“Hey, I know it’s gauche to say this, but do you regret choosing Byleth…? Because I pushed you so forcefully, your time to think, your pace, it must have been thrown off, right? I thought about it calmly. Maybe that action was wrong…”
“You should have confidence since he’s the one you fell for. He’s a wonderful person, and I wouldn’t recommend him to anyone if I thought they would regret it.”
“Yeah, you’re right. As much as he is…”
A correct assertion made in a calm voice.
Elena, with her cheeks turned red, pouted and twirled her red hair with her index finger.
“So, I don’t regret it. I think your actions were right. And besides, I understand the reason for pushing.”
And then, Luna, who had been given a moment, turned her sleepy eyes into a glare, as if thinking about something troublesome.
“It’s not allowed for me to say this given my position, but isn’t there any way to fix his denseness?”
“Hehe, it’s reassuring that we can argue with each other. You think so too, right?”
“Despite being so dense, he’s smart and considerate. It’s strangely frustrating.”
[If things continue like this, nothing will change.] Luna understood the reason she was told that, from his denseness.
With that said, Elena voices her thoughts.
“Maybe… Byleth is intentionally avoiding it.”
“What… do you mean?”
“I’m just speculating, okay? So listen with a grain of salt… Maybe he’s avoiding it because he feels guilty about something. Especially lately.”
“I’m sorry. Can you please explain in more detail?”
With a furrowed brow and a serious expression, Elena and Luna, who had switched on their contemplative switches, leaned a little closer, making sure not to miss a single word.
“You might not know this, but Byleth is completely different now from before, in terms of impression and atmosphere. He used to have an air of to look down on everyone around him.”
“So, you mean his personality has changed?”
“I-I didn’t say that. Byleth was probably just putting on an act. To help the maid, Sia, grow. You know, sometimes it’s better to instill fear in order to help someone grow, right? So, in that context…”
“I see. He must have been quite strict in his guidance, given that he seems prepared for whatever people think.”
“Yes, it’s only natural for bad rumors to spread, isn’t it?”
“By the way, the reason it felt like acting…”
“The period when Byleth became kind coincides with the time when Sia was consistently achieving excellent results. That adds credibility, doesn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
The concept of swapping bodies doesn’t exist in this world.
From a practical standpoint, Elena’s mention of “acting” makes sense.
“…So, even though it was acting, because he has a past where he made people uncomfortable, he might be questioning if he deserves to be happy or not, you know?”
“He’s a sincere person, so it’s entirely possible he’s still carrying that burden.”
“He’s definitely still carrying it. He even mentioned recently that he needs to apologize to Sia again.”
Elena is speaking purely from speculation, but there are many points in their conversation that align.
“Also, whenever Byleth is praised for his inner qualities, he seems happy, but he doesn’t react the same way when praised for his appearance. It might sound a bit off, but maybe it’s because he’s conscious of his past actions that made others uncomfortable, so he prefers compliments on his character.”
“If it’s him, I think he could find various ways to make Sia look impressive without resorting to methods that diminish his own image.”
“Perhaps he wanted to build a mentality that could thrive no matter which household she served. Some households rule through fear, so if he was preparing Sia for that, he had no choice but to become intimidating himself, right?”
“Hmm…”
At this point, Luna recalls the scene where Sia was being approached by boys…
No matter how much they tried to persuade her, Sia wouldn’t agree. One boy, whose pride was wounded by her rejection, tried to grab her arm… only to have her push him away, maintaining a firm stance with cold eyes.
If Byleth’s guidance led to her developing that self-defense ability, it would make sense.
“You can see it if you spend time with Byleth, right? How much he truly cares about Sia.”
“Yes.”
“Well, in that case, we should make sure he cares about us too, Luna?”
“…P-Please don’t suddenly say embarrassing things. I’m not as strong as you are…”
Though it’s a natural wish, it comes out of nowhere, teasing.
With Elena leaning in close, Luna steps back, blushing and looking down.
“I’ve never seen you blush like that before.”
“Y-You shouldn’t tease me like this. I’m not as bold as you are… And about what you said to him earlier…”
“Oh? You’re quite daring. If you’re saying that, why not tell him our feelings together?”
“N-No… that’s enough…”
“Hehe, I’d love for Byleth to see your face right now.”
