That girl seems to like that guy who is your cousin, right? No matter how I look at it, that’s her reaction when you see someone you want to have sex with—]
“It’s not like that! She is still a child. don’t say that to a child!”
[Really? Then what should I say?]
“It’s just…. that Lorina likes L’Arch. Having a crush on him is a different thing than wanting to, uh, sex with him as Rabes said earlier.”
[What the hell is different about… hmm? Wait…]
Rabes, who had been grumbling suddenly changed his complexion and turned his head to look at Elaine.
[L’Arch? Wasn’t that the name of the male you had a crush on?]
“ugh! Well, that’s, that’s it…”
[Ha! you like him? It doesn’t even look like a very strong individual, but your taste is unique. or is that the kind of look that humans like?]
Elaine pretended not to see Rabes, who was tilting his head in disbelief and looked at L’Arch and Lorina.
She had told Lavez earlier, Lorina liked Lark. She’d made a point of declaring it in front of Elaine, but she didn’t really need to; It was obvious to anyone that she liked L’Arch.
And Elaine also liked L’Arch.
In the Empire, marriage between cousins was also recognized, and in fact, the two were not related by blood, but whatever happened, Elaine was a hopeless partner.
She knew it, but couldn’t help but like him.
Perhaps Lorina knew that Elaine liked L’Arch.
‘So you hate me because of that? But there was no chance that I would get along with L’Arch anyway.
Rather, it has been said from an early age that Lorina would be the bride of L’Arch.’
Elaine should have hated and been jealous of Lorina. Not Lorina, who had everything, hating Elaine, who had nothing.
‘It might be a little different this time. Because I don’t like L’Arch anymore.’
She thought she was admonishing himself, but she still couldn’t take her eyes off L’Arch. It also felt like a pain in the middle of her chest.
Elaine closed her eyes and recalled the last time she saw L’Arch.
“It’s not bad that you’re being used like this.”
Those were the last words he uttered to Elaine, who was about to die.
Even now, She could still hear that light mockery.
‘okay. To L’Arch, I was something he could sell for himself and the Newt family at any time. How long will you keep that person in your heart?’
Taking a deep breath, Elaine opened her closed eyes. Although She hadn’t completely erased her feelings for L’Arch, she was able to calm her shaking heart.
Meanwhile, Count Newt and the Countess were leading their guests to the parlor.
Fearing that she might be caught, Elaine hurriedly stepped back.
At that time, L’Arch’s eyes met her for a moment, but Elaine quickly looked away.
‘I’m glad my uncle or aunt didn’t see me.’
At least L’Arch wouldn’t badmouth Elaine for watching the guests.
Due to Rubaine’s strict order not to step out of the attic until the guests have left, Elaine took Rabes to her room.
“I don’t know if they want to give me food.”
Elaine muttered as she lay on the bed.
‘When I was confined to my room like this, there were many times when they didn’t even give me food on time. Of course, I can’t say the word “hungry” even when I’m starving.’
[Are you just worried about your meal?]? I told you to turn it all upside down! From what you say, you’ve been bullied all your life in this family, don’t you want to get revenge? your mother even died at the hands of those people, don’t you feel angry?]
Rabes sighed, putting aside even the stern tone of voice.
“But killing can’t be the solution to all problems.”
[well. In my experience, it’s a pretty good solution.]
“I…I don’t like that. That’s not the revenge I want.”
[Really? So let’s see what kind of revenge you will choose in the end.]
Rabes fly to the window. Seeing as he sat with his back to Elaine, it seemed he didn’t even want to talk for a while.
Elaine was too tired to talk to Laves, so she squirmed under the covers.
It was quiet in Elaine’s room, but she could vaguely hear people laughing and chatting in the distance. The sound alone gave off a warm and joyful atmosphere, making Elaine feel a bit lonely.
‘Will I be able to laugh and talk like that with someone someday…?’
She didn’t even have friends in her previous life.
