The scene changes to Emilia's room.

Emilia opened the windows and left the door ajar.

"I'll leave everything open so they don't complain later," she said casually.

"They fixed your wall pretty quickly," Kay said, already without his mask, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Don't worry about it. My parents understood," Emilia replied, pulling a chair closer to him.

Kay leaned back, looking at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry about Takemichi," she said gently.

Kay shook her head.

"I'm fine. I said I didn't like him very much, but as a Captain he was good. What I'm worried about now is what it's going to be like when I find Mira and Rem," he admitted thoughtfully.

Emilia sat down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand. Tell them I send my condolences," she said.

Kay nodded.

"I will." And you, what have you been doing lately? — he asked, trying to change the subject.

— The usual. I wake up, train, take a shower, have breakfast, take classes. Then I have lunch, train some more if there are no classes, take a shower again and wait for a message from you... But you rarely send any. — Emilia said, with a slight smile.

Kay scratched the back of her neck, embarrassed.

— Sorry. There's so much going on...

— I understand. Now things will be more difficult for you and for us too. Don't worry about me. — Emilia said, looking him in the eyes.

Kay held her hand and replied:

— You're important to me. Of course I care.

Emilia smiled, gently touching his face.

— They both understand you better than anyone else. Just be honest with them. Be there when they need you, and everything will be fine. — she said tenderly.

— Thank you, Emilia! — Kay said.

Emilia smiled. The two stared at each other for a moment, until Kay gathered her courage and kissed her. Her eyes widened in surprise, and moments later, she ran to the bathroom, visibly disgusted.

"Is this still affecting her?", Kay thought, worried. "And now, how am I going to deal with this alone?", he thought, casting a sidelong glance at the door.

Before he could process more, Aiko ran into the room and jumped towards him.

— Are you crazy, girl?! — Kay exclaimed, holding her arm in the air.

A syringe almost hit his neck.

— There's a pervert in my cousin's room! — Aiko shouted, but her voice was muffled by Kay's hand covering her mouth.

Kay pushed her lightly onto the bed, taking the syringe from her hand.

“What is this liquid you were going to give me?” Kay asked, frowning.

“Poison!” Aiko replied without hesitation.

“Idiot, why are you carrying that around the castle?!” Kay said, holding her tightly as she struggled to get free.

“I'm not a pervert! Look carefully! I was at the meeting!” Kay stated, trying to justify herself.

“That's a lie! I would remember someone as ugly... as perverted as you!” Aiko retorted.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Kay let her go, crossing her arms as she stared at him, confused. He took his mask and showed it to her.

“So... it's you!” Aiko exclaimed, narrowing her eyes before attacking again with another syringe.

Kay skillfully dodged and grabbed her from behind, immobilizing her.

“Why did you attack me again, you idiot?!” Kay shouted.

“You’re the idiot! Baka, baka!” Aiko replied, furious.

Kay stood there, looking at her, visibly confused.

“What’s wrong?!” Aiko shouted.

“What does ‘baka’ mean?” Kay asked, still perplexed.

“Can you let me go?!” Aiko said, irritated.

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry.” Kay let her go.

As soon as she was free, she spun around quickly and tried to attack him with another syringe. Kay grabbed her hand before the needle could hit him.

“Can you stop this?!” Kay exclaimed.

Aiko’s eyes widened. Her body shook, and she dropped the syringe. Kay caught it in midair before it hit the floor.

“How dangerous!” he murmured, relieved.

When he looked at Aiko, he noticed that her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow. It was then that he saw another syringe stuck in her buttocks.

“You’ve been poisoned!” Kay thought, alarmed.

Footsteps coming from the bathroom made Kay’s eyes widen in terror.

“I’m sorry, Kay!” Emilia said, coming out of the bathroom.

Kay was sitting on the bed, trying to hide it.

“I thought I heard another voice... It was kind of noisy in here. What were you doing?” — Emilia asked, frowning.

— I... was exercising. I'm sorry I did that in your room! — Kay replied, looking away.

"Idiot! I'm just paralyzed! Don't hide me under the blanket like I'm evidence of a crime!", Aiko thought, irritated.

