WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 247: Bound to Admit It (4)
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♩♪ ♬♩♪
Soft music still drifted through the ballroom.
Unlike before, Airen Farreira watched Illia Lindsay from a quiet corner. With a faint sigh, he closed his eyes.
His thoughts were a mess.
He had grown inwardly through everything he experienced in Lloyd territory.
To fulfill the ideals he had set for himself, his thirst for the sword, desire to improve, and fighting spirit were all important... but he had finally realized that what mattered even more were the people around him, the people who had helped make him who he was.
That was why he had flown to House Lindsay earlier than planned.
Along with Judith and Brett, she had been one of the people closest to him, someone who had guided him.
His precious friend, Illia Lindsay.
‘Right. A friend. That’s what she definitely was...’
But things were different now.
Even with his eyes closed, Illia’s face kept appearing in his mind.
His memories with her had taken on a slightly different meaning than before.
He liked that.
Yet for some reason, it frightened him.
It could not be helped. Airen might have had far less life experience than people his age, but over the past few years, he had met and dealt with many people. He had become reasonably sociable.
Things involving romance were entirely different.
Even when he saw countless couples around him.
Even when he saw people build families through marriage.
Even when he saw Brett and Judith, the couple closest to him.
He had never felt anything like this. Now, those emotions crashed over him in fierce waves.
‘...Should I get some air?’
Airen let out another breath.
He had tried hard, but his heart would not settle.
Meditation did not help either.
To resolve this, he needed to examine and understand his feelings more clearly. He needed somewhere quiet.
Once he had made up his mind, he rose from his seat.
A few people watched one of the evening’s main guests slowly leave the ballroom and began whispering about him.
“Did you know? I heard that guy was once derisively called the Lazy Lord.”
“Hm? What are you talking about? Isn’t he a Sword Master?”
“That’s what I mean. It’s hard to believe, but it doesn’t sound entirely made up either.”
“I heard it too. Apparently, he changed after meeting the young lady of House Lindsay as a child...”
“Huh! Then I was right. I kept thinking it while watching them dance tonight, but there isn’t a couple more suited to each other than those two.”
“Right? I thought so too.”
“Ha, the rumors will be everywhere by tomorrow. Once they pass through the mouths of a few noblewomen who love gossip, they’ll spread through the kingdom, no, the whole western continent...”
“Shh!”
“Hm? Why... Gasp!”
The noble who glanced behind them froze in horror.
Joshua Lindsay was glaring at them with sharp eyes.
That was not all.
Illia Lindsay was also looking their way, so everyone cleared their throats and hurriedly changed the subject.
The head of the house was one thing, but the young lady also hated having people spread stories about her without permission.
Yet unlike what they feared, Illia was not looking at the nobles.
Her gaze was fixed on her friend, Airen Farreira, who had left the ballroom and disappeared toward the Garden.
‘He’s just gone out for some air, right? He’ll come back, won’t he?’
She knew.
Tonight’s meeting was not the end.
Once her father’s birthday celebration was over, Airen’s group would be staying with House Lindsay for a while, at least another week. She already knew that.
Even so, she wanted more time.
She wanted to see him a little longer.
All she could do was steal brief glances while greeting the endless stream of guests, but even then, she wanted to keep him in sight.
‘No, calm down.’
Illia took a deep breath and settled herself.
Unlike Airen, she had recognized him as a man quite some time ago.
That was why she was not so overcome by her feelings that she would run after him.
It’s fine. There’s no need to rush.
What would you even do if you followed him?
You have something you want to ask?
You don’t even have the courage to ask it.
The thoughts that flashed through her mind quickly made her behave herself.
Seeing more guests approach, Illia tried to greet them beside her parents with an awkward smile.
But then...
Something happened throughout the ballroom that made her stir.
“Haah, it’s rather warm, isn’t it? Shall I take a little walk...?”
“Did I drink too much? Suddenly, I feel like getting some air.”
“Hmm-hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm...”
“What’s this? Dear, where did our daughter go?”
“Hm? You’re right. She was beside us just a moment ago.”
The noble ladies began moving all at once.
Some made suitable excuses, while others quietly walked away without a word. Illia watched the direction they were heading in and widened her eyes.
Every one of them was leaving the ballroom.
Instinctively sensing their intentions, she drew up her Aura.
Swish.
“Hm?”
“Ah?”
“She was right in front of us a moment ago... wasn’t she?”
Illia Lindsay had vanished in an instant.
The guests of the house stammered in shock, while Joshua Lindsay, sensing that something strange was happening, was about to go outside after his daughter.
“Just leave her alone. You’re embarrassing yourself, hrrmng...”
“...”
At the Countess’s quiet yet terrifying voice in his ear, the head of the house could only clear his throat and remain where he was.
* * *
Whoosh!
“Where is he? Ah, there!”
Illia Lindsay appeared outside the ballroom, having pushed her Aura control to its limit.
It was incredible. Her blue dress was beautiful to look at, but terribly inconvenient for making intense movements.
Moving at such speed should have been nearly impossible.
Yet a Master’s physical ability, when used in earnest, surpassed the common sense of ordinary people.
Thanks to that, though she had started much later, she had nearly caught up to the other noble ladies.
“Sir Airen Farreira!”
“Sir Airen! Could you spare a moment...?”
