episode_0107
by fnovelpia
107. Comfort
I trudged down the hallway.
I needed time to think.
But gradually my legs began to ache, and it started to feel like a waste of time.
I let out a sigh and chastised myself for being foolish.
“…Where am I supposed to go?”
A long hallway.
Lavish doors lining the walls.
Many rooms, but none of them mine.
After all, Erika had only just entered Zarmark.
“Haa….”
Should I just go outside?
If I wander aimlessly in the courtyard, maybe I’ll arrive somewhere.
Just as I was standing there, lost in thought—
A pungent scent of cigarette smoke drifted toward me.
“Hey, Baroness. Whatcha doing here?”
“Ms. Adela….”
Fortunately, there was a woman who had arrived in Zarmark before me.
Adela, the chain-smoking older-sister type with an engineering vibe, made her appearance.
And with a friendly—no, more like a shakedown-like gesture—she slung her arm over my shoulder.
“Call me ‘Noona.’ Since I’m obviously older than you, kiddo.”
“…Sure.”
Did I used to tease Erika by calling her a delinquent?
From my perspective, Adela seemed much more like one.
With a cigarette in one hand, she guided me by the arm around my neck.
She looked like some gangster noona dragging me into an alley to shake me down.
After taking a deep, satisfied drag, she asked me—
“So? Where were you headed?”
“…That’s the thing.”
“What, even geniuses have things to worry about?”
I’m not a genius….
I wanted to say it honestly, but no one would believe me anyway.
And since my legs were starting to hurt again, I just responded with a sigh.
Adela gave me a sidelong glance, observing my expression.
“Wanna come to my room?”
“Huh?”
“It’s obvious just by looking at you. Something’s bothering you, but you’ve got nowhere to go~… Am I wrong?”
Adela had assessed my situation in an instant.
As expected of someone sharp-witted like a strategist.
“But… I….”
“Relax, if you behave, I won’t eat you.”
She even chuckled, showing enough leisure to joke around.
At this point, I couldn’t even tell if she was serious or not.
Either way, I needed a place to rest, so I followed her without resistance.
I walked through the hallway beside Adela.
In the extravagantly decorated hall, she stopped in front of a plain-looking wooden door.
As if fully aware of the contrast, she joked—
“Sorry if this disappoints! Bit shabby.”
“No, I actually like it.”
“What’s there to like?”
I told her honestly—
“In a place this luxurious, something plain stands out… It feels special, like noticing a simple, modest flower amid expensive, dazzling ones.”
“Oh….”
She blinked at me, looking mildly surprised.
After stubbing out her cigarette in a portable ashtray, she playfully poked my nose and said—
“Damn, you’re slick.”
“Huh?”
“Hm… I think I get it now.”
Suddenly, she seemed to piece something together, grinning to herself.
Then she opened the plain wooden door and guided me inside.
A side room attached to the workshop in Grace Manor.
The vibe was similar to the one I stayed in.
Unusually sparse for a woman’s room.
No dolls or pink in sight—just piles of documents and cigarette butts stacked on ashtrays.
Crumbled drafts of paper, probably revised over and over, lay scattered about.
Adela kicked some aside with her foot, clearing a path.
“Kinda messy, huh?”
“Well, um….”
Reminds me of the XX chromosomes that infest engineering departments.
Honestly, it’s so familiar it’s almost nostalgic…
But out of politeness, I hesitated to say it outright—
Adela pressed a finger to my lips, stopping me.
“Tail wagging again?”
“I don’t know what you mean….”
“Pfft—god, you’re killing me.”
She chuckled and flopped onto her bed.
After patting the blanket—out of courtesy rather than necessity—she grabbed and tossed me onto the mattress.
Unlike the modest room, the bed was high-end and incredibly soft.
Oh…
As I marveled at the premium comfort—
Adela flopped down beside me.
“Nice, right? A good bed’s unbeatable.”
She sprawled out without even taking off her glasses, utterly unguarded.
The bed was spacious enough for three, so it didn’t feel cramped.
Still lying down, I nodded.
“A hundred times yes.”
“Smart people just get each other.”
Adela had been giggling nonstop for some reason.
Her cheerful tone must’ve been contagious—I found myself smiling too.
My lips had definitely curled up more than before.
Just as I was feeling relaxed and at ease—
Adela’s voice snapped me back to attention with another probing question.
“You’ve got girl trouble, don’t you?”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
But whether she noticed or just didn’t care—
Adela kept grinning and pressing further.
“Let me guess—Vivian, Adele, or that Luna girl?”
“Ah… Why do you have to….”
Dead-on.
Shame flooded me. I covered my eyes with my forearm.
My face burned—I must’ve been beet red.
Adela snickered, propping herself up on an elbow to study me.
Then she prodded my chest teasingly with a finger.
“Don’t you feel bad for Erika?”
“I do….”
“Why?”
“I got too involved with the others… Won’t it hinder her grand plan…?”
I felt so guilty toward Erika.
Every warrior I slept with was a key asset, a general in her army.
If any of them got pregnant, it’d disrupt combat readiness.
And nobles of Grace fooling around with some commoner, all getting knocked up together?
How absurd would that be?
My face burned with embarrassment.
But Adela just kept laughing.
“Man… You really are….”
“Huh?”
