Chapter 80

—————————————————————–Translated By Arcane Translations

Translator: FusionX

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Adele’s demeanor had changed a lot.

To put it bluntly, should I say she had become similar to the Adele I had seen in the past?

Of course, it couldn’t be exactly the same as then.

In the previous round, Adele and I had already spent a lot of time together, so unless she recalled all those memories… I think it would be different.

Adele’s eyes, lightly landing from the wolf, turned towards me and Adriana.

Adriana, who was still tightly hugging my arm, slightly trembled when she felt Adele approaching.

Adele, who had been quietly watching such a sight, then opened her mouth with a snort as if it was absurd.

“Since when did you become close enough to hug like that?”

“Robert is helping me. As you know, I can’t see ahead.”

“Then you can just hold him lightly. There’s no need to hold his arm… like lovers.”

“…It, it’s because it’s dark. It’s dangerous.”

Adele, who laughed softly at the word dangerous, then narrowed her eyes while looking at me.

It seemed like an expression of disliking something.

And whenever she made such an expression, a troublesome situation always unfolded for me.

If I left it like this, there was no way to know what she would say, so it seemed better for me to talk to Adele first.

“It’s been a while. I never thought you would come all the way here from the North.”

“Yeah, I thought you’d be doing well. But it seems I’m interrupting you doing too well.”

“Adriana and I are just friends. Holding her like this is just to help her walk.”

“Friends. What a good excuse.”

Even though she said that sarcastically, she didn’t seem to think negatively about meeting me again.

I think the reason she came all the way here is probably about the letter I sent.

However, she wasn’t saying it because Adriana was here.

Adriana’s grip on my arm became a little stronger.

As I laughed softly as if she didn’t want to be taken away, Adele’s eyebrows twitched as she stared at me blankly.

“But you don’t necessarily have to be the one to help her. Right?”

She quickly approached and lightly detached Adriana, who was holding me, and then gently smiled as she placed Adriana’s hand on her own arm.

It happened while Adriana was bewildered and stammering, so she opened her mouth blankly when she realized it was Adele’s arm that was holding her hand.

“G-Grand Duchess?”

“I will help. It wouldn’t be good for the saint to be so close to a man. Isn’t it better for women to walk together?”

“That’s true, but…”

Although it was clear she didn’t like it, it seemed she couldn’t find a proper rebuttal.

I also knew that Adriana found Adele burdensome.

The earlier letter was like that too, and I knew she had a negative perception of her in many ways.

But Adele wasn’t as bad a person as she thought.

Maybe if they stayed together like that, they could get along well.

“Robert, Robert?”

Adriana called out pitifully, but she couldn’t approach me due to Adele’s sharp gaze staring at me.

It was a look that said she wouldn’t leave me alone if I intervened.

Sorry, but it can’t be helped.

Wouldn’t it be better to hope for them to get close to each other instead?

“Please take good care of her, Saint. You’ll be together until the end of this southern expedition.”

“…What? No, wait a moment- Did I hear that wrong?”

“No. How could that be possible?”

Adele, who was smiling brightly while walking with Adriana, seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

Would it be fitting to say she had the expression of a young child who had obtained a new toy?

That smile felt anxious yet strangely reassuring.

It was a feeling I always had when I was with Adele.

I thought it was something I felt when I was in the North, but maybe the cause of this feeling was Adele.

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“You seem to have a talent for making people tired.”

“I often hear that.”

“…It wasn’t a compliment.”

Adriana, who had barely separated from her, looked quite exhausted.

Holding Robert’s hand weakly, she stroked the back of her hand and let out a small sigh.

Rather than being physically tired, she was probably just tired of that attitude.

She had unexpectedly served Adriana excellently.

From the pace to checking if she was uncomfortable, there was nothing to criticize, right?

It was true that she had been a bit mischievous.

It was an appropriate response for hugging him like that as soon as they met.

Not only teasing someone, but showing such an appearance when coming to greet him.

She wanted to say something to Robert too, but it wasn’t easy to talk to him with the memories she had in mind.

What she had thought was just a dream turned out to be memories.

She had a feeling that it was only a fragment, but the emotions she had in those memories were similar to now.

Rather, it could be said to be even deeper, so it was complicated in many ways.

If Adriana hadn’t been here, she would have talked about it right away.

Adele’s gaze turned to Adriana.

She doubted whether it was okay for her to be so close to a man even though she was a saint.

She knew Robert didn’t have any particular feelings, but she couldn’t help but have strange feelings.

With a sickly and slender face, and a face that always had dark shadows, he wasn’t bad-looking.

No, rather it would be correct to say he was handsome.

It wasn’t that her heart was drawn to that appearance, but she knew that women had been frequently entangled with Robert lately.

The princess, and now even the saint.

Adele, who had counted the number, smiled bitterly.

Although she didn’t know her exact feelings yet, she still had a sense.

There were already two fish caught in the net Robert had spread.

Adele didn’t include herself in that.

This wasn’t being caught in a net, but rather emotions that had bloomed from old memories.

