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“You still have something to say? You already know about my ability.”

“Th-that’s not what I meant!” Mismis protested as Rin kept a hold of her. She gave Sisbell a once-over. “Uh…um.”

“What is it?”

“…Byprincess, do you mean you’re a princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty?”

“You’re asking that now? You had to have realized that immediately.”

Brushing aside her strawberry-blond hair, Sisbell let out a heavy sigh.

“Alice is the Nebulis Sovereignty’s middle princess—a purebred feared by the Imperial forces as the Ice Calamity Witch. Have you been listening to me call her ‘Sister’? I’m obviously the younger one. That means I’m the youngest princess—”

“There’s no way!”

“…I thought anyone would come to that conclusion, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“Then that pretty lady—Elletear…she’s the eldest princess?!”

“Took you long enough!” howled Sisbell.

Rin sighed from beside them. She couldn’t believe Mismis could be so dense.

“A-anyway, do you understand me?! My position is to remain a secret!”

“Y-yesss, ma’am!”

In the steamy bathroom, Mismis and the youngest princess had made a pact between women.

The dark cosmic canvas was devoid of any clouds.

The stars seemed to twinkle as if whispering to him. Was it because they were in the heart of mage nation?

…I’ve seen night skies in the Imperial capital millions of times.

…The one in Alsamira’s desert was beautiful, too.

But he’d never felt so close to the sky before, looking up at the stars from the third floor of this villa. It was so close, it seemed

almost as though astral power was winking at him in the sky.

“I’ll be okay. You should stay with Sisbell. Make sure to go to the baths with her. Her safety is our top priority.”

Behind him as he placed his hand against the windowpane, the middle princess cradled her communications device in her room. She exhaled as she sat down on the sofa.

“Rin will stay with Sisbell while she takes a bath.”

“…So youareworried about your little sister. No one knows what could happen in this villa, I guess.”

“Thingsarealready happening.”

Iska watched as Alice’s reflection in the window sunk into the sofa and looked up at him.

“There are four Imperial soldiers in my vacation home. Not as prisoners but as guests. If this isn’t a problem, then what is?”

“Tell that to your older sister.”

“Urk! I-I suppose I should! But I wish you would give me some advice!”

“…Advice, huh?”

She could have just said that from the start. He grumbled inaudibly before turning to her.

When they were alone, he almost forgot about his circumstances, but he was in the heart of an enemy nation. His unit in total isolation. Even their weapons had been confiscated.

“I’m an Imperial soldier, so it’s hard for me to offer my input.”

“Then you can just listen… I’m having a hard time understanding this. Why would Elletear bring my younger sister here?” The blond girl gently turned down her long eyelashes. “I mean, right? Ten days at this villa? What difference will that make? It doesn’t benefit anyone. It just makes my older sister seem suspicious. To be honest, the queen already suspects her. This is just driving a wedge between my family members.”

“I can’t wrap my head around it. I just want this to be over with. If things remain so uncertain, I won’t be able to settle things with you…”

She looked at him with upturned eyes, doe-like pupils fixed on him.

They needed to resolve things on the battlefield. All they had

done was proclaim each other as enemies.

So why did her eyes seem so passionate and lovely?

“My sister will return to the palace tomorrow morning, but Sisbell will remain here for ten days. She’s being blackmailed to stay, huh?”

“I will remain in the villa as well. Officially, I will do it to protect my sister, but I have another reason. I feel like I can tell you.”

“To keep an eye on us, right? I know.”

There were no astral mages guarding this vacation home. Alice was staying to deter the Imperial soldiers from causing problems there.

“Just so we’re clear, we’re not planning to try anything in enemy territory.”

“Obviously. If you caused a disturbance here, even I wouldn’t forgive you. I wouldn’t be able to, as a princess.”

Alice got up from the sofa, moving to the window. She was standing right next to Iska.

“Promise me this. You will never cause any problems inmy country, and you will not try to escape from the mansion. I do not wish to have another meaningless battle with you.”

“Not exactly.”

Alice had called Nebulis “her” country. For some reason, he was hung up on her word choice, but she seemed normal, so maybe she had done it unconsciously?

“Alice, did you just—?”

“Lady Alice.”

There was a knock at the door of the room.

Was that the servant? Alice immediately backed away to distance herself from him.

“Wh-what is it?”

“Is Mr. Iska here? Lady Elletear has asked us to bring him.”

