Chapter 26
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Ruena is Strange
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Time passed fleetingly.
No, it had flowed in the most fulfilling manner possible.
A perfect daily routine as the heir set to lead House Eliad.
Refining her unique ability,
devoting herself tirelessly to her heir lessons,
covering an inexplicable sense of lack with the inherent cool-headedness of House Eliad.
She shouldn't concern herself with the discomfort caused by that lack.
It was necessary for succeeding the house.
For the unwavering shell of Ruena 'Eliad' alone.
Today, too, had been an impeccably splendid time.
It felt hollow, but she regarded it merely as part of the adaptation process.
Father was always right, after all.
Something surfaced in her mind, but she buried it deep.
It didn't align with the cool-headedness required of an Eliad.
She held her breath.
She killed the discomfort.
She killed the rising memories.
For the utterly flawless Ruena 'Eliad' alone.
But—
“...Ruena?”
A familiar voice came from beyond the door.
The numbness of her lack wriggled back to life in an instant.
Something that shouldn't emerge suddenly tried to gasp for air.
This wasn't the right answer.
It couldn't be allowed.
She plugged her ears, suppressed her consciousness, and strangled the rising memories.
“Can I come in?”
“......”
“Ruena. I'm coming in?”
She gave no reply.
There was no need.
The thing that set her heart fluttering so pointlessly.
The unpredictable,
uncontrollable impulses within—those were meaningless to an Eliad.
No, they absolutely could not be allowed.
An Eliad required cool-headedness unshaken by anything.
“Hey, Ruena.”
“......”
“Don't space out—look over here. I'm right here.”
“......?”
The familiar timbre sounded close by.
Ruena 'Eliad' unwittingly lifted her head and looked ahead.
Blue eyes filled her vision.
Her mind, which should always remain calm, grew confused for no reason she could name.
Suddenly, her heart ached.
No—it was more accurate to say it began pounding uncontrollably.
“......Celen?”
The name slipped from her lips on its own.
As she uttered it, she had the illusion that something was welling up inside her.
Then the blue eyes crinkled in a half-moon smile.
“Yeah, it's me. Why aren't you answering? You're awake.”
“......”
A tone laced with both relief and complaint.
A familiar eye smile and the warm heat radiating from his shoulder.
The moment she faced them, the chronic discomfort of her lack began to fill.
It was unnecessary.
Meaningless.
Not the right answer.
But—
“......Celen?”
Ruena 'Eliad' found herself asking once more without thinking.
“Yeah. I'm here.”
In that instant—
Ruena 'Eliad' crumbled.
'I'm here.'
That single short reply erased every last trace of her lack.
Like discovering an oasis amid endless thirst,
like finding light in boundless darkness.
It was beyond her control.
She couldn't stop it.
Even knowing it wasn't the right answer, her body moved first.
Ruena rose from her chair and pulled Celen into an embrace.
“...Huh?”
“......You're here.”
As Celen stiffened in surprise, Ruena buried her face in his warmth.
A moment later—
An awkward but gentle hand patted her back.
“...Ah, yeah. Long time no see, Ruena.”
“......Yeah.”
It was a brief exchange, but everything that had died within her began reviving one by one.
The rigidly constructed cool-headedness collapsed.
Her heart poured toward Celen of its own accord.
It wasn't the right answer.
Unnecessary for an Eliad.
But it didn't matter.
For 'Ruena' Eliad, nothing else was needed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Something was off.
Way too off...
I paused midway through my Mont Blanc and stared at the oddity beside me.
“......Why?”
“...No. Nothing.”
She seemed about to say something but shut her mouth.
Mentioning it outright felt like losing somehow.
I melted the Mont Blanc in my mouth and snuck a sidelong glance at her.
'This girl... why has she been sitting right next to me these past few days?'
She used to sit across from me.
Now she dragged over a chair and plopped down beside me like it was the most natural thing.
Extremely close.
Our arms would brush if either of us moved.
I stayed quiet since speaking up felt like defeat, but this was too weird.
'What the heck is this...'
I set down my fork and looked at Ruena.
Ruena was still eating her Mont Blanc with an expressionless face.
Slowly, at a steady pace.
She picked up her fork, cut off a bite-sized piece, and silently put it in her mouth.
No words.
Her face looked utterly unconcerned.
'......Am I the weird one for noticing?'
No, no matter how I thought about it, it was normal to notice.
