Side Story Adele Chapter 5

 The evening party hosted by Cornelia is approaching.
On that day, I was visiting the Arita house with Julius and others to confirm the security arrangement for that day.

From the upper floor of the mansion, the voices of gorgeous girls can be overheard.
They were talking about trying on dresses for the day.
I'm sure Tiana is there, too. What kind of dress will Tiana wear?
I've always thought that Tiana would look good in amber.
I've even told her so, but I wonder if she'll take my suggestion seriously…

While I was thinking about this, I didn't show it on my face and solemnly completed the confirmation.

"Adele, you came. Thank you."
Cornelia called out in the hall of the mansion.
"I'm sorry to everyone on the Knight course for making them guard the mansion. I really wish I could have hired someone who specializes in this."
"You don’t have to worry about that. I will make sure to always have three people on duty on the day of the party."
"Thank you, that’s very reassuring."
"If three people aren't available, I'll make the rounds."

Cornelia spread the floor plan of the mansion in her hands.

"On that day, we'll light lanterns all the way up the hill, right? I think it will be very beautiful. I'm looking forward to it."
Cornelia says happily. Certainly, it will look good on this chalky mansion.
I’m sure Tiana would love something like that … I'm looking forward to seeing it with her when I escort her on the day.
Imagining it, a smile appeared on my face.

"Oh, Tia. What are you doing there?"
I huffed at the sound of Julius's nimble voice.
Turning around, Tiana awkwardly enters the hall with Julius.
Just seeing Julius' right hand lightly attached to Tiana's back makes me nervous.

Tiana doesn't look at me and keeps her distance.
Was she looking at Julius?
It must be awkward for her to tell me so.

Tiana laughs awkwardly, it’s somewhat pitiful.
No … I'm the one making her feel that way.
Julius changed the topic and was speaking at length.
“You two are also a surprisingly good combination for a relationship that was brought together by the ritual … Is the feeling mutual, Adele?"

What a way to shake me up.

What the hell is this guy doing?
Are you trying to discourage me …?

She turned her back to me, and I could see Tiana's white neck.
It's okay, Tiana. I know you don't want Julius to think you're weird. I know, so don't worry.

"No … we're not like that."


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Tiana apparently ignored me when getting off the carriage.
I couldn't stand the sight of her and Julius looking up at the lanterns and smiling at each other.

I forcefully pull Tiana's hand and kiss her when we're through the crowd.
She hated it, but was she really this weak? I thought to myself.
But when our lips separated, tears were welling up in Tiana's big eyes, and my heart skipped a beat.

"I didn't like being talked to like that all the time."
When Tiana said that with tears in her eyes.
I didn't know what to do, I loved the way Tiana looked at me, and I felt ashamed of myself for hiding so many things and trying to connect with her only physically.

Gently, I kissed Tiana, just enough to … touch her so as not to hurt her anymore.

Tiana.
I'll tell you when the evening party is over.
Let everything out.

I’ll apologize for Julius and for keeping quiet, but let me tell you that I love you and that I want you to stay with me forever, I want to be with you.

How will you respond after that?

If … and only if.
If you accept me to be with you.

I swear I won't make you cry again.

I looked up at the sky, colorful lanterns floated by.


＊＊＊＊＊＊＊


The day of the evening party has come.
I nervously fasten the cloak of my formal attire around my neck.
I was hesitant, but what would I do if I couldn't escort her on this day?
Or rather, what I want to do is bad.

After mounting my beloved horse, I headed for the Klein family's mansion.
Along the way, I saw several men talking on horseback.

Trading glances with the group, my eyes met with theirs.
Dirk Neuman and his entourage.

Although they belong to the same Knight course, they’re usually hard to contact.
I don't know why they're in the Knight course, they seem to be so passive in their classes and so preoccupied with how to spend their leisure time.
However, when the evaluation scores arrive from the Knight Headquarters of the Empire, they are given surprisingly high ratings, making it unbearable to everyone else from the Principality of Arita.

