Just looking at the book made people feel pressured.
But the outcome of the story was pretty good.
As the protagonist, David lived quite freely, while Peggotty, his family's maid, also ended up happily with the coachman.
However, this classic was also one of the rare novels with two female leads. David had two wives.
Overall, it was a... depressing novel.
Still, it was far better than another book, The Insulted and Injured.
The content of that one was rather unbearable.
It was roughly the story of a cuckolded man constantly covering for the woman he loved so she could go on dates with her lover.
From that perspective, the novel was not good at all.
But—
It was a terrible story.
Yet Oreki found that there was a little girl in the story who liked the male lead quite a lot. That was rather exciting, and the girl was pitiful, proud, and loyal, making his heart race.
It just felt like...
Oreki read for a while.
Kikyou Kushida, who had worked up a sweat from kicking the wooden post, borrowed the shower room here.
Oreki even lent her his jacket to wipe herself down with.
After showering, she came out and found Oreki already seated in a chair to one side, having set aside the book he had been reading.
Then he lightly raised a hand toward her.
"Then we can begin this week's session," Oreki said. "Thank you again today, Kushida, for providing experience."
"..."
Perhaps because she had vented most of her emotions already, Kushida decided to be more rational now and obtain some information.
But that gesture from Houtarou Oreki meant that he wanted her to sit on his lap, didn't it?
Just as expected.
She knew it. Houtarou Oreki was not... such a simple person.