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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Livia sat on the plush seat of the carriage, stretching her legs and arms forward simultaneously in an unusual posture.
“Nyaaa…!”
Her face scrunched up cutely like a cat’s before slowly returning to normal.
She seemed to think of herself as a cat or a similar small animal.
“You make strange noises when you stretch,” Nias said with a small laugh beside her.
Livia smiled shyly, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Oh, this is why I get embarrassed stretching in front of others.”
“No! I mentioned it because it was cute. Ehehe.”
Nias and Livia had already become close and were chatting.
Compared to the petite Nias, Livia was slightly taller and more developed, making them look like sisters with a year or two age difference.
Although Livia, knowing they were the same age, had naturally started speaking casually, Nias still used formal speech.
I sighed, turning my attention to my book, desperately hoping this situation would pass quickly.
‘I knew I’d see her at the academy, but I never thought we’d be riding in the same carriage. What is this, an express train to hell?’
By the time I regretted it, I was already entangled.
I reluctantly reached for my second plan.
‘Keep her close and monitor her’
It was much more difficult and irritating than not getting involved at all.
But it was better than being stalked or having innocent people’s heads roll for no reason if I left her unchecked.
‘There was a character who died after bumping shoulders with the protagonist.’
I remembered a setting where an extra had died like that.
At this rate, flowers might appear on the desk of a classmate who had just exchanged a casual joke the next day.
Thinking about that, I judged it better to properly establish a relationship now and keep her under surveillance.
“By the way…” Livia began meaningfully, pausing her chatter.
Her violet-colored hair scattered in the bright sunlight streaming through the window as she moved.
Her smooth white cheeks, still tinged with a rosy glow, seemed even cleaner basking in the sunlight.
However, Livia’s expression contrasted with this pure image as a light smile spread across her face.
“So you and Nias have grown up together since childhood!”
“Yes!”
“I’m jealous. So jealous! I want a childhood friend too.”
“F-Friend? The young master and I aren’t like that…”
Nias glanced at me, blushing slightly as she lowered her head shyly.
Her black bangs slid over her cute, small white cheeks, fluttering gently.
Nias brought both hands to her face, covering her mouth slightly as she smiled broadly.
It was said that there wasn’t a single person in Deinhart Castle who hadn’t smiled fondly at that adorable smile.
However, Nias, who had become an innocent lamb, didn’t notice.
The killing intent.
The chilling killing intent that Livia, smiling casually right next to her, was directing at her.
It was so natural and friendly that even I wouldn’t have noticed if my danger detection ability hadn’t warned me.
“She’s not my friend. She’s just a maid.”
I spoke harshly to save Nias from that killing intent.
Large tears welled up in Nias’s big eyes, showing a sad and pitiful emotion of disappointment.
I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings intentionally.
It was all to protect Nias.
The intense killing intent that had filled the entire carriage vanished at that moment.
Livia embraced Nias tightly with a gentle expression, patting her back.
“Senior, if you speak so coldly, Nias will cry!”
Nias shook her head frantically.
“I-I’m not crying. This much is fine!”
“But weren’t you a little hurt?”
At Livia’s question, Nias pressed her lips tightly together.
Seeing the gloom settle on Nias’s small face, Livia gave her a comforting smile.
“Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Actually, I didn’t have any friends at all.”
Nias, who had been looking gloomy until now, widened her eyes in surprise.
“Wha…? You don’t look like that at all! You’re so pretty and cute, why? And you have a good personality too!”
“Well, you see. I’ve… been holding back all this time. To meet cute Nias as my first friend!”
Livia gently brushed Nias’s disheveled bangs with her long, pretty fingers and smiled brightly.
“Really?”
Nias’ mouth opened slightly and her face flushed pink with joy.
Seeing Nias like this, Livia gave a mischievous smile and spoke.
“It would be nice if Nias spoke casually too! We’re the same age. Both commoners.”
“I… prefer using formal speech. Oh, if it makes you feel distant…”
“No, no! I just said that because I want to get closer to Nias. You can keep speaking as you are.”
“That’s a relief. Hehe. I want to get closer to you too, Miss Livia!”
Nias moved closer to Livia, smiling broadly.
Seeing the tiny Nias almost snuggling up to her, Livia hugged her tightly, unable to resist her cuteness.
She rubbed her cheek against Nias’s head, nuzzling.
“Ah, so cute. Like a rabbit.”
“Ra-rabbit…? Ah… stop… stop it…”
Livia stroked Nias, who was flailing her arms and legs, finding her adorable.
Seeing them tightly embracing and struggling, I was just glad I wasn’t the target.
“Have I conveyed my feelings enough?”
“Y-Yes! More than enough!”
As Nias nodded her head urgently several times, Livia laughed and released her.
Livia, who had achieved complete victory over Nias, who was now breathing heavily with a flushed face, turned her eyes to me next.
“Senior. You’ve been watching all along, right?”
