DPAA 42

chapter 42

“D-Date.”

“What?”

“You can’t go on a date!”

May now seemed a little on the verge of tears.

Cute as she was, this was an utterly absurd misunderstanding.

Hadn’t I already explained that I was going just to work on an assignment?

How on earth did her thoughts leap to that conclusion?

“No, with… who? Her? Me?”

I let out a hollow laugh as I asked, and May pressed her lips together, seriously pondering.

“She’s… fine… no, not fine… it’s just…”

“What are you talking about?”

Mumbling incoherently, she made a little noise.

“I can’t come along either, right?”

“Of course not.”

Not only would it violate assignment rules, but I had no intention of taking May—who’s weak against monsters—into the monster-infested forest, even if it was close to the capital.

At my firm refusal, May grabbed my hand.

“Come as quickly as possible. It’s best not to stop by the capital.”

I felt a hint of suspicion at her unwavering attitude.

What’s going on? Am I missing something?

May was a character not in the original story, and simultaneously the only person possessing all the abilities the possessed heroine should have had.

…Could it be that she’s possessed too?

I could read her thoughts thoroughly, but using that method carried the risk, however slight, of mental collapse.

I didn’t want to risk such dangerous magic on the first person I’d grown attached to in this world.

“Why?”

So I asked.

A faint tension filled the room.

“Because…”

Because?

“Um, because I want to hang out with you first!”

Ka-yo-yo-yo—

Her booming voice echoed throughout the dormitory.

“Heh heh.”

“Ha ha!”

Distinctive laughs greeted me.

One was cool, the other… dumb.

“Enough laughing?”

“Can’t help it, it’s heartwarming to see!”

Felix draped his hand over my shoulder.

So natural that it took me a moment to realize he’d touched me.

Granted, his presence was always unusually subtle, but being able to approach so closely without startling me was impressive.

“Sigh… my little brothers are always trying to claim my position, aren’t they? Right, Aiden?”

“I’m the younger one. Besides, stay away from Escliff.”

“Why?”

“It makes her uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t!”

At Aiden’s sharp response, Felix scoffed.

Then he glanced at me.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“…Ugh, I’m tired.”

I pushed Felix’s arm away with sleepy eyes and hurried past.

If I didn’t need to care about grades, I would have run straight off.

Even if I left, these two wouldn’t suffer.

After all, they weren’t exactly the kind of people who couldn’t handle the work of several academy students alone.

By the time we boarded the carriage, Felix, who had been annoying the entire time, leaned against the window and completely sprawled out.

He looked utterly exhausted from running around since dawn.

‘Really, what a brat.’

Honestly, it was a little pathetic, but I didn’t show it and turned my gaze. That’s when I met Aiden’s eyes.

“Seems familiar,” he said.

He spoke first.

I paused for a moment, then realized which moment he referred to.

The bandits’ corpses. His blood-soaked uniform, black hair blending into the darkness.

The only other passenger, May, had fallen asleep immediately.

“…Yeah.”

I stared at him and nodded.

Even if he was a narcissistic, prince-like figure, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

In the original story, Aiden met a gruesome end—trapped by a curse, his aura blocked, dying while defending Canis and getting eaten alive by monsters.

Just imagining it made me frown. The memory of almost dying, the monster piercing my head, throbbed painfully.

No, was it pierced or blown apart? Damn it. Either way, not a good memory.

“Stay safe.”

“What?”

“Run when it’s dangerous.”

I said casually and looked out the window.

‘I should have run myself.’

I should have stopped dungeon grinding before dying.

But regretting it now changes nothing. If I can’t return to the internet-less world, I’d better enjoy everything I can.

To do that, gaining power is essential.

“Are you worried about me?”

I didn’t answer, and he started talking as if the thought had just struck him.

“By the way, I want to ask you something.”

I raised an eyebrow.

He uncrossed his legs and asked.

“I heard Duke Escliff had two children: first, the legitimate eldest daughter, Canis Escliff. Second, the illegitimate son, Claude Escliff.”

He held up one finger for each. I could roughly guess what he would ask next.

“But suddenly, a third appeared. May Escliff, was it?”

He bent forward.

“I’m just purely curious… where did she come from?”

“….”

“Not even a record, or any witness accounts… is that even possible?”

In other words, he was asking where May came from.

…I don’t know.

‘I’m even more curious.’

Even other academy students wouldn’t know about the backstory of a heroine’s younger sister who didn’t exist in the original story.

‘I can make an educated guess.’

The first time I met May, she was in a maid’s outfit.

Since she was born as a child the Duke didn’t properly acknowledge, she wasn’t even on the registry, and formally wasn’t treated as a legitimate daughter.

Noble visitors to the mansion wouldn’t take interest in May, who looked like an ordinary apprentice maid.

A slightly unusual hair color could be hidden under a hat, and she wouldn’t be tasked with hosting guests anyway.

I explained my speculation briefly. Aiden raised an eyebrow.

“Impossible. Would the Escliff family treat a healing mage that way?”

“Would they leave her like that if they knew?”

“Well…”

Aiden trailed off.

Even if he was ignorant of rumors, he knew how Canis Escliff had been treated.

If the first daughter was treated poorly, the third daughter—neither legitimate nor the Duke’s beloved mistress’ child—would be worse.

Realizing that, Aiden’s expression darkened.

“I misspoke. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.”

After all, we were in similar situations.

I swallowed the words I wouldn’t say aloud.

‘Royal families are extreme.’

Obsessively doting or torturously neglecting.

My previous family wasn’t that bad, but the Escliff household was far worse.

As the conversation quieted, I felt the carriage slowing.

The wheels gradually stopped.

“Ugh.”

Felix yawned widely and stood before Aiden could wake him.

Perfect timing.

“Already in the forest?”

He muttered, and from behind the partition, a quiet voice came:

“The carriage can’t go further, young masters. You’ll have to walk from here.”

“Alright, thanks for your effort.”

Felix fished in his pocket and paid the driver before we could react.

No petty remarks or formal thanks. Considering them, the carriage fare was probably like buying a candy for 200 coins.

I approached the carriage exit with them. Both men reached out to me.

“….”

Seeing my face, they awkwardly withdrew their hands.

I jumped down alone. The soft grass cushioned my landing.

The rich scent of earth filled my nostrils. The forest, wet with morning dew, shone brightly despite being called the “Dark Forest.”

As we walked deeper, sunlight filtered through the leaves, giving the scenery a mystical, pointillist quality.

“Wow, amazing.”

Felix low-whistled and touched a tree shaped like an umbrella.

Suddenly, the tree bounced like a trampoline, launching the umbrella-shaped leaves high into the sky.

The airborne leaves spread like parachutes, swaying in the wind.

A truly unusual sight.

“A dandelion tree.”

“…Dandelion?”

Aiden, seeing my surprise, explained calmly:

“If you look closely, there’s a large seed hanging below.”

It was true.

Apart from the size—almost human-sized—the tree really resembled a dandelion seed.

I carefully observed the wondrous sight. Felix’s hand came to rest on my shoulder.

“Canis, did you know?”

A sly smile appeared on his lips.

“The main diet of the dandelion tree is young monsters.”

What.