I Possessed the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 46

Let’s be honest.

When I won the Martial Arts Tournament in Heros and couldn’t meet you anymore, there was a part of me that felt relieved.

At first, it was a very simple emotion.

Yeah. It felt like seeing an idol straight out of a TV show from a past life.

I look cool acting for you.

This kind of self-absorption became my reason to move.

Even rushing to save you at my first ball was purely impulsive.

If I said I had no regrets, that would be a lie.

It hurt. I was scared.

Is this really the right way to go? Isn’t running away the answer?

I worried about that countless times.

But as I started meeting you more often and talking to you more, my thoughts changed bit by bit.

A seed that had been sown began to grow without me even realizing it.

When I heard your earnest request to win while gifting you Diana, I found myself genuinely moving for only you.

Despite telling myself I shouldn’t have these feelings, no matter how much I scolded myself, the seed of emotion that had begun to grow wouldn’t be uprooted.

There was a part of me that genuinely wanted to defeat the Crown Prince.

And there was a part of me that felt happy dancing with you at the ball in Heros.

Eventually, I knew that if you ended up with the Crown Prince, I would be the only one hurt, and yet I kept pushing my decision off.

So before leaving Heros, I spoke with Duke Ricard and was able to feel relieved.

Ah, I can finally kill this feeling.

I could now suppress this feeling that had grown too large.

That thought I should have acted on sooner finally surfaced.

Time passed, and I enrolled in Arcana.

And the moment I saw you again in the Misty Garden, I realized.

This feeling hadn’t dulled in the slightest.

So I occasionally kept my distance from you.

For instance, I made excuses to wait until I received a letter after saving Anna.

After the tea party, I took it as an opportunity to approach you when you were avoiding everyone.

To prevent you from being unhappy in the end.

Because I didn’t want to be hurt in the end.

That’s why I maintained my distance and even refused Sophia’s request.

“Aike, I don’t want to distance myself from you just because of those rumors. I now know that there’s something more precious than reputation.”

But why do you look at me like that?

★

“…That cannot be, Miss Reina.”

“Why not?”

Reina glared at me with furrowed brows.

“Do you dislike the way things used to be?”

Of course not.

“Or is reputation really that important?”

There are other things that matter.

“The Crown Prince said it was fine. So why are you refusing?”

If this becomes a problem later and affects my relationship with the Crown Prince, it wouldn’t let you find happiness.

Even if there’s no problem, if this feeling grows more, it will ultimately hurt me.

I’m scared of that.

“You told me last time, Miss Reina, that you were the Crown Prince’s fiancée and that since we are about to become adults, we should always uphold decorum.”

“That’s….”

“I think that’s correct. We need to respect each other’s positions since they exist.”

Somehow, I found myself speaking with my head lowered.

I was too scared to meet Reina’s eyes.

Looking into those dreamy eyes, I felt I wouldn’t have any resistance.

“Lies. Then why did you talk to me casually when I mentioned Anna?”

“My immaturity was to blame. I’m sorry.”

…。

It was an uncomfortable silence.

But I couldn’t voice any complaints.

“Your Highness. Please pretend you didn’t hear anything I just said.”

“Hmm, I’ll consider it.”

With that, the Crown Prince shrugged.

“…I will take my leave first.”

And with that, Reina stood up.

When I slightly turned my gaze, I saw her biting her lip while glaring at me.

Her gaze was so cold that it instinctively made me shrink away.

“From now on, I won’t run away either.”

With those final words, Reina departed the garden.

“Sigh.”

I felt drained, letting out a natural sigh.

Honestly, I still couldn’t comprehend it.

Why on earth did Reina bring that up?

What part of Sophia’s request could have triggered such a reaction?

“Aike.”

When I turned my head, I found the Crown Prince, who sighed.

“Your Highness, why did you consent so readily just now?”

The Crown Prince responded that he wasn’t particularly concerned about Reina’s words.

But he couldn’t possibly be unaware that it was nonsense.

The nobility could be criticized for the most absurd reasons.

For instance, simply handing a handkerchief to an injured woman could stir up a scandal.

Of course, rumors of that scale would die down easily, but still, even such good deeds became gossip in noble society.

“When it comes to following Miss Reina’s words, the major problem won’t be me. It would be Miss Reina herself and you, Your Highness. Someone who knows that better than anyone else—why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t understand your thoughts.”

The Crown Prince furrowed his brows.

As if I had done something wrong.

