“…Why go as far as sending salt to the enemy? That’s why misunderstandings occurred. You like Byleth, don’t you? Him.”
“I simply returned the favor, what you did to Sia. I didn’t intend to send salt to the enemy with this.”
Her words were harsh… yet Elena displayed a soft expression, conveying another layer of truth.
“Besides, you’re just like me. The frustration of not being noticed… I understand that pain.”
Upon saying this, Elena turned her back to Luna.
“So, you should do your best too. It’s cruel to say ‘[just a little]’ as rivals in love, but I’m rooting for you.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not the same as you.”
“Huh!?”
“I’m simply interested in him. I don’t harbor feelings of affection.”
“…I see.”
Though Luna threw out what seemed like excuses, Elena didn’t flinch.
She proudly retorted.
“Even if that were the case, it would still be the punchline for me to be rejected. Ultimately.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I understand. Because he’s the one I’ve fallen for.”
There was no embarrassment on Elena’s face as she made this declaration. It was a matter-of-fact attitude.
“Well then, I should take my leave soon, or that clueless guy might show up. Excuse me.”
“I understand. This favor will be repaid someday.”
“Really? Then repay that favor by enjoying the banquet.”
“Thank you.”
Enjoy the banquet. It was also a revised encouragement to “do your best.”
“Oh, one last thing—”
“Yes?”
“Because Byleth’s odd, it’s better not to worry about status. If someone around us says something, or if you’re given sarcasm like you tought earlier, I’ll definitely come to Luna’s aid.”
With that parting gift, Elena left.
Unbeknownst to Byleth, many developments were unfolding.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“It’s been two days, Byleth Saint-Ford.”
“Yeah, two days! Can I visit you again today?”
“Of course. Please, make yourself at home.”
After Elena left, a few minutes passed.
Having finished lunch, Byleth, as usual, made his way to the library and encountered Luna sitting in the reading area.
“By the way, today you’re reading a different book than usual? Luna reading about chivalry? It’s the first time I’ve seen that.”
“I plan to make progress with it this week.”
“Haha, with a solid schedule.”
An ordinary exchange. Laughing, Byleth glanced at the books piled on the desk and noticed something.
It was the four-leaf clover-shaped metal bookmark that he had given her before.
“Oh…”
Staring involuntarily at the bookmark he had seen for the first time since giving it to her, Luna seemed to notice his gaze and quickly hid it in her hand.
“Um, I won’t return this anymore. I find it useful.”
“I-I’m not looking at it like that! I just thought it was being used properly.”
“I use it every day. The other winged bookmark is here.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Opening the book on top of the pile, Luna showed evidence of its use.
In the meantime, she surreptitiously slipped the four-leaf bookmark into her pocket.
Luna kept it a secret.
That one of the bookmarks was treated like a charm. She always carried it with her.
“It’s something I received from you. I’ve never handled it roughly.”
With sleepy eyes and a flat tone,
Luna stated as if it were obvious and then closed the book.
“Now, what book will you read today? You?”
“Um… I’d like to read a book that will be useful in the future.”
“All books are useful.”
“T-true… By the way, what do you recommend, Luna?”
“How about philosophy? I recommend it because I’ve learned a lot from it.”
“Philosophy, huh… I think you recommended it before, didn’t you?”
“That’s right. It’s my favorite genre.”
“Then maybe I’ll give it a try. It might have difficult content, but it will broaden my perspective…”
As Byleth decided on a book to read…
“Um, sorry for interrupting your decision, but would you like to change it?”
“Huh?”
“When considering you, I thought the book you should read is still romance, as before.”
“R-really? Compared to philosophy, it seems like there’s less to learn.”
“In your case, this would be more meaningful.”
Luna, with suggestive words, added an explanation immediately.
“Someone said. You’re dense.”
“Definitely Elena… I can count on one hand the number of times she’s said something like that to me.”
“In fact, I agree with her. There’s the fact that you didn’t notice Sia-san’s appeal.”
“Well… alright…”
“So, I recommend this one. When you have an experience similar to what’s described in the book, you’ll notice it right away.”
“Y-yeah. Okay. Then that’s what I’ll do.”
What she said was something that rarely happened. It would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for someone like Byleth, who wasn’t as thorough as Luna.
“Is it better if I choose? Or will you?”
“Is it okay if I ask you to? The books Luna chooses are interesting.”
“Got it. Then I’ll bring two books.”
