Chapter 106
Fortunately, her plan worked.
“Ouch.”
“Ugh.”
The twins, who had thought they were the only ones invited, gave off a frosty vibe when they finally showed up at the appointed place and found each other.
Ciel was the first to show his discomfort.
“Arellirin, did you invite Noel as well?”
Noel didn’t back down.
“Arellirin, if you were playing with Ciel, you should have told me.”
She looked at the twins’ frustration, and she was stumped. This is going to be a fight again.
‘Can I make them reconcile?’
“If you’re not comfortable, go back.”
It was Pession who summed up the situation.
“We’re out here to play, we’re going to see the gun festival. If you’re not comfortable, you should go back.”
Pession stepped between the twins and pulled her away, drawing a cold line in the sand.
Ciel and Noel looked resigned for a moment, then clung to her.
“You can’t do that!”
“That’s right, Arellirin was the first one to suggest it.”
She glared at the twins clinging to her arms with a sullen expression.
“Call me by my proper name.”
The twins looked at her at the same time.
“Then let me call you a pet name like you do, Your Highness.”
“Me too.”
If only we could get along like this.
“Okay.”
“Arell, that’s-!”
Pession frowned.
“Why?”
“…”
She tilted her head, watching Pession fumble for something to say.
“It’s good for us to be friends.”
“…”
Pession tried to communicate with facial expressions. Facial language. She hadn’t even mastered Aaron’s eye language yet.
As she grunted in frustration at her failure to interpret, the twins giggled.
“Your Highness. You’re jealous.”
“You’re pissed off. Do you think we’re beneath you?”
“You two get out of here.”
“Ew, no!”
She blinked at the twins’ and Pession’s sudden flirtation.
“…”
And another victim of the spot.
“Thanks for coming, Aaron.”
She nodded.
“Call me Aaron, too.”
She’s relieved. Aaron was her best friend after all.
“Why did you call Aaron?”
Pession grumbled as he returned from chastising the twins.
“Because he’s my friend, too.”
Pession’s smile faded.
“I want you all to get lost.”
“Huh? What?”
“Nothing.”
She didn’t hear, but the twins and Aaron did, and she could see their expressions change.
The twins looked distracted and Aaron looked like he wanted to run away, but what did he say?
“Call me by my nickname.”
Pession smirked.
“Call me Sion.”
This is embarrassing.
“Si…on.”
“Properly.”
“Sion.”
She bite her lip hard at the strange tickling sensation in her chest, and then a smile spreads across Pession’s full face.
“Yes, Arel!”
Now that’s the Pession she knows.
“Come on, let’s go see the festivities.”
Pession’s face lit up, and he held out her hand. He took it and held out her other hand, and the twins reached for each other and bumped into each other.
Then the twins glared at each other again.
Ugh, those gold guys.
“Ouch.”
She let go of the twins and grabbed Aaron’s hand, and they followed, sulking.
“…”
Aaron fidgeted uncomfortably with her hand. Pession kept glaring at her and Aaron’s hand.
She pretended not to notice.
“I’ve never been to a festival with my friends before.”
For a moment, everyone’s eyes focused.
“You’re also new to friends, and new to leaving the mansion alone. Because I won’t let you out alone.”
The twins opened their mouths and blinked. Pession’s expression became more subtle.
“Oh, Mehen gave me pocket money? I’ve never gotten pocket money before.”
In her previous life, her mom was always around, and since she’s been on her own, she always used cards. She was excited to use cash for the first time.
“…”
“…”
The four paused and exchanged glances. Why were they suddenly looking at her with such pity?
“Arel, we’ve got you.”
“Is there something you want to do? Just say the word.”
“I’m a good listener today!”
The twins are quiet, and Pession, as always, is eager to do anything for them. He smiled at Aaron, who nodded in agreement.
Not a bad day, today.
***
The northern ecliptic, where the Halbern mansion was located, was high enough to see the sky tower from a distance, descending into the troposphere.
When she finally landed in the downtown area, the sky tower looked up at her…
“Wow.”
“What is that?”
“It’s huge.”
The shape of the Tower of the Sky, which sits directly above the central pagoda on the ecliptic, makes it look like a tower rising endlessly from the ground to the sky above. Like the legendary Tower of Babel.
“There are tons of tourists coming from overseas to see it.”
“That’s why all the vendors in my family are excited to sell pagoda-related goods.”
After seeing this majestic sight, the twins talked about money.
“Aaron, do you think you can ring that thing?”
“I think I can if I’m as good as my father.”
“Master? Maybe if you’re a master.”
Pession and Aaron were discussing whether or not they could ring the Sky Tower. Is she the only one who is purely impressed?
Even though she grew up seeing a lot of modern skyscrapers, the Sky Tower is not a building, but a building made of marble, so it feels completely different.
“Oh, they sell food there!”
“Are you going to eat, Arellin?”
“Yep. Just one bite for me.”
The crowds at the festival reminded her of the nightmare on Line 2, but the hustle and bustle was good for the atmosphere.
While Aaron and Ciel went to buy some skewers, she and Pession exchanged glances.
“Now, Noel?”
“Yep. Ciel was talking earlier.”
“Okay.”
She hadn’t forgotten why they were all here, watching the festival.
***
Noel blinked. He could feel Aaron’s eyes on him, but he didn’t want to give him any consideration, so he sulked even more.
‘Normally, I would have stuck with Ciel…’
Aaron was nice, but he didn’t talk, so he was boring to play with.
‘We should make up.’
Noel knew that. But they had never fought before, so they didn’t know how to make up.
They’d been together since birth, they’d always known what each other was thinking without speaking, but this was the first time they’d ever disagreed and fought.
Noel glanced at Ciel, who was playing with Pession in the distance. It was strange to see him after all these years.
“Noel.”
Arellin leaned toward Noel.
“You still haven’t made up with him?”
Noelle glared at Arellin.
“I’m Ciel.”
“Yes, Ciel.”
“Actually, it’s Noel.”
“I know, Noel.”
“Sorry, I lied, I’m Ciel.”
“I know it’s Noel.”
Arellin snapped.
“I don’t. How do you know?”
Arellin smirked and tapped her forehead.
“I have a way of knowing everything.”
“…”
Noel blinked at the sudden attack. It was a strange feeling.
Confusing Ciel or Noel was a surefire way to baffle and confuse her opponent, but she’d never been caught like this before.
Even mom and dad can’t tell the difference.
Today, especially since the twins were doing the same thing, he couldn’t tell.
How did Arellin really recognize him?
“Because Noel’s voice is a lower semitone than Ciel’s.”
“Huh?”
“Not exactly a semitone, but it makes a difference when they talk.”
Isn’t that something only Arellin can tell?
Noel’s expression became subtle.
“That’s why I’ve been trying to figure it out.”
Noel blinked.
Noel had never been so clearly labeled as an individual in his life, always considered a set with Ciel.
Arellin wondered if she was bothered by Noel’s sudden quiet.
Even that looked new, and Noel felt like he understood why Pession was so… hung up on Arellin, and he felt like he knew, and he felt tickled… again.
