I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess

Translator : Idris

After the meal, as they met and talked with various people, dusk soon approached.

Ariel, who led Edgar to the balcony saying she wanted to get some fresh air for a while, put her hands on the railing and looked up at the night sky, inhaling the fresh air.

If the air of Hespania empties your head with a cool and refreshing feeling, the air here is warm and cozy, capable of making your heart feel settled.

‘Or maybe she's feeling such because of this particular night? ‘

Ariel, who reached this conclusion, shook her head lightly and a low chuckle escaped her mouth.

When she realized that she had become quite sentimental which is unlike her usual self, a strange sensation tickled a part of her heart.

"I've never felt this sentimental before.’

It didn't feel bad at all, it just merely doesn't fit in with her.

When she took off her arms which were supporting her on the railing and turned around, the scenario of the night sky filled with stars changed, and the flickering lights of the ballroom came into her eyes again.

Meanwhile, Edgar, who was looking at her silently with his arms folded next to him, took off his body from leaning against the wall.

He thought she wanted to have some time to herself, but it seems to have ended very shortly.

Thus, he had no choice but to break the ice and talk to her because he still had to discuss tomorrow's schedule.

"What are you going to do with the ball tomorrow? Are you going to stay another day?"

"Stay for what? I have already enjoyed this place enough in a day."

Replying to Edgar's question, she slowly approached him, standing beside him and leaning her back against the wall.

The ball will be held for about three days until the day after tomorrow, and it is free to attend.

It was actually only the first day that was referred to as the debutante ball.

After that, it is only a small place of exchange for those who have just entered society.

Of course, most of the youth may want to fully enjoy the three-day schedule, but it was a story of a different world that has no connection to Ariel.

"There's still a lot to do. And in about three years, I'm going to follow my father to the battlefield. Until then, I must learn not to be lacking."

"In three years!?"

It's ridiculously too early.

Eighteen at the most. He can't believe she's going to the battlefield when she's not even old enough yet.

But it's a sense of duty that's weighing on Ariel's shoulders, and a mission that supports her.

That's why Edgar didn't say anything recklessly.

He just decided to join her if there's a place she wants to head.

"When are you coming back then?"

"There isn't an exact schedule yet. That's what war is like in the first place."

War is not a child play where an exact time is set and it doesn't start or end just because you say so.

Although Ariel had never experienced war, she knew how violent and brutal it was.

Perhaps that is why her father, when teaching her, gave priority to cold-bloodedness rather than mercy or compassion.

So that she could jump into the battlefield at a young age, even if she sees the death of a person, she can turn her gaze indifferently.

Eliminate what is unnecessary. To kill what is stated as an enemy. Keep only those who you consider to be on your side.

“… Riel, Ariel.”

“Eh, huh?”

When she thought of her father's blurry image, whom she hadn't seen for nearly a year, it seemed that a part of her heart felt stuffy for some reason.

When Ariel came back to her senses, Edgar's worried face came into her field of vision as she was submerged in her train of thoughts without answering even her childhood friend's voice calling her.

“What are you thinking so hard about? Do you have any concerns?”

“What are you worried about… never mind."

Ariel shook her head lightly and looked up at Edgar, who was about half a head taller than her.

“Ed, aren’t you curious about my father?”

“I am, I haven't seen him at all."

Edgar knew his name and face, albeit vaguely.

It was because he had seen the portrait of successive family heads framed and displayed in the House of the Robeheim family, which Ariel had shown him before.

And from Ariel's attitude, it was also possible to know that the relationship between the two was not very smooth.

No wonder he had asked Ariel about her father before, but the answer always came back the same.

There were numerous compliments such as ‘He is a person worthy of being the head of the Robeheim family’, ‘He is my idol’, but among them, he has never heard an expression like ‘He is a good father’.

There was only respect for the ‘head of the Robeheim family’.

He has never felt the affection and bond for ‘father' anywhere.

And she addresses her mother and father both the same.

But even in the small gap between these similar titles, Edgar felt a sense of alienation.

“Come to think of it, at what point did you stop asking about my father?”

Ariel, who was pondering over her memories, stepped away from the wall and faced him from the front, tilting her head and expressing her doubts.

How to say this. To put it bluntly, it seemed that he was intentionally avoiding the subject.

When he talks about her family, he talks about her mother, even talks about herself.

But Edgar would switch the topic by somehow preventing the topic from leading to her father's.

“Because I also have something I noticed. You don't want to talk about him, and I have no intention of asking further questions either.”

“You’re only quick-witted in strange places.”

Ariel sighed and heard the sound of air scraping past her cheeks, then slowly walked back toward the railing with her hands behind her back.

Edgar felt as if his heart was about to jump at any moment.

“Ed, if you had your own beliefs and a duty, which would you choose?”

“It is a strange question. Can't we put them on the same line?"

"Huh. If the day comes when you have to pursue a path completely different from the obligations given to you, what will you do then?”

At the sudden challenging question, Edgar slurred for a moment and fell into deep thoughts.

For example, it's a question similar to this-

If there is a hero who has vowed not to kill anyone for the rest of his life, and when he is put in a situation where he must kill someone to protect his precious person.

Will he really stick to his beliefs or fulfill his given duties?

Edgar, who was in the midst of his thoughts, was able to reach a point.

Then he got up from his leaning position and stared at Ariel, and suddenly flicked his index finger and hit her forehead.

It sucks.

“… !? Why are you hitting me all of a sudden, you idiot!”

