Ch.128Hidden Sincerity (2)

# For Nicole, Adelia has been a friend since their freshman days until now. Friends can become as close as what one might call a new family, and that was indeed the case with Adelia.

They first met at the freshman welcome party, the same event Isaac had experienced a few months ago. At that time, Nicole had firmly believed Bris’s words and wore an elegant dress, naturally drawing all kinds of attention afterward.

With navy blue hair reminiscent of the evening sky rather than the dark night, and golden eyes rare in this world, Nicole possessed a considerably tall stature for a woman. Having received rigorous training from her family since childhood, she naturally maintained a well-toned physique.

Exuding mystique while projecting the image of a strong female warrior, Nicole attracted numerous gazes from the freshman event onward. Even Nicole herself was greatly flustered by this unexpected situation, and there were quite a few men who even flirted with her.

However, the person who caught Nicole’s eye the most was none other than Adelia, who was wandering alone in a corner. Being a commoner, she couldn’t afford a dress and was wearing her school uniform alone.

Although attendance wasn’t strictly mandatory, it would have been better not to come at all than to wear a school uniform. Moreover, Adelia possessed striking beauty for a commoner, which drew Nicole’s attention.

That’s when Nicole and Adelia’s relationship could be said to have begun. Currently, while other classmates had all graduated, Adelia and Nicole remained as martial arts assistants, teaching juniors and waiting for recruitment from the knighthood.

As such, Nicole could closely understand what kind of personality Adelia had and what her true feelings were. She knew that the reason Adelia occasionally played mischievous pranks was to attract attention, so she tended to tolerate it.

But this time, she couldn’t ignore it. It was deeply connected to her own younger brother, and beyond that, it could even affect her family.

Until now, Nicole had let Adelia’s eccentric behaviors flow like water, but this matter was more serious than expected.

“Sigh…”

“…”

Nicole and Adelia moved to a secluded corner of the training ground, leaving Isaac behind.

Nicole crossed her arms and looked at Adelia with a complex expression, while Adelia hung her head as if she had committed a crime. Her hands were busy fidgeting, showing signs of anxiety.

Her face was also difficult to see clearly as her bangs hung down like a curtain. Nicole’s concerns deepened at the sight of Adelia, who kept staring at the ground endlessly.

If Adelia truly liked Isaac not as a close brother figure but romantically… the situation would become complicated. Very much so.

Isaac is officially dating Marie, the daughter of the only ducal family in the Empire of Minerva. Moreover, they’ve already consummated their relationship and completed their engagement.

‘Recently, the demon princess also seems concerning…’

Additionally, her relationship with Princess Cecilly of Helium didn’t seem simple either. From visiting the mansion during the exhibition to sticking particularly close to Isaac, suspicions couldn’t be dismissed.

Nicole didn’t know that Isaac had accepted Cecilly as his lover, but being perceptive, she could make some guesses. And if Cecilly had seen through Isaac’s identity, it was an understandable story, so she could let this much slide.

But not Adelia. Although she might be beautiful, she was somewhat lacking compared to the other two, and above all, the difference in social status was clear.

In this world, the gap between commoners and nobles is unbridgeable. To put it bluntly, even if nobles treated commoners like toys, most cases would be dismissed without evidence.

Nicole had been living with Hawk before he officially became a noble, so she could be casual with Adelia, but other nobles were different. Stories of commoners loving nobles, and nobles loving commoners back and living happily ever after mostly exist only in novels.

With such clear class differences, nobles can only keep commoners as “concubines,” and one can imagine what kind of treatment they would receive without further explanation. If the relationship with the official wife is good, the story might be slightly different, but that’s an extremely rare probability.

‘Marie doesn’t seem to have a sense of authority, but…’

The Marie that Nicole had seen lacked the typical noble’s sense of authority, but occasionally showed firmness. No matter how good her personality might be, it’s uncertain how she would react upon learning of Adelia’s feelings for Isaac.

There were many complex reasons for her troubled mind, but setting all that aside, there was one thing she couldn’t understand.

Nicole glanced at Adelia after rubbing her face with her hand.

‘She rejected so many confessions, why now? And Isaac of all people?’

Adelia had received numerous confessions from many male students over the years. There were quite a few who fell for her bold and spirited personality and flirted with her.

Among them were not only high-ranking nobles but even female students, which showed how popular she was. However, Adelia firmly rejected all these confessions.

At first, it was simply because she wasn’t interested, but Nicole, who had been with Adelia for years, could guess. There was something blocking her decision.

She didn’t tell even her close friend Nicole what it was, but it seemed deeply connected to her personal history, so Nicole had deliberately ignored it.

“…Adel.”

“…Yes.”

When Nicole called, Adelia answered softly with a dejected voice. Nicole, unable to decide how to proceed, decided to get straight to the point.

“I’m asking just in case, but do you perhaps like our Isaac? Not as a person, but romantically.”

“…”

“I’d appreciate an answer. If not, at least nod your head.”

In response to Nicole’s considerate approach, Adelia slightly raised her head. Eventually, she met the golden eyes filled with complex emotions and slowly nodded her head, indicating affirmation.

