You were watching Marie playing beach volleyball, enjoying the way she wiggled her soft round rear playfully during the game when suddenly the ball shot out of the court & hit you squarely in the face.

Ah! I'm sorry, Owner. Marie apologized to you in her childlike voice.

Th-thank you, Owner. Marie took the ball from you gratefully and tossed it back into the game with a cute giggle before resuming her play, making sure not to make any mistakes again as she didn't want to upset her new owner

As you watch Marie play, she seems to be having a blast, showing off both her martial arts skills and agile movements. Her light blue eyes sparkle with joy every time she makes a good play or wins a point. Even though she is playing against others, she occasionally glances over at you, giving you sweet little smiles that melt your heart.

Huh? Marie glances over at you and wiggles her twin tails in delight before turning back to the game, her attention focused solely on winning Maybe it's just because I like you... so much~ Hehehe~

"Maybe it's just because I like you... so much~ Hehehe~" - Marie Rose whispers quietly to herself with a shy grin, feeling her cheeks flush slightly at the thought of admitting it even to herself. She tries to focus on the match, but the cute smile from their new owner keeps appearing in her mind, making it hard for her not to daydream.

"Eh? Ah... y-yes?" Marie Rose looks up at you with her dark blue eyes, slightly confused but quickly regaining her composure. "Is something the matter, Owner?" she asks sweetly, tilting her head to one side. Her cheeks flush a little pinker as she hopes you haven't noticed any signs of how flustered she is right now.

"Oh! Uh... yes, I remember." Marie Rose nods vigorously, her twin tails bobbing behind her head. "I'll do my best to help you with anything you need!" she says brightly, a small blush still coloring her cheeks as she thinks about what that might entail - being close to the owner like this.

Nodding eagerly, Marie Rose sits down at the nearby table and begins sharpening her pencil before getting to work on the ledgers and spreadsheets in front of her. "Let me know if you need anything else, Owner," she says sweetly, glancing up at you occasionally while tapping her pencil against her lower lip thoughtfully. Her mind wanders slightly as she thinks about how nice it is to have such a close connection with the island's new owner; maybe this will be an even more exciting Venus Festival than usual!

"Oooh~ Well, I've been thinking... Maybe we could do something special this year? Like make a cute little costume for Helena and I to wear together during the main parade?" - Marie Rose asks excitedly, fluttering her eyelashes behind her glasses. She giggles softly at the idea, imagining them all dressed up as adorable fairies or something similar.

"Really? Oh that would be so much fun!" Marie Rose claps her hands together with delight, her cheeks turning even redder at the thought. "We can plan everything out later then; we just need to make sure Helena is okay with it too." She giggles again, leaning forward slightly on her elbows as she continues working away at her paperwork while secretly fantasizing about how cute they would look in matching costumes.

"Oh, that's very kind of you to ask, Owner," Marie says sweetly as she finishes up her paperwork and puts away her pencil case. "I think some icy lemonade would hit the spot today." She watches as you open the fridge, hopeful that you might have some already made or at least the ingredients for it handy. Either way, she's looking forward to a refreshing drink after all this hard work!

"Ooh, that looks so refreshing!" Marie Rose exclaims as she eagerly takes the cup from you and clinks it against yours before taking a sip. Her eyes close briefly in pleasure as the cold liquid hits her tongue, relieving some of the heat built up from all their hard work earlier. She sips slowly, savoring every drop, making sure not to make too much noise while she does so. "Mmm... this is just what I needed," she murmurs contentedly between sips before glancing over at you with a grateful smile.

"It's delicious, Owner. You really do make the best icy lemonade." Marie Rose smiles warmly at you, feeling comfortable enough now to drink straight from the glass rather than using her hands. This closeness only serves to fuel her already growing affection towards you; each moment spent by your side feels more and more special, like they're somehow setting them apart from the rest of her life on the island. She wonders idly if he feels something similar when he looks at her.

"Oh... I see..." Marie Rose says softly, looking downcast as she realizes you have things to attend to. "Well, it was still very nice spending time with you here, Owner. If there's anything else I can help you with before I go, just let me know." She bites her lip worriedly, not wanting to seem like she's intruding or imposing on your busy schedule. But deep inside, she feels a twinge of disappointment that your time together had to end so soon; even if they hadn't been explicitly intimate yet, their connection felt genuine and special in its own right.

Her cheeks flush slightly as she watches you leave the room, wishing you could've stayed just a little longer. Sighing softly, Marie Rose gathers her things together and prepares to head back to Helena's chambers when something catches her eye - the partially full cup of lemonade sitting on the table. A mischievous grin tugs at the corners of her lips as she hatches a plan; maybe this will be her chance to get closer with you after all...

Carefully, she picks up the glass and takes a small sip from it, savoring the tart yet refreshing flavor. As she does so, she leans back in her chair, relaxing and trying to look nonchalant as if this were perfectly normal behavior for her. After all, what's one more small drink between friends?

Her heart races as she wonders if you'll notice her drinking your lemonade. The thought of being close to you like this makes her feel warm and fuzzy, even though they haven't been intimate yet. She decides that she needs to be brave; maybe confessing how much she likes you would help? Taking another careful sip, she glances over at the door, waiting for your return with bated breath.

Marie Rose blushes even harder when you speak, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest as she realizes that she's caught red-handed. "Oh... I-I'm so sorry! I thought it was mine," she stammers out, quickly correcting herself to say she meant Helena's instead. Her cheeks heat up even more at the idea of confessing how much she likes you; why is saying those words so difficult? Taking another sip from her lemonade, she manages a shaky smile and tries to act nonchalant about the whole thing.

Uh oh... Marie hesitates for a moment before deciding to come clean. "Well, Owner..." she begins nervously, setting her half-finished glass aside. "The truth is, I... uhh... I really like you." There. She said it. Now all she can do is hope you don't hate her for snooping in your drink. Her eyes flicker up to meet yours, hoping against hope that maybe there's still a chance for them to be close like this... or maybe even more than just friends.

Her heart skips a beat at your words; could it be? Did he feel the same way about her too? "R-Really?" she asks quietly, her voice filled with disbelief and joy all at once. A tiny smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she dares to hope that perhaps there might still be a chance for them. She glances back down at the floor, unable to meet your eyes directly but still feeling an invisible connection between you, stronger than ever before.