For Nicole, Adelia is a friend she has been with since her freshman days. Her friends can become close enough to be called a new family, and indeed Adelia was.
The first time we met was at a welcome party for new students, an event that Isaac had also experienced a few months ago. At that time, she completely believed in Briss' words and went wearing a gorgeous dress, and after that, she received all kinds of attention as if it was natural.
Indigo blue hair and golden eyes that are rare in this world, seemingly reminiscent of the evening sky rather than a dark night. She is quite tall for a woman, and she has been trained in the family since long ago and has a body naturally maintained.
Nicole, who exudes the image of a strong female warrior while exuding mysticism, drew a lot of attention from the freshman event. She was a Nicole, and she was in a situation that even herself did not expect, so she was greatly embarrassed, and there were even some men who flirted with her.
However, the person who caught Nicole's attention the most was none other than Adelia, who was standing alone in a corner. Because she was a commoner, she couldn't even buy her dress, so she was wearing a school uniform alone.
There was no notice that you must attend, but if you are going to wear a school uniform, it is much better not to come at all. Moreover, Adelia drew the attention of Nicole with her striking beauty for a commoner.
From then on, the relationship between Nicole and Adelia can be said to have begun. Now, when all the other classmates were graduating, Adelia and Nicole remained as uneducated teaching assistants, teaching juniors, and further waiting for the knights' scouting.
It was Nicole who was able to closely grasp what Adelia's personality was like and what her sincerity was. She knows that sometimes the reason she plays pranks is to get her attention, so she tolerates it.
But this time it cannot be ignored. Not only was he deeply related to his younger brother, but he could have influenced his family as well.
It is Nicole who has been passing through the water no matter what Adelia has been doing so far, but this case is more serious than I thought.
"Whoa…"
"… …"
Nicole and Adelaide left Isaac and moved to the far corner of the dungeon.
Nicole folded her arms and looked at her with a complex and subtle expression, while Adelia kept her head down as if guilty. Her hands were busy wiggling, showing signs of her anxiety.
The face was also not recognizable because the bangs fell down like a curtain. At this, Nicole deepened her anguish at the sight of Adelia, who was staring at her endlessly on the ground.
If Adelia really likes Isaac as the opposite s*x rather than as a close sibling… things get complicated. A lot of it too.
Isaac is officially dating Marie, the daughter of the only duke of the Minerva Empire. In addition, the engagement was already over because it was held until the first night.
'Recently, even demon princesses have been unusual…'
Not only that, but the relationship with Hellium's princess, Cecily, didn't seem too serious. I couldn't clear my doubts about visiting the mansion at the time of the exhibition and being particularly close to Isaac.
Nicole was unaware that Isaac had accepted Cecily as his lover, but he was able to guess as much as he was quick-witted. And if Cecily could see through Isaac's true identity, she would be able to convince him enough to skip this far.
But not Adelia. Although she has excellent looks, she lacks a sense of inferiority compared to the previous two, and above all, the difference in status is clear.
In this world, the gap between commoners and nobles cannot be narrowed unless it is narrowed. Even if the nobles treat commoners like toys, most of them go unnoticed if there is no evidence.
Nicole lived before Hawk became a nobleman, and Adelia was able to live without flaws, but she is not another noble. Most of the stories that the commoners loved the nobles, and the nobles also loved the commoners and lived happily ever after exist only in novels.
As the class difference is clear, the nobility has no choice but to keep the commoners as 'concubines', and they will know what the treatment will be like without any explanation. If you're on a good relationship with Jung-sil, the story will be slightly different, but the odds are extremely slim.
'Marie doesn't seem to have a sense of authority, but…'
Marie, which Nicole saw, was not aristocratic and had no sense of authority, but she was determined at times. No matter how good-natured she is, she doesn't know what to do when she learns Adelia's feelings for her Isaac.
There are so many and many reasons why the mind has become complicated, but there is only one part that I do not understand even after putting all of them aside.
Nicole glanced at Adelia while washing her face dry with one hand.
'I threw away all the confessions, so why now? Isaac too?'
Adelia has received numerous confessions from many male students. He was not the only one who fell in love with her sassy and bold personality and threw her scorn on her.
Even high-ranking aristocrats, as well as female students, were among them, so she knew how popular she was. But Adelia flatly rejected all these confessions.
At first, it was simply because they didn't like it, but Nicole, who had been with Adelia for several years, could guess. She said there was something blocking her decision.
I didn't tell my best friend Nicole what it was, but I was trying to ignore it because it seemed to have a deep connection with my personal life.
"…Adel."
"…yes."
When Nicole called, Adelia responded softly in a depressed voice. Nicole couldn't figure out what to do with it, so she decided to start with the topic.
"…I'm just asking, by any chance, do you really like our Isaac? Not as a person but as a person."
"… …"
"I want you to answer me. If not, please nod your head."
At Nicole, who was full of consideration, Adelia tilted her head slightly. She soon met her golden eyes filled with complex emotions and nodded her head slowly, revealing her affirmation.
