Chapter 18: Noelle and the murder, Part 1

“Haaaa…”

Creak…

I yawn and head down to the inn’s lobby. I slept well, but I feel stiff and tired.

“Morning, Allen!”

The innkeeper’s unusually cheerful.

“Something good happen, Uncle?”

“You bet! Another regular customer just arrived! It’s been a while for all of you!”

A regular…

“…Is it who I think it is?”

“How would I know what you’re thinking… but yeah, probably.”

I figured she’d come. She knows the hero’s party returned, since the festival is in full swing.

“Ah, speak of the devil. Say hello, Allen. It’s your old friend.”

“…Oh!”

Right, a friend. A childhood friend, to be exact. Childhood friends are a classic cliché, often used as a failed heroine trope.

“Allen~!”

Hug

And she’s living up to the cliché, hugging me as soon as she sees me. But I don’t feel the same way.

“…Hey, Noel. It’s been a while.”

“It has! I missed you!”

Cute, with short white hair and… ample assets. She looks like a perfect heroine…

“So, Noel.”

“Hmm? What?”

There’s one reason why she can’t be a heroine. Or rather, why it would be very difficult.

Is she a trap? No, she’s definitely a girl.

Is she a terrible person, like the hero’s party? No, she’s one of the few likeable characters in this story, almost as pure and innocent as Allen.

But…

“Where’s your fiancé?”

“Oh… that…”

She’s taken.

“Dig in!”

“Thanks for the food!”

We eat breakfast in the lobby.

Noel, as I mentioned, is Allen’s childhood friend. She’s cute, innocent, and kind, almost saintly… if not for her slight airheadedness.

She’s a gatherer, like Allen, specializing in potion ingredients.

She even became a regular at this inn because of him. And her hair color… she’s a walking, talking Allen fan club.

“Hee hee hee~!”

She giggles and beams at me. It’s cute, but… it’s purely platonic. Just best friend vibes.

“Don’t change the subject, Noel. Does your fiancé know you’re here?”

“…No.”

“So, our sweet Noel lied?”

“B-But… I wanted to see you!”

Damn, she’s cute.

I could have broken the childhood friend cliché…

“Noel, do you like your fiancé, or me?”

“I like Allen!”

And yet, she can’t be a heroine.

Because she’s already been… discarded. Not exactly “dead,” but close enough.

A month before Allen joined the hero’s party, Noel met her fiancé, Dean.

He wasn’t a noble, but he was handsome, one of the most attractive men in the capital.

Allen, being his usual dense self, assumed Noel was in love and distanced himself, not wanting to interfere. He didn’t have romantic feelings for her, but he still wanted to do the “right thing.”

And Noel accepted it. He didn’t ask her to stop seeing him, just to remain friends. She had no reason to refuse.

But before Allen left on his journey, he received a letter from Noel. Just four words: “I hate you, Allen.”

It had a double meaning. She was upset that he was leaving on a long and dangerous journey. And she was also expressing her frustration at his decision to distance himself, a decision she now understood, thanks to her fiancé.

That day was the official meeting between their families.

And if I’m not mistaken…

“Noel, have you set a date for the wedding?”

“…Yes.”

She’s an adult now, so I figured they’d be getting married soon.

There’s no way Allen can interfere now.

Noel does have feelings for Allen. Her dejected expression when I mentioned the wedding is obvious.

I want to save her.

But Allen already made his choice, and it’s too late to change things. I’m not going to object at the wedding.

“Noel, are you… unhappy?”

“…!”

“Be honest. Do you want to marry him?”

“…Yes. No. I mean… it’s not that I don’t like him… I just… don’t want to.”

“Then why not tell him?”

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind ending up with Noel.

“…I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“It would ruin everything… Dean would be disappointed… and my parents would hate me…”

Dean is her fiancé. Her parents want her to marry into a good family.

“What if… it was okay? What would you do?”

“…I wouldn’t get married.”

“Don’t you like him?”

“I do. He’s kind, like Allen. He smiles like Allen. He’s handsome, like Allen.”

“Then why don’t you want to marry him?”

“He’s not Allen.”

“Haa…”

If it weren’t for the circumstances, I’d gladly pursue a relationship with Noel.

But I can’t. I don’t believe in stealing someone else’s partner. And even if I did, the risks are too high. I don’t even know if I like her more than Dean.

“…Let’s change the subject. Noel, want to go gathering after breakfast? Not a guild request, just for our own potions.”

“Yes! I’d love to!”

I can’t continue this conversation, so I change the subject. Noel immediately brightens up.

I might as well make some good memories with her before I let her go.

If only Allen hadn’t distanced himself… This whole situation is bittersweet.

“Uncle! We’re done!”

“Uncle? Oh, the newspaper.”

I call the innkeeper to clear the table, but he’s engrossed in the newspaper.

This medieval world actually has newspapers.

“…Oh, you’re done? Allen, could you clear the table? You know where everything goes, right?”

You might know where everything goes, but I don’t. The novel didn’t mention such trivial details.

“What are you reading, Uncle?”

He looks… serious. He wouldn’t be this engrossed if it was just ordinary news, especially with two regular customers present.

I walk over to take a look.

“Well, Allen, you were part of the hero’s party. And now you’re here instead of at the festival. But… it seems someone from the hero’s party committed murder. The festival has been suspended.”

“What?!”

Murder?

Those heroes, always putting on a good show for the public… one of them committed murder?

“Who? Who did they kill?”

“What’s wrong? Something bad happen?”

Noel notices the shift in mood and joins us.

“So, who was kil— Oh.”

I read the article, and…

“…That crazy b*tch, Yerin…”

“Huh? What did you say, Allen?”

“Nothing…”

Yerin, the hero, the most celebrated member of the party… is the murderer.

“Poor Dean… he didn’t deserve this…”

“What?!”

“Huh? Why are you both reacting like that?”

“D-Dean, you said?!”

“Yes, that’s his name. Seems like he was around your age. Such a tragedy…”

“…Noel, how old is your fiancé?”

“He’s… a year older than me…”

And the victim… is Noel’s fiancé, Dean.

Knock knock knock

“…Hmm? Who is it?”

Someone’s knocking on my door late at night. I’m thinking about Allen…

Creak…

I’m expecting one of the heroines, or a palace maid…

“Hello, Hero. My name is Dean.”

…A stranger.

Creak…

“Wait! I need to talk to you!”

I try to close the door and ignore him, but he stops me.

So annoying… just go aw—

“Allen, shall we talk about him?”

“…!!”

What…?

“…What did you say?”

“Ah, I knew you’d react. May I come in?”

“Just say it from there.”

“I won’t speak unless you let me in.”

Creak…

I don’t like strangers in my room, but if it’s about Allen…

“Just say it. And how did you even get in h—”

“Your reputation as a friend of the hero made it easy. The guards were distracted by the festival.”

Well, that’s convenient.

“Anyway, as I said, I’m Dean. Noel’s fiancé. We’re getting married soon.”

“Oh… I see… wait, Noel?”

“Yes?”

Noel… Allen’s friend?

He mentioned her during our journey.

I was disgusted when I found out she was a girl…

“…Never mind. Continue.”

“As I said, I’m Dean. I’m not a noble, but I’ve lived a comfortable life. Not to brag or anything…”

“…And?”

“…But I lack one thing: Noel’s love.