When I Helped Out At My Classy Classmate's Family Home, They Started Going All Out To Close In On Me From Every Angle. - Chapter 18: It's Like A Dream, But It's Bad For My Heart—6.

It’s Like A Dream, But It’s Bad For My Heart—6.

Tsukimoto-san continued speaking.

“Every night, Ayame-sama goes to bed by ten o’clock. Staying awake this late must have been quite difficult for her.”

“I-I see,” I stammered.

“I noticed Ayame-sama heading toward your room by the sound of her footsteps. I had a feeling she might fall asleep, so I came to retrieve her.”

“I-I get it now.”

Still processing the situation, I watched as Tsukimoto-san—effortlessly lifting Ayame into a princess carry—stood up.

“Also, please call me by my given name, Mikage. Just like Ayame-sama, you don’t need to use honorifics with me.”

“Huh? W-Why’s that?”

“My parents also serve the Takamine family as attendants. Referring to me as ‘Tsukimoto-san’ would cause unnecessary confusion.”

“R-right, that makes sense.”

“Besides, someday you’ll be the master of this household.”

“Master?”

“In any case, please address me that way from now on.”

“Uh, sure. Got it, Mikage.”

When I said her name, she nodded in satisfaction. “That’s acceptable,” she replied.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Good night.”

Just as she had arrived, Mikage bowed politely and turned to leave. It seemed there would be no scolding tonight.

In fact, her request to call her by her given name hinted at something else entirely—acceptance. It wasn’t unreasonable to think that Mikage had come to acknowledge me.

Her demeanor had softened significantly. It felt safe to assume that there would no longer be any irrational punishment coming my way. That was a relief.

And yet, a vague unease lingered, like a small bone caught in my throat. I couldn’t understand why Mikage’s attitude had changed so drastically.

Being left in the dark about it made me restless. So, I called out to her.

“Wait, Mikage.”

“Yes?”

She turned back, looking at me expectantly.

“Are you no longer wary of me? Before, you almost broke my arm just for holding Ayame’s hand. But now, you didn’t say a word about this situation. Why is that? Can you explain?”

Our gazes met, and after a brief pause, Mikage began to speak.

“Back then, I asked you a question: ‘Why did you help Ayame-sama?’”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“And you answered: ‘I helped her for my own reasons. It was nothing more than self-satisfaction.’”

Mikage lowered her gaze, her eyes momentarily closing.

“Ayame-sama is an incredibly captivating person. As a result, she attracts a great many men. She’s been approached countless times, often by men with ulterior motives. There have been plenty who pretended to be virtuous just to get close to her. What they harbored was selfish desire—a longing to make Ayame-sama theirs.”

Mikage let out a small sigh and shifted her gaze to me.

“You were the first to say, ‘For my own reasons.’ And I believe you meant it. After all, when the Hanamori was in danger, you stepped in to help, despite having no personal connection to the matter.”

A faint smile formed on Mikage’s lips.

“That’s why I made my decision. I concluded that you are someone worthy of trust. That it is acceptable for you to remain by Ayame-sama’s side.”

“I see…”

Two realizations dawned on me.

The first, of course, was understanding why Mikage no longer viewed me with suspicion.

The second was gaining insight into her harsh attitude toward men.

From what Mikage had said, every man who approached Ayame had done so with impure intentions. Knowing that men had directed their desires toward someone Mikage deeply respected and admired, it was only natural for her to be on guard.