Wait for Me, My Wolf
"Heh heh... A single room really is the best. Having those annoying girls glare daggers at me was so irritating... How should I act all cute for my dear Baron tomorrow to thank him?"
Lying on her bed, Elysia turned her head to look over the gifts sent by the men who loved her.
"Let's see. That one's the magical defensive artifact Boris sent. That's the necklace Baron gave me. And that's the self-defense dagger from Ryan."
Clicking her tongue, Elysia shook her head.
"Really, what boring men. They sparkled so brilliantly when I read them in the novel—why are they like this?"
By contrast, the rumors about the man who had cornered her—Grand Duke of the North Victor Walterheim—were far too sweet.
"A cold wolf who bares his fangs for his fiancée, and that intense affection that becomes the talk of the town whether people like it or not..."
From head to toe, wasn't he the man who belonged better at her side? She wanted him even more. That talk of biting only stirred her sadistic streak. She wanted to put a collar on him. Wanted to subjugate him. Wanted to turn him into a love-slave who looked only at her.
No, no—that wasn't it. She wanted to pull that big dog into her arms and whisper words of love.
"That's right. He's not a man for the likes of Cecilia, who ends up going berserk and falling apart—he's a man who'd be far happier being embraced by me, the protagonist, Elysia. Heh heh."
Thud.
Elysia pushed the gifts aside and sat at her desk. Then she opened her palm.
"The Saintess's power is awakening more and more. No one will be able to stop me. Wait for me... my wolf. I'll save you from that villainess soon, okay?"
Poor Cecilia. A doll destined to break—a villainess who falls apart once she knows love. But don't worry. True love will never be given to you. Every love in this world belongs—
"To me, the [protagonist]."
"Mm."
"Your Grace? What's wrong? Could you have caught a cold?"
When I suddenly shivered from a chill, Ruche asked with concern.
"A northerner catching a cold—what an embarrassment..."
"Well, that's true. Even when I was at the Academy, while other students caught colds, the northern students were all perfectly fine."
"Northerners really are healthy, aren't they."
"After seeing that, a rumor went around that if you're stupid enough, you don't even catch colds—and I remember the northern students sharpening their blades and hunting for the ringleader for a while..."
"That's genuinely stupid."
"Your Grace..."
Leaving Ruche frowning and glaring at me behind, I hurried my steps toward the girls' dormitory.
"Heading there again today?"
"For a while, yes."
"Hmm. It's gotten hot enough that even word of it has reached my ears."
"..."
"You do realize it hasn't even been a full week since enrollment, yes?"
"I know."
"Father... Butler Jester was absolutely delighted..."
"Hey! Did you tell Jester—"
Grin.
Ruche looked at me with the corner of his mouth twitching.
"You've gotten a bit cocky lately, haven't you. One of these days..."
"Ah, if you send me off for 'reeducation,' I'll go straight to Father and Mother."
"Stop it. It's embarrassing."
If those two up north found out about my disgraceful behavior, they'd definitely mock me relentlessly when I got back.
Whew.
I dry-washed my face and steeled myself again.
"I need to calm down. Yeah."
"...Your Grace."
"What."
"Father said you have a bad habit of suffering alone too much."
"..."
"He also said he hoped you wouldn't kill your own heart too much."
"Sorry."
With a slightly strained smile, I spoke to Ruche.
"This is just the way I was taught..."
"Haah. Just what kind of education did they give you in the southern houses?"
"Worse than you can imagine."
"Then I don't even want to imagine it."
"Right?"
As I chatted about this and that with Ruche, before I knew it we had arrived in front of the girls' dormitory.
"Your Grace, over there."
"Hm?"
In the direction Ruche pointed, Cecilia was tidying her bangs in front of a mirror Lan was holding up.
"Does this look weird, Lan?"
"Not at all!"
"Really?"
"Yes! You're beautiful today too!"
"I hope His Grace likes it too..."
"Oh, Your Grace?"
"..."
Cecilia whipped her head around and met my eyes.
"Ah."
"Good morning, Cecilia."
"...Ah."
"Cecilia?"
"That form of address..."
"Yes."
"Will you... keep calling me that?"
"Of course."
I said so yesterday, so I have to keep my word.
Ah. Wait.
What if Cecilia finds it burdensome and it's hard for her now?
"If Miss Cecilia finds it burdensome, I can go back to—"
"No."
Cecilia stepped up to me and clasped my hand tightly.
"Please call me Cecilia."
"..."
"I like that."
Looking up at me with sparkling eyes, Cecilia looked just like a puppy clinging to its master.
Today's "I want to wrap her up and take her home" stack is at +1 again... damn it.
This greed of mine that I can't throw away even if I want to.
"Is that so. I understand."
"And also."
"Yes."
Cecilia murmured as if whispering into my ear.
"When... we're alone, sometimes, if you would call me... Cecilia noona..."
"..."
"Is that... not okay?"
"...Seriously."
"Pardon?"
Why is this noona so damn cute. I'm going crazy. As if answering her request, I whispered into Cecilia's ear.
"Yes. Cecilia noona..."
The moment she heard my answer, the tips of Cecilia's ears began to flush red.
"Ahhn.... Only... when we're alone."
"Hmm."
Then that's really dangerous. I won't be able to hold back. I might actually cross the line, you know?
Get a grip!
I steeled myself and drew a deep breath.
