Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Elf and the Coffee Farm (15)
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Ermina felt like she was being punished. If asked whether she had done something deserving of punishment, she believed she had.
Because it was she who had kept making Julius troubled.
Of course, thanks to Karin's mediation, who got along well with both sides, she had gotten a chance to talk quietly with Justina. But the cold gaze looking down at her from the girl standing before her now was not easy to endure.
"Just so you know, I don't have a good opinion of you, Senior Ermina."
"Yes. I know..."
"And even if my brother comes back, I'd rather he didn't come anywhere near here."
"I understand that too."
To be honest, Ermina didn't know much about Justina, and Justina didn't know much about Ermina either. She had expected Ermina, who was at the center of the series of events that played a major role in Julius's flight and who had won over trash number one Christoph and Yumin, to have a foxy impression. But that wasn't the case.
Justina asked Ermina as a way to probe her intentions.
"I'm curious how you and my brother came to know each other."
"Well, at the beginning of the semester, they gather the top students for a party."
Depending on the department and major, promising talents are gathered at enrollment or the start of the semester for parties. It was to build networks among those likely to take key positions in the Imir Kingdom in the long term.
That was the first time Ermina and Julius had a proper conversation.
"Lord Julius struck me as someone with high self-esteem but who could set aside his pride whenever necessary. He showed a lot of interest in difficult cases like orphans or widows and understood the hearts of commoners well, so he felt approachable to me."
"My brother is..."
Justina trailed off and fell silent for a moment.
After hesitating over whether it was right to share information about her brother with the person who caused the problem, she recalled that her background check had confirmed the girl herself wasn't bad, and decided to open up a little.
"That's how he's been since childhood. Even after grueling training left him exhausted and collapsed on the floor, whenever it was time to visit the orphanage he frequented or the church running it, he'd clean up spotlessly, without a trace of fatigue, and spend time with the children."
"No different from how he was at the academy."
"That's the kind of person he is. Unchanging no matter what he pours his affection into. Even if there's no affection, if it's something he must do, he never shows a hint of dislike."
Was his relationship with Rias like that too?
Thinking of Rias, who had recently cast aside all pride to search for Julius, brought back memories of the harassment she had suffered, which soured her mood. Still, since she could somewhat understand those feelings, if Rias bowed her head, she would accept it.
The way Rias had been acting lately was that of a desperate woman regretting her past.
Though her radical and violent tendencies remained.
"That trash said something last time, about how he'd only been a burden to my brother."
"Ah."
"I hate to admit it, but there's some truth to it. To me, my brother was the ideal person, noble, man, and brother. My gaze on him might have been a burden... maybe. But I don't think it was something that trash should have said."
So that's why you punched him.
Ever since witnessing that raw scene of violence, Ermina had found it hard to face Justina directly.
"So, when did you develop feelings for our brother?"
"...When I ran into him by chance at the orphanage. And during the first-year summer special training when we encountered demons plotting the Demon King's revival."
"Ah, that incident."
The summer semester special training, available only to those who gave up their vacation, involved visits to remote areas with few ruins to explore. Performing well here could build connections with earl or duke families on the frontier, so it quietly attracted many applicants.
And that summer, during the training with Julius, they encountered demons praying for the Demon King's resurrection and fought and won.
It was an achievement accomplished solely by Julius and Ermina.
"That's when I first realized how cool someone so kind, considerate, and generous to the weak could be when facing an enemy that must be defeated."
"...My fighting brother is cool."
"Yes. Different from his usual self, yet when he came to check if I was okay afterward, he was back to normal. That drew me in even more."
Ugh.
Justina felt troubled.
This woman's tastes in men were exactly the same as hers.
Every time she raved about Julius's good points, Justina felt intense empathy, blurring the lines of friend or foe.
What to do? If someone liked her brother with such pure feelings, maybe it was okay to tell her a little.
No. Still, she was the one who drove him away.
"If you had just one chance to meet my brother again in the future."
"I'd want to apologize, but I don't think I could."
Just thinking about it made her want to cry, and if they met, she'd probably be unable to stop tears just from being in the same space.
Ermina's eyes moistened as Julius's face involuntarily came to mind.
Seeing that, Justina fell back into contemplation.
Though she had her own circumstances, unlike Rias who was blatantly trash, Ermina's mistake was closer to an error. Maybe she couldn't forgive her, but she could give her another chance.
What pushed aside those thoughts was an unexpected remark from Ermina.
"And I think Lord Julius probably never wants to see me again."
She knew.
Though their actual time together was just over a year, she seemed to have grasped his personality quite well.
Based on past rumors, Ermina had hovered ambiguously around Julius without committing to either side.
In fact, creating problems with such half-hearted attitudes was what Julius hated most.
If she had confronted Rias head-on using her affair as leverage, Julius could have mediated, and he wouldn't have left with such a fed-up look.
It might look like she caused no issues on the surface, but she was the eye of the storm, wandering around innocently. There's no way Julius would see that favorably.
"So, you've completely given up?"
Shake, shake. Unable to open her mouth as tears leaked out, Ermina collapsed face-down on the desk.
At that moment, Namei, who had lent them the room, opened the door and entered.
"Is the talk... over? Want me to hit her?"
"No. I have standards too."
"If it were that Rias bitch, I might have joined in. But this one's good at heart. Just a bit dumb."
"...Even to a crying person, you're merciless."
"Just stating facts. And whatever you're thinking, it's better not to look for Julius."
"...My brother needs to return to the Lebedevs. You who left your family might not understand."
"That's why I know, because he left. Do you think Julius has good feelings toward you or your family? If he did, he'd have gone back home instead of leaving the academy. Forcing him out would just make him dance with swords."
Justina bit her lip at the undeniable words, and then the decisive blow landed.
"Professor Selene thinks so too."
"She probably does."
"She overlaps with me in hobbies, but connects with Julius on the burden side. Unlike you all."
"Showing off."
"Just facts. I think you share blame for Julius leaving, so I don't particularly like seeing your face."
"No."
As she wiped her tears but kept crying, sniffling, Ermina interjected.
"It's my fault."
"No one's denying that. It was your fault. But she didn't do anything great either?"
"Enough. Just because you were somewhat close to my brother doesn't mean you can say whatever."
"Whatever? Ha. Think what you want."
The atmosphere grew worse, and Justina clenched her fists under the desk, enduring.
No matter how annoying, that woman was someone her brother held dear. If she struck first, who knew what stories she'd hear later.
On the other hand, seeing Justina think so dependently on Julius, Namei sneered inwardly.
She really hasn't grown at all.
"If you're done talking, can you empty the room? This is our sorority's activity space anyway."
"...Yes. I don't want to stay here either."
Justina left the room, supporting the still-crying, staggering Ermina. The slam of the door at the end was her own rebellion or frustration.
"She still doesn't get that her obsession with finding him is what's ruining his mood?"
As someone who was particularly close to him, and seeing how terrifyingly quiet Professor Selene had become after Julius left, there was a reason they weren't searching for him.
"Really, how did he survive among kids who don't understand him at all?"
If she said this, he'd give a wry smile and tell her not to say that.
Recalling Julius's unique smile, Namei tidied up the room.