Ch.21EP.7 – Irene Windler Is the Next-Door Neighbor (2)

Polenta refers to a porridge-like food made from easily obtainable grains such as corn, barley, or chestnuts.

It’s made to highlight its rough texture, so when you eat it, it feels coarser than it looks, but that’s part of its charm.

Since it’s made with readily available ingredients, it’s both popular and a filling meal for commoners without much money.

However, when well-prepared, it can be as delicious as any dish, and since it’s filling even in small amounts, it’s also suitable as emergency rations.

Above all, it’s not just eaten as porridge; if you add more cornmeal or barley flour and let it solidify, it becomes like…

‘A delicious rice cake.’

It’s nothing less than a chewy, delicious corn cake with an appealingly rough texture.

With goat milk cheese and some herbs mixed in, it’s not bland at all.

It was a hearty meal that would keep you full.

“That’s a good idea. It was fine as porridge, but eating it this way is different and makes me want to keep reaching for more.”

“I learned it while working part-time—I mean, while working at an inn! I make it often because it’s so delicious this way.”

“Really? It’s the first time I’ve seen this method. May I ask which inn? I’d like to visit and try it myself.”

“Ah, it’s probably gone by now. It was so long ago.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, yes!”

…She’s lying.

If you’re going to lie, at least put some effort into it.

‘Whatever she did before being possessed, she definitely wasn’t in performing arts.’

Otherwise, she wouldn’t act this poorly.

‘She’s completely transparent in a different way.’

Is it because she’s the female lead in a romance?

Romance protagonists always pretend to be thorough but end up getting blindsided, with their intelligence rapidly declining. Is she that type?

‘She’s on par with the maid, isn’t she?’

Over in the corner, Leira Winter is choking on the rice cake she was eating too quickly, running around looking for water, then dunking her face into a basin of water.

Couldn’t she just drink normally? Does she have to do it like that?

…Well, it’s not boring to watch, but as an acquaintance, it’s embarrassing to show others.

“Um, is that person alright?”

“Just ignore her.”

“What?”

“…Don’t worry about her. She’s extremely healthy.”

“…Oh, I see.”

Irene blinked, still looking at Leira with curious eyes, but feeling Ihan’s gaze, she lowered her head again.

Like a pitiful soul visiting a loan shark to borrow money.

Seeing this, Ihan thought:

‘Did I do something terrible to her?’

Irene’s trembling like a kitten made him feel as if he might have done something wrong, and he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

* * *

It wouldn’t be polite to send away a neighbor who had brought housewarming polenta without offering something in return, and since they weren’t complete strangers, Ihan offered her tea and had her sit for a while.

Above all, Irene herself didn’t seem to refuse or dislike the idea.

Unexpectedly, she sat down as if she had been waiting for this, drinking tea and having nearly finished the polenta she had brought.

She seemed to adapt well.

But perhaps because of that…

‘Something’s suspicious.’

Honestly, her lack of caution is suspicious.

Think about it.

There’s no connection between her and Ihan.

Although Ihan needs to investigate Irene Windler as an individual, that’s something only Isis and Ihan know about.

Yet surveillance target #2 suddenly moved into the house next door.

…The house was definitely empty just yesterday, and she suddenly moved in, so it’s bound to be suspicious.

With his suspicion rising, Ihan carefully asked:

“Irene, I’m sorry to ask about your personal circumstances, but may I ask you something?”

He decided to probe her.

“Yes?”

“I’ll take that as permission. Why are you staying in such a remote place? Someone like you could use the dormitory, or even stay at a mansion owned by the Galahad family. As far as I know, the Galahad family owns about 70% of the buildings near the academy.”

“……”

“I’m sorry if that was an uncomfortable question.”

“No, no, it’s a perfectly reasonable question…”

For someone claiming to be fine, Irene’s expression wasn’t particularly bright, and wondering if there might be some circumstances behind it, Ihan heightened his concentration without her noticing.

He had just been looking at information about Duke Galahad, after all.

You never know.

She might be suffering some kind of harm.

Or maybe she was kicked out of the dormitory for being of common birth…!

“-The dormitory application period ended before I even knew there was one, and I decided not to use the Galahad mansion because it felt burdensome. Honestly, that old man is disgusting, so I don’t want to be near him.”

“…?”

“No, that old man is really weird? His gaze gives me goosebumps every time! He looks like a girl, but his way of speaking and actions are creepy! Honestly, I don’t want to get close to him? So I just refused everything he offered, I don’t want to get involved with him, and also…, oh.”

