3. Dragon’s Eye, Human Mind (60)
To Elsie’s harsh words, Shien didn’t have the right answer to give back.
So, she avoided her gaze once, bit her lip, and looked at Elsie again with hesitant eyes.
Until then, Elsie was just silently glaring at Shien.
He didn’t add a single word, but Shien knew. That cool gaze was revealing emotions that could not be described in a hundred words.
Shien felt like he was suffocating again. “Huh,” the sound of a quick inhalation escaped from his throat.
Fierce hostility was seeping through the gray mist.
Seeing that stimulating color, Shien wanted to take a step back right away.
However, no matter how much you run away, the world will not change.
Everywhere in the academy, people hate her.
It wasn’t just Elsie, but everyone at the academy was like that. If that was the case, I’d rather atone, Shien managed to make up her mind and lowered her head.
“Miss Rainella… Ah, no, senior Elsie.”
It was an aristocratic etiquette to call someone by their last name. Only then did the princess look like she was threatening her with her status, so Shien hurriedly corrected the title to ‘Senior’.
It wasn’t that strange for a junior to apologize to a senior.
“I’m sorry, I should have posted an apology first… In the meantime, he made so many mistakes to senior Ian… … .”
“… … Ha, that’s fine if you know.”
Elsie snorted and turned her head away like that.
It was the attitude that I didn’t want to talk anymore. Because of that, Shien had to stand there for a while as if he was nailed to the spot while hesitating.
I wanted to apologize, and I wanted to be forgiven.
However, the chances of his heart being reciprocated were not high.
That was particularly sad, so Shien glanced at Elsie with a downcast expression.
Regardless, Elsie just had a disapproving look on her face. It was an expression of blatant refusal, not wanting to see Cien at all.
Even so, when Cien didn’t leave her side for a long time, Elsie, who couldn’t see it, let out an annoyed voice.
“what are you doing? Not turning off right now… Have you noticed?”
It was a rant that was close to raw.
Shien shrank even more. Because she was so timid, the first situation she experienced was frightening and embarrassing.
A senior with such a lovely appearance, how could he speak so ferociously?
His thumping heart seemed to tell him to run away. However, Shien swallowed dry saliva and made up his mind.
To run away was to be hated forever.
I hated it as much as that.
It had been a long time since Shien’s mind had been devastated, even in that short amount of time. However, it was terrifying to imagine that she would have to endure such ferocious hostility every time she came to Ian’s side.
Shien managed to calm his trembling voice. It was to show a bright appearance.
It was a car that came with a piece of good news.
Hoping that this news would ease Elsie’s anger a little, Shien opened her mouth.
“That’s why I said I’m sorry… That, and fortunately! The imperial family decided to support the divine object. Soon after, the news that Sir Ian could recover… … .”
But that false hope was soon shattered.
“… … This bitch is real.”
A crisp, blue electric charge bounced in the air.
Cien was taken aback by Elsie’s strange reaction and took a couple of steps back. It was the first time in his life that he had been threatened so directly by an Imperial nobleman.
There was not even a precursor. However, before I knew it, the magical powers around me were aligning.
If Elsie put her mind to it, the charge would spread in all directions on the falling rain. It only took a few seconds from the chanting to the condensation of mana.
It was a skill worthy of one of the best battle wizards in the academy’s top grade.
In terms of the amount of magical power or the talent itself, Shien might be more outstanding. However, if Cien and Elsie faced each other now, it was obvious how the outcome would turn out.
A cold sweat ran down Shien’s spine as he was cornered.
It was scary and sad.
The princess was an imperial family descended from noble dragon blood. Of course, I had never been treated like this before.
Originally, even Elsie would not have dared to think of threatening Shien.
But now Elsie’s reason had evaporated a long time ago. Since Ian’s collapse, Elsie has been suffering from extreme mental fatigue.
However, Shien threw a stone into the furnace just before it overflowed.
Elsie couldn’t stand it any longer. He frowned and lowered his voice like a growl.
“Hey, are you comfortable with me?”
“Uh, that… Oh no… … .”
Shien, who hesitated, had no choice but to blur the end of his words.
Are you satisfied with me?
Shien had been in a position to make such remarks, but never in a position to listen. So when I heard something similar, I didn’t even know how to react.
Cien’s eyes, glancing at Elsie’s eyes, were filled with fear that could not be hidden.
If left as it was, it was ready to burst into tears.
That appearance further aroused Elsie’s savagery.
It was the moment when the inner violence that had been suppressed because of Ian was awakened again.
“By the way, what do you think is good? What you messed up, you just sorted it out, right? Of course you have to do it… yes?”
Shien hurriedly lowered his head at the earnest tone that flowed through his clenched teeth. The two hands, which were held together politely, trembled.
Elsie’s voice, which had been getting hotter, reached a climax and exploded into a roar.
“What are you going to do with the fact that you gave a damn to your master and tore human relationships to shreds?! Do you know how hard it was for me back then?! And I heard that you, even your family, have been touched.”
Shien flinched at the rage-filled shout, shivering and lowering his gaze. Those light gray eyes had a dull watery look.
Fortunately, Elsie didn’t particularly care about that.
It was in the midst of pouring rain in the first place.
There was no way a tear or two could be seen. Even Elsie, who was already soaked in the rain, might have already shed a few tears.
