Chapter 42

“Just now…”

Seldienne, looking like she had lost her mind, let her arm with the fan droop and asked me.

“What did you say?”

Today, she was especially hard of hearing.

It’s not like I said anything hard to understand.

I repeated the extremely simple question clearly this time.

“Why should I follow your orders, Lady Elconja?”

Maintaining my courtesy and speaking formally.

This wasn’t to provoke her. I was just expressing a genuine question.

Do nobles, especially prestigious ones, have the right to order commoners around?

That can’t be the case.

It was just like calling out to a fellow student; not showing up wouldn’t make me guilty.

I felt the group in front of me lacked even this basic common sense, which is why I brought it up again.

“Huh—”

Finally understanding my words, Seldienne took a deep breath.

Clenching her fan tightly, her face a bit flushed with rage, she shouted in my direction.

“You insolent commoner! How dare you reject the call of this Elconja…!”

“Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to listen to your disdain right now. I’ll excuse myself first.”

I cut off her usual classist tirade, bowed my head slightly, and turned my back on her.

“Wha…?!”

I ignored the shrieks behind me and strode towards home.

“Lord Erto! Come with us!”

“Wow, no mercy there.”

Haidiera and Rusika followed me with startled expressions.

But behind us, the cries persisted without surrender.

“Stop right there, commoner! Are you going to ignore Lady Elconja?!”

“You’re really bold!”

“I won’t let you get away with this!”

If you won’t let me get away with it, what are you going to do? I was a bit curious.

“If you don’t turn back immediately, I will be very angry!”

“Hmph.”

A scoff escaped me.

Really, you’re going to get mad?

Sure, you can be mad. So what do you want me to do about it?

Are you going to use violence on me just because I didn’t listen to you?

Or maybe you’re planning to isolate and ignore me thoroughly inside the academy?

Though I’m already experiencing that second option, so it wouldn’t really matter.

“Lord Erto… are you okay? If you upset her, it might lead to unnecessary friction…”

Haidiera, nervously fidgeting her hands while leaning towards me, whispered in my ear.

“Just leave it, Haidiera. Erto doesn’t fear such things. It’s strange for that girl to act all high and mighty when she’s clearly the one in the wrong.”

On the other hand, Rusika was snickering and playfully patting Haidiera’s back.

“Hee, hee! You really look happy, Lord Erto.”

“Hmm~ How do I put it… After only seeing her pathetic side recently, it’s just refreshing to see the real Erto come out for a change?”

“Was Lord Erto always this straightforward?”

At Haidiera’s question, Rusika nodded vigorously, her cherry blossom-colored twin tails bouncing.

“Hehe, right♡ Even when he was powerless, he took on those ruffians by himself!”

“Oh, I see… It sounds like you have a feisty side I never got to see… I’m curious!”

“Hahaha! That version of me is something I’ll remember alone♡ But from now on, you’ll get to witness Erto’s manly side with me♡”

“Why are you being so embarrassing, Rus…”

Just as I was trying to wave off Rusika with a wry smile,

“I said stop—!”

Bang!

“Eek?!”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a massive wall glowing with golden light fell before us.

“Ahh… just as I suspected…”

Haidiera, previously startled, straightened her back and anxiously rubbed her head.

“She really needs to fix that habit of throwing this thing when she’s upset. Should I just confront her? I feel like I could win now.”

Rusika, too, bore a fierce expression as she glared at the wielder of the crystal structure behind us.

“Well, I expected this reaction.”

I sighed and slowly turned around.

In the distance, the trio I saw earlier still stood in the same spot.

A golden-haired girl in the center radiated an aura in the same color as her hair.

Seldienne shouted at us with a seriously angry face.

“This kind of insult is quite refreshing! But I won’t let you go! You have something to say to me!”

“Come back right now!”

“This is your last chance!”

As I observed the sharp voices of the noble ladies, Haidiera whispered to me.

“What will you do, Lord Erto… if you ignore them again, a fight might break out.”

At that, Rusika threw her hand to her waist and puffed out her chest with bravado.

“Bring it on. I can smash them all by myself♡”

I placed my hand on her shoulder and smiled lightly.

“No, it’s not necessary for you all to get dragged into this. Since they have something they want to say so badly, let’s listen for a bit.”

“Really? Well, do as you like, Erto♡”

“I think I’ll step back for a moment… being around that sort drains my energy…”

“Hahaha! Come here, Haidiera. Let’s watch from behind.”

Pulling Haidiera along as she linked arms with Rusika, I turned back toward Seldienne’s crew.

“Hmph, you finally grasp the situation.”

She snorted and glared at me with her crimson eyes.

“…What do you want to say, Lady Elconja?”

I crossed my arms and met her gaze.

“…Um, ahem.”

For a moment, Seldienne, who was staring back at me, coughed and turned her eyes elsewhere.

Then, she flared out her black fan and covered her mouth as she began to speak.

“Well, since you’re busy, I’ll keep it brief and get to the point. Previously…”

“Before that, can I set a premise? Is that all right, Lady Elconja?”

I raised my palm to once again interrupt her.

“…What is it? Cutting me off twice like this, I must warn you, it’s best not to test this Elconja’s patience any further.”

Her crimson eyes widened as she spoke with a cold voice.

“Keep that in mind. Can I go first?”

“…Go ahead.”

Having received her permission, I spoke with the most neutral expression possible.

This part was crucial in conveying that I was thoroughly indifferent towards Seldienne.

“First of all, I want you to know that I don’t want to speak with you anymore. I don’t want us to acknowledge each other. Whether you accept that is up to you, but I just wanted to make my stance clear before we begin.”

“…Huh?”

Even though her fan was blocking her face, I could tell she was bewildered from what was happening beyond it.

