I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 154

Ariel could assure herself of one thing.

Today was the first time she felt so flustered in front of Silvia.

It was only natural, as usually, Silvia took on the role of teasing Ariel, giving her a reason to respond back.

But today was different.

Now that the truth from last night had come to light, Ariel was nothing more than a sinner—no more, no less.

She could only bow her head and hope for leniency, like a pitiful criminal.

Perhaps that’s why.

Even though the shop was quite warm, Ariel felt an inexplicable chill.

It would have been nice if Silvia said something, but her silence as she stuffed herself with ice cream only made Ariel’s heart heavier.

“Ahem.”

“……!?”

As Silvia quietly ate her ice cream, she let out a soft cough when her throat went cold, causing Ariel to flinch awkwardly.

Silvia smiled like she found it cute, seeing Ariel’s reaction, which looked like a frightened little creature.

She never imagined she’d see Ariel like this in her lifetime.

It was quite an unexpected find.

“Pff, why are you so surprised? That’s not like you.”

“… Anyone would be surprised if someone suddenly coughed while it’s quiet.”

“Hmm… Okay. I’ll let it slide this time.”

Knowing that if she teased Ariel any further, her face would burst bright red, Silvia reluctantly decided to stop here.

After all, there was something far more important to address.

“So, are we ready to talk seriously?”

With her hands crossed and resting on the table, her chin propped up in a flower-like manner, Silvia began with a subtle tone.

Ariel’s body trembled again, but perhaps she was aware of her earlier reaction, as it was less pronounced this time.

Still, Silvia saw right through it.

“What story? I don’t really have anything to say…”

“Oh please, if you really weren’t feeling guilty, you wouldn’t have followed me.”

“……”

With Silvia’s sharp comment, Ariel sealed her lips like a person who had just swallowed honey.

It was literally true. From the moment Ariel quietly followed Silvia, it was as if she were a thief caught red-handed.

It may be brazen to deny it, but at least to Silvia, it looked quite adorable.

It reminded her of the face of her little sister, who broke a precious ornament back at their family home and pretended nothing happened.

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional. I just happened to hear something while returning to my room last night…”

“Now you’re admitting you made a mistake? Well, I didn’t call you here to get angry, so you don’t need to worry.”

Seeing Ariel mumble in a sulky tone, Silvia reached out from her propped chin to pat her head.

Though it wasn’t as dramatic as when Edgar did it, it was meant to convey not to be too downcast.

In the first place, Silvia wasn’t angry, nor had she called Ariel to question her about it.

She was simply curious about the circumstances that led to the revelation.

Perhaps it was because she felt too easygoing in someone else’s villa.

“So you overheard it when you were with Edgar?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm… It’s definitely a bit embarrassing. It’s not like I did anything wrong, but it’s not something I want everyone to know either.”

After all, Silvia and Hagel were in a relationship, and they were both adults responsible for their actions. Hence, Silvia didn’t feel embarrassed about Ariel discovering what happened last night.

However, that didn’t mean she was completely devoid of embarrassment.

If it was just Ariel who found out, it might have been fine, but the fact that Edgar found out was a bit more mortifying.

Moreover, sometimes just hearing things could feel more scandalous than witnessing them.

“By the way, judging by your reaction… it seems Ariel is still… inexperienced?”

“Still inexperienced?”

Ariel genuinely looked confused, tilting her head at Silvia’s comment.

Just her expression was enough for Silvia to snicker inwardly and bluntly mention it.

“I mean, are you saying you haven’t had a deep relationship like we do?”

“… Ah.”

Ariel finally grasped the meaning behind Silvia’s words, and her previously fading blush gradually surged back to her cheeks.

Silvia thought it was fascinating how every time she saw this, it was like watching red paint spread over a white canvas.

Then she wondered if it was a result of how fair Ariel’s skin was.

“Oh, you don’t have to answer if you’re embarrassed. Although at that point, it might not matter anyway.”

“Ugh… I don’t like the way you say that, as if you know everything.”

“Heh, well, I do have the experience, after all.”

As Silvia made a playful face, Ariel huffed and turned her head away.

In other words, it meant she had no rebuttal for that.

“… Why? Are you going to make fun of me if I admit it’s true?”

After Ariel finished the last of her ice cream, she muttered sulkily, thinking that Silvia was only bringing this up to tease her.

“Hmm? Why would I tease you about it?”

But Silvia looked genuinely surprised to hear that.

In response, Ariel muttered with a low voice.

“Well, it’s because you’ve done it while I have not….”

“Pffft, I’ve always thought you were oddly sensitive about peculiar things.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means there’s really no point in teasing you or anything. It’s just your circumstances.”

