Chapter 128: Hidden Sincerity(2)
Chapter 128: Hidden Sincerity(2)
To Nicole, Adelia had been a friend who had stayed by her side since their freshman year. A friend can become so close that they are often called a new family, and that was certainly the case with Adelia.
They first met at the freshman orientation—the same event Isaac had attended a few months ago. Back then, Nicole had foolishly believed Bibaoro’s words and worn a flashy dress, which naturally drew everyone's eyes.
She had navy-blue hair reminiscent of the evening sky rather than the pitch-black night, and golden eyes, a rarity in this world. She was quite tall for a woman, and her body was naturally toned from the rigorous training her family had put her through since childhood.
Exuding an air of mystery while maintaining the image of a strong warrior, Nicole had been the center of attention since the freshman event. Nicole herself had been flustered by the unexpected situation, especially since more than a few men had tried to flirt with her.
However, the person who caught Nicole's eye the most was none other than Adelia, who was hovering alone in a corner. Because she was a commoner and couldn't afford a dress, she was wearing her school uniform.
While there was no notice stating attendance was mandatory, it was considered better not to show up at all than to come in a uniform. Furthermore, Adelia possessed a striking beauty that was unusual for a commoner, which piqued Nicole's interest.
That was the beginning of the bond between Nicole and Adelia. Now, while their other peers had all graduated, Adelia and Nicole remained as Martial Studies teaching assistants, instructing their juniors while waiting to be scouted by a knight order.
Because of this, Nicole knew Adelia’s personality and her true feelings inside and out. She knew that Adelia’s occasional mischievous pranks were just a way to get attention, so she usually just put up with them.
But this time, she couldn't ignore it. Not only was it deeply connected to her own brother, but it could also potentially affect her family.
Nicole had always let Adelia’s antics slide, but this matter was more serious than she had anticipated.
"Phew..."
"... ..."
Nicole and Adelia moved to a secluded corner of the training grounds, leaving Isaac behind.
Nicole watched her with a complex, subtle expression and crossed arms, while Adelia hung her head low as if she had committed a crime. Her hands were busy fidgeting, a clear sign of anxiety.
Her face was obscured by her bangs, which hung down like curtains. Seeing Adelia staring blankly at the ground, Nicole’s worries deepened.
If Adelia really liked Isaac as a man, and not just as a close younger brother... things would get complicated. Very complicated.
Isaac was officially dating Marie, the daughter of the Minerva Empire’s only Duke. Furthermore, they had already spent their first night together and were essentially engaged.
And the Demon Princess has been acting strange lately, too...
Not only that, but his relationship with Cecile, the Princess of Helium, also seemed suspicious. Her visit to the mansion during the exhibition and the way she clung to Isaac made it impossible to ignore.
Nicole didn't know for certain that Isaac had accepted Cecile as a lover, but she was quick-witted enough to make an educated guess. If Cecile knew Isaac’s true identity, it was a plausible story, so she could let that part go.
But Adelia was different. Although she was exceptionally beautiful, she lacked the standing of the other two, and above all, the difference in social status was clear.
In this world, the gap between commoners and nobles was an unbridgeable chasm. To put it bluntly, even if a noble treated a commoner like a toy, the matter would usually be swept under the rug if there was no evidence.
Nicole had lived a commoner's life before Hawk was officially knighted, so she could interact with Adelia without reservation, but other nobles were different. Stories of a commoner and a noble falling in love and living happily ever after mostly existed only in novels.
Because the class distinction was so clear, a noble would have no choice but to take a commoner as a 'concubine,' and there was no need to explain how they would be treated. Things might be slightly different if they got along with the primary wife, but the odds of that were extremely slim.
Marie doesn't seem to have much of a sense of entitlement, but...
From what Nicole had seen, Marie lacked the typical noble arrogance, but she could be firm when necessary. No matter how good-natured she was, there was no telling what would happen the moment she learned of Adelia’s feelings for Isaac.
