne instead pushed my back to hurry outside.
Well, this café isn’t the only one around. If we’re craving something sweet later, we could always pop into another café.
“Then, where to next?”
“Ah! Wait here for a moment, will you? I forgot something at the café…”
“Alright? Lucky you remembered right away. The café’s just a few steps away, so let’s go back together.”
“Aah, no! I can manage without you! You wait here without moving, alright?”
Although just a few paces away from the café, Anne bolted straight inside, leaving me outside.
Looking inside the café, with the sunlight reflected on the glass, I couldn’t clearly see within.
“Then, shall we go?”
Fortunately, she seemed to have found what she left behind, and Anne emerged from the café with a satisfied face, walking past me.
“Hey? Something’s sticking out of your pocket?”
Noticing something long sticking awkwardly out of Anne’s pocket, ready to fall, I pointed it out.
“Eh- no, it’s n-nothing! Nothing at all!”
Could that long object be what she’d forgotten at the café?
Shocked at the possibility of losing the item she’d just retrieved again, Anne’s flustered face revealed her hastily moving the object from her pocket deep into the crossbody bag.
It’s worrying how clumsy she is, and I wouldn’t know what she’d do without someone nearby to look after her.
But with her adorable appearance, this clumsiness of hers can be considered part of Anne’s charm, right?
Smiling at her like a high-maintenance puppy needing constant care, I followed her retreating footsteps.
