Chapter 46
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: We're Screwed
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The moment my hand touched the carriage door, silence fell.
Before opening the carriage door—
I took one last look at Ruena, just in case.
Ruena had her eyes gently closed, taking a long, deep breath.
Like an orchestra musician before the curtain rises,
eyes shut, blocking out all senses to steady their mind.
The solemn air emanating from her brought me a moment of relief.
Enough to make me wonder if my worries had been unfounded.
But—
That expression didn't last long.
The instant our eyes met as she slyly opened hers,
her lips twitched, and her eyes curved mischievously.
"Heh heh—."
We're screwed.
Who would see this girl as Eliad's heir?
I'd believe it if you said she was a stray puppy that popped out from some alley bush.
I pulled my hand away from the door for a moment and lightly tapped her cheek.
Only then did her expression relax, and her eyes sparkled brightly.
"Eep…."
"Get it together."
"Y-Yeah. Celen."
"What."
"I'm so nervous."
"Yeah. You look it."
I turned my gaze from her to the window.
Beyond the glass stood the massive academy building, filled with students streaming inside.
At least a few hundred, by the looks of it.
It was only natural to feel this way as Eliad's heir amid such a crowd.
'If she weren't nervous, she'd be a machine or a monster.'
And besides, this girl was…
Such a klutz that it made you question if she really was Eliad's heir.
At that moment—
I felt a tug on my clothes.
I glanced at Ruena.
Ruena had sidled right up to me at some point.
The poised heir was gone; all that remained in the carriage was a spoiled little kid.
I stared at Ruena, who had frozen, her tension obvious as she held her breath.
'Has she always been this small…?'
I'd always been quite tall, then and now.
And she…
Though taller than she was as a small child compared to her peers, she still wasn't tall.
Her height barely reached my shoulder.
A petite frame that I could scoop into my arms with one hand.
'Eliad's heir is this kind of girl.'
I straightened her hair ribbon and stroked her head to keep it from getting messy.
"You have to push through the nerves. Hiding it is what you'll do for the rest of your life."
"…Yeah. Right."
"Still, …at least I'm here."
I didn't say more.
I didn't utter the corny line about how she could act normal around me.
Childhood friends of many years
meant we understood each other deeply with just a few words… that kind of thing.
As proof, a bright smile instantly bloomed on Ruena's face.
"Yeah. With you here, Celen, I'll be fine."
"Yeah, yeah. But since we're at the academy, how about graduating from relying on me? So you can handle things without me."
"No way. I like you, Celen."
She puffed out one cheek and grumbled softly.
It was almost a mutter,
but hearing it clearly made my face heat up in an instant.
'…This girl always— whenever I let my guard down—!'
That's when I realized it.
I wasn't the only one who needed to manage their expression.
I quickly schooled my face into a mask.
Then, acting nonchalant, I flicked her forehead lightly.
Ruena clutched her forehead and yelped, "Ow!"
Still wearing that playful smile unbecoming of an heir.
A mix of sigh and laughter welled up inside me.
"Playtime's over. Manage your expression properly."
"Okay—!"
"Posture straight too. Back rigid. Eyes forward only."
"Got it, got it!"
"Let's go, Ruena."
I patted the back of her hand lightly and opened the carriage door.
As the door swung open, the chill of early spring wind rushed in,
along with the noisy murmurs of the students.
And with them, the gazes turning our way.
They prickled at my nerves, but I had to pretend they didn't bother me at all.
Act like it was the most natural thing.
Like nothing was amiss, I stepped out expressionless.
Then I extended a hand to Ruena.
As if to declare that the only one I needed to watch out for was her.
Ruena naturally placed her hand atop mine.
Her face had shifted back to that of a haughty noble lady, as if nothing had happened.
'Doing great.'
Instead of a smile or praise, I expressed it by squeezing her hand slightly.
That she was doing very well.
Ruena squeezed back in kind.
Suppressing the twitch at the corner of her mouth, I escorted her.
The students' murmurs didn't die down.
If anything, from the moment we stepped out of the carriage, all eyes locked onto us.
I didn't spare them a glance and strode forward.
Ruena, holding my hand, lifted her chin proudly and stepped out confidently.
We were putting on every ounce of haughty dignity we could muster.
'Noble society is exhausting.'
As we passed, all sorts of voices reached us.