“…She has?” Alice’s whisper couldn’t be heard outside the door. “…How did you know where Iska is?” called out the princess.

“All right. I will have him head over.” Alice looked at him out

of the corner of her eye and silently pointed at the door. “Iska.”

“Do not trust my sister. You…aremyrival.”

That served as the final push to send him away from the room.

The girl in the housekeeping apron gave him a small bow. “Please come this way.”

Elletear’s room was the closest to the front of the hallway. The door adorned with the portrait of the girl with the emerald hair opened.

“Please go in.”

With that, the servant took her leave.

…She only obliged because she was ordered to call me.

…I guess she can’t stand to see my face. She makes it so obvious.

This was only natural.

Alice and Sisbell were just exceptions. This was probably the best that Imperial soldiers would get.

“…It’s Iska. I think you called me here.”

“Please come in,” trilled someone from the lit living room.

He headed into the space illuminated by the light of the chandelier. The living room was adorned with a carpet reminiscent of a grassy field.

In the center of the living room were two sofas facing each other.

The eldest princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty smiled at him…in her bathrobe. Her cleavage—she was more well-endowed than Alice—peeked out of the deep neckline. The hem barely covered her butt, and her pale thighs were bare.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just came out of the bath.”

Beauty personified smiled, enjoying herself, when Iska reflexively turned to look away.

“But I am happy. It seems you even consider a witch a woman… I’m delighted by the fact you’re blushing.”

“…Were you trying to test me?”

“Hmm. Who knows? It is true that I just got out of the bath. Don’t think too deeply about it. I simply like this bathrobe.”

She invited him to sit with her gaze. Iska continued to cast his

eyes away to prevent himself from directly looking at Elletear’s breasts or thighs as she sat across from him.

“Hee-hee. Cute.” She seemed to be having fun. “You look at me differently from the people I met in the Imperial capital.”

“In the Imperial capital?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I was a double agent. There was a time when I had ties to the Imperial headquarters.”

“…And you weren’t just taken captive by our troops?”

“I kept my identity secret. If they realized I was a descendant of the Revered Founder, they never would have let me return to my home country. Now it’s just a good memory.”

She crossed her legs and placed her hands together on top of her knees. She was barely a yard away from Iska’s seat. He could touch her if he reached out.

“Are you trying to see if I’m actually here alone? That there are no guards or attendants here?” She stared straight at him. “You make it so obvious when you stare at me before scouring the room with your eyes.”

“…Yeah, to be honest.”

“Honesty is a virtue. I will respond in kind by answering you truthfully. There’s no one else. Not my guard. And I have no attendants like Rin or Shuvalts, either.”

Even though she was part of the royal family? It was hard to believe a princess would have no guard, even if she could do everything herself without the help of an attendant.

…Is she bluffing because I’m an Imperial subject?

…I mean, evenAlicehas Rin protecting her.

Even the Ice Calamity Witch, who could take down an entire Imperial base on her own, had a guard. With Elletear’s astral power, it would seem she would require one. Iska would have been able to crush a witch with no experience in battle with his bare hands.

Then why was she acting so composed?

“If I told you I’m in the same camp as Sisbell, would that explain things?”

“…Which means…”

“I am seeking someone like myself. No one in the Sovereignty will fight for the same goal as me. That’s why I invited you here, former Saint Disciple Iska.”

She hadn’t invited the squadron because they were Sisbell’s guards?

“Won’t you become my subordinate? That’s what I wanted to ask you.” Elletear exhaled and stretched.

He could see the outline of her breasts clearly under the bathrobe, but this must all be part of her calculations. She extended her back, groaning sensually in a way that could make anyone fall in love with her.

“What do you think?”

“…I don’t understand. How could there be no one else in the Sovereignty?”

He could understand when it came to Sisbell’s circumstances.

She was searching for the traitors to the current regime. Until then, she wouldn’t let anyone join her team. It made logical sense.

“Formidable astral mages are everywhere. Even I know that,” Iska said. “There has to be someone for the job.”

“I want to crush this very country.”

“…Come again?”

“I want to crush present-day Nebulis into smithereens. I want to overturn it from its roots.”

Her face had grown scarlet…from excitement, and Elletear’s eyes were glazed over as if imagining that future had filled her with rapture.

“Don’t you think this is perfect for you, Imperial soldier? Let’s destroy the Sovereignty together.”

