LGHTNOVELBOOK 6 - I Made My First Friend
I’ve done it. I didn’t know Sion would collapse like that.
Was it because she was nervous, or because she was angry? Sheena herself wasn’t sure.
For some reason, she felt a sense of satisfaction, but soon her heart was filled with guilt. As a member of the Astorius family who protects the weak, she had committed an unforgivable discourtesy.
If her family or people from other families saw this… Sheena’s eyes shut tightly.
She had always maintained her dignity as a member of the Kirinus Empire’s Duke family. Sheena had always been that way, and had to be that way.
For someone like Sheena, such reckless behavior naturally approached as immeasurable fear.
She feels suffocated. If there was a place to escape, she would want to run away immediately.
“Excuse me… Lady Astorius? Are you alright?”
Just then, Chloe’s worried voice reached Sheena’s ears.
Ah, they’re not here. Sheena’s trembling quickly subsided. Then, after a small deep breath, she slowly opened her eyes.
“…I’m fine. And, I’m sorry. I put in too much strength without realizing…”
“It’s okay. This idiot brought it upon himself by being scared and acting wild. Lady Astorius has done nothing wrong.”
Chloe told Sheena that she had done nothing wrong.
But Sheena shook her head.
Though it’s true that she was in an overwhelmingly superior position, Sheena’s overreaction to Sion’s power was clearly her fault.
“We’ll take care of this idiot’s recovery…”
“Lady Frelia.”
“Yes?”
“If it’s alright, may I personally nurse Sir Sion?”
“…What?!”
Chloe opened her eyes wide. She kept telling Sheena not to feel guilty, but Sheena did not bend her will.
And so now. Sheena is flipping through a book inside Sion’s room.
“……”
In front of her, Sion lies on the bed with his eyes closed, his forehead swollen red.
Though she was tired from traveling a long distance by carriage, taking care of Sion personally like this made her feel as if the guilt remaining in her heart was being washed away.
Sheena momentarily took her eyes off the book and looked at Sion.
Though he’s just sleeping with his eyes closed, he’s a man who exudes a light atmosphere as usual.
“…He was really a strange person.”
He’s quite an interesting person. Everyone she had met so far tried to show a flawless image in front of her, but this person’s behavior is light in every way.
But strangely, upon reflection, it wasn’t that unpleasant. It’s probably because it was a fresh response for her.
Neither her mother, father, nor even her brother treated Sheena that way.
“Mmm…”
Just then, Sion let out a groan and slowly raised his body.
Sheena, who had been staring blankly at Sion, was startled and hurriedly turned her gaze back to the book she was reading.
“This is… my room.”
“You’re awake?”
Sheena carefully spoke to him as he muttered in a locked voice. She thought it might be somewhat satisfying if Sion knew that she had overcome her fatigue to nurse him.
“Gasp! Lady Astorius, why are you calmly reading a book in my room?”
Crack.
Sheena narrowed her eyes and glared at Sion.
Does her reading a book look that out of place?
“Is it unnatural for me to be reading a book?”
“No, reading is fine, but entering someone else’s room without permission might be somewhat controversial…”
Sheena opened her mouth to retort, but upon calmly listening to his words, there wasn’t a single wrong statement.
From his perspective, when he opened his eyes, Sheena had trespassed into his room. Still, it’s equally irritating.
“…That’s certainly true. But I had no choice because I was worried.”
“Worried?”
Sheena slightly bowed her head and said.
“Well, I injured Sir Frelia because I didn’t control my strength properly. Since it could lead to a serious injury, I was personally nursing until Sir Frelia woke up.”
After saying all this, wouldn’t he express gratitude? Sheena secretly glanced at Sion’s reaction, expecting something.
“Hmm… certainly.”
Sion nodded slowly and replied.
“I did see my ancestor beckoning me from across the river in my dream. Fortunately, I can’t swim, or I might have ended up staying in the same place as my ancestor.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…!”
“Is the definition of protection and bullying reversed in the Kirinus Empire?”
I can’t come to my senses at all! Should I get angry and tell him to stop, or should I apologize? I can’t keep up with him at all!
“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding! That… you might misunderstand, but I actually engaged seriously with Sir Frelia during our sparring.”
“As expected, Lady Astorius enjoys bullying the weak…”
“Please listen to the end!”
Sheena pouted and said.
“It’s not that I’m boasting, but I can see the special powers people possess. I have no way of knowing exactly what kind of power it is, but I can grasp its existence. And I, with my own eyes, confirmed that Sir Frelia has two powers settled in his body. So, without knowing it, I became tense and ended up…”
Sheena continued to explain what she had seen and felt during the previous sparring.
