WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 245: Bound to Admit It (2)
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‘Will this be all right?’
Kiril Farreira frowned as she returned from her brother’s room.
She did not like it. Not her brother, but Bill Staunton.
‘It’s good for my brother, though. Come to think of it, he’s been far too careless until now.’
She thought of Airen Farreira.
He had the sturdy build and impressive height one would expect of a trained swordsman. His well-proportioned frame was complemented by a handsome face and clear skin.
He was not a sculpted beauty who left people speechless, but he was certainly attractive enough to make women’s hearts flutter.
Yet her brother had never properly made use of those good looks.
The day before yesterday, yesterday, and today, he had always worn similar travel clothes.
They became a little lighter or heavier with the changing seasons, but otherwise, he stubbornly wore outfits without the slightest hint of individuality or style.
It was understandable.
Airen had spent his teenage years, when most people took the greatest interest in the opposite sex, at Krono Fencing Hall and in the Otherworldly Realm.
That meant he had reached his twenties without ever attending even one of the parties and balls so common among nobles.
Thinking of it that way, Kiril felt even more at fault for having left her brother like this.
‘I’m not that interested in this sort of thing either, but I was still in a better position than him. I should’ve paid more attention.’
From that perspective, suggesting that he put some effort into his clothes for the ball was quite reasonable.
The problem was the person who had made the suggestion.
Bill Staunton.
The ridiculous man who called himself a troublemaker, and the one who had made the worst possible first impression.
The more she wondered whether she could trust her brother to someone like that, the more anxious she became.
‘That bastard isn’t just talking a good game and recommending some ridiculous outfit, is he?’
Kiril could not follow him to the place where Airen was changing, even if she was his younger sister, because they were of different genders.
But now that more than two hours had passed since Airen left, she deeply regretted that decision.
A notorious troublemaker.
A man who had made a fittingly rude first impression.
And someone shameless enough to latch onto them for his own benefit.
Could she really leave her gullible brother in the hands of someone like that?
That was when it happened.
“Kiril.”
“Hm?”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry so much.”
Lulu suddenly offered calm reassurance.
Kiril looked at her in disbelief.
Strictly speaking, this situation was ninety percent Lulu’s fault.
If Lulu had not brought Bill Staunton here, Airen would never have been swayed by his words.
Still, Kiril did not lose her temper right away because this thoughtless-looking cat occasionally showed the wisdom of a sage.
Just like now.
After finishing her grooming, Lulu quietly moved closer to Kiril.
Then she shared her thoughts.
“It’s not important how handsome Airen looks when he comes back.”
“Then what is?”
“What matters is that he’s putting thought into his clothes for the first time. Of course, it would be nice if he showed up at the ball looking handsome and impressive to anyone who saw him, but I think it’s fine even if he’s a little awkward.”
“...Is that so?”
“Yeah. If I were Illia, I think I’d care less about what Airen wore when he appeared before me, and more about... what he was thinking when he chose to dress that way.”
Kiril thought for a moment, then nodded.
She was right.
Even if Airen was a poor dresser and Bill Staunton’s styling turned out worse than expected, it would still be different from Airen’s usual clothes.
He would probably look like he had put effort into it.
That was exactly what mattered.
A man who had never cared about his appearance despite knowing her for so long would show up looking far more polished than usual.
That alone would let Illia Lindsay feel his sincerity. She would realize that something had changed in Airen’s heart.
“No, isn’t that reading too much into it?”
“I don’t think it’s wrong. Airen was definitely different from before, just now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And this is just my guess, but... he might change even more while preparing for the ball.”
Lulu’s tail swayed gently as she thought.
Naturally, a change in one’s mindset had a profound effect on one’s actions.
No one would find it strange if someone devastated by their mother’s death could no longer smile brightly, or if someone who consciously maintained positive thoughts acted confidently in everything they did.
The reverse was true as well.
The heart and one’s actions were not connected in only one direction. A change in behavior could influence the heart just as easily.
That was what was happening to Airen now.
Instead of approaching Illia naturally in his usual clothes, he was putting more effort than ever into his appearance, checking his expressions, and practicing smiles in front of a mirror.
Even if those actions had begun not through his own will, but at the suggestion of someone named Bill Staunton.
“If he spends a day or two focusing on that, there’s a good chance his feelings for Illia will change too.”
“...”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“...It’s nothing.”
Kiril shook her head and opened the window.
The cool breeze of the early summer night entered the room and cooled her down.
Her anger having eased somewhat, she said to Lulu,
“I don’t think you’re wrong.”
“But?”
“Try to stop accepting food from just anyone and bringing them to us. All right?”
“All right...”
Lulu answered in a dejected voice.
The incredible taste of that fish still lingered in her mouth.
* * *
“Hm?”
“What is it?”
“No, it felt like someone was talking about me... I suppose I imagined it.”
