"My name is Alexander Gardner. I am a distant cousin of Eirlys. Nice to meet you."
Huh?
I was dumbstruck. Who in the world was whose cousin again?
He rendered me immobile and mute only by that sentence. How Alex could smile naturally, as if he didn't shock me to death just now, was kinda mystifying. Oblivious to my petrified state, Alex continued his explanation. "My grandfather and Eirlys' grandfather were cousins, but both families have separated for long. I never get into contact with Eirlys. I just found out recently that I have a distant younger cousin who studied in this school, so I was thinking of looking for her at her school for once."
The way he explained things was so natural, and there was no trace of deviousness at all on his face. He looked like a kind and sincere older cousin trying to take care of his younger sister.