Episode 36: The Merchant Noble Sees Through Everything

“—Well then, that concludes homeroom. You must be tired in this new environment, but please prepare for your classes individually”

The elderly teacher announced the end of homeroom.

The tense atmosphere was already gone.

After hearing information that would make their hearts flutter about what was to come—self-introductions, committee introductions, and such—everyone had lost the fear and oppressive feeling they had felt earlier.

Perhaps the homeroom teacher’s gentle atmosphere was also a reason. Because she faced the students with a gentle tone rather than a stiff attitude, even now that she had left, a harmonious mood flowed.

For that reason, the intimidating aura that Eleanore had emitted was disappearing from everyone’s memory, but those who had actually had it directed at them couldn’t exactly do the same.

For the better part of an hour, the man called Doggy or something had a haggard expression on his face, and even after homeroom ended he remained pale. He hurriedly left the classroom as if fleeing.

But no one in the class noticed such a thing.

Everyone was deepening their friendship with new companions, and as for Eleanore, she seemed to have already erased even his existence from her memory.

“Anciness-san, what will you do after this?”

Colette, sitting next to her, asked while gathering her belongings.

“…I have something to do after this”

“I see… Is that right after this?”

“That is…I don’t know. I’m meeting someone”

Hearing Eleanore’s reply, Colette lowered her gaze slightly and let her thoughts wander.

It could have looked like searching eyes, but after that she immediately raised her gaze and said in a bright voice.

“Then, won’t you walk with me to the meeting place?”

Raising her index finger while saying this with a beaming smile.

However, Eleanore furrowed her brow suspiciously at the strangeness of being approached so much.

“Ah, I’m sorry. That’s a bit suspicious, isn’t it? I just thought since we have the chance, I’d like to talk with you”

Colette hurriedly waved her arms as if making excuses.

But that alone wouldn’t make her wariness fade.

“I don’t think talking with me would be very interesting”

“That’s absooolutely not true!! Anciness-san is being too modest”

She said it exaggeratedly, but it didn’t seem like she was just trying to liven things up.

Eleanore could somehow sense that she sincerely thought so.

“…Ah, but it’s fine if you don’t want to, okay? I am intruding on someone’s business after all”

She suddenly said in a shrinking manner.

The atmosphere that somehow even felt apologetic—was it a characteristic of the girl called Colette, or was it a scheme?

“…I understand. If Holden-san says so”

“Really?! I’m so honored!”

Colette clapped her hands together and showed a blooming smile.

It wore an aura that somehow made even the other person smile, and while Eleanore didn’t smile…her wariness did fade.

“Ah, you can call me Colette. I don’t really like the name Holden”

“Is that so? …Then, Colette-san. Shall we go together?”

“Aha. Nice to meet you, Anciness-san”

Having such a conversation, the two girls left the classroom.

***

“Speaking of which, the other day a magician said—”

“—Is that so?”

“This academy has a horse racing competition around the end of winter—”

“—That sounds fun”

“Recently, among Seekers, perfumes derived from magical beasts seem to be popular—”

“—That’s very interesting”

The conversation was not at all like a game of catch.

Colette threw out talk topics like bullets, but Eleanore intercepted them all with a single phrase.

The conversation unfolded like a machine gun versus a shelter.

Considering both their personalities, of course it would turn out that way, but the problem was not understanding why Colette was going so far to engage.

“Ah, that’s right. Like I said earlier, Anciness-san’s speech was good, wasn’t it?”

“Thank you very much”

Undeterred, Colette continued offering topics.

And what came back was the same terse, conversation-ending answers as before.

However,

“I thought it was worthy of the top student. The person next to you…from the knight course was amazing too”

When Colette said that, Eleanore suddenly stopped walking.

At the completely different reaction from before, Colette also stopped with a delay.

“…Him?”

She said quietly, lowering her gaze.

Colette raised the corners of her mouth just slightly.

Probably to a degree that no one would notice.

Like finally hitting a target after shooting a hundred times, or like finally discovering a spot where the fish she was aiming for was…it wasn’t a condescending feeling, but she was exuding such a “finally” emotion.

“Yeah. His dignified posture and attitude, his voice had a gallant atmosphere too…knights who aspire to be knights are cool after all, aren’t they?”

“Is that so…yes, that’s right”

“You understand too, Anciness-san? He’s so solid you wouldn’t think he’s the same age, and if he gallantly rescued you from a difficult situation, your heart would skip a beat, wouldn’t it…”

At Colette’s words, Eleanore nodded in agreement.

Blushing with embarrassment, yet as if proud of something.

At first glance it was unclear what kind of emotion it was, but seeing that state, the descendant of merchant nobles arrived at certainty.

“Hey, the person you’re meeting is that him, isn’t it?”

Colette with a confident smile.

“…Wha?!”

After a few seconds of silence, Eleanore raised an absurd voice.

You could say it was the most emotional voice of the day.

“You’re making a face like ‘how did you know,’ but of course I’d figure it out. You were strangely close during the speech too, and you threatened the person who was trying to speak ill of him, didn’t you?”

Seeing her like that, Colette said while waving her hand.

“That person earlier…what was his name? Kamikam or something? The moment the topic of him came up with the person who confronted you, you got angry”

“That…couldn’t be helped. …I couldn’t forgive it”

Eleanore said so bashfully, yet with certain will.

“Hey, what kind of relationship do you have? How did you meet? Since what age? I absolutely love that kind of talk. Could you tell me the details?”

Looking even more interested, Colette launched a barrage of questions.

Being subjected to such things, there was no way she wouldn’t be flustered, and Eleanore made her eyes spin while her cheeks turned bright red.

In the first place, wasn’t it rude to brazenly ask about people’s relationships?

There was probably no need to talk about it.

It wouldn’t be strange to think that, and in fact Eleanore wasn’t without such thoughts.

…But,

“With him…with Arcs, we’ve known each other since we were 7—”

She started talking normally.

Eleanore Anciness was the type of maiden who gushes about her love.