The library fell completely silent, with only specks of dust drifting lazily in the shafts of afternoon light.
That woman…
Shane lifted a hand and unconsciously rubbed his thumb along his lips. The faint, cool touch of the girl still seemed to linger there.
That intense sweetness had hit like a sudden gale, whipping his thoughts into a mess—while the culprit had already slipped away with infuriating ease.
So… does this count as confirming the relationship? Or what?
Shane rubbed his temples, a headache blooming.
He strongly suspected Ultear had deliberately left him this window of "go home and report you're safe."
That woman—whose personality was more than a little warped—was probably hiding somewhere right now, gleefully imagining how flustered and helpless he'd look when he faced Erza in a minute.
If he could help it, Shane really didn't want to go meet her at the station.
But when he thought about Ur spending all those years alone up in the northern lands… he couldn't afford to delay.
"…Sigh."
He hesitated on the spot for a long time, then finally resigned himself.
He bent down, slung the still-unconscious Gray over his shoulder—
"Ugh…"
Gray hung there like a sack of grain, with no sign of waking up.
"She really didn't hold back…"
Shane muttered under his breath.
He'd thought their relationship had eased up a little after that talk.
But Ultear's sneak attack just now had been vicious—almost like a petty, intentional act of revenge.
"If you're too embarrassed to let people see it, then don't do stuff like that…"
Grumbling the whole way, Shane hauled Gray back to the boys' dorm and tossed him onto the bed.
With that done, Shane had no more excuses to stall.
He inhaled deeply, then—like a prisoner trudging to the execution grounds—slowly shuffled toward home.
…
In the courtyard, rhythmic whistling cuts filled the air.
A girl's resolve to grow stronger wasn't going to fade just because they'd been apart for half a day.
When Shane stepped through the gate, Erza was in the front yard, swinging her sword with meticulous precision.
Afternoon sunlight poured over her; her crimson hair rose and fell with each motion.
She was utterly focused. Her blade cut cleanly every time, each strike producing a sharp air-burst. Sweat slid down her pale neck, collecting at her collarbone in bright beads.
That sharp, concentrated beauty settled Shane's nerves a little—only for a stronger, stranger guilt to follow.
From far away, Erza spotted him at the entrance.
"Hah…"
She lowered her sword and turned, breaking into a radiant smile. "Shane?"
She felt a quiet surge of relief—he'd come back quickly. Not following him out had been the right call after all.
If she'd gone running around for no reason, she'd look clingy and throw off the rhythm she'd only just rebuilt.
She brushed her slightly messy hair behind her ear and craned her neck to look past him.
"Where are Ultear and Gray? Why is it just you?"
"Ah… yeah."
Shane's body went rigid. His gaze slid away, refusing to land on her face.
"They… left first."
Logically, he and Erza were completely innocent. Even if he and Ultear were close, he shouldn't feel guilty.
But the moment those trusting eyes looked at him, the scene in the library replayed in his head on a loop, leaving him short of breath.
"Hmm…"
Erza frowned slightly.
This guy kept staring at clouds, then ants, then anything but her—never once meeting her eyes.
She walked closer, dissatisfaction sharpening.
Then she noticed something else.
"You're sweating, and your face looks off. Did something happen?"
There was worry in her voice.
"No! Nothing!"
Shane snapped upright like a soldier at inspection, voice jumping a few pitches.
"Anyway… I have to go out again soon. I just came back to tell you I'm safe."
He hadn't prepared himself to confess to Erza. And he didn't dare linger—afraid the longer he stayed, the more he'd say wrong.
"Is that so?"
Erza's concern slipped away. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Years of day-to-day instinct told her instantly—he was lying.
No matter how hard Shane tried to hide it, his urgency to flee was obvious.
Did something happen out there that he doesn't want me to know?
She didn't expose him. She quietly pushed the question down.
Gray had been with him. She could just interrogate that idiot later.
"I'm going, then!"
Pinned by Erza's probing gaze, Shane felt needles down his spine. He blurted it out and turned to bolt.
"Wait."
Erza called out.
Shane's heart dropped. "W-What?"
He turned back stiffly, terrified she'd insist on coming with him.
If she ran into Ultear now, he didn't even want to imagine the fallout.
But Erza only looked at him for two seconds, then spoke gently.
"Go and come back early. Be careful."
"…Okay."
Shane felt like he'd been granted a pardon. He exhaled and vanished down the road, not daring to pause.
Watching his back as he fled, Erza's smile slowly faded.
"So he's hiding something after all."
