48 – For Elise (2)
Boldly written words approached. Looking closely, it seemed to be a sharp criticism of the empire’s low birth rate, which was not without a touch of emotion.
But since there was no such global meaning for this elf, I could only force a awkward laugh. Now, I couldn’t figure out how to react. It seemed that Eliya wasn’t expelled to the back of the classroom just because she was deaf.
“It’s not as bad as I thought… it seems like a reasonable suggestion.”
“…Huh?”
However, Yuna nodded surprisingly earnestly. Though I thought it might be a bluff, there was an unexpected reason.
“Anyway, isn’t it important for the Crown Prince to make Elise love him again? The expression might be a bit exaggerated, but the direction seems okay.”
“Hmm…”
Indeed, when someone is too kind, it seems even baseless opinions can be accepted positively. Fortunately, besides the kind-hearted Yuna by my side, there was also Gueiro, as wicked and scheming as me. I turned my head towards her, becoming the only one to understand her in this moment.
“Do you think the same way, Gueiro?”
“Me? I don’t really care. Well, if Yuna thinks so, then why not?”
“…But Gueiro, you’re as much of a scoundrel as I am and even dumber than me. Illia here, despite looking at my struggles with satisfaction, confidently spread her chest wide.
[Well then. It’s settled, everyone agrees.]
“Yeah. Well… if Yuna thinks so, there’s no helping it. Now we need to think of a solution. Have you thought of anything, Illia?”
[Me?]
“Yeah, you suggested it anyway. So, did you also think of a solution while talking about it?”
[I didn’t. It didn’t cross my mind.]
“Aren’t you too confident, Illia?”
I tried to pick a fight with a somewhat irresponsible remark. However, Illia confidently wrote words on the next page of the notebook.
[But I… have never tried something like love.]
“If you put it that way, Gueiro wouldn’t be able to give an opinion either. He probably hasn’t tried something like matchmaking.”
“Hey, don’t talk like that.”
[That’s why. Someone who knows about it should give an opinion.]
Guerro and Iriya’s fresh response came amid the banter between me and Guero. She smiled so much that her eyes narrowed, then suddenly tapped the front of Yuna’s desk.
“Um… me?”
When Yuna asked, somewhat flustered, Iriya vigorously nodded her head. Then, with excitement, she shook her body and raised her notebook.
[So, Yuna. Tell me.]
“What?”
[With Ellen. How. Did you fall in love?]
“What?”
To Yuna’s straightforward question, a bit embarrassed, she blushed.
“Are you asking me that now?”
[Because. To know. How to fall in love.]
“But… that’s…”
Somehow, my ears tingled, and when I turned to look, Yuna was slyly glancing at me. Iriya noticed it and quickly flipped to the next page.
[Ellen might know, but Yuna is smarter. She’ll explain it well.]
“No, but Ellen is…”
“I can’t explain it in his words. And I’m curious too. How on earth did clever Yuna fall for that idiot?”
“What?”
Yuna’s shy appearance seemed cute, and now even Guero was giggling while teasing Iriya. And I, next to them, was also curious about Yuna’s answer, so I didn’t stop them. In the end, Yuna, flustered, put her blushing fist on her knee.
[So? What’s the reason you fell in love with Ellen?]
“That… well…”
[So? What’s the reason you fell in love with Ellen?]
[So? How did Ellen fall in love?]
[So? How did Ellen fall in love?]
“Alright, stop shaking me! I’ll tell you, so just listen.”
“…!”
“So… well…”
As Yuna spoke, Iriya’s eyes sparkled, and Gueero, though maintaining composure, perked his ears and tilted his head inquisitively. Meanwhile, I tried to casually turn my head away but couldn’t help directing my attention with my ears. Revealing the inner thoughts of the girl who had fallen in love with me turned out to be more tense and thrilling than I anticipated.
“First of all… it started with holding hands…”
“…!”
“Y-you don’t have to react so enthusiastically, Iriya. Anyway, when Ellen held my hand for the first time, it was a bit sudden and surprising, but feeling someone approaching and reaching out to me made me happy… From that moment, my heart started fluttering a bit. And then…”
[And? And?]
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“And when Ellen held my hand, gently playing with my fingers, it felt like holding a small kitten. It was incredibly soft and warm… the sensation of having another living being in my hand felt precious… like holding a tiny life. And also…”
[And? And?]
