Chapter 296: Between Lover and Pet Dog (2)
Chapter 296: Between Lover and Pet Dog (2)
Celine let out a long, heavy sigh.
It seemed she finally felt at ease after hearing my side of the story. Various emotions flickered across her softening expression.
Relief, joy, and a faint trace of sympathy and pity.
From my perspective, those last two were emotions I rarely understood in this context.
I simply thought about Senior Elsie.
Celine’s obsession with me was particularly strong. Naturally, there was no way she would look kindly upon Senior Elsie’s confession. To her, Elsie probably looked like someone trying to steal away her close older brother.
Yet, Celine’s eyes held hints of sympathy and pity. There was only one possible reason for that.
She was empathizing with Senior Elsie’s miserable feelings as a woman.
That realization made my heart tighten even more.
Did I hurt her that badly?
Though she appeared strong on the outside, Senior Elsie was a woman who hid a fragile interior. I didn't know for sure, but it would likely take quite some time for her to overcome the pain of heartbreak.
My suspicion was proven correct almost immediately.
It was thanks to the bitter murmur that escaped Celine’s lips.
“Right, so that’s what happened… No wonder I could hear the sound of crying every night.”
“……Was that all?”
“And the sound of her cursing you, too, Ian.”
I felt like I finally understood why Celine had come to find me so urgently.
It was just like Senior Elsie.
Lately, whenever she ran into me, she would either look dejected or clear her throat with a beet-red face—to think she was actually cursing me out in her room.
Even so, she still maintained a submissive attitude toward me. Whether it was bowing deeply every time we exchanged greetings or immediately carrying out any minor favor I asked, her behavior suggested as much.
But I suppose even that couldn't extinguish the resentment of a woman’s heart.
It was heartbreaking.
Seeing my gloomy expression, Celine carefully offered some words of comfort.
“D-don’t worry too much! I mean, someone like Senior Lainella will surely find a much better match than you anyway, Ian. Right?”
“……Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
I couldn't help but snap back, feeling a bit stung. It would be a welcome thing if Senior Elsie could move past her heartbreak and stand on her own again. But to offer comfort by saying there were plenty of men better than me?
She wasn't wrong, though. That’s why it felt like a direct hit.
Of course, Celine didn't seem to care whether I was offended or not. The last traces of regret had vanished from her face, leaving her looking completely relaxed.
I was speechless inwardly, but I decided to leave Celine be for now.
She did look quite cute with that silly grin on her face.
After a long silence, Celine added a few more words as if she had suddenly become anxious.
“……But Ian, you know, right? That I’ve never bullied anyone.”
“Who said you did?”
I snorted, dismissing Celine’s worries.
Well, she did have a history of stirring up negative public opinion against Seria.
I wondered if she had settled things with Seria. I recalled her apologizing once before.
Thinking that I should check on that eventually, I spent the rest of the night chatting with Celine for the first time in a while.
All while the shadow of Senior Elsie, cast over a corner of my heart, remained un-erased.
There was, however, one fortunate fact.
Defeating the Corpse Giant had resolved numerous concerns. Not only were the lives of hundreds of estate residents saved, but the very land they lived on was preserved.
That alone made it worth risking my life.
But there was one person besides me whose spirits were soaring: the Saintess.
She stood tall, hand on her chest and shoulders squared with pride. Her prominent breasts were emphasized once again. Every time that happened, I couldn't help but recall my pleasant memories with her.
That soft, elastic sensation.
It was magnificent.
I almost stroked my chin and nodded reflexively, but I managed to restrain myself at the last second.
It would be one thing if it were just the Saintess, but Yuren was right there beside her. I had no desire to be misunderstood by him. He might come after me with a sword, asking what I’d done to his sister.
The mere thought was terrifying.
Feeling a cold sweat run down my spine, I watched the Saintess boast.
“Ahaha… Ian, you should have seen Archbishop Aindel’s reaction back then! That old man was about to fly into a rage when he heard I used the spare Blood Essence, but then he just shut his mouth tight… Pfft.”
“……Is subjugating a Subordinate of the Evil God really such a grand achievement?”
“Of course it is!”
As if the excitement of victory hadn't faded yet, the Saintess spoke while clenching her fists. It had been a long time since I’d seen her this energized.
When I first woke up, she had done nothing but cling to me and cry, but it seemed getting one over on that ‘Archbishop Aindel’ person was truly satisfying for her.
I could only manage a faint smile as I looked at her.
If she was happy, I was happy.
“The Heavenly God Religion exists to protect humanity from the Evil God. And it’s no exaggeration to say that the Subordinates of the Evil God are their vanguard! This is truly a mythical achievement.”
Of course, I was the one placed at the peak of that shining achievement.
From the Saintess’s perspective, it was a treatment that could feel somewhat unfair. No matter how much I had charged in risking my life, she was the one who had weakened the Corpse Giant and provided the decisive opportunity.
Furthermore, the Blood Essence she used was worth as much as an entire castle.
Despite that, the Saintess didn't seem the least bit slighted. Instead, she just looked at me with pride in her eyes. It was as if she was even more thrilled than I was that things had turned out well for me.