Thanks to that, Nicole's feelings became more complicated. If Adelia was noble and Isaac had not been engaged, he would have been by her side and cheering hard for her. However, the situation was the complete opposite.
Isaac has a lover to whom he is officially engaged, and furthermore, Adelia is a commoner. It is as if there is a mischievous female lead that you can see in novels.
Nicole was also at a loss as to what to do as it was the first time in her life. She caressed her forehead and carefully opened her mouth.
"Since when?"
"…at an exhibition."
"What happened then?"
This time it was Adelia's turn to think. Nicole is an indispensable friend and precious bond for Adelia.
It made me feel the warmth I felt for my mother once again, and a relationship more like family than blood.
Even if he played harsh pranks, he only got annoyed, but he accepted everything and helped me not to cross the line.
Moreover, in practice, when I teamed up with her, they matched so well that I never lost. The reason she became an unannounced teaching assistant with Nicole was that in her practice, there were very few who could beat the two.
But now, I have to treat her as 'Isaac's sister' rather than 'friend'. Now that Nicole has discovered her love for Isaac, there is nowhere to escape.
'Do I have to say…?'
Adelia struggled with whether she should confide in her painful past, which she wanted to hide. At the same time, he remembers the words Isaac had spoken for him.
He said that he had a pretty smile. His consideration that there is nothing he can do for him, but that he is by his side.
Last but not least, his meticulous hand wiping away tears with a handkerchief, regardless of how dirty it was.
There is nothing more impressive than the comfort you receive when you are most sad, and if it is sincere, it will touch you deeply.
For Adelia, Isaac is like a ray of light. A man who has been openly abandoned by his family in front of Isaac, and treats him as usual despite revealing that he is of humble origin.
Unlike other nobles, his consideration for treating everyone equally was as sweet as the raindrops on a dry land.
'Nicole… is that true?'
Adelia stared at Nicole as she waited for her answer. Although aristocrats, they get along with commoners and have no sense of authority.
But he is not an ordinary illegitimate child, he is an abandoned illegitimate child. It means that he is from a place of origin enough to spread bad rumors not only to the aristocracy, but also to the commoners.
In this world, their families often abandon illegitimate children even, and they grow up in a disadvantaged environment and cause various accidents. So, there is a kind of preconceived notion that accidents will happen if you stay close to illegitimate children.
Because of this, I had no choice but to keep worrying about my worries. His love for Isaac is clear, but he doubts whether he can tell his best friend the reason.
'…I can't help it.'
In the end, it is the truth that must be revealed someday. She doesn't know if she can stay by Isaac's side, but the situation will get better if she tells the truth, at least to Nicole.
It doesn't matter if he makes a reluctant expression on his face that he is an illegitimate child. Because it was already planned.
At this, Adelia opened her mouth with a slightly trembling voice, with determined eyes.
"…that's when I met my family."
"family?"
Upon hearing the answer, Nicole put on a puzzled expression. Adelia's family, she knows, lives in an area very far from the capital, often called Kangchon.
The reason I entered Halo Academy was that a knight who happened to patrol there recognized Adelia's talent and put in a letter of recommendation. But she did not understand that she had come all the way to see the exhibition.
"Did you come from that far away?"
"yes…"
"How about that? You've always liked to talk about your family."
Adelia lives far away from her family, so she was very happy to hear from her. With just her letter alone, she is the woman who has been waiting for her to come.
But this time it was kind of strange. Should it be said that it is a little reluctant, or should it be said that rejection is apparent?
When Nicole had such a question, Adelia thought to herself how to explain it, and answered quietly. It seemed better to let her understand it at once than to explain it step by step.
"…I'm actually a nobleman."
"What?"
Nicole was first surprised by the confession that Adelia was of noble origin.
"…but only half way."
"… …"
I kept my mouth shut when I heard that it was only half-continued, meaning that I was from an illegitimate child.
He didn't say where he came from, but Nicole knew roughly how illegitimate children were treated. Thanks to her, she was able to infer, at least a little, what kind of life Adelia lived.
'He's such a bright kid…'
He crossed Nicole's arms and scratched his nose, facing Adelia's face directly. There is a theory that a person who harbors a deep wound has a bright personality to hide the wound somehow.
I never dreamed that it was real. As she lived her life in the academy, she found no sorrow for Adelia.
Conversely, there is an extremely high probability that the sadness was swallowed out of the reach of others. When I'm with Nicole, I'm active, but when I go to the dorm and I'm alone, I feel depressed.
At the time of the freshman event, Nicole looked like Adelia, who was alone in school uniform and wandering around.
"At that time, my existence was denied head-on. I was treated as someone I didn't know at all…"
"… …"
"And I ran away. I ran away and cried alone… Isaac comforted me. He even gave me a handkerchief."
Adelia spoke out about everything that had happened, and Nicole realized clearly why she had fallen in love with Isaac.
To be honest, it's a situation that anyone can fall in love with. When I was grieving alone because of the shock of being abandoned by my family, a handsome man came up to me and handed me a handkerchief and even comforted me.
Moreover, what if that man is the younger brother of a friend whom he has a crush on? no more need to say
Nicole had to think that while everything was understandable, on the other hand, it was pitiful.
