The Gloomy Alchemist, Part 9
Ever since that day, whenever Rofel went to meet Lilit, Elisio began to tail him.
She still couldn't forget the anxiety she had sensed in Lilit's eyes when the girl looked at Rofel back then.
The nagging fear that Lilit Tistina might become her rival in love.
However, she merely followed them from a distance and did not interfere any further.
After all, Rofel himself had told her that he and Lilit were strictly friends.
But anxiety was still anxiety.
Elisio closely observed their actions and reactions as she shadowed them.
Rofel flashed Lilit the same gentle smiles he usually reserved for her, and there was plenty of casual, caring physical contact between them.
Watching the man she loved laughing and chatting happily with another woman as they strolled around made her chest tighten with agonizing frustration.
Fortunately, the saving grace was that Rofel didn't seem to harbor any feelings beyond friendship for Lilit.
Of course, Rofel did display his usual habit of unintentionally flirting.
For instance, after a meal, he would lean in close, support Lilit's waist with his reassuring hand, and gently wipe a smudge from the corner of her mouth with his bare thumb.
Or whenever they met, he would somehow bring exactly the gift she had been wanting, as if by magic.
They were the kind of actions that would make anyone wonder, Does this guy like me? Yet, the man himself seemed completely oblivious.
He merely wore a pure, bright smile devoid of any hidden motives.
Because of this, even Eli, who knew absolutely nothing about socializing or friendships, could tell.
"R-Rofel really... only thinks of Lilit as a f-friend..."
Elisio felt relieved, but at the same time, a bitter taste lingered in her mouth.
The way he treated Lilit was all too similar to how he treated her.
He probably views me as just a friend too, she thought, growing slightly depressed.
Still, it was a relief that Rofel's claim of only helping Lilit as a friend seemed to be true.
Everything he did for Lilit stemmed from pure goodwill.
At least, that was the case from his perspective.
But looking at their relationship from Lilit's perspective... things were a bit ambiguous.
To begin with, Elisio's social skills were abysmal, making it difficult for her to read the subtle nuances of other people's reactions.
The only reason she could read Rofel so easily was because she had spent so much time watching him during their days at the academy.
Trying to decipher the emotions of someone like Lilit Tistina, whom she had barely interacted with, was no easy task.
However, there was one thing she could be absolutely sure of.
Lilit Tistina was enjoying her time with Rofel Teufel more than anything else.
Elisio had occasionally seen Lilit with Marc back at the academy.
Back then, Lilit had always walked on eggshells, breaking out in a cold sweat and anxiously monitoring Marc's every word and action.
Though she had smiled, a strange tension and anxiety had always lurked beneath the surface.
It was clear she liked him, but she had never looked like she was actually enjoying his company.
But what about her reactions now?
She seemed completely at ease, untroubled by any burden when responding to Rofel's words and actions.
Free from the pressure to impress, and without a shred of anxiety or tension, a bright, natural smile graced her face.
Compared to the days when she had merely tagged along behind Marc, Lilit's face now looked incomparably brighter and happier when she was with Rofel.
Even though Elisio had never experienced romance or a proper social life, she could tell that Lilit harbored feelings for Rofel.
Yet, Lilit was scheduled to confess her feelings to another man—Marc—very soon.
While she certainly felt comfortable around Rofel and enjoyed his company, that wouldn't easily change the fact that she had liked Marc for so long.
Thus, Elisio decided to carefully weigh her thoughts on Lilit.
She needed to determine whether Lilit would become a rival who would interfere with her love and target her Rofel.
"U-Um, Rofel... How... how long are you planning to keep h-helping Lilit Tistina...?"
As usual, Elisio and Rofel met during their weekday lunch break.
"Meeting up with Lilit every weekend? Why do you ask?"
"N-No, it's not that...! You said Lilit Tistina l-likes Marc Visus and is going to confess to him...!"
"I-If that's the case, Marc might get the wrong idea because you two are m-meeting so often, and their d-date might fail!"
"Well, I suppose that's true."
Rofel nodded in agreement.
"But I don't think Marc will misunderstand anything."
"Not only did he resolve the terror incident during the entrance ceremony, but he also cleared that dungeon incident a few months ago, right?"
"Since then, he's been summoned all over the place by high-ranking noble families and knight orders."
