Seriously into Teasing Pamela
"……I have no idea why that kid suddenly popped up."
Pamela's pupils trembled as if registering a 9.0 on the Richter scale. Unable to hold back the laughter bubbling up at the sight, I chuckled and said, "You really can't act at all."
For Pamela, this must have been maddening. The person she'd only just met today seemed to see right through her. To me, it was just fun to tease her—she was adorable when flustered.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Pamela turned her head away with a sulky expression. Still smiling, I shrugged at her. "If you don't know, then there's nothing I can do about it."
Right now, Pamela had abandoned all her usual acting and was simply on guard against me. That made sense—after all, I'd casually brought up a secret only she was supposed to know. Warning her like this might earn me her suspicion, but it was the right move for now. I needed to make sure she remembered that I could be helpful to her.
"Anyway, don't touch Silvia. Nothing good will come of it."
Of course, I knew Pamela wouldn't listen, but it was better to say it in advance. If she kept provoking Silvia and got caught by Cain, things could spiral out of control. Besides, Pamela's own circumstances weren't something she could resolve by messing with Silvia.
"……What are you even saying?"
Watching Pamela shake her head in annoyance at my gentle warning, I nodded vaguely and waved my hand as I walked away. There was no need to rush—Pamela's situation would have to be handled step by step. For today, a warning disguised as advice was enough.
"I'll trust that you understood."
"See you tomorrow, Pamela!!"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow!"
Wearing her usual bright, harmless smile, Pamela exchanged greetings with the noble daughters she usually hung around with before opening the door to her room and stepping inside.
Creaaak… Thud!
The moment she closed the door behind her, the smile on Pamela's face vanished instantly. Her expression twisted with irritation, a far cry from her usual image.
After unbuttoning the top two buttons of her uncomfortably tight shirt, Pamela let out a deep sigh and perched on the edge of her bed.
"……"
Her plan had been perfect. Over the past month or so, she'd searched for someone who could help her—someone who could turn her situation around—and had thoroughly investigated several candidates who fit the bill. At the same time, she'd maintained her flawless public image while carefully studying the personalities of those she'd chosen. Only a few people had made the cut after weighing both gains and losses. One of them was Felice van Astria, whom she'd met today.
The Astria County family held considerable power, and she hadn't expected to involve their second son. But once it became clear that the First Princess Achillea would ascend as crown princess, Pamela had changed her mind. As a meritorious retainer, the Astria family was bound to receive a massive reward from Achillea—now the crown princess. Moreover, his apparent lack of interest in women matched her criteria perfectly. That was why she'd approached him today, but……
"Haa."
It had only given her a headache. She'd assumed he was a training-obsessed, worldly-ignorant guy, but it turned out everything had been an act. He was cunning and sly. Not only had he toyed with her verbally, but he'd somehow already figured out her entire plan.
'He probably even knew I was going to approach him.'
Recalling his black eyes that seemed to pierce straight through her, Pamela swallowed the rising chill and bit her lower lip hard. The question "How?" was meaningless. Her plan had been known only to herself.
'He must have learned mind-reading or something.'
Imagining Felice's smug smile, Pamela clicked her tongue and flopped backward onto the bed. Her carefully styled brown twin-tails scattered messily across the sheets. Covering her eyes with the back of her pale, small hand, she stared blankly into space.
Felice. He didn't seem like the type to be crazy about women. Yet the way he'd warned her for Silvia's sake made her reconsider. Still, his warning to her hadn't been cold or sharp. It almost felt like he was genuinely looking out for her.
"Ha……!"
The thought made her let out a hollow laugh in disbelief. Looking out for her? Nonsense. Why would someone she'd only just met today care about her? Unless he was after her body, there was no way that could happen.
"He just wants to tease me."
In reality, he'd looked quite pleased while teasing her. Pamela frowned at the memory of Felice and pounded the innocent bed in frustration.
After venting on the bed for a while, she caught her breath and gazed up at the ceiling. His words refused to leave her mind. They said that if someone kept coming to mind even when they weren't around, that meant you were in love with them……
"Am I really that bad at acting?"
No, that definitely wasn't it. If anything, it was hatred.
As usual, while training in the training grounds, I let out a deep breath and slowly lowered my sword at the sound of approaching footsteps. I'd actually sensed someone's presence earlier, but since I already knew who it was, I'd ignored it. Now, however, I felt another presence. Moreover, the two of them seemed to have run into each other.
"……Th-that's not it."
"Then why exactly are you here?"
A timid voice and a calm, firm one drifted in from outside the training grounds. Letting out another deep breath, I calmly walked toward the source of the voices. Wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, I expelled the heat building inside me and looked at the two people conversing just outside.
"W-well……"
"Please explain yourself clearly."
Oh, she'd gotten caught by the disciplinary committee. Seeing Pamela being interrogated by a male senior from the committee, I couldn't help but smile. It was obvious this wasn't acting—she was genuinely intimidated. That was understandable; the senior was enormous. He was probably one of Achillea's personally trained students. I'd been planning to watch Pamela's flustered state a bit longer because it was amusing, but if I left her like this, she really might get dragged off to the committee. Well, not the committee—straight to Achillea.
"Ah, Pamela. What are you doing out there instead of coming in?"
Feigning ignorance, I casually raised my hand and greeted her. Both Pamela and the unknown disciplinary committee senior turned to look at me.
"Huh…… Do you know her?"
"……Yes, I do, Senior. May I ask what this is about?"
After greeting the senior politely, he pushed up his glasses with an awkward expression and said, "I was questioning her because she seemed to be spying on a junior."
"……Is that so?"
"It's not like that……!!"
When I looked at Pamela in surprise, she flared up and shouted, clearly having caught on to my intent. Her face was slightly flushed—maybe she really had been flustered. Grinning, I continued smoothly, "You didn't show up even though it was time for our appointment, so I was wondering what you were doing……"
"I already said it's not like that."
The disciplinary committee senior looked back and forth between us as we chatted casually, then finally understood the situation and let out a deep sigh. "My apologies for the late introduction. I'm Nicholas, a second-year in the disciplinary committee."
"Nice to meet you, Senior. I'm Felice van Astria."
"I'm Pamela Jean Degorsis……"
"I've come to deliver a message from Her Highness."
Confirming that he was indeed Achillea's messenger, he pushed up his glasses again while glancing warily at Pamela. I nodded nonchalantly. "You may speak."
"Understood. This Friday at 11 o'clock, a carriage will be waiting at the academy's main gate. She also said that formal attire will be prepared on her end, so you may come as you are."
"Understood. Thank you."
That was a relief. I'd been wondering what to do about formal wear, but Achillea had thoughtfully taken care of everything. As I nodded, the senior gave a quiet bow and turned to leave. I returned the gesture and looked back at Pamela. Seeing her staring at me blankly, clearly not understanding what had just happened, I gave her a playful smile.
"So, why were you spying on me again?"
Pamela's face turned bright red at my words. "……I already said I wasn't!!"
Yeah, right. She'd been following me around all day. I'd pretended not to notice, and she'd actually thought I didn't know. Laughing at the shouting Pamela, I shrugged. "You really are terrible at lying, aren't you?"
Pamela's sense of being struck was truly world-class……!