Chapter 122. Mr. Noah, aside from being a bit wicked, is quite good.

“…”

Watching the liquid before her shift from black to brown, Clotilde’s expression grew noticeably heavy.

Like the coffee she deemed demonic, she considered milk to be a sacred drink.

This liquid, born from the purpose of ‘nurturing,’ evoked thoughts of a loving goddess in her mind.

Thus, she cherished milk, believing it to be filled with divinity.

Yet, she couldn’t be certain if the sacred milk could dispel that dreadful taste.

If it couldn’t, wouldn’t it be a waste?

With such worries, Clotilde took another sip of the now much lighter coffee.

“…!”

Unlike the last time when she nearly retched upon tasting it, a gentler aroma flowed down her throat, prompting the nun to desire more.

It wasn’t so delicious as to be addictive; rather, the previous horridness and her low expectations made this taste quite pleasant.

However, noticing Noah’s ambiguous gaze from across the table, she quickly set her cup down, stifling her ‘greedy’ urge to gulp it all down.

“…Adding sugar and milk creates a completely different experience, but for children, it’s still too stimulating. I believe it’s better to drink milk straight.”

Feigning calmness as she cradled the cup, the seated nun offered her serious evaluation, as if she truly were a nun working in a convent.

“Ha, don’t worry. This is an adult’s drink. If you see someone giving this to a child, I’d fully support you in giving them a good smack.”

This time, Noah didn’t point out how dignified she looked when pretending to be serious, but her eyes sparkling the moment she took a sip was genuinely amusing.

Instead, while expressing his agreement, he planned to rise once more and head toward the front desk.

“…No, it’s not like it’s come to that.”

Watching Noah rise to leave, the nun couldn’t help but voice her exasperation.

Noah merely waved his hand dismissively as he turned his back to her, a gesture that seemed to say, ‘Suit yourself.’

His nonchalant demeanor irked her deeply, making her feel as if he had her firmly in his grasp.

With a sigh, she redirected her gaze to the coffee before her, now sweetened with milk and sugar, preparing to take another sip and savor its flavor.

“…Hmm?”

But just as her fingers brushed the cup, a realization struck her.

The originally dreadful concoction had transformed into something less terrible with the addition of delightful elements.

Was Noah suggesting that, despite her current plight, there remained a chance for improvement?

Hmph, such indirect concern was truly nauseating.

She wasn’t so fragile as to need comfort from someone as insufferable as Noah.

Though she didn’t wish to acknowledge it, she felt a sense of gratitude for the care she had received, even if it was overshadowed by the many rude things Noah had done to her before.

It was merely a matter of resetting to zero, yet the nun found her spirits lifted considerably, even sporting a smile she hadn’t realized was forming as she continued to sip her coffee alone.

It was a unique sensation, a blend of sweetness and bitterness, the warm liquid flowing down her throat felt imbued with some inexplicable magic, easing her previously tense mind, prompting her to close her eyes and savor the extraordinary interplay of flavors.

“Hey, Miss Nun, you really seem to be enjoying yourself. Is it true that you feel more at ease when I’m not around?”

Noah’s voice drifted back to her, and astonishingly, this time the nun didn’t feel annoyed. Instead, she replied in a tone that mirrored his ease:

“Of course! In fact, I’m surprised you’re self-aware enough to realize how annoying you can be, Mr. Noah.”

“Ha! I’m sorry to be such a bothersome fellow, but since you’ve said that, I suppose I’ll just irritate you further. The snack I had planned to share with you? I’ve eaten it myself.”

Hmm? Snack?

As Clotilde finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Noah grinning mischievously at her, two pieces of what looked like delicious cake sitting before him.

“W-wait a moment! Eating too much might not be healthy for you, so for your own well-being, let me help you with that.”

Though the delightful blend of bitterness and sweetness was surprisingly pleasant, the nun, who generally preferred sweeter flavors, found herself unable to tear her gaze away from one of the cakes, seeking an excuse to claim a piece for herself.

“It’s fine, I can handle this much, really. But Miss Nun, shouldn’t you be a bit more careful? Your weight must be quite something.”

As Noah scooped up cake with his spoon, he cast a suggestive glance at Clotilde’s chest.

It was indeed ample; even the loosely fitted nun’s habit couldn’t conceal her curves, and describing her as proud would be an understatement.

Moreover, the black stockings on her thighs hugged her form just enough, the perfect amount of softness that was quite appealing.

Yet, despite Clotilde’s perfectly healthy weight, Noah’s comment would have irked any young woman.

“I exercise regularly, so you needn’t worry about me, Mr. Noah. Just eat your cake! If you run into trouble, I’ll make you exercise, and even if you’re sweating and desperate to escape, don’t think you’ll get a break!”

Feeling annoyed, the nun averted her gaze from the cake, delivering her retort while begrudgingly sipping the last of her coffee.

“Oh dear, that sounds quite terrifying! To avoid such a fate, I’ll share a piece with you. Are you satisfied now?”

Seeing the nun’s awkward expression, Noah couldn’t help but laugh.

It was as if the nun truly had the power to compel Noah into action.

Yet, at that moment, Noah appeared to concede, handing her a piece of cake.

This was not because he was particularly kind-hearted.

Rather, Noah believed that being persistently annoying would yield poor results.

Occasionally doing something nice, making the other think, “Hey? Is this person actually not so bad?” before slipping back into mischief would surely be more effective.

It was all about leveraging contrast and psychological expectations to better cultivate his own unlikability.

He genuinely wished to corrupt the nun into a lustful sorceress, but he had no intention of sacrificing himself in the process.

“What’s with that tone, sir? Are you trying to coax a child?”

Though the nun feigned disdain, her hand eagerly accepted the spoon Noah offered.

And after taking a bite of the cake with a face full of dissatisfaction, her expression instantly brightened.

Ah, after all, dissatisfaction aside, there was no need to hold a grudge against something sweet, was there? She adored sweets and all things delightful!

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PS. Today’s third update will be around 12:15 AM.

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