CH ss - 36

[Noelia: Visitors from Youg Hannotes]

※Noelia’s POV

“Thank you very much for the report. As expected, it is better to assume that the commander of the Royal Guard Knight Order and the foreigners who are staying at the Rahaman Mine are related, isn’t it.”

Shortly after Frick-sama flew out to find Marco-dono who had disappeared, the people father dispatched arrived at Devon Village. We are in the middle of exchanging information with them.

The one who seems to be in charge – Al, a blonde blue-eyed young man dressed like a swordsman, his older sister Meila, and, a beastman child from this village who is accompanying them.

“When combined with Noelia-sama’s information, it does feels like the Radcliffe family have a hand in something considerably dangerous. To think they are preparing to turn the country upside down…”

The older sister, Meila, shares thoughts with a pale face timidly.

I, too, did not think that things would develop into such a serious situation when I left Youg Hannotes.

To think that the preparation for such a large-scale rebellion is underway.

As a result of comparing the information provided by Al and others with the information we obtained, the Radcliffe family seemed to be manipulating powerful Abyss Walkers by using foreigners who possess unknown technologies. Moreover, it seems they were plotting to open a ‘door’ by building a special facility underneath Abyss Hole.

It is still unclear what meaning the ‘door’ held, but since it was also the place where the outbreak occurred, I cannot help but to have a bad feeling.

“In any case, Al-sama and co have certainly touched on a quite important information. The letter from my father also said to be careful of interference from the Radcliffe family, so it might be better to hide in a remote place for a while.”

“W-well, I very much want to do that, but… we are in the middle of searching for a person… As soon as we finish this request, we would like to return to Youg Hannotes.”

The younger brother, Al, put on a troubled expression, looking at me.

“Searching for a person… is it?”

“Y-yes. He is called Finn, an important friend of mine; he is a young adventurer with black hair and black eyes, and though he is a little slender, he has a pretty good sword skills, but have you ever seen such an adventurer Noelia-sama? I think he came to Youg Hannotes recently.”

I know that the young Al before me is a swordsman acknowledged by my father, Lloyd.

If it is a person someone like him said to has ‘a pretty good sword skills’, I think that person must be a swordsman with an ability that father would acknowledge at least; I wonder if there is one.

If we are talking about a young adventurer with good sword skills… the only one I have met recently was Frick-sama.

However, Frick-sama has red hair and red eyes.

It cannot be him.

As for another young swordsman with exceptional skills… it seems there is none.

“I have no knowledge of a person like Al-sama described… But even though going back to Youg Hannotes might put your life in danger, you still want to head there to look for that person, he must be a very precious person to Al-sama, isn’t he?”

“Y-yes. Finn who I am searching for is my childhood friend. When I got ahead of myself because I became a little skilled at handling the sword, I behaved like a spoiled child with no concern, but I realized that I did outrageous things to him and had hurt his feelings. At that time, he left me. I think I truly did a foolish thing by taking advantage of his kindness. Right now, I am searching for him to apologize for everything I did, that is all.”

“H-hey, Al. Even if you tell Noelia-sama about that, it will only trouble her, right? Be mindful of the place.”

The sister, Meila, tries to pull the hem of Al’s clothes to stop him from speaking.

But, the way he talked, it is as though…, I wonder if Al-sama loves that Finn-sama…

From what he said, I learnt that they were childhood friends and both are men, but the words that came out of his mouth sounded like a love story between a man and a woman.

I wonder if it only sounded like that to me because I am deeply in love with Frick-sama.

If it was me before I met Frick-sama, even if I listened Al-sama’s story, I would have ended the talk by saying ‘I hope you can find the person you are searching for’ without feeling anything.

But now, listening to Al-sama’s story, I feel like I could understand his feelings a little.

“Not at all. This is an impolite question, but does Al-sama… loves that Finn-sama…?”

I see Al-sama’s complexion change in an instant at my question.

Then, after a while, he opens his mouth,

“It might be better to put it as ‘loved’. Because I think I no longer have the qualification to think of him… Ah, for a man to love another man is weird isn’t it? What in the world am I saying, I wonder?”

The appearance of Al-sama, whose face turned bright red as though embarrassed at her own confession, seem to overlap with the figure of me longing for Frick-sama.

“No, something like that is… I have heard from Suzana that there are also men that loves other men, so I do not think it is strange.”

