Pregnant Woman (2)

“So, you’re re-enrolling in the Academy next year?”

“Yes, Agnes-yang. Honestly, if I had my way, I’d re-enroll even a semester earlier, but in my current condition, it’s hard to even move, let alone attend classes.”

“…What I don’t understand more is your mind, thinking of getting pregnant during the semester.”

“Well… I didn’t think I’d re-enroll in the Academy back then.”

I had decided to live a life unrelated to the Academy, Blackwood, or the other characters of 『Luminor Academy』 forever… but now that I’ve returned, I definitely feel much more at ease than when I was alone.

Of course, it’s not that I disliked the time I spent with Mirif and the other priests in Ermia. Looking back, I’d say it was quite a good experience.

“…I thought you and I would graduate together this year, Lilith.”

“I’ll go to the graduation ceremony. By then, I’ll probably have given birth too….”

“…You don’t have to push yourself to come.”

“Anyway, I’ll have to go to the Island of Knowledge to re-enroll next year. You can just think of it as moving a week earlier.”

“…Alright, fine. Do as you please.”

Until the previous semester, Agnes was the Head of the Magic Department and I was the Vice-President… if we had graduated without any issues, Agnes and I would probably have stood side by side as the Magic Department’s representative graduates.

That’s certainly a bit of a shame. Not just missing the chance to stand at the graduation ceremony with the main heroine of 『Luminor Academy』, but also not being able to create a final memory with my closest friend from the Academy.

Of course, graduating doesn’t mean we’ll never see each other again, but considering Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot’s journey to subjugate the Demon King, it would be difficult to even run into each other by chance for the next few years.

“Did you leave your carriage at Blackwood Mansion, Lady Blaze?”

“Yeah. When I said I came to see Lilith, Professor Harold-nim told me she went here.”

“Here, he’s the Duke, not a professor…. Well, I suppose you wouldn’t care about such things.”

“Because I’m going to be the Red Tower Master. I know your father is great, but so am I.”

“I was implying that with your personality, you wouldn’t be able to handle politics, Lady Blaze.”

“…So what? It doesn’t really matter.”

It doesn’t really matter. In fact, if she marries Antonio, anything related to politics will be handled automatically without Agnes needing to worry about it.

Even in the original game, she was a character with surprisingly good social skills despite her timid personality, and now that her flawed personality has been fixed, it would be even more so.

“…By the way, did you only write the letter to me?”

“Huh? No. I sent them to everyone I had a decent acquaintance with. Limited to those graduating from the Academy this year.”

“…Hmph.”

Hearing my answer, Agnes let out a snort, a somewhat satisfied smile on her face.

While I was momentarily puzzled by her reaction, I soon saw a large merchant carriage entering Blackwood Mansion from down the hill.

“That… doesn’t look like a Blackwood carriage, Ethan?”

“…It’s a merchant carriage. It seems Lilith has another visitor.”

If it’s a merchant carriage that can openly pass through the main gate of Blackwood Mansion… it’s probably the one I’m thinking of.

The light blue snake crest on the front of the carriage… also looks vaguely familiar.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Lilith…!!! H-have you been safe all this time?!”

“Lizzie-yang?”

As soon as she saw me coming down to the mansion, the light blue-haired noble lady rushed towards me with a joyful voice.

As expected, the second visitor to Blackwood Mansion was none other than Lizzie. Since she openly arrived in an August Family merchant carriage, there was no way to mistake it.

“Do you know how worried I was when I heard you suddenly disappeared?! How much did that man torment you…!”

“Oh, no…. It wasn’t Ethan’s fault, I just misunderstood….”

“If you had told me in advance, I would have used every means to help Lilith avoid being caught by that man! Even the August Secret Basement, where no one else could search for at least 10 years….”

“If you’re going to put strange ideas into Lilith’s head, stay away, Lady August. Lilith won’t be leaving Blackwood Mansion again, nor will she need your help.”

“Isn’t it because Duke Blackwood failed to properly reassure Lilith that this whole mess happened in the first place? Otherwise, our kind Lilith would never have made such an extreme choice!”

