I Thought Your Friend's Sibling Wasn't a Girl? - Chapter 94

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 94
“Senior?”
“Olivia.”
“I’m fine. You were startled, weren’t you?”
It had been nothing more than Meditation. Though that meditation had led her somewhere, it posed no real threat.
But Olivia thought those who had been watching her might have been frightened, so she chose to reassure them first.
“Commander, I’m sure you thought I was just meditating too…….”
“No, that must have been just the moment you needed. You said you heard something, after all.”
Ah.
At Yugin’s words, Olivia recalled what she had seen—or rather, heard—moments before.
[……I don’t want to live like this ever again.]
A voice belonging to a very young child. The voice was somehow familiar, though she couldn’t remember when she’d heard it.
This hadn’t been a thought of Olivia’s own. Could it have been Defensor’s ‘will’?
She nodded thoughtfully, lost in contemplation.
“But why do you look like that, brother?”
As she lifted her head, she saw Aiden looking disheveled in a way unlike his usual self. Flakes of dried leaves were scattered here and there through his golden hair.
Olivia unconsciously brushed them away. Normally, Aiden would have trembled and made a fuss about what she was doing, but this time he oddly entrusted himself to her touch without protest.
“There. Done.”
Olivia withdrew her hand with satisfaction. Seeing Aiden’s hair tidied beneath her fingertips made her feel pleased.
The sensation of thick golden strands slipping between her fingers was quite welcome.
Throughout it all, Aiden kept his gaze fixed on one spot without moving. Only then did Olivia’s eyes follow his line of sight.
“Ha. I can’t beat you yet.”
“That’s a remarkably inappropriate thing to say.”
“Is it? I haven’t actually done anything yet.”
The atmosphere between Yugin and Aiden carried a certain edge. Olivia looked back and forth between them.
Olivia was no fool.
She couldn’t say for certain why they were acting this way, but she had some sense of it. She blinked and spoke.
“Don’t you think you should stop this pointless posturing?”
“Oh, Olivia?”
“Hmm.”
Both their gazes turned toward her.
“You don’t wish to make me uncomfortable, do you?”
“Of course not. Your peace of mind is always my priority.”
As is yours, senior.”
“……I apologize.”
Olivia was well acquainted with being the object of others’ attention. She’d lived with her eyes only on Aiden, and countless people had shown interest in her before.
She’d never expected Yugin to reveal such feelings toward her…….
But it seemed more like mild curiosity than genuine attachment, so there was no reason to take it too seriously.
Olivia finished the thought lightly.
“Shall we head back? The other two must be waiting.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
Aiden’s hand, which had been pressed against Olivia’s waist, withdrew reluctantly. As Olivia felt the warmth receding, she quietly read the emotional currents flowing between them.
“……Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing serious. Just thinking about something.”
Aiden couldn’t possibly imagine what emotions were playing across his face right now.
Olivia didn’t press him on it, merely tilting her head.
Well, at least thanks to this, Aiden seems to be feeling emotions more vividly.
A subtle smile played at Olivia’s lips. She adjusted her clothes and turned, heading toward the campsite.
“You’ll stumble. Walk slowly.”
Unlike Aiden, who quickly claimed the space beside her, Yugin’s pace came from some distance behind, moving at a leisurely gait.
“Olivia. I say this because I’m genuinely concerned for you, but there are many people in this world with dark hearts.”
“Like you, senior?”
“What? What kind of thing is that to say? My heart is whiter and purer than snow.”
“You seem to have misunderstood the meaning of the word. It’s different from what I know…….”
“Anyway, my point is, you need to be careful, and careful again around such dark-hearted people. Don’t be fooled by appearances alone!”
While Aiden chattered away relentlessly, Olivia walked on, giving him appropriate responses.
But it was somewhat amusing. If she had to pick the person among them with the darkest heart, it would be Aiden. And it was rather absurd.
A person who constantly schemes about breaking their engagement would now step in to play the role of betrothed. The thought of it irritated her.
“So, Olivia. What I’m saying is-”
“Commander, do hurry up.”
Turning her head sharply to call out to Yugin, he quickened his pace as if he’d been waiting for it.
A knowing, mischievous smile played at his lips as if he understood exactly why she’d suddenly called to him, and her face grew hot with frustration.
She felt like she’d been caught acting childishly. Olivia touched the back of her neck awkwardly.
“……I’m sorry.”
“No need. Right now, even this much is satisfying enough for me.”
“This is exactly what you need to be careful about!”
Aiden jumped up indignantly and wedged himself between Yugin and Olivia. Yugin shrugged with an amused chuckle.
“In any case, even as Vice Commander, you’ve learned no sense of propriety.”
“I’ll be joining the training from next time. Don’t try to stop me.”
“Do as you please. You’re a direct descendant of the Guardian Family, so you might be useful.”
Yugin remained consistently composed throughout. Olivia quietly observed the two of them at an impasse, then turned her head away.
In any case. There shouldn’t be any problems with the training ahead. That was a bonus thought.
* * *
And so, with their bickering, they arrived at the Arle County Estate.
Each time Sena and Luka saw the three of them getting along cheerfully, they made their reluctance to join in clearly evident by maintaining their distance, which made Olivia feel somewhat awkward.
Though Aiden and Yugin didn’t seem to mind much.
“Ha, finally. Finally this cursed journey comes to an end. The training is over now, isn’t it?”
“For now, yes. We should rest from training until we return home.”
“Argh! Why is this place so devoid of portals? When we’ve brought something precious here, shouldn’t we naturally be able to use a portal?”
“Are you planning to announce throughout the entire region that we’re coming here?”
“It doesn’t matter when we leave!”
“Get permission from His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. Portals are restricted—except in emergencies—to the direct Imperial Family and the Family Heads of the Guardian Families.”
“……Maybe I should have become Family Head.”
While Aiden cultivated dreams of usurping power, the carriage they were in finally arrived before the main gates of the Arle County Estate.
Now that they had passed through the fortress gates, it was certain that the Earl of Arle already knew of their arrival.
Sure enough, a man who appeared to be a count stood before the main gate.
His red hair streaked with white and green eyes were nearly identical to Sirius Arle, whom they had seen during the Field Training Exercise.
The moment he saw the members of the Lux Knight Brigade who had arrived with the carriage, he rushed forward hastily.
“Oh, you’ve arrived.”
“Are you the Earl of Arle?”
“Welcome to the Arle County Estate. I am Hentriol Arle, the lord of these lands.”
Unlike most other nobles who interacted with the Lux Knight Brigade, he adopted a considerably deferential posture.
“A pleasure. I am Yugin Dignitas. Please, call me Yugin.”
“Ah, Commander Yugin! Delighted to meet you. And the Sacred Relic—”
The Earl of Arle’s gaze kept drifting toward the carriage that stood behind them. Each time the tethered horses shifted, the carriage containing the relic creaked faintly.
Yugin made a brief gesture.
“It’s in that carriage. Come inside and verify it yourself.”
“Ah! Please, come in. We’ve prepared rooms for all of you, so make yourselves comfortable.”
With the rumble of carriage wheels, they entered the Arle County Estate.
The overcast sky hung heavy above their heads.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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