“Noelia Ojou-sama!? You must not talk about such a thing in a place like this!”

Suzana, who is listening by the side, closes my mouth as though she is flustered.

“Oh my, the personal maid of Noelia-sama ‘that type’, huh. I don’t hate it, y’know.”

I see the sister, Meila, giving Suzana a look with a grin on her face as though saying, ‘I know, you don’t have to say it,’

“You got it wrong! I just taught Noelia Ojou-sama that such a love also exist——”

What is ‘that type’ mean, I wonder?

Although I have heard various things from Suzana, love seems to be something truly wonderous and multifarious.

After removing Suzana’s hand that was blocking my mouth, I decide to take Al-sama’s hand and encourage him.

“Al-sama, I am supporting you to search for that Finn-sama in Youg Hannotes. Will you please allow me to help with the search when I return to Youg Hannotes after my journey ends?”

“I do not want to cause trouble to Noelia-sama… Besides, even if I find him, I still do not know if he is even willing to meet me.”

“That is precisely why, I want to support you.”

Al-sama ponders for a while, but eventually, he raises his beautiful face, smiles and nods.

“…I understand. If I have not found him when Noelia-sama finishes her journey and returns to Youg Hannotes, please help me.”

Even though he is a man, but I feel that Al-sama’s smile makes him looks like a very attractive woman…

I have heard that he was forced to become the page of Radcliffe family’s heir, Gile-dono, but certainly, with appearance like that, it might not be weird if he had fallen for him.

If I am a woman that can make such a charming smile, I wonder if I could make Frick-sama to turn my way.

I feel overwhelmed by Al-sama’s smile that is overflowing in charm.

“Thank you very much, Al-sama. That’s right, I will write a letter to my father so that he will provide assistance in your search. My father is also the owner of the Adventurer’s Guild of Youg Hannotes, you see. I think they can contribute to the search for Finn-sama. Since you got dragged into such a dangerous request, please use the power of my family to your heart’s content.”

“It’s great right, Al? With this, I think the search for Finn-kun will be much easier. Ahh, that’s right! The letter! This is a private message from Frontier Count-sama to Noelia-sama.”

The letter taken out by Meila-san is sealed with beeswax.

After receiving it, I heat the beeswax a little to melt it, open the envelope and read the contents.

As I continue to read it, I become increasingly annoyed, so I burned the letter with fire magic, extinguishing it.

“Eh!? Um, is it okay not to read to the end?”

Meila who was surprised when I suddenly burned the letter ask me as though to check on my state.

Because it was a letter entrusted to Al-sama and the others, I thought something important was written in it, but to think it was just a long list of nagging…

Father’s worries are very troubling.

Even though Frick-sama and I do not have such a relationship.

“Ah~, are you perhaps warned not to do something improper with Frick-sama, who was said to be your fiancé candidate?”

Meila-san makes a guess and asks me the contents of the letter I burned.

“N-no! I have not done something like that with Frick-sama! We have done that at all!”

“As expected, Frick-sama, who was called the Crimson Magic Swordsman, and Noelia-sama are in that kind relationship, aren’t you——”

“Noelia Ojou-sama, is that true? In that case, I would have to work harder——”

Al-sama next to her also asks about Frick-sama with a very curious face, and Suzana’s breathing has become rough for some reason.

Frick-sama does not seem to be very interested in me, besides, there was that incident where he fell unconscious previously…

It feels like he has extreme fear toward women.

Therefore, I cannot help but feel that even if I confess, he would only dodge the matter and end it without accepting me.

When I think about that, I become sad and I feel throbbing pain in my heart, and slowly, tears are leaking from the edge of my eyes.

“It is not like that. We are not in that kind of relationship; I just love him one-sidedly… Frick-sama being my fiancé candidate is more than I deserve…”

“Noelia-sama, it is not something I should be saying, but… are you really fine with that? Lying to your own feelings and deceiving yourself. Are you really…”

Perhaps Al-sama also feels something from my words again, as his eyes are moist.

“…I am not. I am not fine with that. But…”

“The result is scary, but I think you have to open the way and face it.”

“Is that true…”

“I, too, do not know whether it is the correct answer, but I believe that is the thing you have to do.”

I feel like Al-sama’s words were mixed with his real feelings, and I nod.

While we were like that, Eugene-dono rushed into the house.

Were both of them shooting themselves in the foot?

And it seems like Suzana is a fujoshi