“No, just—some talents are definitely innate.”
What’s that supposed to mean…?
She rolled onto her side, studying me.
“Might as well spill everything now.”
“But….”
“Relax, I won’t tell Erika.”
She flashed a sly grin and patted me reassuringly.
She was a ditzy, mischievous noona, but at least she had a trustworthy sense of responsibility.
Plus, confessing a little already felt cathartic.
“Besides, it’s more fun this way.”
…Or not?
Either way, I lay back properly.
Staring at the ceiling stains as if counting them, I let my eyes drift shut—only halfway, comfortably.
It felt like therapy or something.
After relaxing my body, I poured out everything that had happened.
“Vivian was my first….”
“You were a virgin too?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh damn. Seriously?”
Adela reacted like a friend, playing along.
You know how it goes.
You’re upset over a breakup,
but your friend jokes around and ribs you about it.
At first, it’s annoying—but eventually, it trivializes the pain.
Making it feel like no big deal.
Even turning it into a funny memory.
Not that I’d know—I’ve never had friends.
I’d only heard stories.
No clue if they’re true, but this felt similar.
“Damn, Adele? That chick’s wild huh?”
“Very.”
Since I was confessing anyway, I asked about Luna too.
Why did she have to break things off for being a noble…?
I let it go for her sake, but honestly, I was dying to know.
“That’s what’s been bothering you? Dummy.”
“Stop teasing….”
“Anyway, the noble thing… Ah-hah~. So that’s it….”
Smart as she was, Adela caught on quickly.
She seemed to know the answer already but deliberately didn’t say.
Just grinned like she was looking forward to a fun show.
“You’ll find out eventually.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Erika Grace is your hint.”
“The Countess?”
No idea what that means.
Adela muttered, “The coming dumpster fire’s gonna be hilarious. Another reason to stay alive.”
Some smart-people insider talk—completely lost on me.
Why Erika?
Anyway, my story was done.
Two noble flings and a one-day romance gone bust.
The pathetic mess that left me brooding in self-loathing.
Adela listened to all that embarrassing, whiny nonsense—
Then gave me advice.
“Wanna know the solution for times like this?”
“What is it?”
“Sleep.”
So abrupt, my eyes went wide.
I still had a mountain of unresolved issues.
I wanted to reconcile with Luna, apologize to Vivian and Adele.
And I still hadn’t figured out Luna’s “noble problem.”
With so much left, how could I just sleep?
But Adela covered my eyes with her pale, slender hand.
Darkness.
“Your subconscious solves problems while you sleep.”
……
Not wrong.
That’s how it’s always been for me.
“Solid advice….”
“At this point, just hand over your ‘heaven-sent genius’ title to me.”
“Take it. In exchange, do my work for me.”
“Deal revoked.”
I closed my eyes, relaxed, and joked with Adela.
Guess I really had been too wound up.
Looking back, it wasn’t just my love life either…
‘The Divine Weapon.’
‘Save me—!!! Please, I have kids at home!!’
‘H-hot… Mommy….’
I saw them when I shut my eyes.
People burning under the Heavenly Fire I’d forged.
The gorge transformed into an inferno, seared into my memory.
That trauma probably shattered whatever mental defenses I had left….
Either way, sulking wouldn’t help—adapting was the only way.
If we hadn’t won decisively with that massacre, our Grace soldiers would’ve died.
How common is war in human history?
So I know.
Two nukes are far more merciful than a prolonged battle.
Of course, like Oppenheimer, seeing it firsthand left me guilt-ridden.
But that’s just something to overcome.
Adela was right.
Closing my eyes, trying to sleep—my mind untangled itself.
Still unsure how to handle Vivian, Adele, and Luna…
But Adela’s breathing nearby lingered.
Sinking into the abyss of sleep, my body grew limp.
One last joke wouldn’t hurt—
“Sleep’s a decent solution, but not the best.”
“How so?”
“Sleeping won’t make those paper balls on the floor disappear.”
Adela burst out laughing.
She got the joke—sleep doesn’t erase work.
We chatted a bit more before I finally dozed off.
Felt something warm brush my lips, but it must’ve been my imagination….
All I needed was peaceful sleep—tomorrow would come anyway.
Lately, overwork had cut my rest short.
Stop thinking and sleep….
────────────────────
Noise.
Not loud, but sharp enough to rip me from sweet slumber.
Groggy from sleep, I forced my stiff eyelids open.
-Knock knock
Someone was at the door.
I sat up and glanced outside—
Not morning. Maybe around 11 PM?
The phrase dead of night fit.
Yawning, I scratched my head and got up.
“Adela’s gone?”
Did she leave her own room because of me?
For someone so teasing, she’s surprisingly considerate.
Lost in thought, I opened the door—
“H-Hi….”
“Need to talk….”
“Wait, hang on!”
I shut the door again.
Was I still dreaming?
Luna, Adele, and Vivian stood outside—
Wearing nothing but trench coats and risqué lingerie.
Ah…
I have been holding back lately.
Two weeks of mental breakdowns, obsessing over the Heavenly Fire.
This had to be a wet dream—
“Ugh, OPEN UP!”
Vivian kicked the door open.
Ow—guess this is real.
…Why are all three here?
I stared blankly at the perverts barging in.
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