𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝟐
Putting aside my turbulent inner emotions, life at school remained largely unchanged.
Edgardo and Rolf maintained a respectful distance, their behavior conveying a sense of respect towards me, which was slightly awkward.
On a day that seemed outwardly peaceful, I dragged Rene into my room. I made sure we were alone and locked the door.
ㅤ
“Hey, Alice. What’s going on? Surely, it’s not okay to lock ourselves in a room alone!”
ㅤ
I gestured for Rene to be quiet as his face flushed with a scolding tone.
I trusted Rene enough to confide in him precisely because he would say such things.
ㅤ
“I have a personal issue. I want to discuss it with you, Rene-sama, to decide if it should be shared with everyone else.”
ㅤ
I considered talking to Edgardo and Rolf, but relying on people who claim to like me feels somewhat inappropriate.
If they like me, shouldn’t they naturally want to help? That expectation is what I dislike.
Arthur joked about puns and engagements before, and somehow, I just don’t feel right talking to Roa-sama about it.
ㅤ
I offered Rene a chair, and we sat down together. I realized I hadn’t served tea, but this was the only time for us to be alone.
ㅤ
“Today, when I went to Marina’s lab, I saw a disreputable merchant through the window. He was entering the school through the back door.”
“The back door is for vendors, right? Aren’t the trading companies allowed into the school supposed to be fixed? Who is this disreputable merchant?”
ㅤ
To talk about this, I need to disclose a bit about my past.
ㅤ
“It’s a merchant who tried to attack me before.”
“. . .What?”
ㅤ
A low, crawling voice could be heard.
ㅤ
“It’s a merchant who used to come to our house. He seemed ill in front of our home, so I helped him. He thanked me and offered me goods at a lower price, but one day he attacked me. I beat him mercilessly with a frying pan, focusing on his lower body.”
“. . .The lower body?”
“Well, mainly around the groin area.”
“I see. And Alice, he didn’t. . . nothing else. . .?”
ㅤ
Rene hesitated to speak, so I nodded emphatically. I didn’t want any misunderstandings there.
ㅤ
“After he started visiting, his gaze became lecherous. I wanted to tell him not to come anymore, but he must have sensed that. Before I could say it, he attacked, saying this was his plan all along. I defended myself with a frying pan and a knife.”
“. . .I see. It’s good that Alice is safe.”
ㅤ
Rene stroked my arm reassuringly, and I felt relieved.
There was a chance that sharing this would lead to being viewed as dirty.
I spoke because I believed Rene, like a knight here, would not think such things.
ㅤ
“I trusted that you, Rene-sama, wouldn’t say that I am bad or dirty.”
“Of course not! The bad one is that merchant, not Alice!”
“It’s because you would get angry like that, Rene-sama, that I confided in you.”
ㅤ
The tension gradually melted away from my body.
It took courage to share something that might give the Norchev family a bad impression.
ㅤ
“If you fought off that merchant, why is he still around?”
“He escaped. I had tied him up, but he cut the ropes with a hidden blade, and by the time I returned, he was gone. . .”
ㅤ
At that time, I was truly frustrated.
ㅤ
“The family was furious and wanted to do something about that merchant. But his name and the trading company he claimed to be associated with were all lies. The only clues we had were his face and build. Besides, I am a noble’s daughter, after all, so they refrained from making a big fuss. They didn’t want it to get out that I was ‘damaged goods’. . . But I didn’t care about that at all.”
ㅤ
It would have been fine if it was just me.
ㅤ
“They said that if they made a scene, it would only increase the number of impudent people trying to marry me for my situation. It would tarnish the Norchev family name. There were no leads, and the likelihood of finding that guy was low, yet exposing the family to curious and pitying eyes for nothing. . . I couldn’t choose that path.”
ㅤ
I was used to dealing with scum, so I was fine, but my family was beside themselves at the time.
My dad, usually so gentle, was uncharacteristically furious, and mom blamed herself for not noticing sooner.
It seemed they were regretting not noticing the merchant’s true nature, even though he was in the same house, and what might have happened if I hadn’t been able to resist. They were so full of regret that it made them sick, and mom’s illness worsened.
Thor, who had been starting to detach from his sister, became even more clingy to me than before and grew into a fine brother complex.
ㅤ
“The merchant’s tricks were clever, and he was experienced. Probably had done the same thing many times before. And now. . . he has come to this school.”
ㅤ
There’s no doubt someone’s helping him.
ㅤ
“You did well. Thank you for telling me something so difficult to say.”
“I hesitated to tell you because it’s none of Roa-sama’s business. But I couldn’t keep quiet knowing that a young lady at school could be attacked. . .”
“I’m glad Alice told us. With this, we can also prepare. Even though we know that such things might happen at school, we can’t just ignore it, thinking it doesn’t concern us.”
ㅤ
I was pleased with the strong words.
. . .Rene is trustworthy. A person to rely on.
ㅤ
“I’ll report it once everyone’s gathered.”
“Let’s chop off that guy’s ‘goods’.”
“We definitely will. But still. . .”
ㅤ
Rene stopped speaking and wore a complex expression.
ㅤ
“You consulted me because this has nothing to do with romance, right?”
“Yes. It’s not that I don’t trust others, but it was somehow difficult to consult.”
“Right. To calmly lock yourself in a room with me. Trusting me like this, all on the assumption that there’s no love involved. Not sure if it’s a perk or a raw deal. . .”
ㅤ
Muttering to himself, Rene suddenly looked up.
ㅤ
“To what extent can I share with everyone? I’ll keep the things Alice finds difficult to say a secret.”
“You can tell them everything.”
“Eh. . . really? You became averse to men because of that, didn’t you?”
ㅤ
I nod ambiguously.
My family thinks I became averse to men because of that incident, as I haven’t told anyone about my past life.
They say I don’t have to marry because of that incident.
ㅤ
“If possible, I want to catch him and put my family at ease. I’m not concerned about it, but they’ve been dragging it on for so long.”
“Understood. Can you draw a portrait of that merchant?”
ㅤ
I drew it. It was laughed at and rejected.
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- Acel World: I Was That Fat Kid
- Do Your Gym Bros Think You’re a Weirdo? (Secret Signs You’re the Gym Oddball)
- Kimonos, Cosplay, and Cultural Cancels: Nezuko’s Demon Slayer Saga in China
- My Two Classmates Just Went Full Anime Fight Club Over… WAIFUS?!
- The Unmentionable Truth About Anime Waifus: Why They’re All So Smooth
Leave a Reply