Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Summer Break (1)
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After the duel between Elena and Lucia, the atmosphere within the Academy had changed noticeably.
The mock evaluation battle had allowed each student to gauge their own abilities, which was one reason for it, but the most important factor was undoubtedly that Lucia had proven her skills on a proper stage for the first time.
She had also shown her personal connection to the headmaster. I had no idea how she had become acquainted with him, though.
"Aren't you getting a bit too arrogant lately?"
"Exactly! Just because you got into the Student Council doesn't mean you should strut around like you're all that!"
"S-Sorry..."
Of course, there were still groups who didn't know their place and continued to harass Lucia... but even that seemed like it wouldn't last much longer.
"To call the Student Council—where His Highness Prince Cedric serves as president—a 'mere Student Council'... Just how noble must your family be?"
"L-Lady Elena?!"
"Once His Highness Prince Cedric ascends to the throne as king, the Arbel Kingdom itself will become a 'mere kingdom' to you, my lady. Should I tell His Highness that you need to work harder to avoid that?"
"S-Sorry!"
"We've committed a grave sin!"
Elena, who was always with Lucia, openly warned those girls whenever they acted up.
The more she did that, the greater Lucia's loyalty toward Elena grew.
"Th-Thank you, Lady Elena..."
"You could have handled that on your own just fine. How long do you plan on hiding behind my skirt and trembling?"
"I'm sorry..."
"Straighten your shoulders and walk tall. Realize that everyone in the Academy badmouthing you lacks the talent to compete with you. If a proud Student Council member keeps losing their dignity like this, it tarnishes my honor too, don't you know?"
"Y-Yes! I'll keep that in mind, Lady Elena!"
"Good. That determined look suits you much better."
"Heh, hehehe..."
Seeing that giggling smile, it felt like any talk of Lucia developing feelings for me was over.
'At this rate, I wonder if Elena will end up marrying Lucia instead of me.'
She didn't seem particularly interested in Viscount Esbaren's son Theodor, whom she had mentioned before either. Even if Rinel enrolled next year, things probably wouldn't change much in her current state.
Not that Rinel was interested in any other girl besides Elena to begin with. Ever since he had somewhat taken control of the Rozier family, he visited the palace whenever he could just to catch a glimpse of her.
'Having a popular fiancée is exhausting.'
Still, there was almost no chance our engagement would break. ...Even if, by some fluke, Elena ever decided to run away from me.
With the first semester ending amid all these events, summer arrived sooner than expected.
The Student Council executives were heading back to their family estates for the break as well. Naturally, Elena would return to the palace rather than the Rozier estate.
"Jealous~."
"Of what?"
"My little brother gets to head back to the palace with his fiancée~. Meanwhile, poor Lisia has to go to the Grabel territory for summer break~."
"If you're jealous, why don't you invite Lady Grabel to the palace like I did?"
"As if that would work. If I did that for no reason, it would look like I'm trying to steal my brother's throne. I'm not interested in that sort of thing."
"So Brother Orpheus thinks things through after all."
"...Cedric, you've gotten awfully bold with your words while I wasn't looking?"
Who knows. Maybe it was Elena's influence.
She was forgiving of most mistakes or slip-ups, but she thoroughly crushed anyone who approached with clear malice.
...Not to mention how she was when we were alone.
"Ah, maybe I should squeeze into Cedric's carriage on the way back to the palace~. Traveling alone to the capital would be so boring for hours~."
"......"
"I-I'm kidding~. Don't glare at me like that over a joke, Cedric~."
With those words, Brother Orpheus hurried back to his seat.
He then whispered something to Lady Grabel, who blushed and playfully punched his shoulder with her fist.
'Who's jealous of whom, exactly?'
I wished I could banter or express affection with Elena like that.
Of course, I could feel that we had grown much closer compared to before. Her tone when talking to me was far more relaxed now, and she hesitated less when relying on me for things she needed.
The most crucial part—whether she saw me as a romantic interest—remained an iron wall, though. Like the curtain dividing our dormitory beds.
'Well, at least once we're back at the palace, we'll be together for a while again.'
We spent a lot of time together now thanks to the dormitory, but the Academy setting still made it feel like we were just friends.
