Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Cat, Cat, Cat (1)

Clara, A 2nd year magic student and one of Yennekar’s best friends, had been standing outside the half destroyed Ophelis Hall since morning. That was because there was someone that she wanted to meet with.

“Hello, Ms. Bell.”

A day has passed since the major destruction caused by the occupation of Ophelis Hall had come to an end. Although the detailed investigation had yet to be completed, amongst the students there were rumors that the maids were somehow involved with the incident.

Clara had felt that the rumors were nothing more than that: mere rumors. The school’s inspection department would eventually come to a conclusion after discovering more details.

“Gasp.”

The reconstruction site of the half destroyed Ophelis Hall.

Since it had barely been two days since the incident, no sort of significant reconstruction work had been started. The faculty and maids were busy trying to figure out the extent of the damage.

At the entrance of the rose garden, she ran into Bell Maya. She was busy taking notes. Clara let out a gasp.

Bell Maya, unlike usual, was wearing a dark red maid outfit covered in beautiful decorations. Looking at the blue rose brooch on her chest, the blue frills that came down the hem of her skirt, it was definitely the outfit that only the head maid was permitted to wear.

“Aren’t you a close friend of Lady Yennekar? What brings you all the way to Ophelis Hall?”

“Oh! Hello, Ms. Bell. Did you recently get promoted?”

“Due to Ms. Elris' personal circumstances, she was no longer able to fulfill her duty as the head maid. As such, I have been promoted from a Senior Maid to the Head Maid.

“I... I see. It somehow feels like your position is much higher...”

“There is no reason to feel uncomfortable. Our main duty is to help others. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s just that... I wanted to talk to you about a personal matter... How should I say this? Nevermind, you look quite busy right now.”

“Hm... I am a bit busy, but...”

Bell looked down at her checklist, then glanced back at the half destroyed Ophelis Hall before shaking her head.

“Most of the work has already been done, and I don’t think I’ll need to give out any further orders. I was going to take a break anyway.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?”

“Don’t be too surprised. This is top secret. You can never leak this out, and you can’t act too surprised.”

Clara’s face stiffened as she leaned in towards Bell with a serious tone to her voice.

Bell wondered just what kind of shocking secret she was about to tell her as she paid close attention.

“It’s about Yennekar... I think she likes Ed... Ed Rothstaylor.”

Having already known that fact to a surprising degree, she wondered if she should at least pretend to be surprised.

“I just don’t get why someone like Yennekar would fall so madly in love with that thug... And as her friend, my feelings are mixed.”

They had moved over to a bench in the rose garden. Clara, who kept on looking around nearby to make sure that nobody was passing by, soon confessed all of the troubles buried deep in her heart to Bell.

“I’ve been thinking about this for three days and nights already, but... These days, Ed’s reputation has improved a bit. I’m sure Yennekar also has something on her mind, so I came to the decision to cheer them on. But I still feel very, very uncertain about it all.”

As she listened to every word Clara lamented, Bell thought that Yennekar had truly made a great friend. That was because in this world, there are very few people who would truly care for their friend’s relationships to that extent

Even though she could have easily ended up interfering in something that was none of her business, Clara made sure to not cross that line and only worried about Yennekar’s love life.

“First off, if Yennekar really thinks of him like that... Then as her friend, I really do hope that Yennekar and Ed work out well.”

“I see. You must have been very worried about her, Lady Clara.”

“But... that’s not the point!”

Bell tilted her head. Right as she was going to respond, Clara interrupted, spitting out another girl's name.

“Lortel Kehelland! You know that name, right? You must, because you were a senior maid at Ophelis Hall!”

“... Yes, of course I know of her.”

“Recently, Yennekar has been saying her name quite often. Even though she’s a 1st year, ever since the joint combat practice she has been involved with them quite a bit. Though, it doesn’t seem like anything is happening.”

Clara looked around nearby once more, before quietly lowering her voice and whispering to Bell.

“So I looked into it personally, and I’m not sure, but they were both absent on the day of the opening ceremony. They were also together yesterday, during their shared first period. Thinking about Yennekar... it seems that she’s in quite a pickle.”

For a girl, the existence of a rival was like a disaster... At first she thought that she may have just had a simple misunderstanding.

“Ms. Bell, I’ve heard a lot about you from Yennekar. She said that she relied on you quite a bit and you always gave her helpful advice... I heard that you are quite an insightful person.”

“You’re flattering me.”

“And you also know both Yennekar and Lortel quite well... so I came here because I wanted to ask for your opinion.”

“Lady Lortel is quite a famous person. I’m sure that you also know of her, don’t you?”

Rumors about the Golden Daughter Lortel were spreading throughout the school, regardless of the grade.

“I know of her. But seeing just a bit of her... I just can’t see Yennekar winning...”

“I think that Lady Yennekar is a person that is also plenty attractive.”

“Of course I also think that, too. But Lortel is like...”

Clara’s words didn’t come out, but Bell nodded her head.

