Chapter 103: The Lord is With Us (24)
Chapter 103: The Lord is With Us (24)
Elsie was in a wonderful mood. She had been ever since she stepped out of Ian’s hospital room.
It was a first for her—feeling such goodwill toward someone who wasn't her younger brother, and having it proven to her that someone was worth risking a life to save.
If hostility and resentment were flames that consumed the self, then goodwill was like the spring sunshine, making life feel a little more fluttery and exciting.
The muscles of her heart, once wound tight with tension, relaxed, and Elsie’s expression softened into something almost mushy.
She even let out a silly little "Heh" every now and then. Moreover, she was humming to herself—something she had never done in her entire life.
To Elsie, Ian was remarkably dependable. He was a man stronger than her, both in martial prowess and in character.
At some point, whenever she stood before him, Elsie found herself reverting to the weak, spiteful little girl of her childhood.
It was a shabby side of her nature that she had tried to deny, a self she had desperately attempted to hide by wrapping it in layers of pretense.
But Ian had embraced even that version of Elsie. He had validated her and protected her.
It was the moment the joy of being recognized was finally etched into Elsie’s heart.
Everyone wants to be acknowledged by their superiors. Because of her small stature, Elsie hadn't even received proper love from her parents. To high-ranking nobles, children were often viewed as nothing more than objects.
Tools to carry on the lineage, or bargaining chips for political marriages.
Elsie didn't harbor much affection for parents who had turned a blind eye to the bullying she endured from her siblings. At best, she maintained a relationship closer to love-hate, simply because the bond between parent and child was considered a sacred, heavenly tie.
To the Elsie of late, Ian’s recognition was far more important. She wasn't sure exactly when she had become so captivated, but she had been hovering around Ian’s side ever since the day of the Hunting Festival.
And then she had heard those words.
He said he "just" wanted to save her. Didn't that mean he wanted to save her without weighing profits or losses? Paradoxically, that made him seem even more reliable.
Before she knew it, Elsie had become that significant to Ian.
Of course, she might not occupy as much space in his heart as he did in hers, but Elsie had begun to carve out a corner for herself in Ian’s chest. If that was the case, all she had to do was gradually expand that space.
Eventually, the mysterious emotion she harbored would surely reveal its true colors.
The change in the once cold and threatening Elsie was dramatic. Naturally, more than a few people noticed.
First were the children, who were always sensitive to the moods of adults.
Until recently, she had been growling; two days ago, she had been fretting; and now, she was beaming and humming to herself.
It was a mystery to them, but it was clear that Elsie was in a very good mood.
She even let the children’s mischievous pranks slide—something she would never have tolerated normally. Before long, the children gathered around Elsie, their loud laughter filling the air.
It was partly because, physically, she was the closest to them.
As a high-ranking noble of the Empire, she was someone they wouldn't even be able to make eye contact with on the outside, but young children didn't understand the complex world of adults. Their eyes were pure.
They believed only what they saw and heard for themselves. And among the people currently in their sight, Elsie was the most familiar.
She was short and had a youthful face. Her cute and lovely appearance made her popular with everyone, regardless of age or gender. Her prickly personality had been her only flaw, but Elsie, whose mood had soared after her meeting with Ian, was now perfectly pleasant.
That day, Elsie spent her time followed by a trail of children as she handled all sorts of chores.
She cleaned and even took charge of the dishes. Her cooperative attitude was enough to shock even Guildford and Yuren.
Whenever someone asked why, Elsie would simply toss out a single phrase with a boastful expression.
"Just because!"
And among those who noticed Elsie’s blatant transformation was one particular woman.
Delphine Yurdina.
She was the successor of the Yurdina family and well-known as Elsie’s arch-rival.
No one knew exactly why the two women hated each other so much. There was no blood feud between their families, nor had there been a specific inciting incident.
It was just that, at some point, Delphine and Elsie had naturally begun to distance themselves from one another. In truth, even the parties involved didn't quite know the reason.
They just didn't like each other. That led to a rift, and now they were the greatest rivals in the Academy.
The fact that both women possessed unyielding tempers likely played a part. However, since hate is just another form of intense interest, Delphine was always keeping an eye on Elsie.
That was why she realized it so quickly.
The fact that Elsie seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.
Even now, look at her.
Elsie had her eyes closed, her mouth slightly parted in a silly "Heh." A faint blush lingered on the girl’s cheeks as if she were thinking of someone. She looked incredibly happy.
And it was inevitable that as her enemy’s mood improved, Delphine’s mood soured.
After staring at Elsie with an unpleasant gaze for a while, Delphine soon came up with a brilliant solution.
If Elsie was in a good mood, all she had to do was step in and trample all over it.
That seemed like it would make her feel much better. As soon as she reached that conclusion, Delphine didn't hesitate to start walking.
It was a cycle that had repeated for a long time.
If Delphine was happy, Elsie would pick a fight; if Elsie was happy, Delphine would pick a fight. It was a law of cause and effect that was taken for granted at the Academy.
Because of this, Delphine and Elsie avoided each other even when they were in good moods. If they happened to lock eyes, their faces would immediately twist into scowls.
First, Delphine stood tall and proud in front of Elsie, as she always did.
Normally, Elsie, who was carrying water glasses, would give her a suspicious look and then immediately scowl as if her day had been ruined the moment she saw Delphine’s face.
Yes, that was how it was supposed to go.