He couldn’t form any words. What was this princess saying?

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The sweat beading on Iska’s face wasn’t from distress or shock. It was from something that chilled him to his very core.

…Alice and Sisbell think differently, but they’re planning on becoming the queen.

…They’re trying to protect their country out of love.

But Elletear? It seemed it was the opposite for her.

She couldn’t care less about the throne; she was a traitorous witch attempting to bring the nation to ruin.

“But why would you want that?”

“I’ll tell you if you choose to work under me… Oh, I might just melt, imagining what the future holds. I want to break thishorribly drabcountry even a day sooner.”

“…But Sisbell is here,” Iska barely managed to blurt out from his dry lips. “She could re-create this conversation just now. If the queen caught wind…”

“Just kidding.”

“It was a joke. Obviously, the eldest princess would never imagine such things. There is no issue if Sisbell happens to hear.”

Elletear switched her tone. If her voice had just been thorny, it was now as soft as a carnation—lovely from every angle. There was no way to be suspicious of such a voice.

“I called you here out of curiosity. I couldn’t believe a Saint Disciple would break a witch out of prison. I wanted to talk to you, just the two of us.”

“…You did your research.”

“I heard there was an unusual person in the Imperial army. A berserker who hates battle. A soldier who was barely a Saint Disciple and hoped to capture one of the Sovereignty’s purebreds to force peace negotiations.”

“Whotold youthat?!”He felt as if he’d been electrocuted, and he jumped to his feet.

…I only told a few people.

…I’ve told Unit 907, and I said something similar when I was promoted to Saint Disciple.

Even within the Imperial headquarters, there were only a handful who really knew what was going on in his mind.

Who had told her? The Saint Disciples? The Eight Great Apostles?

Just who was this princess in contact with in the Empire?

Riiiiiiiiing…The handbell rang from nowhere in particular. It came from the hallway and spread through the room as if to fill the space.

“It’s eleven. That marks the end of the day. The servants have just finished their work. Now they will each retire and sleep within the hour.”

“I suppose you understand what I’m trying to say.”

“…That our conversation is over?” He leaned forward, fervor completely dampened.

She must have calculated that timing perfectly.

…Time is up before we can get to my questions.

…How clever does she have to be to pull this off so immaculately?

She had gotten him, he realized. Iska exhaled.

“It saves me the trouble of explaining. Though our conversation for tonight has come to an end, we may speak again if the opportunity presents itself. Next time, I would like to speak to you about the Saint Disciples who work with you.”

“…You think an Imperial subject would leak our top secrets?”

“There are two people who wield swords among the eleven. You, Iska, who used to be in the eleventh seat and Joheim in the first. I know that much.”

Her voice was so lovely. Her fingertips crept along the flushed skin near her chest, which was fascinatingly moist with sweat.

“I wonder who would be stronger: you or Joheim?”

“I would love to know. Back in the old days, it seems Imperial nobles would have their servant swordsmen fight each other in the arena.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“I specialize in anti–astral mage techniques. I never trained to fight against people. Even if I competed, I would fall behind at the first or second strike, and I’d lose at the third.”

Elletear was silent. She didn’t deride or mock him, instead offering the tiniest of smiles. He quietly turned around.

“If you’ll excuse me.”

“Oh, please wait. Where are you going?”

“I believe I was clear. It’s time to retire to bed. This way.”

The eldest princess was on her feet, opening a door at the back of the living room.

The bedroom.

Inside was a bed large enough for several people. The sun-dried sheets were clean with nary a wrinkle.

“My bed is so very big. It may even be too large for two people.”

“…Um? I’m not following.”

“You’re not here as Sisbell’s guard, but as my guest. And just as I told you earlier, I do not have anyone to protect me. How can I even sleep at night?”

“…I-I suppose.” Iska was backing away as she eyed him suggestively.

Even though she looked stunning, he found himself imagining a predator pinning its prey with its gaze.

“That is why I would be so happy if you snuggled with me.”

“What now?!” barked Iska involuntarily.

He didn’t even completely get it, but alarm bells were blaring in his head, telling him that obliging her request would be unforgivable.

“That’s impossible! I mean, I’m in the Imperial army!”

“Hee-hee. You’re even cute when you’re surprised. I’m starting to see how witnessing a gentleman as strong as a Saint Disciple lose his composure can be fun.”

Iska glued himself to the corner of the room. Elletear stepped toward him.

