This is a side story, I decided to finish this one quickly because it seemed like the main chapters were going to take longer than expected. Don't worry, it's still cannon and hopefully I can be done with the upcoming chapters soon.
The morning sun had just begun to stretch its rays over the garden, washing the dew-covered grass and flowerbeds in a soft, golden glow. The air was cool but pleasant, carrying with it the subtle fragrance of blooming lavender and freshly watered earth.
Emilia sat in the middle of a small clearing, her silver hair glowing like starlight as it caught the morning light. Spirits, no larger than cherries and shaped like glowing wisps, fluttered around her, drawn to her gentle aura. She extended a hand toward them, her pale fingers dancing in the air as the spirits responded, swirling playfully in loops around her arms.
A soft click broke the stillness.
Emilia turned, blinking in surprise. "...Was that—?"
She looked back at Tanaka, sitting cross-legged a few feet away.
Scratching the back of his head with a crooked smile. "Sorry, couldn't help it."
Emilia puffed out her cheeks, folding her arms in mock indignation. "If you're going to take pictures, at least tell me! It's embarrassing..."
Tanaka chuckled. "You don't need to worry about that." He leaned back and rested one arm behind him. "You're pretty. Like... stupidly pretty."
Emilia blinked at him, caught off guard by the casual sincerity in his voice. Then she smiled faintly, a mixture of fluster and fondness on her face. "You're teasing me... like Subaru always does."
"It's not teasing," Tanaka replied without missing a beat. "That guy means it. And so do I. Anyone who disagrees clearly has something wrong with their eyes."
For a moment, Emilia's expression blanked, then her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. Without a word, she stepped closer, turned around—and with a swift motion, ducked slightly and covered his head with her cloak.
Tanaka blinked from under the veil of fabric. "...Huh?"
Suddenly, something small and furry slipped out from the silvery strands of Emilia's hair.
Pop!
Tanaka turned his head slightly toward the floating entity, unimpressed. "...What exactly do you think you're doing?"
The "punch" landed like a falling leaf. It barely brushed his skin.
Puck hovered a few inches above Tanaka's shoulder, eyes closed and shivering like a man trying to suppress a sneeze. "Hhhhhnnnnng... I couldn't help it. The tingling was unbearable."
Tanaka blinked. "Tingling? That's your reason? You're telling me you socked me just because of that."
"It wasn't out of anger," Puck said dramatically, spinning in the air like a lazy wind chime. "It was the opposite, actually. I just—aaahhh—too much warmth! Too much fluttering in my core! I had to let it out or explode!"
Tanaka was about to respond when a sudden voice cut through the moment.
"You such a dunderhead!"
They both turned.
Emilia stood a few steps away, her back still turned to them, but her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her silver hair trembled, the sun catching the red flush spreading up the back of her neck. She turned just enough to shoot a glare over her shoulder—but the expression didn't carry any real heat. It was a muddled mix of embarrassment and disbelief.
Tanaka, still seated, stared at her reaction. His face remained unreadable.
But there was one word that echoed clearly in his head.
Cute.
Without thinking, his hand moved slowly. The snap of the camera shutter echoed again through the garden.
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Tanaka rubbed his ear with an exaggerated tear. The skin was still red from Emilia's firm tug, and he muttered under his breath, "You really didn't have to pull that hard..."
Emilia was sitting a few paces away, arms crossed and cheeks puffed out. "Hmph. Whatever!" she huffed, though her narrowed eyes were brimming more with embarrassment than genuine irritation.
From atop Emilia's head, Puck peeked out with a smirk and a stretch, curling his little paws behind his back like a smug teacher. "That's what you get for flirting with my daughter."
Tanaka shot him a flat look. "It wasn't flirting. It was a wholesome interaction between two friends. There was no tingle."
Emilia approached him and peeked over his shoulder, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "You have... a lot of photos."
Tanaka chuckled. "Yeah, it's kind of a hobby of mine. I like keeping memories." He tapped the screen. "Although, to be honest, they're taking up a ton of space. I should really move them to my laptop soon."
Tanaka paused for half a second, a faint hesitation crossing his expression. Then he smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah... something like that."
Now that he thought about, apart from that loop on his second day in the mansion. This was the first time she saw these pictures, therfor her reaction was natural.
"These places... they're unbelievably beautiful," Emilia said, leaning in closer. "I'd love to visit them one day."
