episode_0149

“What do you mean!?Who am I—”

“Shh!”

When I put my finger in front of my mouth and made that sound, Diane quickly covered her mouth with both hands.

“Seeing that reaction, I guess I got it right, right?”

“Yes, ah, huh?”

Diane made a broken sound, as if she didn’t know what to say.

good.

It’s okay because Elsie will be nagging Harvey for a while, and since Adele is a noblewoman, it will take quite a while to wash. I already knew how long it will take to wash in the first place, so I’m not too worried.

There will be time for us to have a somewhat honest conversation.

“What I meant by liking is a feeling that goes beyond friendship, right?”

“Eup-eup-eup!”

Diane shouted, covering her mouth with her hand, as if she knew full well that another loud noise would come out of her mouth.

It’s clear from the reaction.

I was thinking that Diane and Adele had become much closer these days. Even though Diane was sharing the same tent with the three of us, she didn’t really complain, or she smiled secretly when she got to share a bed with Adele, or when Elsie and I went out. Using the excuse of being sick to stay with Adele.

Diane first started talking to me in order to become attached to me. Of course, this does not mean that they were sexually attached, but rather, it meant that they were trying to gain various benefits by sticking with me as a person in power.

However, at some point, Diane seemed to think that being with Adele was more important. It was not just the jealous incident last time, but various circumstances led to this.

He focuses on training in swordsmanship, which was obviously a side job, wants to beat Adele, wants to be with her, and doesn’t pay much attention to physical contact… … We even dance together.

“It’s surprising that no one else found out until now.”

In fact, there was no reason to get caught in the first place. Most people would not even imagine that it would happen.

If I didn’t like Elsie, it would have been a little difficult to imagine that.

“What do you think? You like it, right?”

“… … .”

Diane, who was frozen with her mouth covered and her eyes wide open, eventually slowly lowered her hands and slumped her shoulders.

“… … It would be difficult to hide it any longer.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“… … So, what do you want?”

“Do you think I’m bringing this up because I want something?”

“… … .”

He didn’t answer outright, but the way he glanced at me made me think he 100% thought so.

And, that was right.

“Yes, that’s right. There is something I want from you.”

Diane clenched her fists. Her hands were shaking.

I was exposed to emotions that should never have been revealed. If that person wasn’t me, this might not have been such a big problem.

There is no proof of feelings anyway. It doesn’t matter where Diane spreads it, as long as it’s someone she can control with Diane’s power.

But I am a grand duchess.

And if I say something here and there, the weight of those words cannot be easily ignored. Of course, the author will try to deny the situation somehow and try to get Diane to marry someone else just to create evidence that it is not the case.

But that’s not what I want.

If Elsie can like a girl, even if she likes me right now, she can change her mind someday.

It’s not like they confessed and started dating officially in the first place. Even if they change who they like, it’s not a big problem.

Even if that possibility is very, very small, I hope that there is not even that small possibility.

If Diane and Adele end up together, I want Elsie to bless them too, and I wouldn’t think of getting in between them.

However, you can’t force the two together… … If you have feelings like this, the story is different.

… … However, there is one mountain that must be overcome for the two to become that close.

“I wish you were more honest with Adele.”

“… … Yes?”

“If there are people around you who like each other, wouldn’t it be nice to want to support them?”

“Each other!?”

“Well, I don’t know how much Adele likes Diane, but you can tell by the look in her eyes that she has goodwill. We’ll have to check to see if Adele likes girls or not—hmm, maybe a kiss would be enough? Dancing with girls. I think I’ve already passed the exam in terms of being able to apply.”

Actually, I don’t know for sure whether Adele can like women or not. However, I do know that in Part 2, I saw Amelia being more friendly than usual with Elsie, and I understood that it could be possible.

And in terms of description, she was often described as ‘beautiful enough that even a woman could fall in love with her’. Of course, it may be just a cliché, but the possibility is enough.

Adele is a person who likes people who genuinely like her, rather than finding and liking someone she likes.

“Well, that’s really… … .”

Seeing Diane forgetting to hold back in front of me for a moment and blushing and being lost in thought, it seems clear that she likes me.

This is serious condition.

Do I make that kind of expression when I think of Elsie? When did I start liking her like that? At least in front of Elsie and I, we didn’t get closer than necessary.

Did they even exchange letters? I thought that might be the case. As it happened, Adele had Alexander, and Diane had Ulysses.

“But before that, there is one condition. A condition for two people to definitely become closer.”

I said, waiting for Diane’s eyes to come to me.

“That fake invitation.”

“… … .”

Diane’s body froze.

It was a story that came up a little while ago, but it seemed to have more weight because it was said after assuming that Diane liked Adele.

I slowly approached Diane, who froze, unable to take her eyes off my face, and spoke.

“Wasn’t the reason you shook your head at the guild headquarters earlier because you were worried that your secrets would be exposed if you got caught?”

“… … .”

Diane couldn’t answer.

I deliberately took a deep breath and said.

“How long have you been trying to hide it? For your entire life? Did you think Count Hoover wouldn’t reveal it if he saw you hooking up with Adele?”

Diane’s face turned bright blue.

That’s right. Even if Diane and Adele end up together, Count Hoover will try to break them up.

According to the social norms of this world, the two people cannot be together. Both as a woman and as a class. As a count, it was also a loss of one piece of chess that could lead to her marrying someone else.

In that case, it would be effective to break off the relationship before a scandal breaks out between the two, and the best way to do that is to make one of them feel a terrible sense of betrayal.

Even if Diane had planned such a thing without her father’s knowledge, there is no way that the Count would not have received the information from the Intelligence Guild. I have never actually met the Count, but I know that the Count is such a nobleman.

The description in the novel of a person who could cut off his daughter as if she were abandoning him was enough.

Diane Dog can think at least. He is none other than her father.

“But there is one way.”

I said, holding up my finger.

“It’s about being honest. I told you in a letter before, right? Sometimes it’s better to be honest.”

“… … .”

Diane’s mouth opened slightly.

I said to her who had a blank expression.

“Just say it out loud. And beg for forgiveness. That you were wrong.”

“… … But, then, Adele.”

“Adele will forgive you. But if the relationship between the two becomes too deep, she may not be able to. The more you trust the other person, the greater the feeling of betrayal. How great will the feeling of betrayal be for having kept that fact hidden until then?◦# ◦

Of course, if it were Adele, she might be able to forgive. That doesn’t mean she can’t offer a sincere apology, and it could also be said that she missed the right time to say something and couldn’t say it until now.

However, if you consider the ‘possibility’ of forgiveness, it is better to reveal the fact from the beginning and receive forgiveness early.

“Don’t you know Adele’s personality? You know how upright and good she is, right? Isn’t that why you like her?”

“… … .”

“Well, I’m not saying you have to do it unconditionally. It’s not something I can force, it’s just that I like it. This is just advice. If Diane doesn’t want it, this will be the last time I bring this up. Your choice is It’s up to you.”

After saying that, I went and sat down on Elsie and I’s bed.

Diane stood there with a stiff expression on her face and said nothing for a long time.