Little by Little

Vermillian and Anise solidified their vows as lovers, and the four of them picked up the pace towards the Layard family’s mansion around evening.

Having spent her entire life in a collapsing shack, Anise found even the luxurious carriage she encountered for the first time fascinating.

She got into the carriage and kept looking around, constantly exclaiming in admiration.

Even that sight felt truly lovely to Vermillian.

,Rian, what’s that?

,It’s the family crest. Most noble families have such emblems on their carriages.

,I see… How fascinating.

Before they knew it, the two had become close enough to drop honorifics and use nicknames.

What’s truly amusing is that Anise, not Vermillian, was the one who suggested it.

No sooner had they realized their feelings and become lovers than Anise asked Vermillian to drop the honorifics.

Vermillian wasn’t very used to dropping honorifics with others, so he initially hesitated, but after hearing that she didn’t want to hear formal speech from her first lover and first friend, he complied with her request.

However, once he granted her request, a strangely comical scene unfolded where only he spoke informally, while Anise continued to use honorifics as before.

So Vermillian suggested that they both use informal speech, and Anise, surprisingly, smiled and nodded without any resistance.

The result is the current situation.

,I wanted to get rid of that damn honorific speech, and now it’s finally bearable.

Meanwhile, Kyle, who had been silently watching this scene, wore a very satisfied smile.

Others might not see it this way, but as someone who knew Vermillian’s true personality well, he felt that the honorifics were like a kind of mask.

,Damn? Isn’t that a bit harsh, Kyle? If you put it that way, Lady Eleanor is also using honorifics with you.

,Are Sylvia and you the same?

,…It’s not wrong, but being openly discriminated against makes me want to cry.

On the other hand, Vermillian felt wronged by the sudden criticism, so he tried to escape by using Sylvia as a shield, like an eight-year-old child.

But it was no use in front of Kyle.

Of course, what Kyle meant was quite different from what Vermillian thought.

It wasn’t that he would put a hairy bastard and the woman he liked on the same level, but rather that the two people had different personalities, so he said that.

From the beginning, Sylvia uses honorifics with everyone.

Not only the servants in the family, but even her own younger sister.

In other words, she is a woman who has the concept of respect ingrained in her.

On the other hand, Vermillian is not the type to use honorifics to respect others.

To put it a bit harshly, he tends to distinguish between people he needs to use honorifics with and those he doesn’t, and since his original personality was also somewhat twisted, this aspect was even more pronounced.

So Kyle had been hoping that Vermillian’s mask would one day be removed, and he happened to witness a good scene.

,Layard-gongja seems to be very close to Rian.

Meanwhile, there was one more spectator besides Kyle.

It was Anise, who had been carefully watching Kyle and Vermillian having a friendly conversation.

When she heard that Vermillian had followed her in case of an emergency when he left to find her, she thought that the two must have a fairly close relationship.

She was a little surprised by how close they seemed to be, beyond her imagination.

She had a bit of a stereotype that nobles were people who used honorifics with each other even among friends, showed courtesy, and maintained a certain distance.

,If it looked that way, I’m sorry. We’re just bitter enemies.

,Yes…?

,Puhuhu, Kyle is so funny. You always say that, but the only person you’re really close to is Drake-gongja, right?

Hearing this, Kyle frowned openly and drew a firm line, causing Anise to make a blank expression.

Sylvia, who burst out laughing, stepped in and said something that could express the relationship between the two to some extent, and then Anise exclaimed, ‘Ah…,’ and smiled.

She decided that it seemed to be Kyle’s own way of expressing friendship.

If Kyle had heard her thoughts, he would have laughed in disbelief, but he probably wouldn’t have denied it either.

,Um, Layard-gongja. If it’s okay with you, could you also treat me comfortably?

,Yes?

,……!

Anise, who had been guessing the relationship between her lover and Kyle to some extent, cautiously brought up the topic.

At that moment, the air inside the carriage turned cold.

Anise didn’t seem to notice this and continued to speak with an innocent smile.

,If you’re Rian’s friend, then you’re also my friend. Could you please call me Anise comfortably and speak informally to me?

,Hmm….

At her suggestion, Kyle scratched his cheek as if he was embarrassed for the first time.

It’s not a particularly difficult task.

Strictly speaking, Kyle found it much easier to treat others roughly, like he did with Vermillian, than to show respect.

