240 – Stars and Voices (1)
#1
“You have to be clear. Miss.”
“… ….”
“As you may know, the Grand Duke’s Council is not far off. It is said that the Demon subjugation system, which was derived from the rampage of demon slaves that were recently bred illegally, will also be reviewed at this grand public meeting… Matters of great importance to the fortunes of the Empire will be dealt with. They say that a very careful and wise opinion is needed.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, lady. So-“
“What does that have to do with me?”
A word that stabs you.
Chamberlain Eubert de Olsen, a servant of the Feltline family, took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow.
‘You know that the root is above just because you raised it well.’
“…… The head of household is attending for the first time in three years. During the long hiatus, the number of gossip about the head of the family increased considerably. Now is the time to shut the mouths of those things. Shouldn’t we dare to renew all the unjust rumors that shame the Feltline family?”
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Jubert came a long way from his home. This is because the border level of the frontier has risen to the limit, and the spelling of the entry for outsiders has become very difficult.
What a troublesome process he went through because of that. Even naming the names of the only five dukes in the empire would be this much, but others wouldn’t even need to explain.
Anyway, for one reason or another, Yubert’s nerves were slightly on edge.
It’s just that the position is the position, so he didn’t show anything on the outside… I didn’t really like this situation where I was hit by the family head at the main house and hit by his foster daughter here. I wish I could hurry up and get off work. It didn’t look that easy.
That’s why the head of the family must have sent himself.
Not being contacted through the communication port was part of the calculation that it was impossible to dismiss a guest who had returned from a long way lightly.
Actually, Stella had a cold attitude from beginning to end, but she did not kick out Yubert blindly. Like this, they were just talking quietly with the sound blocking magic turned on.
If it was a problem that there was no progress compared to an hour ago, it was a problem, but….
“The chamberlain.”
“… Yes, lady.”
On a small stage outside, under the chandelier of the restaurant where stringed instruments sounded, Stella sipped a cup of rose-scented black tea.
Surely, looking at the elegant gestures without any awkwardness, the nobles were nobles. Even if the blood is red.
The place where Stella and Yubert were located was a private room in a restaurant. Although he took magical measures to prevent the conversation from leaking out, it was because it seemed that the conversation would not flow easily if there were many eyes to see.
“Initially, there were two conditions.”
Tak.
Stella put down the teacup and looked in front of her.
“One- As long as I cooperate with my father on a regular basis, don’t try to interfere too much with my academy life.”
“… ….”
I know. However, considering Stella’s point of view, it was a pretty bold proposal.
The Duke’s daughter. It would have been natural for a member of the family and the next head of the family to be cooperative for the sake of the family, but Stella did not. It was really strange. How much the householder had taken care of her convenience until now. She doesn’t even know grace.
On the one hand, she says otherwise, she wouldn’t have cooperated if she hadn’t put up a condition. Again, she confronted the lord directly and saw a compromise similar to blackmail.
At the negotiating table with the head of the house, where the eavesdropper’s heart trembled, what she wanted in return was a little bit of freedom. And Stella finally got what she wanted.
Recalling the events that had taken place for this condition to be established satisfactorily, Yuver suddenly felt dizzy from one side of her head and frowned her wrinkled brow even more.
“And the second.”
Hearing Stella’s voice, Yubert straightened his wrinkled eyebrows. It was because she showed off her uncomfortable feelings and nothing good happened.
“If someone violates the first condition, do not hold them accountable for what happens afterwards. It was a condition that worked for both sides.”
It’s an ambiguous sentence that can be interpreted differently at first glance, but it had a literal meaning.
If Stella does not cooperate with family affairs, the head of the household, the Duke of Feltline, will have a right. The right to deeply interfere with Stella’s academy life. For example, suggesting a list of people to be friendly with. Or, it was safe to say that it was a de facto censure right.
However, this also applies to the opposite case.
“Father has violated the first condition. What the hell are you doing by sending you over to dinner with my friends? If you do this, you know how I will come out.”
Stella hardened her expression coldly.
“Even if you tell me….”
Yuber sweated profusely. I’ll have to clean it again. The handkerchief never gets dry.
After stealing the sweat from his brow, Yuber finally opens his mouth about the purpose of his coming here.
“…… And, to borrow the words of the head of the household. You broke the condition first.”
“… ….”
Stella, who was silent, asked back.
“Why do you think so?”
“That’s right, not once since entering school-“
“I never broke.”
Resolutely, Stella drew her line.
“You know that, right? It’s not that I can listen when I want and get what I want.”
“…… That’s.”
“I kept trying. But it failed. I should have already informed you of the outcome.”