“Who are you? Do you know Sir Airen? Why are you calling his name so freely?”
“What business is that of yours? And you were just...”
“No, I got pushed back because I was talking to you!”
“Lord Farreira! If it would not be too much trouble, might I walk through the Garden with you and speak with you for a moment?”
“Oh! What a coincidence! I also happened to have a few questions I wanted to ask Lord Farreira...”
‘I’m too late!’
Still, nearly catching up meant she was late, however slightly.
Illia looked devastated.
The noble ladies had surrounded Airen in an instant, and her expression darkened.
‘Then again... who wouldn’t like Airen?’
Illia was no longer the Illia of the past.
Unlike when she had spent every day wearing down both her self-esteem and herself beneath Ignet’s shadow, she was slowly regaining a healthy heart.
Even so, there was no way she could remain calm in this situation.
When feelings for someone grew too large, that person could seem far more wonderful.
In contrast, you could feel terribly inadequate.
That was how Illia felt now.
Airen Farreira was surrounded by countless beautiful women.
He seemed even more wonderful than usual.
His flustered expression looked pure, and his inability to turn away the women approaching him looked kind.
And what about herself?
She had no claim on Airen.
They were fairly close, but they were still only friends, not lovers.
Yet pathetic jealousy kept growing inside her.
The feeling was so strong that, just for a moment, she considered releasing her presence and driving the noble ladies away.
Of course, she could not do that.
Release her energy at those delicate, fragile noble ladies just to satisfy her own private feelings?
A Master’s energy, at that?
Nothing serious would happen if she controlled it well, but Illia was not confident she could do that right now.
Her complicated, violent emotions boiled inside her. She felt like a pot bubbling furiously over a fire.
“...Phew.”
In the end, Illia quietly turned away as she watched the noble ladies charge forward without hesitation.
She did not have the confidence to push through them and stand before Airen.
And even if she did stand before him, she was not confident she could show him her best side.
Even as she thought that, her feet would not move. She was trying to leave the Garden at a snail’s pace when...
“I’m sorry.”
“Pardon? What...?”
“Ah! No, I’m sorry. I interrupted your contemplation. I’ll leave now. But if it’s all right, perhaps later...”
“I don’t think that will happen. No, it won’t.”
“...Why not?”
“I haven’t had nearly enough time to train with the sword lately.”
“...”
“If you’re confident you can spar with me, we could go to the training grounds together right now...”
“...No. I should be going.”
It was a gentle rejection.
No, considering Airen’s usual personality, it was a fairly cold rejection.
The atmosphere was truly unpleasant.
Asking delicate young ladies to spar with swords?
In crude terms, it was no different from telling them to get lost.
“Tch.”
“Even if he is a Master, isn’t that terribly rude?”
“Does he think he’s the only man in the world?”
“How ridiculous.”
The noble ladies returned to the ballroom in a huff.
Illia Lindsay stared blankly at Airen.
Airen Farreira let out a tired breath, then finally noticed her and met her eyes.
“Oh?”
“Ah?”
“You were here? Since when...?”
“Ah, no! I just got here. It was a little hot inside, so I came out to enjoy the night air, and, um, it seemed noisy out here... I didn’t know you would be here.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“...”
“...”
Silence settled between them.
Airen had not finished sorting through his thoughts when he ran into Illia, so his mind froze. Illia was also too distracted by what Airen had just said.
If she was not confident enough to spar with him, he was sorry?
What did that mean?
Could it be...
‘Did he say that because of me?’
She wanted to ask.
But she hesitated.
What if he said he had only made an excuse? The words caught in her throat.
She was usually like this, but Illia had even less courage than normal tonight.
So...
“Illia.”
“Yes?”
“This might sound a little strange, but... shall we have a light spar?”
“...”
Illia stared at him blankly.
Watching her, Airen realized his mistake.
Now that he thought about it, it was an absurd thing to say.
His clothes were not suitable either, but there was no way hers were fit for swinging a sword.
He had asked a woman in a ballroom dress to spar with him!
It was such an awful mistake that he wanted to hit himself.
“Yes! Let’s do it!”
“Huh?”
“Come on! To the training grounds!”
But Illia’s answer was yes.
And not an ordinary yes.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him along, looking as excited as if she had heard exactly what she wanted to hear.
Airen asked in a flustered voice.
“Ah, but now that I think about it, I feel like I didn’t consider your situation at all. Your clothes...”
“It’s fine. We’re Masters, aren’t we? Something like this isn’t a problem. Yes, exactly!”
“W-Well, that’s true, but...”
A young man in ballroom clothes was being pulled along with a puzzled expression, while a lady in a dress advanced cheerfully toward the training grounds.
Watching them from the Garden bushes, Kiril muttered in disbelief.
“What are those two even doing... It always comes back to swordsmanship. Is this right? Is it really supposed to go like this?”
“Mmm. But that’s so like them, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. I think so too.”
Bill Staunton nodded at Lulu’s words and added his own.
“Their progress is a little frustrating, but there’s a fresh yet steady feeling that only those two can give off... I truly like it.”
“...Hmph.”
Kiril turned her head away.
She wore a dissatisfied expression, but she did not argue with Bill Staunton any further because she agreed with the troublemaker to some extent.
And so, House Lindsay’s celebration, held for the first time in a very long while, was coming to an end.
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