15 – Friends

“Can we talk for a minute?”

“······With me?”

“Uh, you and me. Just the two of us.”

When I emphasized the word alone, Adele’s eyes, which were strangely out of focus, became clearer.

At the same time, I started shaking my head hard.

‘I don’t have to… Accept it.’

Actually, it was a great thing for me to be alone with Adele.

What man wouldn’t like to talk alone with a beautiful woman like Adele?

Nevertheless, I was worried because Adele’s position could be embarrassing if someone else saw this situation.

In this late hour when the sun is starting to go down, no matter how fiancé you are, it’s never been a good thing that rumors spread that you were alone with me, who couldn’t be worse.

“······Yes.”

However, the words that came out of my mouth were positive.

It was a request that I would not have accepted if Adele and I were in the same state as usual.

Because Adele’s condition, looking at me from a few steps away, looked so desperate.

She talks like she doesn’t know what will happen to her if I don’t do her favor.

I had no choice but to accept Adele’s request.

“Thanks, Lian.”

When I said I understand, Adele’s uneasy expression and eyes that were out of focus just now smiled brightly.

It was simply a request to talk for a while, but would it be that good?

I praised myself for doing the right thing after a long time, and headed to the place where Adele led me.

***

The place we arrived at was a bench that looked like it could seat three people, not far from the first year dormitory.

Contrary to what I initially worried about, maybe it was the time to go to the dormitories, so I didn’t see anyone passing by.

Adele sat down on the bench first, then I sat side by side on the same bench, and Adele immediately asked me.

“How have you been…?”

Like a oriole chirping beautifully, a sweet voice that catches your ears.

It was a voice that I doubted whether it was a human voice whenever I heard it from long ago.

“Maybe…?”

“Really? ······Thank God. Heh.”

As if sincerely glad, Adele smiled a little.

Its appearance was so beautiful that it would remain as a national treasure of the empire if left in a photograph.

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A situation unfolded in front of me that many men would only dream of, that a girl with a divine appearance and voice was worried about her.

‘Why is he doing this?’

Knowing that the girl didn’t like me, I couldn’t enjoy the happy situation.

“I’m so glad you’re doing well, Ryan.”

“Thank you…?”

I was contemplating whether to say thank you for this or something else, but words that were neither thank you nor anything else came out.

“Pufu, what is that?”

As I expected, Adele burst out laughing when she heard that.

Embarrassed by her slip of the tongue, I stared blankly at such Adele, her words.

Adele laughed for so long, she stopped laughing after about five minutes.

“Remember, Ryan?”

“…?”

“When you and I… First met.”

“The day we first met?”

“Yes. I still remember.”

I remembered the day Adele and I first met…

It was an event that had a huge impact on me at the time.

“Are you talking about when I called you a fairy?”

“You remember…”

When I think about it now, it was a very embarrassing thing to say.

When I was young, when I was a very little kid who didn’t even make the 1st circle.

“I don’t want to go…”

As a child at the time, I didn’t like going out of the house itself.

Even when I had to go outside, my mother had to force me to stand up so that I could barely follow her.

But that day was different.

As usual, of course, I was waiting for my mother to force me up, but that day instead of forcing me to stand up, she spoke.

“Hey, don’t you like the fact that you’re going to meet your future wife?”

“······Wife?”

I was fascinated by the reaction of the Countess, which was different from usual, and the word ‘wife’, so I stood up as if possessed.

The residence of the Duke of Listonia arrived.

“Wow…”

Since the only mansion I’ve seen so far is Count Kindred’s residence, I couldn’t help but admire the residence of the Duke of Listonia.

“Hello, Duke of Listonia.”

“Welcome, Count. Welcome to the residence of the Duke of Listonia.”

“This is my wife and my son.”

“Should say hello to the Duke, Lian!”

I had been staring blankly at the man I had never seen in my life, the Duke of Listonia, until I said hello after hearing what my mother had to say.

“Hello, I’m Lian Kindred.”

“Your son is very gallant, Count.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

“No… I’m not strong.”

“Lian!”

I didn’t even know that it was a courtesy, and I even seriously refuted the sky-like duke’s words.

“······hahahaha!”

I was in a situation where I couldn’t say anything even though I heard the duke’s scolding right there, but fortunately the duke laughed heartily instead of punishing me.

“Did you say Rihanna? To be able to say that to me means you’re pretty strong, so don’t put yourself down like that.”

“······Is that so?”

“Yes, he’s strong enough to be my son-in-law, so you can be proud of him.”

“·······Yes.”

At the time, I didn’t understand the words of the Duke of Listonia, but when the countess asked me to understand it from behind, I unknowingly nodded my head.