Indeed, Lortel Kehelland is definitely a foxlike girl. She is always well behaved and her actions were full of grace. But when an opportunity struck, she was like a little devil that couldn’t hide her true, dark feelings. Clara knew that quite well.

Her life as a merchant didn’t go to waste, so surely she had a better understanding of how to develop relationships and gain the interest of others.

“I don’t have much relationship experience, but... Ultimately, relationships between men and women are a game of push and pull...”

Bell had no choice but to nod her head at Clara’s complaining.

Yennekar Palerover was innocent and positive by nature, so she only knew how to pull and not push.

Lortel, on the other hand... Being a merchant, there was no way that she wouldn’t be completely capable of controlling the speed of a relationship's growth.

No matter how attractive and loveable Yennekar might be, in front of Lortel’s skilled tug-of-war she couldn’t do anything... She was like a fish on a line.

Clara clenched her fist.

“That can’t happen! That’s why... I think Yennekar should learn how to play hard to get!”

“......”

“No matter what, I really want Yennekar to learn how to do that. It’ll be too painful for her to lose a relationship because of adult charm from a girl a year younger than her. At least she will have gone through a learning experience if she gets rejected by that awful guy instead... but to be robbed of a relationship will only hurt!”

Bell wanted to applaud Clara, who was passionately expressing her frustration, but she refrained from reacting. To cry to such an extent, worrying about a friend's life.

“What do you think, Ms. Bell? I heard that you always say the right thing!”

Those burning eyes of hers turned towards Bell. Honestly. It was a bit awkward.

“Wh-Who can say? I’m really not quite sure...”

In any case, Bell was already acquainted with Ed, Yennekar, and Lortel. Compared to Clara, who is somewhat biased, she could judge the situation a bit more objectively.

“Hmm... I don’t think that there is a reason for Lady Yennekar to have to say something that doesn’t suit her.”

“... You think so?”

“And your thoughts could be perceived as a bit biased as well, right? I think that it’s possible that Lady Yennekar is quite a bit more capable than you think, and Lady Lortel could also be less experienced in human relationships than expected, as well.”

“... I’m not sure... It’s hard to agree with that part...”

Anyway, it wasn’t a good idea to unnecessarily meddle in other people's love affairs. That was the conclusion Bell had come to, so she had no intention of supporting the extremely worried Clara’s objective.

“In the first place, I don’t even know much about Ed Rothstaylor! Is he just a ridiculously stubborn person, or was he just born an unpleasant jerk?!”

In the end, Clara’s hostility all ended up being directed towards Ed Rothstaylor.

“In fact, it's kind of ridiculous that she keeps looking at him like that, but he doesn’t even realize it!”

Ziggs waved at me as he left. I dropped the axe I was holding next to me and let out a deep sigh.

It was probably better that Lortel stayed hidden in the cabin.

I could just keep on sharing food with her, and once some time passed and we heard news of our victory, we could both return back to our normal lives.

I hoped there wouldn’t be any major accidents before then.

I sat down in the middle of the forest to take a break, smelling the breeze of the upcoming fall, hoping for a peaceful time.

Most of my wounds had healed, so they weren’t bothering me too much anymore.

* * *

The quiet atmosphere inside the cabin calmed her down.

Lortel sat, leaning against the rough wall, quietly waiting for time to pass by.

Although the Occupation of Ophelis Hall Incident had come to an end, there was still a lot of work left for her to do.

The first thing was to win over the former maid Elris again.

The rumors going around said that the head maid Elris was keeping her mouth shut in front of the investigators. As she couldn't tell who the winner would be between Lortel and Elte, she was going to stay quiet until she knew for sure.

The second thing was to lay the groundwork for the negotiations on the purchase of the Sage’s Seal.

Elte losing his position had ended up happening earlier than expected, but since there was still an opportunity to purchase the Sage’s Seal, she couldn’t waste it. Once the plan was established, Lortel’s position in the Elte Company would be one of the most influential. Even the head wouldn’t be able to touch her easily.

Even though she was quite busy, she couldn’t do anything about it unless she could quickly fly over to the headquarters. Though, by living in the northern forest she first had to make sure that she was completely safe before she could head back to take classes as a student of Silvenia.

She should have been a bit frustrated at having to quit her life as a merchant and stay in the cabin for the next three days or so, despite being so busy. However, her heart was warm knowing that Ed came to check on her often, making sure she wasn’t inconvenienced in any way.

It wasn’t all that bad, considering the fact she had lived a splendid life full of luxury before suddenly moving into a cabin in the wilds... Though, she was sure that it was all thanks to that boy she was with.

Her heart would beat fast sitting down next to Ed Rothstaylor.

His unconditional goodwill and unrequited trust made her feel like she was snuggled in a fluffy bed.

For some that was only natural, but for Lortel—who had lived her entire life on a cold distant path—that feeling was more precious than gold.

It went without saying, but she didn’t want to give him up to anyone else.

