episode_0022

“What?”

A variety of emotions flashed across the faces of everyone sitting around the table.

The biggest factor among them was ‘embarrassment.’

Aside from everything else, the expression on his face was that he couldn’t understand why such a thing was being said.

The silence was longer than expected, and even Tirisia and I exchanged curious glances.

“What? Say it again.”

The first one to be released from the freeze was Lucica.

She leaned her upper body towards me and asked with a frown.

I just said it again calmly.

“Tirisia and I, we broke up.”

“Haa… ?”

Lucica just stared at me and Tirisia alternately with a face that said she couldn’t understand at all.

The next one to speak was the one in the middle of the noble trio sitting side by side. It was Celdianne.

“You broke up? Since when did that happen…?”

The high-pitched voice that always laughed loudly was now for some reason low.

It wasn’t an expression of complete disbelief like Lucica’s, but it wasn’t a look of joy either.

It was just a look of genuine curiosity at the unexpected situation.

It was a little unexpected. I thought that if it was Seldian, she would dance happily as soon as she heard that we broke up.

“It’s not that long ago. We broke up a while ago.”

“Is that so?”

Miyu and Juri, sitting on either side of her, were looking at Celdianne’s face as if they were about to burst into laughter.

Yeah, that face was exactly the reaction I had in mind from that group.

The expression on their faces is like they’re about to pop a champagne bottle and throw a celebration party at the news that the unusual love affair between a noble and a commoner has ended.

The next person to speak was Senior Perjena, who asked the most fundamental question.

“Why?”

She was sitting with her legs crossed at the desk, her arms crossed, and looking at Tirisia with a slightly angry look in her eyes.

“Why did you break up?”

Yes, ultimately, the explanation of that part was the most important issue here today.

The reason why Tirisia and I broke up.

Everyone looked at my face with eyes that wanted an answer to the most important question of all.

I took a moment to catch my breath and replay the answer in my head.

Of course,

Here I will give the reason that I had previously agreed upon with Tirisia.

Of course, it will be a completely different story from the real inside story.

truth.

The extremely one-sided accusation that Tirisia cheated.

I will not take any action to expose that ugly truth in front of everyone now.

Such revenge was not the solution to reaching the ending I wanted now.

I want to see the end point of the path that Tirisia has chosen.

In its natural state, completely untouched by my hands.

Without any interference, revenge, or distortion, just standing by and watching.

What kind of happiness did she find by abandoning me of her own accord?

I wanted to watch the ending up close.

Like an audience member sitting in the front row, without having to go up on stage.

That’s why I’m going to tell you all a made-up story now.

In the end, it’s just as I told Kelg Durakal.

I will never do anything to ruin Tirisia’s future with my own hands.

In fact, I am vaguely aware that this kind of behavior is abnormal.

To some, this may seem like an incomprehensible act and a meaningless sacrifice.

From the perspective of common sense and justice, or even just from the perspective of an ordinary person, anyone would want revenge on Tyricia and that man.

No one wants a story where the cheating couple ends up happy, it would just be an unpleasant and frustrating story.

If it could be broken, it was natural to break it.

Especially if it is the party that is abandoned and left alone. No, definitely.

If one wanted to, it would be easy to expose their corruption in front of others and completely destroy their social prestige by appealing to morality.

However, as a long-time childhood friend of the girl named Tirissia Bruard, and as a lover who loved her more than anyone else, I would like to give her one last chance.

May she find greater happiness in the place where she cut me off and headed than what she put down.

My last remaining affection and consideration was to hope that you would never regret the path you chose.

The reason I pray for her happiness like this is, on the other hand, because I have doubts about whether it is possible.

I really don’t know.

Can Tyrissia truly be happy in that man’s arms?

At least, I didn’t picture that future in my head. There was only darkness and an abyss.

If I were to guess the probability, I think it’s extremely low.

So, whatever Tirisia salvaged from that dark veil, I had a duty to watch over it.

We must not let this attempt fail from the start. We must achieve a complete conclusion.

This is, so to speak, a kind of gambling and a bet.

Instead of me doing something so petty as to turn the tables, Tyrissia should just get what she wants.

If not, all that’s left are two wounded people.

Beyond that, something terrible awaits.

So I opened the curtain on this elaborate play.

“First, I want everyone to understand this. We are not breaking up on bad terms. We are breaking up on good terms and going back to being normal friends. Right, Tirisia?”

I looked at the silver-haired girl, and she nodded with a solemn expression.

“Yeah… That’s right. We didn’t fight or anything… I think we understood and acknowledged each other’s differences. Erto is a good person, and we decided to remain friends like before.”

“Different positions? What differences in positions?”

Lucica, still in shock, asked with a blank expression.

“I’ll tell you, Tirisia.”

“Yeah… ”

I was the one who took the initiative in creating this excuse for the breakup.