“Since Young Lord Airen is both a swordsman and a Sorcerer, perhaps it was not entirely your imagination. Still, this is the time to focus. There is more to practice than clothing, including your walk, manners, expressions, smile, and most importantly, dancing.”
“Understood.”
Airen answered in a serious voice and immersed himself in practice.
He did not know how things had ended up this way.
He had only intended to get a few new outfits, yet when he came to his senses, he was practicing again and again under the banner of conquering the ball.
Fortunately, it was not that difficult.
Thanks to the body and senses he had honed to their limits as he became a Sword Master, he could easily follow most movements.
Still...
‘For some reason, I feel nervous.’
Why was that?
Because of the careless remark he had made to Illia?
Was he tensing up because he saw this practice as a way to make up for it?
He did not think that was it.
It felt as though something greater, some deeper emotion, was beginning to bloom through this practice.
Yet it had not become clear.
Too little time had passed, and Airen was too slow to notice. He had always been that kind of person, and the years spent in the Otherworldly Realm had only made it worse.
He was stepping into something far later than most people his age had.
But what mattered was that he was moving forward, even if not quickly.
And so, two days passed in the blink of an eye.
* * *
At last, the time for the ball arrived.
This was no ordinary ball. It was a ball hosted by House Lindsay, one held for the first time in a very long while.
Joshua Lindsay had not held such a celebration even once since Carl Lindsay disappeared.
Then another surprise followed.
“Huh?”
“...!”
“Wow...”
“What is it?”
“Her clothes...”
Illia Lindsay was the daughter of Joshua Lindsay, one of the Continent’s Ten Strongest, and had reached the lofty rank of Master herself.
Despite that fame, she had always avoided social gatherings as much as possible.
Yet she appeared at the ball in a dress.
It was a refined blue off-the-shoulder dress.
Her silver hair, usually tied up carelessly, had been styled with care. She wore light but noticeable makeup, along with jewelry that appeared to have been chosen thoughtfully.
The young lady of House Lindsay looked so beautiful that everyone in the hall stared with wide eyes.
Gulp.
Naturally, the young men in their twenties and thirties reacted most strongly.
She lacked nothing, whether ability, reputation, background, or appearance.
And now, someone like that had emerged from a long silence to make a public appearance.
Not as a swordswoman, either, but in an elegant outfit perfectly suited for a ball.
No one could keep their heart from pounding in a situation like this.
‘Maybe...’
‘If I ask her to dance, might she actually accept?’
‘Normally, I wouldn’t know, but Lady Lindsay seems a little more approachable today...’
‘Damn, does my hair look all right?’
The hearts of countless men beat faster.
Of course, no one acted immediately.
She was an incredibly charming woman.
A truly radiant young lady.
That was precisely why it was difficult to approach her. An unavoidable sense of inadequacy held them back.
More than anything, they lacked the courage to push through the pressure and aura of Joshua Lindsay, who stood behind Illia with a kind smile on his lips while sweeping the ballroom with eyes more terrifying than anyone else’s.
‘He’s usually cold, but I heard he’s even worse when it comes to his daughter.’
‘I heard he challenged everyone who showed interest in her to a spar...’
‘Is that true? Even if it isn’t, asking her to dance under that stare...’
‘It’s impossible.’
In the end, the men calmed their overheated hearts and turned their attention elsewhere.
Joshua Lindsay noticed the mood and smiled with satisfaction, while a few elderly nobles who knew his temperament well shook their heads.
They could understand a father’s love for his daughter.
But was it not going too far for one of the continent’s strongest swordsmen to look that frightening?
No matter how many talented young people Adan Kingdom had, surely there could not be a young man bold enough to overcome that pressure and approach the young lady...
“Hm?”
“...”
That was when a slight commotion arose from one corner of the ballroom.
No, calling it a commotion was not quite right.
Other than a few exclamations of admiration, the hall had grown quieter than it would at an ordinary ball.
That only drew even more attention.
“Gasp.”
“Oh!”
“...”
More eyes turned.
More interest, and gazes filled with deeper curiosity, flew toward a single young man.
They did not know his name.
They did not know where he came from.
He was not from Adan Kingdom. Even several women with deep connections in high society could not identify him.
Only a handful of swordsmen, including Hall Master Joseph, knew who he was.
And even they could not hide their surprise.
“...”
Joshua Lindsay showed his displeasure as he watched the blond young man slowly approach.
But he did not release his aura. He already knew Airen was not someone who would stop at that.
Besides...
‘This brat looks much more presentable than usual.’
It was not only his clothes that had changed.
His walk, expression, smile, and manners.
Airen Farreira had transformed into a refined nobleman of Adan.
He gracefully bowed before Illia Lindsay and asked,
“Lady Illia Lindsay. Would you grant me the honor of a dance?”
“...”
Her friend had approached her in a completely unexpected way.
Yet his eyes were still familiar.
Illia Lindsay felt her heart pound fiercely.
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