Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Assistant (2)

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Elena Lyndel Anastasha.

The eldest daughter of the Marquis Anastasha family, known for making a name for themselves as a prestigious martial house.

A second-year student in the Academy.

And a well-behaved and respected senior who was supposed to guide her underclassmen properly.

Such a person was now, 

“Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely keep it a secret!”

Almost on the verge of tears, she was tightly gripping Carlisle’s hand and muttering.

She had dragged him into this alley with a pale face, and wondering what she was trying to do, this was the result.

“I, I’m a respected senior at the Academy, you know? My connections are pretty good too! So, please keep what happened back then an absolute secret!”

“……”

Seeing how desperate she was to protect her reputation, it seemed like she really did have something going for her here.

No, more than that.

“……How is it that there were no rumors at school about such a disgraceful display at the Imperial banquet?”

“Well, that monster- ah, no, Gray’s reputation being what it is.”

“……”

“I ended up being portrayed as something like a victim. After all, people want to consume such incidents as gossip, but they’re not curious about the whole story, right?”

……Ah.

Since Gray’s infamy was so great, it seemed like this person’s rudeness was packaged as something like ‘there must have been a good reason for it’.

“But why did you accept such a request from Cardinal Felix?”

“Huh, huh?”

Elena stammered again at Carlisle’s words.

“Well, looking at it, isn’t it a problem related to Cardinal Felix? I’m asking why you did such a dangerous thing when you knew that touching you would cause an uproar.”

“That’s…… It’s a problem related to my father. I can’t talk about that.”

“Hmm.”

“I’m grateful that you helped me. I’ll definitely repay you. But I can’t carelessly talk about things that would bring harm to my family.”

Though her face was pale, her tone had resolve.

How should I put it?

‘Unexpected?’

Both what she showed at the banquet and, listening only to Gray’s explanation, I heard she was a narrow-minded, ill-tempered, pathetic person, but she properly draws the line in areas like this.

Her behavior isn’t entirely like a third-rate villain. She has basic loyalty and human decency, I suppose.

[Well, that stupid fool must have had some weakness caught by Cardinal Gray.]

‘Excuse me?’

[Marquis Anastasha is quite problematic. Even though I wasn’t particularly interested, various scandals about him reached my ears.]

Listening to the Holy Sword add such words, the person in front of me suddenly seemed pitiful.

So she took on Felix’s request, shouldering her parent’s wrongdoings in their place,

And almost died because of it.

‘……Come to think of it.’

Also, thinking back.

When Gray evaluated this person, she assessed her swordsmanship skills as ‘reasonably useful’.

If the Hero herself said that, it might actually be quite a generous evaluation.

In various ways.

She’s not an extraordinarily outstanding person ‘worth noticing’, but she’s also not someone completely without ability.

In that case.

“Pass.”

“Huh?”

Elena tilted her head at Carlisle’s sudden words.

“What passed?”

“I’m saying you’re suitable to use as a helper.”

“Helper?”

“Earlier, you said you’d repay me for helping you, right? This is about that.”

As Carlisle said this with a slow smile, Elena’s face went beyond pale to ashen.

She immediately let go of Carlisle’s hand that she had been gripping tightly and hurriedly stepped back, then tightly pulled at the collar of her uniform.

“Do, do, do I have to repay you with my body?”

“……”

I can’t keep up with the pace of this conversation.

As Carlisle stared at her blankly, she somehow interpreted that, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Th, this……! Mom and Dad said all men are beasts! You’re the same kind of guy!”

“……What nonsense are you talking about?”

When he barely managed to get that sentence out, Elena blinked blankly.

“Huh, but usually bad guys demand this kind of thing at times like this, right? Since my face is pretty decent, I naturally thought you would……”

“Why am I a bad guy?”

“You were smiling like a bad guy!”

Hmm.

I don’t know what she’s talking about.

[I agree with that.]

‘……Don’t butt in.’

[If there was a mirror, you should look at your usual face more often. Sometimes you really do look mean-spirited.]

Being told that by the Hero of all people makes me feel a bit gloomy.

Well, anyway.

“I won’t do it. How would I handle the consequences of such crazy behavior?”

Saying her face is decent with her own mouth in the first place, she really has the nerve to say such conceited things with a straight face.

Having such thoughts, Carlisle chuckled and looked Elena up and down.

