Chapter 38
‘Yeah. Gideon, I really do like you.’
Lisa thought to herself as she watched Gideon eat.
She had t many people in her life, but Gideon was unlike anyone she had ever encountered before.
‘He’s so much better than those people who do nothing but lie and drag each other down.’
Lisa had always been good at distinguishing liars since she was a child.
That was why she could tell just how honest Gideon was.
‘He never lies to . Even if he does, it’s only on rare occasions, just to be considerate. And… he never tries that ridiculous flattery either.’
Lisa had never liked the noble society filled with deceit since her youth.
As she grew older, she gradually distanced herself from people.
Those she stayed close to were only her family mbers, Sara, Jason, and a few mbers of the Royalty.
She had no intention of expanding her social circle any further, but a new junior who recently joined the Disciplinary Committee had beco an exception.
‘I like how hardworking he is too. That clear goal of wanting to restore his fallen family through success… he even said he’d use
if that’s what it took to save it.’
Lisa smiled faintly as she looked at Gideon.
Although Gideon had said he would use her connections, in truth, Lisa now wanted to step forward and help him herself.
She wanted to see him succeed.
“Lady Lisa? Why are you suddenly smiling while looking at …?”
“Hmm? Ah, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about you for a bit.”
“May I ask why you were smiling while thinking about …?”
“I just thought you’re a really good person.”
Lisa reached out her hand and began to stroke Gideon’s hair.
Gideon flinched but forced himself to stay composed and continued eating.
Seeing that, Lisa smiled even wider and kept gently touching his hair.
“Gideon, why don’t you discriminate against people?”
“What do you an by that?”
“You may be from a fallen noble family, but you’re still a noble. You have plenty of privileges in this Empire, and you could look down on commoners all you want. Because you’re a noble.”
Lisa looked straight into Gideon’s eyes.
She wanted to confirm whether he was lying or not.
“But you’ve never looked down on commoners. When you worked with , you treated nobles and commoners the sa. I was just wondering if there’s a reason for that.”
“There’s no special reason.”
After a brief hesitation, Gideon finally spoke.
He thought about coming up with an excuse, but he rembered there was no point in lying in front of Lisa.
So he decided to be honest—as much as he could without revealing that he was transmigrated.
“To , everyone just looks the sa as a person.”
“Sa as , then.”
Lisa found it rather fascinating.
She had never t another noble who shared that sa belief.
‘He’s not lying this ti either. Gideon really does… see people as equals. Just like I do.’
Lisa liked Gideon even more.
At this point, she wondered if it might even be fate, and a question suddenly rose to her mind.
“Have you heard that rumor?”
“What rumor do you an?”
“The one that says you and I are lovers.”
“Ugh—cough!”
At Lisa’s words, Gideon suddenly choked as if caught off guard.
“Cough… Ah. Y-Yes, I’ve… heard it before.”
“What do you think about it?”
“I considered it just a false rumor and saw no reason to dwell on it. But if it bothers you, I could—”
“No, it doesn’t bother . I don’t care about what others think of
to begin with.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, but haven’t you ever thought anything about that rumor?”
“Yes, I didn’t… no, I did think about it a little.”
Gideon decided it was better to speak so truth than to tell an unnecessary lie.
“I was worried that I might be causing you so trouble.”
“That was a needless worry. But trouble? You think a rumor about you being my lover would cause
trouble?”
“Yes. It’s just that… you’re the strong next head candidate of the Balmuth Family. Getting involved with a fallen noble like
wouldn’t do you any good…”
“Hmm, I don’t know about that. I actually think you’re more than qualified to be my lover. Ah, hold still for a mont.”
Lisa took out a napkin and wiped the sauce around Gideon’s mouth.
Gideon flinched again but quickly thanked her.
“T-Thank you.”
“Hehe, it’s nothing.”
Lisa wondered for a mont if Gideon might really be fine as her lover.
After all, among all the people she had ever t, Gideon was the one she felt the strongest affection for.
But she quickly erased that thought from her mind.
‘Don’t entertain such feelings. If Gideon becos my lover, he’ll only end up suffering.’
Lisa knew very well about the power flowing through the Balmuth Family’s blood—and the price that ca with it.
‘Since I’ll soon be an adult… is it about ti I start consuming human blood?’
With that thought, Lisa looked at Gideon again.
She sincerely hoped Gideon would succeed as a swordsman.
She didn’t want to make him her lover—or worse, her husband—and clip his wings, keeping him trapped by her side for the rest of his life.
She wanted her junior to beco a great swordsman who fully blood his talent.
“…Haaah.”
Lisa sighed unconsciously.
Looking at reality, she realized just how foolish her earlier thoughts about making Gideon her lover had been.
