episode_0099

How can I make Mileia less of a terrifying person?

The most straightforward method, a smiling face, completely failed.

I firmly warned her not to force a smile again.

I felt a little sorry, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Is it true that smiling makes people feel more intimate? Then I will continue to make an effort to smile.”

“No, no!”

If Mileia continued to wear that terrifying smile, even I couldn’t handle it.

Fortunately, Mileia decided to stop smiling, but the shock of it remained vivid in my mind.

“Mileia realized that she couldn’t eliminate her terrifying aura with the method proposed by Yunoa, and she became gloomy.”

The narration conveyed Mileia’s emotions.

However, her expression remained stiff and emotionless.

Even in that emotionless expression, I could strangely sense a hint of gloom.

“Let’s find another way.”

Seeing Mileia looking a bit pitiful, I decided to find another solution immediately.

To solve a problem, what is needed first?

Observation and investigation.

I sent Mileia away for a moment and asked my acquaintances why Mileia made them uncomfortable.

“Well, um… I just have a feeling that if I make a mistake, it will be a big problem. I feel like I can’t look her in the eye.”

Sylphy pondered for a moment before answering my question.

“Mileia isn’t such a terrifying person.”

“Even if you say that… she looks terrifying in reality.”

“If Mileia promises never to get angry no matter what she says, can we have a conversation?”

“Um…”

“In fact, Mileia has a lot on her mind these days. Everyone finds her intimidating, so she can’t get along with people.”

“Wow, that’s unexpected. She doesn’t seem like that at all… really?”

Sylphy looked surprised with wide eyes.

Suddenly, Mileia appeared behind me.

Sylphy’s face turned pale immediately.

Mileia came out emotionlessly and alternately stared at Sylphy and me, then said to me.

“Yunoa, are you trying to embarrass me?”

“S-Sorry!”

Sylphy bowed deeply and apologized.

Why are you apologizing?

“To solve Mileia’s worries, we need to listen to the opinions of those who are afraid of her.”

“Is that so.”

“Mileia felt extremely embarrassed when her desire to get along with people was revealed to someone other than Yunoa.”

Contrary to the narration, she maintained her emotionless expression and stared at me sharply.

Is that Mileia’s ’embarrassed expression’…?

Her eyes are intimidating.

With just her gaze, she could stop a heart like a lower-level demon.

Why is she so bad at expressing emotions? This woman.

“E-Excuse me…!”

Unable to bear the pressure, Sylphy bowed and quickly left.

Mileia’s gaze as she watched Sylphy flee seemed like a ‘predator eyeing its prey.’

“Mileia felt bitterness as she watched Sylphy avoid her.”

Is that what bitterness looks like?

Even though she appears emotionless, she has various expressions in her eyes.

To others, they may all seem like the same terrifying gaze.

“Yunoa, are you close with Sylphy?”

Suddenly, Mileia asked me.

“We get along.”

“Can’t you treat me the way you treated Sylphy?”

“What?”

I didn’t understand the meaning behind Mileia’s words, so I asked.

“Like treating me as a failure, what does that mean?”

“…to me.”

Milreya tried to say something again when she realized I didn’t understand, but she closed her mouth again.

『Milreya expected Yunoa to call her in a casual tone, not like a failure.

She thought that Yunoa calling her in banmal made her feel closer to her.』

I froze for a moment at the narration’s words.

So, Milreya wants me to speak informally to her.

Really….

“How… how should I treat Milreya like a failure? She calls me a senior, she’s also a fellow adventurer of Silver grade, and I’ve taught her a lot….”

“Senior.”

“What?”

“Should I call you senior?”

Did Milreya just call me ‘senior’?

It feels like my brain is bleaching.

Something… something isn’t right….

“No, it feels more distant, so don’t do that.”

“What’s different?”

“That… is….”

Different, definitely different.

I don’t know what it is, but it’s definitely different.

Milreya was staring at me intently.

I didn’t know what ridiculous thoughts she might be having behind that expressionless face, but I felt a little scared.

Considering the state of mind that the narration had shown me so far, she might still be feeling gloomy inside.

『Milreya was doing her best in her own way to make a change.

But thinking that Yunoa didn’t appreciate her efforts, Milreya became even more gloomy.』

As expected.

There were actually many emotions swirling inside her expressionless face.

But people can only judge based on what they see on the surface.

After all, she had never been as close to anyone as she was to me, so if she looked like that, she might have unintentionally caused many misunderstandings.

There were rumors that she was a formidable woman with no mercy or tears, but honestly, there was nothing to say.

But it was clear that she was making an effort to change this time.

If people saw me talking to Milreya comfortably, wouldn’t the image of her being scary decrease a bit?

I never thought that I would one day speak to her like this, but now I have to try everything.

“Okay, Milreya. From now on, let’s think of each other as friends and talk comfortably. Is that okay?”

“Please.”

