I went back to my dorm, looking anxious, and caused Clarissa to worry about me.
Thanks. Is it food poisoning? With how pale my face looks, she thinks it’s food poisoning.
I should have at least thought of something better, something a little more girlish like anemia. Though thinking anemia was more girlish was kind of biased of me.
“Hey Clarissa, do you know Lila Carneille?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know any rumors about her?”
“Rumors…”
I figured that there was no point in asking her, so I asked a little too obviously. I’m pretty sure there are some girls that’d say she stole Bern.
Well, because I’ve gotten along well with those two siblings, and hung out with them pretty often, there’d probably be those types of rumors, but it doesn’t bother me.
“For some reason, I thought of teasing you by saying, “What kind of person is this Lilsan?” But I don’t mean anything weird about that, by the way.”
What the… I have a feeling I just dug my own grave.
Clarissa laughed at me a little as I panicked like an idiot. And then she spoke calmly.
“…The truth is, there have been girls who’ve been harassing her because she’s close to Alois-sama and Johann-sama.”
Sorry, Clarissa. I thought there’d be no point in asking you. You’re surprisingly well-informed.
This is the first time I’ve heard about harassing, but this was expected.
The harassment was expected, though it’s a little disgusting how there are some people out there that can’t live without talking about others behind their backs.
“Harassing?”
“Like sending her a box with an animal’s corpse in it.”
Animal… That’s too extreme.
Regardless of whether or not they’re part of the Animal Protection faction, I hope that they’d stop killing animals just for the sake of harassing her.
Or, there’s the possibility that it’s all part of Lila’s plan, and she did it to herself.
I feel like that’s a little too easy.
“But there was a first-year that suddenly helped out Lilsan and warned all the other girls to stop the bullying.”
“Eh!?”
“The person themselves said that it was all a misunderstanding.”
That’s so stupid.
Clarissa was thinking the same thing, and wasn’t completely satisfied with that explanation.
After that, as if hesitating over something, her gaze fell. She opened and closed her mouth multiple times. As I motionlessly waited, she raised her head, as if having decided.
“But I’ve heard that Lilsan doesn’t do anything about it. The person you have to be cautious of is… probably Alois-sama.”
The crimson light of the setting sun coming from the window shined on Clarissa’s face. For some reason, she looked a little sad.
At last, the thing I was afraid of happened. Though at the time, everyone else had the same thought.
Because of what Katerina said, I was eating lunch with them today as well. And once again, Katerina dropped another bomb.
“Lizia. You’re the same year as Lilsan, yes?”
While glaring at the steak, Katerina said those words. As if completely by magic, all the surrounding members at the table sat still.
“Y-yes.”
“I would like to talk to her after school, would it be possible for you stall her for me?”
I let go of my fork, leaving it stuck in the meat. No one knitted their brows at that, however. Because there were more pressing matters right before their eyes.
“By talk, do you mean about His Highness?”
“There’s that too.”
I knew it would happen sooner or later… In the game, this was around the time when she started clashing with Katerina.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who sees the fighting spirit burning in Katerina’s blue eyes.
The old Katerina would never talk to someone, she would push instead.
But the current Katerina, with her large pride, wants to properly talk to someone and only hits someone with that fan if she’s close to them. Even though she still indiscriminately hits like her old self, she’s not a kid anymore.
It’s embarrassing to say this, but she probably became like that because of me.
Because until she met me, she had never talked to other kids close to her age.
Even though there was Bern, who she comes into contact with and is around her age, the Duke and his wife prohibit them from talking to each other. Because she gets along with me, the three of us would secretly play at my place, and Katerina was able to learn how to treat others as well.
If it wasn’t for that, she would have turned out like the villainess Katerina in the game.
I feel a little proud. Even though she didn’t know how to treat others, she’s for sure an honest and kind person deep down.
Even though she’s still impulsive, and she’s still bad at figuring out other people’s intentions.
Most likely, Katerina wants to ask Lila her reason for getting close to His Highness, fair and square, and plans on warning her that she’s his fiancée.
But if Lila is who I think she is, then Katerina can’t win. Instead, there’s a good chance that things will immediately worsen.
Because I also want to say something to His Highness and Lila, I understand how she feels, but how do I say this? Lila’s mysterious, and I have a bad feeling about her.
Moreover, I’m also worried about what Clarissa told me yesterday in the dorm.
“You can’t!”
Even having considered other aspects, I had no choice but to stop Katerina.
Katerina huffed at me, having said it in a firm voice I had never done before.
“Even if I wasn’t worried, because I’m His Highness’ fiancée, I would not do anything inappropriate.”
“That’s not it.”
I hesitated to tell her that even if it was her, it’s impossible, but out of nowhere, someone came to my rescue.
“I don’t recommend it either.”
Katerina’s gaze moved to Ionius, and I let out a sigh of relief. Why do I feel nervous whenever I’m face-to-face with beautiful people?
“Why?”
“Katerina, this is a more complicated story than you think. For my sake, just wait patiently for now.”
The two stared at each other for a while. Surprisingly, it was Katerina who gave up first.
It seems that Katerina trusts Ionius more than I thought. That’s how it is, but I feel a little sad that she trusts him more.
“… I understand. Of course, even His Highness wants to do a lot of things here at school. I can overlook this a little bit but…”
Hearing Katerina say something impossible, my eyes bulged out. Even now, it’s clear that she’s still madly in love with His Highness. As far as I can see, it’s not because she’s jealous of Lila.
Ah, but I’m really happy that she decided not to preempt a guerrilla attack but instead wanted to properly declare war.
Well, even though she takes caution and is careful enough to not go alone, she’ll definitely take either me or Ionius or someone from our group with her.