'At least…'
Why is it supposed to be Isaac, that is, his younger brother? If it had been anyone else, he would have supported him enthusiastically, but it's a problem because he's Isaac.
A cute and lovable younger brother who is officially engaged, and even shows great interest in the demon princess. And although Adelia does not know it at all, Isaac is the author of Zeno's biography who can control the world.
As Nicole was clearing her mind, which seemed to have gotten more complicated, Adelia asked in a quiet voice if she was a little uneasy at her unresponsiveness.
"That… are you okay?"
"Huh? What?"
"I am… an illegitimate child. You know how an illegitimate child is treated…"
Nicole blinked at Adelia's question. Adelia, on the other hand, looked down at her with her gloomy face.
As the awkward atmosphere was about to continue for a while, Nicole made an absurd look on her face and was fed up. At that, Adelia slowly lifted her head.
Nicole caught my eye, looking at herself with one corner of her mouth raised, as if it was not a big deal.
"What about that? I've been living with you, a commoner, from the beginning, so what's wrong with being an illegitimate child?"
"That, though…"
"But anyway. It's been a few years since I've been with you. I'm the one who accepted your eccentric personality. It's been a while since I had anything to say about my origin. And my father said. Knights are meritocracy that distinguishes between upper and lower ranks only by skill. So I don't care if you're from an illegitimate child or from a royal family, okay?"
"… …"
At those words, Adelia put on a mysterious expression. She said that all her worries and worries were washed away, as if all of her worries were useless.
Usually caring aristocrats are surprisingly rare. Basically, it is rooted in the ideology of the chosen people, and it is bound to have an arrogant character. You can tell by looking at how they treat commoners.
But Nicole and Isaac are different. He was so considerate that he could not be considered a nobleman, and he treats commoners and illegitimate students fairly.
'If I become a family of these people…'
Wouldn't it be happy to become a real concubine? She seems to be happy even if she becomes an escort knight instead of a concubine.
For Adelia, who had been severely mentally abused in the Kingdom of Teres, being in a happy family was nothing more than a lifelong wish. Even if it's just one step away and watching.
Adelia looked at Nicole with her characteristic bright smile instead of a sad expression. Her Nicole was somehow uneasy when she smiled brightly.
"I've decided."
"What, what?"
"I'll be with the cutie."
"Oh, no. Adele? Listen to me. This isn't as easy as you think? As you know, Isaac is already…"
"I know."
Adelia cut off Nicole's horse. She followed her behind her back and she crept up to Nicole slowly.
"You don't necessarily have to be a concubine. Wouldn't it be okay if you became an escort knight? At the same time, you're also taught by your father."
"That… there are no escort knights in our family…"
"I'll put my head down and ask your father. You and your brother are knights, so you won't need an escort knight, right?"
"… …"
I can't. It seems you have already made up your mind. As for Adelia, she usually listens to Nicole well, but she felt a will that could not be broken this time.
Read At https://noblemtl.com
Eventually, when Adelia stood at Nicole's bar, she unpacked her back. She then extended her arms to her Nicole and embraced them slowly.
Kok-
A heartfelt hug to a dear friend. Nicole was embarrassed when Adelia suddenly hugged her, but without realizing it, she hugged her back.
"thanks."
"…Adel?"
"Really…thank you…"
Perhaps it was to hide her crying face, Adelia said in a weeping voice as soon as she hugged Nicole.
Seeing that his body also trembled slightly, he seemed unable to control his rising emotions.
"If I become a family with you… I think I'll be really happy."
"… …"
"So I'm begging you. Just once… Can I help you just once?"
Could it be that he couldn't refuse his friend's request? Nicole erased her bewildered expression and smiled bitterly.
He comforted him by gently stroking Adelia's head with one hand and her back with the other.
I don't know what will happen in the future, but it's not right to refuse a friend asking me to do this. Shouldn't you at least try it?
"Okay. Just this once?"
"Sigh. Ugh… Thank you…"
"Ugh. How old are you? Are you even cheating on your age?"
"Oh no… I'm 22 right…"
"Then stop. Dump. Your pretty face is all ruined."
Nicole thought to herself as she comforted Adelia, who was weeping more than before.
'How many women does Isaac seduce?'
As an older sister, I was worried that a big incident would happen over a woman's problem.
******
Volume 12 of Xenon's biography was released sooner than expected, as Isaac had expected. The contents of the 12th book are about Mary's confession to Zeno, training, and finally the invasion of Albenheim.
Naturally (?), the words that Mary brought out while confessing to Zenon caused a huge stir, but what caught Isaac's attention the most was the news on the news.
[If there is a story about the invasion of Albenheim, stop selling it immediately.]
It was a statement from Albenheim 'officially'. I heard from Arwen that the queen's consent is not necessary to make a statement like this, but at least asking for an opinion is the norm.
So it means that the senate was an independent act, but when Isaac saw this statement, only one thought occurred to him.
"Communist Party, what is it?"
I wish they could confiscated 100 years worth of dentures.