Chapter 46

23. — In Aren (2)

Translated by Nabi

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〈 “If you were going to run away from me, it’s now too late, Adelia.” 〉

“EEEUUUUAAAAA…!”

“Young Lady!”

​​Lily, who saw me screaming and jumping out of the bed, ran towards me in a hurry. Surprised, she stared at me with her eyes wide open. I opened my mouth with a heavy breath.

“Lil, Lily, I need some water.”

“Are you all right?”

I shook my head at Lily, who quickly handed me the cold water, and gulped down the water. As my burning thirst disappeared, I recalled the dream I had a moment ago.

Oh,  I truly screwed it up!

Thinking about it, I kicked the duvet and laid back on the bed. Why did I accept it without hesitation?

…No—Anyway, why did he do that…!

“…Why? I must’ve done it because I was bewitched by that face!”

I buried my face in the pillow and struggled with the reality I didn’t even want to believe I had done while a strange sound came out of my mouth. After sobbing and weeping for a while, I realized that the surroundings were too quiet.

I was sure Lily’s voice should be making a fuss around this time…?

When I slowly lifted my head and glanced around, Lily was already looking at me with an icy look on her face.

“…Lily?”

“Don’t worry, Young Lady.”

“Huh?”

“Because I’m going to kill Eli, that son of a b*tch, today.”

“What?”

Without a moment of embarrassment at the sudden remark, Lily turned her body without any regrets. Then, I hurriedly grabbed her by the waist when I saw that it really looked like she was going to kill Eli at any moment.

“Ho-hold on, Lily!”

“Let me go, Young Lady! I knew that freak would one day make a mistake like this!”

Lily shouted as she rolled up her arms vigorously as if her anger did not dissipate despite my persuasion.

“He’s been like this since I was a kid! He didn’t think it would be helpful to the family economy by making something useful and went to the academy in the middle of nowhere! What, a drug that turns someone into a shapeshifter…? Just amazing!”

“Lily, calm down. Calm down…!”

“It’s even funnier that something like that was made to celebrate the Young Lady’s debut. When I think of the day the Young Lady came back to the mansion in the form of a puppy, I still wake up from my sleep!”

“Well, I know! I know it well…!”

…I know. I know it very well.

Cain and the kis—

Nevertheless, after doing such a thing, it was an extravagant thought to think about how to ride a carriage with him because I was embarrassed and flustered. I turned into a puppy again in the carriage and stayed like that until I returned to Blaise’s mansion.

Almost fainted by the sight of me turning into a puppy, Lily picked up a broomstick when she learned that it had been due to the drug her brother had made. Needless to say, it was natural to say that Eli, who was sleeping late without knowing this, was hit by a broom wielded by his sister. The good news is that the antidote that he made is working, so I have not returned to being a puppy… yet?

I quickly shook my head at the memory of that day that I no longer want to recall.

“Lily, okay. All right, calm down for now!”

At my words, Lily who had been huffing and venting in anger, stopped in an instant like it was a lie. I lifted my head cautiously, wondering if she was actually fine. Lily then asked, looking back at me with her uneasy face.

“I’m asking this just in case. Does the Young Lady dream about going back to being a puppy?” 

“What? No, absolutely not.”

I quickly shook my head at her question.

Only after confirming my answer did Lily let out a sigh of relief, “Huu. I was worried that you might have suffered a trauma like me again.”

“No. I’m perfectly fine. I’d rather have a dream like that again…”

“Yes?”

“No. Nothing.”

No… Perhaps, that kind of dream might be better. After all, my dream these days is filled with Cain and kis—

“EEEUUUAAAAA!”

Taking my hands away from her waist that was hanging, I flopped back onto the bed. Lily shrugged her shoulders and opened her mouth as I wiggled my feet while kicking the blanket.

“All right, get up now.”

“…What? Are you done worrying about me now?”

“I was so excited that I didn’t realize it. However, now that I see the Young Lady screaming, it’s not because you’re scared, though it’s like more like a scream when you remember something like dark history.”

“….”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be worth it for me to worry about it?”

As I pouted her lips at her words, which seemed like she could even be a fortune-teller, Lily quickly dragged my arm out of the bed and spoke.

“Anyway, hurry up and come quickly! Today’s the day you go to the Imperial Palace! It’ll be too late to dress up now!”

“Oh, I hate it. I don’t want to go…”

“No. You must absolutely go! Your Majesty, the Emperor himself, has called the Young Lady to praise you directly!”

“I really didn’t do anything!”

“What does that matter? If they said they’ll give it to you, you should just take it!”

“How can you take the flattery if you give it to someone with no conscience?”

“What’s the matter? The Young Lady once said that sometimes the conscience is short-lived, but your stomach will be full for a  long time!”

I let out her shallow sigh as I glanced at Lily, who looked at me like I did not really understand.

It was my fault.

Lily… Everything that happened, it was all my fault.