Chapter 1: Meeting the Lover
Byleth and Sia were walking to school together when—
“Oh my, good morning, Luna.”
“…Ah. Good morning, Miss Elena.”
In front of the grand fountain built within the grounds of Ravelwarts Academy—
Luna, who had been sitting quietly on the edge of the fountain reading a book, and Elena, who was about to enter the school building, crossed paths.
“Let me say it again—thank you so much for the dinner party the night before last. Thanks to Miss Elena’s arrangements, I was able to spend an irreplaceable time.”
“As the host, I couldn’t ask for kinder words… but this outcome must be because you gathered your courage.”
“It was because of Miss Elena that I was able to gather my courage.”
“Hehe, well, you’re welcome then.”
Though Elena had no intention of accepting gratitude—[It was your own achievement]—Luna wouldn’t let her brush it off.
—Because something truly wonderful had happened at the dinner party two nights ago.
The happiest moment she had ever experienced in her life.
“Well, saying ‘you’re welcome’ isn’t quite right, though. Because it was thanks to you being there with me that I was able to spend such a lovely time as well.”
“I didn’t do anything to assist Miss Elena. You were the one supporting me—I only held you back.”
“Fufufu, if I say so, then just accept it graciously. I did the same, after all.”
“I… have no words to reply… Then, I shall do as you say.”
“Please do.”
Elena smiled warmly, her expression gentle and enveloping, while Luna returned a modest, reserved smile.
“By the way, it’s unusual to see you reading here, Luna. With all the foot traffic and voices around, it’s hardly as quiet as the library… Are you clearing your mind?”
“No, I have a slight matter to attend to today.”
Having anticipated the question, Luna shook her head slightly before answering.
“A matter…? Around here, that would mean… meeting someone, perhaps?”
“I’m waiting unilaterally, so unfortunately, it’s not quite like that.”
“Unilaterally?”
To put it more bluntly—[lying in wait].
Elena tilted her head, her scarlet hair swaying, as she frowned slightly in thought.
Then, her eyes widened in realization.
“Ah, so that’s what it is.”
“……”
“You want to see Byleth, your new lover, so you’re staking out here?”
“Th-That would be correct.”
Since they were now involved with the same person,
Luna had no intention of hiding anything from Elena. She had spoken knowing full well she’d be found out… but being seen through still left her burning with embarrassment.
Her fair, unblemished face flushed scarlet, and her gaze dropped unconsciously.
“B-But, um… I don’t believe I’ve said or done anything strange. Considering our relationship has changed, I think it’s only natural—an expected reaction.”
“Fufu, you’re only weak when it comes to this kind of topic, aren’t you?”
“It’s only… natural. I never imagined a future where I could have a lover until now.”
Though usually calm and composed, Luna was different this time.
Her usual poise was replaced with restless fidgeting—a naive, lovestruck reaction that would make most people laugh.
“Honestly, I’m quite envious of you, Miss Elena. Even though we’re in the same situation, you seem so much more composed.”
“Just for the record… Byleth is my first lover too, you know?”
“Even so, the difference is striking.”
“W-Well, I suppose you could say that.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Weekdays, weekends—Luna had always spent her time reading. The dinner party two nights ago had been her first time attending such an event.
The number of times she had received romantic confessions or interacted with the opposite sex paled in comparison to Elena.
There was no doubt that experience played a major role in their difference in composure.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but… I’ve been a little—no, quite worried about something. Now that our relationship has changed… I’m afraid that seeing me so flustered might make him find me bothersome.”
“Goodness, what are you even saying? He wouldn’t fall for someone like that to begin with, so relax.”
With a light pat on Luna’s slender shoulder, Elena encouraged her wholeheartedly.
“Though, if I had to say one thing—if you keep prioritizing your hobbies like before, you might end up frustrating him. Since your relationship has changed, he’ll naturally want to grow closer to you.”
“Thank you for the advice. But on that point, I have no concerns. Right now, reading isn’t as important as…”
“Is that truly your own will?”
“……If it weren’t, this relationship wouldn’t have happened.”
“Fufu, the day you’re no longer called ‘the book-devouring prodigy’ might not be so far off.”
“Finding something I want to prioritize over reading… is something I’m genuinely happy about.”
“Oh? Then forgive me for worrying needlessly.”
Elena, too, was pleased by those words.
With nothing more to add, she simply smiled softly.
“Well, I have my own concerns too, you know.”
“Even Miss Elena has worries?”
“Yes, of course. After all, the girl standing right in front of me was about to sneak ahead and meet Byleth all on her own.”
“—!”
Luna hadn’t expected that to be brought up now.
For a moment, she faltered—but she had an excuse. No, a justification.
“……Miss Elena gets to see him in class, doesn’t she? You have plenty of time to interact with him.”
Her amber eyes stared intently, as if to say, [If anything, Miss Elena is the one sneaking ahead.] But her momentum was quickly extinguished.
“I can’t deny that… but listen, Luna. The situation has changed.”
“Wh-What do you mean?”
Elena’s expression was grave, her tone serious.
Realizing this was no joke, Luna immediately pressed for an answer.
“This morning, my father informed me… that starting today, Aria sama will be attending school regularly.”
“Eh…?”
“Of course, she’ll only come on days without prior engagements… but she’s apparently requested to join our class.”
The reasoning—that there were many acquaintances and the classroom seemed convenient—was understandable. But Elena had her doubts.
“Naturally, I’m overjoyed to have her with us. But… I don’t think Aria sama would have any reason to specifically request our class. She gets along with everyone, so it’s not as if she has more friends here than elsewhere.”
“You suspect… he might be involved?”
“……She did show interest in Byleth during the dinner party.”
Luna could see the logic in Elena’s reasoning, but there still wasn’t enough information to make a judgment.
“It seems unlikely she would change her usual stance for just that, though. She’s an incredibly busy person, and the time she spent with Byleth at the dinner party was brief.”
Elena nodded as if expecting that response before continuing.
“But what if, in that short time… Byleth did something strange to her?”
Luna understood that [something strange] didn’t mean it literally.
“Even if he did something that left a strong impression on Aria sama, I believe she would still act as she always does. After all, she is the Songstress.”
“Really… just what could have happened with Aria sama?”
“At this stage, finding an answer is impossible.”
“W-Well, I suppose so…”
Neither of them had any way of knowing that Aria had a dual nature.
Her flawless, perfect façade had earned her immeasurable popularity among men and women alike. The truth lay far, far beyond their reach.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
