Storms Strike Twice
“What is your relationship with that woman?”
The moment those words left Elga’s lips, Kyle let out a quiet, stunned “Huh?”
What the hell? Why was a line that dangerous coming out of Elga’s mouth—and right in front of him, no less?
…No way. You’re kidding me, right, my lady? Please tell me you’re kidding.
Unlike those dense male leads whose passives were zero social awareness and emotional impotence, Kyle immediately grasped Elga’s state of mind.
She had closed the book on the feelings she’d been carrying and turned her gaze toward somewhere new.
He wanted nothing more than to rush over to Leto right then and choke the idiot out. To have a beauty like this—hell, a childhood friend, the ultimate cheat code among cheat codes—and still do nothing while her feelings cooled off completely.
Where had everything gone wrong? How had it all gotten so tangled?
Biting his lip, Kyle desperately wracked his brains.
Elga isn’t just some girl looking for love. She definitely wants to be loved, but at the same time she’s a woman who harbors the ambition to lead the Litorio Grand Duchy. What she needs is someone who understands her and can become her decisive strength when things get hardest—someone who can give her that kind of certainty.
In the original novel, Leto was probably meant to grow into that person, their relationship deepening over time. From a subordinate who could only bow his head and follow into a companion who walked forward hand-in-hand.
A character who grows emotionally! Yeah, it sounded nice when you put it that way.
The big problem was that that development came way past the early chapters. And in between, there had been no “variable” named Kyle.
In the original flow, no one would have shaken Leto’s position. But somehow, Kyle had not only shaken it—he’d planted his foot right in the middle of it.
At this rate, Elga would definitely choose Kyle over Leto. No—maybe she’d already made her choice.
“Why aren’t you answering, Kyle? Is it a difficult question?”
Hearing Elga’s words, Kyle squeezed his eyes shut. Whatever answer he gave, it was obvious he couldn’t come out ahead.
If he said they were nothing, Elga would clearly go after that spot. If he said the opposite, she’d approach Tisha next.
And for the record, he wasn’t worried about Elga and Tisha meeting. He was worried about Ian, the guy who always hovered around Tisha without her noticing. Just imagining those two clashing… Fuck. Nightmares didn’t get worse than that.
“I’d like to ask why you’re posing that question.”
“I saw you hurrying after Tisha earlier.”
“How did you…?”
“I happened to see it.”
“...”
That “happened to” of yours is never just “happened to,” my lady. What kind of person keeps their eyes glued to one person at a party like this?
Saying we’re nothing is out. Without a speed bump, this young lady will come barreling in for real—I guarantee it. But if I call her my girlfriend, I’ve got Tisha and Ian’s reactions to worry about…
It was always best to keep a smooth relationship with the protagonist characters. They weren’t the protagonists for nothing. Even if there was no gain, there wouldn’t be any loss either.
So the answer that could get him through the current situation cleanly was, of course…
“We’re friends.”
“Friends.”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“…For now, yes.”
He deliberately slipped in the words “for now.” A vague answer that Tisha, Elga, or even Ian could each interpret in a way that favored them.
It felt slimy, like he was stringing people along, but he had no choice. He hadn’t even properly thought about which route to take yet, let alone decided.
For Kyle, who was trying to maintain smooth relations with all the protagonists, this was a truly awkward situation. Not even knowing the full plot of the original work, those relationships were his only hope. So for now, giving this kind of bastard answer was his top priority.
“You know that’s a pretty irritating answer for a woman to hear, right?”
“I know.”
“And not just for me. Tisha might feel the same.”
“…I’m aware of that as well.”
“And yet you’re still going to answer that you’re friends ‘for now.’”
Elga stared hard at Kyle with a strange look in her eyes. That gaze was so burdensome he just wanted to run away on the spot. Why did he have to get tangled up with a woman like this, only for things to get twisted all over again!
“You know, Kyle. I want to become the head of my family.”
“…Pardon?”
“I mean I want to become the Grand Duke of Litorio.”
Sure, go ahead. Oh, is that so. I understand. Good luck with that!—this was not something he could just brush past. Why was she saying something so enormous, of all people, right in front of Kyle himself?
It had to be because of what he’d said to her before. You should be the one to become the master of the Grand Duchy! That’s what I believe! You can do it, Elga!
…Yeah. I dug my own living hell of a grave. Damn it.
Kyle thought that and squeezed his eyes shut again.
At first, she had just wanted to provoke a little jealousy out of Leto. The feelings she’d held onto for so long had cracked, but they hadn’t completely died out. If, by some chance, he looked her way even now, she was prepared to do the same.
But Leto had ultimately dashed even Elga’s final hope. No matter how much she kept casting glances at the man named Kyle, he simply stood quietly by her side, not caring in the slightest.
Haa.
Yeah. I knew it would be like this. I expected it. Now I need to take one step at a time—slowly but surely—away from him.