As a result, Nicole’s feelings became even more complicated. If Adelia had been a noble, and if Isaac hadn’t been engaged, she would have enthusiastically supported her. But the situation was completely the opposite.

Isaac has a formally engaged lover, and furthermore, the Princess of Helium, Cecilly, also shows significant interest. Like a tragic heroine straight out of a novel.

This was Nicole’s first time encountering such a situation, so she was at a loss for what to do. She rubbed her forehead and carefully opened her mouth.

“Since when?”

“…During the exhibition.”

“What happened then?”

Now it was Adelia’s turn to ponder. For Adelia, Nicole is an absolutely indispensable friend and a precious connection.

She made her feel the warm affection she had felt from her mother once again, a relationship more like family than blood relatives.

Even when she played harsh pranks, Nicole would only get annoyed but accept them all, helping her not to cross the line.

Moreover, when they formed a team during practical training, they had never been defeated, showing how well they worked together. The reason both became martial arts assistants was because there were hardly any who could defeat them in practical training.

However, now she had to treat her not as a “friend” but as “Isaac’s sister.” Her romantic feelings for Isaac had been discovered by Nicole, so there was nowhere to run now.

‘Should I… tell her?’

Adelia agonized over whether she should reveal her painful past that she wanted to keep hidden. At the same time, she recalled the words Isaac had said for her sake.

His words that her smiling face was beautiful. His consideration that he couldn’t do much but would be by her side.

Lastly, the gentle touch of his hand as he wiped her tears with his handkerchief, not minding if it got dirty.

There’s nothing more impressive than comfort received during the saddest times, and if it’s sincere, it touches the depths of one’s heart.

For Adelia, Isaac was like a ray of light. A man who treated her as usual despite witnessing her being openly abandoned by her family and revealing her lowly origins.

Unlike other nobles, his consideration for treating everyone equally was as sweet as rain pouring on drought-stricken land.

‘Would Nicole… be the same?’

Adelia stared at Nicole, who was waiting for her answer. A noble with no sense of authority who mingles with commoners.

But she wasn’t just an ordinary illegitimate child; she was an abandoned one. This means she has origins that could spread unfavorable rumors not only among nobles but even among commoners.

In this world, illegitimate children are mostly abandoned even by their families and grow up in unfortunate environments, causing various incidents. Hence, there’s a kind of prejudice that if one gets close to an illegitimate child, incidents will occur.

This made her ponder repeatedly. Her romantic feelings for Isaac were certain, but she questioned whether she should tell her closest friend the reason.

‘…I have no choice.’

It’s a truth that would eventually have to be revealed. She might not know if she should be by Isaac’s side, but at least she should tell Nicole the truth without hiding anything to improve the situation somewhat.

Even if Nicole makes an uncomfortable expression upon learning she’s an illegitimate child, it doesn’t matter. She was already prepared for it.

With this, Adelia showed a resolute look and opened her mouth with a slightly trembling voice.

“…I met my family then.”

“Family?”

Nicole looked puzzled at the answer. As far as she knew, Adelia’s family lived in a region very far from the capital, commonly called the boondocks.

The reason she was admitted to Halo Academy was because a knight who happened to patrol the area recognized Adelia’s talent and submitted a recommendation. But it was somewhat incomprehensible that they would come all the way from that distant place to see the exhibition.

“They came all the way from that far?”

“Yes…”

“What’s wrong with that? You’ve always loved talking about your family since the old days.”

Adelia, living apart from her family, would get extremely happy when her family sent news. She eagerly awaited even a single letter.

But this time was somehow strange. It felt somewhat uncomfortable, or perhaps there was an outward display of aversion.

While Nicole had such doubts, Adelia pondered how to explain and quietly answered. It seemed better to make it immediately understandable rather than explaining in detail.

“…I’m actually a noble.”

“What?”

Nicole was first surprised by Adelia’s confession of being of noble origin.

“…But only half.”

“…”

At the words that she was only half, meaning she was an illegitimate child, Nicole pressed her lips tightly.

She didn’t say which noble family she was from, but Nicole roughly knew what kind of treatment illegitimate children received. Thanks to this, she could somewhat infer what kind of life Adelia had lived.

‘Such a bright child…’

Nicole scratched her nose with her arms crossed and faced Adelia directly. There’s a theory that people with severe inner wounds tend to display bright personalities to hide those wounds.

She never knew if that was true. Throughout their academy life, Nicole couldn’t find any trace of sadness in Adelia.

Conversely, this means there’s an extremely high probability that she swallowed her sadness in places where others’ gazes couldn’t reach. While she might be lively when with Nicole, she probably feels depressed when alone in her dormitory.

Nicole saw an overlap between the current Adelia and the one from the freshman event, who was wandering alone in her school uniform.

“At that time, my existence was directly denied. I was treated as a complete stranger…”

“…”

“And I ran away. While I was running away and crying alone… Isaac comforted me. Even giving me his handkerchief.”

Adelia revealed everything that had happened then, and Nicole clearly understood why she had fallen for Isaac.

Honestly, it’s a situation where anyone might fall in love. When you’re alone, grieving from the shock of being abandoned by your family, a handsome man approaches, offers his handkerchief, and even comforts you.