Of course, she said to treat her comfortably, but she didn’t mean to treat her roughly. That’s just how it is.

But there was a reason why he couldn’t nod right away.

That is.

,…Sylvia?

,Hmph, what is it?

,Ah, it’s nothing.

It was because of a certain young lady who was emitting an even deeper red light than when she was training, staring intently at him.

For some reason, he had a fear that if he nodded recklessly here, his body would be shattered, just like the armband that had been kicked by the Archbishop’s foot earlier.

No matter how much of a Kyle he was, he wanted to avoid a one-on-one confrontation with the Evil Eye.

From the beginning, the expression “confrontation” wouldn’t even be established, as it would be such a one-sided fight.

,Anise, can I have a word?

,Okay.

Meanwhile, Vermillian, who noticed the subtle power struggle between these three, gently tapped Anise’s shoulder and whispered to her.

Kyle and Sylvia seemed to be unaware of it, as they were too busy paying attention to each other.

After a few seconds of whispering, Anise’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together.

,Ah, I’m sorry. Layard-gongja. Can I change my suggestion a little bit?

,Yes? Change it?

And then she reached the point of taking back what she had said and presenting another negotiation proposal.

Kyle was dumbfounded, but he nodded, thinking he should listen first.

Then Anise continued to speak.

,Actually, I really want to become close with Lady Eleanor too. She’s also the benefactor who saved my life.

,No, I didn’t really do anything.

Sylvia was a little embarrassed by Anise’s sudden flattery and waved her hand.

On the one hand, she wondered why she was suddenly bringing her up, but she was soon able to figure out the reason.

,So, if it’s okay with you, how about we call each other comfortably?

,Each other….

,Of course, I’m talking about me, Layard-gongja, and Lady Eleanor, the three of us. From today, we’re friends, wouldn’t that be nice?

Kyle and Sylvia blinked blankly at the even more unexpected proposal than the one before.

Each other, could it be?

,So…. You mean you want me and Sylvia to use informal speech with each other?

,Yes, that’s right. Of course, if Lady Eleanor is more comfortable with honorifics, it’s fine, but seeing how Layard-gongja treats Rian, it seems like you’re more comfortable with informal speech….

,Well, that’s true.

Kyle nodded, unable to deny the fact, but made a bewildered expression.

It’s okay to use informal speech with Anise, since her rank is lower than his and she’s the same age, so it doesn’t really matter.

However, he had never even imagined using informal speech with Sylvia.

Before the regression, when he was a scoundrel, he used informal speech and even harsh words without hesitation, but it’s not like that now.

Perhaps the act of using honorifics could be interpreted as a kind of atonement.

,Well, then, why don’t you try using informal speech with Lady Eleanor first before you use it with me?

,Hmm….

,…….

Kyle didn’t know why Anise was suddenly acting like this, but it was hard for him to refuse.

That’s because he was worried about Sylvia, who was looking up at him with sparkling eyes next to him.

If she looked up at him with such expectant eyes, as if looking at a father who had bought her a toy, he couldn’t help but do it.

,…Sylvia?

,Yes, yes. Kyle.

Barely suppressing her pounding heart, Sylvia looked up at Kyle.

The way she had her hands clasped in front of her chest felt as earnest as if she was offering a prayer to God.

,Is it okay if I speak informally? If you don’t like it, I don’t have to….

,Ah, no! I love it! It sounds so much better now…!

Kyle was trying to use her as an excuse to escape, but when Sylvia hurriedly shook her head and stopped him, he had to scratch his cheek with an awkward expression.

He didn’t know why she was so happy with just one informal word, but it must be okay since she liked it.

It’s still a bit awkward because he’s not used to it yet, but he’ll get used to it over time.

,It looks much better. You two.

When Anise, who was watching this scene, smiled contentedly, Sylvia suddenly came to her senses and ran to her in the running carriage, holding her hands tightly.

,Thank you, Blanc-yang…! I won’t forget this favor.

,Now that we’re friends, please call me Anise comfortably.

,Yes…! Anise, please call me Sylvia too. And please speak informally to me.

,Okay, Sylvia. Then I look forward to working with you in the future.

,Me too.

On the other hand, Kyle made a dumbfounded expression as he watched the two women who had suddenly become so close.

He didn’t know why they suddenly got along so well, but anyway, good is good.

With that, the carriage picked up the pace even more, carrying a sweet atmosphere and heading towards the Layard family’s mansion.