Her slender fingers reached out to his cheek.

“Now, Iska—”

“What do you think you’re doing?!” someone snapped.

“Hmm? Sisbell?”

“Huff, huff…I just barely made it. I couldn’t find any sign of Iska, so I used my astral power to locate him… You have nothing to worry about now, Iska.”

The youngest sister had kicked open the door, holding what looked like a master key. She must have been ready for bed, because she was in an adorable light-pink nightgown.

“…You’ve really done it this time,” she snarled.

“Oh? What ever could you mean?”

“Cover yourself first! I’m sure your closet is packed with clothes!”

“Must I? But it’s sweltering, and I feel so feverish.”

“Chop-chop!”

“…Fine. As long as you stop glaring at me.”

Elletear reluctantly started to change in the adjoining room. Sisbell did not stop her interrogation.

“I know your ulterior motives. You’re trying to make a move onmyIska to destabilize me.”

“Oh, it seems you’ve misunderstood two things.” Elletear emerged, dressed in nightclothes.

Unlike Sisbell’s nightgown, her clothes were more sensual, emphasizing all her feminine curves.

“I never intended to deceive my adorable little sister.”

“…And what’s the other misunderstanding?”

“Listen, Sisbell. He’s my guest now. In other words, Iska is as good as mine.”

“I won’t let that pass! Iska is my guard! In other words—”

Sisbell was howling again, never peeling her eyes off her older sister as she pointed at Iska behind her.

“I have the right to cuddle with Iska!”

“Since when?!” Iska exclaimed.

“Do you get it, Sister? Then I will take Iska to my room.”

“You’re so silly, Sisbell. He will sleep with me.”

“Wait. Do I get a say on the matter? I think you should ask for my opinion!”

They weren’t listening to Iska. Well, it was more like they hadn’t heard him.

The princesses had already dismissed the Imperial swordsman, glowering at each other.

The youngest sister, Sisbell, was baring her cute canines.

The eldest sister, Elletear, was looking down at her with a dauntless smile.

“Hah… I’m surprised you’re talking back to me. I suppose it is my role as your sister to praise you for growing up.”

“But, Sisbell, you’re severely lacking something.”

Elletear went on the move, slipping past her younger sister and heading right to Iska.

“Iska.” With dewy eyes, she squeezed his hand in hers. “Would you hear me out?”

“Y-you’ve still got more to say…?”

“I’m so nervous about spending a night in the mansion without a single guard… Can you hear it? My heart is pounding.”

She yanked on his hand.

He had no time to realize what was going on as Elletear pressed it against her chest.

“See? It’s beating so fast. Feel how nervous I am.”

“Wh-what are you—?!”

It was as if he was touching the finest grade of cotton. Her breasts were weighty, though, and he could feel her body heat. He was at a loss for words, and his brain still hadn’t processed all of this. His mind went blank.

“Uh…um, uhhh…”

“What do you think? Can you feel my heart pounding?”

“As iiiiiiiiiiif!” Sisbell body-slammed her and pried Iska’s hand free. “Wh-what do you mean I’m lacking in something?! I’m a growing girl. Yours are just…larger than life!”

“Take a look, Sisbell. This is called a royal embrace.”

“Y-you call that a royal embrace?!”

“Plus, it shows I’m placing my body in his trust.”

“…Guh. B-but you can’t do this! I won’t hand Iska over to you!”

Sisbell yanked on his other hand.

He was being pulled by the witch sisters on both sides.

“Hold it right there!”

The missing piece.

The middle sister’s shout pealed through the living room.

“I thought I heard a commotion… Wh-wh-what do you think you’re doing…? What are you doing capturing Iska?!”

“Sister?!” The youngest sister bolted upright.

“You left the door open, Sisbell,” Elletear said. “She must have heard our voices in the hallway.”

Elletear didn’t even flinch, seeming pleased by this turn of events.

Glaring at her sisters, Alice marched to them, taking long strides. She must have been ready to go to bed, too, because she had draped some clothes over her shoulders to hide her nightgown.

“Sisbell, explain yourself.”

“Guh…I suppose you’ve caught me red-handed. But we don’t need your intervention!”

The youngest witch refused to let go of Iska’s hand.

“I heard you have no relationship with this Imperial soldier. In that case, you have no right to say anything about my treatment

of him.”

