Fitting an elephant into a refrigerator requires three steps. Similarly, returning Gasper to the old schoolhouse also required just three steps.
Several minutes later, having carefully transported a certain thoroughly exhausted blonde vampire girl back to her usual cardboard box at the old schoolhouse, Bokue returned once more to the villa.
Inside the villa's first-floor parlor, Busujima Saeko still waited at the dining table, a shopping bag beside her.
And waiting alongside her—Sona.
"Sorry for the wait. Let's head out now."
Circling the dining table to reach both girls, Bokue extended his hand, indicating they place theirs atop his.
Busujima Saeko naturally had nothing to say, simply smiling faintly while rising from the table. She picked up the shopping bag containing two days' worth of beach vacation clothes and personal toiletries before grasping the young man's hand.
Sona seemed somewhat reserved, bowing slightly toward the extended hand. A faint blush unconsciously flashed across her expressionless face.
"Thank you for the trouble. Actually... I could have gone to school myself, but Onee-sama insisted I do this..."
"No problem—it's all on the way anyway."
"Th... thank you."
After thanking him again, the black-haired, glasses-wearing girl finally—somewhat stiffly—lightly grasped the young man's four fingers.
Cool fingertips carried traces of moisture.
Then, accompanied by a flash of magnetic field radiance, the next second, autumn noon's slightly dry, warm breeze blew against them.
Opening their eyes, fallen leaves danced along the wide central avenue under golden sunlight streaming down from above—though shaded by the walkway corridor between the teaching building and administrative building overhead.
"Alright, we're here."
Bokue spoke.
Glancing around, they'd already arrived within Saikai Academy's campus—specifically on the main central avenue immediately inside the school's front gate. West lay the teaching building; east, the administrative building.
Saikai Academy's student council office was located inside the administrative building.
"Mm... then we'll part ways here. I'll head to the student council office first."
Still blushing slightly while leaving these words, Sona bowed once more before turning toward the administrative building.
"Mm~"
Only after watching the black-haired, glasses-wearing girl's figure completely disappear into the administrative building entrance did Busujima Saeko withdraw her gaze, turning toward the young man beside her while exhaling softly.
"I must say, Bokue-kouhai really is quite popular. Even someone as strong-willed and proud as that student council president has fallen for you."
"...Jealous?"
Bokue didn't directly deny it, simply releasing his grip on the kendo girl's hand to instead familiarly wrap around her waist before sliding downward.
"Well now, how should I put this?"
Feeling the sensation at her skirt hem, Busujima Saeko's cheeks also flushed slightly red—though she didn't stop him.
One could only say it was fortunate today remained Sunday. Apart from boarding students, no one else occupied the school. Plus, since classes didn't meet on weekends, the entire teaching building area stood completely empty. So no need to worry about others witnessing the young man's bold actions.
"If I say there's a bit, there definitely is. After all, I'm still a woman... Though considering Bokue-kouhai's 'affairs' are already so numerous, and I happen to be one of them, there's really nothing to be jealous about."
"What affairs—they're all the same to me."
Finishing his words, Bokue's hand at the kendo girl's skirt gave a light pat before wrapping around Busujima Saeko to walk toward the dormitory.
"By the way, kouhai, could you come pick me up tomorrow afternoon?"
Before taking two steps, Busujima Saeko spoke again.
Pick her up?
Bokue glanced sideways at her, momentarily not understanding.
"Pick you up where? The dorm?"
"Of course."
Busujima Saeko hummed affirmatively while closing her eyes, tilting her head slightly to rest her cheek against the young man's chest.
"I said so earlier, didn't I? I'm still a woman—I get jealous, I get envious. Now even Sona-san and her sister are living together with you, yet I'm still staying in the school dormitory. It feels... somewhat unpleasant."
Hm?
So hearing this, that meant...
"Though not today."
As if already guessing what the young man would say next, Busujima Saeko opened her eyes and looked up with a smile.
"Let's wait until tomorrow. After returning to the dorm tonight, I still need to pack properly, then rest early... yawn~"
By the end, she covered her mouth while yawning lightly, seeming somewhat drowsy.
"Alright."
Completely respecting the girl's own wishes, Bokue agreed immediately.
"Mm~ speaking of which, there's one more thing."
As if suddenly remembering something, Busujima Saeko's tone carried threads of confusion.
"Lady Venelana... she's Rias-san's mother, right?"
"Yeah."
"But earlier she said she was your [Queen]. What's that about?"
Eh?
Bokue froze slightly, recalling briefly.
Seems... that did happen?
Yesterday morning, when Lady Venelana informed Rias she'd be staying on Itogami Island for the next few days.
'After all, Mom is Bokue-kun's [Queen], you know~'
That was the exact phrasing.
"Mm, that [Queen] actually refers to..."
Bokue organized his words before roughly explaining the Rating Game rules.
Busujima Saeko listened attentively from beginning to end before exhaling softly.
"I see—it's based on chess settings. I thought you'd even taken Lady Venelana as..."
She didn't finish, but anyone could understand the implied meaning.
Typically in conversations, when one party said such things, the other would immediately respond with "no no, how could that be possible?"
However, Bokue said nothing—uncharacteristically maintaining silence.
"..."
"...?"
The kendo girl vaguely sensed something off, looking up questioningly toward the young man beside her.
"Wait, you couldn't really have..."
"..."
Still not speaking, Bokue nodded earnestly.
Now it was Busujima Saeko's turn for silence.
What more could she say? She'd thought Sona and her sister already represented the limit. Never expected an even heavier bombshell.
"...Forget it. Back to that Rating Game discussion."
After brief pause, Busujima Saeko sighed helplessly.
"Since there are already so many girls, all the positions should be filled, right?"
"No, quite the opposite."
Bokue provided a negative answer.
"Currently, aside from Queen, no other positions have anyone."
"Eh? How come? Hasn't the Queen position already been taken by Lady Venelana..."
Busujima Saeko looked somewhat surprised.
According to her thinking, with so many girls already at Keystone Gate, a complete chess set only had King, Queen, two Bishops, two Rooks, two Knights, plus eight Pawns.
Barely sixteen positions total—surely enough people, right?
"Because everyone wants to be Queen."
Bokue shrugged lightly.
"Lady Venelana chose to temporarily manage the Queen's responsibilities for precisely this reason—at least preventing them from fighting over it."
Busujima Saeko: "..."
This is clearly abusing seniority for personal gain!
After a long while, the kendo girl finally sighed softly.
"In that case, count me in too. I can fill whichever position has an opening."
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