Chapter 27

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 27

Chapter Title: Visitors and Forgiveness

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"Phew, I'm glad you're not hurt."

"I told you I'm fine. But more importantly, how did you even know I was here?"

Lucia blinked in disbelief, then turned her gaze to Herwin. He simply shook his head.

It couldn't have been Herwin who told Lucas, so who on earth...

"How could I not know about my own sister! Of course I know everything!"

"There were rumors of a big incident among the first-years this afternoon. And your name, Lady Agnes, came up, so his eyes just about popped out."

Ares explained in place of Lucas. Though not as tense as Lucas, his expression had softened considerably too.

Lucia could easily picture what kind of fuss Lucas must have made.

"Sorry you had to deal with my idiot brother. Let me apologize on his behalf..."

"Hahaha! No worries. Thanks to him, my days are never boring."

Ares laughed heartily. Even so, Lucia scratched her head awkwardly.

"Um, that guy over there..."

"...isn't he Arista's brother?"

The friends had only just realized Lucas was Lucia's real brother when they noticed the Lydia Young Lord who had come with him.

Their eyes shifted sideways.

Toward Arista, who had quietly slipped into the corner.

Ares turned at the whispering of her friends, his face twisting immediately.

"Arista?"

The long golden hair trying to hide in the corner flinched.

"What are you doing here?"

Ares looked at her like she'd grown a second head. Arista scowled right back, but clammed up when she felt all eyes on her.

"What about you? Why are you here?"

"Why do you think? My friend's little sister got hurt, so I came. Oh, do you two know each other?"

"...She's your friend?"

Arista turned her head sideways with narrowed eyes. Her gaze met Lucas's—clear and bright, just like Lucia's.

"Uh... hi? So, you're Miss Arista?"

Lucas greeted her awkwardly, and Arista's violet eyes wavered.

It had been three years since Lucas and Ares became friends, but this was the first time Lucas had laid eyes on Arista.

"Hello. I'm Arista Lydia. A friend of Lucia's..."

"Yeah, I'm Lucas Agnes. Friends with my sister, huh? That's pretty wild."

"Y-yeah. It really is."

She, who usually warmed up to strangers quickly, was uncharacteristically shy.

The others picked up on it too—her friends, especially Ares, eyed her suspiciously.

Once the greetings wrapped up, Lucas whipped his head around. His attention was solely on Lucia.

"What the hell happened? You have no idea how shocked I was hearing you'd passed out."

"Uh, a blade came flying at me for a second..."

"What? A blade?!"

"Herwin saved me, so I didn't get hurt. I don't know why I fainted, but when I came to, I was in the infirmary."

Unlike Lucia, who brushed it off casually, Lucas looked deadly serious.

"Which bastard did this to you? I'll chew them up and spit them out."

His voice lost all its playfulness, laced with clear killing intent. Sensing his genuine fury, Lucia averted her eyes.

"Lucia, look me in the eye. Who was it?"

Lucia was sweating bullets. If she named Arista here, she couldn't even guess how Lucas would react.

In the end, she chose silence for everyone's sake, and Lucas shifted targets.

"Does anyone know who did it?"

A thick aura of menace filled the air, making Brian and Ethan gulp nervously. Even Herwin broke out in a cold sweat.

"Um, excuse me..."

Lucas's head snapped toward the voice. It was Arista.

"It was me... the culprit..."

"...What?"

"Arista, you?"

Not just Lucas, but even Ares was stunned by the unexpected perpetrator.

Arista couldn't even lift her head, trembling as she confessed her fault.

"I-I was sparring with a friend, and my blade snapped. Then it flew toward Lucia... I'm truly sorry!"

Lucia thought Arista looked on the verge of tears. Her eyes were faintly red around the edges.

Lucia felt the grip on her shoulder tighten from Lucas's hand and turned to him.

The initial shock on his face had hardened into a cold, serious glare.

Snap!

"Ow!"

A crisp sound rang out as Lucas clutched his forehead.

"Lucia! What was that for out of nowhere...!"

"Why are you making it sound like such a big deal? It was just an accident."

"An accident...?"

"Yeah, I don't know the details, but... it wasn't like she meant to hurt me. She's already apologized. Besides, Herwin saved me, so I'm perfectly fine, see?"

A brief silence fell. The suffocating tension eased somewhat, but stiffness lingered.

Lucas looked conflicted.

He'd vowed not to forgive whoever put his sister in danger, but it turned out to be his best friend's sister—and a total fluke accident at that.

His heart still raced with anger, but unleashing it now would be overkill.

After a quiet moment, Lucas spoke up.

"Herwin, you saved our Lucia?"

"...Yeah."

Herwin tensed under Lucas's sharp gaze. Lucas stared him down for a bit before letting out a deep sigh.

"Haa... Thanks for saving her. Good thing you were there. If you hadn't been..."

