“Selene, wouldn’t it be better for you to stay in bed a little longer? What if something goes wrong with the part that was treated…?”
“Dad, look. My leg’s already been completely healed with holy power, and I’ve been lying in this bed for three days straight. At this point, I’m more of a corpse than a person.”
“Y-Yes, but still…”
Selene who always respected her father couldn’t help but think he was a total softie at times like this.
He always thought of her and her sister first, caring for them gently and showering them with love. But sometimes, he took that care a little too far.
Maybe it was because, after her mother passed away, he and her sister were the only family left, but he treated them like newborn babies. And whenever he did, it was honestly a little embarrassing in front of others.
“The urgent injuries were already healed with holy power, and the medical professionals said there’s nothing wrong anymore, so I’m getting discharged tomorrow.”
“Y-Yes, but still…”
If she gave in just because her father looked a little dejected, he’d probably end up carrying her to class on his back and spoon-feeding her in the cafeteria.
She felt a bit guilty, but times like this called for a firm hand.
“That’s enough. Just go handle the discharge paperwork.”
“Uugh… fine.”
In the end, Duke Eus surrendered.
They say parents can’t win against their children, and true to that, he slumped his shoulders and gave her a gloomy look at her firm words.
“Oh, right, Selene. Do you happen to know the young heir of the House of Count Helios?”
“Pollo Helios?”
Caught off guard by the sudden name, Selene was momentarily flustered, but she quickly composed herself and answered casually.
“Yeah, we happened to join the same club, so we’re acquainted. But why bring him up all of a sudden?”
“Well, the thing is… he was the one who came all the way to the duchy to inform us that you’d been kidnapped. At first, I just figured he acted out of urgency, but the more I think about it, the more a few things feel a bit off.”
“Wh-What do you mean…?”
“The fact that he knew you’d been kidnapped means the two of you were together at the time, right? And as it happens, there was a festival going on at the Academy. If I recall, that festival is famous for bringing couples together.”
The Duke narrowed his eyes at her as he spoke.
“C-C-C-Could it be that you two are d-d-d-dating—”
“We’re not. It’s not like that.”
“Right? Of course not, right?! Whew~ Good. A man should have a solid, dependable presence. Guys who look like those parasitic gigolos are 99% players. I was worried my daughter had gotten caught up with a bad guy and something terrible had happened~”
Relieved to hear they weren’t dating, the Duke visibly relaxed.
But Selene’s attention wasn’t on her father, who had started rambling about the perfect husband material. It was on the arms of Mars, the one who had come to rescue her.
Dependable… was he?
The man who pulled her out of that cold, dark basement.
Normally, he always seemed lazy and bothered by everything, but his chest and shoulders were broad enough to completely envelop her in his arms.
And despite his usually cold and indifferent aura, there had been this faint, warm scent coming off of him… kind of nice—
Bang!
“S-Selene?! What’s wrong all of a sudden? Are you hurt somewhere—?”
“N-No, it’s nothing like that. I-I just almost nodded off for a second!”
I’m crazy; I’ve totally lost it! Just because he saved me once, I’m acting like this?! Are you really that easy, Selene Eus!?
Flustered by where her thoughts had wandered, Selene quickly slammed her forehead into the headboard to snap herself out of it.
She hurriedly fanned her face with her hand, trying to cool the growing flush from the subtle warmth spreading across her cheeks.
What am I lacking that I’d fall for a guy like that?! I mean, sure, I’m really grateful he saved me, but… it’s not like his looks were all that— Hmm… come to think of it, he wasn’t really bad-looking…
In truth, Mars’s appearance was quite attractive.
However, unlike the people of this world who largely resembled those from his previous life’s America or Europe, Mars had features that looked like a blend of East Asian and Western traits, likely due to his past-life influence. It was this unfamiliar mix that made it difficult for others to clearly judge his looks, leading to a mismatch in perception.
On top of that, since Mars hated standing out, he always kept a low profile. As a result, few people could recall his face clearly. And because he was always seen next to Pollo, whose flashy looks created a contrast, many ended up perceiving Mars as simply average, regardless of his actual features.
Black hair is pretty rare around here, but on him it gives off this serious, grounded vibe. And even though his eyes usually look tired and lazy, when he gets angry, they sharpen in a way that’s kind of wild—No, stop it!!
As those thoughts crept into her head, she shook her head vigorously from side to side, trying to drive them out.
“Young Lady. Some people who say they’re your classmates have come to see you. Would it be alright to let them in?”
Betty, her personal maid who had been tending to her care, quietly approached and asked.
“Classmates? I didn’t have plans to meet anyone today… Do you know their names?”
“Yes, they are Sir Polo Halos and Sir Mars Noctus.”
“…! L-Let them in!”
The moment Selene heard the names of her visitors, she quickly stood up from her seat and began fixing herself up in front of the mirror.
Betty sensed something oddly off about her mistress’s behavior but brushed it off as her imagination and went to escort the two guests in.
***
The hospital room the noble lady was staying in was incredibly luxurious.