Livia smiled devilishly, full of mischief.
“What? I was reading my book.”
I made an excuse as if trying to escape.
However, Livia pursued me, spreading her arms wide and exposing her chest.
“Senior, how about a bonding ritual too?”
“…No thanks.”
“Why? Why not?”
“…”
I didn’t answer and turned my eyes back to my book.
Ignoring her was the best strategy.
However… that was an action that failed to account for Livia’s nature.
*Ding!*
“Fufu, so Senior has things he’s shy about too.”
Livia teased.
Her voice was mixed with joy deep inside.
No goddammit, why did her favorability increase!
How am I supposed to deal with this troublesome girl?
My head started throbbing.
Maybe I shouldn’t have let her on the carriage from the start.
And in the meantime, there was one more unexpected factor.
It was Nias.
Looking at Livia with somewhat suspicious eyes, Nias quietly took out the basket containing the lunchbox and held it up with both hands.
“Miss Livia. Would you like this? I packed it carefully to eat with the young master, but he probably won’t eat it.”
“Hm? Wow, really? It looks delicious! I really love tasty things!”
Livia exclaimed in admiration as she opened the basket and saw all sorts of delicacies.
Nias smiled innocently, saying “Ehe.”
This is maddening.
Come to think of it, Nias was just as problematic as Livia.
The academy where hero candidates gather.
For Nias, it was like throwing an innocent gazelle in front of a lion.
With that innocent-looking face, who knows when, where, or which hero candidate Nias might brainwash.
I subtly sensed the undercurrent flowing between Nias and Livia.
Nias might be setting a trap to keep Livia in check.
“…Hey. Wait a second.”
Just as I was about to stand up to prevent Livia from consuming Nias’s hypnotic drug,
“…?”
Livia’s expression froze for a moment as she was about to put an eclair covered in chocolate into her mouth.
“…Ow, why is this happening? My stomach hurts a bit.”
Livia placed her hand on her stomach and rubbed it.
As she did so, she put the dessert back into the basket.
“I can’t eat it. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay! If your stomach hurts, it can’t be helped.”
Livia was a girl who had received assassination training to the point where it was truly ingrained in her body.
Such a girl would inevitably notice if there were unusual ingredients added to food.
Considering that Elin couldn’t detect the substance Nias used, which wasn’t exactly ‘poison’, it was peculiar.
“By the way, Senior, do you eat the lunchboxes Nias makes every day? I’m jealous! I would have eaten a ton if my stomach wasn’t hurting.”
I could quickly grasp the hidden meaning in Livia’s words.
She was trying to find out if I was under brainwashing.
“I don’t eat them. I’ve never eaten them even once.”
Livia nodded with a slightly relieved expression at my words.
“You don’t eat them? Why?”
“…Because I know they’ll taste bad.”
At that moment, Livia seemed to realize something.
“I see. That’s a shame.”
It seemed to have passed for now, so I sighed and sat down.
Then I picked up the book that I had been flipping through without properly reading a single character.
At that moment.
*Ding!*
“Wow…”
Livia’s exclamation, mixed with heated breath, was heard.
I became increasingly afraid of Livia’s love.
“Fufu. I’m so excited to introduce Livia to the three of them.”
“Three of them?”
Livia asked back with a curious expression.
“Yes! Lady Elena, Lady Elin, and Her Imperial Highness Princess Yuria.”
“…They’re all women? Are you close?”
Livia asked meaningfully.
Her voice was still soft, but,
“Hey Pig! Don’t open your-”
I stood up to stop Nias.
However, Nias had already nodded.
“Yes! We’re all very close!”
“I see?”
Livia smiled with her eyes.
Looking at me,
“I’m looking forward to it. Senior, will you introduce me to them too?”
I got goosebumps from the killing intent flowing through my entire body, stronger than ever before.
“I really want to get close to them.”
A lovely smile spread across Livia’s face like paint.
Maybe she misspoke “want to kill” as “want to get close to”?
*Ding!*
I was sure I had frowned.
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Two terrifying days passed.
Time flows no matter how it flows, after all.
The carriage finally entered the academy.
The huge gate leading to the academy grounds opened naturally as the carriage approached.
Statues of the two heroes who founded the academy and the current emperor stood there, and behind them, the campus with white buildings could be seen.
From the main gate of the academy, all sorts of colorful spring flowers were blooming as if welcoming the new students.
Brilliantly blooming tulips were interspersed with slightly early-blooming lilacs and freesias.
The elaborate fountains and beautiful scenery among them were no less than the imperial palace gardens.
“It’s so pretty!”
Seeing this, I grabbed Nias’s hand to stop her from opening the window.
I felt Livia’s gaze, but I had figured out that this much was okay.
It seemed Livia didn’t want to be disliked by me either.
“…Right. The academy.”
Ellentia Academy.
The place where all the stories of the original “The Hero of Salvation” begin.
I had finally arrived at this place.
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