“That story’s already settled, and besides, Lilith isn’t *your* Lilith. Get away.”

“Ah!”

Ethan, with a stern face, quickly pulled Lizzie away from my side.

…Honestly, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at that point, so it was a good assist. Unlike Agnes’s friendship, Lizzie’s friendship felt a little more dangerous.

“What? Why are you here again?”

“Of course, I had to rush here as soon as I heard that Lilith-yang had returned to Blackwood Mansion. It’s only natural for Lilith-yang’s closest friend, isn’t it?”

“…Why are you her closest friend?”

“Because I’ve known Lilith-yang much longer than you have. I formed a connection with Lilith-yang even before entering the Academy, so we’re connected by the red thread of fate!”

“I don’t think ‘red thread of fate’ is used in this context, Lizzie-yang….”

If such a thing existed, it certainly wouldn’t be tied to Lizzie for me.

I always think this, but Lizzie’s friendship is truly heavy. Sometimes it’s too much to handle for just a casual friendship.

“I’ve spent more time with her. I’ve also taken more classes with Lilith.”

“Well, that’s only natural since Lady Blaze is in the same Magic Department, isn’t it? On the contrary, I think I’ve built a closer relationship with Lilith-yang in areas outside of class.”

“…So what? Meeting during class is still meeting, isn’t it? Don’t be unreasonable.”

“No, it’s not. Meeting during class is an unavoidable encounter, meaning you have to face each other even if you don’t want to. In that sense, Lilith-yang, who specifically made time to have frequent teatimes with me, actually wanted to build a closer relationship with me.”

“…I came to see Lilith right after I received her letter. Because I’m Lilith’s closer friend.”

“You can’t compare it like that, Lady Blaze. Is it even reasonable to compare the Blaze Family, which is nearby, with the August Family, which is at the far end of the Western Empire, just like Blackwood? As soon as I heard about Lilith, I prepared the largest and fastest carriage from our trading company and rushed across the Empire!”

What kind of competition is this, anyway?

With the person in question right in front of them, talking about who’s a closer friend or not, it was quite an embarrassing sight for me, the listener.

…If I had to choose, Agnes is probably closer, but I don’t want to create a hierarchy among friends.

“Lilith, you’re closer to me than to this woman, right?”

“You know I’ve known Lilith much longer than Lady Blaze, don’t you?”

“Uh, no…. I don’t really intend to rank friends or anything….”

“That’s enough. Can’t you two see Lilith is uncomfortable?”

“……Tch.”

“……Hmph!”

Still, perhaps because they were noble ladies, it didn’t escalate into a prolonged pride battle.

Any answer to such a question would obviously not end well. It’s always best to just let it pass naturally.

“So, is that all you came for? Did you come all this way just to prove you’re closer to Lilith than Lady Blaze?”

“Of course not! I came because I was worried about Lilith. I was concerned whether her insensitive lover, who doesn’t even know what worries she harbors, would take good care of her.”

“…If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry, so go back.”

“Well… let’s see if you can still say that after seeing what I’ve brought.”

With those words, Lizzie opened the back door of the merchant carriage and revealed the cargo inside.

It was packed with what looked like food ingredients and clothes, almost like a peddler’s cart.

“What is all this?”

“These here are foods good for pregnant women, and these here are dresses for noblewomen who are pregnant.”

“…Is this all of it?”

“Yes. Fortunately, foods and dresses good for pregnant women are items our trading company handles, so I wanted to give them as gifts. This is dried seafood good for a pregnant woman’s energy recovery. This is medicine regularly imported from the Witch’s Forest, and it’s safe for a pregnant woman’s body. And this is a dress for pregnant women that I dyed myself….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“Oh, speaking of which, I’m curious what Lady Blaze brought as a gift for the pregnant woman. Since your territory is closer, you must have arrived much earlier than me, and since you said you’re Lilith’s closest friend, you must have prepared the best gift for Lilith, right?”

“……Shut up, it’s none of your business.”

Agnes, with a clearly vexed expression, averted Lizzie’s gaze.

…I really wish they wouldn’t compete over things like this.