“……S-still, you mustn't do something so reckless ever again, okay? Ian, I’ve told you over and over, you really almost died back then.”
“Yes, yes, I understand.”
While making a promise that I likely wouldn't be able to keep, I glanced over at Yuren.
He was simply watching the Saintess and me with a warm, satisfied gaze. He didn't interfere in our conversation at all.
I felt awkward leaving him alone like a solitary conifer in a snowfield, so I was about to strike up a conversation when—
“Ian, I’ll leave my sister in your care for a moment. I still have some luggage left to pack…….”
He gave me a wink and walked away.
Today was the day we were finally leaving the mansion for the Academy. If he had unpacked luggage, it was only natural to prioritize that.
However, for an escort knight to leave and make such a request essentially meant I had to stay by the Saintess’s side for a while.
In the end, I had to listen to the Saintess’s boasting for quite a bit longer.
But it was fine.
Spending time with the Saintess was always enjoyable.
Thanks to that, I was able to melt away the time until it was time for final goodbyes with my family.
Parting with my family was the same as always.
I gave my father, mother, brother, and Ria each a tight hug in turn.
My father and mother told me to take care of myself, and my brother handed me a Raw Opal. Since it was a gemstone even I hadn't seen before, I suspected they might have discovered a new vein recently.
The one I shared the deepest embrace with was, as always, Ria.
She buried her face in my chest and tightened her arms around me. The sensation of her soft body pressing against mine was quite troubling in many ways.
Ria looked up at me with watery eyes.
“……You have to stay well, okay?”
“Yeah, Ria. I’ll see you again next break.”
It was a cliché farewell.
With that, I turned away. The Percus family would stand there, watching the back of the carriage as I rode away until it disappeared. That was how it usually ended.
But today, a new mystery was added to the mix.
Because Ria, after giving my cheek a peck as she always did, left me with a cryptic remark.
“I won’t wait that long, Brother.”
What did she mean by that?
A question arose for a moment, but my companions had been waiting for a long time. In the end, I had to push Ria’s words to the back of my mind and head toward the carriage to leave the mansion.
Inside the carriage, I could already hear the group chatting away.
The primary subject was Senior Elsie.
The Saintess was covering her mouth, sending pitying looks toward Senior Elsie.
“Sister Lainella, I heard… that you confessed to Ian and were rejected. My heart aches for you. If you ever need the help of the Heavenly God, please don't hesitate to come find me.”
It wasn't something that could be hidden forever.
Eventually, everyone in the group had found out about what happened between Senior Elsie and me, and because of that, it seemed Senior Elsie was suffering further humiliation today.
If I had known this would happen, I would have made sure everyone kept their mouths shut.
But since the source of the rumor wasn't me, there was nothing I could do.
From what I heard, Senior Elsie had accidentally let it slip after falling for the Saintess’s provocation.
As expected, the silver tongue of the Saintess, who had navigated the cutthroat politics of the Holy Kingdom, was terrifying.
Of course, Senior Elsie wasn't one to sit quietly while the Saintess teased her. She immediately bared her teeth and let out a low growl.
“……Hey, move that hand of yours.”
At those words, the Saintess silently moved the hand covering her mouth.
It was only for a brief moment, but I saw it clearly.
Her lips were curled into a triumphant smirk.
Unable to take it anymore, Senior Elsie raised her voice.
“This bitch, I’ve been too nice to her and now she’s really……!”
Ahem.
It was then that I cleared my throat.
Senior Elsie’s eyes widened as they snapped toward me, and she immediately looked away in embarrassment. Then, the blushing girl hesitantly slumped back into her seat.
It seemed she wasn't ready to talk to me just yet.
I looked on with a somewhat bitter expression, but the Saintess only wore the smile of a victor.
In the end, a sigh escaped my lips.
It seemed I would have to arrange another talk with Senior Elsie once we arrived at the Academy.
After several days of traveling and talking with the group, I finally stood before the familiar campus gates.
Having gone through so much chaos in the meantime, the scenery felt strangely surreal. It was also partly because Central Avenue was quiet, as the break hadn't officially ended yet.
Am I really back at the Academy?
What snapped me out of my daze was a sudden roar.
“……Rawrrr!”
It was a small, cute voice.
She seemed to be trying to imitate a threatening beast, but because of the tone, it wasn't scary at all.
My eyes blankly followed the source of the sound.
Standing there was a girl with dark blue hair.
Her hands were curled like animal claws, her eyes were closed, and her upper body was leaned forward in a pose that was quite adorable.
I could only ask blankly.
“……What are you doing?”
Ahem.
The girl cleared her throat and straightened her posture. She seemed to have some sense of shame, as a blush had crept onto her cheeks.
The girl looked down with her pale gray eyes and spoke.
“I-It’s… a dragon! I figured the spot for a puppy was already taken, so…….”
Looking at her, I couldn't help but let out a faint smile.
I was finally back.
Because there was only one place on earth where such a clueless princess resided.
It was the end of a long winter break.