Leto will never look at me as a woman. There’s no going back. I’m truly exhausted from the empty echoes that never return.
Before, I could say it was because I was young, or because I was immature. But now I really need a clear answer, and Leto refused to give it in the end. And Elga no longer had the time, the leisure, or the heart to wait any longer.
What she needed right now wasn’t a subordinate who only nodded his head. Nor a lover she dated just for a brief fling. She needed a comrade, a colleague, a partner—someone beyond that.
In that regard, Leto was, unfortunately, lacking. She had no intention of living and dying as one man’s woman. The fire in her chest craved the title of Grand Duke of Litorio. So if he couldn’t go further, she wouldn’t look back either. All that remained was to bury the regret, the sorrow, the disappointment, and work through them.
More than that… where is that man going?
At some point, Elga found herself paying attention to Kyle’s movements. Especially watching him chase after Tisha, who had disappeared toward the balcony earlier—suddenly, an inexplicable flame flared up in one corner of her heart.
She’d never possessed him in the first place, so why did she feel like something had been stolen from her? Her reason tried to laugh it off and stop her, saying it was ridiculous, but Elga’s heart, already a complete mess because of Leto, was beyond her control.
“Leto.”
“Yes, La… Lady Elga.”
“Go fetch that man, Kyle John Nassen.”
“Kyle of the John Nassen barony? For what reason should I bring him?”
“That’s…”
She couldn’t answer. Elga couldn’t give an answer to Leto’s question. Because from the start, there was no particular reason she wanted to call Kyle. It was just because of this sudden flame, this inexplicable whim.
“…Just bring him for now.”
It was rare for Elga to throw a tantrum without reason. Knowing that well, Leto found this side of her extremely unfamiliar.
Could something have happened with Kyle of John Nassen?
If it had been any other man, he might have asked directly. But Leto ultimately kept his mouth shut. He still believed that all he had to do was follow orders.
“I’ll be right back.”
After Leto disappeared with quick steps—
Why am I even doing this!
Elga clutched her head and muttered to herself. This was the first time she’d ever called over a completely unrelated man like this. She had always been so careful, so cautious that no bad rumors would attach themselves to the Litorio Grand Duchy, that she wouldn’t become a blemish. So why had she suddenly done something this absurd?
It was already too late to rescind the order. Looking down from above, she could see Leto already speaking with Kyle. And a short while later, Kyle really was coming up to the second floor.
“I’ve brought him, Lady Elga.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Leto. You may go downstairs now.”
After Leto left as well, only the two of them remained.
“...”
“...”
She was trying her best to act natural, but her insides felt like they were burning dry. She’d called him here without knowing what to say. The best topic she could come up with was…
“I heard you caused a bit of an incident today.”
…that.
You idiot!
This was no different from calling him over just to pick a fight. All the mistakes she’d never made before were pouring out today. Because of Leto, and because of Kyle. She’d become far too strange.
Leto, Leto. That fool. That idiot, all because of him!
At some point, that feeling of Elga’s spilled out of her mouth as a complaint. He said he didn’t know. Even Leto had no certainty about her.
In contrast, Kyle, you’re different.
It had been the first time. Someone who gave her the answer she so desperately wanted. Not “It’s not the time,” “It’s not your place,” “It’s dangerous”—none of that. Someone who told her that seat was hers, so she should try harder, fight harder. Truly the first.
Even now, just thinking of that moment, she could almost hear her heart pounding. But today, there was another woman by that man’s side. A woman named Tisha. She’d been there the first time Elga met Kyle as well.
She and Kyle had no relationship whatsoever. It was ridiculous to even harbor feelings like this. And yet she couldn’t understand what this unquenchable flame was.
In the end, Elga couldn’t hold back that heat and asked the question.
“What is your relationship with that woman?”
Kyle showed a thoughtful look, then answered. Friends. For now, friends.
…Haa.
There was no way she wouldn’t understand the meaning hidden in that answer. He was trying to skate past the situation with a noncommittal reply. She felt displeased, but also strangely good. Because either way, it meant Kyle was paying attention to her for some reason.
Well, fine. For now, more than that…
With Kyle standing right in front of her like this, there was something she wanted to hear again.
“You know, Kyle. I want to become the head of my family. I mean I want to become the Grand Duke of Litorio.”
So hurry up and give me that confident answer like last time. That one word of encouragement, that single scrap of affirmation that I can do it—I needed it so badly. I’ll figure out how to seize the Grand Duchy myself. I’ll worry about what sacrifices I have to make. You just have to tell me I can do it. Just that one line, that I will definitely pull it off. Something no one by my side could ever do for me. Kyle, you did it, didn’t you?
“...”
Just as the silent Kyle was about to part his lips—
A murmur rose through the hall.
Suddenly the banquet hall began to grow noisy.