The Original Protagonist and the Main Heroine
The Original Protagonist and the Main Heroine
"Eohyu, you fool. I'm about to die from frustration."
"Ugh, but...."
"But what! It's already been a month since we enrolled. How long are you going to just keep watching from the sidelines?"
A dazzling afternoon sunlight.
A boy in Knight Department uniform was getting scolded by a girl in Art Department uniform.
"Anyone would think you're going to ask to borrow money or something. It's just asking for an autograph from a fan, so what's there to hesitate about?"
Better to die than to suffer.
With that kind of feeling, the girl, Evelyn Perry, patted her chest as she looked at her childhood friend who was like a younger brother to her, Theodore Valencia.
At the sight of his childhood friend about to die from frustration, Theodore Valencia, nicknamed Theo by his friends, broke out in a cold sweat.
Even he thought it was pathetic, but... what could he do?
No matter how much he steeled his resolve, when he actually tried to go find 'Noel Grace' to get an autograph, his legs would freeze up as if hit by a restraint spell.
Why hide it?
Theodore was a fan of Homeros.
And a super hardcore fan at that.
Starting with 「Letter Expedition」, he had devoured all works written or participated in by Noel Grace, and he was also deeply immersed in the games.
That's why when he heard that the author Homeros was his age and had entered the academy as a freshman this year, Theodore was overjoyed.
He wanted to meet her in person and ask for an autograph.
But whenever he actually tried to go meet her in person and ask for an autograph, he would hesitate and make excuses, putting it off again and again.
In the meantime, a month had passed since enrollment.
By now, almost everyone who wanted an autograph from Homeros had gotten one.
Classmates, seniors, faculty, everyone.
And yet Theodore was still like this, and his childhood friend Evelyn, watching from the side, felt her sighs multiplying.
This was... well, it was obvious to anyone, and it showed.
"Theo, you're not just trying to see author Homeros as a fan, are you?"
It might have started as pure fan feelings.
But this reaction right now isn't that.
Seeing her childhood friend, whose condition had gone strange after catching a glimpse of a dazzling pink-haired girl from afar during the entrance ceremony, this was clearly 'that'.
"Wh-wh-wh-what are you talking about? I-I have no idea what you mean, at all?"
"Ha."
His fan feelings had evolved into romantic feelings.
He fell in love at first sight.
Something like that, I suppose.
"How dare I, a p-presumptuous person like me, harbor such-and-such feelings toward author Homeros-nim? Th-there's no way, right? Why are you suddenly saying weird things, Evelyn?"
Clenching his fists, avoiding her gaze, stuttering out denials... it was truly...
'If you're going to be that obvious, at least don't.'
Sweating profusely and saying no like that, as if anyone would believe him.
They say love that transcends class differences isn't as impossibly hard as it used to be, but it's still difficult even now.
Even among commoners, there's talk just from children of rich and poor families dating, let alone nobles and commoners?
Well, Theodore is a promising aspiring knight who could become a special scholarship student, so if things go well, becoming a Viscount family's son-in-law might not be a dream.
But...
'If the other person is that Noel Grace, isn't it going to be a bit tough?'
Theodore probably thinks of her as his older sister, but as a sister who has taken care of him since childhood, even though she wants to cheer him on, the opponent was bad.
If it were any other noble, a Count's daughter, she would have supported him without a second thought, but of all people, Noel Grace.
Worry took precedence over whether this shy guy could possibly win the heart of such a remarkable young lady.
'Should I tell him to give up before he gets seriously hurt...?'
Evelyn fell into deep thought over an unexpected romance—not her own, but that of someone she considered a younger brother.
Seeing her reaction, Theodore, who had been flustered that his hidden feelings were exposed, wilted.
"I know too... I know that author-nim and I don't suit each other..."
He knew it was presumptuous, but falling in love wasn't a crime, so he said he'd just nurse his feelings until graduation and then sort them out, slumping down.
Seeing her younger brother's reaction, Evelyn spoke with a complicated expression.
"Wouldn't it be okay... to at least try confessing?"
She thought it would be difficult, but still, to just give up on a one-sided crush without even trying?
It wasn't just a lack of spirit; this was... pitiful.
Considering the rumors about the Grace young lady she had heard, regardless of the outcome of a confession, it would remain as a page of youthful romance.
So she suggested that even if she wasn't accepted, expressing his feelings would be fine, but Theodore shook his head.
"I'm satisfied just watching author-nim from afar. I don't want to make author-nim uncomfortable by doing something like confessing and negatively affecting her work."
"Eohyu, what a devoted man you are. Might as well erect a monument to your devotion or something."
"It's not that... it's just a temporary impulse, and my feelings might not really be that..."
"Ah, yes, yes. Of course."
Since when did you start acting so delicate and careful?
Listening to him, Evelyn found it hard to hide her disbelief.
Watching her childhood friend unfold a pure-hearted love story that no one acknowledged, she felt her sighs increasing.
Actually, this... in a way, was also partly Evelyn's fault.
Theodore had talent enough to become a special scholarship student, worked hard, and enjoyed getting stronger.
He trained every single day, and seeing that, Evelyn threw him the 「Letter Expedition」 manga, telling him not to just swing wooden swords, but to at least look at this and cultivate some culture—that was the start of everything.