“… ….”
You might be thinking, “How can I believe that?” But I have no reason to lie. I’m the only one at loss. In the first place, there is no way to prove it visually…. First of all, have I ever given a false ‘voice’ before?”
“… ….”
No. Certainly not, but….
“The last time I visited you, you said you had already used the opportunity. At that time, the lady said she hadn’t heard anything.”
“By the way.”
“Now I ask you, was that true?”
“… Are you suspicious of me now?”
“To be honest, yes.”
Stella couldn’t help but be startled at this part.
However, the grey-haired elderly man sneaks a glance at her reaction, corrects and adds to her words.
“… Of course, not me, but the head of the household. I am just a chamberlain.”
The chamberlain of a duke’s family, and also a nobleman from a viscount’s family. Would it be appropriate to refer to such a person as one?
“… ….”
After a moment of silence.
“I always spoke the truth. There’s nothing more to say, so let’s get up here. Please take good care of your father.”
Dalgrak-
Stella dismissed it and tidied her tableware. The dish on the plate had not been touched. The lobster grill and arugula salad, which were carefully decorated by the head chef, were preserved intact.
It was dinner time, so I ordered a special dinner course that cost 300,000 lat per person at most, but seeing the full plate made the head chef feel ashamed and depressed all day long.
“… Miss.”
Yu Ver said to Stella, who raised her body halfway, and was unable to put a single piece of her pasta into her mouth as well.
“Can I ask you one last question?”
“… Please speak.”
What else are you trying to ask? Silent pressure to stop talking nonsense came from her tightly closed lips.
Even so, Yubert slipped the tightly folded handkerchief into his bosom,
“At the academy… How are you doing.”
I was simply asking about the current situation.
Actually, out of courtesy, I tried to briefly say hello, but I ended up skipping it when Stella told me to start talking about the main topic.
“… Yeah.”
It wasn’t difficult to answer this much.
Stella then moved the corner of her mouth.
“It’s fun thanks to the new friends I made.”
As the chamberlain, it was her smile that I hadn’t seen in a very long time.
“I feel depressed.”
Mutterings dissipated in the cold air.
The ridge she climbed with her friends not too long ago. As soon as Stella returns to her dormitory, she finds herself headed here without anyone noticing.
Her clothes were the same as before going out. Stella, not caring that her uniform skirt is getting dirty, sits on her ass on a muddy bush, and her index finger licks her lips again, creating a crackling spark at the tip.
“I’m depressed. Star.”
On an extremely dark night, her bleak moonlight and her Stella’s faintly glowing flower complaints at her fingertips were shining on her.
“Haa….”
Pajik-
Stella, who had extinguished her fireworks, sat still, pulling her thighs to her breasts and hugging her shins.
Swallowing her small sigh, I looked up and saw that her constellations, which had guided her like her milestones during her wanderings, were shining as densely as usual.
A constellation near the North Star. Constellations that are especially visible in spring. Observe the shape of a big bear with your own eyes.
“… ….”
A long time ago.
I was just staring at the constellations.
“Star….”
I closed my eyes and prayed.
I hoped and wished.
As always.
“… ….”
…… However.
With her eyelids closed, in the darkened field of view like the night sky, nothing Stella had expected appeared. It’s still dark, dark, cold, and lonely.
Like those days.
“… ….”
Without showing anything.
I didn’t hear anything.
Since when?
Since when….
I don’t know.
I knew you were fickle from the start. This time, the whim seemed to last for a long time.
Because anything is fine. If you could tell me anything
Then you should be at ease.
“… Eww.”
She lowered her head with her eyes closed. He put his forehead on her arm and hugged her leg tighter.
The rustling of the grass and the rustling of the wind, the buzzing of grass insects, the sound of exhaling and inhaling again. With all kinds of sounds, Stella’s consciousness sank lower and lower.
… At some point, she was interrupted by an ant crawling on her foot.
Stella opened her hatchet eye and brushed her leg calmly. It wasn’t until her foreign body feeling went away that she buried her face in her lap again. Whoa, a warm breath permeated her thighs.
“I hate it….”
What do you hate? There were many things I didn’t like.
She will no longer be able to hear the voice of the stars. She said that she would return to her family and that she would never come out again. Or discarded. Would this be better nope, though. I want to avoid trouble as much as possible. And it won’t be abandoned. Because there is still a lot of work to be done.
…… Will I be alone again?
To a life where I was not alone no matter where I went, but rather felt more lonely.
She accepted without thinking of being full, but will she go back to that time when she had no choice but to live in her lethargy?
─You are my daughter. So listen carefully. What is nobility
Ah- I really hate it. That’s.