“And when Ellen embraced me while still holding hands, it felt a bit different than just holding hands. Ellen was kinder, as if wanting to protect me. It’s more like being embraced than just holding hands. And when we get close, it’s very… there’s also a really nice scent.”
“Huh? This guy? That’s impossible.”
“I don’t know. At least, for me, it is. You can feel it better when embraced.”
“Ugh…”
“…Hey, no need to react so strongly.”
“Maybe Ellen just sprayed some perfume that day? Where did he steal it from?”
“It’s not like that. It’s just… Ellen’s scent.”
Yuna tilted her head curiously and suddenly approached me, sniffing the air. As Yuna’s breath seeped into my tingling ears, an irresistible warmth surged. Perhaps her ears had turned noticeably red, but Yuna, seemingly oblivious, breathed in pleasantly.
“Maybe it’s just me. Ellen just has a nice scent. And more than anything, the words Ellen says to me give me strength, so I can’t help but like it.”
“…”
“And it’s not just hypocrisy; I can feel that it’s genuine. When someone genuinely likes me, I can’t help but like them back. And when they express it in words, I unknowingly keep falling for it.”
“Um…”
“Talking to Ellen feels like sipping on warm cocoa filled with warmth. It’s the kind of feeling where you keep savoring and pondering the words because letting them pass seems like a waste. If I could, I’d want to keep listening.”
“Ahem…”
“Ellen is that kind of person to me.”
No matter how much she gave me signals and blushed with embarrassment, the once released feelings poured out uncontrollably. If I didn’t somehow block it, it felt like it would never stop.
“Yuna…”
I couldn’t endure the heat that had risen to my throat, so I finally spoke, lowering my head.
“Um… Can you stop because, even for me, it’s a bit embarrassing?”
“Oh, sure.”
Only then did Yuna seem to feel embarrassed and managed to close her mouth. The girl’s heart, more delicate and heavy than I thought, burst and spread throughout my body when I held it. I struggled for a while to cool down the heat, finally managing to lift my head. Then, Gwero’s mocking laughter flew in.
“Phew.”
“Hey…”
Watching that expression, laughing softly with even a swaying tail, made anger well up and surge. Even though she was my only friend, I hoped she would at least let me suffer a bit less in times like this.
But getting angry now would only harm me, so I looked at Yena, trying to extinguish the flames in my chest. She, too, was looking at me with a somewhat smug expression, but it was still much better than Gwero’s. I opened my mouth, sprinkling my voice soaked with emotions into reality.
“So, how was it hearing that? Did any good thoughts come to mind?”
[Of course.]
“Overflowing with confidence, yet oddly anxious. So what is it?”
[In summary, it’s about skinship, sincerity, scent, perfume, and perhaps pregnancy?]
“What have you been hearing all this time?”
“I’ve remembered everything. Good thoughts. All of it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Completely. I’m confident.”
Without a trace of hesitation, Illya nodded confidently, even tapping his chest.
“Even the roles. Everything’s decided.”
“Within such a short time?”
“I’m ranked third in the whole school.”
“Yuna is ranked first.”
I timidly countered while glancing towards Yuna. I hoped the clever Yuna would somehow counter Illya, but unfortunately, she still had her head bowed. As I discreetly listened, incomprehensible muttering flowed out.
“This is… a team project… feels a bit thrilling…”
“…”
Since I could roughly guess Illya’s reaction without looking at him, I raised my gaze to the sky. Like clouds, a sigh that had risen obscured the clear sky.
It felt like becoming the only one with normal vision in a land of blind people. Everyone suddenly lost their sight, leaving only me as the normal one, but the problem was that I had astigmatism too. The lost gaze couldn’t wander and eventually closed behind the eyelids. Soon, poorly resolved worries disappeared to the other side, and the usual thoughts came up.
Well, somehow, it’ll work out.
“So, Illya, what’s the plan?”
I quickly brushed off my worries and looked at her with a bright expression. Whether it’s third or first, she’s undoubtedly smarter than me. However, instead of an answer, Illya brought up a slightly different topic.
“We finished our exams, right.”
“That’s right.”
[It was a really important exam. It’s over now. It hasn’t been long.]
“What do you want to talk about?”
[Ella.]
Iriya wrote my name in the notebook and suddenly gave a sinister smile. Then, out of nowhere, she asked a strange question.
“Have you ever tried makeup?”