Elena vocalized “together.” If she’s conveying that, it includes Luna.
Luna can’t compete in these kinds of conversations.
And if she had the composure, she might have noticed.
“Well… let’s both do our best. There’s a possibility we could fit into his life…”
—Elena, her face hidden behind her long hair, now bright red.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
The next morning arrives.
“Is that really true?”
“Yes. Apparently, the most important thing when trying to gain someone’s consciousness is showing a gap. For Miss Elena, even just showing a slightly vulnerable side might be effective.”
“Hmm… But being vulnerable is really hard, you know? It’s embarrassing.”
“It’s precisely because it’s hard that it’s effective.”
Sitting by the fountain in the courtyard of Ravelwarts Academy, Elena and Luna engage in small talk.
Their coincidental matching of school schedules has made the pairing of the Crimson Princess and the Bookworm a rare sight, drawing much attention.
“Even if you say to be vulnerable, will there even be time for that during the Banquet?”
“Perhaps after leaving the venue would be best.”
“…But wouldn’t that make it even harder? During the Banquet, everyone will be dressed so elegantly… It’s tricky when the impression is different.”
“Since Miss Sia is accompanying him exclusively, I’m sure she’ll ensure everything is flawless.”
“No doubt.”
Because it’s a Banquet, everyone will dress up more than usual.
The fact that the person of interest would do so only adds to the nerves.
“So… could you ask him to go easy on me?”
“It’s unlikely your request would be granted.”
“Sigh…”
A resigned sigh.
“Really, if he weren’t so oblivious and weird, I wouldn’t have to struggle like this.”
“Considering it’s him, I find it rather endearing.”
“If his obliviousness prevents us from reaching our goal, then it’s pointless.”
“…You’re not wrong.”
Once Elena was convinced, now it’s Luna’s turn to be convinced.
Even though it’s only been a short time since the two started conversing, they’re getting closer because they’re sharing secrets that they can’t tell others.
“Oh, Miss Elena, I see him.”
“…He looks happy.”
They observe. A boy, accompanied by a petite maid, is making his way towards the academy, engaging in lively conversation with her.
“It’s impolite to shout. Shall we approach to greet him?”
“Hey, Luna. Could you stare at that kid for about three seconds? Something interesting will happen.”
“I understand, but…”
What could be interesting? If she follows his instructions and looks away after three seconds… something truly interesting happens.
After about three seconds, when Luna tries to avert her gaze,
“What?”
the person in question turns his face towards them as if sensing their gaze.
“Heh? Interesting, right?”
“It can be said that it’s natural for other nobles to try to recruit Sia.”
What she can do because she’s too talented. She can do it without conversing with his master while being attentive to his surroundings.
The maid shows a gesture as if teaching her master, and they both walk towards them.
“Good morning to both of you!”
“Good morning! Miss Elena, Miss Luna!”
“Good morning.”
“Thank you for your politeness.”
Each has a different greeting, due to the sparse status of the four.
“It feels like an unusual combination, but what were you two talking about?”
“Well, who knows. I can tell you, but…”
“Oh.”
Though Sia lets out a quiet voice as if she’s already figured it out, Byleth, who still hasn’t noticed anything, asks.
“…Luna?”
“It’s the same as Miss Elena’s.”
“A-am I the only one left out!?”
“Isn’t that usual for you?”
“Hehe.”
You should try to be nicer to me. …… “
If Elena speaks logically, Luna modestly smiles while covering her mouth, and Sia, who silently observes, smiles gently.
The jealousy directed towards Byleth, surrounded by the three, is something only he doesn’t know about.
“…But I never thought I’d be able to enter this circle.”
Byleth, Elena, Sia. There was a time when she peeked through the library window and saw the three chatting happily.
What she once envied has somehow come true.
“Even though Elena can be noisy, you can come in anytime.”
“Luna, even if there’s a nasty guy like him, I’ll protect you, so feel free to rely on me.”
“Thank you. You’re very reliable.”
“A-aren’t the two of them getting along better than with me? Elena even calls her ‘Luna’… Make sure to pay attention to me on the day of the banquet too, or I’ll be really lonely.”
“Hehe, I understand.”
“I’ll go talk to you too.”
And continuing their conversation…
“If you keep that promise.”
“If you keep that promise.”
With a tense tone in their voices, Elena and Luna concluded their conversation.
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