Moreover, if that man is the younger brother of a friend you’ve had a crush on? No need to say more.

While Nicole understood the entire situation, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for Adelia.

‘Of all people…’

Why did it have to be Isaac, her brother? If it had been someone else, she would have enthusiastically supported her, but Isaac is the problem.

He’s formally engaged and even the demon princess shows great interest in her cute and lovable younger brother. And Adelia doesn’t know, but Isaac is the author of the Biography of Xenon, who can manipulate the world.

While Nicole was organizing her increasingly complex thoughts, Adelia, seemingly a bit anxious due to her lack of response, asked in a quiet voice.

“Um… aren’t you bothered?”

“Huh? By what?”

“That I’m… an illegitimate child. You know how illegitimate children are treated…”

At Adelia’s question, Nicole blinked. Meanwhile, Adelia was looking down with a dejected face.

As an awkward atmosphere was about to continue, Nicole made an incredulous expression and snickered. Adelia slowly raised her head.

She saw Nicole looking at her with one corner of her mouth raised, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“What’s the big deal? I’ve been with you, a commoner, all along, so what difference does being an illegitimate child make?”

“But, but still…”

“But what? How many years have I been with you? I’ve even accepted your weird personality. It’s way past the time to judge based on origin. And my father said that knights distinguish hierarchy solely based on skill, a meritocracy. So whether you’re of illegitimate origin or royal origin, I don’t care. Got it?”

“…”

At those words, Adelia made a profound expression. It was as if all her worries had been pointless, washing away her anxiety and concerns.

Typically, considerate nobles are surprisingly rare. They fundamentally have a chosen people mentality and tend to be arrogant by nature. You can tell by how they treat commoners.

But Nicole and Isaac are different. They are truly so considerate that it’s hard to believe they’re nobles, and they treat everyone equally, whether commoner or illegitimate.

‘If I could become part of such a family…’

Wouldn’t she be happy even if she became a concubine? Even if she became a guard knight, she would be happy.

For Adelia, who had suffered severe mental abuse in the Kingdom of Teres, being part of a happy family was her lifelong wish. Even if it meant watching from a step away.

With this, Adelia looked at Nicole with her characteristic bright smile, not a sad expression. Nicole felt somehow uneasy when she showed her bright smile.

“I’ve decided.”

“Wh-what?”

“I’m going to stay by the cutie’s side.”

“N-no, Adel? Listen to me. This isn’t as simple as you think. As you know, Isaac is already…”

“I know that too.”

Adelia cut off Nicole’s words. Then, with her hands behind her back, she slowly approached Nicole.

“I don’t necessarily have to be a concubine. Wouldn’t it be fine if I became a guard knight? I could also receive guidance from your father while I’m at it.”

“But… our family doesn’t have separate guard knights…”

“I’ll bow my head and ask your father. You and your brother are knights, so you don’t need guard knights, and that leaves Isaac, right?”

“…”

This won’t do. She seems to have already made up her mind. Adelia usually listens well to Nicole, but this time, there was an unbreakable will.

When Adelia stood right in front of Nicole, she released her hands from behind her back. Then she extended both arms to Nicole and gradually embraced her.

*Hug*

A sincere hug for a precious friend. Nicole was surprised when Adelia suddenly hugged her, but she instinctively hugged her back.

“Thank you.”

“…Adel?”

“Really… thank you…”

As if to hide her crying face, Adelia spoke with a sobbing voice as soon as she hugged Nicole.

Her body was also trembling slightly, showing that she couldn’t control her rising emotions.

“If I become family with you all… I think I’d be truly happy.”

“…”

“So please. Just once… can’t you help me just once?”

Was it because she couldn’t refuse her friend’s request? Nicole erased her surprised expression and smiled bitterly.

While doing so, she gently stroked Adelia’s head with one hand and her back with the other, comforting her.

She wasn’t sure what would happen in the future, but it didn’t seem right to refuse when a friend asked like this. At least they should try.

“Alright. Just this once, okay?”

“Sniff. Yes… thank you…”

“Sigh. How old are you to be crying like this? Did you lie about your age too?”

“N-no… I’m really 22…”

“Then stop. Stop. You’re ruining your pretty face.”

Nicole comforted Adelia, who was sobbing even more than before, and thought to herself.

‘How many women is Isaac going to charm?’

She was worried as a sister that a major incident might occur due to women issues.

******

As Isaac had expected, the 12th volume of the Biography of Xenon was released quite quickly. The content of the 12th volume included Merry confessing to Xenon, training, and finally, the invasion of Alfheim.

The words Merry spoke when confessing to Xenon naturally(?) caused an enormous ripple, but what caught Isaac’s eye the most was the news.

[If there’s a story about Alfheim being invaded, sales will be immediately suspended.]

This was an ‘official’ statement issued by Alfheim. To issue such a statement, the Queen’s consent might not be necessary, but at least her opinion should be sought, as Arwen had told him.

This meant it was an act independently carried out by the Senate, and seeing this statement, Isaac had just one thought.

“Is this the Communist Party or what?”

He wished they’d confiscate their dentures for the next 100 years.