Especially that person. Yennekar Palerover.

A girl who had lived her life like a protagonist in a fairytale. To her, a relationship with unconditional goodwill and trust must have been oh so natural and common.

Whether it was her friends or family, they would all support her. To Lortel, though, that man was a luxury. A heartwarming relationship, where she knew that he would never betray her. For Yennekar, he was no more common than a pebble on a street.

If she had that many, she should at least give up this one.

Lortel had thought she was too cruel, and couldn’t understand her at all.

Being like that, the only thing left was to fight dirty. Unfortunately for Yennekar, that was Lortel’s specialty.

Not just that, but spending three days with him was such a massive and perfect advantage for her.

“Hmm...”

However, how would their relationship as a man and woman progress?

She had taken the initiative in human relationships countless times before, but she didn't know if it would work the same way in a more affectionate relationship between man and woman.

That was right. She had been living her life thus far in a brutal business world, where she had to weigh humans by interests alone. That was why she didn’t have any knowledge about how a romantic relationship between a man and woman developed.

‘Unexpectedly, this is something I suck at...’ Lortel thought, as she tried to view herself objectively. It was unlike her usual self.

“Let’s just do it my way.”

She kept on saying those words to herself as she decided to do things her own way.

After all, the easiest way to gain someone’s favor was with money.

If she buried his shabby cabin with gold coins, then wouldn’t he look at her with sparkling eyes anyways?

“But I'm short on money...”

Even so, she was still in the middle of reaching out to various businesses. It would affect Lortel’s personal assets as well. Still, selling a villa in the Mine Region or a certificate of land on the outskirts would have a similar performance.

However, when she imagined Ed Rothstaylor’s eyes full of childish greed, she shook her head.

In the end, since it would be a relationship formed out of money, there wouldn’t be any sense of affection. Thinking of seeing him look at her with such eyes, smiling only for his own greed, broke her heart.

But even then, it wasn’t right to sit around and do nothing.

Just by watching Ed throughout the day, she could tell that he was living a hellish life. Without wasting a single minute, or even a single second, he clenched his teeth and struggled to survive.

Before her selfish desire to be favored and loved... She also felt a sense of affection, a desire to help him.

But on the other hand, she was worried that it might be looked at as pity, and thus would eventually lead to a relationship made out of money... Lortel sat down, cross legged, as she scrunched her toes.

“Ha...... Isn’t it okay to help with his tuition?”

If she gave him that much money, that wouldn’t be too much like pity, right?

Being a girl who had never given a favor without a cost in the first place, she couldn’t even imagine what she should say or how to give him the money. Some examples of the lines she came up with while thinking on it were...

‘D-Don’t get the wrong idea. I-I’m not just giving this to you because you’re my upperclassmen.’

Lortel cringed as she curled her hands and kicked the wall of the hut. She was embarrassed by those lines, but for some reason they felt very natural to her.

Didn’t she live a life hidden under a mask, with a foxlike smile hiding her dark inner intentions and ideals? Now, even in such a ridiculous situation, she couldn’t take off that mask and show her face.

Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure. She straightened out the thoughts in her head as she thought about how to get through to him in a seductive, desirable manner.

“......”

In the first place, if you wanted to watch how and where a relationship between a man and woman crossed the line, it was just a matter of waiting and observing.

Anyway, at that moment Ed didn’t see Lortel as a woman in the slightest. The development of a relationship would eventually stem from a change of perception. The first course of action would be to change his perception of her.

Lortel thought up that ‘plan’ in her mind as she nodded her head, as if she had decided on what to do.

It was impossible to realize at that point just how ridiculous that ‘plan’ was.

As said before, Lortel was good when it came down to controlling or shaking up someone's mind. But when it came to simple and affectionate relationships, which she was awful in, even Yennekar was years ahead of her.

“Then... Specifically, I will need to...”

However, it would take time to come up with a specified plan of action. For the next three days she would be hiding out in the cabin, so she had plenty of time to think it over.

She thought that, as long as she planned it out carefully, she would be able to beat Yennekar in no time at all.

With a sly smile, Lortel hugged her knees.

***

“...Can you move over? You’re in my spot.”

However, there was an unexpected event. A new girl had arrived.

“...Hm?”

“Yawn...”

She was familiar with that large witch’s hat, the school uniform with long sleeves, pigtails that easily came down past her waist to her butt. Someone that she would often meet in Professor Glast’s class, and one of the three students in Class A.

Just when did she enter the cabin? When did she come in from the roof? And when did she learn spatial-type magic? The girl whose movements were impossible to predict, and who would always make the people around her bewildered...

“...Lucy...? What are you doing here...?”

“This is the best place. It’s where the sun shines down the best.”

She then pushed Lortel away as she threw some Marten skin down on the floor, pressed on it hard, and then laid down on top of it... She then fell asleep peacefully, arms wrapped around herself.

“......”

In a moment of complete confusion, Lortel wiped her face.

“... Just what’s with this girl...?”