It was a statement she casually dropped to justify her previous actions and to subtly satisfy her curiosity about the power Sion possessed.
But Sion innocently tilted his head and replied as if he knew nothing.
“Hmm, two powers you say. I didn’t know I had such powers until now.”
Although Sheena felt a bit disappointed at not satisfying her curiosity, she had no intention of probing further. He must have things he wants to keep hidden too.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to force yourself.”
When Sheena said that, Sion shook his head and opened his mouth.
“Ah, you seem to have misunderstood, but I genuinely just realized for the first time that I have hidden powers. Embarrassingly, I suddenly got amnesia last night.”
Amnesia…? Sheena doubted her ears, wondering if she had heard wrong.
“Amnesia, you say…?”
Amnesia. A terrible disease where you lose your previous memories, forgetting who you originally were and what life you lived.
It’s almost like losing yourself, but how can he be so calm about it?
“Yes. Since nothing comes to mind for me, even if you say amnesia, it doesn’t really resonate. Well, isn’t that kind of okay in its own way?”
“What do you mean…”
“From what I’ve heard from Lady Frelia, it seems I lived somewhat pitifully in the past.”
Sion speaks softly with his smile erased. The light, wind-like atmosphere has long since disappeared.
Sheena instinctively sensed that, at least now, there was not a single pretense in his words.
She listened attentively.
“I want to create my future life myself, as Sion Frelia. There’s no room for a foolish past to interfere in that path ahead.”
“……”
“Of course, the process will be twice as hard as for others, but I still want to accomplish it. It might be excessive greed, but I have to try.”
I thought he was just someone who liked childish wordplay, but he actually has deep thoughts that are beyond comprehension.
“…I might have misjudged you.”
Sheena said with a subtle smile. She felt like she wanted to support his dream.
“Huh? What do you mean, Lady Astorius? Surely you weren’t thinking of me as a frivolous person who just plays meaningless pranks, were you?”
……Support canceled. I think I need to observe a bit more.
“I didn’t think that far!”
“Not that far… hmm. In the end, you were thinking of me as someone who makes a fuss to some extent. Well, I had roughly expected it, but hearing it directly is still lonely.”
“Argh! I surrender! So please stop…”
Sheena finally raised the white flag and declared surrender. Maintaining her dignity in front of him was too great a hardship for Sheena.
Sheena sighed deeply and muttered.
“Haa… I’ve met countless people in my life, but I’ve never met anyone as peculiar as Sir Frelia.”
“By peculiar… can I take that as a compliment?”
“Hmph. Think as you wish.”
Sheena turned her head away. She had no intention of looking back until he spoke to her again. This is a matter of pride. It’s a matter of Sheena Astorius’s pride.
But, after 1 minute, 5 minutes, and even 10 minutes, Sion didn’t utter a single word.
Sheena resisted the desire to look back again and again, but finally, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, she glared at Sion and said curtly.
“…Isn’t it courtesy to initiate conversation in a situation like this?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I should have considered Lady Astorius’s feelings.”
“Hmph, even if you say that now, I won’t fall for it anymore.”
Now, truly, truly, she wouldn’t fall for his wordplay anymore. Sheena firmly made up her mind and glared at Sion.
“As Lady Astorius knows, since I’ve lost my memory, I have a lot of difficulty communicating with others…”
“Ah, no. I was short-sighted… Ah!”
Oops, I fell for it! Sheena frowned and slightly bit her lip. How does he always choose to do such irritating things? It’s enough to make the back of her neck tense up again.
“I don’t know anymore. I’ll take my leave now.”
Sheena turned her head and stood up. If she continued to raise her blood pressure, she herself didn’t know what she might do to Sion.
“Oh my? Where are you going, Lady Astorius? Didn’t you say you would take care of nursing me?”
“I said I would nurse you until you woke up. And, judging by that lively mouth, your condition seems to have improved sufficiently.”
“Gasp, you’re sharp. As I enjoyed talking with Lady Astorius, I found myself regaining my energy.”
“Yes, yes. I’m glad you’ve gotten better.”
Before closing the door, Sheena slightly turned her head and glanced at Sion.
He was smiling and waving his hand as if to say goodbye. Just looking at him made her blood boil.
Haa, why did she say she would nurse such a man? It was a pointless act. Sheena walked down the corridor with a blank expression.