No explanation given.
Her behavior suddenly changed.
Yet her expression stayed the same as always.
That bizarre mismatch grated on my nerves even more.
'Ah, cream on her mouth.'
Still, I couldn't pass up a chance for compensation,
so I pulled out my handkerchief and wiped the cream from the corner of Ruena's mouth.
“Tasty?”
“Yeah.”
“Eat up. I brought a ton today.”
Ruena nodded slowly.
At least one of us was enjoying it—small mercies.
As for me...
Honestly, with Ruena acting so strangely,
I barely registered whether the Mont Blanc was going in my nose or my mouth.
I fiddled with my fork while observing her.
Did she like Mont Blanc? Her plate was emptying faster than usual.
My body moved faster than my thoughts.
I reached into the bag on the chair beside me and asked Ruena,
“Want more?”
“Yeah.”
“Strawberry jam cookies too?”
“Yeah. Like.”
I picked up a cookie and popped it into Ruena's mouth.
A crunchy sound followed, and the sweet strawberry jam scent wafted faintly.
“Tasty?”
“...Tasty.”
“Good. Eat as much as you want—plenty more.”
“Yeah.”
I took out another Mont Blanc and placed it on Ruena's plate.
Ruena, who had picked up the fork from the table, stared straight at me.
“Celen.”
“Yeah?”
“Tomorrow... when are you coming?”
It hadn't even been an hour since I arrived at the mansion.
Ruena was already checking my schedule for tomorrow.
But... tomorrow was the day I was supposed to visit the Head Chef's house.
“Uh, tomorrow I can't come... ……I'll come late, at least.”
“Yeah.”
I'd clearly meant to say I couldn't make it tomorrow.
But seeing Ruena's subtly crestfallen expression, the words died in my throat.
'The Head Chef's house... if I leave early in the morning, I can make it work somehow....'
I glanced at Ruena.
She was back to eating her Mont Blanc as if nothing had happened.
That just complicated my head all over again.
'What is this? A side effect of restoring her emotions?'
Like a chick imprinting the first thing it sees as its mother,
was she acting this way because I was the first person she saw after regaining her feelings?
But...
I'd been worried about side effects,
so I'd given them back little by little, carefully over several days?
Pondering it alone would just give me a headache.
'...Fine. Side effect or not, it's my responsibility.'
I swallowed a sigh and popped some Mont Blanc into my mouth.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Before I knew it, it was time to head home.
'Following me again...'
I shot a sidelong glance at Ruena beside me.
She used to see me off only as far as the second-floor stairs.
Now she came all the way down the stairs, sticking to my side right up to the entrance.
And—
“Ruena.”
“Yeah.”
“...I have to go out if you let me loose.”
“......”
She nodded, but nothing else changed.
The hand she'd clasped the whole way showed no sign of loosening.
Her head got it, but her body clearly wasn't ready to let go.
This, too—
was one of the peculiar routines that had repeated over the past few days.
'Again with this.'
I let out a soft sigh and shook my head slightly.
“Ruena, I have to go.”
“Yeah.”
“So, could you let go of my hand?”
“...Yeah.”
Her responses were spot-on, as always.
Even as the grip on my hand tightened further.
I exhaled briefly and gently stroked Ruena's head.
“...I'll come tomorrow, too.”
Only then did her hand slowly loosen.
As if those words were the signal she could finally release me.
'Just how long is this side effect going to last?'
When would she go back to normal?
At least I'd managed to pry her hand off today—progress.
...Or so I thought.
Strength flooded back into Ruena's hand.
Even harder than before, her hand trembling to boot.
Her expression held a hint of fear.
The unexpected turn left me a bit stunned.
'What now?'
Something felt different. I hurriedly scanned our surroundings.
That was when—
I spotted Grand Duke Eliad at the far end of the corridor.
His intimidating gaze was unmistakably fixed on us.
'......So that's it.'
I glanced back at Ruena.
Her head was bowed, body quaking.
She'd always been wary of her father, but never this terrified.
'What the hell happened while she was gaining her unique ability?'
I didn't want to pry into Ruena's inner thoughts,
but right now, I needed to know why she was shaking like this.
I used a Price to steal a glimpse of her heart.
No. Scary. Hate. Father will make Celen unable to come again. Maybe never see him again. Hate. No. ......What the heck was that?
Did she seriously not know the Grand Duke had sent me an invitation?