So, it would be easier for others to understand if I explained it rather than if Tirisia did.

I said, looking at the blonde girl next to me.

“I was the one who first suggested going back to being friends.”

It was also an ambiguous fact. In reality, I was the one who said that he was my friend.

“Are you talking about…?”

Celdianne frowned and asked back.

“The biggest reason I decided to break up with Tirisia is because I thought we weren’t a good match. I’m just a commoner, and Tirisia is from a noble family. At some point, I realized that we weren’t a good match as lovers.”

“What a sudden change?”

“Perhaps, Seldianne, you had a point. Commoners and nobles cannot be connected… It’s not necessarily true, but it’s true that Tirisia and I lived in different worlds.”

Seldianne’s expression became complex and indescribable. It was a mixture of joy and bewilderment, something neither here nor there.

“I find it hard to keep up with the life of the noble family called the Brood. If we continue to be lovers, I feel like I will one day block Tirisia’s path.”

At those words, Senior Perjena bared her fangs and asked.

“Are you saying that you lack confidence in a word? You little disciple.”

“I think we should acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged, senior. I don’t want to be a burden on Tirisia’s life. She can meet a better and more wonderful person.”

“Aaang… ?”

The senior who heard me with his eyes wide open looked at Tirisia.

“Hey, little girlfriend. Are you okay with that? If this kid is judging and talking on his own right now, tell me. I’ll correct him with my own hands.”

“I am… ”

Jade green eyes turned to me.

I nodded to her, telling her to do as she promised.

Tirisia’s eyes moved to the mat floor, and she began to speak in a calm voice.

“Erto is so precious to me, and he’s a good person. But… I don’t want Erto to feel burdened by being by my side… and live a life of suffering because of that. So if Erto wants it, I think it’s right for me to go back to being friends like we used to be.”

“… Is that so? If that’s what the two little ones think, then I understand.”

Senior Perjena turned away slightly, as if she didn’t want to ask any more questions about our relationship.

Let me finish the story.

“Everyone, is this enough of an explanation of why we’re breaking up? Let me say it again, we’re breaking up on good terms and going back to being friends, so nothing’s really going to change. Just treat us the same way you do now.”

“… ”

No one asked for further explanation, but no one was willing to answer either.

“B, Brewed Gong… ”

Suddenly, Heidiera, who had been silent for a long time behind them, opened her mouth.

It was also directed at Tirisia, who was usually burdened and couldn’t even speak properly.

“Yes, Miss Isidel.”

Tirisia looked at me with a soft smile.

The hand holding my shoulder flinched and gained strength.

“I, I just want to ask you one thing… ”

“What is it?”

Swish―

The presence felt from behind had grown larger. Heidiera had straightened her back, which had been curled up, and sat upright.

All that came out of her mouth was a simple question.

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

huh?

This guy just now, he didn’t stutter at all.

Rather, it was a tone of speech that felt like it had some kind of heavy weight.

Tirisia looked at my back in surprise for a moment, then nodded.

“Yeah, it’s okay. We decided it together with Erto.”

“I understand, I will respect you.”

Heidi, who had said that, grabbed my shoulder and sat up.

“Okay, now that I’m done with my business, I’ll get up first… Actually, I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather and my stomach is starting to churn… ”

“Oh my, go quickly, Heidiera.”

Heidiera, holding her stomach, disappears with frequent steps.

“I’m going to go now. Lunch time is over and the eyes of those around me are so harsh. Take care.”

“Yes, see you next time, senior.”

Senior Perzena, who followed suit, also waved her hand and walked out of the stage.

“Miyu, Juri! We should get up now too.”

Celdianne, who was leading her subordinates, also left her seat and gave us one last high-pitched laugh.

“Oh-hohohoho! Now the commoner has figured out his place! The lady is satisfied!”

“Elconja’s foresight was right!”

“As expected, you are the daughter of a wise noble!”

“If you’re going, could you please go quietly?”

I waved my hand at the nobles who were quickly disappearing, and looked at the last remaining guest.

“Lucica, what are you thinking?”

“Not really. I’ll go.”

The girl stood up with a blank expression, said a short greeting, and quickly left the stage.

Now it was just Tirissia and me on the large mat.

“… I said it.”

He smiled bitterly, feeling both empty and relieved.

“… Now, officially, our relationship is over.”

Tirisia had the same expression on her face as I did.

So the two sat together on the grass for a while in silence.

*

And after school,

“Hey, you piece of shit.”

“Huh?”

The one who came to see me was Lucica, who couldn’t hide her confusion until the very end.

“Come with me today. I already told Tiring.”

“Uh, why?”

“I have something to say.”

I nodded with a puzzled face at the sight of him answering firmly and in a tone completely different from usual.

The eyes of the girl with the bright cherry-colored twintails were filled with blazing anger, without a trace of playfulness.