--At the restaurant-- 

I was munching on the food when a rabbit approached us. He looked old, like an elder in some village. He wore a simple robe like those elders in xianxia novels and cute little eyeglasses. With the rabbit's protruding noses, it could prop the glasses without any handles. Thinking about it, that makes sense since their ears are at the top of their heads.

I twitched my fake ears to hide my itchy fingers. Even this old dude is cute.

Rabbit elder: Excuse me.

He went closer while rubbing his hands. Azure and I looked at the old rabbit. Of course, I didn't stop shoving food into my mouth.

Azure: What is it?

When I tried to make eye contact, the elder rabbit immediately looked the other way. I was puzzled as to why these rabbits would avert their gazes whenever I looked at them. I'm not that scary, right? And I'm the same race as them, so why would these rabbits be afraid of me?

Rabbit elder: How was the food? Is it to the liking of milady?

Milady? What is this old man talking about? 

But the moment I heard the term milady, some instinct inside me snapped as I elegantly stopped eating. I wiped my lips with a napkin before seating straight. I glanced askance the elder rabbit while I telepathically spoke to Azure.

What's going on?

Azure just ignored me as he nodded to the elder rabbit.

Azure: Every food is delicious.

He nodded lightly in my direction as he smiled meaningfully at the elder rabbit. His meaning was clear; milady couldn't even stop eating a while ago. The old man lightened up. The previously curled ears straightened up with a 'pa'.

Azure: However...

I looked questioningly at Azure as he continued the conversation with a serious expression. The old man immediately tensed up. One ear alertly tilted in a slight angle while the other was curled at a 90-degree angle.

Ahh...so cute.

Ahem.

Shoot. I forgot the telepathic communication is still on. I hurriedly shut it off as I delighted over the rabbit's cute reactions.

Rabbit elder: W-what's the matter?

Oioi. Why are you making that face? I glanced at Azure, and he looked like he was about to pounce on the poor rabbit. Is it instinct? Is your wolf instinct coming out? Don't play with the poor rabbit!

In a moment of confusion, the elder seemed to understand something suddenly. He nervously clutched his robes as he bowed low enough to touch the ground.

Rabbit elder: I'm sorry. This one didn't mean to bother your lunch. This one was just surprised that a noble white Eukarrian would come in this humble establishment. It's also rare to see one these days.

Huh? Eh? Noble what?

Azure was also surprised. He looked at me and realized something before frowning and looking at the old man again.

Azure: That is alright. My mistress doesn't mind as long as the food can satisfy her.

Rabbit elder: I-is that so? That's wonderful! Now then, I'll take my leave. Thank you for coming and enjoy your meal.

Then the old man scuttled away but with a smile on his face.

What was that about? I looked at Azure, my question clear on my face. However, I could only see his back and trembling shoulders. His body was half turned, but I could still see the side of his face. I saw him smiling as if holding back on something.

Ehh?

Then I heard a thud, and then he laughed while rolling on the floor.

I was surprised by his actions but immediately cast illusion magic. It was instinctive since a certain acquaintance liked to go crazy in public. That guy would always put me in embarrassing situations that I begged Tier to teach me illusion magic. That way, I wouldn't be caught with a crazy guy. Speaking of which, is this guy crazy?!

Good thing the illusion magic comes with soundproof, so nobody looked at us.

Ruby: Umm...Azure?

Azure: Haha...sorry. It's just so unexpected and funny but...

He suddenly looked serious. He stood up and dusted his clothes and elegantly seated himself. He was so cool that the previous scene looked like an illusion.

Are you kidding me? Are you an actor, too? To change your expression that quickly is crazy. But...I wouldn't forget that insane act either! Hmph, because of a particular guy, I learned to take videos for blackmail material. Though it's a bit hard, I could recreate that scene using pure mana. Muwahahaha...

He then reached over and covered my ears with the hood.

Even like this, I can't keep you from standing out.

I thought I heard him murmur something disturbing, but then he sighed. He had on an expression I've never seen before like looking at a precious treasure half-buried in the sand.

Ruby: Hmm? What?

He just looked at me. Those blue eyes are beautiful. I'm really curious what he's hiding on his left eye. I saw it turn red before and I could sense a fragment of magic on it. Not like the liquified mana inside living beings nor the gaseous mana flowing in the air, but like a solid magical object. 

He called out my name, and I came back to my senses.

Azure: What is it?

Ruby: A-aah, nothing.

I turned my head and continued munching on my food. Somehow, my face felt hot.

Azure: Alright.

He gently smiled, then started to eat.

I can't help but peek. There it is again. Why is it that every time I looked at him, his eyes is the first thing I looked? Weird, I usually look at their faces, particularly the nose or the lips to prevent myself from getting nervous. The eyes of those businessmen are just too probing. I was afraid I'd mess up, so I rarely make eye contact. Not that they'd notice. But now...

Never did I feel so obsessed at looking at another's eyes. Well, I might have been obsessed with Tier's, but he rarely showed it to me recently. I liked the color red. But Azure's blue eyes drew me in a different way. I let out a quiet sigh but still obsessively shoved food in my mouth.

A sudden thought stopped all my movements.

Uwaah. I-I-I...ah n-no he's a guy, right...no, I'm with a guy right now?! I could feel my cheeks getting hotter. W-what is this??!

Come to think of it; it's my first time getting close to the opposite sex. Tier didn't count. No other guy could compare to him, and he's family. The other male servants are just that, servants. That crazy guy is more like my pet dog who encourages me to go outside from time to time, and I think Tier treated him as such. That's why...

A long, long time ago...not too long ago, Ruby, who spent her teenage years as a hikikomori, hadn't even dated a guy. There would be brave young men who would approach her, but once they wanted to be more than friends, a certain demon would scare them away. That's why the thought of dating a guy had never occurred to her.

What does this mean? Ahhhh!

Is this a date?!

While I was in a daze, Azure stretched out his hand to my cheek.

Azure: You have something here.

He smoothly took a grain of rice beside my mouth then put...no ate...no licked it. That action was so natural and calm. As if nothing happened, he continued eating.

I blushed, frozen with my mouth open. Aah, so embarrassing!!

Azure: What's wrong? Are you done eating?

Ruby: N-no.

Then I resumed eating with my mind exploding. I can't think of anything. I can't even taste the food I'm shoving in my mouth.

Seeing his master's confused face with a bright red face, a grin subtly formed on Azure's lips. He bowed his head to hide the obsessive light in his eyes.

Not yet. It's not the right time.