Ch.225Happy Face (2)

We’ve crossed the line with each other, and all that’s left is to reveal to Adelia that I am Xenon. Conveniently, the manuscript is in my room, so proving it won’t take long.

But I don’t plan to tell her right away. Even though she’s become my lover, it will take time for her to fall completely for me.

I need to take my time until she would choose me without looking back even after I reveal I’m Xenon. So she won’t make even a moment’s mistake in her choice, or feel even a hint of regret.

Just look at her now. We just shared our first deep kiss, yet she still looks anxious. Uncertain if this situation is real, she keeps asking confirmation questions with nervous eyes.

I respond to those questions with a warm smile and speak in a low voice.

“Should I kiss you again if you don’t believe it?”

“… …”

As soon as I say that, Adelia’s face turns as red as an erupting volcano. Her lips quiver like rippling water, clearly expressing her feelings.

As I’ve mentioned before, Adelia is starved for affection. Being born an illegitimate child, her family environment was absolutely terrible, and she even suffered a confirmation kill during the exhibition.

So all I need to do is play these teasing games while giving her the warm affection she needs. Though there is one thing I still don’t quite understand.

“Noona. Why did it have to be me? There are plenty of affectionate men like me in the world.”

As I said, there are many men similar to me in the world. Rather than someone like me who has many women around, she might have been better off with a man who only had eyes for her.

Adelia blinks her sky-blue eyes at my question, then answers with a complicated smile.

“Would they treat me the same as you do if they found out I’m an illegitimate child?”

“… …”

“Being an illegitimate child is treated much worse than you think. Among nobles, we’re seen as threats to power, causes of family discord, and having impure blood mixed in. Commoners treat illegitimate children as nobles. It means I belong nowhere.”

As I’ve mentioned before, the treatment of illegitimate children is exactly as Adelia described. They can bring major discord to families, and there are strong negative prejudices against them.

Above all, there’s a clear distinction between “secondary children” and “illegitimate children.” Secondary children are the offspring of concubines, so they receive somewhat noble treatment, but illegitimate children are born from relationships with outside women. The difference is inevitable.

This is why Adelia refers to herself as an illegitimate child rather than a secondary daughter. If she’s not recognized as family, she must bear the label of an illegitimate child.

I stare at the depressed Adelia for a moment, then reach out to stroke her hair. She looks up at me with surprised eyes.

“…Issac?”

“You don’t have to be self-deprecating anymore. I’ll make you forget you were ever an illegitimate child. Okay?”

“… …”

My words seem to have struck a chord as Adelia’s lips press tightly together. Tears well up in the corners of her eyes, and then she hugs me.

Looking at her like this, she seems very tearful and emotionally fragile. They say people who laugh a lot often have many inner wounds, and that seems to be true.

I intend to cherish Adelia and give her plenty of love as medicine until all those wounds are healed.

Though scars will remain from such deep wounds, recovery alone should be enough.

“…Issac.”

“Yes, noona.”

“Don’t you need to meet them now? Will they approve?”

She must be referring to Marie and Cecilly. She would have called them “those girls” before, but now she’s addressing them respectfully.

Though we’ve crossed the line, we still need their approval. As someone born an illegitimate child herself, Adelia can’t help but be afraid.

Nicole may have gone to plead our case, but if they refuse, Adelia’s heart will burn up like paper set aflame. And another wound will be carved into her.

I’ll prevent that at all costs. I’m even prepared to take a beating.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“…Can I trust that?”

“Yes.”

I gently stroke Adelia’s head to ease her worries and say:

“I’ll probably get scolded a lot, but it’ll be fine.”

Knock knock knock-

Just as I say that, I hear someone knocking on my door. Adelia and I immediately look toward the door.

Adelia probably feels the same way I do. Here it comes.

Checking the clock, I see it’s already 5:30. The last class ends around 4:30, so they must have been talking for an hour.

I said it would be fine, but I can’t help feeling nervous. I stroke Adelia’s head once more, then get up and walk to the door.

“Yes, coming.”

It’s a tense moment. I take a deep breath, push the door handle down, and slowly open the door.

