Outing

At Ellie’s request, after my afternoon classes, I headed to the 2nd-year classroom.

Surrounded by heroines, with a faint smile on his face, Roel was listening to them. He saw me hesitating at the door, excused himself from the group, and came over to me.

,Ross, is something wrong?”

Worried that something might have happened, Roel’s concern made me feel something different than inferiority.

Is this what it’s like to have an older brother…?

Born as an only child, it was an emotion I had never experienced. I’d heard that older and younger brothers who were close in age usually fought a lot and didn’t get along well.

Perhaps it was because the difference in skill was so great, and Roel’s personality wouldn’t allow him to try to win against his younger brother.

I figured that even if they competed, Ross would notice that Roel was deliberately letting him win, and that’s why fights and arguments disappeared.

No matter how hard he tried, Ross’s character was set up so that he had never truly beaten his brother, and never would.

Roel could accomplish in a month, or even a week, what Ross struggled to achieve in a year, as easily as tearing open a chocolate wrapper.

I tried to comfort myself by thinking that anyone in Ross’s position would feel inferior to Roel’s brilliant talent, which turned his efforts into nothing.

,It’s not that something’s wrong… I was just wondering if you had time to go out together this weekend.”

Perhaps it was an unexpected suggestion. Roel looked a little surprised, then smiled and put his hand on my shoulder.

,Of course, I do. It’s the academy’s monumental first outing, so I have to go with you. Is there anything you want to eat? There are so many delicious restaurants in the capital. I’m sure you’ll love the capital too.”

,I don’t know much since it’s my first time, so I’ll go wherever you recommend, hyung-nim. Oh, Ellie-yang is coming too, is that okay?”

As if he had just remembered. When I belatedly mentioned Ellie, Roel smiled even more broadly and patted my shoulder.

,Of course, it’s fine. Is it the reunion of the neighborhood’s Three Musketeers after a year? I’ll find out the most delicious restaurant in the capital.”

Seeing Roel’s cheerful smile without a hint of annoyance, for some reason, inferiority surged in my heart once again.

What am I feeling inferior about this time? His handsome appearance and matching cool smile? Or the fact that he never gets annoyed at his troublemaking younger brother and always treats me like a kind hyung-nim?

Thinking about it that way, inferiority soon turned into self-loathing. Feeling inferior about every little thing. I wondered if it was because I was more narrow-minded than others.

At this rate, would I develop paranoia in addition to a nervous breakdown? I desperately ignored the self-loathing that was rapidly filling my head.

,Then, I’ll assume we’re going out this weekend and tell Ellie-yang in advance.”

,Okay, I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be the best guide in the capital that day.”

At Roel’s playful words, I couldn’t help but smile slightly and nod.

After repeating the monotonous routine of boring classes, eating alone, running around the dormitory for physical training, and sleeping, the promised weekend arrived.

Ellie-yang, as if she had prepared thoroughly to impress Roel, looked twice as beautiful as usual with her light makeup. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

,How is it? My friends said it’s the trendy makeup these days…”

Noticing my gaze, she asked shyly, blushing. I quickly nodded and answered immediately.

,Pretty, it suits you so well.”

,Heung~? Does that mean I wasn’t pretty before?”

Startled by Ellie-yang’s playful words, narrowing her eyes slightly, I stammered and made excuses.

,No, you’re pretty, I always thought you were pretty before too. Really. Oh, I mean, you’re even prettier than usual today.”

,I was just joking, why are you so flustered~? Don’t tell me you really thought I looked bad before makeup…? Pfft, okay. I’ll stop teasing.”

Worried that I might actually think that way. When my expression stiffened in embarrassment. Ellie-yang smiled playfully and finally stopped teasing.

I was sighing in relief that it was a joke and not a misunderstanding. Ellie-yang, who had been teasing me with a playful face, suddenly put on a pretty expression as a hand came over my shoulder. I instinctively realized that Roel had arrived.

,Everyone’s out early? I didn’t expect you to be out this early. Don’t tell me you were so excited about your first time seeing the capital that you couldn’t sleep?”

I was a little taken aback by Roel’s playful words. Actually, I was a bit tired because I couldn’t fall asleep until late at night, whether it was because I was nervous or because I was excited about the thought of going on a date with Ellie-yang, even though it wasn’t just the two of us.

