SWNOVELXO Chapter 26 - Lily's Sinister Plan - 7
Three days had passed since Seol-ah started avoiding me. During that time, I had a fulfilling and productive time, receiving romance novels from Cordelia and visiting the library with Hestia.
“Mikhail, have you finished ‘The Female Knight and the Wolves’ yet?”
On the way to Basic Swordsmanship class, Cordelia suddenly asked. Since lending me romance novels, she had been asking such questions incessantly, though barely any time had passed.
“I have my own schedule; how could I read all that content?”
“What? You still haven’t finished it? Was it not interesting?”
‘The Female Knight and the Wolves’ is the title of the romance novel she strongly recommended and lent to me. I had skimmed through the first volume due to her persistence. It was about a protagonist who, despite being dismissed for being a female knight, overcomes prejudice with her skills. Honestly, it wasn’t to my taste. But there’s no need to be honest and disappoint Cordelia.
“No, it was interesting. I’m just a bit busy. I can’t spend all day with a book in my hands.”
“Really? Then I guess it can’t be helped… I wanted to talk about FKW.”
I answered vaguely. She seemed to accept it with “it can’t be helped,” but couldn’t hide her slight disappointment. She must have really wanted to discuss that novel with me.
“FKW?”
“Short for ‘Female Knight and Wolves.'”
“Who exactly decides these abbreviations?”
I asked Cordelia, who was naturally using the abbreviation. In a world without internet or communities, who decides on such abbreviations?
“I don’t really know. The maids at the mansion just called it that?”
“The maids?”
“Yes. They introduced me to lots of other novels besides FKW.”
I could see where her love for romance novels came from.
“Then why not talk with them?”
“I’ve obviously talked with the maids at home.”
“What about Hestia?”
Come to think of it, Hestia had tipped me off about romance novels after just hearing about Cordelia and female knights. She must know Cordelia’s tastes.
“With Hestia… I think she’s tired of it. I’ve talked about it too much.”
Cordelia deflated. If Hestia showed signs of being tired of it, just how much had she talked about it?
“Then what about the maids here at the dormitory? Surely some of them must like romance novels too.”
Of course, there are maids in the dormitory to take care of the students’ needs.
“How could I do that? It’s embarrassing!”
At my words, Cordelia had a fit. She seemed embarrassed at the mere thought, lowering her head deeply and twirling her hair with her fingers. I was dumbfounded by her girlish reaction.
Where was the Cordelia who had easily stripped off her uniform in front of me? Besides, why is it embarrassing to talk about romance novels with the maids, but she wants to talk about them with me?
“So you do know the emotion of embarrassment.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
“Since you stripped naked in front of me before, I thought you had no sense of shame.”
“Are you still talking about that? That was different because it was in front of you.”
“What does it being in front of me have to do with anything?”
“For some reason, I feel strangely comfortable with you.”
“Lady Deneb, you sometimes seem to forget that we’ve known each other for less than a month.”
“That’s my line! Sometimes you’re excessively casual with me.”
She strongly rebutted my words. I honestly had a lot to say, but I decided to postpone the debate on who was more casual with whom. If we started a debate here, it would probably last until dawn.
“Setting that aside, why is it embarrassing to talk with the maids but fine to talk with me?”
“Because they’re strangers. How can I just approach and talk to them?”
“Excuse me?”
I doubted my ears at her words. What does she mean by strangers?
“I’m a bit shy with strangers. It’s scary to approach people you don’t know first.”
“Then with me…?”
I clearly remember our first meeting where we had a power struggle, she glared at me fiercely, and even hurled insults like “ill-mannered mute.” She’s saying she’s shy?
“With you, well… our first meeting was impactful, and I’ve heard about you often from Hestia, so you never really felt like a stranger.”
Shocking truth! In fact, Cordelia has a shy personality. She’s been so uninhibited with me, whom she’s known for such a short time, that I never would have guessed. If our first meeting hadn’t happened that way, I might have seen the shy Cordelia.
Thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her initiate conversation with other students besides us. The fact that she’s had no friends until now wasn’t just because of her childish and fiery temperament. It was because she’s shy. Having a temper that she can’t control once she gets angry, hating to lose, and being shy in front of strangers—is she really a kindergartener?
“Is that also why you don’t talk with other female students during swordsmanship class?”
It also explains why, despite admiring female knights so much, she never exchanges a word with actual female knight aspirants. I had found it strange all along but never thought it was due to shyness. I had only speculated that they were avoiding her.
“…Yes.”
I resolved to make friends for her. Although it might seem like overstepping when I have my own issues, I choose not to make friends, whereas she can’t make them. The difference between “won’t” and “can’t” is significant. Anyway, that’s that.
“Then follow me next time. I’ll at least break the ice for you.”
“Why?”