The feeling that I’m opening the gates of hell must be my imagination. While having this useless thought, I check who knocked.

As soon as I open the door, I see very familiar faces. Not only Nicole in her uniform, but Marie and Cecilly standing beside her.

I can roughly guess why they’re here. My intuition about the gates of hell was spot on.

I smile awkwardly, but I can’t help but flinch at the cold, intense killing intent I feel.

The source of that energy is none other than Nicole, who knocked. She’s glaring at me with cold, golden eyes.

“Uh… you’re here? Did you… tell them?”

Something feels dangerous. My instincts are screaming it.

When I smile awkwardly and speak, Nicole slightly curls the corners of her lips. The problem is that while her mouth is smiling, her eyes are not.

The atmosphere and energy are clearly not normal. I nervously back away, but…

“Hey, you…”

Nicole lights the fuse in both eyes and…

“You damn playboy!!!”

She kicks me with full force. It’s the kind of crisp, clear kick that would come with a loud shout in a movie from my past life.

The problem is that I’m the one receiving it. Naturally, I tumble backward from the sharp pain in my abdomen.

Thankfully, she didn’t kick me hard enough to break anything, but it still hurts. Having rarely been hit since my reincarnation makes it feel even more painful.

“Ah, unnie?!”

“Ni-Nicole!”

Everyone rushes over in alarm at Nicole’s sudden kick. Regardless, Nicole is busy stomping on me as I lie on the floor.

She seems to be controlling her strength, but I can feel the extreme anger in each kick.

“I thought it was just Adel, but there’s one more?! And she’s a beastkin and the chief’s daughter?! Are you collecting princesses or something?!”

“No-noona. Wa-wait… let me explain…!”

“What explanation! You should have gone after that elf gi… woman you said you were friends with!! No, maybe you already did! Collecting one from each race, you’ll go down in history as a great playboy! Xenon only loved one person, but you’re acting like a damn fool!”

In 18 years since my reincarnation…

“Ack! Aaack!”

“U-unnie! Control yourself! You’ll kill Issac at this rate!”

“Let go, Marie! I need to do something about his lower body first! Otherwise, it’ll keep growing, and as his sister, I can’t allow that!”

“N-no! Just leave his face and lower parts alone, and hit the other places…”

For the first time in my life, I was beaten like a dog by my own sister.

*****

When people feel pain, their minds become clear. There’s a saying that you need a beating to come to your senses for a reason. You want to avoid getting hit, so you try to clear your mind and escape.

The same goes for me. Being kicked by Nicole has literally cleared my head. Though it’s a bit shocking to be hit by my sister for the first time in my life, I understand since it’s largely my fault.

But pain is still pain. She may have targeted areas that wouldn’t cause serious injury, but the throbbing is unavoidable. I just have to endure it.

“Ow ow ow…”

“Consider yourself lucky that your sisters-in-law begged me to stop there.”

Nicole warns me in a fierce voice as I rub my aching parts. She still seems angry, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

Her scary warning gives me chills, but since I’m guilty, I can’t say anything. I just sit there like a mouse, watching for any signs.

“You’re welcome. I don’t know about anything else, but please don’t touch Issac’s face, his lower parts, and his hands. The rest is a corpse.”

Cecilly, sitting on my right, strokes my head gently while teasing me. Marie, sitting on my left, nods in complete agreement.

I want to protest, but I keep my mouth shut to avoid unnecessary scolding. I’m the guilty one, the playboy.

But even with Cecilly’s joke, the atmosphere doesn’t lighten. If anything, it becomes more tense.

Even I feel my chest tightening, so how must Adelia feel? She’s sitting across from me, kneeling with her knees together, extremely tense.

It’s a bit funny that she looks like she’s at a job interview, but for her, this must be the most nerve-wracking moment in the world.

“So… your name is Adelia, right?”

“Yes, yes!”

Adelia stiffens and answers Marie’s question. Anyone can see how nervous she is.

“Please speak comfortably. We’ve all heard from Nicole. You can speak casually.”

“I-I couldn’t possibly… I’d be uncomfortable doing that.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, then that’s fine.”

Marie doesn’t seem to mind as she shrugs it off. Then she pinches my cheek and stretches it like rice cake.

