I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Translator : Idris

After the incident last night, as Edgar had predicted, the Robeheim family suddenly fell into chaos.

The surprising factor in this incident is that there are two people in total who managed to snuck their way in through the impregnable barrier and break into the castle, and one of them was said to be a boy who killed the said another person presumed as an assassin and even said that the boy was a child under Sir.Creed's tutelage.

Even more shocking matters that followed after the last night's incident was Helena's revelation that the said boy, the disciple of Sir.Creed, who saved the Young Lady was actually an heir to the Bilhark family, and he was said to be living here for a while with his identity hidden for the sake of learning under Sir.Creed.

The only normal factor in this case is that this hot news burns the feets of the subordinates, considering that this whole ordeal consists of only one night-time.

“Ed, would you like some grapes? It's delicious.”

Contrary to the chaotic situation outside, Ariel calmly handed over the large grapes she had brought from who knows where to Edgar.

And, by chance, their current location is actually Ariel's bedroom where the murder scene happened just last night and the bed Edgar was currently lying on is undoubtedly Ariel's.

“Is it okay to keep eating grapes in this kind of situation?”

“There is nothing you can’t do anyway.”

“… It is, but.”

In the end, Edgar sighed deeply before munching on a grape that Ariel had hand-picked and handed over.

His mind was occupied with nothing more than chaos from yesterday's events.

‘I don't have the face to see Ariel.'

To be honest, even lying down and eating the fruit that she calmly offered made him feel remorse.

Yesterday's incident was literally the result of a series of his misjudgments and the summit of his stupidity.

If even half of his footing had gone just a little bit wrong at that time, it would have been impossible for him to open his eyes to such a leisurely morning like today.

From start to the end. Nothing he ever did was right.

"Ha."

In contrast to the soft sigh he exhaled, Edgar's right hand was clenched with full strength.

When he regained consciousness this morning, what awaited him at first sight was Madam Helena, shedding tears while uttering thanks to him repeatedly which made him go crazy and want to die right away.

If Madam Helena had known about the full ordeal that happened last night from start to the end, then she wouldn't have reacted in the way she did today.

His actions were nothing but ungratefulness, that blew away all of the mercy and consideration that Madam Helena had extended to him.

‘What gives him that confidence?'

A sense of déjà vu and some uncertain feelings that arise after seeing a man in the town yesterday.

He was just plainly convinced by these two factors and went to Ariel's room to check.

In a situation, where it was unknown if his one-sided suspicions were true or not, nothing good would have occurred if a commotion was raised for no reason just because of him.

However, the key factor for this matter lies in the event that took place after.

‘I should have called for reinforcement, even if it meant waking Ariel, I should have done that in the first place.'

Various thoughts run over his mind. But the problem is that the time of the incident was too short.

At first, he intended to kill the opponent somehow alone and to bury the case in secret.

If this incident gets into the ears of others, he will have to explain why a boy named Edgar was able to be in their Young Miss's bedroom, and that alone would cause a lot of headaches for all the people in name.

Besides, more than anything, he didn't want to shock Ariel.

He just didn't want a 14-year-old girl to face those who threatened her life.

But that must have been just a small thought.

“Ariel.”

"what?"

"Sorry."

“What do you have to be sorry for? You protected me”

Seeing her tilting her head, Edgar laughed and reached out to tidy up her messy hair.

He could not look at this battle from

one-sided angel.

After all, by luck, although nothing he did was correct from start to finish, the result was satisfying.

If he had been a bit slow in grasping the situation and the number of gambles his opponent threw at the end, the result could have gone wrong in many ways while he tried to retreat to save Ariel.

Edgar may have had the upper hand with his pure fighting ability.

However, due to his lack of practical experience, he was clumsy at reading his opponent's psychology, and the difference between his opponent and his own skills was not so overwhelming, but the key factor was his overconfidence.

Besides, he ended up not trusting Ariel.

That she might end up becoming a burden incase she couldn't properly deal with the attacks.

He probably didn't wake her up because he thought so in his subconscious.

He almost put his friend in a bigger crisis because he didn't trust her. Could there be a case as ironic and stupid as this?

“Hey, Ed. You're not thinking about something stupid, are you?”

“What stupid idea?”

Even so, he was seriously examining yesterday's events, but Edgar was almost hurt a little by thinking about it like an idiot.

“Yesterday, you couldn’t handle that guy alone, made a mistake in your judgment… Isn't that what you're thinking?"

“… … .”

Is she using the mind reading spell on him?

When Ariel guessed exactly how he was feeling, to the point where it gave him goosebumps, Edgar closed his mouth and blinked in a daze.

For some reason, it felt like their usual positions were somehow swapped.

“Because you always care about useless things. Do you remember when we were young? You know, when we met a wild boar in the mountains and ran away.”

“Uh, uh… … .”

For some reason, he felt as if the benevolence of Madam Helena had descended upon Ariel.