“I’ll help you make friends.”
“I’m telling you, I’m not friendless!”
She had a fit at the mention of friends.
“Who said you were friendless? Don’t you want to talk with the female students in our swordsmanship class?”
I sighed deeply. While the three of us—me, Hestia, and Cordelia—hang out together now, we can’t always be a trio when Hestia and I get closer in the not-so-distant future. Cordelia would probably be the most uncomfortable. There are few things as tiresome as being the third wheel between a couple. She needs friends too.
“But! But…”
“So I’ll at least break the ice. My conversational skills aren’t great, but after that, it’s up to Lady Deneb to handle it.”
I’m not particularly good with words either, but at least I’m not to the point of being unable to speak to strangers at all. Isn’t it the way of the world for those who are slightly better off to help those who aren’t?
“Why are you helping me?”
Cordelia asked cautiously. If I answered honestly that I’m worried she’ll be in the way when Hestia and I get lovey-dovey later, she would probably be very upset. If I imagine myself hearing such words, it would hurt inside.
“Because we’re friends.”
And it’s also true that, despite the short time, I somewhat consider her a friend. If I had a female friend back then, wouldn’t it have felt like this?
“…Thank you.”
She looked at me with an expression half surprised, half pleased. I felt awkward under her gaze. Come to think of it, it’s a bit embarrassing to say such childish and cringe-worthy lines. I grumbled for no reason.
“What’s with that reaction? Did you not think of me as a friend?”
“Just when I thought I got some points, you immediately deduct them.”
Cordelia clicked her tongue.
“This can’t continue.”
On the way out of the library, Hestia declared as if she could no longer bear it. Her eyes burned with determination.
“What can’t?”
“Lady Adamas. I can’t stand the worry anymore.”
After naturally ignoring me that day, Seol-ah had shown no interest in me. Rather, she had avoided me more thoroughly.
With things turning out this way, Hestia seemed both relieved and a bit uneasy. She had appeared lost in thought for the past few days, apparently worrying inside. Come to think of it, every morning during assembly, she would alternately look at me and Seol-ah until the assembly ended. Her gaze carried a complex light.
“Do you have any idea why?”
“Why?”
“Why Lady Adamas is suddenly acting like this.”
I shook my head. And recalled the secret meeting last Friday night. She had left after making a significant remark, which I didn’t understand at all. Honestly, I’m not without suspicion, but I still don’t know anything. I’m only speculating that this too might be part of her plan.
“It doesn’t seem like she’s distanced herself from His Highness either.”
As Hestia said, Seol-ah hadn’t changed much from usual, except in her attitude toward me. In other words, the way Wilhelm treated her and the way she treated Wilhelm remained the same as before. Wilhelm kept approaching her, and she maintained a boundary just enough not to hurt his feelings.
However, knowing that Seol-ah is being subjected to violence by Wilhelm, one can see she subtly fears him. Looking at them closely, it’s apparent that she doesn’t make eye contact or flinches whenever Wilhelm’s hand rises. In front of me, she talked about self-harm and feeling nothing, but there’s no way she’s truly unaffected.
“I can’t stand it. I need to ask her right away.”
Hestia kept biting her nails, then her eyes lit up as if she had made a decision. I’ve noticed before that Hestia tends to bite her nails when she’s anxious or worried about something. It’s remarkable that she’s so concerned about Seol-ah despite not being particularly close.
“Calm down. How do you plan to ask her at this hour?”
I tried to dissuade Hestia. It’s already quite late. Barging into Seol-ah’s dormitory now is not only practically difficult but also not a good plan. Honestly, I am concerned about her mental state after our last meeting, but it’s unlikely she would kindly explain her plan to us if we just show up like this.
“Let’s ask her tomorrow morning. If I approach her, Wilhelm will definitely react strangely, so you should casually go and call her out. I’ll join later.”
Actually, the best approach would be for me to call her out separately and ask, but I can’t say that in front of Hestia.
“Okay. She might be suffering even at this hour. I won’t feel at ease until we completely remove the cause.”
“The cause? What are you planning to do? You can’t, you know, ‘take care’ of him.”
“Are you insane?!”
A startled Hestia slapped my arm. Her hand stings quite a bit.
“Don’t say such alarming things. My heart nearly dropped.”
“I didn’t say anything about doing something to anyone.”
“That’s playing innocent.”
She firmly retorted to my words.
“So how do you plan to remove this cause?”
“Well, the best thing would be to correct that twisted…”
“Sexual preference?”
“…Yes. That. Correcting it would be ideal.”
She seemed to find the term “sexual preference” vulgar and felt embarrassed.
“But can you correct it?”
“I don’t know either.”
“What kind of answer is that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“The three of us will have to work hard to find a way.”
Hestia said.
The next day, Seol-ah was absent.