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[Noelia : The Impatience of the Count’s Daughter Mage]

※Noelia’s POV

The huge war horse that led the monsters left, and we parted with the unlucky adventurers who drew the hordes of monsters twice after treating them, then the nightfall soon approached, so we decided to camp.

And now, the end of the horizon is slowly beginning to brighten; it was almost dawn.

After I change places with Frick-sama who was on watch until just now, I was about to add firewood to the bonfire that was about to died down and start preparing for the morning.

“Hah, Frick-sama is engrossed with animal again.”

I remember about the dinner yesterday; Frick-sama was enthusiastically talking about the war horse that understands human speech, and I leaked a mutter that could be said to be a complaint.

“Right. For a man of that age to be like that is a bit…”

Suzana, who had changed into her maid outfit and was trying to put her hair together, called out to me from behind, surprised, I dropped the firewood I had in my hand.

Because she will drive the wagon all day long today as well, I thought that she was still sleeping…

“Suzana!? …You have woken up? I’ll prepare the breakfast—”

Suzana can’t fight, so she volunteered to drive the wagon, which is a task that took up a lot of concentration, and so Frick-sama suggested that she sleep properly at night.

That Suzana woke up at the time when the sun hadn’t risen yet.

“It is because Frick-sama has finished his night watch and already took a nap in his own sleeping bag. Besides, I thought that Noelia-sama became depressed again due to the matter from yesterday, so I woke up early.”

It seems she was worried because she saw my expression when I listened to Frick-sama enthusiastically talked about the huge horse at dinner.

“I see… so, what do you think, Suzana?”

I spoke out about the fuzzy feeling in my heart to Suzana, who I didn’t regard as a maid servant but as a reliable older sister.

“Are you talking about Frick-sama? Or are you talking about the horse?”

Suzana smiled grinningly and returned a mean question.

Uu, it is embarrassing… to have this kind of talk with Suzana…

Even though until recently, I only listened to Suzana’s suggestion about marriage talks absentmindedly, I didn’t think that the situation would change so much in a short time.

“…About Frick-sama.”

Even while feeling my cheeks getting hot, I answered Suzana’s mean question.

“Am I not suited to him…? I’m aware that I’m lacking in that, charm as a woman though.”

I understood that I had no feminine charm that men wanted.

A strange woman who has no breasts, not cute, and only shows an interest in magic.

That was what I am now.

As I thought, someone like me, an existence that wasn’t interesting at all, didn’t suit to be with Frick-sama; the thought made me depressed since yesterday.

“The only thing that Noelia-sama lacking in is her breasts, and she has enough charm as a woman. This Suzana guarantees it. Noelia-sama is a woman who wouldn’t be an embarrassment wherever she marries.”

Suzana held my hand as if to encourage me who was depressed.

At her encouragement, my depressed feelings improved a little.

I’m glad that Suzana came along… Perhaps I couldn’t even find a chance to get myself together if I was alone.

Only at this time, I was grateful to my father for forcing her to accompany me.

“I think Frick-sama’s taste as a man is a little special.”

“Is that the case?”

“Men around his age are usually a little more interested in women.”

Frick-sama is 20 years old like me.

At around that age, most nobles are married, and even for the commoners, it should be no surprise that there are women who are dating.

Even so, he didn’t show interest in women who are close to him.

If he is only interested in animals…

Even while I was thinking about Frick-sama’s taste, Suzana’s talk continued,

“But looking at his appearance… Maybe something happened in his relationship with women in the past—ah!”

Suzana’s expression seems to say ‘Oh no!’

I was thinking of looking away, but if the reason that Frick-sama wasn’t interested in women really was me…

If so, perhaps my favor is only a burden to him.

As I thought, Frick-sama wouldn’t like a no good person like me…

Suzana’s words reminded me of my position.

“I really—deeply regret what I did.”

If I who has done terrible things to him conveyed my feeling, it would only be a burden to him.

Therefore, it is better for me to keep this feeling in my heart forever without breaking our relationship.

I should endure it forever as a punishment for doing terrible things to him.