That thought almost made me chuckle.

“Miss Reina is the Crown Prince’s fiancée. Isn’t that enough?”

“Aike. Didn’t I clearly tell you before? I hope for Miss Reina’s happiness.”

Indeed, he had said that.

When I enrolled in Arcana and met Reina after a long time, I realized something was off with her and spoke with the Crown Prince to find the cause.

“If it became known that you and I got along well, wouldn’t it be common knowledge that a scandal would emerge?”

“Surely she knows that. That’s why you should have stopped her….”

“Aike. I just said it. I hope for Miss Reina’s happiness. If she’s ready to endure a scandal, I will support that choice.”

“It would also affect you.”

“I don’t care. I can handle that much.”

Am I being strange right now?

Am I saying something weird?

Those thoughts began to sprout in my mind.

“Why don’t you respect Miss Reina’s choice? As you mentioned, if problems arise, they will affect her and me. Why are you looking away from that resolve?”

“That’s….”

There’s no way I can say that.

To lay bare my thoughts means I also have to reveal the possibility of Reina dying in the future.

It reveals that I am not truly Aike.

“What the heck are you afraid of, Aike?”

“….”

“Is that a refusal to answer? How boring.”

The Crown Prince slowly stretched and got up from his seat.

“I know how much you cherish Miss Reina. Other people will probably notice it too.”

Yeah.

Because I cherish Reina, I cannot change.

I’m not wrong.

“So think carefully. Ask yourself whether your actions are truly for Miss Reina’s benefit.”

“What does that mean?”

“And she’s not a puppet that moves as you wish. I hope you keep that in mind.”

As the Crown Prince quietly left the room, I found myself unable to move for a while after hearing his last words.

★

“Miss Sophia, I have a favor to ask.”

“If it’s something I can help with, I’m more than happy to assist you, Lady Reina!”

Leaving the Misty Garden, I immediately headed to Sophia’s dormitory room.

She seemed to still feel sorry about the request she made yesterday when we returned to Arcana.

It really is fine now.

Thanks to that, I’ve been able to make my resolution.

“Just a moment! It might not suit your taste, but I have black tea and snacks!”

Sophia hurriedly rummaged through the cupboard after sitting me down at the table.

“You can take your time to prepare.”

“Yes! I’ll get it ready right away!”

I’ve occasionally felt this, but it seems Sophia doesn’t listen well once she gets engrossed in something.

Is that something I could view positively?

“And I’ll put them here!”

She placed one teacup on each of our spots and laid the snacks in between.

For some reason, she seemed nervous, darting her gaze around.

“Why are you so fidgety?”

“I’ve visited your room before, but this is the first time you’ve come to mine. It makes me a bit fluttery.”

Thinking back on it, that was indeed true.

Of course, it wasn’t because I was ignoring Sophia or anything.

Sophia adored snacks. Especially since Anna started sending a variety of treats from home, I brought her to my room.

“And knowing that the Lady who always enjoys the finest delicacies is about to eat what I’ve prepared makes me both excited and anxious.”

“Is that so?”

On the surface, they looked like they were of a high standard.

There was nothing wrong with the appearance or aroma.

Before I got into the main topic, I thought it would be nice to enjoy this moment for a bit.

“Hmm.”

To be honest, Sophia’s black tea had brewed for too long, resulting in a strong bitterness.

Perhaps she realized that herself, as she took a sip and frowned slightly.

“Shall I teach you how we can make the black tea better next time?”

“…Yes, please do.”

To erase the bitter taste, I reached for the snacks.

They were madeleines that looked soft.

Normally, madeleines would taste better soaked in black tea, but right now, it would be better to eat them as they were.

“Oh.”

The moment I bit into the madeleine, I couldn’t help but let out a sound of admiration.

It was as if it completely melted the moment I bit into it.

Simultaneously, the rich flavor of butter began to spread in my mouth, while the sweet taste of the madeleine piqued my senses.

Among all the treats I’ve had, I could undoubtedly declare this was the best.

“Miss Sophia.”

“Yes?”

“Where did you buy this madeleine?”

“Oh, I didn’t buy it. I made it myself. The chef at Arcana lets me borrow tools for baking snacks.”

Although Sophia seemed a bit bewildered, she answered without hiding anything.

Upon hearing that response, I naturally took her hands in mine and spoke up.

“Could you make these madeleines again next weekend?”

I didn’t doubt for a second that this was the correct answer.