Chapter 264: Courage's Ability to Grasp Key Points
Just as Ren had anticipated, the house remained quiet even as the sky outside brightened fully. No other guests had arrived. He welcomed the rare tranquility, settling into a comfortable chair downstairs with a book, watching the soft hues of sunrise paint the horizon. It was a perfect, peaceful start to the day.
"Good morning! Ren... Mister Ren!"
As Ren was about to get a glass of water, he looked up to see Courage standing at the top of the stairs. Her makeup was a touch heavier than usual, a clear sign of the effort she'd put in, though by most standards it was still quite subtle.
It was a classic case of natural beauty carrying the look; when someone was genuinely pretty, any style they chose seemed to suit them effortlessly.
Ren smiled. "Good morning, Courage. You're up surprisingly early. I was half-expecting you to sleep in past eight."
Courage descended the stairs, her eyes darting around the quiet living room. When she realized it was just the two of them, a flutter of nerves took root in her stomach.
"I... I guess I was still a little too excited from yesterday, so I didn't sleep for very long," she said, her voice a little nervous. Her gaze then fell on him, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Wait, Ren... you haven't been up all night, have you?"
Ren simply shook his head.
Courage's worry deepened. "Mister Ren, you have to get enough rest! Staying up all night is terrible for your health!"
He looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes at her sudden, serious expression. "Hm? I didn't realize you were so good at looking after people, Courage."
A blush crept up Courage's neck, but she pressed on, her tone earnest. "Do you really think I'm someone who can't take care of others? And I'm being serious, Ren. It really is bad for you~"
Seeing her genuine concern, Ren's smile softened. He reached out and gently tapped the top of her head. "Alright, alright. I'll be sure to get enough rest. Thank you, Courage."
She watched him walk into the kitchen, her cheeks still warm. Her fingers drifted up to touch the spot on her head where his hand had been, and a small, secret smile bloomed on her lips. It was strange how such a small gesture could fill her with so much happiness.
When Ren emerged from the kitchen, he found her still standing in the same spot, one hand on her head, smiling at nothing in particular. She looked utterly adorable.
Ren, a seasoned veteran in the games of the heart, could read her like an open book. Her feelings were so transparent she might as well have been shouting them from the rooftops. He had no intention of turning her away. Instead, a mischievous thought took hold: he was curious to see just how far she would go in her little 'conquest.'
Sometimes, a playful urge is simply impossible to resist. Ren was precisely that kind of person, while Courage, completely oblivious, believed he was a fortress she had to diligently lay siege to.
And Ren was more than happy to watch her try.
He cleared his throat gently. "Courage, what are you doing?"
"Ah? N-Nothing! I was just thinking about Decora and the others! Ahaha..."
Ren chuckled inwardly. As expected of someone whose romantic experience was zero, her attempt at hiding her thoughts was so obvious it was endearing. He decided it was better not to expose her; the resulting blush might just make her pass out.
"Eh? Ren, what are you reading?" she asked, her attention finally shifting. "The cover looks so... classical. And is this… English?"
He set down a cup of black tea for himself and placed a steaming mug of milk tea beside it. "It is," he confirmed with a smile. "It's something of a classic, but there aren't any translated editions available, so the original English is the only way to read it."
Courage's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow! Your English is that good, Ren? You must be fluent to read a whole novel in English!"
Ren just nodded. "Well, I used to travel a lot for competitions, so I spent a good amount of time in different countries. My English is decent enough. This is for you, Courage," he added, gesturing to the milk tea. "I made some. You look like you could use it; it might help you relax."
"Ah, you can tell?" She touched her cheek, a little worried. "I guess my sleep quality really was that bad... Wait, did you make this just for me, Ren?"
He nodded again and returned to his book, a quiet invitation for her to join him.
Courage carefully sat down on the sofa next to him, a thrill running through her at the simple proximity. The moment she settled, she felt her entire being come alive. She would steal a glance at his focused profile, then quickly look away, her heart thumping against her ribs. She wrapped her hands around the mug, the rich, milky aroma wafting up to her nose. The warmth seeped into her palms, a comforting heat that felt like it was spreading straight to her heart.
"Courage, what are you smiling about?"
"Ah? Nothing! I was just thinking that... you really are the kind of person who would make a great husband! So considerate~"
"Thank you for the compliment. Just let me know if you want more milk tea. But don't drink too much, or you won't have room for breakfast."
"Yes!"
While Courage was sipping her milk tea and stealing glances at Ren, an entirely different scene was unfolding upstairs. Kasugano Sora was stirring, an unsettling feeling pricking at her like a needle.
'Hiss… Why do I feel like someone's trying to steal something from me… Is it because I stayed up too late? This is so annoying...'
"Forget it! I can't sleep anyway!" she muttered to herself, sitting up decisively. "I'm going to find Brother Ren!"
Clutching her rabbit doll, Kasugano Sora opened her bedroom door. The moment she stepped into the hallway, she heard the sound of pounding footsteps. Turning her head, she saw a blur of white hair come hurtling down the corridor at the speed of an Olympic sprinter.
"Eh? Eh?!"
Just as Sora braced for impact, the girl skidded to a halt just inches from her, braking with surprising agility. She tilted her head, looking at Sora with open curiosity. "Huh? Who are you? What are you doing on the second floor?"
Sora looked at the delicate, impossibly cute girl in front of her and swallowed. "Um... I'm Kasugano Sora. I live here, too..."
"Eh!? Really?! That's great! It'll be even livelier now!" Cerberus beamed, her energy infectious. "Sora, you're really cute~"
"Uh..."
"Sora! Are you going downstairs?"
"Mm!"
"Let's go together! Together, together!"
Before Sora could even process what was happening, Cerberus grabbed her hand and pulled her along. She didn't let go until they reached the top of the stairs—what Sora would soon learn was Cerberus's designated launch point. Cerberus released her, took a running start, and shouted with a brilliant smile, "Master—! I mean, Ren, Ren, Ren! Catch me!"
Down below, Courage watched with wide-eyed envy as Cerberus soared through the air and landed perfectly in Ren's arms. At the top of the stairs, Kasugano Sora felt a similar pang, her eyes fixed on the scene.
It looked... like a lot of fun.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]