“Ow ow. That hurts, Marie.”

“It’s supposed to hurt. Anyway, Adelia unnie fell for Issac because of his…”

Marie pauses and glances at me. She’s asking if I’ve told Adelia about my identity.

I gently shake my head. It’s not yet time to tell Adelia.

She nods once and naturally continues.

“…kindness, right? Because he saw you for who you are, regardless of being an illegitimate child.”

“Y-yes.”

Thud-

As soon as she hears Adelia’s answer, Marie releases my cheek. The stinging, burning sensation makes my mind even clearer.

Meanwhile, Marie stares at the nervous Adelia, crosses her arms, and reveals her true thoughts.

“Actually, that’s what I dislike the most.”

“What?”

“Marie?”

We’ve hit a roadblock from the start. I want to beg and plead for them to accept her, but the atmosphere doesn’t allow it.

This needs to be resolved solely between Marie and Adelia. But the first button is already misaligned.

While everyone is looking at Marie, waiting for her to speak, she glances at me, uncrosses her arms, and gently takes my hand.

Then, looking directly at Adelia’s surprised face, she begins to explain her reason.

“If you had come for Issac’s status, he might have rejected you. But you fell in love with Issac himself and harbored love in your heart. I heard from my new sister that you were in unrequited love, not crossing the line? That’s why my new sister noticed and urged Issac to cross that line.”

“…Yes.”

“That’s why my new sister apologized earlier, even banging her head. She didn’t know about Leona at all, so she beat up Issac.”

As soon as she says that, Nicole glares at me sharply. I don’t have the courage to meet her eyes, so I focus on Adelia as much as possible.

As Marie continues speaking, Adelia’s expression becomes increasingly rigid. Her sky-blue eyes occasionally tremble, indicating her emotional turmoil.

Her fists on her thighs open and close repeatedly, and I can hear her breathing trembling.

“I’m similar to you. Status isn’t an issue at all, and like you, I love Issac for who he is.”

“Then the princess…”

Adelia shifts her gaze to Cecilly, who is in close contact with me. Red eyes and sky-blue eyes exchange glances.

Feeling these gazes, Cecilly links arms with me to show her affection. From the outside, I’m flanked by beautiful women on both sides—what a fortunate situation.

But the reality is closer to hell. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, this is clearly my fault.

“I feel the same way. Although Xenon’s biography has reduced discrimination against demons, it hasn’t been completely eliminated. And when I’m with Issac, I feel like a human rather than a demon. Warm affection, gentle attitude, and stamina no less than a demon’s… there’s nothing lacking.”

Cecilly quickly changes “sexual stamina” to just “stamina.” It’s very like her. I smile bitterly.

She had feelings for me from the beginning. But that was just affection, not quite romantic love.

Primarily because of our obvious lifespan difference. It was only after she realized I was Xenon that she disregarded lifespan concerns; otherwise, it’s uncertain if we would have been together.

Therefore, it can be said that Marie is the only one who truly loved me from the start. The same goes for Adelia now.

“You see? That’s why I’m not happy about this. Both of us fell in love with Issac as a person, but you suddenly wedged yourself in. Of course, Issac probably won’t think deeply about it, but our positions could be threatened.”

“Th-that will never happen…!”

Perhaps afraid Marie might reject her, Adelia cries out urgently but quickly covers her mouth with both hands.

No matter how urgent, shouting directly in someone’s face is clearly impolite. That’s how desperate she was.

But Marie doesn’t seem to mind as she smiles and speaks.

“Don’t worry. Although Issac is a bit naughty, we’re not rejecting you. Cecilly feels the same way.”

“What? Th-then…”

“But there’s a condition.”

At the mention of a condition, Adelia’s expression of joy freezes. She knows this condition is the most important part.

Marie then shows our joined hands and speaks in a gentle voice.

“As you know, ‘officially’ I will be the one marrying Issac. Cecilly is still un.of.fi.cial.”

“Marie?”

“What? It’s true.”

“Did you have to emphasize it like that?”

Cecilly seems hurt by Marie’s emphasis on the word “unofficial.” But Marie, unwilling to give up her title as the first, pushes forward.

