CH ss - 51

[Noelia: Alfine’s Whereabouts]

After getting changed and having a light meal, I have Suzana comb my unkempt hair while applying a light make up to my face that has been messed up because I had cried my eyes out in front of a mirror.

“Noelia-sama… actually, there is an information that I have been hesitating to tell you since we left the royal capital…” (Suzana)

The face of Suzana combing my hair reflected in the mirror is dark and gloomy.

Only recently was my grandmother told me that she is a part of a spy clan that have been serving our family since a long time ago.

I was surprised when I was told that Suzana’s clan have been gathering information, from the various information on the street to the rumors about the nobles, from all over the kingdom and passed it on to my grandmother and father.

Suzana who I adores as my older sister also seems to have worked as a spy at the times when I was away from the mansion, like when I was taking requests as an adventurer or when I was practicing magic under my teachers at various places.

Now I have understood that my father had Suzana accompanied us on this journey because of her skills in this type of field.

That Suzana said that she has an information that she has been hesitating to tell me.

“Suzana, I am someone who inherit the blood of the Henestrosa family. You should have been told to report the information relating to my family to me, as is you report to my father, right?” (Noelia)

“Y-yes. I have been ordered so by both Cassandra-sama and my mother. Just that, the information is kind of… While I have been hesitating whether I should tell you, we fell into such situation. I am truly sorry. If I had told you earlier…” (Suzana)

Suzana, combing my hair, apologizes with tears overflowing from her eyes.

I can’t hide my surprise at the suddenly crying Suzana who had always been composed.

“Why are you crying? Is the information really that important?” (Noelia)

I ask Suzana why she cries through the mirror.

“…Yes.” (Suzana)

Speaking of which, when Frick-sama decided to come to this village in order to search for Alfine-sama, it kind of felt like Suzana was in a rush to have us departing from the royal capital…

I wonder if it has something to do with that…

“In that case, tell me that information now. I believe there is a good reason for the thoughtful Suzana to have not informed me of it yet.” (Noelia)

Suzana’s expression reflected in the mirror continues to change again and again in hesitation.

However, it soon returns to her usual calm expression, before she resumes combing my hair and starts speaking,

“Actually, just before we left the royal capital, a messenger from my father in Youg Hannotes came…” (Suzana)

“From Loran?” (Noelia)

“Yes, I thought it was a letter asking about the progress of the information gathering on Abyss Walkers, but… it was not.” (Suzana)

“What was it then?” (Noelia)

“The contents of the letter were actually about the Sword Master Alfine-sama. It said that she had been disguising herself as a young man named Al and worked as an adventurer at Youg Hannotes. And, it also said that Al-sama had learnt that Frick-sama is actually Finn-sama, and therefore went to Inbahanes to search for him.” (Suzana)

At the information coming out of Suzana’s mouth, I receive a shock as though I have been hit in the head.

By Al-sama… is it that Al-sama?

It can’t be. It must be a different person with the same name, right?

No, the more important thing is Alfine-sama is alive, isn’t it?

T-the information is a little too much for me to digest——

“S-Suzana!? Hold on! Do you mean…” (Noelia)

“I couldn’t understand it just by reading it once either, so I reread my father’s letter hundreds of times. And then, I kept hesitating whether I should convey that information to Noelia-sama, and also Frick-sama…”

Suzana lowers her head after saying that much.

“Let me sort it out, first of all, can I take that as a confirmation that the Sword Master Alfine-sama is alive?” (Noelia)

“Yes. It seems that my father had a hand in changing her appearance, and when the master summoned Alfine-sama, she herself confirmed her identity, so I think there is no doubt about that.” (Suzana)

Alfine-sama is alive.

When I thought so, I cannot help but feel happy and sad at the same time.

“Does that mean that the young man called Al we met in Devon village was her?” (Noelia)

“Yes, it seems that that the young adventurer Al-sama we met at that time was Alfine-sama. Al-sama had also said that he was looking for a man called Finn-sama, so I think that is certain.” (Suzana)

“That Al-sama is…” (Noelia)

Although he had neutral features with blond hair and blue eyes, to think that appearance was Alfine-sama’s temporary look created with the help of Suzana’s father, Loran.

Certainly, even Frick-sama had changed so much that even his acquaintances were surprised…

So, it’s not strange even if Alfine-sama’s appearance also changed a lot, but——

In my memory, the face of Al-sama, who shyly spoke about Finn-sama, surfaces.

I had thought they were both males, so seeing Al-sama spoke like that, I thought it meant their relationship was just that deep, however, now coming into contact with Suzana’s information, combined with the information from Alfine-sama’s acquaintances that I, together with Frick-sama, asked around to at the royal capital, I come to a conclusion.

Alfine-sama loves Finn-sama, who she had been living together with the whole time.

The two, who were attracted to each other, perchance had a misunderstanding, leading to the current situation.

Sensing that there is an inseparable connection between them, I feel like the inside of my chest hurts.

I am merely an outsider who accidentally entered the crack between the two’s inseparable connection.

The outsider, that is me, who has wedged herself in between them, is just filling the chipped crack inside Frick-sama – that is the current situation.

Should I have not fell in love with Frick-sama, I wonder…

Being informed of the truth by Suzana, the feeling that I get is one like that of a preposterous evil woman.

I had a faint hunch that Frick-sama still has the vestiges of Alfine-sama in his heart.

I thought it was okay, yet, now that the truth is thrusted before me, I find that I am completely unsure of myself.

If the two were to meet and have a proper discussion, this misunderstanding would be resolved, and I, who is merely an outsider, would have to leave Frick-sama.

I am sure this is my punishment for thinking, even for a bit, that it would be nice if Alfine-sama were to stay undiscovered and die quietly somewhere.

Even though I have decided that just being able to secretly adore him is enough… this is no doubt a punishment for the greedy me for wishing for something that I don’t deserve.

“Noelia-sama… my deepest apologies. For not informing you such an important information to this day, I will accept no matter what the punishment is.” (Suzana)

I painfully understand the feelings of Suzana who apologizes while shedding a large amount of tear.

She must have known that I, who is unfamiliar with love, would be shocked upon hearing the information; when I think of how painful it was for her to keep it to herself all this time, I feel so sorry for her.

“No, it is I who had given you a hard time…” (Noelia)

From my swollen eyes hidden under the makeup, the tears that I couldn’t hold back run down my cheeks.

The tears that I thought I had exhausted flow down endlessly, and my makeup gets messed up and becoming unable to cover the awful face that I am making.

“…Noelia-sama…” (Suzana)

“When Frick-sama wakes up, I will properly tell him about Alfine-sama and apologize to him. Until then, for a while, please let me cry here.” (Noelia)

“…Understood.” (Suzana)

From then until the night when Frick-sama awoke, I kept crying in the wagon while regretting my stupidity.

Don’t beat yourself up too much, Noelia-chan T_T