“Lady Lisa? Are you alright?”
“Hm? Oh, I’m fine. Don’t mind , just finish your al.”
“Yes, understood.”
Gideon continued eating with a slightly uneasy look, while Lisa watched him with a faint trace of regret in her expression.
‘Lisa’s behavior is kind of strange.’
Her constantly patting my hair like that… that was sothing that only happened after quite a bit of affection had been built up.
Though Lisa’s behavior bothered
sowhat, I decided to think about it later.
Being patted on the head wasn’t exactly a big problem, after all.
It would only beco one if her affection increased enough for her to act even bolder—but we weren’t at that point yet.
So I decided to just let it slide for now…
“Anyway, Lady Lisa?”
“Yeah?”
“Is it really okay for
to join you on tonight’s night patrol?”
“Of course. If anything, having you with
will make it less boring.”
“Understood.”
I nodded in response.
But then, a question suddenly crossed my mind.
‘Co to think of it, what ti did that incident happen tonight?’
The episode that would occur this evening.
I couldn’t rember exactly what ti it took place.
No, I had never actually known the exact ti.
Even in the ga, it was never clearly described when the incident occurred.
It only said it happened in the evening—no specific ti was given.
‘It was after sunset, and a few students were wandering around… maybe around nine o’clock?’
I tried to estimate based on the little information I had, but soon gave up on the thought.
Either way, it was certain that it would happen tonight.
So I just needed to stay alert once the sun went down.
Ti passed, and it was a little past eight in the evening.
Lisa and I continued our Disciplinary Committee duties as usual.
“There was a report about a giant hornet’s nest being found, and that’s supposed to be it, right?”
“Yes, they said the nest is inside that tree.”
I nodded and replied, then drew my Mistcatcher.
Three large hornets flying nearby were swiftly struck down.
Cha-cha-chang―
“They really are huge.”
Each one was nearly twenty centiters long.
Their poison supposedly wasn’t that potent compared to their size, but getting stung would definitely hurt a lot.
As I moved to clear away the hornets I had just cut down…
“Kyaaaah!”
“Uh… Lady Lisa?”
When I turned to the side, Lisa was frozen stiff, letting out a shriek.
I didn’t understand what was going on at first, but then I noticed her stepping backward, staring at the hornet corpses on the ground.
“Lady Lisa?”
“…Ah.”
Lisa froze as soon as our eyes t.
Then she quickly turned her head away.
She avoided my gaze, her face redder than I’d ever seen it.
“Pretend you didn’t hear that. And that you didn’t see anything either.”
“Understood.”
It was my first ti seeing the usually calm and composed Lisa scream.
But then I rembered sothing from the ga—Lisa had, indeed, shown this kind of reaction before…
“Lady Lisa, could it be that you’re afraid of insec—”
“Don’t say it.”
“…Yes.”
Right, co to think of it, Lisa was canonically afraid of insects.
She clearly found that fact very embarrassing, so it was best not to bring it up again…
“Ah? Please be careful.”
Four giant hornets flew toward us from nearby.
I quickly swung my sword, striking them down midair.
A clean, straightforward slash.
However, during that process, two hornet corpses ended up falling—one onto the top of Lisa’s head, and another on her shoulder.
“……”
“…Ah.”
“…G-Gideon.”
“Yes?”
“P-Please… get them off. Those insects… hurry, get them off .”
Lisa stood frozen, trembling all over.
She looked like she was about to cry—no, she was crying.
Tears were welling up at the corners of her eyes.
“A-Alright.”
I quickly brushed away the hornet corpses that had landed on her.
The mont they were gone, Lisa’s legs gave out and she sank down to the ground.
“Are you alright?”
“Ugh…”
Lisa’s face was as red as her hair.
Seeing her like this, after being so expressionless all the ti, was certainly a refreshing sight—but this wasn’t the ti to admire it.
I needed to comfort her sohow…
“Forget what you just saw.”
“Yes, I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything.”
“To think I showed such a sight… of all people, in front of you…”
Lisa muttered sothing under her breath, but I decided to act as if I hadn’t heard.
“I was originally planning to suggest that we take care of that beehive ourselves, but it might be better to call for a magic instructor instead. Judging by the nest’s size, relying on magic would be more efficient than
handling it alone…”
“Sorry. You have to deal with this just because of …”
“N-No, not at all. Considering the hive’s actual size, requesting help really is the better option…”
I tried my best to lift Lisa’s spirits, which had clearly sunk due to embarrassnt.
But just then—
Kraaaah―!
A deafening roar echoed from behind the Academy castle.
The mont I heard it, I imdiately realized it.
The episode for tonight had finally begun.
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