Chapter 274

"Oh... it was just a dream."

I feel like I had a bad dream.

Clael rubbed his sleepy eyes and got out of bed.

It felt like a dream that left a bad aftertaste... but in the end, it was just a dream. No point in worrying about it.

When he looked at the clock, it was just a little earlier than breakfast time. Clael finished changing and was about to leave the room.

"Ah... good morning, Mr. Clael."

Then, Yurii appeared from the direction of the washroom.

Yurii seemed to have already finished her morning preparations.

"Good morning, Mr. Yurii. You're up early."

"Yes, I was thinking of checking on Heizen."

"Ah... you mean Heizen."

Shura Heizen, whom they had picked up on the way back yesterday, was locked in one of the hotel rooms.

If asked whether he was a villain, it was a gray area... but attacking a party venue where the crown prince was present was definitely a crime.

They had already sent a messenger to Eric, informing him that the black lion who had attacked was Shura and that he had been captured.

"I've already asked the hotel staff to prepare breakfast. We have to feed him..."

"......You're right. I'll come with you."

Even though he was restrained, Shura was afflicted with a dangerous curse. Clael was uneasy about letting Yurii meet him alone.

Clael and Yurii stepped into the hotel hallway together and headed for the room where Shura was confined. Along the way, they received a sandwich from a hotel boy and entered the room.

"Excuse us, we're coming in."

"Bear?"

When they entered the room, there was the figure of a bound man.

And... the plushie bear that had been serving as a guard was there too.

"Thanks for your hard work. Sorry for leaving the watch to you."

"Kuma kuma."

The bear waved its short forelegs as if to say not to worry about it.

Just behind the bear, Shura, who was tied up and lying down, stirred.

"Are you awake, Heizen?"

"............Get that thing away from me."

When Clael called out to him, Shura let out a groan.

"It's been standing right in front of me while I sleep, and it's driving me crazy... why is a plushie standing and moving?"

"Oh... it's been a while since I heard something so reasonable."

By now, they had come to accept a world where plushies moved as normal.

Hearing Shura's words, Clael realized that his own sense of normal had become numb.

"Heizen, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Kneeling beside Shura, Yurii picked up the sandwich on the tray.

"It's breakfast. Please eat."

"......Don't come near me."

Yurii brought the sandwich closer, but Shura twisted his body to pull away.

However, since he was tied up with rope, he couldn't put much distance between them.

"If you come near me, you'll get hurt. Stay away."

"Just hearing that sounds like full-blown chuunibyou..."

Clael sighed.

Shura, wearing an eyepatch and draped in a coat, had a cringeworthy appearance... but it wasn't because of chuunibyou. He was hiding a beastified body caused by a curse.

"It's okay, I'm not scary. I'm a school teacher, after all."

"Wha... I said stay away!"

"Yes, yes. Just take one bite for now. It has ham in it and looks tasty."

"Mghh...!"

Smiling brightly, Yurii shoved the sandwich into his mouth like dealing with a stubborn child.

As a teacher with plenty of experience, she seemed used to dealing with rebellious students.

Though she seemed gentle, she was quite formidable.

"Come on, chew it well. Don't worry, there's nothing weird in it."

"Mghh! Gmm gmm gmmghh!?"

Shura flailed in resistance.

At that moment, a nearby shelf suddenly wobbled for some reason, and a decoration on it fell from above.

"Watch out!"

Clael shouted without thinking.

The decoration fell straight toward Yurii's head. It seemed the curse that brought misfortune to those around Shura had activated.

"Bear!"

But... the bear moved before Clael could.

It caught the falling decoration mid-air and held the wobbling shelf with its paw.

"Oh, impressive..."

The bear, inhabited by a Holy Spirit, had far superior combat ability than Clael. An accident like this was nothing to it.

"Huh? Did something happen?"

Yurii turned around and tilted her head.

She didn't seem to realize that danger had just been looming over her.

"No... it's nothing."

"I see. Then, here's the second sandwich."

"Mghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Once again, the sandwich-stuffing resumed.

With a cheerful smile, Yurii pushed the sandwich into Shura's mouth.

"Mr. Yurii... please give him water first."

"Ah."

"M-Mgh..."

Clael's comment and Shura fainting with his eyes rolling back happened at the same time.

"Hyaaaaaaaaaah! Th-this is bad!"

Yurii, flustered, tilted the water pitcher and splashed water on the boy who had choked from panicking too much.