Barely a noble, Elaine couldn’t associate with the noble saints or the commoner monks.
She had been alone all her life.
‘That’s why I was chosen as a sacrifice. Because no one would be saddened by my death.’
Such thoughts always made Elaine sad.
Having no one to grieve over her death seems to mean that she has no value in this world, and it means she wasn’t worthy of being in this world, that her mother had been sacrificed to give birth to her, to raise her…
Her heart throbbed like she was slowly sinking in cold water.
Elaine’s gaze unintentionally turned toward the window.
Rabes was still looking out the window.
At that moment, Elaine realized a very obvious fact.
‘That’s right, I’m not alone anymore.’
‘I almost forgot the existence that had always been by my side since I came back to the age of sixteen.’
The depression, which had risen to the top of her head and seemed to choke Elaine, slowly receded.
Human common sense did not work for Rabes, but it was much better than being alone.
Even if he looked upset now, it was obvious that if Elaine spoke to him, he would turn his head and answer.
‘Yes. I’m not alone. Until I make all three wishes, Rabes will stay by my side.’
Even Rabes was a pretty good protector. If it hadn’t been for Rabes earlier, she would have fallen down the stairs and been seriously injured.
‘Besides, he was angry at me because of me, and sometimes he looked at my mood and gave me something similar to comfort me.’
Because Rabes was there, she was able to live without any injuries, never go hungry, and overcome her loneliness.
‘After realizing that fact, warm energy seemed to spread from the center of my heart. Just like when I spell ‘Recuro Rabes’.
‘He’s so nice and cute, so there’s no way Rabes is a bad dragon. People would have misunderstood him just by looking at His appearance.’
Elaine smiled as she watched Rabes’s back as he grumbled but never left her.
But then, suddenly, a knock was heard.
Elaine jumped up in surprise and was very nervous.
No one but Emily ever went up to the attic on the third floor of the Newt mansion, and Emily only did so at night, to avoid prying eyes.
So it wasn’t good news for someone to come at this hour.
“Who…who are you?”
“Lady, He wants you to come.”
The person who came was not Emily, but another maid. And the message of the maid who had come to take Elaine didn’t say who or where.
So, she guessed who was calling her.
[What?]
Perhaps noticing Elaine’s anxiety, Rabes turned his head and frowned in displeasure.
“Anyways… It looks like my cousins are calling me out.”
[Those mean guys?]
Elaine nodded wordlessly and stood up and brushed off her skirt. Even so, the wrinkles did not straighten out.
[I heard you can’t leave this room before the guests leave. The order not to leave this room was given by your uncle or some idiot, and isn’t that person the head of this household? Then it doesn’t matter if you don’t go out.]
“It’s not that simple. I’ll get scolded if I get out of here, and I’ll get scolded if I don’t, but my uncle will be even more angry that I disobeyed Martin’s orders.”
Rabes’s expression turned sour at Elaine’s explanation.
And the maid outside the door urged Elaine.
“Lady. If you don’t leave quickly, you’ll get scolded.”
“Get out now.”
Elaine sighed heavily and opened the door.
The maid who came to pick up Elaine called Elaine ‘lady’ and used honorifics, but her eyes looking down at Elaine showed her annoyance and contempt.
Although Elaine became a nobleman thanks to Count Newt’s adoption of Elaine, it may be a natural reaction because a person with eyes knows Elaine’s situation.
‘In my previous life, I was grateful that the maids called me lady, but….’
Elaine, who knew that she didn’t actually have any blood from the Newt family, felt pity to hear that she was a young lady.
‘But now that I think about it, I wonder how funny it is.’
It’s a contradiction to be called a lady when she wears more shabby clothes than the maids and mops the stairs.
‘It was probably a mockery to call me a lady. After all the times they’ve called me a lady and made me do their work as if I deserved it.’
‘So I understood why the maids looked down on me…’
As Elaine silently followed the maid, Rabes flew over and sat on Elaine’s shoulder. That alone made Elaine stronger.
* * *