“Oh! I’ll get the books myself. Sorry, thanks for offering.”
Byleth tends to rely on Luna a lot. He can’t leave everything up to her that he can do himself.
Seeing her trying to go get the books alone, Byleth walks follows behind her to ask her to lead the way.
This behavior is obviously not fitting for the eldest son of a high ranking noble’s family.
“I… I haven’t told you this before, but it would be helpful if you didn’t act so timidly. It’s really annoying.”
“Huh? Isn’t that an unfair thing to say? This school rule is supposed to make all students equal.”
“…That’s not fair.”
“Haha.”
Luna speaks her mind frankly.
But that’s the natural reaction.
The higher the status, the more likely they are to dislike this rule. From the perspective of someone with a high status, it’s not an exaggeration to call it a disadvantageous rule.
“It’s my first time experiencing this. Being countered happily using that rule.”
“There are people like that too.”
As they walk slowly through the library, the two chat animatedly.
“…Because you’re like that, I feel like I might get deluded someday. It’s a strange thing to say, but if I were in the same position as you…”
“I hope we can become good friends like that.”
“Huh.”
Hearing that voice, Luna suddenly raises her shoulders and stops her feet on impulse.
“Ah, did I say something weird?”
“No… If you don’t refuse, I think it’ll come true.”
“Really? That’s good.”
If you glance sideways, you’ll see Byleth with a satisfied smile on his face.
“…Don’t look so happy, please.”
“But I am happy.”
“Can you… stop that soon?”
“Huh, what?”
“…Never mind. It’s nothing.”
Her intentions don’t get through.
Happy words are inserted one after another, and they’re asked back with a normal expression.
Pushed unintentionally, Luna runs away.
To avoid further embarrassment, she moves her feet again and walks ahead so that he can’t see her face.
—But she stops again.
“L-Luna? Are you okay…?”
To Byleth, it’s a strange behavior. He calls out with a worried voice, but she doesn’t hear those words.
She hears another voice in her mind.
(Since he’s so frustratingly insensitive, if you keep going like this, nothing will change. If you want to give up, I won’t say anything more, but that’s not what you want, right?)
(If you don’t do anything, I’ll just keep widening the gap.)
Elena’s words from a few tens of minutes ago… It’s as if she foresaw this happening.
“U-um… Byleth Saint Ford…”
“Y-yeah?”
“Th-that…”
Luna’s answer is already decided.
[I have to show him that I’ve changed…]
With this determination, she can face Elena, who supported her with so many cheers.
She moves her feet and turns back.
With warmth gathering on her cheeks and her face flushing, she doesn’t lose her courage.
She looks Byleth with her golden eyes and trembles as she speaks.
“I-I also… am happy… that you feel that way… So, I’ll just say that… I didn’t want to be misunderstood…”
“Haha, got it.”
Despite her clumsiness, she meets his gaze and says firmly.
Turning her back on the bewildered Byleth, Luna turns right at the corner.
“W-Wait a minute, Luna. Isn’t the literature section to the left?”
“…”
And then, hearing the voice thrown from behind, she casually turns her body to the left and explains.
“Everyone makes mistakes. I wasn’t flustered or anything.”
“Pfft, haha.”
“S-Stop laughing. I’ll get mad.”
“S-sorry, sorry. Thanks, Luna, for telling me about earlier.”
“…Yeah.”
This time, she was able to say it like this, which is a big step forward.
Although she responds with a cold voice, her heart is beating fast.
“Ah, by the way, I think Elena came to the library to give you an invitation. Ais everything alright? “
When they arrived in front of the bookshelf filled with romance novels,
Byleth said this to Luna.
“What do you mean by ‘is everything alright? ‘”
“Well, Elena is a bit clumsy and hard to understand sometimes. I guess that’s why. Once you get to know her, you don’t feel that way at all.”
Elena, who has a tendency to be blunt, and Luna, who has an expressionless face.
No one could imagine what would happen when these two interacted.
“Thank you for your concern. I had a very good time.”
“That’s good to hear. I want the two of you to get along.”
“It’s a bit blunt, but it’s probably because of her kindness that she’s awkward.”
“Hehe, if you say that to Elena, she’ll probably get angry while blushing, saying ‘That’s not true!'”
“Well then, let’s keep this conversation a secret.”
“Okay. Understood.”
Luna takes precautions to avoid trouble.
Even if she conveys her current thoughts, it would likely be laughed off. But here, she respects the other’s opinion.
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