Edgar, who wondered if the Ariel in front of him was really the authentic one, responded in a somewhat dazed look and stuttered his words.

“At that time, I heard from my mother that you don't blame me, but said what you did was wrong, you should have stopped me from going to the mountain and apologized.”

He remembered something like that.

But there is a difference between then and now, and the result of his judgment was based on the situation they were in, so why is it then considered as a stupid idea?

Edgar had a belly full of doubts but Ariel continued without stopping.

“Mom said, you know how to look back on a situation in an adult and cool way for your age, but sometimes you tend to put yourself down too harshly.”

“…Am I?”

He had never really thought about it.

Edgar never had any desire to rise in power by treating himself harshly, and he always had the impression that he is always laid back.

Maybe it's along the line that the impression one had on oneself is different from what others had for that person.

“You fought for me yesterday. Calling in reinforcements or even waking me up would have been better than fighting alone, but you fought the enemy alone.”

“Ariel, that… … .”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I know. You must have thought that I would be a burden. Even if you woke me up, I wouldn't be able to judge whether I would have been helpful in that situation.”

Ariel added, ‘‘ The probable reason why you didn’t call in reinforcements was because you wanted to solve it quietly.’'

Contrary to Edgar's expectations, she really saw through his mind.

Why did he make that decision yesterday?

Even to the point where he belittles his friend.

“But after all, who was it for? It was for me.”

“Yes… it."

It was a hard fact that even Edgar could not deny.

If he hadn't thought of her at all in the first place, he wouldn't have had to make things so complicated.

Ariel's face, which was full of anger at Edgar's affirmation, also forced out a smile.

It should be. Because that was the only answer she wanted.

“You are thinking too hard. Of course you could have made a mistake. But in the end, it was to protect me, and in the end, you succeeded in protecting me.”

“A hero saves everyone? it's not all true. Yet people praise them. Because the hero gained more by protecting than he lost by not protecting .”

Every word she uttered incessantly stabbed Edgar deeply into his heart.

“If you keep it, think about cherishing what you kept. And if you made a mistake, don't make it next time, forget it for now. I am able to be here now because of you.”

“… That's true.”

He never thought that the day where he was comforted by Ariel would come,not by anyone else but Ariel.

Edgar felt a sense of pride while making fun of his own situation.

He was so happy that his friend, who had always acted childish, had come to the point of comforting him.

“Why are you laughing so much? Feel bad.”

Ariel's eyebrows twitched as she looked at him as if she were looking at a child.

"uh… No, when did that immature princess grow up this much? Impressed… Aww! sick! I am a patient, a patient!”

“You idiot for earning a bee! I'd rather let you die then! you fool! idiot! Ed!”

Their conversation could have ended warmly if he had only teased a little less, but why would this idiot step in and ruin the atmosphere?

Enraged, Ariel grabbed a pillow the size of her torso and hit him with all her might.

“Stop it because you made a mistake… hey! There is a wound there, a wound!”

“Good! I’d rather let you die from an open wound!”

The blow was so hard that Edgar, who was being hit by it, thought it hurt more than the day before when he endured the fall of the glass furniture with his whole body.

Edgar dealt the guest of the night successfully but then he was killed by the pillow of the childhood friend he saved.

RATTLE!

“Ed, you feel better… Ariel!? What are you doing to the injured child!”

Just as Edgar was writhing in pain, Helena opened the door and entered the room.

“Oh, Mom! This is, Ed, this idiot's fault… … .”

“Put it down quickly! Even if you don’t have gratitude, what are you doing to the person who saved you!”

“ It's not really… … !”

In the end, this grand finale came to an end with only Ariel enjoying the resentment to the fullest.

Afterwards, Edgar heard from Helena that the situation outside had been somewhat settled and the conversation had come to an end.

However, she asked if he could accompany her for a while because she needed his verbal statement, which was at the center of the case.

Maybe this is the real problem.

Edgar nodded his head, his face completely devoid of laughter.

This case will be a turning point.

He wonders if he will be able to stay by Ariel's side, or conversely, he won't even be able to stay in the outhouse in the backyard.

“Goodbye, Ed.”

“Okay, I’ll go.”

Ariel sees him off with a mysterious smile.

She seemed to know something, but Edgar had no way of knowing.

Edgar, who tilts his head, responds, and then leaves the room with Helena's support.

Fortunately, he seemed to be able to walk without much difficulty, and he quickly got out of Helena's arms and moved on his own.

“Don't worry, Ed. I'm almost done explaining the situation, so no one will see you badly.”

It's something he is happy to hear.

If you look at it kindly from the beginning, there are often cases where you don't listen to anything you say.

This must all be thanks to Helene's use of her strength.

Edgar wanted to use this incident as an opportunity to repay Helena and Ariel.

He had to move on, but never forgetting the mistake he had made last night.

Because that would be the right path for his friends and himself.