Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

There were two books on the round table in front of her.

The book that was opened was a book of wisdom that was still empty.

The other book has a thick, black cover with a dark red sheen along the spine edges—"Human Transformation".

She took this down from the top of the bookshelf herself last night.

Yesterday, Subaru Natsuki was clamoring to learn Human Transformation, and with a wave of his hand, he created a million soldiers with flesh and blood, emotions and righteousness.

Betty knew, of course, that this idea was utterly against human nature.

Betty still took out the book and casually placed it on the table, just in a spot where Subaru Natsuki would see it as soon as he entered.

She wanted to spend a little more time with Subaru Natsuki.

The thought had barely crossed Betty's mind when she puffed out her cheeks in embarrassment and annoyance.

There's absolutely no way she'd willingly go out and find that shameless guy.

But if Natsuki Subaru finds the forbidden library on his own, sees "Human Transformation" on his own, and then pesters her relentlessly for guidance, and Betty's refusal is useless, then that's a different story.

When the time comes, Betty will only need to look embarrassed, scold him a few times, and then reluctantly teach him a little.

In this way, the whole thing was initiated by Subaru Natsuki, and had nothing to do with whether Betty wanted to continue learning magic from him.

To make her story more believable, Betty even prepared her reasons for rejecting him beforehand.

But the thought of Subaru asking her for help reminded Betty of the bold actions that guy had taken yesterday in order to learn [Stagnation].

That guy spouted nonsense and was incredibly audacious. He even dared to put his hand on Betty's head and grope her, calling her "Ms. Beatrice" in a tone that sounded like he was coaxing a child.

"What an annoying guy Betty is."

Betty gave a soft hum, her round cheeks puffing out.

But the next moment, another sentence that Natsuki Subaru had said yesterday popped into her mind.

"Thank you, Lady Beatrice, I love you to death."

Betty's cheeks flushed slightly.

She quickly lowered her head, hiding half of her face behind the Book of Wisdom, as if that way no one would notice.

But she was the only person in the forbidden library.

"What a shameless guy, saying such things so casually."

Betty complained softly, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled up slightly.

Betty's fingers gently pressed against the blank page of the Book of Wisdom.

"If that man could still find this place today..."

She was halfway through her thought when her face immediately tensed up.

Betty definitely didn't expect that guy to show up.

Just if.

Whether it was sheer luck or something else, if he really did manage to find the Forbidden Library a second time by some twist of fate, Betty would give him a chance to plead his case.

This is already a considerable concession from Betty.

Time passed little by little.

Betty opened the Book of Wisdom and quietly looked at the blank pages inside.

The door to the forbidden library remained unmoved.

After a while, she looked up and glanced at the door.

nobody.

Betty lowered her head and turned the page.

A moment later, she looked at the doorway again.

Still no one.

The two shoe tips, which had been swaying slightly, gradually stopped.

Betty pushed the book "Human Transformation" on the table aside, as if she thought it was an eyesore.

After a while, she quietly reached out her little hand and dragged the book back to her.

"It's better if they don't come."

Betty stared at the closed door and whispered:

Betty wanted to be alone anyway.

That's good.

That would be best.

As long as she stayed in the forbidden library to read, she would no longer have any other expectations.

But the more Betty told herself this, the clearer the scene from yesterday became.

When teaching magic.

Her brother nestled in her arms, Emilia sat at the round table, and Subaru Natsuki clumsily controlled his magic. The four of them huddled together, chatting incessantly.

That guy is incredibly noisy and always says strange things that nobody can understand.

After returning to the forbidden library and calming down again...

Betty, however, felt a strange emptiness in the room.

The emptiness is so profound it makes my heart ache.

My brother has found the person he wants to protect.

He found his happiness.

But Betty...

She lowered her head and looked at her lonely shadow reflected on the blank pages of the book.

After a moment of silence, Betty raised her little hand and gently touched her head.

The spot where Subaru Natsuki's hand landed yesterday still seemed to retain a trace of warmth.