“Anyway, I don’t know which of us will inherit the title, but Issac will probably inherit it from his father-in-law. Or the imperial family might grant him a separate title. If that happens, you could become Issac’s concubine.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But if you become a concubine, the Kingdom of Teres will likely constantly check on you. Even if they say they’ve abandoned you, it’s something they could use to find fault.”

“Ah…”

Adelia sighs at this realistic talk. Certainly, becoming a “concubine” means being officially connected.

If the Kingdom of Teres ever recognizes Adelia as a “secondary daughter” rather than an illegitimate child, the situation becomes complicated. No matter how much the Empire of Minerva and Adelia refuse, “bloodline” holds tremendous power in current society.

In other words, it’s difficult to accept Adelia even as a concubine. That damn bloodline continues to be a shackle that torments her.

Just as Adelia and I are feeling sorry about this, Marie makes an unexpected proposal.

“So I suggest, unnie, how about becoming a dedicated maid instead of a guard knight?”

“A dedicated… maid?”

“Yes. A maid. Not just an ordinary servant, but a dedicated maid who assists me and Issac.”

Maid and servant mean the same thing. But a dedicated maid performs a role similar to a “secretary.”

They manage their employer’s schedule, follow them around, and act as attendants.

At first glance, it might seem the same as a lady-in-waiting, but a lady-in-waiting is clearly a noble. Many people misunderstand this, but a lady-in-waiting is not a servant but a friend who keeps company with high nobles.

Adelia certainly qualifies to be a lady-in-waiting, but the Kingdom of Teres might cause trouble, so becoming a dedicated maid would be more convenient.

While everyone looks at Marie with surprised expressions at this ingenious(?) proposal, she continues confidently.

“You’ll be a maid in the mansion, and when we go out, you’ll return to being a guard knight. That way, you can stay close to Issac and receive the love you want. How about it? Isn’t that good?”

“Be-becoming a maid is… I don’t dislike it, but I don’t know if I can do it well…”

“It doesn’t matter if you do it well or not. Knowing Issac’s personality, he’ll do his own chores anyway. Same with me. What do you think?”

“… …”

Adelia hesitates at Marie’s proposal and shifts her gaze to me. It’s a silent question asking if it’s really okay to make her a dedicated maid.

I nod, indicating I don’t mind. Honestly, I’m curious. The usually tomboyish Adelia in a maid uniform, greeting me modestly.

It makes me think in various ways. After I nod, Adelia speaks with a dazed expression.

“…Alright. I accept.”

“Great. I’ll give you some books to study in your spare time. Oh, and…”

Marie pauses for a moment, then reaches out her free hand to hold Adelia’s. Adelia is startled when Marie takes her hand, then faces her with a blank expression.

Marie looks at Adelia with warm eyes and speaks with a sincere voice.

“Welcome to the family, Adel unnie.”

“… …”

“Live happily without pain from now on. You deserve it.”

Did those words touch her heart? Adelia’s face is blank at first, then her lips tremble, and she slowly lowers her head.

Eventually, she places her other hand over Marie’s and says in a tearful voice.

“Thank you… really… thank you…”

“Yes, unnie.”

“I will… *sniff*. I will definitely protect you.”

She really is a tearful person. That means she’s had many wounds.

Just as I’m smiling contentedly at the warm atmosphere, Marie, who was comforting Adelia, slowly stands up.

Adelia looks up at her with a tear-stained face, confused. I feel the same way.

Meanwhile, Marie ignores these gazes and calls Cecilly.

“Cecilly?”

“Got it.”

Did they plan this beforehand? At Marie’s call, Cecilly stands up without questioning.

Since Marie was holding my hand and Cecilly had her arm linked with mine, both my arms are lifted up.

As this puzzling situation continues, Marie looks down at me and says coldly.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you getting up?”

“Huh, what?”

“If you had any sense, you’d stand up.”

What on earth is happening? I have no idea what’s going on.

But I could figure it out from Cecilly’s next words.

“Issac.”

“Y-yes?”

The coldness in Cecilly’s voice…

“Did you really think we’d let this slide?”

…was much colder than the north wind.