“Then go see my wife and daughter now.”

“I understand, Duke.”

The drawing room of the Listonian family arrived along with the Duke.

“Welcome, welcome to House Ristonia.”

There, the Duchess of Listonia and Adele, shyly hiding behind the Duchess, welcomed our family.

“Hello, Duchess. This is my wife and son.”

“Lian, say hello to the Duchess.”

“Hello, my name is Lian Kindred.”

“You are Lian, I heard a lot from the countess.”

“Thank you…?”

I had never learned how to respond to the statement that I had heard a lot of things, so I just took out the words that came to my mind.

It was like that before. Is it my habit to say thank you once I have nothing to say?

Anyway, the Duchess laughed heartily when she heard that, and the Countess should say, ‘I’ve heard a lot about it too.’ I remember whispering.

“Your son is so cute, Countess.”

“Thank you.”

“My little gentleman greeted me first, so my lady should say hello too. Adele, stop being shy and come out and say hello.”

Until then, she was unaware of Adele’s existence, although it may be because Adele was so well hidden behind the Duchess.

But as soon as Adele came out and said hello, the girl named Adele was imprinted in my mind.

“Hello… My name is Adele Listonia…”

I’ve never seen such a pretty person in my life.

And the innocent me, who had never seen someone as pretty as Adele, said out loud as soon as she saw her.

“You said, ‘Mom, why do fairies live here?’ Maybe?”

“Stop it… It’s still embarrassing.”

Ah, it’s embarrassing to think about it now. How could I have said that on our first meeting with her?

No matter how pretty Adele was, that was the case. What is a fairy She’s not even a 5 year old.

“It’s embarrassing, because you said that and my mom and dad laughed so hard.”

Seeing Adele add, “It’s the first time I’ve heard such a compliment, so her face turned red.” I felt her face heat up.

At that time, how much of a flower garden did I have in my head?

“It was a great time…”

“···”

The atmosphere was relaxed for a while, but when he talked as if he missed Adele, I couldn’t say anything.

Because it was me who destroyed the good times.

Just when I felt a sense of guilt, Adele, who recalled her past with a nostalgic expression, spoke softly.

“······What’s our relationship, Ryan?”

“What…Relation?”

“Uh. Not just between engagements.”

‘It’s my relationship with Adele… That doesn’t include an external engagement relationship.’

No matter how much I thought about it, there seemed to be no connection between me and Adele, other than our engagement.

On the contrary, if it’s a bad relationship, you can say it’s a bad relationship.

Since I cut off the relationship we could call each other’s best friend with my own hands.

– What are you? Adele Listonia.

Because at the point of stabbing the good Adele’s heart with those pointed awl-like words, we became worse than friends.

“It’s hard to say… A friend, right?”

“······I see.”

As if Adele knew why I had to say that, Adele nodded her head in agreement.

“······Then, can we be friends again?”

“······· Huh?”

“We can be just normal friends, not until we’re each other’s best friends like we used to be.”

“···”

To be honest, I was embarrassed.

The reason why Adele asked me to be friends is because not a single one existed.

With the background of the Duke of Listonia, Adele’s looks, and skills, she should be able to become a normal friend or more than just a normal friend at Selenium Academy.

Is there any need to be friends with me, who is full of flaws and only has the best class, the best class?

Of course, I won’t do the same things again, but even so, the rumors and perceptions didn’t go away easily.

It would be good for Adele if the remaining façade of her fiancée ended as soon as possible.

Live as friends. If I die of Adele’s illness first, it would be like giving Adele the wounds of my friend’s death.

“······Yes, let’s do it, buddy.”

But despite these concerns, the words that came out of my mouth were just as positive as before.

Adele’s expression and atmosphere when she says let’s be friends makes me feel like she’ll burst into tears at any moment if I don’t accept it.

I didn’t want to see Adele cry any more.

A friend… Would be fine.

I’d rather be a friend, and as a friend, a fiancé, I can get rid of the idiots from the academy who unknowingly attack Adele.

Of course, I think Adele will take care of herself, but isn’t it better to use magic together?

Even if it’s easy, if Adele can be less of an annoyance, I think it’s okay to remain as a friend…

Even if it’s a relationship that will disappear when I die first.

“Thank you. Thank you very much, Lian.”

Adele, who listened to me, laughed the most beautifully in the world.

Pook-

Just like that, she opened her arms and hugged me tightly.

It was a hug with all my strength, as if I would never let it go again.

I thought maybe we hugged each other for a while… But thinking that good is good, I also hugged Adele.

Is it an illusion that Adele’s eyes glowed as if she was crying when they hugged her?

The rising moon was shining brightly before I knew it.

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