Vol 2. Chapter 120: Her Orientation

Had he... seen this pink-haired maid before??

Shicodale’s heart was a thicket of doubt.

His memory told him—absolutely not. If he had ever seen such a breathtaking, peerless beauty, he would have been left with a deep impression. Yet this face was utterly unfamiliar to him now, which meant he had definitely never seen her.

But then what was that fleeting sense of familiarity just now??

It must be an illusion, right—Shicodale could be sure he had absolutely never met such a beautiful pink-haired girl.

Mm. That was what Shicodale thought—until he caught the familiar scent of white camellia drifting from Vanessa.

Shicodale froze.

[Virtue +50.]

[Current Virtue: 7734.]

He knew this scent well. He had smelled it back in the dorm—at the time, Vinny had said he’d gotten a whim to try a women’s perfume, and that was the scent he left behind.

What was going on??

Shicodale’s pupils jolted.

Could it be... the shampoo this pink-haired maid used just happened to be the exact same kind Vinny used??

Thankfully, the lingering trace from this morning hadn’t been that distinct to his nose.

Karin, who was responsible for accompanying and serving Shicodale, didn’t know where Vanessa had suddenly popped out from, but she didn’t feel as if her own work was being stolen away.

As Princess Mirexia’s personal maid, Karin was very self-aware. She was the second daughter of a minor noble house; being able to serve as Her Highness’s personal maid was already great fortune. If she were the greedy sort, grabbing for what she didn’t deserve, she would never have lasted in the role of the Princess of Camella’s personal maid.

She didn’t know Vanessa, had never seen this maid in the palace, didn’t understand where she had come from or how she had gained Princess Mirexia’s trust; but since Her Highness had kept her by her side, there had to be a reason.

Whatever Her Highness chose to do, Karin would cooperate.

“Your Highness, Lord Dale wished to clear his head, so I accompanied him out for a walk in the palace,” Karin said, hands folded at her abdomen, eyes lowered in explanation.

“Mhm.” Mirexia inclined her head, indicating she did not blame Karin.

Ah—missed a spot.

So thought Vanessa.

Mostly, she hadn’t expected the palace to be this big—and that she and Mirexia, out for a stroll, would run straight into Shicodale, who was also out walking.

It really was too much of a coincidence.

The earlier [Virtue] changes and the way Shicodale’s gaze had obviously lingered on her already told Vanessa what he was thinking.

But that wasn’t a big problem. The identical body scent could be explained as using the same brand of perfume. Rare, yes—but reasonable.

“Princess Mirexia, excuse me.” Shicodale first apologized to Mirexia.

“It’s nothing; no need to apologize to me. We’re not imprisoning you, Lord Dale. If you want to tour Camella’s royal palace, of course there’s no problem,” Mirexia said, naturally not minded in the least. She glanced at Shicodale, then, without a sound, slid her gaze to Vanessa at her side.

She didn’t think Shicodale would see through anything. First, almost no normal person would think in that direction—it was too outlandish. Second—and this was a little rude to say—even Mirexia felt Shicodale was overly honest, too easy to mislead.

To be honest, misleading someone like that made Mirexia feel rather guilty; it tormented her conscience. But there was no helping it—priorities were priorities. Some things you don’t want to do, you still have to do.

“This maid—she’s your personal maid?” Shicodale’s eyes shifted quietly to Vanessa.

“She’s my temporary personal maid. Since my personal maid Karin is taking care of you today, she’s here to fill in for Karin,” Mirexia explained.

“Oh, I see.” Shicodale’s gaze flickered; but just as Vanessa had expected, he could only take it as coincidence—that Vanessa’s perfume happened to be the same brand Vinny had tried on a whim that day.

After all, Shicodale didn’t know human perfumes.

“Your Highness Mirexia, how is Vinny now? Any better?” Shicodale asked.

“Don’t worry, Lord Dale. I said Vinny won’t be in any danger. His body just has some hard-to-describe issues, but it doesn’t endanger his life. He’ll be back to normal tomorrow,” Mirexia said. “But you still can’t see him now.”

—And you wouldn’t be able to even if you tried.

“Lord Dale, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? How about this—let’s go eat together.”

“Okay. No problem.” Shicodale behaved very reservedly. This was, after all, someone else’s home—and in fact a foreign kingdom. No matter how good Mirexia’s character was, that didn’t change that he was the only non-human here.

And...

Vanessa had noticed since just now: in certain small gestures, Shicodale was afraid of this place.

She should have thought of it earlier—Shicodale had lost his home because of humans. Even if those were tribesmen and not the kingdom’s citizens—indeed, the kingdom folk looked down on those coarse tribal brutes—both sides were still human.

Shicodale’s demons and shadows came from humans. He had watched with his own eyes as savage humans invaded his home, wantonly slaughtering and abducting his people; even his own father-king had died at human hands.

In truth, before enrolling, Shicodale’s impression of “humans” had been those cruel, violent tribesmen. He therefore carried deep knots and fear toward humans. Though later, with help, he had recovered a little and could converse normally, when speaking to humans he still felt fear at heart, which made him sound meek and apologetic.

That was because the shadow of “humans” in his heart had never faded—on top of which he was, by nature, a timid, introverted boy.

Perhaps he even had frequent nightmares every night, waking time and again from dreams of his homeland’s blood and fire.

Shicodale had taken Vinny as the one person he could presently trust and rely on. So once Vinny was away, he lost his center of gravity and instinctively felt afraid in this unfamiliar place.

Honestly now—bringing him here and then leaving him? Even if it was unavoidable.

At that thought, Vanessa’s pity for Shicodale overflowed.

She had no way to make up for the wrongs humans had committed. But... could she erase the shadow in his heart?

