Ch.122122. A Relationship That Went Nowhere

Is this what it feels like to lose the ability to speak?

I’ve been surprised a few times before, but I don’t think my mind has ever gone this blank.

All I could think was “Huh?” and all I could say was “Huh?” An inadequate response at best.

Could I really live like this, unable to speak properly?

Meeting someone for the first time and going “Huh?”

On the day of an important presentation, walking up and going “Huh?”

Being the MC at a close friend’s wedding and going “Huh?”

Living that way, when someone asks my name, I’d probably just respond “Huh?”

…After these silly thoughts, my mind cleared a bit.

I was still confused, but at least I could say something other than “Huh?”

“Celia. What’s with the sudden…”

“Sudden? Ludion, think about it carefully.”

Celia poked my chest with her finger and asked.

“The day I first confessed my feelings to you. What did I say?”

…When was that again?

It wasn’t that long ago, but I hadn’t recalled it much recently, so it didn’t immediately come to mind.

That’s right… it was the day we received the invitation from the Imperial Palace.

-“Why? Are you nervous I might confess to you?”

-“I’ll be honest. I was thinking about it. I knew if I pushed, you would eventually accept. But…”

-“Even so… I felt it would be unfair to force my feelings on you.”

Those were Celia’s words back then. I thought I couldn’t remember, but once I tried, they came back with surprising clarity.

Even back then, Celia had feelings for me and was considering confessing.

But she didn’t. She was just waiting for me to make up my mind.

It was consideration. Even though nobody would have blamed her for being more forward, she showed consideration for me.

But neither I nor Celia knew at that time.

That our relationship would become… a bit complicated like it is now.

“I don’t like going back on my word either, but after hearing what Lilith said, I realized she wasn’t wrong.”

…To think the day would come when Celia would fall for Lilith’s persuasion.

Of course, this wasn’t so much about Lilith doing well as it was my fault for pushing Celia to this point, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

Celia continued.

“Yes, I said I would wait. But you’re satisfied with our current relationship, aren’t you? Am I wrong?”

…I had nothing to say to that.

Yes. Celia was right.

I was satisfied with our current relationship.

More precisely, I already thought we were close to being lovers, but I didn’t dare take the initiative to advance the relationship.

“I’m not blaming you. After all, I’m the one who encouraged this kind of relationship.”

…Just how far can Celia see into my thoughts?

She spoke as if she had heard the excuse I couldn’t bring myself to voice.

It was indeed one of the biggest reasons I couldn’t approach Celia.

My two-timing.

Though it wasn’t intentional, I had charmed both Celia and Alkine.

Both Celia and Alkine were good people, so I didn’t want to push either away.

But that made me hesitate to approach either of them, afraid of seeming to favor one over the other.

All while never considering how my behavior might appear to them.

Thinking about it now, Celia’s increasingly aggressive attempts to close the distance between us recently… were largely my fault.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a voice I hadn’t been conscious of cut in.

“Hey… help me out here…”

It was Lilith, essentially the culprit behind the current situation.

She had been making a fuss about some monster appearing, but it seemed she had managed to handle it somehow on her own.

Normally I would have praised her while teasing her a bit, but this wasn’t the time for that.

“…”

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t mention anything about engagement.”

I wasn’t thinking anything in particular, but Lilith seemed to feel guilty about creating the current atmosphere and said that.

As I remained silent even after hearing that, Lilith looked back and forth between me and Celia and asked.

“Hey, Ludion. Let me ask you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“You like Celia too, don’t you? Am I right?”

….

I was a bit surprised that the answer came to mind immediately after hearing that question.

Though I didn’t say it out loud, somehow that one question gave me certainty in my heart.

Did she notice that?

“Sigh. I’m tired, so I’m going to rest a bit. You two continue your conversation, okay?”

Lilith said that and slipped away.

“L-Lilith?! Why are you dragging me along?”

“Come on, Professor. People like us who are worn out by fatigue shouldn’t interfere with a page of youth’s romance.”

“You’re also in your prime, what are you…”

As a bonus, she dragged away Professor Reina, who had been watching the situation with great interest.

Now we were truly alone.

At this point, there was no need to bring up anything else.

“Celia.”

“Yes.”

“I’m really sorry for making you say those things first.”

I started with an apology.

I wonder if Celia had anticipated my apology? I couldn’t tell from her expression, but that wasn’t important.

Right now, conveying my true feelings was the priority.

I like Celia too.

Not in the way I mentioned before… like a character I liked from a game or anything like that.

I simply developed feelings for Celia as a person.

The way she pretends to be shameless but can’t actually fulfill her own desires.

The way she doesn’t say it directly but shows her jealousy so obviously.

The way she always asks me to buy things, but secretly records every amount I spend.

All these elements revealed that I liked her, that I trusted her.

The tracking and surveillance magic placed on me was proof of that.

…Well, saying it like this makes it sound like we’re far from a healthy relationship, but let’s set that aside.

Right now, I decided to skip the long talk and convey just the one important thing.

“I like you too.”

It was a bit late, but.

Our relationship, which had been spinning its wheels in an ambiguous place, finally started to properly engage.

///

In the middle of the night. Long after Ludion should have been asleep.

A secret meeting of three women took place.

Led by Celia, followed by Alkine and Lilith, they entered the most luxurious of the tents set up for camping.

It was clearly a tent prepared with special care for the princess’s use, but no one particularly cared about that.

After Celia surrounded the tent with mana to prevent sound from leaking out, she looked at the two women standing in front of her and opened her mouth.

“I have an important announcement.”

“I’m curious. What kind of important announcement requires calling us in the middle of the night?”

“Ah, before that. Alkine, why don’t you speak comfortably in front of Lilith too?”

“…Is that okay?”

“I’ll explain in detail later, but to cut to the conclusion, I think it’s fine.”

At those words, Alkine briefly made eye contact with Lilith, then carefully said one sentence.

“Then I’ll speak comfortably?”

“…This is a bit disconcerting. The image I had of you is crumbling too quickly.”

From sticking close to Ludion to this relaxed way of speaking now.

It wasn’t something Lilith was accustomed to.

“Sorry.”

Even her cute apology felt awkward.

That’s how much Alkine’s usual image was one of dignity and solemnity.

Fortunately, Lilith wasn’t completely shocked since she had already noticed hints of this behavior and speech pattern throughout the day, but it wasn’t easy to accept.

“Now then, back to the main topic.”

Lilith’s inner struggle wasn’t important right now.

Celia brought the conversation back to the original subject.

“I have an important announcement.”

“What could it be to call us in the middle of the night?”

“I think I know.”

“You think you know?”

Alkine expressed doubt, but Lilith didn’t bother to answer and waited for Celia to speak.

And Celia…

-“I’m really sorry for making you say those things first.”

-“I like you too.”

She was replaying the words she had been repeating in her mind over and over again.

“Hehe, hehehe…”

“…Celia?”

“Leave her be. She’ll probably be like this for a few days.”

Lilith and Alkine each showed their own reactions to Celia’s sudden uncharacteristic laughter.

Lilith, who roughly understood the situation, just chuckled and said something like “Looks like it went well,” but Alkine, who hadn’t been properly informed yet, seemed perplexed by Celia’s behavior.

But Celia didn’t care about anyone’s reaction.

She had just heard the words she had been desperately wanting to hear.

She didn’t feel the need to control this emotion.

No matter what others said. She was the happiest person.

“Didn’t you say you had an important announcement? When are you going to make it?”

Alkine, caught in the middle and knowing nothing, started to complain out of a sense of exclusion and frustration, but Celia just kept grinning.