“…Uh?” Alice inhaled sharply when her sister poked her sore spot. “Regardless, he is still an Imperial soldier. Since he is an enemy of the Sovereignty, I have the right to question your behavior, Sisbell. The same goes for you, Elletear.”

“We’re planning to cuddle for the night.”

“We’re going to snuggle.”

“…You’re sleeping together?” Alice blinked back blankly.

This was all so alarming, common sense seemed to fly out the window.

“Y-you’re cuddling?! Wh-wh-wh-what do you think you two are saying?!”

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“I am entirely serious.” Sisbell wouldn’t let go of Iska’s hand. “I can’t fathom spending a night without my attendant. Iska volunteered to sleep with me. As I’d expect of my servant!”

“Like I said, I’m not your servant!”

“Oh, Sisbell. There seems to be a grave misunderstanding.” Elletear held onto his other hand.

Even if Iska wanted to shake Elletear off or pull his hand away in protest, he was dangerously close to brushing up against her breasts again, so he couldn’t move carelessly.

“I was the one who invited Iska to the mansion. In that case, you should assume Iska is mine during this visit.”

“No! Iska is working for me!”

“As I said, stop right there!” Alice stepped into the fight. “Please get a hold of yourself. I won’t give Iska to anyone!

“Hmm? I thought this was your first time meeting him, Alice. And he is an Imperial soldier. He should be one of your despicable enemies on the battlefield,” Elletear noted.

“Uh…ugh…uhhh?!” Alice gritted her teeth. She was glaring at the ceiling, desperately hoping to come up with a good excuse.

“I-I know!”

Her face lit up.

“Because he is an Imperial soldier, I cannot allow my sisters to be with such a dangerous individual. According to the rumors, their men become carnal beasts at night!”

“That’s slander!”

“Quiet, you! …S-so that’s why I’m here! To protect my sisters from this savage!”

“A beast, huh? He doesn’t strike me as one.” Elletear looked between Iska and Alice, then cocked her head to the side. “If that’s the case, Alice, do you have any bright ideas for us?”

“I-I will stay the night, too!” Alice planted her hand on her chest. “I will cuddle—I mean, I’ll sleep here to keep an eye on the Imperial soldier if you two are spending the night with him.”

“…Uh, so, personally, I’d like to sleep in my own room by myself,” Iska mumbled.

“So the four of us will sleep together? Hmm, my bed can accommodate us, so I suppose that would be fine. What do you think, Sisbell?”

“I have no qualms.”

“But what about whatIthink?! C’mon, guys!” Iska’s desperate pleas went unheard.

The three sister witches were apparently already in a battle in a higher dimension than what Iska could fathom or see.

“The issue is our positions in the bed.” Sisbell crossed her arms, looking entirely serious. “I have an idea. We can order ourselves from oldest to youngest, with Elletear, Alice, and then me. Iska can be at the left end. How’s that?”

“Oh my, Sisbell. In other words, you want to keep him all to yourself? That seems unfair. What do you say, Alice?”

“I-I don’t particularly care whether I’m next to Iska…b-but I see. If that is a matter of debate, then why don’t we draw straws for it?”

Alice took notepad paper from the top of the table, tearing it into three strips that she labeled “left,” “middle,” and “right.”

“Iska will be on the left side of the bed. Now we simply need to decide our positions. If you draw ‘left,’ you get to sleep next to him. Is that all right?”

“M-me first!” Sisbell drew an option before the others. “Th-the middle… In other words, I won’t be next to Iska,andI will have to be squished between both of you…”

“Oh my. I am on the right, so I suppose I’m at the very end of the bed. Well, that means…”

“Y-yes! I win! I’m next to Iska!” Alice jumped up and down as she clutched the final paper in her hand. “The last one gets the luck of the draw. I get to sleep with him and—”

“Gah?!” The middle child came back to her senses.

“You seem suspiciously happy…”

“A-ahem. What could you possibly mean, Sisbell? I will sleep next to the Imperial soldier to protect you both. There is no more ideal position for me to sleep in.”

“Then why do you sound sojubilantabout it?”

“I-I most certainly do not! Obviously I detest the fact that I will have to sleep next to an Imperial soldier!” Alice sighed in relief. “And you, Imperial soldier! Th-this is an exception. Snuggle with me… Er, I meant to say I grant you special permission to sleep beside me!”

“Like I said, I’d rather stay in my room…”

“Your. Answer?”

He was dragged along as they escorted him to the bedroom.