Tanaka let out a quiet laugh, though the sound carried more weight than amusement. "That might be a bit difficult."
Then, after a moment of reflection, he added with a faint smile, "Actually, now that I think about it... it's kind of hard to believe my story from either side."
Emilia tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Tanaka stared down at the phone in his hand. A picture of a modern train station lit up on the screen—glass, steel, neon lights. So distant from this world. So foreign.
How could he even begin explain it?
That he's not from Lugunica, Gutesko, or Vollachia, or Kararagi... or even this entire world.That he comes from a place without mana, spirits, dragons, or knights. A world with planes and satellites, phones and the internet...
Who would believe that? They certainly didn't believe it back then.
Not even he would, if someone from earth told him that he's from another world, he would just think of him as mentally unstable.
So instead of revealing the truth, he simply gave her the version they'd settled on.
"Well," he began, carefully choosing his words, "Subaru and I told you our hometown's pretty isolated. Like, really cut off from the four great regions—the Holy Kingdom of Gutesko, the Vollachian Empire, the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica, and the Kararagi city-states."
He smiled wryly. "It's also... very different. We don't have magic or spirits where we're from. That's why everything here surprises us—and why some of the things we bring confuse everyone else."
He held up his phone and gave it a little shake. "Like this. Normal back home, but strange here."
Emilia looked at the device with renewed interest, a gentle laugh escaping her lips. "That explains a lot, actually. Especially Subaru's... um, unique behavior. And the weird words he uses."
"Nah, he's just an oddball no matter what world he's in."
They both laughed softly, the kind of shared moment that needed no explanation.
For a while, they simply sat there, side by side, watching the wisps of light dance in the air like fireflies caught in the sunrise.
Then, as if resurfacing from a daydream, Tanaka broke the silence.
"…Now, what would even count as proof?" he murmured. "Like, enough evidence to explain why I disappeared all of a sudden."
Emilia tilted her head, thoughtful. "Didn't you say there are no spirits in your hometown?"
Tanaka nodded slowly.
"Then…" Emilia perked up, "maybe you could take a picture of them! If you show it to someone from your world, they'd believe you, right?"
Tanaka muttered, "Maybe that could work," then angled his phone toward the floating specks of light. He aimed it carefully, framing the spirits as they swirled in a gentle spiral in front of them.
"Alright guys," he said with a small grin, "say cheese."
Click.
Emilia blinked. "...Cheese?"
Tanaka turned to her. "Oh—yeah, it's a thing we say before taking a picture. When people say 'cheese,' they tend to smile without realizing it."
"Really?" Emilia said, her tone filled with curiosity. She straightened her back and hesitantly tried it, "Cheeee...se?"
As the word stretched out of her mouth, her lips naturally curled upward. Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's true!"
But then her expression turned thoughtful. "Wait… that won't work on minor spirits. They don't have mouths to smile with."
Tanaka let out a laugh. "Yeah, that's true. I guess it's just a habit at this point."
He looked down at the photo he had just taken. The smile on his face faded slightly.
Emilia leaned over, noticing the change. "What's wrong? It looks fine to me."
Tanaka tilted the phone toward her. "They just look like little beams of light... Honestly, this could easily be faked. Nothing about this really says, 'Hey, this is undeniable proof of spirits existing.'"
He tapped on his phone and opened another random picture, casually applying a sparkling filter. The photo was instantly filled with glowing particles.
Emilia blinked. "I didn't know your phone could do that."
"We don't have magic," Tanaka replied, "but we've figured out some other tricks."
At that moment, Puck—still lazily floating near Emilia's shoulder—chimed in. "How about you take a picture of me instead? I'll even strike a cool pose."
Emilia perked up, nodding. "That could work!"
Tanaka raised a brow, thoughtful.
Logically, that would work better than the minor spirits. A flying, talking cat would be way more convincing than glowing specks in the air. Especially if I record a video—it would be very hard to edit it.
But…
Tanaka slid his phone back into his pocket and stood up, brushing off blades of grass from his pants.
"This can wait for another time," he said casually, stretching his arms. "I've gotta head back."
Emilia turned toward him with mild surprise. "Already?"
"Yeah," Tanaka replied with a tired grin. "I left a cake in the oven. If I don't get back soon, Beatrice is going to start grumbling."
