Chapter 215: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (8)
Chapter 215: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (8)
For several minutes after that, Senior Elsie didn't react.
She looked as if she might freeze solid and collapse right there. Her eyes, staring blankly at me, were even beginning to mist over with a faint dew.
If I left her like this much longer, she might actually start sobbing.
It seemed my rejection had wounded her pride.
To be honest, I found it difficult to understand her behavior. Ever since she witnessed that accidental incident with the Saintess, she had been a complete recluse.
Yet here she was, appearing more dressed up than ever before.
She was even suggesting that the two of us go out alone. The word "date," which she had whispered earlier, was still ringing clearly in my ears.
Could it be that Senior Elsie actually had romantic feelings for me?
It wasn't an impossible notion.
Naturally, when a group of hot-blooded young men and women spend time together, love is bound to blossom. This was even truer for comrades who had shared the experience of sleeping in the dew and crossing the boundary between life and death.
Of course, romance between members of the same practical training group was generally considered taboo.
We were people who had worked in sync until now and would have to continue doing so in the future. Once a romance began, it was inevitable that one would start showing favoritism.
It was the perfect recipe for a group to fall apart.
Despite that, countless couples existed within the Academy. The emotion of love was like a wild horse, impossible to control with the reins of reason.
Therefore, the possibility that Senior Elsie harbored feelings for me did exist.
In fact, looking at her recent behavior, it seemed more likely than not. Thinking back, she had consistently shown me a certain level of favor.
Otherwise, the notoriously cruel Elsie Lainella would never have become a gentle lamb only in my presence.
Objectively speaking, Senior Elsie was excellent marriage material.
First of all, she was beautiful.
Even during the days when her reputation within the Academy was at its worst, she had remained consistently popular. She had received many confessions and, by extension, had made many men cry.
According to the rumors, she would tear them down with words so harsh they could never recover.
Furthermore, her family was prestigious.
While the Count Lainella family didn't belong to the Empire's Five Great Noble Families, they had built a reputation as a prestigious magic house over a long period. In terms of wealth and influence, they were incomparable to the Percus family.
So, I had no reason to reject her favor.
I was, after all, a young man in his prime.
It was only natural to feel an attraction toward beautiful women like Senior Elsie, Senior Delphine, the Saintess, or Seria. The same went for Emma and Celine.
Despite that, there was only one reason I hadn't been able to focus on romance until now.
Because of the duty I felt to save the world.
My heart, which had momentarily wavered, sank once again.
Right. Now was not the time to focus on dating. That was a problem I could worry about after I saved the world. Besides, my future was still undecided.
There wasn't just one love letter from the future.
More letters from my future fiancée would surely arrive.
The moment I committed to a lover now, there was no telling how it might affect that future. For the sake of the continent, I had to postpone my love life a little longer.
However, as I met Senior Elsie's pitiful gaze, I couldn't quite erase a lingering shred of hesitation.
Maybe just a date would be okay?
It wasn't like we were becoming a couple immediately; wasn't it just a stage of getting to know each other?
No matter how ignorant I was of a woman's heart, I could guess how she felt right now. It must have taken a lot of courage for her to ask for a date first, and having it rejected must have wounded her pride.
It was then that my mouth began to stammer out a few words.
"I-I mean, still..."
Senior Elsie was not one to miss the fact that my resolve had softened.
Her expression, which had looked as if the sky were falling just a moment ago, immediately brightened with expectation as she waited for my answer.
If she had a tail, it would likely be wagging furiously from side to side right now.
My heart wasn't firm enough to ruthlessly trample that expectation.
Just as I was about to say, "Maybe tomorrow would be alright," a certain person suddenly flashed through my mind.
Lupin Lainella. Come to think of it, hadn't he said something to me?
That he would have his "revenge."
Immediately, a terrifying conspiracy theory began to color my thoughts.
What if this is all an act?
Senior Elsie is still dreaming of revenge against me, and she's conspiring with Lupin to give me the most miserable memory possible.
A wicked plot to seduce me with a honey trap and then dump me.
It was a truly horrifying thought. It was already well-known how cold she was when rejecting the men who confessed to her.
How much more cruel would her words be if they were fueled by malice?
A drop of cold sweat ran down my spine.
That was a close call. I almost fell for the tricks of the Lainella siblings, those owners of devilish brains.
In the end, the words that left my mouth were not much different from my first answer.
"...I'm heading down to my hometown soon, so I don't think I'll have any time."
It was a statement that hammered the point home.
It meant it would be difficult to find time before the break was over.
Tears welled up in Senior Elsie's blue eyes. Looking dejected, she lowered her head and murmured in a forlorn voice.
"Y-Yeah... right. Sorry, I was being thoughtless..."
It was the first time in a while I'd heard her speak informally to me, but the moisture in her voice made my chest ache.
What if Senior Elsie was being sincere?
As someone who didn't understand women's hearts well, it was a question I couldn't answer. Ultimately, unable to overcome my guilt, I began to pile on excuses.
"I'm not joking, I really don't have time. I have to leave the day after tomorrow, and there are so many people I need to say goodbye to. The Saintess, Senior Delphine, Seria, Emma..."
"...I-I know."
Senior Elsie cut me off.
With her gaze lowered, she was scratching at the floorboards with the tip of her shoe. Seeing her standing there with her hands behind her back, looking so disheartened, was particularly painful.
The atmosphere plummeted.
I had only greeted her out of happiness to see her, and I had no idea how we had ended up in this situation in just a few minutes.
Senior Elsie asked cautiously.
"S-So, with the Saintess... what is your relationship?"
"We aren't in any kind of relationship."
It was a hurried answer. It was an issue I had vowed to clear up eventually anyway.
If useless rumors spread, it would be fatal for the Saintess. Her virginity was bound to be associated with her status as a symbol of the Heavenly God.
Of course, Senior Elsie didn't look like she believed me at all.
She remained with her head bowed, making her gloominess very apparent.
"Listen, there was a misunderstanding... you should think of that as a kind of treatment process..."
"Then, what are we?"
It was a sudden question.
Stunned, I stared blankly at Senior Elsie. She had finally lifted her head, and her blue eyes were sadly fixed on me.
It was as if those eyes were asking me:
If you're nothing with the Saintess, then what about me?
Are we even less than that?
I let out a troubled groan.
"...Well, we're comrades."
Precious comrades who had solved incidents together multiple times.
However, Senior Elsie didn't seem satisfied with that relationship in the slightest.
With a bitter smile, she nodded as if she had expected as much.
She looked down at herself, turning her body this way and that. To me, it was an adorable gesture, but the bitter smile on her lips only deepened.
It was as if she felt anyone would react that way after looking at her.
"Right, comrades... well, I suppose that's better than nothing."
Before I could even ask what she meant by that, Senior Elsie put on a full smile.
It was a sorrowful smile, like the tolling of a bell at sunset.
"As expected, I won't be greedy, Master."
After saying that with the expression of a whimpering puppy, Senior Elsie hurried away.
I couldn't even bring myself to stop her.
I just watched her retreating figure for a long time before letting out an annoyed sigh.
Unable to handle the frustration, I scratched my head vigorously.
I think I definitely picked the wrong option.
However, what I had told Senior Elsie was partially true.
I really didn't have time.
There were many people I had to say goodbye to before leaving the Academy.
First, there was the Saintess, Senior Delphine, and Emma.
I owed those three a lot. I had to give them a proper farewell before I left.
Having organized my thoughts, I glanced out the window.
It was still afternoon—time enough to visit one or two of them and say my goodbyes.
There was only a day and a half left until I had to depart for the Percus Territory.