Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: One Knight, But Also One Woman. -2-
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She was one knight, but also one woman.
Eclair had no intention of letting the secret about Rike slip from her own lips to Chloe. Personal circumstances should be shared by the person themselves.
After taking a deep breath to steady her trembling heart, she broached the topic she had to convey with her own words.
"It's nothing major, so don't be too shocked... Um... I... have... a boyfriend..."
Chloe, who had been tilting her head in confusion, watched her blue eyes grow wider and wider until she clapped both hands over her mouth.
"...!!!"
If she hadn't quickly covered her mouth, she might have let out a near-scream.
"Is it... really that surprising?"
Her ash-gray hair tickled her face as she nodded over and over.
Chloe's life hadn't been a long one, but she was certain today was the most shocking day of it.
She knew her sister's extraordinary abilities better than anyone, having watched them up close. That's why she'd accepted her early graduation from the academy without a shred of doubt.
When she'd been chosen as the squire of Asen Premiller, the empire's greatest knight, Chloe had thought there was no one else who could possibly deserve it.
Even when her sister had become one of the Empire's Five Knights at such an absurdly young age, the shock had quickly given way to understanding.
But her sister dating a man? The same sister who hadn't spared a glance for the proposals of the empire's most eligible noble sons, who had rejected every political marriage from the finest houses?
"Is it... a political marriage for the Dreitna family...?"
She knew it was a ridiculous question, considering her sister's mindset and social position. Even so, she had to ask.
"...No. It's not that."
"Th-then...?"
Not a political marriage, but something else? There was one obvious possibility that existed so naturally, yet Chloe felt like she needed to hear it directly from her sister's mouth before her mind could accept it as reality.
She was in a state of shock comparable to full-blown panic.
It was just so astonishing to see her sister wearing such a delicate, girlish expression.
"Just as it sounds... I confessed my feelings... and we're together now."
"Sis confessed to a guy and he accepted...?"
What came next utterly shattered the already stunned Chloe.
Her sister shook her head and murmured in a voice as tiny as an ant crawling by.
"No. I... I was the one who confessed first."
"Wh-what...?!"
If she'd been standing while hearing this, she might have fallen flat on her butt in shock.
What kind of man could it be? Her sister's face was flushed so red it looked ready to burst just from bringing up the topic, and Chloe herself felt dizzy, her mind spinning.
"Could I... hear who it is...?"
Her sister, who had closed her eyes for a moment, lifted the corners of her mouth ever so slightly—as if thinking of him alone made her heart flutter—and spoke his name.
"...Roman."
"Roman...? That name sounds familiar... Huh?"
"That's the one..."
—
Her sister had a boyfriend. And she'd confessed first. On top of that, he was a Platinum adventurer—and the instructor she saw at the academy once a week.
Even taking them one at a time, each was an unforgettable shock in Chloe's life. But they'd all come crashing down at once without warning. She considered it a miracle that her mind and heart were still intact.
"Chloe. A-are... you okay?"
Someone had once said humans were creatures of adaptation. The moment she took in her sister's worried gaze, reality sank in—and Chloe realized she'd made a huge mistake.
"Ah... Yeah, I'm fine. And... um..."
"...Hm?"
"C-congratulations, Sis! I should've said that first..."
Her sister, who had widened her eyes in surprise at the words, curved her lips into a gentle smile.
"...Thank you."
"There must be a reason Sis chose that instructor. As long as you're happy... that's enough for me."
"Chloe..."
Her sister had silently sacrificed everything for the family up until now. Chloe had always watched that and wished she'd do something for herself for once.
Come to think of it, this was exactly the ideal outcome she'd dreamed of.
"It's so romantic. A knight and an adventurer... straight out of a romance novel!"
"Ahem..."
Seeing her sister cough awkwardly with an embarrassed look, Chloe felt a strange swell of satisfaction. And only now did a certain conversation pop into her head.
"This came up when Rike and the others were talking about noble marriage proposals recently—"
Eclair waited patiently without pressing for the rest, so Chloe shared her thoughts.
"She said she'd rather die than marry someone she didn't love. She said it with such a serious face that it threw us all off... but seeing you now, Sis, I think I get it a little."
Her sister, who had lived her whole life on the battlefield, was perfect—but sometimes felt like she was hollow inside.