She hadn’t recalled all the time she had spent with Robert.

She only remembered a few major things, and even that, she didn’t know everything in detail.

Since it was a memory she had recalled while reading the letter, she had only come here with a vague sense that she had to face Robert.

…But when she actually saw his face, she didn’t know what to say first.

It was good to meet him, but there were too many things to say.

What memories she had recalled, what the contents of the letter meant, and what he meant by telling her not to meet the Crown Prince.

From one to ten, it was a problem that it was all incomprehensible.

Robert had too many secrets that only he knew.

It had always been like that, but even in her own memories, there were still many secrets.

Couldn’t he talk about it a little now? It wouldn’t have been an ordinary relationship.

“I heard you came all the way here because of Robert.”

The voice of the saint, who had been particularly concerned about her from earlier, suddenly broke her thoughts.

It was true that it was because of Robert.

Still, she needed to make some excuses to some extent, Adele didn’t forget Robert’s expression when he looked at her earlier.

Seeing him look a bit embarrassed, it seemed her letter was the problem after all.

She thought it was straightforward while writing it, but there was no need to make him uncomfortable.

She knew well why the saint had come here.

She had heard it was to deal with the magicians in the south.

Since the North was also paying attention to that issue, it would be difficult to say it had nothing to do with her.

“If I had to say, it’s because I need to investigate the magicians. There are magicians in the North as well.”

“…Then the letter.”

“I also have something to see Robert about. I just didn’t write both.”

When she made a suitable excuse, Adriana, who had been staring blankly at Adele, soon nodded slightly as if she understood.

In fact, there was no need for her to ask more.

Even if she said she came to see Robert, there was no reason for her to be concerned about it.

However… she was curious.

Why, out of so many people, did she specifically mention Robert?

She was probably the only person who had read Robert’s past.

Seeing their relationship in those memories, she also knew that the two of them were entangled in more ties than expected.

It would have been nice if she could see their expressions, but there wasn’t much she could know in detail just by looking at their inner selves.

As she was lost in thought for a moment, Adele moved her lips towards Robert.

“Can I see you for a bit later? I have something to say.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I’m not going to take long. I just have something to ask, so you can come to my room.”

“Let’s do that.”

The conversation flowed so naturally that she didn’t notice, but Adriana didn’t like Adele’s commanding attitude towards Robert.

She understood the difference in status.

However, both before and now, wasn’t Robert with her?

Nevertheless, was it right to treat him like her adjutant?

This wasn’t just a matter of a sense of justice, but a matter of right and wrong.

She knew that Adele and Robert felt comfortable with each other.

Because while reading their hearts, she felt that the two of them felt at ease when talking to each other.

Her brows furrowed unknowingly, and a blunt voice leaked out from those small lips.

“Robert is not an object.”

It was enough to surprise herself when she uttered it.

Because she had never spoken in such a voice since she was born.

Her voice that had always been soft and kind to everyone was particularly sharply spat out at Adele.

However, she had no desire to make amends.

Because Robert was her friend.

Adriana thought it was natural for anyone to step up like herself if they treated a friend like that.

“…Haha.”

Of course, it was Adele who burst into laughter at those words.

Robert looked at Adriana with a slightly perplexed expression, but it was clear from her serious expression that there had been some misunderstanding.

She probably judged that there was a problem with Adele’s attitude.

The moment he was about to say something, Adele reached out her hand to stop Robert and slowly opened her mouth.

“I don’t think of Robert as an object, but I’m curious what made you say that.”

“I know you spoke to Robert in a commanding tone since you sent the letter. Robert may have been your adjutant in the North, but here, he is my friend and a colleague of the paladins. I hope you understand that. No matter how much of a Grand Duchess you are, you can’t treat the saint’s friend so carelessly.”

“I see, friends.”

When Adele nodded for a moment, Robert felt a strange uneasiness at the smile on her lips.

What did that smile mean?

Adele, who laughed with a snort, looked at Adriana.

From earlier, it had been quite annoying to hear her say that she was close to Robert, that they were friends.

Although she didn’t think they were in a similar situation… there was still a hierarchy between women, wasn’t there?

Friends, she didn’t care what they called it.

Because she and Robert were a bit closer than friends.

Recalling her memories as proof, Adele moved her lips, reviving the memory of what Lothos had babbled a few days ago.

“It’s true that Robert and I are not friends.”

“You know that well. To show more respect to Robert-”

“We’re probably a bit closer than that. A while ago, my subordinates said something about my relationship with Robert. What was it…ah.”

The corners of her mouth drew a soft arc, and then formed a more alluring smile than ever.

It was the expression she always made when she was about to say something troublesome.

As if playing a prank, her mouth opened with a nonchalant smile.

“They said Robert was my lover, didn’t they?”

Click, the teacup Adriana was holding suddenly shook strongly on the saucer. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴovᴇlꜰirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Even her eyes, which were always closed, opened slightly, and a clear emotion settled in those transparent pupils that couldn’t contain even a bit of light.

That emotion was a clear bewilderment.

Adele, who was also holding a teacup, laughed softly.

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