Vanessa stepped forward.

“Honored Elf, there’s no need to be nervous. This is the royal palace of the Kingdom of Camella—it’s absolutely safe. Her Highness Princess Mirexia is a noble-hearted person. No one will harm you.”

“Mm?” Vanessa’s sudden words caught Shicodale off guard. By rights, coming from a maid who was a total stranger, such lines would only sound like polite formula. Yet for some reason, when he raised his eyes and fell into that pair of beautiful eyes brimming, without the slightest concealment, with warmth and care, Shicodale felt his heart give a shiver.

In some situations, sincerity is a finishing blow. That unhidden, genuine feeling warmed Shicodale’s chest before he knew it.

[Virtue +50.]

[Current Virtue: 7784.]

This feeling... was a little like what Vinny gave him. Was it because pure care shares a certain kinship, one to another?

Shicodale, whose mood had been fluttering with anxiety, somehow steadied after speaking with Vanessa. A sense of assurance rose within him.

“Do you feel a bit better now?” Vanessa asked when she saw this.

“Mm? Mm—y-yes. Better,” Shicodale answered, a little dazed.

“Good. You looked so pale just now it scared me a little—I couldn’t help worrying about your condition,” Vanessa added.

“Eh?” Shicodale touched his own cheek.

Had his face really looked that frightening just now?

After that, Karin led the way ahead; Mirexia followed behind; and Vanessa spent the whole time chatting and joking with Shicodale. Most of the talking was Vanessa’s, but Shicodale would answer now and then.

To be honest, Shicodale surprised even himself. He found he didn’t resist talking with this pretty pink-haired girl in front of him. With someone this forward, ordinarily he’d be too nervous to speak—or he’d mumble a distracted word or two. But what Vanessa gave him felt completely different.

Vanessa had noticed her roommate was ill at ease and gone up to talk to him—yes. But how to put it...

Watching the boy and girl interacting before her, Mirexia, for some reason, suddenly connected to a possible possibility.

Namely—Vanessa’s orientation.

She realized she’d never really thought about it, and had one-sidedly assumed Vanessa liked girls.

But... was that really the case?

Hormones can change a person.

Was it possible that what Vanessa actually liked were cute, delicate boys like Shicodale??

The gentler a girl is, the more easily that motherly overflow makes her like boys this fragile—was there such a possibility?

Mirexia’s expression turned odd. Once that possibility appeared in her mind, it felt as if all conditions pointed toward its reasonableness.

Surely not. Vanessa was probably just comforting her roommate. She was simply that kind, wasn’t she??

[Virtue +50.]

[Current Virtue: 7834.]

Hm? Why did [Virtue] rise again??

Vanessa glanced at Shicodale before her and sensed that the [Virtue] hadn’t been provided by him.

Who, then, had provided it—went without saying.

After dinner, Shicodale followed Karin back to the hall for receiving honored guests, while Vanessa returned with Mirexia to the bedchambers.

“Lord Dale’s experiences are truly pitiful,” Vanessa murmured to herself on the way back. “Humans did many unforgivable things in his homeland. So I thought—even if I can’t really help him, could I at least repay, in some small way, what humans did to him and his people?”

Hearing this, Mirexia nodded silently.

As she thought—she’d overthought it. Vanessa’s meticulous care for Shicodale came purely from benevolence and concern.

Honestly, how could she have let her thoughts run there? As long as a person still had a conscience, who wouldn’t feel sympathy and offer care to someone so wretched??

“There’s never any shortage of unfortunate people in this world,” Mirexia sighed softly. “If Lord Dale needs help in the future, I’ll do my best to help.”

Naturally, Mirexia supported Vanessa’s decision.

“Thank you, Your High—no, Mirexia.” Vanessa stopped walking and gazed up at the bright moon overhead. “Time’s almost up.”

Of course, Mirexia knew what Vanessa’s “time’s almost up” referred to.

“You’re... going to change back?”

“Yes. Otherwise—you saw how Lord Dale was. He already carries a shadow toward humans. If I go back any later, he might not sleep at all tonight.” Vanessa smiled.

“All right. I understand. Come with me.” Mirexia brought Vanessa to a very secluded side hall near the bedchambers where no one ever came. To avoid alerting anyone, they walked out as if nothing were amiss.

Before long, in the moonlight, a blue-haired youth stepped out.

The maid Vanessa’s shift had ended.

After bidding Mirexia goodbye, Vinny cleared his throat, stuck his hands in his pockets, and headed for the guest hall where Shicodale was.

From outside the hall, he had already seen Shicodale waiting anxiously at the door.

He hadn’t sat inside the hall but instead at the threshold—like a kindergarten child after school, watching one classmate after another get picked up, while his own guardian was late, thinking he’d been left behind.

Karin stood with him, respectful at his side, a folded umbrella in her hand.

It looked like she’d noticed it might rain and had thoughtfully taken out an umbrella, standing with Shicodale, ready to raise it for him at any moment.

She had probably tried to persuade Shicodale to go back; when he refused outright, she had no choice but to stay by his side.

Credit where it’s due—Miss Karin truly was a very competent maid.

Elves’ five senses are exceptionally keen, so Shicodale noticed Vinny standing in the shadows. His eyes lit at once, and he ran over.

[Virtue +50.]

[Current Virtue: 7884.]

Seeing this, Karin could only follow.

“Vinny! H-how are you feeling now? Any better? Her Highness said your body had some issues...”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, and I couldn’t help at all.” Shicodale sounded as if he blamed himself for that.

“It’s fine. It’s already fine,” Vinny shook his head.

At the side, Karin looked at the two without any expression.

She had no idea when Vinny had come to the palace—but that wasn’t something she needed to concern herself with.