“Ugh, ugh.”
As the brief past flashed through his mind, Stella reflexively shook his head. I stroked her shoulder. How does it feel to be colder? There was a lot of chicken meat coming up, so I felt like I wanted to kick her seat and scream with all my might.
… Well, then it would be a mess It’s a big deal if you get caught by the professor or the guards. If you find out you’re here at this time, it’s going to be pretty annoying.
In the end, I succeeded in standing up with all my might, but I couldn’t scream. Stella, who had been silently looking up at the night sky, stretched out.
“Awesome.”
… Gotta go back soon
I’m tired.
Teletalle, Stella, who was going down the slope, found her way by relying on the sparks of magic.
“Uh.”
But maybe it’s because I still can’t organize my thoughts and my nerves are distracted. As I stepped down the stone steps covered with soil, I suddenly felt as if I was stumbling.
He had tripped.
Hwaruk-
Concentration was broken and the spark of magic went out.
The field of view was slippery and rotated. The moon rose through the leaves and moved from top to bottom. Tilted
There was no time to scream. Stella suddenly put on a silly expression. Uh, while I was doing it, I fell backwards and instinctively covered the back of my head.
In an instant, my body floats up-
Quaang!
“Aww!”
My back and hips kissed the stairs. It was a short but strong kiss, and Stella stomped down two or three steps from him on her hips.
“Ah, ah, evil….”
The fine forehead was furrowed. Back and hips. There was no pain anywhere. Stella groaned and tried to raise her body. I don’t think there are any fractures. It hurt like being fractured. Transparent tears trickled down.
“Ah, ah… !”
She tried to get up and walk, but her lower back tingled and she sat down on the stairs for a while. Bending her back, Stella grunted. Glad you didn’t hurt her head. In an instant, I almost became a star in the sky. Even if you’re a wizard, you’ve never learned magic to keep you from falling down the stairs.
“… ….”
My back and hips were hot and painful and cold at the same time. It must be because the stairs are cold. Anyway, I’ll have to check it out later… I don’t know. Right now, my back hurt so much that I didn’t think I could easily go down the stairs.
Let’s take a little break here.
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Just a little….
“… Black.”
I suddenly felt sad. She rarely showed a weak side in front of others, no, rarely, but Stella and Alfren were girls full of emotions.
There was also a time when her terrible lethargy and melancholy almost turned Stella into an emotionless human being… Fortunately, that didn’t happen.
It was thanks to the star who always became her friend.
She’s always by her side when she’s having a hard time.
… But, now.
“… Black!”
Stella’s small cry grew a little louder.
I feel so sad. Still, the star did not hear his voice. She didn’t even ask me affectionately what she was dreaming about today. She didn’t even listen to what Stella wanted to say in silence. She said nothing. This was the first time ever. It was so sudden.
Did he really leave?
Without the stars, I….
“… ….”
Stella, still with her head down, inhaled her nose. Why do you do this It’s not the time to be like this. Maybe it’s late at night, so my sensitivity has grown. That would be right What do you do when others see you? All noble images will be destroyed. Although it was already broken. That’s only for her close friends. Other students-
… Friends?
… That’s right.
I had friends.
I wasn’t very lonely here. Because I had friends. But thanks to them, I longed for more freedom, so. If possible, I wanted to stay close and maintain a relationship even after graduating from the academy.
That may not be the case now.
“… No.”
Especially, that person.
With that person. Even more.
I don’t want to fall.
“No….”
“What do you hate?”
The moment I muttered once again.
“-?!”
Stella, whose expression was speechless, raised her head.
“I heard a scream while jogging.”
He seemed unaware that there was still a little runny nose, so he almost laughed inadvertently.
“… ….”
I couldn’t see it well because I had my back against the moonlight, but I could tell just by the voice. He was the one
Ezio Cranil.
… I think it’s against the rules to show up when you’re lonely and sad. Really.
“Your expression is not good. Why are you doing this here Have you ever fallen down the stairs? Is that why you can’t walk?”
“… ….”
“What is it, really?”
Ezio’s face grew serious.
“Can you stand up? I’ll pick you up. Or hold hands I’ll get you up-“
“We.”
Stella, who was staring at Ezio’s outstretched hand, recalled unconsciously. Even if I return to my family, I will not be alone. How to be with friends.
Without a moment’s thought, Stella opens her mouth with a rapid-fire cannon.
“Shall we get engaged?”
“What dude?”
The novel started to get better since Mc’s love story was solved, keep updating…
Thought this was gonna be a depressing chapter, but then suddenly that shit hits at the end lmao.