Ariel found Silvia’s attitude frustrating.

In a way, it resembled Edgar’s personality, who would often playfully push the envelope but then retreat when someone accepted the challenge.

But when she thought about it, those reasons often seemed valid, and sometimes they even made Ariel realize her own shortcomings, leading to moments of embarrassment.

If Silvia were just a girl with a purely carefree personality, Ariel probably wouldn’t have tried to get close.

“Why? Are you perhaps contemplating something regarding that?”

“Well, it’s not so much contemplating, but something happened yesterday.”

“Really? What is it? Tell me.”

Silvia looked at Ariel with a gaze akin to that of an older sister listening to her younger sister’s troubles.

Considering her relationship with Hagel started early on, she was quite accustomed to hearing about others’ romantic dilemmas.

“So, you know how we passed by your room yesterday? Then we heard something…”

“Yeah, I remember.”

Recalling that memory still made Ariel blush, but this time, she gathered her courage to continue.

“I ended up running away out of nowhere, so I’m worried that Edgar might think something odd of me.”

“‘Odd?’ Oh.”

As Silvia mentally pieced together the scenario, she belatedly realized what Ariel meant.

“You’re worried he might think you were avoiding him?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Well, that’s a legitimate concern. It wouldn’t be unusual, considering you’ve generally been on the passive side.”

“You’re right.”

Ariel wasn’t particularly adept at being honest, but she had never been unassertive in her relationships.

After all, how many girls could say they boldly pulled a guy’s tie to give him a kiss the first time they started dating?

However, this time, it had become a source of anxiety instead.

If she maintained her usual proactive demeanor but shifted to a gesture that seemed rejecting, it could lead the other person to think, “Has she lost interest?”

“Honestly, I don’t think Edgar would think that at all.”

But Silvia believed it was merely Ariel’s overthinking.

Of course, she understood Ariel’s feelings, but she felt there were some misconceptions on Ariel’s part.

However, as it was simply a matter of perspective, Silvia couldn’t blame her.

After a moment of quietly listening, Silvia suddenly realized that Ariel subconsciously wished for that kind of situation as well.

In a way, the fact that she brought up such concerns indicated that she couldn’t entirely disregard her relationship with Edgar.

“Still, that’s surprising.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you’d definitely be more of a delicate flower in that regard. But from what you’re saying, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case.”

At least Silvia had assumed Ariel would take her time with matters of this nature.

After all, when she jokingly mentioned such topics in the past, Ariel had recoiled in shock, making Silvia think she was averse to it.

But given her current reaction…

“… Were you just pretending?”

“P-preten—! Do you really think I’m that kind of person?”

“But that’s the only explanation that makes sense.”

“Ugh!”

With another sharp jab, Ariel was left speechless, her head hanging low.

In truth, she couldn’t completely refute Silvia’s statement.

“It’s true that I’m weak when it comes to such topics. It’s just….”

“Just?”

“W-well, it doesn’t mean I’m uninterested.”

Her words felt somewhat vague, but Silvia comprehended what she was trying to convey fully.

In other words, Ariel didn’t necessarily want to discuss it openly, but she did have the matter on her mind in a positive and open direction.

This shocking revelation had taken Silvia by surprise, leaving her looking speechless for a moment before she resumed speaking.

“Thinking back, it’s not that surprising… Ariel’s actually quite bold, huh?”

“W-what do you think I am!?”

As expected, Ariel raised her voice in a panic, standing up from her seat.

Fortunately, there weren’t many people around, or otherwise, all eyes would have turned to her.

Realizing she had gotten a little too excited, Ariel sat back down and, in a small voice, admitted of her true feelings.

“I-I just thought if I didn’t say anything, people would think I was too easygoing….”

“Don’t you think Edgar already thinks that about you?”

To Silvia, it seemed like quite a contradiction for someone who had given a public display of affection to worry about that.

But on the contrary, her statement made Ariel shrink back and fidget nervously.

Even if she wanted to be seen as assertive, she didn’t want to be perceived as frivolous or overly loud.

“Is that so…?”

“Ah, you’re cute.”

Silvia found her friend’s hesitance endearing, so she couldn’t help but stand up and give Ariel a hug.

“Don’t think too hard about it. Edgar has indulged your antics more than once, hasn’t he?”

“Well, that’s true, but….”

“Just act as you wish. Edgar would be hoping for that too.”

After releasing her embrace, Silvia patted Ariel’s head and finally pinched her cheek.

“Hang in there, I’ll support you.”

“… Thank you.”

Ariel expressed her gratitude toward her friend who was cheering her on, not letting out her usual snarky remarks today.

Though often a tricky friendship filled with playful banter, she realized that this trust felt distinct from the relationship with her lover.