"A reckless and audacious fellow."

Realizing what she was doing, Betty immediately pulled her hand back.

But the emptiness in my heart is something I can't shake off no matter what.

Click.

Just then, a soft sound came from the door that had been tightly closed for a long time.

Betty jerked her head up, and the two golden drill bits bounced.

She quickly sat up straight, picked up the Book of Wisdom, and pretended to be engrossed in reading from beginning to end.

The door slowly opened.

Subaru Natsuki poked half his body in, and upon seeing Betty, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Lady Beatrice! Heaven has eyes, you are still alive!"

Betty's expression instantly fell, feeling as if all her expectations had been wasted.

"Betty was standing right in front of you yesterday, why is she supposed to be dead today?"

"There's nothing we can do. Since last night until this morning, Teacher Beatrice's fate has remained unknown."

Subaru Natsuki looked serious.

Betty rolled her eyes, not wanting to argue with Subaru Natsuki any further.

Subaru Natsuki pushed open the door and walked in, his cuffs still covered in a little flour that he hadn't wiped off. It was left over from when he was preparing breakfast for Rem, which was why he was a little late in finding Betty.

"Teacher Beatrice, let's continue learning magic today."

The bitterness that had been building up in Betty's heart all morning was gently dispelled by those words.

She couldn't help but smile.

But as Subaru approached, Betty immediately realized she was laughing and quickly turned her face away.

"Who wants to learn magic with you every day?"

"Betty was already being incredibly kind by teaching you yesterday. Don't assume she'll teach you again today. You shameless bastard!"

“I, Natsuki Subaru, have long since stopped caring about those vulgar and unbearable moral principles in this world.”

Natsuki Subaru waved his hand with a rather smug look on his face.

"Please, Teacher Beatrice, grant me this special favor today."

Betty gave a soft hum.

She tried her best to keep a straight face. Natsuki Subaru had just come up and said that she wasn't dead yet. Such words, which were clearly curses, should have made her very angry.

But for some reason, she couldn't suppress the inexplicable sweetness in her heart at this moment.

When Natsuki Subaru saw that Betty didn't move, he walked to the round table and tried to take her hand, but his gaze quickly fell on the thick, dark book.

"what?"

He said with some surprise:

"Ms. Beatrice, you changed your book?"

Betty's heart tightened, and she quickly reached out her two little hands to hug the book "Human Transformation" on the table.

"It has nothing to do with you."

She answered with a straight face, but secretly observed Subaru's reaction out of the corner of her eye.

Subaru Natsuki has now seen the book.

Betty secretly observed his expression, mentally rehearsing what was about to happen.

This guy would be surprised at first, then shamelessly beg Betty to teach him. Betty would refuse several times, and only after he had said all the right things would she reluctantly agree.

He might even resort to the same old trick and put that mischievous hand on Betty's head.

Thinking of this, Betty tightened her grip on the book, her chubby cheeks puffing out slightly.

'Hmph, that man who spouts nonsense is always staring at Betty's cute head.'

'But there's nothing we can do about it, Betty's just so cute.'

Betty blushed and turned her head to the side.

Betty made up her mind that this time, no matter what he said, she would not easily agree.

Even if he knelt on the ground and begged Betty, she still wouldn't teach him!

Just imagining that scene, Betty's little legs, hidden under the table, swayed happily.

Natsuki Subaru stood in front of the table, staring at the book cover in Betty's arms for a while.

He was curious about what kind of book it was that could make Betty put down the blank book.

What a pity~

Don't forget his character design~

He's still the same illiterate man.

Not a single change~

Those words were no different from unfamiliar symbols in his eyes.

Natsuki Subaru quickly looked away and said with a smile:

"Oh, in that case, give me your previous book and I'll burn it for you."

"Burn each volume after you finish reading it, so it doesn't take up space here."

Betty's smile vanished instantly.

She waited all morning, only to receive this one sentence?