Like she wasn't a person at all, but a single sword.
An utterly magnificent named blade, yet Chloe had always felt anxious that a stronger sword might shatter her to pieces—or that constant use would wear her down bit by bit.
But the sister before her eyes now carried none of that anxiety.
'Good...'
In the past, she'd only been able to guess that countless battlefield experiences—ones she could never even mention lightly—had shaped her sister that way.
She herself had grown up sheltered under her sister's sacrifices, always ignorant and foolish.
That emptiness had seemed like a bottomless abyss she could never fill...
Yet someone else had filled it in a single day.
For some reason, her vision blurred and tears welled up. She didn't even know what emotion this was.
"..."
"If... love is such an amazing feeling, I want to experience it someday too... Though someone like me probably couldn't..."
Creak.
Eclair rose from her chair, circled the desk, and knelt on one knee beside Chloe to meet her eye level.
This might be Rike's influence. It was the first time since childhood she'd held her little sister's hand, and there was no hesitation.
"Chloe. Never say that again. Aren't you kinder and stronger-hearted than I am? The reason I can use the bloodshed and thrill of victory on the battlefield as motivation... I can say with certainty it's because of you."
"I'm... not... that kind of person..."
Tears gathered and streamed down her cheeks.
"Don't cry... You'll ruin that pretty face, Chloe."
Seeing her sister gently wipe her damp eyes with a kind smile only made the tears flow like a leaky faucet.
"Sniff... I'm just glad... that you, who's worked so hard... are finally getting your reward... Sob..."
"I've never thought of it as hard work. I've always received my due for what I've done."
Chloe could only sniffle, unable to speak, as she watched her sister hold her hand and speak without a trace of faltering.
Eclair pulled a few tissues from the box and handed them to Chloe, then placed the box on the table into her hands.
"And... think of this as a gift from Roman and me. Use it freely. It'll definitely come in handy."
"Ah... Sniff. Th-thank... you."
Chloe took the box without even knowing what was inside, hastily wiped away her tears and snot, and bowed her head with a quivering voice.
"I'll explain how to use it after dinner. If you run into Roman, at least say thank you. He'd be delighted."
That merciless instructor? She'd pass on the thanks, of course, but delighted? She had her doubts.
Swoosh—
Her sister stood, placed a hand on her head, and gently stroked her hair.
"Chloe. Don't worry about the family's headaches. You don't have to become a knight—live the life you want. See the world... fall for someone, love them... spend time with dear friends, and be happy. That's more than enough for me."
She didn't know if her sister's values had changed overnight, or if these were thoughts she'd always harbored.
"But I'm a Dreitna... I have a duty to become a knight... Mmph!"
Her sister's palm covered her mouth.
"Don't say another word. I'll change the family so you can break free and live freely. If you truly want to walk the path of a knight, then do so. But don't rush into it... try all sorts of things first."
As her sister's hand left her mouth and she mentioned "experiences," one thing immediately came to mind.
"Like... you did, Sis?"
Her sister understood exactly what she meant, and her face flushed red as a ripe persimmon. Chloe still couldn't quite believe it, even watching it happen.
"L-love... isn't something you plan... I think it's something totally unexpected..."
"I see...! I want to hear what it feels like..."
Her blue eyes sparkled, the earlier tears gone. Faced with her sister's eager curiosity, Eclair panicked but closed her eyes, searching for an answer.
"...Until I realized my feelings... and we got together... the emotions were so overwhelming they were painful, but even so... I hoped they'd never end..."
"Yeah... Yeah! And...?"
...
...
To satisfy her sister's curiosity, Eclair bared her soul with a few words until she was utterly drained. She finished her rarely touched sweet dessert, ended the meeting, and said,
"...Whoever wins Chloe's heart in the future will be a wonderful man without equal. If uncontrollable emotions arise, come consult me anytime... I understand how the heart won't obey."
"Yeah...!"
That evening after dinner, while explaining how to use the brooch, Eclair agonized for a long time before confessing what had happened during the outdoor class.
But Chloe had already half-guessed it, so she brushed it off with disappointing ease.
There were more than one or two strange things about the timing of her sister's change, after all.
She was just grilled on whether that's when the romance with Roman had truly begun, leaving her flustered.