There were many reasons why her mind was in a whirl, but even setting all that aside, there was one part she just couldn't understand.
Nicole wiped her face with one hand and glanced at Adelia.
She rejected so many confessions before, so why now? And why Isaac?
Adelia had received countless confessions from male students over the years. More than a few people had fallen for her boisterous and bold personality and tried to woo her.
Among them were not only high-ranking nobles but even female students, making Nicole realize just how popular she was. Yet, Adelia had firmly rejected every single one of them.
At first, Nicole thought she simply didn't like them, but after being with Adelia for years, she began to suspect something else. That there was something holding her back from making a decision.
Adelia never told even her best friend, Nicole, what it was, but it seemed deeply connected to her personal history, so Nicole had tried to ignore it.
"...Adel."
"...Yeah."
When Nicole called her name, Adelia answered in a small, dejected voice. Nicole, unsure of how to proceed, decided to get straight to the point.
"...I'm asking just in case, but do you happen to like our Isaac? Not just as a person, but as a man."
"... ..."
"I'd like an answer. If you can't say it, just nod."
At Nicole’s considerate tone, Adelia lifted her head slightly. Soon, her golden eyes, filled with complex emotions, met Nicole’s, and she slowly nodded in affirmation.
This only made Nicole feel more conflicted. If Adelia were a noble and Isaac weren't engaged, she would have cheered her on with all her heart. But the situation was the exact opposite.
Isaac had a fiancé he was officially engaged to, and on top of that, Adelia was a commoner. It was as if a tragic heroine from a novel had manifested in real life.
Nicole had never dealt with a situation like this before and found it difficult to handle. She rubbed her forehead before speaking softly.
"Since when?"
"...Since the exhibition."
"What happened then?"
Now it was Adelia’s turn to hesitate. To Adelia, Nicole was an indispensable friend and a precious bond.
She was the one who had made Adelia feel the warm affection she once felt from her mother, a relationship more like family than actual blood relatives.
Even when Adelia played harsh pranks, Nicole would only get annoyed and accept them all, helping her stay within bounds.
Furthermore, whenever they teamed up for practical training, they were so well-coordinated that they never lost a single match. The reason they both became Martial Studies teaching assistants was that almost no one could beat them in practicals.
But now, she had to face her not as a 'friend,' but as 'Isaac’s older sister.' Now that her feelings for Isaac had been discovered by Nicole, there was nowhere left to run.
Should I... tell her?
Adelia agonized over whether she should reveal her painful past, which she wanted to keep hidden forever. At the same time, the words Isaac had said to her came to mind.
His words that her smiling face was beautiful. His consideration in saying that while he couldn't do much, he would stay by her side.
And finally, his delicate touch as he wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, unconcerned about getting it dirty.
Nothing is as memorable as comfort received at one's saddest moment, and if it is sincere, it touches the depths of one's heart.
To Adelia, Isaac was like a ray of light. A man who treated her the same as always, even after she was openly abandoned by her family in front of him and her lowly origins were revealed.
Unlike other nobles, his consideration in treating everyone equally was as sweet as rain falling on parched land.
Would Nicole... be the same?
Adelia stared intently at Nicole, who was waiting for her answer. She was a noble, but she mingled with commoners and had a personality devoid of any sense of entitlement.
However, Adelia wasn't just an ordinary illegitimate child; she was an abandoned one. This meant her origins were enough to spark nasty rumors among both nobles and commoners alike.
In this world, illegitimate children were mostly abandoned even by their families, and growing up in unfortunate environments, they often caused various troubles. Thus, there was a sort of prejudice that being close to an illegitimate child would lead to trouble.
Because of this, she couldn't help but worry over and over. Her feelings for Isaac were certain, but she questioned whether she should tell her best friend the reason behind them.
...It can't be helped.