“Mil… Mil….”

I opened my lips to call her name, but for some reason, the words didn’t come out when I tried to speak.

Cheer up, Yunoa. She’s also making an effort.

“Milreya.”

“Yes.”

“Are you okay? How is it, when I speak like this?”

“Um.”

“Milreya.”

“Yes.”

“Milreya, Milreya, Milreya, Milreya.”

I playfully repeated her name like a parrot.

Milreya didn’t react at all.

No, it’s more like her reaction doesn’t show on the surface.

Surprisingly, the first time was difficult, but after trying to speak comfortably to Milreya, it became easier.

Moreover, speaking like this, Milreya seemed a little less intimidating than before.

I hope others feel the same way as I do.

While thinking that, Milreya continued to stare at an empty space.

* * *

“Oh! You! Have you come to donate magic?”

At the Belafolk Mansion, Marrie greeted me with a cheerful expression and blurted out an absurd statement as soon as she saw me.

Stop treating people like portable magic boxes.

She was always someone who effortlessly blended into her own pace, but today, I had a means to confront Mariel as well.

“Milayea, did you see her last time? The mage who used teleportation magic, Miss Mariel.”

“….”

Milayea stared at Mariel expressionlessly.

Mariel, who seemed ready to tear apart my magic, suddenly crumpled in an instant.

“Oh! You… are…”

“Miss Mariel, Milayea has come to express her gratitude.”

“Is that so… I-I-It’s fine.”

“You don’t have to be so uncomfortable. Look, I speak to Milayea this comfortably too. It’s just because she’s awkward, she’s a good person.”

I still couldn’t erase Milayea’s aura of fear just by speaking comfortably alone.

Nevertheless, Mariel seemed to be better at speaking in front of Milayea than others.

Perhaps because she was so eccentric, she seemed to have a greater resistance to fear.

But it seemed inevitable that she would stutter and be at a loss like a mouse in front of a cat in front of Milayea.

“S-So… are you two that close?”

“Is there a problem?”

In response to Mariel’s question, Milayea replied shortly.

Then, as if she had ignited a fuse, Mariel spoke at an incredibly fast pace.

“Oops! I’m sorry! This is Mariel! It seems that I lack the ability to read human relationships other than magic! If you felt bad, I apologize! Oh! Come to think of it, I seem to have urgent magical research work left, so I should go in now!”

And with that, she rolled her eyes in all directions, laughing, and disappeared into the mansion.

I wanted to ask Mariel why she was so afraid of Milayea, but it didn’t seem necessary to ask.

It seemed that Milayea’s way of speaking was also an issue.

* * *

Despite my efforts to help Milayea and people get along in various ways, none of them were effective.

I found several problems, but they were things that couldn’t be solved.

In the end, the only achievement was that I could speak more comfortably to Milayea.

But since I wasn’t the one who made her so uncomfortable in the first place, nothing had really changed.

“Thank you. It’s okay not to push yourself because of me. Anyway, I’m used to this kind of situation.”

“It’s probably impossible to change an image built up over several years in an instant.”

“Yes.”

“Still, I think it’s important that you have the intention to get along with people.”

I offered words of comfort to Milayea.

After speaking more comfortably, I felt like I could sense her hidden emotions even without narration.

I felt like I could continue speaking like this, but I stopped because I felt like I might hurt her if I distanced myself from her again, failing to dispel her aura of fear.

Even though she seemed expressionless, she was feeling depressed and worried inside.

Just because she doesn’t show emotions doesn’t mean she doesn’t have any. It’s just that she can’t express them.

I learned that for sure this time.

“Nevertheless, Milayea felt grateful to Yunoa for looking into various things for her.

In fact, she didn’t think she could suddenly find a way to get along with people.

People don’t change that easily.

I didn’t think that the loner Milayea would suddenly become familiar with people.

But I sincerely believed that the fact that she made such an attempt was important.

There are many people who live their lives without being aware of their own problems and without making an effort to change.

So, I decided to dissolve Milayea’s ‘getting along with people’ project for now.

This kind of thing can’t be forced.

But if she has the desire to change unlike before, maybe someday someone will appear who won’t make her uncomfortable like I did.

Thinking such thoughts, I walked the streets in the evening on my way back home, when suddenly a narration echoed.

“The power of the Demon King has grown stronger once again.

The fate of the kingdom was slowly heading towards destruction.

The bishops of the seven churches, unaware of the seriousness of the situation, began to search for new heroes according to the kingdom’s orders.”

The power of the Demon King has grown stronger again…

It seems that Mila’s letter sent to the capital has arrived safely.

It’s not bad to be informed about the kingdom’s situation like this.

It feels like listening to the news.

However, at the next words of the narration, I stopped in my tracks.

“But they all didn’t know.

The long-standing link between the Demon King and the hero was severed by the hero’s death.

A new hero will never appear again.”