Although I think so, I couldn’t stop my feeling for him getting bigger as we traveled together.

Whether it was regret or despair, uncertain emotions arose within me and my view became blurred with tears.

Worried about such me, Suzana offered a handkerchief.

“Please rest assured. It is not because of Noelia-sama; I’m guessing that Frick-sama had various complicated relationship with women even before that.”

Suzana, who presented me a handkerchief, was stroking my head as if to gently assuring me.

Since I was a kid, when I, who don’t have a mother, was having a hard time, Suzana always comforted me like this.

“Come to think of it… Frick-sama said that he was escorting caravan before he became an adventurer. What happened then?”

Because of Suzana’s words, I realized that I knew almost nothing about the person I liked.

He said that he was honing his sword skill as he escorted the caravan, but that caravan disbanded and losing his job, he went to Youg Hannotes and became an adventurer.

Even if I wanted to ask more than that, he wasn’t the kind of person who talked about himself, so I couldn’t bring myself to ask him.

I really don’t know anything about Frick-sama…

I know about his magic talent and sword talent, but I don’t even know where he was born and how he grew up…

Swayed by my love for him, I got a cold sweat at the thought that I didn’t even try to know him.

After doing terrible things to him, I only asserted my feeling and gave him my favor… If I was Frick-sama, I would never want to be involved with me…

It made me realize that my current position was secured thanks to his extraordinary kindness.

I really am the worst woman… At this rate, there’s no way Frick-sama would be interested in me…

Being close to him made me misunderstand.

Seeing my complexion, Suzana pulled my cheeks with the hand that she used to stroke my head.

“Noelia-sama. It is too early to despair. Just in case, I used the Adventurer’s Guild to investigate a little about Frick-sama. He doesn’t have a criminal history, he reported that he was a caravan’s escort and his birthplace was Algren, a great city in the north. However, he doesn’t have the peculiar accent of Algren. And I found one point that was intriguing.”

“Intriguing!?”

I, who was forced to smile because my cheek was pulled by Suzana, was hungry for Frick-sama’s information that she provided.

“Yes, he made an anonymous donation to an orphanage in a village near the Royal Capital. It seems that he donated a considerable amount of the money that he has earned since he came to Youg Hannotes… I feel that perhaps, that place is the true birthplace of Frick-sama.”

“Does Suzana thinks that Frick-sama faked his birthplace?”

“It is not just his birthplace. Perhaps he faked other things besides his birthplace, and perhaps he faked everything. However, as far as his personality is concerned, I don’t think that is the case, so perhaps he has some circumstances. Even though he can use sword and magic that well, he tries to hide his identity. Even so, does Noelia-sama still likes Frick-sama?”

Suzana said that Frick-sama had a mysterious past that shouldn’t be touched, but still asked me if I liked him despite that.

Coming in contact with information that Frick-sama may actually not Frick-sama, I thought I would be more shocked, but unexpectedly, I didn’t get shocked.

Because, no matter who he was in the past, I met him in Youg Hannotes by chance and even now was having a journey together with him. I think that his personality that he showed wasn’t fake.

Therefore, my answer to Suzana’s question is ‘like’.

This solid feeling wouldn’t change no matter who Frick-sama was.

“No matter who he was in the past, I like… Frick-sama.”

Hearing my answer, Suzana took her hand off my cheek and smiled grinningly.

“In that case, there is no problem. Frick-sama’s attitude should soften during the journey. Without being impatient, you have to slowly earn his trust.”

I’m not confident in myself at all, but if Suzana says so, I have no choice but to win his trust little by little.

Without forcing my favor, I have to atone to him, and gain his trust.

Thanks to Suzana, I see a little light on the road that seemed to be closed.

“It seems that I was too impatient. I will do my best according to Suzana advised.”

“I think it is the privilege of a woman in love to think like that. Well then, let’s seize Frick-sama’s stomach, which is the first great step in securing his trust.”

That said, Suzana went back to the wagon to pick up the pot and ingredients to start preparing breakfast.

You’re overthinking it Noelia… You were just stalking him…