Chapter 55
“…Woo, you should really work on that baseless chatter of yours.”
“Haha, when have I ever spoken without basis?”
Their conversation continued, a typical exchange between friends. They had been close friends since childhood, but Sue still found it strange, remembering their rivalry over Halo in the novel.
“…Well then, I’ll take Evan home. Mother is looking for him. Want to come along?”
Fritz asked, watching Evan search for pretty stones by the water with a fond smile. Acrea shook his head.
“No, I want to look around a little more. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Light Fairy Ritual, so I’m still feeling the afterglow. And I have some work to do when I get back.”
“…Right. Sorry, it’s because of me.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s my own business.”
Fritz smiled wryly at Acrea’s indifferent reply. Then, as if he had just remembered something, he turned to Sue, who was staring blankly at the lake.
“Byron, you helped look after Evan, right?”
“No!”
It was Evan who answered. But Sue didn’t have anything to refute. She didn’t remember looking after him, and she hadn’t actually done so. Evan tugged at Fritz’s sleeve, vehemently denying his words, but his brother didn’t seem to believe him.
“Thank you.”
Sue, drawn in by Fritz’s smile, bid him farewell.
“Yes, please be careful, Master Fritz, Master Evan.”
***
It was late at night, the sky pitch black. Fritz and Evan had returned to their mansion, and Sue was left alone with Acrea by the deserted lakeshore. The crystals of light had all sunk to the bottom of the lake, and the fireflies that had been hiding began to appear, one by one.
The natural beauty of Lake Libra surrounded them, but Sue couldn’t relax and enjoy the scenery. She felt self-conscious, with the son of a grand duke standing beside her.
“……….”
“……….”
There was no conversation, and no one else was around, so a heavy silence fell upon them. Sue felt increasingly awkward, with only the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves to fill the silence.
‘And I’m alone with him, of all people.’
Sue glanced at him sideways. Acrea was staring blankly at the lake, just like she had been earlier.
A sense of déjà vu washed over her, and she reflexively placed her hand on her waist. But the snake curse remained dormant, as if her action was meaningless. She was relieved. She took a deep breath and turned slightly.
There’s nothing to talk about. Maybe I should go.
It was only a few minutes’ walk from the park to her townhouse. She could walk slowly, since she wasn’t wearing high heels. Ten and her knight escort would be nearby. Even Sue Byron wouldn’t go out without an escort at this hour.
“Byron.”
But unfortunately, she heard her name being called.
“Yes, Master Acrea!”
Sue smiled brightly and looked up at him. Acrea, who had been staring at the lake, was now looking at her, his expression serene and unreadable.
“…About running into each other on the street earlier.”
“Yes, Master Acrea.”
“It wasn’t a coincidence.”
“…What?”
A sudden gust of wind blew. Not the gentle, pleasant breeze from before, but a strong, unpleasant wind that ruffled her hair and clothes. Sue frowned, using her arm to shield her face. She couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“Actually…”
“Byron?”
But she didn’t get to hear his next words. Both she and Acrea turned their heads at the sound of an unexpected voice.
“…Noel?”
Sue’s eyes widened. Even more so than when she had seen him in Emnon.
“Ah… Am I interrupting?”
Noel hesitated and stepped back, seeing Acrea standing in front of her. Acrea replied firmly, his usual doll-like smile on his face.
“No, not at all.”
Acrea paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the entrance of the lake.
“Then I’ll see you at the ball, Lady Byron. I’m looking forward to it.”
“What?”
Looking forward to it? Looking forward to what?
“…Ah, please be careful, Master Acrea! Blessings upon the empire!”
Sue hurriedly bowed her head, unable to ask for an explanation as Acrea walked away. She was too confused by his cryptic words to even think about stopping him. And even if she wasn’t confused, she didn’t have the power to stop him. She bit her lip.
‘He’s so confusing.’
Noel, who had witnessed the whole scene, approached Sue with a troubled expression. He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“Byron, what were you doing here?”
“Huh?”
Sue stared at him blankly, then shrugged and pointed at the lake.
“They had the Libra Light Fairy Ritual today. I was watching it.”
“…Ah, right.”
“Noel, why are you here at this hour? The Knights event… ended a while ago, right?”
Sue hadn’t been able to see the inspection ceremony because she had been waiting for Leo. If he had shown up at the square, they would have watched Noel’s ceremony together. She felt a pang of regret.
“…I came to see the Light Fairy Ritual too.”
His voice was strained, a stark contrast to his usual cheerfulness.
‘Didn’t he just act like he didn’t know about the Light Fairy Ritual?’
Sue blinked, puzzled. But she didn’t question him and just nodded.
“It’s already over. That’s too bad…”
Noel didn’t say anything in response to her regretful tone. Then, his face suddenly hardened as he looked around.
“…But you’re alone again? Where’s your escort?”
“Hahaha, they’re somewhere you can’t see.”
Sue replied casually, remembering the incident in Emnon. It wasn’t a lie to appease him, she was being confident because she actually had an escort. She felt much more at ease with Noel than with Acrea and started walking along the lakeshore without a word.
Her steps were light. Noel naturally followed her. The sound of their footsteps on the dirt path mingled.
“It’s been a while since we last met here.”
Sue muttered absentmindedly. It was a small voice, almost a whisper, but it echoed clearly in the quiet lakeshore.
She had first met Noel in this park. Well, it was the first time she had met him as ‘herself’, not as ‘Sue’. It had already been half a year.
‘I wonder what will happen in two years. I don’t want to die.’
Noel silently observed her melancholy expression. Her red eyes were the same as yesterday, as they were a month ago, and as they were last year.
It was pure coincidence that Noel had run into Sue at Lake Libra. He hadn’t come here looking for her, nor had he come to see the Light Fairy Ritual. He had just run here aimlessly, wanting to escape somewhere.
Noel stared at the lifeless girl with red hair, who was a head shorter than him, and swallowed dryly.
‘She’s so vulnerable. Truly.’
He could easily draw his sword and slit her throat, even assuming she had an escort somewhere. The thought made him unconsciously touch his sword hilt.
‘If Leo had carried out his plan today… If he had…’
“Noel.”
He snapped out of his thoughts.
Sue was reminiscing about the sights she had seen today. The falling autumn leaves, the large lilies lining the streets, the water mages’ parade on the canal, and the Light Fairy Ritual at the lake. Were those small creatures really fairies? How could she create those crystals of light and spheres of light? Things she couldn’t even imagine in her previous life were commonplace in this world.
“Noel, magic is truly amazing.”
Sue smiled foolishly. But Noel, who had witnessed her silly smile with his own eyes, looked like he was about to cry. He blurted out impulsively, his voice devoid of his usual cheerfulness,
“Byron, don’t meet with Leo Noel again.”
“Huh?”
Sue stopped walking and looked up at him, thinking she had misheard. She saw an expression she had never seen before. She stammered, her body stiff,
“…Noel, you…”
“He’s not a good person. That man.”
Noel cut her off, his voice strained.
“…What do you mean?”
Noel lowered his head weakly. Sue couldn’t comprehend his sudden change in behavior.
“Why are you suddenly telling me not to meet Sir Leo? And what do you mean, ‘he’s not a good person’? …Ah, is it because he didn’t show up at the square today?”
Sue quickly organized her thoughts and asked for an explanation.
Hadn’t they made up?
Her gaze drifted towards Noel’s sword. Leo’s face flashed through her mind, superimposed on the blue scabbard with the Noel count family emblem. Noel, oblivious to her confusion, sighed in frustration.