Chapter 237
Chapter 237
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Reunion with Ella
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Ella, don't you think we've been meeting way less frequently lately?"
"It's not my fault—it's yours."
"Pffft, yeah, you're right."
It had been a while since I'd last seen Ella, and she looked even prettier than before.
Well, she'd always been adorable since we were kids.
Naturally, as she grew, her beauty only blossomed further... but she was stunning.
The word "refined" suited her perfectly.
"You're staring—do I have something on my face?"
"I just looked because you're pretty."
"...Don't mess around like that."
"Pffft."
It had been quite some time since the coming-of-age ceremony when I'd last seen Ella.
Probably a bit more than a week, but in that time, my mindset had shifted in all sorts of ways.
The way I looked at Ella had changed completely.
Treating her purely as a friend like back in our childhood days... that had ended around the academy era, hadn't it?
Anyway.
"So, did everything with those matters from last time get fully resolved?"
"It went well. Things are actually progressing amazingly now."
"That's a relief."
We were just having a casual, everyday chat like that.
That's all you can really do in a café anyway.
We took our time with those conversations, then left the café and stopped by the candy shop we'd visited occasionally as kids to buy some sweets.
After that, we wandered through the city market, enjoying the afternoon together.
Ella had always subtly loved wandering around aimlessly and having fun since childhood.
I did it on purpose, considering that side of her.
Ella had been helping with her father the Niesista Baron's work and the family business ever since she was young.
I'd started my own business young too... but business and family trade are different, right?
"This was really fun today."
"Yeah. It was great hanging out and playing around with you after so long."
"When was the last time we hung out just the two of us like this? Feels like it's been at least ten years."
"At the academy, we always had other friends with us, so yeah, it's been a while."
We'd spent the day that way, and now we were riding back to the mansion in the carriage.
The sun had nearly set, painting the sky red before gradually darkening.
"Even as kids, you always did whatever you wanted. You come out to play, then say you're doing business and make me wait."
"Hmm... Did I?"
"You totally did."
"I don't remember. You're probably misremembering, Ella."
"Don't be ridiculous."
It was just chit-chat, but honestly, it was fun.
The reason I'd invited Ella today was for less-than-pure motives, but separately from that, time with her was enjoyable.
It was a different kind of time from what I spent with Lize or Rozalin.
Maybe because Ella truly felt like a friend?
A childhood friend I'd known since we were little.
"You're always doing whatever you please."
"Feels like you're insulting me big time."
"Pretty much."
"Eeeh...."
"It's not wrong, is it? You live life on your own terms every time."
"Well.... Yeah, I guess."
Honestly, she had a point.
Even I thought I was pretty that way.
But honestly, living freely and doing what I want is way more fun, right?
I figured there was no helping it.
"Anyway... so you've been super tired from that."
"Yeah... but you're still living like that now. I don't even know what to say. And it seems like you will going forward too?"
"...Sigh."
"Pffft.... But that's way more you, isn't it? If you didn't live that way, you wouldn't be Camellia."
"That's... true. Yeah."
Ella accepted it straightforwardly.
Even I thought... if I suddenly started living diligently, it'd feel weird in its own way.
Camellia Leonhardt suited living life freely far better.
"Oh, right. There are no maids or other servants at the mansion right now."
"Huh?"
"I gave them all vacations. I hadn't given them any separate time off in years."
"Huh.... That's unusual for your family."
"Well, they're people who work really hard at the mansion, so it's fine once in a while."
"It doesn't suit you."
"Pffft, I think so too."
The real reason for the vacations wasn't that, of course.
But that's what I told Ella.
She'd probably have questions seeing the quiet mansion when we arrived.
Of course, aside from the basement, there were no issues at all.
"So, just you and the viscountess at the mansion right now?"
"Oh, no, that's not it."
Ella asked a pretty sharp question.
I had no intention of giving a straight answer, though.
"Mother went on a solo trip. So it's just me, her maid Lize, and one of the mages who works at the mansion."
"...A trip?"
"Yeah. With Father gone and all, it's for calming her heart or something like that."
"Ah...."
I gave a plausible excuse to cover up the truth about Rozalin.
Not that it mattered—getting to the basement required unlocking several devices anyway.
*
It had been a long time since the coming-of-age and family head succession ceremony that I'd brought a friend to the mansion.
Lize greeted us alone, and that was it.
She prepared food, and we talked about just chatting leisurely, the two of us.
Then I casually suggested we have some drinks.
"The Leonhardt family has gotten ridiculously rich, huh. The mansion feels way nicer than when we were kids."
"Pffft, you think so? We've worked hard."
"I like how the interiors have gotten so much more luxurious."
"Thanks for the compliment."
I pulled out a bottle of liquor from the room and slowly poured some into Ella's glass. She drank it obediently while we talked.
Ella was nobility too, so of course she was quite accustomed to drinking.
That made it an even better situation.
Ella had always... harbored some fondness for me since childhood.
I wasn't sure if it was platonic friend feelings or something more.
But while attending the academy and spending time with various friends, I'd gotten a sense of what kind of fondness it was.
Normal friends don't usually get jealous when you hang out with others.
But... our Ella was like that.
"Everything's changed so much from when we were kids. Me, and you too."
"Yeah. Really... everything's different in all sorts of ways."
"The Niesista Barony's land has nearly quadrupled, and my business has grown massively."
"...Well, all thanks to you."
We sipped the liquor while chatting like that.
It wasn't super high-proof, but not low either.
It was fine for me, who was pretty tolerant of alcohol, but for Ella... I wasn't sure how it'd hit her.
"But Ella, no one you're seeing lately?"
"Why so sudden...?"
"Just wondering. Our mother mentioned wanting to introduce me to someone."
"Ah...."
"Well, we're adults now. It's about that time. Just curious."
Rozalin had brought it up with me, that was true.
And as adult nobles, it was natural to start dealing with marriage and such.
Of course, the reason I was bringing it up was just groundwork for tonight.
With a woman who'd been a friend for so long since we met at eight...
"Pffft...."
"Why are you laughing?"
"Just... it's weird realizing we're at that age now. We had the coming-of-age ceremony, but feeling it separately is different, you know?"
"Ah...."
"So. Anyone you're seeing, Ella?"
I slowly stroked my glass as I asked.
"Nope. I've been busy taking over the business like you."
"You seemed to have fully taken over the family trade last time."
"Father said it'd be best if I did it completely now."
"Heh, I see."
I already knew perfectly well she had no one she was seeing or would see.
I couldn't not know.
I'd investigated everything through the Information Guild.
"So... what about you? Anyone?"
"Hmm.... Mother mentioned some people, and there are quite a few I'm a bit interested in."
"...Really?"
"Yeah, quite a few. People you'd probably know too, Ella."
It wasn't a lie.
She'd know them too.
She'd panic hard if I named them casually, since she was familiar.
That's what I told her.
"It'd be rude to ask who...?"
"Want to know?"
"...Well, just curious. You don't bring up stuff like this often. And you being interested in someone... it's just... really surprising...."
"Pffft...."
Ella's expression as she said that was... quite pained.
Anyone could see it: regretful, wishing it wasn't so.
Wishing I had no one I was interested in.
"What...."
Seeing that expression confirmed it for me.
What Ella was thinking.