CH 14

14. If you are questioning me, I didn't do it.

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「Ottilie Shefinko!! You must be harassing Nathe, aren’t you!!」

I was relaxing in the library as usual when I was assaulted by the Prince’s group.

Everyone was kind of staring at me, including the Prince. What is it about multiple people coming to yell at a single woman?

And I look behind them.

Nathe next to Djeeta-sama, because she is looking awfully pale. Because she’s shaking her head as hard as she can.

「I swear to God I would never do such a thing.」

Why should I do such a thing to my dear friend? Nathe and I are good friends.

「Hah! You’ve got a lot of excuses, don’t you?」

「Do you have any proof? I have done no such thing.」

「You say that, but who else would do such a thing besides you!」

There they are. Like the ladies behind them. That commoner girl back from the first year—— Some of the ladies were harassing Shaada-sama. I witnessed the bullying with my own eyes.

「I was not doing it.」

「We have heard rumors that you have been mistreating the commoners. What a wicked sin it really was, such as threatening them and forcing others to take the blame. My sister-in-law is heartbroken over this matter. To do this to Nathe, my destiny!!」

「She really was Duke’s daughter, and yet she does such a terrible thing to my darling Nathe.」

「You don’t deserve to be treated like an aristocrat.」

When will they listen to me properly? The Second Prince, the second son of the Vizier, and the third son of the Knight Commander, and these three don’t listen to me at all.

Or rather, look behind me.

Because the Prince says that it’s fate, and that’s Djeeta-sama was in a terrible shape. A frightening face that would cool a hundred years of love. And yet, look at the complexion of Nathe by her side. Because she was trembling at the sight of Djeeta-sama’s horrifying face.

「As I have said many times. I have never done it. I have not harassed Nathe-sama, nor have we done so to any of the commoners. Do you have any proof of this?」

「You were destroying the evidence!! What a clever evil woman you are!! I will protect Nathe very well!」

Wait, wait, Vizier’s son. I didn’t do it, so of course there is no proof that I did it.

And don’t squish Nathe’s hand. You shouldn’t touch a lady who isn’t your fiancée without permission.

「…I don’t think you should touch a young lady who is not your fiancée without permission. Nathe-sama is troubled.」

「Hah, what do you mean? Nathe is only trembling because she was right in front of you. You’ve shown your true colors. That’s exactly how much you hate Nathe.」

No, what the hell are you talking about??

Those yellow eyes are looking at me with confidence, but I don’t know what they mean. What is the thought process of these people?

I was just stating the very obvious. And because Nathe is looking awfully pale surrounded by high ranking nobles.

「I do not dislike Nathe-sama.」

——Because I can say that I love her because she was my friend.

「Next time I’ll have proof! Then and only then will I condemn you!」

What are you talking about?? I can only think, but he said such a throwaway line and the Prince’s group were gone.

「You did well, Ollie.」

「Oh, you’re here, Ihmut.」

「Yeah. For a little while now. I don’t hear those guys talking about Ollie at all.」

「It’s always been that way.」

「I didn’t cover for you because it would have complicated things if I interfered. Sorry, Ollie.」

「It’s alright. Whoever you are, if you meddle, it’ll just start up some more strange rumors.」

They only take me in a bad way no matter who I am involved with because they assume I am the villain.

After talking like this for a while, Nathe came to me.

「I’m so sorry!! Ollie!! No matter how many times I told them, they never believed me or listened to me! Even when I told them that Ollie is not the kind of person who would do such a thing, they kept saying that I was being threatened or tricked like some unintelligible being…!!」

She have somehow managed to sow the Prince’s group.

Nathe bowed her head apologetically.  But still, what does it mean to not listen at all to someone who says it’s fate or something? I think it’s a moderately bad idea to not listen to the people you love in a normal way.

「It’s alright. I understand fully well.」

「Still, I really wonder what those people are all about!! They knew this would happen, I was being harassed, and they were trying not to get caught!! They must be sniffing us out from somewhere!! I’ve already talked to the teachers about it… I’ve made all kinds of arrangements to stay away from the Second Prince!! What’s the matter with them already!?」

Nathe was expressing anger during the process. She seemed tired.

「You did well, Nathe. We have a little more patience left, so let’s get through this together. I see that the teachers and other students are trying to get you away from the Prince. That’s good to know.」

「But, those guys… They don’t listen to me, so they keep making all sorts of misleading comments. Even when I tell them that I am fine because I am with my friends, they say that they’re worried about me. What was that thing they said about Louise-sama, does it mean that she knew I was going to be harassed?? I don’t know what that means. I’ve never been, but I’m really scared of the Crown Princess. Besides, they seem to want to assume that Ollie is harassing me no matter what…」

I felt indescribable when I heard Nathe’s story. I thought Nathe was the Crown Princess’s favorite, even though I thought she knew she was going to be harassed, but maybe that’s not true.

She has never met Nathe and yet she cares about Nathe, whom she has made assumptions.

I was the hated and Nathe was the loved.

Although we are opposites in terms of our positions, we may have similar feelings in some way.

The Crown Princess has her mind made up about me and Nathe, and she thinks we are who she thinks we are.

As for Nathe, she is her favorite, but she doesn’t see her as a human being, she just cares for her on her own like a lapdog, or something like that.

「It’s tough for both of us. But after graduation, we can go to a neighboring country, so let’s work hard to achieve that goal. 」

「Yeah! But first, what if they force me to go to the royal palace or something… 」

「I don’t know what she’d do if you were valued for some unexplainable reason, but… As expected, I must not have thought that far ahead.」

Both Nathe and I are completely aware of the Prince’s group as people who are full of assumptions and misunderstandings.

Seeing me and Nathe like that, Ihmut laughed and said,「It will be alright.」