But my remark was just getting started.

“I no longer see you as a friend. I don’t think I ever have. You’ve taken the side of the noble class that opposed me and even represented them, so my reaction isn’t out of the ordinary.”

“…!”

The crimson eyes visible above the fan shook greatly.

Whatever that meant, it had no bearing on me.

“And since you treat me as a commoner, I too regard you as a noble and address you with formal speech. However, don’t assume that just because of our class distinctions, I will comply with all your demands. I may be a commoner, but I possess free will. I hope you can understand this point.”

“T-that’s too arrogant!”

“That tone is really annoying! Speak normally!”

Miu and Jury leaned forward, condemning my attitude.

I ignored them entirely, fixated solely on Seldienne, delivering my message in a flat manner.

“Excuse me, but I’m currently speaking with Lady Elconja, so I would appreciate it if you two could step back.”

“Wha…?!”

“Ick…!”

The two were about to say something more, but,

“…”

Seldienne raised her palm, and they immediately shut their mouths.

She had given them the silent instruction not to interrupt.

“…Thank you. Let’s continue.”

I kept a polite demeanor outwardly, nodded in acknowledgment of Seldienne’s intervention, and resumed speaking.

“As I mentioned earlier, I do not wish to have any relationship with you anymore and want to live as complete strangers. I have no expectations from you. Aside from conveying this premise, I have no more words to share.”

“…”

Seldienne, for some reason, remained silent, just listening to me.

“You’ll have no favors from me, nor will I expect any. The only thing we share in common is being students in the academy, and apart from that, we are now complete strangers. Whatever perceptions we had of one another until now, I hope we can clean the slate and return to nothingness. I will also forget that you opposed me.”

“…Ah.”

A short sound slipped through her lips beyond the fan.

I disregarded it and continued.

“From now on, please understand that when I see you as a noble daughter of the Elconja family, I am simultaneously recognizing you as an unrelated being and approach you accordingly.”

“…”

With a rustle, the fan closed.

Her hand that held the fan drooped weakly downwards.

I took a deep breath after my lengthy speech and finally asked her if she had anything to say.

“That’s all I wanted to say first; do you have anything to say?”

“…”

At my cold and emotionless question, Seldienne fell silent.

Her crimson eyes kept flicking between my face, the ground, and the empty air before her.

“…That…”

Eventually, the words that trickled from her slightly parted lips were,

“…It’s nothing. You may go.”

It was a conclusion that she was giving up on the conversation and letting me go.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

I bowed slightly to her and immediately turned to leave.

As I distanced myself from the noble ladies, Haidiera and Rusika, who had been watching the whole situation beneath the trees, approached me and started speaking.

“Wow, I can’t believe you shut her up just with words. That’s a bit unexpected, huh?”

Rusika seemed to enjoy Seldienne’s reaction, chuckling.

“Lord Erto’s words are a hundred percent right, but… I hope she doesn’t harbor any undue resentment…”

Haidiera, as always, showed concern for my well-being.

“It’s fine. If she understands what I said, her noble pride will probably prevent her from bothering me now.”

I believed Seldienne wasn’t the type to continue holding a grudge against someone who honestly confessed they didn’t want to be involved with her.

Given this situation, it wouldn’t be excessive to express that it’s positive for her to recognize a wrongdoer voluntarily withdrawing.

Despite my tone being a bit too formal, everything I said was truthful, and seeing her follow through with leaving made me think she had comprehended my intention.

Good, this wrapped things up neatly between Seldienne and me.

“But don’t let your guard down, Erto.”

“Huh?”

As I walked away from the square, Rusika threw that remark at me.

“That girl might not harbor grudges, but she has a strong sense of stubbornness. Instead of bullying, she might cling on in unexpected ways.”

“Well… I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Anyway, it was funny seeing her unable to say anything and sulk silently. Catch you tomorrow, Erto!”

“Yeah, take care.”

After waving Rusika off at the fork in the road,

“By the way, in the end, you never learned what Lady Elconja wanted to say, huh…”

Haidiera tilted her head while scratching her cheek.

“Well, I really didn’t care… Were you curious about what she had to say, Haidiera?”

“It did make me just a bit curious whether Lady Elconja wanted to meet privately or officially… but it doesn’t really matter now. She’s just another person to me.”

“Hmm, maybe I should’ve listened to that.”

“No, I always respect Lord Erto’s choices. Sorry, I should be on my way now…”

After slightly bowing her head, Haidiera started to leave, but,

“Hmm.”

She stared blankly at the path we had walked for a moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. Then, see you tomorrow, Lord Erto…”

“Yeah, take care.”

Once Haidiera had disappeared in the opposite direction, I continued on my way home.

The long road I had walked with Tirisia for years.

Now, walking it alone felt oddly off, but I had no choice but to get used to it.

I wasn’t missing her; it just felt like there’s an empty space, that’s all.

“How long will I be stuck at home…?”

If I couldn’t come out forever, that’d be a laughable end to it all.

That would mean not only I but also Kerg Durakal wouldn’t be able to meet her.

Of course, personally, I predicted that the Bruerd family would lower the level of discipline at a suitable point in time.

This is something I could only know after some time, so for now, I wouldn’t dwell on it too deeply.

Just as I was recalling my upcoming training schedule and reached the alley in front of my house,

—

I stopped in my tracks at the point where the house door came into view.

“…Whoa.”

Because an unexpected figure was standing in front of our house.

Someone I thought I had shaken off earlier.

Right in front of the house’s entrance, there stood…

“…How do you do.”

After sending her subordinates away and coming to see me alone, Seldienne Elconja was standing there with her arms crossed.

No way, how did she find me? Seriously.

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