I thought it was unforgivable at first, but I don't have time to deal with such people, and there is inequality in this world. I don't begrudge the heavens, but I've decided to make up for it with hard work and making my presence as small as possible.

The only thing I’d be willing to die for is protecting Tiana from Dirk, especially with the weird way he’s been looking at her as of late.

Dirk looked at me with a stern expression for a moment, remembering that I had grabbed Tiana's hand behind the dormitory the other day, and Dirk looked freaked out and put a very nasty smile on … to conceal it.

What is that?
The agressive look on his face, which he usually doesn't show to me or Julius, bothered me a little, but not enough to make me stop.


When I arrived at the mansion, Tiana appeared shyly in her amber dress ...... and I was so busy trying not to show my excitement (which I probably did) that I forgot all about Dirk.


＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

"Good work, Adele. I'll take over."
Julius called out from behind me, standing at the front door.
Julius descends the stairs with the bright light of the mansion behind him. The rustling and music can be heard behind him.

“Anything new?”
“Not really. Irina ran off and Gert chased after her.”
“They just came back from the courtyard hand in hand. She said she was jealous because he was talking to another girl.”
Julius laughed, but I didn't. I'm usually jealous just because Tiana is talking to another guy. It's just a matter of showing or not showing.

“We'll switch in another hour.”
I gave Julius a light tap on the shoulder with my hand and turned to go back inside.

"Tia's dress was lovely. It looked great."
I stop and look back at Julius.
"That kind of retro look is good on Tiana. I originally thought bright colors would be perfect for her. I guess I still lack a good eye."
Julius glanced at me and laughed.

The "pairing system" doesn’t just affect us after we turn 18.
Leading up to the year, we’re well aware that when we turn 18, we would have to have a child with someone we didn't know.

The Empire doesn't forbid relationships between students before the age of 18.
However, there is no future for such a relationship. The standing fact that the system will pair us off is what keeps us from forming early relationships.

That's why we unconsciously avoided saying that we were especially aware of someone of the opposite sex.

It would be awkward for both of us if we said it out loud and ended up getting together with another person, and it would be too tragic if we couldn't get matched even if our feelings were mutual.

So even in the knight's course, where there are only men, there are seldom people who subjectively talk about anything related to love - except for Julius.
Julius had been talking about Tiana openly for some time.

"Did you see Tia's hairstyle when you passed each other? It's cute. Red ribbons are rare."
"The great thing about Tia is that she's so cute and getting the top grade in the civilian course. She's also a hard worker. Yesterday, she was studying late in the library, so I brought her some hot chocolate."
It was refreshing to hear a story involving romance, and the men in the knight's course seemed to enjoy listening to it.

Fortunately for me, these discussions didn't make it to Tiana's ears because it was Julius. (IDK)

Cornelia is a special presence for the sons of former nobles of the Principality
Everyone was wondering how Julius, who has been close to her for so long, was feeling when he talked about her, and they all thought that it would hurt Cornelia if he didn't let it go as a joke and spread the story.
But Julius gradually began to talk about Tiana even when Cornelia was around.

"Julius."
I stopped on the stairs as I called out to him.
"You shouldn't say that anymore. You've been paired off with Cornelia, I'm also uncomfortable."

Julius smiled slowly as he listened to my words … as if he’d been expecting them.

"I like that about you, Adele. You seem complicated, yet so simple."
"Are you trying to start a fight?"
"Can I ask Tia to dance, later?"
"Hey, are you listening to me …”
Julius continued, as if to talk over me as I started down the stairs.

"You know I've always been in love with Tia, right?　What's wrong with that? It's our last memory at school. Or is it Adele?"
He' s got a disgustingly beautiful face.

"Do you think you can get Tia by just dancing one song?"
He tilts his head a little and said, "I'm leaving now," and walked out into the darkness, spreading his cloak and turning his back on me.

…… He' s always so noisy with his cloak.

I purse my lips.
I can’t tell Tiana about Julius, but I’m still tripping over my feet here.

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