— I didn't mean to do that... — Emilia muttered, looking at the floor.

— I understand. That day is still on your mind. Okay, let's take it slow. — Kay said, trying to calm her down.

"What are they talking about? Does Emilia know that soldier?", Aiko thought, confused.

Emilia sat down next to him on the bed.

— It was so sudden... I washed my mouth and brushed my teeth. Maybe now... I won't feel sick. Can we try again? — Emilia said, hesitant.

"Try what again?", Aiko thought, not understanding.

— We can do it another day. It's not good to force it now. — Kay replied.

— I want to try. You're going to be away for a week. Please! — Emilia begged.

Kay touched her face gently.

— Just think about me. Just look at me. — he said, trying to calm her down.

— Yes... — Emilia replied.

— I'm with you. You don't need to be afraid. — Kay continued.

— Kay... — Emilia said, looking deeply into his eyes.

Kay brought her face closer to his.

— I love you. — he said.

Emilia was surprised for a moment, but soon replied:

— I love you too.

"Wait! What the hell is going on here?!" Aiko thought, completely confused.

Kay gave Emilia a quick peck and pulled away.

"How do you feel?" Kay asked.

Emilia touched her lips, still a little confused.

"So?" Kay insisted, worried.

Emilia pushed him abruptly on the bed and kissed him more intensely.

"What the hell is this?!" Aiko thought, desperate and short of breath.

"Wait, Emilia!" Kay said, laying her on the bed and getting off of Aiko under the blanket.

"I'm fine... Make me forget about that guard!" Emilia asked, opening her arms.

Kay hesitated, but ended up getting closer again. Emilia hugged him, and the two continued kissing.

"I love you... I love you..." Emilia said between kisses.

"Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something important?" Kay thought, intrigued.

— Can you stop this?! — Aiko shouted from under the blanket.

Emilia and Kay immediately separated, frightened.

"It was hers!", Kay thought, panicking.

Emilia looked at Kay, confused.

Kay pulled the blanket away, revealing Aiko completely paralyzed.

—What are you doing hiding here?! — Emilia exclaimed, completely embarrassed.

—The one who is confused and embarrassed here is me! You, kissing a soldier right next to your cousin! How shameless! — Aiko retorted, visibly irritated.

—We... we weren't kissing! And I didn't even know you were... Wait, why are you standing like that? — Emilia asked, looking at her cousin.

—How strange. You were still alive. You could have warned me! — Kay commented, crossing her arms as if nothing had happened.

—You idiot! That was just a temporary paralyzing drug! — Aiko shouted, furious.

— What's going on, Kay?! — Emilia asked, confused and unable to hide her tone of concern.

Kay sighed, trying to organize her thoughts before answering:

— How can I explain... She stuck herself with a syringe that, at first, I thought had poison inside. And I thought: 'Okay, this time the blame will fall on me.' If I had killed someone as important as this girl, I would definitely be executed. And considering that I'm already causing enough trouble... well, I thought it best to hide the evidence for now.

— You... what?! — Emilia said, incredulous, alternating her gaze between Kay and Aiko.

— You're a complete idiot! — Aiko said, still unable to move.

— Maybe... but at least no one was poisoned, right? — Kay replied, trying to ease the tension with an awkward smile.

— Kay! — Emilia and Aiko shouted at the same time, making him feel embarrassed.

"They really are cousins!" — thought Kay, watching the two argue.

— And you? I bet you tried to stick that syringe in him! — accused Emilia, crossing her arms and staring at Aiko.

— When I arrived, he was alone, lying on your bed! I thought he was some pervert, so I did it to protect you! — explained Aiko, pointing at Kay.

— And he ended up getting screwed over with that! — retorted Emilia, letting out an exasperated sigh.

— I have resistance! — said Aiko, starting to move her fingers slowly.

— Idiot, he's a soldier. Of course he must have resistance to poisons! — replied Emilia, rolling her eyes.

"What kind of crazy logic is that?" — thought Kay, confused by Emilia's comment.

— And you, kissing a soldier so intensely in your room... What will your father think of that? — exclaimed Aiko, with a provocative tone.

Emilia looked at her with a serious and cold gaze.