Technicallly, it can be considered that he was slacking off since Subaru went out with Ram to the village to buy things. But again, since he got a new job as Beatrice's assistant in the forbidden library, his role mainly consists of satisfying that little girl needs.
He extended his hand out toward her, palm open in invitation.
For a moment, Emilia stared at it silently—then her expression softened into a smile. She reached forward, their palms meeting in a light clap.
"High five," she said gently.
They had done this simple ritual so many times now, it had become their own unspoken farewell.
"High five," Tanaka echoed.
He took a few steps back, the sunlight casting a warm glow across the back of his shoulders as he turned.
"I'll make sure to leave you some of the dessert later," he called over his shoulder.
A soft silence lingered after his departure, broken only by the gentle rustle of wind in the grass.
Puck floated into view, circling lazily around Emilia's head. He let out a small sigh. "It's strange how the weirdest things become normal over time…"
Emilia blinked, then puffed out her chest proudly. "Tanaka said that it's a token of friendship. A high five means you're close!"
Puck let out a thoughtful hum, rubbing his tiny paw against his chin. "Hmm…"
Then Emilia tilted her head, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "Wait… Do you want to become friends with him? Like the other spirits?"
Puck paused mid-air, looking off toward the direction Tanaka had left. "Not exactly," he said slowly. "After all, I only care about you, Lia."
"But still…" Puck continued, his expression turning strangely contemplative, "I'm pretty sure that he hates me."
Emilia blinked, caught off guard. "What? That's not true! Tanaka's a kind person."
"Yeah," Puck said with a shrug. "But, every time I talk to him or float near him, there's this subtle vibe like I'm mildly annoying background noise."
Puck chuckled and added, "Not that I have a concrete proof. But you know… you can call it a man's instinct."
Emilia giggled softly, then placed her hands on her hips. "You're overthinking it."
Puck raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
But Emilia had already turned and started walking in the direction Tanaka had gone.
"Wait—where are you going now?" Puck asked, floating after her with a flick of his tail.
Emilia glanced over her shoulder, her silver hair catching the sunlight like spun silk. "To ask him directly, of course!"
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Inside the forbidden library, a cozy pocket of warmth tucked deep within the mansion, Beatrice sat cross-legged in her armchair, arms folded with practiced impatience.
"You're late," she huffed, not even looking up.
Tanaka stepped into the room with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, sorry. I got caught up preparing breakfast."
He presented her a tray with exaggerated care—on it, a glass of cold milk, a steaming cup of coffee, a bowl of freshly baked cookies, and a delicate plate showcasing a small but vibrant strawberry cheesecake, its surface glistening under the ambient light.
Beatrice glanced at the offerings, her eyes momentarily widening before narrowing again with theatrical indifference. She gave a small ahem and tilted her chin upward.
"Hmph… It can't be helped, I suppose. Betty will forgive you... this time," she added, clearly trying to suppress her excitement.
With a small chuckle, Tanaka set the tray down on the table beside her and took a seat at his newly placed desk nearby. Over the past few days, he had reorganized the once chaotic library, gathering books that were scattered across the floor and properly arranging them on the shelves. The desk from his room now stood in the corner—a suggestion from Beatrice herself. Of course, moving it had been a nightmare until she, with a wave of her small hand, lightened it with a simple spell.
Back in the present, Tanaka opened his laptop and let it boot up as the faint hum of books vibrated softly in the background.
Beatrice, meanwhile, had started dipping cookies into the cold milk with surprising delicacy for someone so small and dramatic. Her eyes then drifted toward the cheesecake like a predator locking onto its prey.
She poked the edge of the plate with her fork, inspecting it. "What is this, I suppose?"
"A new recipe," Tanaka replied without looking up.
"And what's it made of?" she asked, sniffing it suspiciously.
Tanaka let out a playful sigh. "Betty, Betty, Betty… What have I told you?" He turned toward her with a mock scolding expression. "When I bring you something new, you eat first, ask questions never. Haven't I earned your trust by now? I practically know your taste buds better than you do."
"Okay, okay, I got it, in fact."
Still pretending to be reluctant, she finally brought a forkful of the cake to her lips. The moment it touched her tongue, her expression melted into bliss—a warm, radiant glow lighting up her usually snarky face.
Tanaka watched, sipping his coffee with amusement.I don't even need to eat mine now, he thought, a smirk playing on his lips.
