Chapter 25: Meanwhile

Meanwhile, as Allen was “educating” Helena to his liking…

What happened to Yerin, Angelina, and Noel?

“W-Wait…!”

Thump

Yerin reached out and grabbed her second target, the one she hated.

“?!!”

But as soon as she touched them, she felt a sense of unease.

The foul scent that had been clinging to Allen suddenly changed, replaced by a familiar scent, one she’d known for years.

“…Angelina?”

“Wh-What is it, Yerin…?”

The person Yerin grabbed was Angelina.

For a moment, Yerin wondered if Angelina was the woman who had been with Allen, but she quickly dismissed the thought as absurd.

“Why… why are you looking at me like that… with that scary expression…?”

But something about Angelina seemed… off.

Her expression was overly surprised, as if she’d run into someone she shouldn’t have.

A new suspicion formed in Yerin’s mind.

“Where are you going?”

“I-I just wanted to take a walk. As you know, Yerin, you’ve turned the capital upside down, and the palace is… suffocating…”

It made sense. The hero had killed a civilian.

The palace wouldn’t tolerate that. The king was kind and good-natured, but even he wouldn’t let this slide.

But Yerin’s suspicion lingered. She felt like Angelina’s reason for being out was… something else.

“Shall we walk together?”

“Huh…? But Yerin, you need to go to the palace…”

Right. She needed to go to the palace immediately.

The longer she delayed, the more questions she’d have to answer, the more excuses she’d have to make.

But that wasn’t her priority right now.

If she was right, if Angelina was heading towards Allen… she had to stop her.

“It’s fine for now. My chest feels tight too. So, it’s okay if we walk together, right…?”

“Uh… it’s a bit… uncomfortable…”

A suspicious reaction. There was no reason for Angelina to refuse, unless she had something to hide.

So, there was something…

“Yerin… even now… people are…”

“…Oh.”

Unfortunately for Yerin, Angelina had a valid reason.

Yerin was a murderer. Normally, she wouldn’t be able to show her face in public. She was wearing a cloak to hide her identity.

But everyone in the capital knew Yerin’s name. And Angelina, as a member of the hero’s party, was also quite famous. Their conversation was attracting attention.

Normally, Yerin would try to stop Angelina, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

Even if Angelina was going to see Allen, she’d try to persuade him, not seduce him.

The only reason Yerin wanted to stop her was because she didn’t like the idea of them meeting alone. And that foul scent she’d noticed on Angelina… that was the real reason.

But in this situation, Yerin had no choice but to back down.

“Fine. Are Lilia and Helena inside?”

“No, Lilia is with the knights, and Helena went out somewhere.”

“…Alright. I’ll be going then. Enjoy your walk.”

“Yes… take care…”

Lilia wasn’t a concern, but Helena being out somewhere… that was unsettling.

Still, Yerin decided to let it go for now. She didn’t think anything would happen while she was gone.

“…Noel, Yerin is gone.”

“Oh, she’s gone…? Thank goodness.”

Angelina sighed in relief.

When Yerin grabbed her shoulder, she instinctively hid Noel.

She had a bad feeling that if Yerin saw Noel, another murder might occur.

Maybe it was because she’d been comparing Yerin and Noel earlier… but she felt like Noel would trigger Yerin’s inferiority complex.

And Noel’s expression, just before Angelina hid her… it was memorable.

A look of terror. In the palace garden, Noel had said she hadn’t seen Yerin’s face when she came to the inn, but she seemed to know Yerin was dangerous.

“Are you okay?”

Angelina asked, genuinely concerned.

“Are you okay, Miss Angeline…?”

The reply was unexpected.

“Huh? What do you mean…”

“Your face is completely pale… I thought… maybe you were thinking the same thing as me…”

“The same thing as you?”

“That… that person is very scary…!!”

“…Do you know that person was Hero Yerin?”

“Huh? So, the hero was the one looking for me and Allen?”