,That’s right. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep until late.”

With a small, dry laugh at Ellie-yang’s natural move to take her place on Roel’s left, I took Roel’s heavy arm off my shoulder.

,I’m looking forward to seeing how much delicious stuff you’ll buy us.”

At my words, Roel grinned and puffed out his chest.

,Don’t worry. I got a restaurant recommendation from Flavia-ssi, so it’s reliable information. Flavia-ssi has a refined palate.”

Well, if it’s a recommendation from Flavia-ssi, who has the trait of ‘Gourmet,’ it’s trustworthy.

With light steps filled with anticipation, we left the academy.

*

The meal was so excellent that the words came out on their own. The moderately sized steak was magically treated to maintain its freshness, and the aroma of the butter melting on top of the meat as it was brought to the table was pleasing to the sense of smell.

As expected of the best restaurant in the capital chosen by someone with the trait of ‘Gourmet,’ not only the steak but also the pasta that Ellie-yang ordered looked quite delicious.

Perhaps because Roel and I were the only ones eating steak. Roel kept asking Ellie-yang if she was sure she only wanted to eat pasta.

,Yeah! It’s okay. They say you should always eat pasta first.”

Roel, not understanding the meaning of those words, took it as her first outing, but I, knowing that Ellie-yang meant her first date, lost my appetite.

While we were finishing our meal and eating dessert. Roel excused himself for a moment. Ellie-yang’s eyes lit up as she said to me.

,Ross, I have a favor to ask.”

Ellie-yang’s voice is always pleasant to hear, but why does it feel so uneasy today?

,What is it…?”

,Could you make up an excuse and leave so I can be alone with Roel oppa-nim…? There’s something I really want to say to him alone… If you do me this favor, I’ll buy you something really delicious next time.”

Seeing Ellie-yang say that with an apologetic expression, even offering a sure reward that I couldn’t refuse, I reluctantly nodded.

When Roel returned after paying for the meal and sat down. I stood up as if I was sorry.

,I wanted to look around somewhere else, so I’ll get going first. The meal was delicious.”

,Huh? Should I go with you?”

Looking at Ellie-yang, Roel seemed about to get up, as if he was going to follow me. I quickly stopped him by putting my hand on his shoulder.

,It’s okay. I can go alone. Have fun, you two. Sorry, Ellie-yang, I’ll get going first.”

,Eung, it can’t be helped…! It seems like Ross needs some alone time, so let’s hang out just the two of us today!”

Seeing Ellie-yang, who was quick to catch on, agree, Roel looked disappointed.

,I even found out where your favorite chocolate shop is!”

,…Just get it to go.”

As I answered curtly and took my hand off his shoulder. Roel smiled.

,Oh, should I? Ellie-yang still likes chocolate, right?”

,Y-yes~? I love it.”

Ellie-yang definitely has a setting where she dislikes sweet food. Why does Roel misunderstand that Ellie-yang likes chocolate?

Feeling puzzled, I said goodbye to Roel and Ellie-yang and left the restaurant.

I didn’t have any friends, and I didn’t really have any plans. I wandered around the streets, looked around a bit, and returned to the academy.

While walking through the campus. I ran into a woman who was walking confidently even as she was being ridiculed by the people around her.

Rosaline, with her pink hair and large breasts, had a mustache that didn’t suit her for some reason.

Seeing that, I wondered if she had taken my lie seriously. I called out to Rosaline, who was about to pass me by.

,Rosaline-seonbae-nim.”

Hearing her name called, Rosaline, who had been passing me by, looked surprised, as if she really hadn’t noticed me, and greeted me.

,Ross! Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment and didn’t greet you.”

Rosaline, perhaps embarrassed, tried to touch her nose, but startled when her hand touched her mustache, she quickly pulled it away. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but sigh.

Rosaline was the heroine I had the most affection for among the heroines. While the heroines around Roel had high positions like princesses, duchesses, and countesses. Rosaline was a commoner like Roel. That’s why Rosaline, who was feeling inferior.

She wanted to be recognized as knowing Roel better than the other women around him, which was something she could do. She developed a habit of recording things related to Roel so she wouldn’t forget them, and she became a yandere heroine with a weak position.