But Elsie merely glanced at Delphine and continued on her way, walking right past her. Her humming was cheerful. Delphine felt bewildered.
Just a moment ago, when Elsie glanced at her, it felt like there was a hint of a smirk on her lips.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand why. Delphine’s blood-red eyes grew even more unsettled.
"…Elsie Lainella."
"Yeah, what?"
At Delphine’s low call, Elsie, who was placing water cups on a table, replied in a relaxed voice. There wasn't a shred of hostility in her tone.
If anything, that made Delphine feel even worse. It felt like Elsie didn't even care about her anymore, as if she were being ignored.
"You seem to be in a good mood today."
"Do I? Well, I guess I am then."
Normally, this would be the point where Elsie would use a shrill voice to grate on her nerves. But Elsie’s attitude remained perfectly composed. Delphine narrowed her eyes with interest.
It was a sudden change. There had to be a reason for it. Half out of curiosity and half out of malice, Delphine decided to test Elsie’s reaction.
"Have you gotten used to menial labor? You look like a maid."
"Even a maid’s status depends on who she serves."
"A maid serving commoners? How noble of you."
Delphine snorted. She meant it.
Elsie, a child of high nobility and the so-called prodigy of the Lainella family, was now acting like a maid. It would be a lie to say it wasn't a pathetic sight.
Her last shred of pride must have been shattered, Delphine thought.
Elsie was someone with immense pride as a high noble. There was no way she could endure such a provocation.
And yet, Elsie showed no significant reaction. She looked slightly annoyed, but that was it.
For a moment, those blue sapphire eyes stared at Delphine in silence. Elsie then turned her gaze back to the table and resumed arranging the water glasses.
"…If it’s something you truly want to follow, what does it matter? In the grand scheme of things, even we nobles are just servants performing duties for His Majesty the Emperor."
That was a crucial clue. If the brat of the Lainella family had suddenly awakened a spirit of love for the common people, it would be a blessing for her house, but judging by her words, that wasn't likely.
It was because she used the expression "His Majesty the Emperor."
That was a term used to refer to a unique and clear superior. The fact that she used such a term, even unconsciously, meant that the reason Elsie called herself a "maid" was related to that.
Delphine wasn't about to miss that. Her blood-red eyes momentarily flashed with a strange light.
"So. Who exactly is Elsie Lainella’s 'Emperor'?"
Elsie flinched, her movements coming to a halt. It was only for a split second, but it couldn't escape Delphine’s eyes. The smile on Delphine’s lips deepened.
Right, of course. There’s no way you could have changed on your own.
"…Hmph, what are you talking about? The Lainella family will always be loyal vassals to His Majesty the Emperor."
"You know very well it was just a metaphor. I was just curious because the change was so dramatic."
Elsie glared at Delphine with a dissatisfied look for a moment before abruptly turning her head away.
She seemed offended. One could say Delphine had achieved her initial goal, but she had long since become interested in this new possibility.
She pondered for a moment. Who could possibly be someone Elsie Lainella would follow so devotedly?
Unless one was a fool, the answer was easy to guess.
Someone she had recently incurred a massive debt of gratitude toward, and someone she had shown a peculiarly submissive attitude toward even before that.
The name of the monster who had carved defeat into Delphine’s own body and shattered her pride instantly came to mind.
"…Ian Percus."
The arm Elsie was using to wipe the table with a rag froze. A moment later, eyes filled with sharp hostility turned toward Delphine.
Only then did Delphine feel a sense of triumph. Yes, this is it. This is how Elsie Lainella should be.
"Surely not, Lainella? You’d better snap out of it… That man is not only merciless, he’s the perpetrator who assaulted and threatened you."
"…Back then, I was the one who did wrong first."
Hearing that, Delphine couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
Stupid Elsie, you don't even realize that’s as good as a confession.
And it was even more ridiculous. What did it matter who was wrong? High nobles were inherently like that.
They did as they pleased, however they wanted.
In exchange, they had to bear more weight. Because the moment they lost, it was over, they had to live their lives desperately.
Wasn't Elsie Lainella the one who practiced that better than anyone?
Her current state was nothing short of a downfall. Delphine shook her head in pity.
"That’s just the logic of the winner. If you trace back the origins of responsibility like that, who would be innocent? He was also the one who first assaulted your precious younger brother, wasn't he?"
Elsie said nothing. She was now simply glaring at Delphine with cold eyes.
Delphine couldn't hold back a snicker. Mockery naturally took the form of words and spilled out.
"Pfft, ahaha… Forget avenging your dear brother, now you’re acting as a maid for that hand axe murderer? I can’t wait to see what your brother Lupin would say if he saw—"
It happened then.
Splash!
Water sprayed through the air. Delphine’s eyes went blank for a moment as she was suddenly drenched.
Elsie had picked up one of the water cups from the table and thrown the contents directly into Delphine’s face. It was a humiliation Delphine had never experienced in her entire life.
Delphine couldn't even begin to process the situation. Because of that, she couldn't even feel anger yet.
She just stood there, water dripping from her face, her lips parting and closing uselessly.
But no words came out of Delphine’s mouth. This was because Elsie, with a murderous look in her eyes, let out a savage growl.
"…Who the hell do you think you are, daring to insult Sir Ian?"
Leaving the stunned Delphine behind, Elsie took off her pointed hat, grinding her teeth. Her small hand pushed her bangs back.
Then, a heated breath escaped her.
"This fucking bitch, seriously."
To anyone watching, she looked truly, genuinely furious.