"He's been so busy that he hasn't had time to meet Lilit... but on the bright side, he won't have the chance to see us together and get the wrong idea."
"Regardless, my job scouting out date spots with Lilit is pretty much over."
"She finally managed to set up a date with Marc for this weekend."
"Whether she succeeds or fails, I won't have any reason to meet up with her on weekends anymore."
"...! Oh... I-I see...!"
Her gloomy expression instantly brightened with relief.
"Still, Marc Visus is one lucky bastard."
"To think he's about to get a confession from none other than Lilit Tistina!"
"I'm seriously jealous of him."
"...Y-You're jealous...?"
Elisio's voice turned ice-cold.
"Of course I am."
"Lilit Tistina is famous among us male students."
"She's the daughter of a Duke, yet she's kind and talks to lower-status students without any hesitation."
"With looks like hers and a personality to match, she's every guy's dream girl."
"R-Rofel... You... you too...?"
"Well, yeah, obviously! But... no matter how I look at it, she's way out of my league."
"With my status and mediocre abilities, she's far too good for someone like me."
"S-So that's what you think..."
"Well, on the other hand, Marc Visus defeated the leader of the black mages at the entrance ceremony, cleared a high-grade dungeon during the exam, and solved all kinds of incidents since then."
"It only makes sense that Lilit would fall for someone like him."
"A-Anyway... then this weekend, you w-won't be going out with Lilit...?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Though I think I'll still follow them."
"...W-Why?"
"Well, I've invested a lot of effort into helping her out."
"I want to see with my own eyes whether her confession to Marc succeeds or fails."
"I'm planning to shadow them secretly, making sure not to get in their way."
"Oh... I-I see... If it's just that..."
"But... Eli, you seem really concerned about me meeting Lilit. Wait, could it be? Are you..."
"...! N-No, this is...!"
"...curious to see if Lilit's confession will succeed?"
"...Huh?"
"I mean, we've had so many incidents lately. It's only natural to be interested in a rare, sweet romance story like this, right?"
"...Ah...! Y-Yes, that's right! I... I was just curious to see if she'd succeed...!"
"Hahaha, I knew it! Don't worry, Lilit is incredibly charming. Confessing to Marc should be a breeze for her."
Finally, the weekend arrived—the day of Lilit's confession.
Rofel met Lilit in the morning to offer her some words of encouragement. True to his word, he then kept his distance, shadowing Lilit and Marc to watch how the date unfolded.
And trailing behind Rofel was Elisio Gremlina, secretly stalking him.
To be precise, Elisio was also deeply curious about the outcome of Lilit's confession.
If the confession succeeded, it meant one less rival to worry about.
Conversely, if it failed, Lilit's affection might shift toward Rofel, who had been helping her all this time.
Troubled by that possibility, she had gone out of her way to avoid Rofel's notice while tailing the pair.
The date between Lilit and Marc proceeded smoothly.
Both wore smiles, and Marc, in particular, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
Since Lilit already liked Marc, and the success of the confession hinged entirely on his feelings, it seemed highly likely she would succeed.
As dusk fell, the two entered a restaurant with a romantic atmosphere.
Although she didn't know their exact itinerary, this was likely the final stop of their date.
Considering how flawlessly everything had gone so far, the confession was bound to be a success.
Feeling relieved, Elisio prepared to head back to the dormitory.
But then, the unexpected happened.
It wasn't Lilit Tistina, but Marc Visus who trudged out of the restaurant, looking completely drained of energy.
He looked utterly defeated, as if he had just been brutally rejected.
Rofel, who had been watching, also seemed puzzled. He quickly approached Lilit as she stepped outside.
Although Elisio couldn't hear their conversation, it was obvious from the context that Rofel was asking how the confession went.
But what Lilit did next left Elisio utterly dumbfounded.
Lilit grabbed Rofel's arm and pulled him back toward the restaurant. The expression on her face was unmistakable.
Her eyes, sparkling with a refreshing clarity as if she had finally realized her true feelings, practically dripped with affection for him.
That expression was so bright and overflowing with love that even Elisio, a lifelong loner, could recognize it instantly.
It was, without a doubt, the face of a maiden in love, having just awakened to her own heart.
Elisio was absolutely certain.
Lilit Tistina.
She was, without a doubt, a rival in love targeting her Rofel.