Perhaps, as the top student in alchemy, she had found some medicine that had the side effect of growing a mustache? Or maybe she had created it herself.

Wearing a mustache that didn’t suit her, despite the ridicule around her, because Roel said he liked it. I felt guilty seeing Rosaline’s appearance.

Feeling guilty that I had taken advantage of her feelings for someone, I quickly organized my thoughts in my head.

,What’s with that mustache?”

,Ah! It must be a side effect of the experiment~ My mustache suddenly grew, so I was surprised too. I’m deliberately leaving it on to observe it for the record.”

Seeing Rosaline lie so nonchalantly, I chuckled.

,A mustache doesn’t suit Rosaline-ssi.”

,I, I know! It’s a side effect because of the experiment…!”

,It’s not because Roel said he likes women with mustaches, is it?”

Interrupting her, I asked. Rosaline bit her lip as if she was upset and glared at me.

Reading her gaze, which seemed to say, ‘Why are you asking if you know?’ I felt a strange sense of bitterness. I felt a sense of kinship with Rosaline, who was trying to do anything for the person she loved.

,Do you know why hyung-nim likes Rosaline-ssi?”

Perhaps it was because the novel had a lot of descriptions of her expressions. Rosaline’s expressions were truly diverse.

At my sudden words, Rosaline’s face, which had been upset, changed in an instant to a surprised expression, as if she had been splashed with ice water. I couldn’t help but think she was cute.

,H-he said he likes me…?”

Seeing Rosaline’s eyes widen and her lips quiver with an expectant expression, I decided to let her hear in advance the words that Roel would say directly later.

She was cute, but more than that, it was because I had a gut feeling that my nervous breakdown would start to kick in because of the guilt over my lie.

In fact, the Alchemy Department was the department that consumed the most budget in the academy. Even after graduating from the academy, it was true that a lot of budget was needed, so it was also the department with the fewest commoners.

However, Rosaline proudly took the top spot in the Alchemy Department with her brilliant talent, which became an opportunity to provoke immature jealousy, and she had almost no friends in the Alchemy Department because she was ostracized as a commoner.

Also, she wasn’t interested in the popular makeup or clothes among the capital’s young ladies.

Therefore, when someone who usually lived in cheap clothes and sloppy makeup dressed up for a special occasion like a ball, they shone several times brighter than usual.

Roel felt a different charm in Rosaline’s shining appearance at the ball and shared love that night. Rosaline, mistaking that he liked her dressed-up appearance, started to dress up diligently, unlike usual. Those were the words that Roel said to Rosaline.

,He said he likes that you’re always the same. He said he likes that you’re familiar and comfortable, maintaining your purity without being swayed by the words of others.”

I said it, thinking that it wouldn’t change much if I told Roel what he was going to say to Rosaline in advance.

Well, the only problem would be that the emotion she would receive when she heard these words directly from Roel later would be lessened.

Rosaline, her face flushed red to match her pink hair, fidgeted with her fingers and opened her mouth.

,T-that’s right. Roel likes me the way I usually am more…”

,So get rid of that mustache that doesn’t suit you right away. Rosaline-ssi is enough without that. Ah, and don’t tell hyung-nim that I said this. I don’t want to be misunderstood for talking behind his back when he’s not around…”

There’s no way Roel would have told Ross, who only had a one-sided love for Ellie-yang, about his complicated relationships with women. If he had said that, he would have heard, ‘Are you bragging about having a lot of women in front of me right now?’

If she knew that I knew emotions that he had never even said, he would definitely suspect me or misunderstand something, so it was better to shut Rosaline’s mouth in advance.

Actually, the biggest reason was that I was afraid my lie about liking hairy women would be revealed.

,Of course! I’ll never tell! It’s a secret, a secret! And thank you for today. I’ll definitely repay you!”

Seeing Rosaline’s bright smile, I couldn’t help but laugh.

,Puhuh.”

How could I hold back my laughter when a beautiful woman with a mustache that didn’t suit her was giving me such a bright smile?

Rosaline, who was wondering why I was laughing, realized that my gaze was fixed on her mustache and felt embarrassed.

Without a word, she turned around and ran towards the Alchemy Department dormitory as if she was running away.

Seeing that, I was able to smile genuinely for the first time since I possessed Ross.