“Also, what did you say onii-sama was doing? He has been neglecting you. Well, this is you we’re talking about. Are you not frustrated? Even I’m annoyed about it.”
“That’s…”
I’m not fine with it. I’d like to think that he has a good reason. But it’d be a lie if I said that I’m not scared of knowing why. I’m such a bothersome woman.
When it comes to Bern, I’ve always been a coward.
I know that he likes me, and although I haven’t properly said it, I like him too. We’re also engaged to each other. That’s why I’m scared. Of losing Bern.
It’s cause I can’t help it. He’s cool and will be a duke in the future. I wonder if it’s fine for him to be with someone as plain as me. Plus, he’s the first person I fell in love with, including my past life.
As I looked down, Darius got irritated and said.
“Hey, Lizia. Are you really doing okay with Brunsmeier?”
Even though we don’t eat lunch together, we still go to school and go home together everyday~ Because Bern’s been busy nowadays, I could only go with him in the morning. Since I’m a chicken, I can’t complain about it. And it’s annoying that it’s only from school and near the dorms~
Ah, even though it was me saying it, it sounded empty.
“How is that related to you?”
I bluntly replied, and Darius exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders. He looked like a weird foreigner on a late night mail-order program just now. Even if I were to tell him that, he wouldn’t get it.
“I’m worried that you haven’t caught Brunsmeier.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind that. Just make up with him. Even though I don’t like him, if it stays like this, I’ll hate him even more.”
‘Hate,’ huh? I’ve never seen Darius and Bern be in the same room. Or is there something that only I don’t know about?
Ah, but, I have to make up with him… It’s not like we’re arguing. Hmm.
With Bern busy with the Hidden Student Council nowadays, I tried to catch him since we haven’t been going home together, but I was caught instead. I wonder if Bern has ESP.
‘Hidden Student Council clubroom?’ While I said that, he had brought me along to the art room.
The deserted room wafted with the smell of aged wood and floating dust.
The art room was always bustling with annoying chatter, and members playing chess, but now, with no one inside, it was completely silent.
Then that means Bern wanted to talk to me as well, and cleared the room out.
If it’s going to be bad, I don’t want to hear it. Don’t tell me, he’s going to break up… No, no, no, it’s definitely not that. Bern’s not that type of guy. I don’t believe it!
Okay, I’ll take the first step! With determination, I say,
“You know, about you recently eating together with His Highness…”
“Are you angry?”
“…Not really.”
I let out a harsh voice, more than I thought I did.
You can’t, Lizia. Be honest. Yeah, honest.
“…I’m not angry.”
“Sorry.”
Ugh. To be honest, whenever Bern’s sad, he makes a dejected face, and I’m extremely weak to that. No, I’m not that easy of a woman. Absolutely not.
As I hesitated with what to say, with an apologetic face, Bern opened up.
“I figured I should wait and see what would happen just one more time, but it seemed more troublesome than I expected. First of all, it’s because I wanted to confirm something.”
I’m sure it’s about Lila, but I wanted to make sure.
“So that means you hung around them to make sure of whatever that was?”
“Yeah, well…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Bern stared at me. What is it?
“Were you lonely?”
Has he really reflected? This kid. I would have been irritated at that back then.
“No, so…”
“Were you lonely?”
There it is, Bern’s pace. He won’t let me talk, and instead talks over me.
‘Was I lonely?’ Of course I was. I mean, everyday, I only got to see your face when we’re going to school, and that’s too short. Of course I would have been sad! Moreover, I’m still really sleepy in the morning!
I thought of grabbing his shoulders and nodding, showing my irritation, but I don’t think that would look cute.
That’s right. You have to be honest, Lizia. Be honest.
“…I-I was.”
For some reason, my face feels hot. It’s definitely because summer’s finally here.
An amused laughter came from above my downward head. Bern seems weird and mean today.
Why is he being mean? Was I wrong? As I thought that, Bern looked at me and spread his arms.
I asked him if I could hug him, and as if giving me his approval, he nodded enthusiastically. I then slowly approached and hugged him.
Yeah. He’s firm.
“I was too. Although I couldn’t do much about it, I wasn’t happy about it either. Because you’re the same as usual, even Ionius told me to talk to you. More than anything, I didn’t like how that Wehner guy was hanging around you.”
“Eh, but it’s Darius?”
“That’s what worries me, but it doesn’t matter.”
The sound of a heartbeat resonates in my ear. With my face on his chest, I could hear a complex rhythmic beat from it. Regardless of whose overtakes first, our heartbeats gradually synchronize at the same speed, as if becoming one.
It was a wonderful feeling, as if the boundary between our bodies disappeared into each other’s.
“…I have something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“From now on, I’m going to hurt someone, for us. Even so, will you forgive me?”
If I tell him I won’t, then he’ll probably stop. If I tell him right here that he can’t hurt them, I wonder what he would do.
But if this was his old self, he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt them.
Despite my thoughts being a mess, there must be another solution.
Because I’ve already decided on what my answer will be.
“I’ll help you. So tell me. And then let’s think about it together.”
I’ve decided a long time ago.
What did you think Bern was thinking? There were some people that asked that, but to be honest, even I don’t know what he’s thinking.
He’s the type of person that lives in his own world, and doesn’t talk much about himself. Even so, what he feels for Lizia is real.
Thanks to that, the story has gone in a different direction, and that troubles me.
That made me squeal lol. This couple’s so cute, and Bern’s devoted to Lizia, and vice versa.
E/N: Bern and Lizia are definitely cute together. But Lizia, even if you are aware of your own feelings, you need to notice Bern’s. Your denseness is making him jealous.
As always, please do buy the LN if you could spare it. The illustrations are cute, and it’s also a way to support the author. Instructions are on ToC page.