A sweet smell tickled his nose. There was white smoke wafting from a transparent container set up in a corner of the room—maybe some plant-derived essential oils.

…I’m in a girl’s bedroom.

…I’ve only been in one other—Alice’s. Isn’t this my second time?

Iska had peeked into Commander Mismis’s and Nene’s rooms in the women’s dorms, but he hadn’t exactly crossed the threshold. He hadn’t had a clue this trial would be waiting for him.

“Hee-hee. I wonder how long it’s been since all three sisters slept together. This should be fun.”

“…Fine. I give up on sleeping with Iska, but I can rest easy in the same room as him.”

The oldest sister reclined on the right side of the bed. Next to her, Sisbell cautiously came to lie facedown.

“Alice, come to bed. Don’t stand there like a board. What’s gotten into you? Why is your face all red?” Elletear asked.

“Iska, what’s up with you? Even you’re blushing.”

Iska and Alice had frozen up at the corner of the bed, facing each other.

“After you, Alice.”

“Y-you first. I’ll get in last…!”

“But I’m supposed to be at the end.”

“You’re the guest! You first! …Fine. Let’s get into the bed at the same time.”

Elletear, Sisbell, Alice, and Iska were lined up in the bed. A single top sheet covered all four of them. They were much too close to each other.

In fact, Iska could hear the three sisters breathing in his ears as soon as the light went off.

…How can I get a wink of sleep here?!

…Ah well, I was planning on keeping watch anyway.

That was his duty as Sisbell’s guard. He had been planning to borrow her communications device so he could return to his room and be on standby in case she requested assistance.

Since they were staying in the same room for the night, he was more worried about…

Just as Iska opened his eyes, he found something right under his nose.

“…Shh. Quiet. The other two will hear us.”

Sleeping on her side, Alice had her eyes open, staring at him. Their faces were hardly seven inches apart. Even with the lights off, Iska could make out the details of her face.

“Th-they’re already asleep…so if we don’t keep quiet, we’ll wake them up…”

Alice talked to him in a soft whisper. The gentle breathing from behind her was coming from either Elletear or Sisbell. Only Iska and Alice were awake.

“Iska. Um… As you know, I have to consider my position as a princess. Our skin cannot touch. You must be careful.”

“I mean, I wasn’t planning on doing anything weird.”

“But if you—”

She gazed at him from up close. He was sure her face was red from nerves. There was no other reason for her to be blushing.

“If you were to fling your arms around me in your sleep, I suppose I wouldn’t do anything about it. I would have to overlook it if you did that unconsciously…”

“It sounds like you’re already loosening the rules!” Iska whispered loudly.

“I-I am just clarifying for good measure! It’s not as if I want it to happen. Don’t take my words out of context!”

“Oh, Iska!”

Alice shivered when Elletear spoke up.

“A-are you awake?” Alice asked.

Alice received no reply. She was just about to turn around to check behind her.

“Oh, Iska, not in front of others! You’re so bold.”

The eldest daughter seemed to be talking in her sleep. This piqued their interest.

“Hee-hee. I have an idea,” Elletear murmured.

“…Aaah? Wh-what do you think you’re doing, Iska? You can’t just take me into your arms. That is much too soon for us,” mumbled Sisbell, feigning innocence.

It seemed Sisbell was talking in her sleep, too.

“Gotcha! Oh my, you’re much softer than I imagined, Iska.”

“I-Iska…mm…please. Where do you think you’re grabbing? Oh, that tickles. I…can’t believe you’re so bold.”

“Hee-hee. Cute voice.”

What were they even doing over there? More importantly, what were they even dreaming about?

The two sisters behind Alice seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Alice flung her arms around Iska.

Sisbell had kicked Alice in her sleep, pushing her up against Iska like a domino.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“I’m fine, but, Alice, uh…could you give me some room…?”

“Sisbell keeps kicking me, so I can’t go back to my original spot.”

“Just how much does she toss and turn in her sleep?!”

If he were pushed farther, he’d end up falling off the bed. All Iska could do was tolerate her presence.

…It’s so dark, and she’s so close. I can hear Alice’s breathing.

…Wait. Does that mean she can hear me?

They were on their sides, facing each other.

Even though Iska was slightly taller when they were standing, their eyes were level now, since their heads were propped up on pillows.

Alice’s hand reached out to touch Iska’s chest. Not just gently with her fingertips. She pressed her entire hand against him.

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