At the palace, however, her status as my fiancée would feel more tangible, and we could spar with swords or magic without worrying about prying eyes.
With those thoughts in mind, I prepared to return to the palace. It didn't seem bad at all.
"Elena, how about a magic duel for old times' sake this summer break? At the palace, we could go all out without holding back..."
"Ah, I have to go to the Delrona Coast this summer, so no time for that."
"...What?"
Elena seemed to have planned her summer break far earlier than I had anticipated.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
I wondered what she meant by suddenly going to the Delrona Coast, but fortunately, it didn't sound like she was planning to go off alone.
If anything, it was the opposite—she was adjusting to my schedule.
"Father commanded an inspection of the Marstern Count family?"
"Yeah. He'll probably mention it soon after we arrive at the palace. You'll have to go to keep up your approval ratings, obviously."
"What's the reason for the inspection?"
"At first, it's because a lot of weapons have been imported to the Marstern Count's side, so they're checking if the count has any funny ideas. It seems quite a few adventurers and mercenaries have gone into Marstern territory lately and ended up settling there permanently."
"...Isn't that dangerous?"
"Well... Count Marstern himself isn't much of a threat. He looks a bit shady, but he's not the cunning or ambitious type. Though I did set it up that way on purpose."
From what I was hearing, this seemed like one of the 'events' Elena mentioned. I'd need more details from her to know exactly what kind.
-Crunch.
"Anyway, the Maptheth Count fathe... mmph."
"You can finish eating before you talk. We still have over two hours before we head to the palace anyway."
-Munch munch.
...What noble house teaches manners like lying on someone else's lap and dropping cookie crumbs everywhere?
A few years ago, when I took her out of the Rozier estate, letting her rest her head on my shoulder was the extent of it. Now she was openly using my thigh as a pillow. Did this count as getting closer in some way?
'The problem is she's gotten so close that she doesn't see me as a romantic option anymore.'
As I thought that, Elena swallowed the cookie in her mouth and spoke up.
"The reason Count Marstern is stockpiling weapons is because of the string of disappearances happening along the Delrona Coast."
"String of disappearances?"
"Yeah. About a month ago, serial disappearances started in the villages along the Delrona Coast. The evidence points more toward a monster than people."
"So he's importing weapons to handle the subjugation himself."
"Yep. Gathering mercenaries and adventurers is for the same reason. Though a few of them have probably already fallen victim to the disappearances."
-Crunch.
"Mmph mmm."
For someone talking about people going missing, she was awfully nonchalant. In a way, it made her seem like a proper noble lady.
Since she was volunteering to go along, she probably knew the solution. At the very least, she had no intention of leaving that coastal monster alone.
"So, you're coming along to help with the monster subjugation?"
"Nope?"
"...Huh?"
"I'm gonna take it down solo. What do you mean, help?"
"......"
"You can just pretend to inspect, take it easy, and head back, Cedric. I already know the strategy, and anyone else getting involved would just get in the way."
...That didn't sit right with me.
She had started relying on me without hesitation lately, but not even a little time had passed before she was talking about something this dangerous again.
No fiancé in the world would stay silent hearing their fiancée say something like that.
"It's dangerous, Elena."
"It's not."
"You were the one who called it a string of disappearances. We have to prepare for the worst."
"Hey, Cedric. This whole disappearance event and the boss monster are things I created, you know? Do you really think someone who made it couldn't take down their own monster and die like an idiot?"
"Maybe. But I do know that plenty of generals lost their lives in wars due to overconfidence."
"......"
Elena glared at me like she didn't like it, but this time, I couldn't back down.
I acknowledged her magical prowess, but that alone wasn't enough to reassure me.
'...Come to think of it, Elena once said with her own mouth that her original self in the story wasn't that skilled.'
And that her relationship with me wasn't great either, so she probably hadn't joined the count's inspection in the original story.
With that realization, I asked her,
"Just to be sure, did you handle that monster in the 'original' story too?"
"......"
"Elena, answer me."
"...In the original, you and Lucia took it down. Ah, but really, I could do it alone..."
"I see. Got it."
At the very least, one thing was clear: I couldn't leave Elena alone this summer break.