“……”

“Could you… pretend you didn’t hear that?”

“…Of course.”

“…Thank you.”

She seems to have quite a lot built up.

Apparently, she has a strong aversion to the Duke.

‘So, she had perfectly reasonable reasons after all.’

Some might ask how he can be sure this is all true and not an act, but Ihan is certain it’s neither a lie nor a performance.

Why?

Well, because:

Thump, thump.

Her heartbeat tells him so.

With hearing that can detect heartbeats more accurately than a stethoscope—an ability even Isis admired—he was happy to trust his skill.

‘-She’s clumsy but honest.’

Through a bit more conversation, Ihan gauged what kind of person Irene Windler was.

She has some awkward and lacking aspects, but those are common symptoms among people in their teens and twenties.

It’s a deficiency that occurs due to limited experience and narrow social relationships.

He’s not criticizing Irene specifically; he’s just stating something quite ordinary.

Well, she seems a bit clumsy and has a habit of speaking carelessly, but that can be considered a mental illness essential to spellcasters.

And at that level…

‘For a spellcaster, she’s incredibly normal.’

Considering that 90% of spellcasters are psychopaths, her quirks aren’t even that rough.

While Ihan had a somewhat biased view of mages, he didn’t think he was wrong.

After all, 90% of the mages he had met were actually psychopaths.

Though they all died by his hand.

“Ugh, huh!? W-why am I suddenly getting chills…?”

“Is the cabin cold? I’d appreciate some understanding. There are still many areas that haven’t been repaired yet.”

“Oh, it’s fine. More importantly, Instructor. I look forward to getting along with you, since we’ll be living so close to each other, I’ll be seeing you often.”

“…I look forward to it too, Student Irene Windler.”

A friendly hand extended first.

For Ihan, touching a spellcaster’s hand was limited to when he was crushing it with a hammer or burning it with a torch, so shaking hands normally like this felt strange.

Why such thoughts about holding a woman’s hand?

You shouldn’t distinguish between men and women when it comes to spellcasters.

They’re such terrible beings.

In fact, just being a mage reduced her feminine charm by half. Furthermore, being the adopted daughter, or possibly the biological daughter, of the crazy Duke reduced her charm even further, turning it negative.

Getting involved with her would be nothing but trouble.

‘She has a good heart, just her heart…’

No matter how many positives you multiply by a negative, it can’t become positive.

…Above all.

‘…That madman, how many people has he planted?’

Since her adoptive father was such a psychopath, the negatives only continued to grow.

Tsk!

Feeling the subtle presences and smells spreading around the cabin, he finally frowned and clicked his tongue.

—No homeowner would welcome hyenas prowling around with the scent of blood all over them.

Meanwhile, Irene Windler grew increasingly tense, her body stiffening.

‘Did I make some mistake?’

[Hang in there, Irene! Somehow you need to win the knight’s favor!]

‘…This is all your fault.’

Because of the ghost who had been insisting all day that she move next to the knight instructor, she had no choice but to go through with the move.

Ah, but she hadn’t lied. Both about not getting into the dormitory and about disliking that Duke.

She was just dissatisfied that she couldn’t get a better place.

She wasn’t the cabin type; she preferred staying in a high-end inn with good soundproofing and cleaning service.

Perhaps knowing her feelings…

Irene showed an apologetic expression, but…

[I’m sorry, but it’s really great. Look at those muscles! How can they be so sculpted? No! Even stone sculptures couldn’t be that good!]

The apology lasted only a moment. Here was a pervert shamelessly revealing her desires.

‘…Vulgar.’

[C-could you pretend to make a mistake and touch those muscles just once? I really want to feel them!]

‘…You’re asking me to throw my social standing into the gutter so easily.’

[Muscles are more important than social standing!]

‘…Shut up.’

Irene barely held back a sigh at the crazy comments from the ghost in her head.

Yet she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the knight instructor’s body.

He was wearing only a low-cut short-sleeved T-shirt, and the contours of his body were clearly visible.

Because of the ghost constantly talking about muscles, her gaze was drawn to him involuntarily.

And confirming this:

‘It’s definitely a feast for the eyes.’

Like minds think alike.

As the saying goes, “Follow your friend to Gangnam,” after hanging out together for seven years, even her food and clothing preferences had become similar to her friend’s.

…Even her taste in men.