It was a truth that would have to be revealed eventually. She didn't know if she deserved to be by Isaac’s side, but at the very least, telling Nicole the truth without hiding anything would make the situation better.
Even if Nicole looked at her with disgust for being an illegitimate child, it didn't matter. She was already prepared for that.
With a determined look in her eyes, Adelia spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"...I met my family then."
"Your family?"
Nicole looked puzzled at the answer. As far as she knew, Adelia’s family lived in a region very far from the capital, often called the boonies.
She had heard that the reason Adelia entered Halo Academy was that a knight on patrol had recognized her talent and submitted a recommendation. So, it was a bit hard to understand why they would travel all that way just to see the exhibition.
"They came all that way?"
"Yeah..."
"What's wrong with that? You used to get so happy whenever your family was mentioned."
Since Adelia lived away from her family, she used to be overjoyed whenever they sent news. She was the type to wait anxiously for even a single letter.
But this time, something was off. It was as if there was a sense of unease, or perhaps a visible repulsion.
While Nicole held those doubts, Adelia quietly answered after thinking about how to explain. She thought it would be better to make her understand all at once rather than giving a long-winded explanation.
"...Actually, I'm a noble."
"What?"
Nicole was first surprised by the confession that Adelia was of noble birth.
"...Only half, though."
"... ..."
And she fell silent at the mention of being 'half,' meaning she was an illegitimate child.
Adelia didn't say which noble family she was from, but Nicole generally knew how illegitimate children were treated. This allowed her to infer, at least a little, what kind of life Adelia had led.
She's such a bright girl, though...
Nicole crossed her arms and scratched her nose, looking Adelia straight in the face. There was a theory that people with deep inner wounds put on a bright personality to hide them.
She never dreamed it would be true. During their time at the Academy, she had never seen a trace of sadness in Adelia.
Conversely, it was highly likely that she swallowed her sorrow in places where no one was looking. She might be lively when with Nicole, but depression would likely hit her when she was alone in her dorm.
Nicole saw the image of Adelia from the freshman event, wandering alone in her uniform, overlapping with her current self.
"At that time, my existence was denied to my face. I was treated like a complete stranger..."
"... ..."
"And I ran away. I was crying alone after running away... and Isaac comforted me. He even gave me a handkerchief."
Adelia let out everything that had happened, and Nicole clearly realized why she had fallen for Isaac.
Honestly, it was a situation anyone would fall for. When she was grieving alone from the shock of being abandoned by her family, a handsome man approached her, gave her a handkerchief, and even comforted her.
And what if that man was the younger brother of a friend she already liked? There was no need to say more.
While Nicole understood the whole situation, she couldn't help but feel pity.
Of all people...
Why did it have to be Isaac, her own brother? If it had been anyone else, she would have cheered her on enthusiastically, but the fact that it was Isaac was the problem.
A cute and lovely younger brother who was officially engaged and, furthermore, had even the Demon Princess showing great interest in him. And though Adelia had no idea, Isaac was the author of the Xenon Biography, a man who could influence the world.
As Nicole was trying to organize her increasingly complicated thoughts, Adelia, becoming anxious at her lack of reaction, asked in a quiet voice.
"Um... are you okay with it?"
"Huh? With what?"
"Me... being an illegitimate child. You know, too. How illegitimate children are treated..."
Nicole blinked at Adelia’s question. Adelia, on the other hand, kept her eyes downcast with a dejected face.
Just as an awkward atmosphere was about to settle in, Nicole let out a smirk with an incredulous expression. At that, Adelia slowly lifted her head.
She saw Nicole looking at her with a smirk, as if it were no big deal.
"What about it? I've been with you this whole time when I thought you were a commoner, so what's the big deal about being an illegitimate child?"
"B-but still..."
"But still what? How many years have I known you? I'm the one who even put up with your weird personality. It's long past the time to care about your origins. And my father said it himself. Knights are meritocratic, distinguishing rank solely by skill. So, whether you're an illegitimate child or royalty, I don't care. Got it?"