She rubbed her thumb along her sword hilt, thinking—then turned and headed toward the boys' dorm.
…
Station plaza.
Having finally escaped the battlefield known as "home," Shane felt his body go limp with relief—until he looked up and his temper flared instantly.
Ultear was leaning against a post by the signboard, arms crossed. She watched him hurry over with a lazy, utterly unconcerned expression.
"Ultear!"
Shane marched up, teeth clenched as he spat her name.
He wanted to accuse her… but after holding it in for a second, he choked on the words. He couldn't even find the right angle to start.
Shane's flustered, furious, completely-helpless expression put Ultear in an excellent mood. She laughed—bright and delighted.
The sound was clear and pretty, like beads striking jade.
During the confession, he'd looked dazed and evasive, and it had irritated her to no end.
Now she finally got to watch him squirm the way she wanted. The knot in her chest loosened.
Seeing her smiling so openly only made Shane feel more suffocated.
He even started to miss the old, deadpan Ultear—cold-faced and predictable.
This new, unreadable attitude was torture.
"Why meet at the station? If we're going to find Ur, we can just fly there. Why come here to take a train?"
Shane took a deep breath, repeating to himself that he had to stay calm and not let this woman drag him around.
"Oh?"
Ultear tilted her head, her tone pointed.
"I thought you'd bring Erza along."
"After all, flying while carrying two people is inconvenient."
"…."
Shane's mouth twitched.
She was still needling him.
Normally he would've shot back immediately: With my stamina I could carry three people easily.
But Ultear's current mental state was too dangerous. He didn't dare take the bait.
"I see."
He pretended not to hear the sarcasm and put on a look of sudden understanding.
"No wonder you specifically told me not to bring Gray."
Before Ultear could reply, Shane stepped in and wrapped an arm around her slim waist, lifting her into a bridal carry.
Black wings snapped open, whipping up a gale. In the next instant, they shot into the sky.
"Since it's just the two of us, we'll fly."
"You want to see Ur as soon as possible too, right?"
Ultear didn't resist. She let him move her.
Once they were airborne, she even looped her arms around his neck and rested her head lightly on his shoulder.
Wind howled past their ears. The body in his arms was soft and warm.
Only when this woman was quiet—when she wasn't talking—did Shane find her maybe, just barely, a little cute.
"I must've been out of my mind to tell her I like her too…"
Shane grumbled internally.
But the fragile warmth didn't last long.
"Hey, Shane."
Ultear's voice slipped into his ear on the wind—lazy, and instantly making Shane tense all over.
"What?" he asked warily, bracing for trouble.
"Whatever you plan to do next… just so you know."
"I'm not going to help you hide our relationship in front of Erza."
Now that their feelings were confirmed, she had no intention of forcing herself to tiptoe around.
Shane jolted so hard he nearly lost balance mid-flight.
He looked down at the girl in his arms with the sheer horror of a man staring at a demon.
"Relationship? W-What relationship are we?"
Even though he was panicking, Shane still tried to talk tough.
He hoped Ultear would get embarrassed and back off—so he could muddle through somehow.
"What do you think?"
Ultear wasn't embarrassed at all. She lifted her face and smiled sweetly.
"Lovers? A couple? Partners? Or… future spouses?"
"Which term do you think works best when introducing me to Erza?"
Her smiling eyes screamed: I've got you.
Despair swallowed Shane whole.
At this point, he only saw two paths:
Either confess everything to Erza and accept judgment…
Or let this woman keep him firmly in her grasp.
Just as he tried to scrape together one last bit of resistance, Ultear leaned close to his ear.
Warm breath brushed his ear—and then her teeth nipped lightly.
What is she doing now?!
Shane flinched hard. At this point, he'd developed a reflexive fear of Ultear's "affectionate" behavior.
"You don't want Erza to find out about us, do you?"
Ultear's devilish whisper curled around his ear—seductive and threatening at once.
It was a critical hit.
Shane's defenses collapsed completely. Even in the freezing wind, sweat broke out on his forehead.
After a long pause, he drooped, utterly surrendering.
"…I was wrong, Ultear-sama," he said hoarsely.
"Please… let me at least prepare myself mentally first."
"Mm. I'll consider it."
Ultear smiled in satisfaction. She released her bite—but tightened her arms around him.
In the wind, she closed her eyes, the corner of her mouth lifting in a victorious curve.
Just as she'd planned: as long as she kept weaving the web, tempting, nibbling away…
Soon enough, if nothing went wrong, his eyes would naturally hold only her.
~~~
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