Exclamations and cheers,
envy, jealousy, or wariness,
rumors rising and falling naturally.
I had no desire to pay attention to such trivia,
but my thief blood wouldn't let me miss a single one, habitually picking them all up.
"That's her, the next Grand Duke of Eliad, right?"
"What a stunning beauty."
"That haughty, cool demeanor… As expected of someone with Eliad blood."
Haughty? Cool?
I nearly burst out laughing but held it in.
Of course, half of that laugh was mockery, half relief that it was working.
Not a bad first impression, all things considered.
Naturally, wary voices cropped up too,
but they weren't a real threat to Ruena right now.
The massive shield of Eliad would block their clumsy jabs.
…As long as Ruena didn't cause a massive incident.
I glanced sideways at her.
Ruena kept her haughty gaze fixed ahead.
I advanced, listening to the steady click of her shoes on the pavement.
And then—
Familiar words drifted from nearby.
"Oh my, that hair color like it's infused with moonlight…."
"Isn't that House Noir? The sacred seers who can see the future…."
"They have such incredible power but no ambition for authority at all. So admirable."
"That's why the rumors say they're even more mysterious and untouchable."
……Pardon?
Who?
Us?
I nearly grabbed the speaker and demanded they repeat it.
Sacred?
No desire for power?
I'd been listening to their crass, power-hungry nagging all morning—warnings to behave so as not to sever ties with Eliad.
'Isn't our house… way too overhyped?'
At this level of hype, they could toss us off a mountaintop without a scratch.
I couldn't help but marvel anew at the lies built up over centuries.
The imperial family and past heads of the Founding Houses…
To elevate a mere thief family to near-saintly status.
I admired their image crafting, but—
Knowing the truth as a thief from that family,
it felt like a masterful ploy to make me blush with shame and repent.
'Seriously… If I weren't Ruena's attendant, I'd plug my ears and run.'
I desperately managed my expression and kept walking.
All the while—
Voices testing my poker face kept coming.
"That's Celen Noir? The famous third son of House Noir."
"I hear he's a genius on par with the next heir."
"That's why he snagged the attendant position for Eliad's heir at such a young age."
"Eliad must have their calculations. A prophetic family that sees the future—bound to be useful later."
"Impressive as ever. Eliad."
No.
He's not that great.
I just took the job for the big paycheck; he's barely scraping by.
I didn't show it, but my face burned like it might explode.
Fine, I'd accept the alliance between Eliad and Noir,
but how did rumors about me balloon to this extent? No clue.
'Probably… because I'm Ruena's attendant.'
I wanted to crawl into a hole from the embarrassment.
Anyway, my rock-bottom mana would be exposed in the entrance exam soon enough.
Ah, maybe that's a good thing.
The bubble would burst from the start, sparing me these cringey comments.
Thinking that way calmed me a bit.
Though a tinge of bitterness lingered.
At that moment—
Someone approached us.
Academy staff waiting at the main gate.
"You're Miss Ruena of House Eliad Grand Duchy, correct? We'll escort you this way."
"Welcome to the academy, Miss Ruena."
For an academy touting equal education, this was blatantly preferential treatment.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd again.
I escorted Ruena in the direction the staff indicated, ears tuned to the surroundings once more.
Not for evaluations of her… but concern for the future.
Those forces calling her the final boss and targeting her.
Just in case.
We'd drawn this much attention; they might show up now.
Well, no way they'd…
Shout it openly where the target might hear?
They wouldn't be that sloppy.
"…Found you. Ruena Eliad."
There it was.
The voice dripped with hostility and piercing killing intent.
Like openly proclaiming, 'I'm targeting you right now.'
In this situation,
I couldn't let on that I'd noticed.
That would just fan unnecessary flames.
As a thief family veteran, I sidelong-glanced to pinpoint the voice's owner.
'Woman, direction west… distance 10~15 meters?'
Found her.
The intruder hiding in the crowd, glaring at us.
And that person looked familiar.
Looking there—
A blonde woman wielding a pure white sword stood facing Ruena.
Her clothes were torn to rags in places,
blood streamed from her head, keeping her from opening her eyes properly, yet she glared at Ruena.
Her eyes held no mercy— the gaze of mortal enemies.
The woman ground her teeth and muttered.
"That woman's the final boss."
Definitely the woman I'd seen—
when I first met Ruena,
while peering into her future.