"... ..."
At those words, Adelia’s expression became unreadable. It was a statement that washed away all her anxiety and worry, as if all the concerns she had held until now were pointless.
Truly considerate nobles were surprisingly rare. Most were fundamentally rooted in a sense of elitism and naturally possessed an arrogant personality. One could tell just by seeing how they treated commoners.
But Nicole and Isaac were different. They were so considerate that it was hard to believe they were nobles, treating commoners and illegitimate children alike with fairness.
If I could become part of such a family...
Wouldn't I be happy even as a concubine? I think I'd be happy even if I were just a guardian knight instead of a concubine.
For Adelia, who had suffered severe mental abuse in the Kingdom of Ters, simply belonging to a happy family was like a lifelong wish. Even if it meant watching from a step away.
At that, Adelia looked at Nicole with her characteristic bright smile instead of a sad expression. Seeing her radiant smile, Nicole felt a strange sense of unease.
"I've decided."
"D-decided what?"
"I'm going to stay by my cutie's side."
"N-no. Adel? Listen to me. This isn't as easy as it sounds, you know? As you know, Isaac is already..."
"I know."
Adelia cut Nicole off. Then, she put her hands behind her back and slowly approached Nicole.
"I don't necessarily have to be a concubine. Wouldn't it be fine if I became a guardian knight? I could also receive teachings from your father while I'm at it."
"Well... our family doesn't really have separate guardian knights..."
"I'll beg your father on my hands and knees. You and your older brother are knights, so you won't need guardian knights, and that leaves Isaac, right?"
"... ..."
It was no use. She seemed to have already made up her mind. Adelia usually listened to Nicole, but this time, Nicole felt an unyielding will.
When Adelia stood right in front of Nicole, she unclasped her hands from behind her back. Then, she reached out and slowly wrapped her arms around Nicole.
Squeeze—
A sincere hug for a precious friend. Nicole was flustered by the sudden embrace, but she found herself hugging Adelia back.
"Thank you."
"...Adel?"
"Really... thank you..."
As if to hide her crying face, Adelia spoke in a tearful voice as soon as she hugged Nicole.
Her body was also trembling slightly, as if she couldn't contain the surging emotions.
"I think... I'd be really happy if I could be family with you all."
"... ..."
"So please. Just once... can't you help me just this once?"
Perhaps she couldn't refuse her friend's request. Nicole’s flustered expression vanished, replaced by a bitter smile.
She comforted Adelia by gently stroking her hair with one hand and her back with the other.
She didn't know what would happen in the future, but it didn't feel right to refuse a friend's plea like this. She should at least try, shouldn't she?
"Alright. Just this once, okay?"
"Sniff. Yeah... thank you..."
"Geez. How old are you, crying like this? Did you lie about your age, too?"
"N-no... I really am twenty-two..."
"Then stop it. Stop. You'll ruin your pretty face."
Nicole comforted the sobbing Adelia while thinking to herself.
Just how many women is Isaac charming?
As an older sister, she worried that a major incident involving women might break out at this rate.
Volume 12 of the Xenon Biography was released sooner than Isaac expected. The contents of Volume 12 included Marie’s confession to Xenon, his training, and finally, the invasion of Albenheim.
The words Marie used in her confession to Xenon naturally(?) caused a massive stir, but what caught Isaac’s eye the most was a news report.
[If any story regarding the invasion of Albenheim is published, sales must be halted immediately.]
It was an 'official' statement issued by Albenheim. Isaac had heard from Arwen that while the Queen's consent wasn't strictly necessary to issue such a statement, it was standard practice to at least seek her opinion.
This meant it was an act carried out independently by the Senate, and seeing this statement, Isaac had only one thought.
"What is this, the Communist Party?"
He wished he could confiscate their dentures for the next hundred years.