(Heartfelt thanks to 'World's End Ballad,' 'Youyouzi's Lament,' and 'Long Lian Qingxue' for their rewards!)
"Mm..."
With a soft moan, Haruhime gradually regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes.
Perhaps because she had only just awakened and her mind was still hazy, Haruhime stared blankly at the ceiling and murmured in a low voice.
"Me... what happened to me?"
Her voice was so quiet that it could practically be described as a mosquito's buzz.
Yet in this silent room, even the faintest sound seemed exceptionally clear.
Thus, the second person present heard her clearly and answered.
"You passed out. It's been about half an hour, I think?"
The moment those words reached Haruhime's ears, she reflexively turned toward their source.
In the Far Eastern-style room, which resembled a Japanese chamber, Noah sat on a comfortable-looking floor cushion before a low table, casually sipping sake.
Neatly arranged dishes covered the small wooden table before him, along with a bottle of sake that was already nearly half empty.
Clearly, Noah had been sitting there drinking and eating for quite some time.
Realizing this, and recalling what Noah had just said, Haruhime finally remembered what had happened before she lost consciousness.
Her eyes widened. She hurriedly sat up from the bedding and repeatedly apologized to Noah with an expression that looked as though she might burst into tears.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's all this girl's fault! It's all this girl's fault!"
Seeing Haruhime apologize so anxiously and fearfully, Noah could not help recalling what Aisha had told him before leaving.
"Haruhime passes out almost every time she sees a man's body. She simply can't serve men at all. All these years, whenever Haruhime fainted, I stepped in and took her place," Aisha had said.
"That girl has no idea about it. She