Compared to the cramped little corner I’d been shoved into back in the infirmary, this was a whole different level.
Now that I think about it… that’s kind of depressing.
Was it money…? In the end, was money really what mattered?
“Welcome. I know this must’ve been a hassle. Thank you for going out of your way to come.”
The noble lady who was sitting up against the bed looked much better than she had on the day of the kidnapping, but judging by her still sunken cheeks and overall frail appearance, it seemed she was still dealing with some psychological trauma.
Well, after going through something like that, it would be natural to have nightmares, to fear falling asleep, or even find eating to be difficult.
Her expression and demeanor carried a sense of confidence, but the faint tremble at the corners of her eyes and her fingers showed that she hadn’t completely escaped the nightmare of her abduction.
Still, for someone who’s been hospitalized all this time, she looks surprisingly neat.
I had expected her to look a bit disheveled after being admitted for several days since the incident, but both her hair and her bed, as well as the overall state of the room, were tidy and well-kept.
Seeing that, I couldn’t help but feel that the duke’s household staff really were a cut above the rest in how they handled things.
Back when Luna was my maid, she’d always grumble when I asked her to make the bed. She’d take her sweet time tidying up while I was in the middle of training.
Even then, she never did a proper job of it. There’d be wrinkles everywhere, and I’d often find traces of drool as if she’d slept in my bed under the excuse of cleaning it.
Honestly. She really should learn a thing or two from people like this.
“How are you feeling, young lady?”
“I’m fine. With all the high-ranking priests and top-grade potions poured into me, I’m not just fine; I’m practically bursting with health.”
“That’s good news.”
Thanks to the duke being such a doting father, it seemed the swift treatment had done wonders for her recovery.
When I had left her before, she looked so fragile she might burst into tears at any moment, but now she seemed to have regained her usual confidence. And I was relieved to see it.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Well, you know… we’re in the same club, and I was the one who asked you and Pollo to check out the festival with me that day. Then that whole thing happened. Since I was the one who asked, and you went through something so awful, I was worried and thought I should come see you.”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t your fault, so there’s no need to worry about it.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Oh, right. I heard Pollo caught on quickly and reported it to the duke’s house, didn’t he? In a way, doesn’t that mean Pollo was the one who saved you?”
“Hmmm…”
Her gaze felt sharp, but I deliberately avoided her eyes and pretended not to notice.
I hadn’t told Pollo that the young lady had figured out who I really was, so we’d agreed to give him all the credit.
I figured it would help raise her opinion of Pollo, and it might leave a good impression on the duke as well.
“Well… yeah, I suppose you could say that…”
Huh?
Was it just my imagination? Her response felt strangely indifferent.
While I was still caught up in that uneasy feeling from her uncharacteristic tone, she suddenly called out to Pollo, who had been standing quietly like a folding screen beside her.
“Just a moment, Pollo. I have a favor to ask.”
“Huh?”
Pollo responded in a slightly surprised tone as if he hadn’t expected her to address him.
“M-Me?”
“Yes, you. It’s something simple, so don’t worry too much about it.”
With that, the noble lady gestured for Pollo to come closer, as if beckoning him over.
At first, Pollo hesitated, but after glancing around nervously, he quietly stepped closer to her.
Creeeak.
“Um, young lady?”
“Stay still. Don’t look away.”
Without saying another word, the lady simply stared intently into Pollo’s eyes.
Her inexplicable behavior left not only Pollo confused, but even I, watching from the side, couldn’t help but have a question mark pop up over my head.
“…Nothing at all, huh. You and I both…”
She muttered quietly to herself, then turned her gaze away from Pollo as if she’d seen enough.
“Well… now that I’ve confirmed you’re fine, we’ll be on our w—”
“Wait.”
Ugh, what now.
As I frowned, clearly tired of this, the noble lady smirked as if amused.
“Oh, Pollo can go. I have some business with this guy.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
She pointed specifically at me, leaving me no room to escape.
Not understanding why she wanted to keep me behind, I asked again.
“Why me, of all people?”
“Well, for starters, we’re in the same class, so you probably know the academy situation well. And I also need to talk about some club-related matters. You don’t mind, do you?”
“…Of course not. It’s an honor.”
Judging by the glance she threw toward Pollo, it seemed to mean something like, “Accept it before I reveal your true identity to Pollo.”
Of course, Pollo already knew the truth, given how long we’d known each other, but the way she was still trying to keep the secret amused me. So I accepted her command.
Pollo looked at me with concern, clearly uneasy about me being left alone with the noble lady, but when I gave him a sign that I was fine, he simply told me he’d see me back at the dorm later and left the room first.
“So… what is it you wanted to ask me?”
“Well, it’s not so much something I want to ask as it is a favor I need.”
A favor? Don’t tell me she found out about my powers and now wants to borrow them for the duke’s house or something ridiculous like that.
“See that fruit over there?”
“Yes.”
“Peel it for me.”
“Yes. …Wait, what?”
What kind of request was this, seriously. What’s wrong with this woman?
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