Just looking at her face is enough to give him a sugar overdose.
As Beatrice savored another bite, eyes half-closed in euphoria, Tanaka quietly picked up his phone and snapped a quick photo.
A soft shutter sound broke the moment.
Beatrice blinked and narrowed her eyes in his direction. "What was that?" she asked in her usual sass, already suspecting.
Tanaka responded without missing a beat, raising his coffee cup like he was making a toast. "My payment."
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Time passed in quiet companionship, each lost in their own world. Beatrice, nestled in her seat, flipped lazily through an old tome, occasionally dipping another cookie into her milk. Tanaka, seated at his desk, tapped away at his laptop, occasionally adjusting photos and organizing files.
But then—he felt it.
A subtle shift. A tickle in the air near the door. The kind of change that wasn't just magical in nature but also... spatial. Intentional. Like the world on the other side had just rotated a few degrees.
His fingers paused on the keyboard. Without even turning fully, he glanced at Beatrice."…Why did you change the location of the library?"
Beatrice visibly stiffened, her eyes flicking back to the book she had stopped reading two pages ago. She cleared her throat and tried to look aloof, which only made her more suspicious.
"Betty didn't do such a thing, I suppose," she said far too quickly. "You're clearly imagining things."
He raised a brow. At this point, she was practically an open book to him—one with adorable frilly bookmarks and a terribly obvious tell whenever she lied.
"Really now," Tanaka muttered with a grin, standing up from his chair. "Then you wouldn't mind if I took a quick peek outside."
Beatrice's calm cracked instantly. "W-Wait a second—!"
"Too late."
He was already at the door. With a smooth motion, he pulled it open, the hinges creaking gently. He leaned his head out and looked to the right... nothing.
Then to the left—
Standing just a few steps away, framed by the hallway light, was Emilia. Her silver hair shimmered ,and her amethyst eyes widened when she noticed him.
"Tanaka!" she said with surprise, raising a hand to wave back.
"Yo, Emilia," Tanaka replied, waving casually with a small smile.
But as his gaze flicked beside her, he noticed a familiar figure hovering at her shoulder—Puck.
His smile didn't falter, but there was a near-imperceptible twitch in his brow, and a subtle tightness in his eyes. It was the look of a man trying very hard to be polite in front of company he didn't exactly enjoy.
Emilia caught it. Her smile faltered, her brows knitting together slightly. She looked between Tanaka and Puck.
The moment froze for just a second... then the scene gently shifted.
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Emilia stepped into the library, her eyes wide with wonder, spinning slowly as if trying to absorb every corner of the vast room. Her footsteps were light against the polished floor, her gaze darting from shelf to shelf.
Tanaka watched her with a puzzled expression."…You okay? You're looking around like this is some hidden treasure vault."
Emilia blinked, startled by the comment. "Oh! Sorry—it's nothing. It's just... this is my first time coming in here."
Tanaka gave her a deadpan look, almost tripping over his own thoughts. "Wait, seriously? Didn't you, like… live in this mansion for two whole years?"
She gave a sheepish nod. "I did… but I could never find it. Every time I tried, the doors would lead somewhere else."
Tanaka snorted softly and pointed a thumb in Beatrice's direction. "That's because someone here keeps shifting the door placements just to throw you off."
Beatrice, lounging with the dignity of a tiny queen, shot him a sharp glare from over her cup of milk. Her expression said 'watch your words', but Tanaka just smirked.
Curious, Emilia leaned a little closer. "Then how are you always able to find it?"
He shrugged, casually sipping from his cup again. "Dunno. Instinct, maybe? Or good luck. Honestly—if you want to find it badly, you only have to open all the doors of the mansion and leave them like that, you'll eventually find yourself here."
A beat passed.
Silence. Total silence.
Tanaka looked up and suddenly noticed all eyes on him—Emilia, Beatrice… even Puck. Their stares were wide and stunned, like he'd just quoted an ancient prophecy without realizing it.
He blinked, confused. "What?"
Puck, hovering just over Emilia's shoulder, suddenly chirped, "That's amazing, Tanaka! How did you know that? Did you tell him, Betty?"
Tanaka choked on his coffee mid-swallow. "Pfttt—!"
He sputtered, coughing violently as he tried to breathe again.