Even so, Shien somehow held back her tears because she didn’t want to appear weak.
He was so absorbed that he didn’t even find it strange to be called ‘Master’. However, judging from the context, the idea of an expression referring to Ian only crossed my mind.
Elsie’s rant continued.
“You have a thick face… And I’m scared, how can I do everything I can to touch my family? huh? Me too, I’m famous for having a bad temper and living life like sh*t… I still haven’t touched my family.”
“… … I, somehow.”
Cien, who could no longer bear Elsie’s anger, spoke so urgently while gasping.
Elsie’s mouth fell shut for a moment. However, those blazing blue eyes were still there, and I could sense that they were ready to bite at the slightest opening.
Shien’s light gray eyes were accepting the waves of emotion as they pleased. As if it were a shipwreck on the emotion of anger, she hastily picked up an excuse.
“I will try to solve it somehow… Senior Ian’s family problems… … .”
“f*ck you.”
And the ball of the electric charge that was thrown with a pak exploded right next to Shien.
Shien let out a scream as the highness bounced in all directions with a rumble. Contrary to expectations, however, Shien was not electrocuted.
It was thanks to Elsie that the minimum amount of reason still remained.
The hem of Shien’s clothes got slightly wet as he hurriedly stepped aside. Shien looked at Elsie with trembling eyes.
“Hey, if you stab it with a knife and apply medicine, will it be nothing? What about the pain and hardships you’ve been through? And what about the scars? Do you know how hard it was for me because of you?! I-I’m worried that I’ll be a nuisance, Master… … .”
Elsie, who had been screaming in anger, sniffed and wiped her eyes as if she was filled with emotion. Even though it was already wet with rainwater and was indistinguishable from tears.
The sound of rain dug between Cien and Elsie.
Elsie turned around again with a miserable look. It was back toward the temple where Ian was.
And he spat out a weak warning.
“… … Get out, and don’t see me in the future. Next time, because the princess and Nabal are gone.”
It was a high-level remark that amounted to contempt for the imperial family, but Shien, who was completely stunned, couldn’t even think of blaming it.
He just picked up the words that Elsie had spouted out, like pieces of glass.
That’s right, there’s nothing you can do about it if you’ve already stabbed it with a knife.
irreversible There is no way to fix it, and all you can do is ask for forgiveness.
But if even the sight of him kneeling down and begging for forgiveness is repulsive.
Then what should I do?
Am I forever unforgivable?
The word ‘shameless’ pierced Shien’s heart like an awl. If he had thought about it a little longer, Shien might be able to realize it.
Actually, judging from various circumstances, Cien’s misunderstanding was justified. There was even an aspect of Ian inducing them to misunderstand on purpose.
However, when the accusations hit one after another in a situation where his mind was pushed to the limit, Shien could not maintain his reason at all.
Mitram mocked her, and soon members of the academy who were once on her side hung Shien as a scapegoat, and even the saintess and Elsie, who were close friends with Ian, criticized her.
Everything felt like his own sin.
Isn’t everyone around you saying that?
She is the worst villain who misunderstood Ian’s noble intentions and even touched his family.
Still, she couldn’t let go of her obsession with Ian, and Shien became more and more nervous.
It was the only ‘real thing’ I had been looking for all my life. I finally found it, and without Ian, it would only return to the lonely and painful past.
I hated it as much as that.
But she had too many sins to shamelessly stick around Ian.
Feeling nervous, Shien’s thumb naturally moved to his mouth. However, at that moment, lightning struck and the princess regained her senses.
There was a flash, and the field of view turned white, and then thunder rang out. It was only then that the princess was able to compare her and Elsie’s looks.
While wearing a luxurious umbrella, the hem of his cloak was wet and he was crying.
And Elsie, already wet and dripping with water.
Of course, it wasn’t Shien’s fault. However, for some reason, Shien hesitated and then approached Elsie with an umbrella.
It made me want to hand over my umbrella.
Of course, Elsie had no intention of accepting the favor.
“… … I do not need.”
The same cold voice as before, Shien eventually hesitated again.
The lifeless blue eyes were staring at Shien. Elsie turned around once more and staggered towards Shien.
“What I need is… … .”
There is only one, you.
Cien couldn’t bear to shake off Elsie’s hand at the humming muttering.
“Quaak,” Elsie’s hand gripped Cien’s collar. Despite the height difference, Elsie was a skilled wizard.
Even if not as much as the test, the physical ability itself was nothing to compare with the general public.
Kek, kek, Shien caught his breath and put his hand to his throat. Elsie’s hand was slowly lifting her up.
Elsie’s head, which had been lowered for a moment, lifted again.
Those eyes were wet with water, whether it was rain or tears.
Shien was unable to say anything, with tears in his eyes.
Even until the bleak voice pierced Shien’s ears.
“You took it… … !”
“… … stop.”
However, it was an unexpected person who stopped Elsie.
A woman with brilliant golden hair was approaching with a confident gait.
Those crimson eyes looked drowsy as if they were soaked in blood. Fair skin, slim jawline, and all the conditions of a northern beauty, she stood there with some distance.
“Stop it, Rainella… Are you crazy?”
It was Delphine Yurdina.
Please calm the situation a bit Delphine.