Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ella's Drunken Confession
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"I've known you since I was much younger.... Why is Miss Ivana first...."
"......."
"Is it because she has bigger breasts...? Like all the other academy students, you too... like that kind of thing?"
Hmm.
This wasn't what I expected.
She suddenly got drunk by herself and started talking like this....
"My breasts... aren't small... aren't... sob...."
"Wait a minute, Ella...? Don't cry."
"Pervert! Demon...! As long as a woman is pretty, you like them all...."
"Haha...."
What should I do with this.
It seems... the baron's lady, whom I've been close with since childhood, likes me far more than I thought.
Not just as a friend, but in a different way.
"I'm pretty too...."
"Yes, you are pretty, Ella."
"Liar.... Liar!"
"I'm telling you, you really are pretty. Why would I lie about something like this?"
"You didn't even mention my name earlier.... You mentioned Miss Ivana and Older Sister Karen... and Miss Grace too...."
"......."
That's true.
I intended to get this kind of reaction.
But I didn't expect it to be this intense.
Ella was already starting to shed tears, so I didn't know how to handle it.
Honestly, I didn't anticipate her crying like this because of me.
I once saw Rozalin cry a long time ago, but at least it wasn't my fault then.
A girl crying purely because of me like this....
"Ella...? How about stopping those tears for now? If you keep crying, even your pretty face will get ruined."
"Hic...."
"Ella...?"
"Sob, hic.... Waaah...."
"Haha...."
What do I really do....
For now... hugging her seems right?
That's usually how you comfort a crying child.
I decided to do that.
"We met when I was 8... why only me... onii...."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I've liked you a ton since we were kids too, you know?"
"Liar...."
"I'm telling you, it's true? You're super cute, just my type."
"Then why didn't you say it only to meee...."
"It's because you're that precious to me, Ella. Saying you like someone to their face, boldly like that, is embarrassing, right?"
"Why do you keep lying...."
"I'm not lying?"
I moved next to Ella and hugged her while saying that.
She was still whining nonstop....
But this was a side of her bright usual self that I rarely saw.
In a way, I enjoyed seeing this side too.
Her being this drunk on alcohol, and Ella whining like this, were both honestly things I never saw often.
"But why...."
"I told you? Because I like you so much. That's why I deliberately hid it."
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
At least it felt like she was slowly getting better.
As I hugged her and stroked her back, whispering sweet words, she gradually calmed down.
I never knew Ella had this side.
It felt like I was seeing a new aspect of her.
As a child, she showed some noble pride and vanity.
After growing a bit, for some reason—maybe because of me—those parts improved, and she just showed her bright, lively girl side.
But now....
"...So you like me...?"
She was incredibly cute.
Just like a fresh girl in love.
And for such an Ella's question, there was only one answer.
"Yes."
"Really...?"
"Of course. No need to lie about something like this, right?"
Her face flushed, her eyes still red and puffy from crying earlier, now wide as she looked at me—it was special.
She was the baron's lady, but popular among many students at the academy for her cute, lively demeanor.
But this was a side no one else could see.
Only I, whom Ella likes, could see this side of her.
That thought made me feel good.
The possessiveness from monopolizing this side of Ella, but it wasn't just that.
Ella herself felt so incredibly cute and lovable.
It was a different kind of loveliness from Lize or Ashley, making me feel happy.
"Ella.... Is it okay...? Even if I date other women at the same time?"
"...I don't like that."
"Then...."
"But.... More than that, I want to be with you. That's why... I came to the academy, even though I didn't plan to at first, and why I started taking over my annoying father's business...."
"........"
I knew I was a bit of a bad person.
But... hearing this made me feel tremendously sorry.
Honestly, I've thought about dating and having multiple women since a long time ago....
But saying something like that bluntly to Ella, who's pouring her heart out to me now, like I do with Lize or Ashley... it felt like it would be too cruel.
Really....
"I see.... I never imagined it was for that reason."
It was hard to say anything else readily.
"Since we were kids, you were always... super busy, and at the academy, you were always close with other people.... Even at the academy, you were always... with prettier people than me...."
"So?"
"...To be with you, I'd have no choice but to give up."
"So you're okay with that? Being with me is more important?"
"Yes."
...Is she really drunk?
Of course, she drank quite a bit, so she must be, but... the way Ella was speaking to me now felt quite sincere.
And the way she expressed that sincerity was... so clear.
"I like you...."
"Thank you."
"...Can you accept me...?"
"Of course."
I answered her questions immediately, without other thoughts.
I couldn't say no, reject her, or hurt her—the woman who likes me this much.
It wasn't just about wanting to have her; I wanted to make her happy because of me.
"I'll make you happy."
"That's fine. Just... let me be with you."
"......."
Ah.
Really....
She was too lovable.
A different kind... of lovability from Lize.
Not submissive, but pure, devoted... that kind of loveliness.
Honestly, she was too good a person for a bad guy like me; I felt sorry.
But rejecting this Ella would make me feel even sorrier.
So I hugged her even tighter.
Until Ella, who had been crying just minutes ago, let out a cute laugh as if she were happy.
"Ella."
"...Yes."
"Thanks for liking me."
"What...."
"For liking a bad person like me, objectively speaking, when there are way better people than me out there."
"...You're the prettiest in the world...."
"Pfft, yeah?"
"...Yes."
Her eyes were a bit swollen from crying earlier, and her breath strongly smelled of alcohol from drinking, but this was the prettiest I'd seen her.
I let go of the hug just to squeeze her tight again.
"But.... How many women do you plan to seduce...? Like Miss Ivana you met at the academy...."
"At least I won't go over ten."
"...You're a really bad woman."
"Do you hate me now?"
"I never said that...."
She's so cute.
I wanted to just hug her right now and... go all the way.
But doing that on the very day I accepted her confession would be too much.
Today, I thought it best to end with just hugs and sharing our hearts and words like this.
For now.
"...But I like you anyway. I can endure it."
"Ella, if bad people offer you candy and tell you to follow, don't go, okay?"
"Do I look like an idiot...?"
"A little?"
"...You're mean."
Is it because she's drunk?
Or is this Ella's true self normally?
Her usual bright side was great, but this lovable, cute side was really nice too.
Both were Ella anyway.
The bright, always energetic smiling Ella, and the one right next to me now, shoulder to shoulder, showing her cute side.
From age 8, over 10 years knowing each other, the cute girl who likes me.
I couldn't dislike it.
"But have you... kissed before?"
"Huh?"
"Kiss. That mouth-to-mouth thing...."
"...Want to?"
"It's not that I want to...! Just, just... curious! That can happen, right...?"
Why bring up kissing suddenly.
What else? Of course, she wants to kiss me.
I wasn't idiot enough not to know that.
Just, Ella's reaction was too cute.
"If you want to... I could do it once...."
"......."
Part of me wanted to be a bit rough like with Lize or Ashley, just go for it without waiting for an answer.
But Ella... is a bit different from them.
Unlike them, she felt a bit gentler, milder taste.
Even during academy days, she read a lot of fresh romance novels....
Probably believes cute girl stuff like first kisses tasting like lemon.
That's what I thought.
Seeing her act all pure in front of me, I didn't think she had the slightly aggressive tastes like Lize or Ashley.
So treating her the same way didn't seem right.
"...Don't you want to...?"
...For now.