He nearly forgot that Puck was the only one who knew that method, and him knowing that fact made him look suspicious.
Beatrice's eyes widened as she noticed Puck's sudden appearance, her voice soft with surprise. "Niichan…?" She looked from the floating spirit to Tanaka, then narrowed her gaze, suspicion rising like a slow-burning fire.
"No," she said to Puck, her tone a bit too calm. "Betty didn't tell him anything, in fact."
Tanaka cleared his throat, wiping his mouth and scrambling to change the subject. "S-So anyway… the cake's good, right?"
He looked nervously between the two girls, trying to redirect the mood. His eyes bounced between Beatrice's frosty stare and Emilia's curious look before blurting out, "Sooo… by any chance, do you two not get along?"
Another wave of silence.
Tanaka awkwardly sipped from his cup, trying to hide behind it. He then pushed the untouched half of his dessert across the table toward Emilia. She hesitated for a moment, but then took a small bite.
Her eyes lit up immediately. "Mmm—it's delicious!"
"Glad you like it," Tanaka mumbled, relieved to have a momentary distraction.
But then Emilia's expression shifted. She set her fork down and straightened up, as if suddenly remembering something important. "Wait. This isn't why I came here."
Tanaka glanced over from his laptop, tilting his head. "Oh? What's up?"
Emilia hesitated, then said it bluntly. "Puck thinks you hate him."
"What kind of a silly question is that, I suppose."
Tanaka nodded, eyes still on his screen. "Aha."
Emilia blinked, unsure how to respond to that reaction. "...He's being ridiculous, right?"
Still typing, Tanaka replied without even a hint of emotion, "I mean… he's not wrong."
Silence. Thick and immediate.
Both girls stared at him, stunned. Even Puck paused mid-hover, ears twitching.
Tanaka finally looked up, confused. "What?"
"You're joking, right?" Emilia asked, her tone rising. "Did you even hear what I said?"
"Yeah," he said plainly, setting his coffee down. "You asked me if I hated that floating fuzzball, and I said yes."
"Why?!" Emilia cried, completely thrown off.
Why? In summary, he gets on his nerves. He didn't have any concrete reason but there was something about his 'Happy Go Lucky' attitude that triggered him.
"And how could you hate Bubby?" Beatrice added, clutching the cat like creature as if she had been personally betrayed.
Puck put on an exaggerated pout, slowly turning away like a tragic anime character. "I knew it… My spirit heart is broken…"
"Oh shut up," Tanaka sighed, glaring at him. "You attention-craving hamster."
Tanaka leaned back in his chair, letting out a longer, quieter sigh. He tilted his head, eyes drifting toward the ceiling as if searching for an easier version of this conversation. "It's nothing personal," he muttered. "I barely get along with anyone."
His tone shifted, just slightly—less sarcastic, more distant.
"For most of my life… I was just that awkward, antisocial kid in the back of the classroom. I didn't talk much. Never had many friends. The other boys used to mess with me—call me names, push me around for being quiet. I spent more time pretending I didn't exist than actually existing."
Emilia and Beatrice both looked at him in stunned silence, the playful tension evaporating into something heavier.
"There was only that one girl though. Hana."His voice softened as he said her name. "She was the only one who ever really tried to talk to me. Then I went and messed that up too. It has been years since I decided to disappear and haven't talked to her, and I don't think she wants to talk to me either."
For a moment, no one said anything. Even Puck hovered quietly, as if respecting the shift in mood.
Emilia stepped closer, her expression gentle. "Tanaka… maybe you could try starting fresh. You could start by being friends with Puck."
The mood cracked.
Tanaka's expression shut down completely. His posture stiffened as he turned his head and stared at her with deadpan eyes, his voice flat as stone.
"I don't want to."
A beat passed.
"What?" Emilia gawked.
"Huh?" Beatrice blinked, scandalized.
"What do you mean you don't want to?" Emilia cried.
Tanaka shrugged like it was the most mundane answer in the world. "I just don't get along with guys in general. For example, I hate Roswaal too."
"You can't compare Roswaal to Bubby!" Beatrice snapped, horrified. "That clown doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as him!"
"And how can you hate Puck?" Emilia added, gesturing dramatically toward Puck. "Look at him! He's the cutest, most wholesome spirit ever!"
