When the first ray of morning sunlight shone through the slightly dusty window into the room, Yuto was already awake.
Although he woke up as early as usual, his sleep quality was immeasurably better than before.
He lowered his head slightly, looking at the girl sleeping soundly in his arms, and a knowing smile appeared on his face.
Perhaps it was because Fufu had buried her small face in his arms to sleep, or perhaps it was due to her shyness before sleeping, but her little face was slightly flushed.
Looking at her rosy little face, Yuto blinked slightly, then reached out and gently poked it, wanting to see what kind of reaction the cute Fufu would have.
"Mmm… Yuto~ Let me sleep a little longer… just a tiny bit…"
It seemed that Yuto's movement had triggered some mechanism; Fufu stirred slightly, then tightened her arms around Yuto, a rather cute smile appearing on her face.
Fufu's behavior… was like a little girl checking if her large doll was still in her arms.
Feeling the slightly increased pressure behind him, Yuto shook his head with a wry smile, then gave up the idea of getting up early to make or buy breakfast.
He couldn't just let Fufu wake up and not see him, could he?
So, he put one arm around the girl's waist, propped up his head with the other, and quietly waited for her to wake up, all while admiring Fufu's rare sleeping face.
...
As time passed little by little, when there was still half an hour until Palais Mermonia's office hours… Fufu slowly opened her eyes.
The moment her beautiful heterochromatic eyes opened, they met his gentle sea-blue ones, as if time should stop for this moment.
Seeing the girl in his arms open her eyes, Yuto smiled softly, and while gently pinching her little face with a moderate force, he said with a smile:
"Good morning~ My cute little blue cupcake, my cute… Fufu~"
It seemed that Yuto had triggered some keyword, and Fufu's previously somewhat hazy gaze instantly became clear.
Her little face, which had only been slightly flushed, now rapidly heated up, but she didn't bury her little head in Yuto's arms like she did last night.
Instead, she gently put her arms around Yuto's neck and whispered:
"G-good morning, my… Assistant Officer…"
Feeling the somewhat disordered, hot breath by his ear, Yuto smiled softly.
He knew that Fufu was still somewhat nervous and unaccustomed to this, so… he had to take on the corresponding responsibility.
Yuto reached out and wrapped his arms around the girl's slender waist, embracing the somewhat nervous girl, hoping to alleviate Fufu's tension.
Of course, if it didn't alleviate it… then it would just be desensitization.
And Fufu, who was "suddenly attacked" by Yuto, widened her eyes, the blush on her face becoming even more pronounced,
—It felt like a boiling kettle, about to let out steam at any second.
But this extreme shyness didn't last long; after about a minute or two, Fufu's emotions gradually calmed down.
If Fufu at that moment was unable to think due to intimate gestures… she had now more or less recovered some ability to think.
Of course, compared to her normal state… she was indeed a bit silly.
Feeling Yuto's strong arms, Fufu gently pursed her lips, then moved her little head, finding a relatively comfortable position to rest on his shoulder.
Her cute little nose twitched slightly, then she slowly closed her eyes, greedily taking in Yuto's reassuring scent.
To put it in a less proper way… at this moment, Fufu was replenishing her "Yuto energy."
—As if only this could make her feel more at ease.
As time passed little by little, when there were fifteen minutes left until Palais Mermonia's office hours, both of them simultaneously released their arms.
Seeing this, Yuto gently rubbed Fufu's little head with a light chuckle, then softly said into her ear:
"I'll be back on time tonight."
Feeling the somewhat scorching breath by her ear, Fufu's heart rate suddenly accelerated, and the blush that had finally subsided once again climbed onto the girl's cheeks.
She slowly raised her head, looked at Yuto, who was only three or four centimeters away, and slowly leaned in, kissing his cheek as lightly as a dragonfly touching water.
"I'll wait for you to come home."
Fufu said, her little face flushed.
Looking at Fufu, who was clearly very shy but still chose to make a move, a genuine smile of happiness appeared on Yuto's face.
He leaned down and gently kissed Fufu's forehead, then softly said:
"Then… I'm leaving?"
"…Be careful on your way."
Fufu said after a brief silence.
Hearing this, Yuto's expression paused slightly, then he nodded with a light chuckle, and while tenderly rubbing Fufu's little head, he said:
"Yes, I will."
...
After a morning filled with a pink aura, Yuto returned to his work post.
According to his estimation, he would be able to interview all the candidates today.
After the interviews, he would notify them to start work, and then after he, as the department organizer, supervised them for ten days to half a month… he could enter a truly semi-retired state.
As for why it was semi-retired… the reason was that some matters could only be handled by him personally.
For example, disputes between nobles, or some diplomatic work and negotiations.
He couldn't just throw all these jobs that required close communication with people, and often involved playing mind games, to Neuvillette, and then become a hands-off manager, could he?
If he really did that… wouldn't Neuvillette be a bit too pitiful?
As a colleague and friend of the Water Dragon Sovereign, Yuto was still very concerned about his feelings.
Thinking of this, Yuto shook his head with a light chuckle, then turned his gaze to the southeast.
That was the direction of Ritou.
"Counting the time… Lantern Rite is almost here…"
Yuto murmured softly.
For him, who had just transmigrated… perhaps Lantern Rite would still have a special meaning to him because of its prototype.
But as time passed little by little, his heart no longer held so much of the so-called "longing for home."
In other words… he had already grown accustomed to life in Teyvat, and he had found his beloved here, and a cause worth fighting for.
Thinking of this, Yuto lowered his head slightly, glanced at the resume in his hand, then smiled softly, and then said:
"Miss Florence Sasha, please come in for your interview~"
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