Blonde hair reaching her waist, red eyes. Taller than Gray, and a more curvaceous figure than expected.

“……”

Huh, I can’t refute that.

She is beautiful.

“……It is true that Lady Anastasha is quite beautiful.”

Hearing those words, Elena stared at him blankly.

It was clear she hadn’t expected to hear such words.

And soon, a sparkling, bright smile spread across her face.

“R, right! I’m quite confident in my appearance!”

“……Yes, well.”

“As expected of me! You’ve fallen completely for my charm too! Hmph!”

How should I put it?

……She seems incredibly weak to compliments.

Beyond compliments, her desire to be acknowledged by others seems to pierce the sky.

Perhaps the reason she cares about her reputation at school is because of her personality that’s easily swayed by others’ evaluations.

“Anyway, I’d like you to help me out. Let’s also strengthen our relationship.”

“Hmm, well. Good! As a reliable senior, I can’t help my underclassmen!”

“……”

I don’t know when she became a reliable senior, but anyway.

‘What should I have her do first?’

As Carlisle looked at the Holy Sword and said that, an answer came from within.

[What reason is there to wait? Strike while the iron is hot.]

The Holy Sword said indifferently.

[Henceforth, take Elena around and catch a few people to beat half to death.]

……That’s refreshingly bold.

It’s refreshingly bold, but.

You just said not to stand out.

‘……Please explain why we need to do that from the first day of classes.’

The problem with this person is that they’re really bad at explaining.

◆

If you were to summarize Cradle in one sentence, most people would come up with the impression that it’s ‘noisy and boisterous’. In that sense, the scene now visible was something rarely seen at Cradle.

Only silence filled the air.

This phenomenon was probably occurring because the person who was the source of that silence was walking nearby.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the Hero walking alone down the corridor.

Just walking around without any particular thought, an overwhelming presence emanated from Gray’s body.

Those with even slightly weak resistance would unconsciously step backward, overwhelmed by such a presence.

Carlisle would be unaware of this.

That when they were always together, she mostly restrained this ‘intimidating aura’ out of consideration for him. Probably. It should be considered a form of repayment for him being almost the only one who didn’t react to her like she was some curious animal on display.

Gray, who had been walking quietly down the corridor, opened her mouth irritably at the stares pouring from around her.

“Had enough of staring?”

She hadn’t particularly raised her voice.

Gray had simply spoken in what could be called a calm manner, but everyone near her flinched.

It felt as if Gray had whispered directly into their ears.

It was a technique using masterful magic control.

“……”

Seeing the surroundings quickly avert their gazes from her, Gray irritably continued walking.

‘This guy and that guy……’

It only added to her irritation. It was a sensation she didn’t feel much when she was with Carlisle.

Having such thoughts as she tried to pass by.

Suddenly, something caught the edge of her vision.

It was the sight of two people, a man and a woman, passing by.

“-?”

It was Carlisle.

He was with Marquis Anastasha’s daughter.

Next to the girl who had picked a fight with her before, only to be humiliated and driven away.

Carlisle was smiling and chattering about something.

“……”

Gray’s eyes widened at the sight.

Soon she narrowed her eyes and watched the two walking away into the distance.

Actually, it could be natural.

Carlisle wasn’t the type to openly show his hostility to just anyone in the first place. Gray knew that he basically preferred to handle situations smoothly according to circumstances.

But, still.

The discomfort in her chest was irritating.

Why was he showing that kind of smile to someone else?

That bastard.

When he said he would stay by my side.

When he said he would only take my side.

Now, what is he doing there alone with that woman?

“……”

There was no need to follow them.

She shouldn’t do that either.

That man had tried to guarantee his autonomy even against Cardinal Gray, so it wouldn’t be right for her to arbitrarily invade that man’s private life.

But.

Still.

“……”

Her chest felt uncomfortable.

Thinking about leaving that man there mingling with Lady Anastasha while abandoning her.

It felt like her organs were twisting.

“-Tch.”

Finally, she gritted her teeth and turned around.

What those two were trying to do.

At least she had to confirm it with her own eyes.

◆

[System Message]

▶ A ‘Vigilance Trait’ is generated for the Hero.

[ ★ Jealousy 0% → 10% ]

▶ The Vigilance Trait is a trait that can become either a positive or negative trait depending on how you handle it.

▶ If this trait is handled well, it can make the most dramatic use of the ‘Training’ effect!