"Yes."
"Really..."
Cecilia pouted her lips, then began to take something out from her bosom.
"Your Grace... no, Lord Victor. This."
"This is? A necklace?"
"Yes. I made it."
"You did, Cecilia?"
"Yes."
Hmm. Then maybe it has some dangerous magic cast on it somehow... As if. Do those pure eyes look like ones that could make such a sinister magical artifact? Absolutely not.
Yeah. The Cecilia now is practically a different person from the Cecilia I knew, so there's no way.
"Did you perhaps put some kind of magic on it to protect me, Cecilia?"
"Ah... That's. Yes. I... I'm Lord Victor's fiancée... after all."
Cecilia muttered under her breath, "Even if it's a contract."
She's worrying about a lot of things too, Cecilia...
I couldn't very well ignore the sincerity of my hardworking fiancée.
"Thank you. I'm happy, Cecilia."
"Ah... Aaa."
When I put the necklace on, Cecilia quickly put a necklace around her own neck as well.
"...And that?"
"Hehe."
What is it, why is she smiling so cutely—this noona is really testing me constantly, isn't she?
"It's the engagement commemorative gift I prepared... The color of the gems on both necklaces. My eye color, and Lord Victor's eye color."
"..."
"Is it... a burden? If so—"
"I like it. I do."
"Ah..."
"Thank you, Cecilia."
"Yes!"
After escorting Cecilia to class and walking on, Ruche came up beside me.
"..."
"What."
"..."
"Just say something already."
"No. At this point, you might as well just get married and keep her at your side."
"Shut up."
I'm unsettled enough as it is.
Seated at her desk, Cecilia grinned foolishly as the red gem hanging at her throat sparkled.
"Huu."
When she closed her eyes, she could see Victor's face and his surroundings. Beside him was his escort knight, Ruche.
...Ugh. Isn't that a little too close?
Even if he was an escort knight, she worried that being so close might lead to feelings—but Victor's attitude toward Ruche was purely that of master and servant, so Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief. Before long, Victor entered the classroom and sat at his seat.
Wait, hang on—what are those young ladies approaching him for?
The girls from the same class who had approached Victor as he sat began throwing all sorts of trivial questions at him.
...How dare these thieving cats.
Just as Cecilia's violet eyes began to darken slightly, Victor's voice reached her ears.
I'm sorry. I can't answer any further questions—I have a fiancée.
Ahh... He really hasn't changed at all.
That's right. I was worrying for nothing.
He would not betray her. As long as she was within his fence, he had sworn to protect Cecilia.
...But I'm scared. The day when... I want you, but you send me away...
Because that's the contract, Cecilia muttered.
No. Cecilia, rather than thinking like that, become a woman worthy of His Grace... And when that time comes...
Just as she was thinking she would stand proudly at his side and protect him—
"Your Grace! Hello!"
The voice Cecilia least wanted to hear, the woman she least wanted to appear before Victor, entered her field of vision.
That woman...!!!
"...What is this."
Looking up at Elysia, who had barged into the first-year classroom out of nowhere and was throwing out greetings, she was grinning foolishly as if something made her so happy.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened last time. I'm truly sorry!"
When Elysia bowed her head to offer her apology, the surrounding gazes all focused on me and Elysia.
"Baron Oppa's...?"
The expression of Luisilla beside me crumpled even further.
Well, of course—seeing her older brother's girlfriend come find some other man without any hesitation to apologize would leave anyone speechless.
No manners, no etiquette—straight-up a nuisance. There wasn't a shred of respect for others to be seen. Ignorance neatly packaged under the name of purity.
Was Elysia originally this kind of character... Just what happened?
In the novel, she had at least studied noble etiquette and manners to become a woman worthy of the male leads, and entered society confidently as a proper lady.
I can't get a sense of where things went wrong with this trajectory.
"Um, Your Grace?"
"You don't need to apologize to me."
"Pardon?"
"Apologize to Cecilia."
"...Cecil...ia?"
"Yes."
"Um, Your Grace?"
"Yes."
"Why are you calling Lady Cecilia so intimately?"
"Because she's my fiancée."
"That's strange. Even for a fiancée, isn't that a bit too close?"
Grit.
What is this? Why do I have to be interrogated by some nobody woman?
"...What is it? Don't tell me Your Grace is also interested in that special-admission student?"
"Good heavens... Then was the behavior you showed Lady Roeyental yesterday just a smokescreen?"
"Oh my, oh my."
When I shot a sharp look toward the young ladies who were speaking loudly enough to be overheard on purpose, they hastily vacated the area and fled.
"Oh my. The young ladies of the capital really are... so lacking in manners, aren't they?"
"..."
You're one to talk. And by the way, when I send such a sharp look, shouldn't you at least pretend to feel something and act like you're running away? Luisilla next to me is already trembling, sensing that I'm angry.
Does she have no sense, or did she decide from the start to piss me off...
"Huu."
Doesn't matter either way. Right now.
"That's enough, step bac—"
"Lord Victor."
The classroom door opened, and a cold, settled voice rang out.
"...Huh?"
The person who hated and loathed the woman in front of me more than anyone.
"Cecilia?"
Burning with blue haze, Cecilia walked in my direction. Noble and elegant at once. Walking as if she were a young lady from the heavens themselves, she quietly looked at Elysia. Standing right there, quietly.