At that moment, for some reason, Sion’s serious voice echoed in her head.
I want to create my future life myself, as Sion Frelia. There’s no room for a foolish past to interfere in that path ahead.
His sincere confession, which had always been frivolous before, keeps replaying in her mind.
Then, suddenly, a curiosity arose.
“I wonder… what kind of life does Sir Sion want to live from now on?”
She became curious about what future he, who had lost all of his past self, wanted to live. But.
‘It’s too damaging to my pride to go back now…’
If she went back after saying she wouldn’t return, Sion would definitely tease her. One hundred percent. It’s better not to go. But…
“Haa….”
Sheena, unable to resist her curiosity, sighed deeply and walked back down the corridor she had just traversed.
Sheena reached the door of Sion’s room. Though she was still contemplating whether to just leave, she eventually mustered up the courage and pulled the doorknob.
“Haha, Lady Astorius, did you leave something behind?”
Sion, who was half-lying on the bed, tilted his head and asked.
“No, that’s not it… but I have something I’m curious about.”
“Hmm, to think you would take away the sleep of a patient suffering from a lingering illness just to ask something. I guess I have no choice but to try to endure.”
“You just said you were fine until just now…! Haa, never mind.”
She knew she would be teased, and she was prepared for it, but it’s still irritating. Ugh. So annoying.
“Haha, I’m joking. If it’s a question from Lady Astorius, I would rather beg to hear it.”
Sheena, who had fanned her face to cool down, cautiously asked Sion after a moment.
“Um… what are your plans for the future?”
“What? Suddenly asking such a question…”
“Sir Frelia, you’ve lost your memories, haven’t you? I’m curious about how you plan to live from now on, what you want to do.”
Sion showed a slightly surprised expression. As if he didn’t expect Sheena to ask such a question.
Of course, his eyes remained closed.
“Hmm… that’s a good question.”
Sion maintained silence for a moment. He maintained silence for a really long time. As if continuously pondering the question.
‘…That’s unexpected.’
This frivolous man can actually contemplate this much? Sheena realized it for the first time.
As Sheena was inwardly surprised, Sion finally opened his mouth.
“I want to savor the current life. I want to enjoy a simple life, satisfied with what I have. Ah, if I were to be a bit greedy, I would like to cherish this happiness of having pleasant conversations with Lady Astorius for as long as possible.”
“Is that so.”
A life that is content with the present, wanting to enjoy a simple life. That’s exactly the kind of life he would wish for.
But what caught Sheena’s attention was something else.
‘He enjoys talking with me…’
It’s the first time, except for family. Someone who says they enjoy conversing with her.
The reactions she always encounters as someone with the status of a child of a grand noble in the Kirinus Empire were always fixed.
Surprise, admiration, awe, jealousy. Just these.
People always find it difficult to deal with her. As if there’s a huge wall between her and them.
While she understands their situation, sometimes that fact felt lonely.
No, in fact, it’s not sometimes, but quite often.
She has wished countless times to cheerfully chat about light topics with her peers.
Before transferring to Luin Academy, she had a modest wish.
She hoped to meet someone with whom she could comfortably converse there.
“Of course, I know it’s presumptuous for someone as inadequate as me to laugh and spend time with Lady Astorius… Haha, but shouldn’t dreams be big?”
After all, after all, this isn’t the Kirinus Empire. It might be greedy, but she wants to put aside her dignity and simply enjoy the conversation.
“Sir Frelia. What is a friend?”
“Hmm… asking someone who’s lost their memory, I wonder how I should answer…”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m joking. What might a friend be? Someone you can comfortably converse with, someone who is enjoyable just to be with.”
Sheena took a deep breath for a moment, then tightly closed her eyes and.
“Then…”
Finally, she mustered up the courage and carefully asked.
“Are we… friends?”
“…!”
Sion’s face, which had always been smirking, was suddenly filled with surprise.
And soon after, as if nothing had happened, he nodded with the same frivolous expression as always and answered.
“Of course, Lady Astorius. Khe, to think that the first friend I’ve made in my life is Lady Astorius, I should boast about this to people.”
“Sheena.”
“Yes?”
“My name. It’s Sheena. Isn’t it strange for friends to call each other by their family names?”
“Hmm… that’s certainly true. Ahem, then.”
Sion cleared his throat and looked at Sheena, saying.
“I look forward to our friendship, Miss Sheena?”
I made my first friend.
“Likewise, I look forward to our friendship, Mr. Sion.”
I’m a bit excited about life from now on.