Chapter 206: Voices Calling Longdagger 6
*
Even the fires of hell should be a little gentler.
Jenniferlin Pantile, sixteen years old, thought.
As she was carried under his arm like luggage, as usual, by the friend she hadn’t seen in a long time, Jenniferlin thought.
For someone manifesting hell on earth, she has quite a cute face.
Is that jealousy? Erika Solntsalri?
Erika Solntsalri, who stood there once the dust cloud cleared, was wearing a white Mask for some reason, but Jen, with her Appraisal Skill, wasn’t mistaken.
The girl, adorned with extraordinary numbers, blew the Mask to smithereens without even moving her hands, and then manifested hell upon the earth.
Spilling hell onto the earth out of jealousy… isn’t that quite the cute jealousy, Lady Erika?
The sea of flames that erupted the moment Erika’s Mask shattered spread out, licking the ground, and incinerated every Monster it touched.
Is this an application of the Wall of Flames Magic? It’s quite a skillful, yet quite a violent, magic.
‘Overwhelming skill through sheer talent,’ Jen assessed Erika’s magic.
Erika’s appraisal results entered her vision.
It was clear from the numbers that an extraordinary amount of Magicka was being consumed like water.
‘Excellent. Isn’t she a perfect match for Shin?’ Jen was satisfied.
Speaking of the Solntsalri House, they are an extremely prestigious Marquis House in Faltar.
The Erika Solntsalri Jen knew was the very picture of the eldest daughter of that prestigious house; appraisal results aside, she was a serious, terribly aristocratic, and boring young lady.
Whether it was intentional or not, she had become friends with the Maiden of Light, but otherwise, she was just a normal daughter of a high-ranking noble.
In other words, she appeared to be a perfectly normal daughter of a high-ranking noble: elegant, graceful, aware of her political significance, wielding power as if it were her own limbs, and crushing enemies with words and gestures.
But no.
What is this?
Jen realized right before her eyes that she had been mistaken.
What a waste. What a terrible oversight on my part.
So you were this interesting all along, Erika Solntsalri.
The face revealed from beneath the Mask held a faint smile, but what lay there was undoubtedly jealousy.
Towards what?
Was it because Shin did something dangerous like running up the crumbling castle wall to save me?
Or was it because he’s holding me like luggage?
In my friend’s letter, it mentioned something about unrequited feelings, but well now, my friend, you’ve really pulled it off, haven’t you?
Lady Erika is crazy about you.
Good grief. Still, Jen felt a cold sweat coming on, realizing something quite terrifying was directed at her.
The way the sea of flames parted as Shin advanced was nothing short of astonishing, but my friend is quite bold himself.
He remains calm even when faced with such blatant jealousy.
Jen looked up at Shin’s face from under his arm and tilted her head.
Hm?
Before her question could take shape, Shin spoke.
“Thanks, Erika. You saved me.”
No way! That’s impossible!
Jenniferlin Pantile shuddered.
“I was worried I’d have to fight that horde while still carrying Jen.”
Jen was speechless as Shin spoke, truly grateful.
My friend is a little too dense.
Besides, didn’t he just say something like “I might be killed” a moment ago?
You can’t be serious, my friend.
She’s so obviously jealous, and yet you don’t notice?
Look, look closely, my friend. Look at those eyes staring at me while smiling gracefully. Those are the eyes of someone who fully intends to ‘burn me to ashes,’ you know?
Hey! This is actually scary!?
“Shin.”
Erika’s voice, calling out to the carefree Shin who was thanking her, was utterly blatant.
Containing unmistakable jealousy, it almost made even Jen blush.
For us nobles, taught from childhood not to show our true feelings, it was a voice rich with rare emotion.
Jen, being a noble, was struck by it.
Just like how she found Shin’s un-noble-like words appealing.
‘I can root for Lady Erika,’ Jen thought.
Jen waited excitedly for Erika’s next words.
And then regretted it.
“Could I ask you to introduce your friend again?”
Yep, no good. Super scary.
Naturally, it came straight at me.
She pleaded with her eyes for Shin to do something, but it didn’t feel like it was getting through at all.
Or rather, how can you remain so calm looking at your own bride who is so blatantly jealous?
Don’t tell me you really think she’s just smiling gracefully? Ahh, no good. My friend was the natural enemy of sensitivity.
“Right, I’ll introduce you.”
For some reason, Shin looked bashful.
“This is my best friend, Jenniferlin Pantile.”
I see, best friend, huh? I see, I see, whehehe.
As Jen broke into an involuntary smile, Shara, still clinging to Erika’s waist, made a face like she’d seen something unbelievable – though it was hidden beneath her mask.
*
For a moment, I wondered what would happen, I really wondered what would happen, but…
The face that emerged from beneath the Mask, which had shattered unable to withstand the immense Magicka, was smiling.
Her faint smile was almost jokingly graceful compared to the vast Magicka radiating from within her.
My steps couldn’t help but lighten.
Until just moments ago, for reasons I didn’t understand, I had even prepared myself to be killed by Erika.
It’s strange that Shara and Yuunou-san are looking at me like I’m a walking wooden stick, though.
When the smiling Erika asked me to introduce Jen, I couldn’t help but smile.
It was simply because I was happy.
To be able to introduce my friend – no, to put it shamelessly, my best friend – to the person I like.
Saying, “This is my precious friend,” and having the person I like get to know me better through that, simply made me happy.
With the smile I couldn’t suppress still on my face, Erika listened with a smile as I introduced Jen.
That was a very happy thing for me.
“Please! Shin-san! Please! Close your mouth!”
As I was introducing my pride-and-joy friend to Erika, Shara stopped me, pleading tearfully with a frantic look on her face.
She’s as expressive as ever.
Ignoring Shara, I stubbornly tried to continue the introduction, wondering why I had to be stopped from introducing my best friend to my bride, but Jen stopped me too.
Not only that.
“Listen here, my friend. Moderation, yes, you need to learn about that.”
She said, exasperated.
Well, fine. Part of the castle wall has been reduced to half its height.
Worst case, I’ll have to escape with Jen.
Even if I introduce them, it can wait until things calm down.
Feeling happy, I smiled
Wait, it’s not that I forgot to hold back, I just couldn’t control it. No, that’s even worse.
I tried to respond somehow, but everything about to come out of my throat sounded like an excuse, so I decided to keep quiet.
When I try to say something at times like these, Chako usually gets angry at me. Though she gets angry even if I stay silent.
“Yes, well, however…”
But this time, I managed to avoid getting scolded. Though she did let out a huge sigh.
“As always, thank you very much for saving the Young Lady.”
My relief at those words was only momentary.
“However, have you thought of an excuse?”
Chako asked, sounding exasperated as she looked at the castle wall that had been reduced to half. I averted my gaze again.
Afterword
I suspect the reason this author’s novels don’t do well in the rankings is because I don’t just straightforwardly switch to Erika’s perspective here.