He trailed off, and Arista bowed her head even lower.

"...As long as Lucia's okay, that's what matters."

His tightly shut eyes snapped open, violet irises flickering.

"If Lucia forgives Miss Arista, I can't exactly butt in. It'd be different if you'd been hurt even a little..."

Lucas glanced at the unharmed Lucia.

"But you're safe and sound, so it's fine. Just... even if it's an accident, you should always consider the risks next time."

"O-of course! I'll make sure nothing like this happens again! And I'll take good care of Lucia too!"

Arista reaffirmed her promise to Lucia. Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"Well, in that case, all's good."

Relief washed over Arista's face. It seemed everything had resolved smoothly.

Ding-a-ling~ Ding-ding~

Right on cue, the class bell rang.

"Oppa, you should head back now."

"Tch, if it weren't for class, I'd stay right here. I could skip just this once..."

"Should I tell Mom and Dad?"

Lucas's shoulders slumped at Lucia's determined push to shoo him out.

"Alright, let's go to class, then."

He ended up being dragged away by Ares.

"We'll head out too. We'll come back during the next break, so rest up. Got it?"

Arista and her friends rose to leave for their next class.

Lucia waved them off, then turned her gaze aside.

"...Herwin, aren't you going?"

He needed to attend class too, yet Herwin remained seated in the auxiliary chair.

"Nah, not going."

"...Why?"

"You've been like this the whole time—are you seriously asking because you don't know?"

Herwin raised one eyebrow. Truth be told, she had a pretty good idea why he was staying. But was it just her imagination? She couldn't bring herself to ask outright.

"...Because you're worried about me?"

"Yeah."

It was a simple answer, devoid of any emotion. Yet somehow, it made her heart flutter wildly.

Lucia's face flushed bright red before she knew it. Herwin noticed and looked away.

"Herwin."

"Yeah."

"Sorry..."

Lucia apologized for how she'd acted during their last fight.

Herwin's eyes darkened. He parted his lips a few times but ultimately said nothing.

Instead, he helped her lie back in bed and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

"Get some sleep. You said you don't remember, but... your hands are shaking."

Following his words, Lucia looked down at her hands. They were trembling faintly.

"You must've been really scared. So just rest for today."

How did he notice something even she hadn't realized?

He always picked up on the little things she overlooked and took care of her. It was that thoughtfulness alone that kept her from letting go of her feelings for him.

Lucia buried her face in the blanket, then peeked up at Herwin.

"Herwin, can I ask you for one favor?"

"What?"

"Hold my hand."

Lucia tentatively extended her left hand.

Normally, she'd never dare ask something like that. But right now, it felt like he might say yes. She waited tensely for his response.

Herwin paused for a moment before reaching out.

"This good?"

"Heehee, yeah."

"Then sleep."

His large hand enveloped hers, warm and comforting. She could feel the calluses on his skin—rough yet gentle, just like his heart.

"I like you, Herwin..."

Lucia's eyes grew heavy and finally closed. Once she was deep asleep, Herwin brushed the brown hair from her face.

Rustle—

A short distance from the bed where Lucia and Herwin lay.

Behind the privacy screen, a woman glared daggers at the two, eyes blazing.

She clicked her tongue softly and hurriedly slipped away.

The sweltering summer had begun, and the first semester was drawing to a close.

The chaotic atmosphere on campus from early on had settled down, and accordingly, fewer people approached Herwin.

They'd realized no amount of effort would get them close to him.

Strangely enough, the girls who used to beg Lucia to introduce them to Herwin stopped coming after the day he saved her life.

Instead, whenever Lucia passed by, they'd whisper among themselves.

Lucia could sense a familiar vibe in their stares.

Jealousy.

They assumed she and Herwin had something special and envied her for it.

Lucia never knew how to react to those looks.

If things had actually progressed with Herwin as they imagined, it wouldn't be an issue—but they were still just childhood friends.

If anything, knowing who Herwin truly liked made it all the more absurd.

The changes didn't stop there.

After that day, Lucia grew close to Arista.

True to her word, Arista hovered around Lucia with unwavering devotion, to the point of being overwhelming.

Lucia had resolved not to hate her, but knowing Herwin's feelings kept her from fully opening up.

Still, as they gradually bonded and Arista persisted, Lucia's heart softened toward her.

It still stung seeing Herwin with Arista sometimes, but she no longer got swept up in jealous whirlwinds like before.

However, you gain some, you lose some.

The closer she got to Arista, the more distant she became from Bianca.

They no longer shared secrets or bared their hearts to each other.

They still hung out, but Bianca mingled easily with other friends.

She had a knack for getting along with everyone, much like Ethan.

Lucia felt a twinge of loneliness at first over drifting from Bianca. But figuring her friend had her own life, she didn't show it.

As these various changes became routine, the first semester neared its end.

Which meant summer break was approaching—and Herwin's birthday wasn't far off.