As Ariel grabbed her forehead and made her cry at the unexpected violence, Edgar raised one corner of his mouth and deduced her psychology at once.

“Because you always ask me ‘what would you do?’ when you run into difficulties. I think it is the same this time.”

"Chi, I ask for help from my friend. Is that something to be so angry about?"

She wondered how he noticed this again, but on the other hand, it was unfair.

She turned around to her childhood friend and asked for his advice, but far from getting an answer from him, he even flicked on her forehead.

How can he not even know to read the atmosphere? This fool.

On the other hand, Edgar, who was staring at the pouting Ariel, reached out and stroked her head lightly.

Even today, without fail, she spits out blunt words, saying that her hair gets messy because of his pats, but today, the immature princess was quiet and didn't shake off his hand.

The smile on Edgar's lips deepened.

"The reason I hit you is to make you understand you don't need to worry so hard about it right now."

“…….”

"You've always been like this. You always worry about something that hasn't happened yet, asks me, and even cries saying it's scary."

"Whaat, I didn't cry!"

Did I?

Edgar, who responded insignificantly to Ariel's last defense, shrugged his shoulders and slightly bent his legs to meet eye level.

"Anyway, don't worry about something that's already unnecessary. By your side are Mrs. Helena, your family members, and I. It's hard to choose, so it won't be too late to ask for help."

"But… you never know. How do you know if you're going to be disappointed and confused by yourself?"

Ariel asks carefully with her eyes raised.

Edgar snorted and poked her forehead with his index finger as if asking for something obvious, and then pointed at himself.

"You have a friend for such kind of occasions. If you do something ugly, I'll hit you properly, so don't worry."

"…Do you have to hit me? If you look at it, that's a very violent method."

There are a lot of expressions to console her, such as hugging or comforting.

Does he really have to go all out to wake up her mind?

When Ariel protested timidly with a sulky face, Edgar replied proudly, beating his chest with a mean look.

"Have you ever heard of the hawk of love? This all comes from interest and affection for friends."

"Well, what interest and affection?"

There were not so many fancy words to decorate the sentence in the pure fist style.

Nevertheless, why is it strangely reassuring. It feels really strange.

It's said that the truth works, and maybe this is similar to that.

The strange atmosphere of looking at each other with such silence continued for a moment, and it was none other than Edgar who took his eyes off first.

He walked slowly to the balcony railing, cast his eyes to the far side, and calmly opened his mouth.

"Of course you have a lot of worries. I can't imagine how much work you have to go through. But remember this one thing, Ariel."

He knew that it was quite cheesy and childish to think of himself saying this.

Nevertheless, Edgar tried to put the words he had saved into his mouth to tell her that she was not walking this path alone to reassure this precious childhood friend of his.

"No matter what dangerous things you go through later, there is someone next to you who is willing to give his life if you ask for it. Well, he's not a great guy, so you might not believe him."

The last word added must have been a measure of it's own to break down the embarrassment.

Recognizing this, Ariel unknowingly burst into a fresh and dainty smile, approached him and put her arm on the railing.

Even though she heard this, her heart did not pound as much as it did during the day.

It's not because the night breeze is rather cool and she can't hear his heartbeat.

Ariel herself had no way of knowing the reason either.

She held out her right arm, which had hung on the railing, and slowly took her hand to his shoulder.

And then tap it. She patted him on the shoulder silently.

Edgar's head turned to the tickling sensation like a cat's infantile, and their eyes met in the air.

Ariel saw Edgar blushing for the first time that day.

It wasn't simply an optical illusion caused by the reflection of light, nor was it because the stars were shining red today.

shit.

Only then did she realize that she had won for the first time, and a deep smile formed on Ariel's lips.

As a person, who had always teased her, became similar to herself, she felt something tickle in her chest.

‘Every time he makes fun of me.’

Perhaps not once in about fifteen years had she attacked Edgar back in a fight like this.

And she suddenly wanted to repay all the debts today.

Reaching out her hand that had touched his shoulder, she lightly scratched his left cheek with her index finger.

She could feel his skin on her finger, which was quite soft for a man, and she could tell that his cheeks were quite warm.

Embarrassment formed on his face, and the blush on his cheeks deepened.

In order to further annoy her childhood friend, she decided to bring out her words that were not even on her mind in the first place.

The words, which she would never have said if she had been her until now, were childish and cheesy, just like the words he told her.

“… , … . … … .”

Whiing.

Her voice was drowned out by the sudden night wind.

Of course, it must have been partly because she lowered her voice at the end because of her embarrassment.

Belatedly, a doubtful expression appeared on Edgar's face, and he asked again what she said before, but the wind had already passed.

Ariel turned her head around lightly with her arms behind her back, determined never to put those words out of her mouth again.

Maybe it's because she won her first victory over him. Suddenly, her heart started beating wildly.

Well, regardless of any era or place, the exhilaration of victory is stronger than anything else.

She even wondered that it would be hard for her wildly beating heart to calm down.

‘The wind is getting cold.’

Maybe it's the wind blowing from her hometown.

If she could ride this wind and float on top of it, she would be able to reach Hespania in no time.

It was a pity that only from tomorrow she would have to get on the wagon and go on an aimless journey for a while.

It would be nice if she could go to bed tonight and when she opens her eyes they will be able to reach Hespania.

Having such a small wish, Ariel led her childhood friend by the hand and headed for the room.

For some reason, it seemed difficult to get a good night's sleep tonight.

[T : I have picked up a new novel, wanna check out? It's ‘ The Grand Duchess is defeated again today'.]