Tanaka looked unimpressed. "Again—guys. Weird dynamic. Doesn't work. Also, you girls like cute thing but in my eyes, I get the vibe of an old man trying to act like a cute cat. It's weird and sends me shivers."
Puck snickered. "That's not true."
"It is and you know it."
Emilia puffed her cheeks in frustration. "You're lying! What about Subaru? Aren't you friends with him?"
Tanaka hesitated. "That's… different."
"How is that different?" Beatrice cut in, scowling. "That human is a walking headache. How dare you put him above Betty's brother!"
Tanaka narrowed his eyes slightly, the rising bickering wearing on his nerves. His gaze slid to Puck, who was now watching the chaos with barely disguised amusement.
"How about a little help here?" Tanaka muttered under his breath.
Puck rubbed his chin playfully. "Hmm… I don't know. Comparing me to Roswaal was a little hurtful."
Tanaka glared. "You smug little—"
With a chuckle, Puck floated down near the table, finally addressing the girls. "Alright, alright. As much as I appreciate all the love and praise—really, it's very flattering—let's not push it. This is just how men are with each other sometimes."
Tanaka scoffed. "A man and a cat."
Puck waggled a paw. "Spirit. Please. But he's right. You can't just force people to get along."
But his reasonable tone didn't seem to faze the girls.
"We are forcing it," they both declared in unison, pointing accusingly at Tanaka.
Tanaka rubbed his temple. "This is so unreasonable…"
"You're unreasonable!" Beatrice shot back.
"You two don't even get along with each other," Tanaka retorted, lifting his brow.
He noticed it many times but for the past few weeks he was here, during the gatherings, he noticed that the two of them never interact with each other. Even earlier, Beatrice used her door-crossing ability to prevent Emilia from finding the library.
Emilia crossed her arms and declared, "Fine! We'll get along, then!"
Beatrice blinked. "Wait—how is this related to Betty?"
"You said it yourself! No backsies!" Emilia whirled around to face her. "If I can get along with you, then Tanaka can get along with Puck!"
Beatrice looked like she'd just been handed a math equation written in another language. "Betty doesn't follow this logic at all, I suppose…"
Meanwhile, Tanaka muttered under his breath, "Too forceful. This is what I get for being honest…"
Puck floated closer and patted him lightly on the head. "Just go with it."
Tanaka side-eyed him. "What, now you're on their side?"
"I've been trying to get those two to be friends for years," Puck whispered. "This is a golden opportunity. Don't mess this up."
He stayed silent for a bit gathering his thoughts. Ideally, he would also prefer if those two would get along as they both became dear to his heart.
However there was a price to pay.
Tanaka sighed again, long and tired. "...You guys are worse than group projects."
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Eventually, after far too many rebuttals, sighs, and reluctant nods, an uneasy truce settled over the room like dust in the aftermath of a storm.
Tanaka finally gave Emilia a half-hearted glance, rubbing the back of his neck. "…Alright. I'll try," he muttered. "I'll try to get along with the floating smugball."
"Hey, I have feelings, you know," Puck called from across the room, dramatically placing a paw over his chest. "That hurt. A little."
Emilia beamed. "That's all I wanted! Thank you, Tanaka!"
Tanaka exhaled, slowly shifting his gaze toward Beatrice.
Their eyes locked. His stare was quiet but sharp, as if daring her to back out.
Beatrice, sensing the unspoken challenge, narrowed her eyes. Arms still crossed in classic defiance, she gave a stiff huff and turned to Emilia. "Hmph. Fine. Betty will also… try. Temporarily, I suppose."
Emilia blinked, pleasantly surprised. "I'll do my best too,"
With the terms awkwardly agreed upon, Emilia gave a small curtsy, waved, and exited with Puck floating lazily behind her—leaving only Tanaka and Beatrice in the now still room.
Then, from opposite ends of the room, barely a breath apart:
"I am deeply unsatisfied," Beatrice muttered under her breath, voice flat with disappointment.
"Same," Tanaka echoed, sipping what was left of his lukewarm coffee, the bitterness matching his mood.
Their eyes met, both entirely expressionless.
Tanaka raised his mug ever so slightly. "Partners in misery?"
Beatrice stared for a second, then looked away with a soft scoff. "Don't push your luck, I suppose."
Tanaka smirked.
And with that, the quiet hum of the forbidden library returned, and two very stubborn personalities trying—barely—to be just a little less unbearable.