Chapter 355 - Surreptitious Glances

"Where's Yuuka?"Chiaki asked as they all sat for dinner except the missing girl, Perun, and Gin who fetched his brother.

The room filled with the delicious aroma of the kaiseki ryori served to them on the individual small tables, that their stomach started to react. Ivan who had been at the Cedar Palace looked totally happy with the food, as it was something he only ever had since coming there.

"She's resting in her room, but she will come here. Yayoi already had someone call her," Alinea answered.

"Is she alright?" Chiaki asked again.

It's been an hour since they had last seen Yuuka when she just arrived from her walk in the garden. She had retired to her temporary room since. She was clearly ruffled and out of sorts, probably from crying, and so they let her take a rest and would just call her for dinner.

"Of course not," Alinea answered.

"You're right," Chiaki agreed. "I don't anyone would be alright after being told what she had been told today."

They should be surprised the girl hadn't broken down.

"She's very sensible and courageous. She'll be fine," Aki suddenly said that surprised the women. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because until recently you seem to hate her guts," Alinea answered blandly.

"I don't okay? I'm mad at Daizo and anyone who will try to sabotage my relationship with Chiaki. The girl is not like that so I don't have grudges with her anymore."

"Courageous?" Chiaki asked, and her fiancé turned to her.

"Yeah. If that girl's not brave would she dare bully me to my face?" Aki asked. Perplexed, he remembered how Yuuka had insulted him to his face when they met at the café.

Recalling the incident, Alinea and Chiaki shared a laugh just as the screen opened and Gin stepped in like a whirlwind.

"Oh? Who bullied you?" he asked Aki as he crossed the room to go to his place.

Following after him was Perun, who looked totally otherworldly in his white hakama. The King of Heaven quietly walked towards his table that was set up at the elevated space in front where the master of the house usually sat. Normally, Ryuu would be sitting there, but the Koutaishidenka sat at the rows of table on the side with his wife and the others, clearly indicating the silver-haired man's higher status.

Of course, none of them ever cared or thought too much about it since they all knew who he really was. The position was only fitting.

"Yuuka. She dissed me in front of Chiaki," Aki answered with a pout, although it was obvious that he didn't take it to heart and was now only jesting.

"You asked for it," Chiaki countered, making the people laugh except for one.

"Who is Yuuka?" Perun suddenly asked as the servant placed the tray of food on his table.

"Oh… Haven't I mentioned her before? She's the girl we invited to stay here temporarily while we deal with some things," Gin said, purposely making his words vague.

Maki Yuuka's problem was caused by something the portal Stribog created brought to Earth. Even if it was an accident, the fact that something sinister was able to pass without them detecting it for a long time was a huge failure on their part. After all, both Kresnik and Stribog were there and yet, something like that still happened.

"Is that so?"Perun commented as he elegantly picked up his chopsticks and studied them in his hand.   

Both his tone and expression seemed disinterested, and so they let out a sigh of relief. Even Alinea who loved to tease her uncle didn't say a word to explain things further as she knew Gin was very nervous about letting her father find out about this glitch in vigilance.

Soon, the screen door opened again, and Yuuka stepped in. She looked apologetic for being late as she went to her place, but her step faltered as her vision caught sight of Perun at the head of the table, and she whipped her head to quickly look to where Ryuu was sitting and her face broke into confusion.

"What's the matter?"Alinea asked, but Yuuka shook her head.

She was somewhat confused since she felt that the arrangement at the dining hall was odd. She thought that the Homura House was like a monarchy in itself. People completely respected and acted according to hierarchy.

So why was the Koutaishidenka not sitting where he's supposed to be?

Yuuka wanted to ask but changed her mind. It's none of her business where they wanted to sit anyway. Still, she couldn't help but glance at the man sitting at the head.

Sleeping beauty.

Who'd have thought she'd see him again so soon?

Seeing where she was looking, Gin cleared his throat as he introduced them. "Yuuka, this is my older brother, Kazehaya Sora. Brother, this is Miss Maki Yuuka, the guest I was telling you about earlier."

"Hmmmn," was the only response Perun gave before giving Yuuka a small bow.

On the other hand, Yuuka totally looked confused now as she looked at the man, but returned his bow respectfully. She looked like she wanted to say something but opted not to speak as the man started eating, and the others followed suit.

Alinea and the others of course noted that Yuuka remained not moving.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Ah…yeah, I am," Yuuka answered as she hurriedly picked up her chopstick and started eating mechanically.

Silence reigned in the room as all of them ate. However, Alinea and the others watched in amusement as Yuuka kept giving Perun surreptitious glances as she fed. They knew Perun was definitely aware of her gaze but decided not to comment on it and ate on as if he didn't know anything.

And it was odd.

Perun, the King of Heaven or Alistair of Ritz, hated being looked upon. He would slash anyone with his sharp tongue if one so much as looked at him longer than necessary.

"What's going on?" Alinea whispered as she leaned closer to Gin.

"I'm actually… not sure," her uncle answered as he too transferred his gaze from Yuuka to Perun. "Maybe she's enchanted by my brother's good look?"

Alinea frowned. She was not sure about that, but it might be the case. There was no other explanation she could muster except that Yuuka was attracted to her father, she thought as Yuuka's beautiful face suddenly frowned.

Or not…