She just meant he shouldn't only focus on swordsmanship training and should take a breather, but that manga led Theodore to become deeply immersed in Homeros's works.
During the entrance ceremony, he saw Noel Grace in person from afar, and his fan feelings mega-evolved into love—how could Evelyn have known?
And now, for fear of making her uncomfortable, he won't even confess, just nursing a one-sided crush until graduation, unfolding a pure-hearted love story.
'A truly stubborn fool.'
Even when she tells him to at least try confessing, he says he won't.
'If you ask me, it seems like he's just embarrassed and scared... What "considering author-nim's feelings," my foot.'
The way he had bravely faced monsters when they went into the forest as children despite adults' warnings—that seemed like a lie now.
Seeing her childhood friend like that, Evelyn eventually shook her head as if to say, do what you want.
No matter how much they grew up like real siblings, in the end, they were different people.
Even if family, others are others, and she couldn't keep interfering in someone else's love.
"Make sure you don't leave yourself with regrets."
Leaving only those words, Evelyn turned her head sharply, as if she couldn't bear to watch such a pathetic sight.
'That kind of consideration—couldn't you show a little of it toward me too?'
Having that thought involuntarily, Evelyn felt a surge of bitterness.
When she thought about it, it was irritating.
Knowing each other for so long, he didn't even treat her like a woman, yet he wouldn't confess to someone else because he didn't want to disturb her heart.
It wasn't that she had feelings for Theodore or was jealous of Noel Grace, but as a woman, Evelyn was annoyed.
"Ouch, what was that for?"
Unable to hold back, Evelyn slapped Theodore's forearm with a 'chalssak'.
"Shut up. You get hit because you don't know."
"What?"
Theodore looked at Evelyn as if wondering why she was in such a bad mood today.
"Anyway, I'll advise you to confess, even if you get rejected. But the choice is yours, of course."
"Uh-huh..."
Evelyn sighed as she looked at Theodore smiling, thanking her for the advice.
As long as he remained that neighborhood bully, she couldn't help but act like his sister, even if she didn't want to.
"Right, at least getting an autograph, proudly—"
Muttering to himself, Theodore was steeling his resolve.
Just then, a commotion was heard.
The two childhood friends pricked up their ears reflexively to see what was happening.
"I heard author Homeros-nim came to the Knight Department?"
"What? Really? Lady Grace came to this sweat-soaked place?! Why? Oh, could she be looking for future bodyguard candidates...?"
"How should I know? The important thing is that Lady has arrived!"
"We have to go and get noticed right away...!"
Such voices were heard.
"Perfect timing."
Evelyn reacted immediately upon hearing that.
"Go get an autograph. Even better if you confess."
"Ugh..."
"You said you'd get an autograph proudly, didn't you?"
With half-lidded eyes, Evelyn stared at him as if to ask whether he was going to act pathetic and unmanly again, and eventually Theodore was pushed into action.
And then—.
"E-excuse me, author-nim...! I'm a fan! C-c-c-could I have an autograph...!"
With a heart pounding with nervousness, he finally managed to request fan service.
Seeing Theodore like that,
'Oh, he rolled in on his own.'
Noel, who had come to the Knight Department wondering how to make natural contact, sparkled her eyes.
"Of course. I'll give you an autograph. But...."
As if she couldn't miss this opportunity, Noel pulled out some document and handed it to Theodore.
It was a membership application form for a club she was planning to establish.
"Please sign there too, gentleman."
"Gladly—."
Theodore tried to reflexively answer that he would, but Evelyn, who had followed him, poked him in the side, and he closed his mouth.
Her eyes were full of nagging: she understood his feelings, but he should know what it is before signing; didn't he know how dangerous it was to sign anything blindly?
At his childhood friend's eyes, arms crossed, Theodore came to his senses belatedly and examined the document Noel had given him.
"Club membership application...?"
"Yes."
Where did this bread come from?
Smiling as if she had caught them well, Noel handed application forms to Evelyn following Theodore.
"Actually, I'm trying to establish a new club this time, but we're short on members. I've been recruiting."
He understood what she meant.
But Evelyn was curious.
She didn't understand why she had come all the way to the Knight Department to recruit.
"Actually, I was looking for someone, no, a beastkin, but I couldn't find them."
Noel had already prepared excuses.
She spoke as if this was purely a natural meeting.
She explained that she had come wanting to invite beastkin to join the club, but couldn't find any, so she was inviting the two of them instead.
"Ah...."
Evelyn nodded as if she understood after seeing the club name and activity objectives.
'An opportunity like this appears.'
Evelyn, who was both a friend and intended to support his love, decided to join as well, hoping Theodore would get closer to Noel through this club activity.
Honestly, as a scholarship student, Evelyn didn't have the leeway for club activities...
'If I leave that idiot Theo alone, it's obvious what'll happen.'
She thought she had to help, so she decided to join the club.
She'd probably end up as a ghost member due to being busy with part-time jobs to earn tuition, but it would still be better to help Theodore's romance than being an outsider.
"Here."
Evelyn signed the application form boldly and handed it to Noel.
Noel took the application form and smiled with satisfaction.
Thus, she succeeded in catching two big fish more easily than expected.
Now, only the task of putting those fish into one pot and creating a single dish remained, and Noel was delighted—but what would happen?