“First of all… you know Allen was in the hero’s party, right?”

“Yes!”

“Then isn’t that reason enough for her to come looking for him?”

From an outsider’s perspective, there was nothing strange about a hero looking for her party member.

“Oh, right?”

Angelina thought, ‘This person really doesn’t get it.’

“But… if the hero is the one in the newspaper who murdered Dean… then there must be something going on, right?”

“That’s probab— Wait, Dean?”

“Yes. He was my fiancé.”

“…He was your fiancé, Noel?”

“Yes.”

‘What? Wasn’t this person in love with Allen?’

“Weren’t you in love with Allen?”

“Yes!”

“Then why did you have a fiancé?”

“…”

Noel fell silent. She had a bad memory of Allen drawing a line between them, calling them friends, when she got engaged.

“I don’t know.”

Noel’s mood soured.

‘What’s with this person?’

Angelina, unaware of Noel’s circumstances, didn’t understand why she was suddenly pouting.

‘Is she emotionally unstable?’

Angelina now saw Noel as not just dense, but also a bit… slow.

“…Well, never mind. Please continue guiding me.”

“Oh, yes! We’re almost there…!”

A short while later, Angelina and Noel arrived at the shop.

“Is this it?”

“Yes! This is it! Are you going in?”

“Yes, I am.”

Just as the second, unwelcome guest was about to arrive for Allen…

Creak…

The door opened, even though Angelina and Noel hadn’t touched it.

“…Huh?!”

“Angeline?”

Helena emerged from the shop, just in time. Of course, this was after her… session with Allen, and after Deva finished his potion experiment, and after Helena bought the concentration potion she originally came for.

“What are you doing here, Helena?”

“Can’t you tell by what’s in my hand?”

Helena showed Angelina the concentration potion.

She had originally tried to hide her potion purchases from the hero’s party. Even during their journey, she’d secretly bought and used potions, pretending she didn’t need them.

It was a matter of pride.

So, she’d told the others she was just going out, snuck off to her favorite potion shop, and then… had an unexpected encounter with Allen.

“You use potions too, Helena?”

“Just… whatever.”

“Oh, Helena. One question. Is Allen in that shop?”

“No.”

Right now, her pride was less important than hiding her relationship with Allen. Because Allen had ordered her to.

“Is that so… A wasted trip, then.”

“Wasted trip? Looking for Allen?”

“Ah, yes… that’s right… Helena.”

“…?”

“Your way of addressing Allen has changed a bit, hasn’t it?”

“…?!”

“Before, even when you were badmouthing him, you always used some kind of title. Have you had a change of heart?”

“Just… if there’s a reason why he left the party, and if it’s because of us… I thought I should change my attitude.”

“Hmm…”

Angelina’s sharp suspicion, and Helena’s appropriate response.

A strange tension hung in the air between them.

“Um, Miss Angeline. Can I go now?”

“…Who is this person?”

“Oh, this is Noel. She’s Allen’s friend.”

“Allen’s friend?”

“Yes! I’m Noel, Allen’s childhood friend! Are those ears… are you an elf?”

“…You don’t know me?”

“No. I’ve heard the name Helena, and that you’re an elf, from the hero’s party. But this is the first time I’ve seen you in person.”

“Helena, you don’t seem well today. You’ve been fidgety ever since you left the palace.”

“Oh, I’m just… not feeling well.”

“Really? Then come with me. If Allen isn’t in there, there’s no point in staying. Oh, Noel, you can go now!”

“Okay!”

And so, Helena and Angelina started walking back to the palace.

“…Allen isn’t here?”

Noel stood alone in front of Deva’s shop.

A few minutes later…

“…Well, I should at least say hello to Master!”

With a cheerful mumble to herself…

Creak…

“Excuse me!!”

Noel entered Deva’s shop.

A short while later, Allen came out of his room, and unintentionally, they were reunited, only a few hours after they had parted ways.