Chapter 76: The Third Day of the Festival (V).
The Japanese streamer groaned feeling like she's wasting her time with Lord Ein. She should be getting the wand already but no-!
She had to blow off a bit of steam, the adrenaline that she got from the play was coming back.
"What I mean is that's a lot of hogwash! I want nothing more but the truth, I knew something was up since the moment you told me to memorize the script! You planned this all from the beginning didn't you?!" (Analissa) points a finger at him feeling humiliated, she was already seeing the possibility of him doing this from a while away it was obvious!
But… she trusted him!
The heroine is oblivious and even sometimes can't grasp the concept of a few things but she's not that dumb.
Lord Ein admires that part of her very much so. It was a good thing that he managed to gain her trust that she willingly went with his wishes of practicing the script with him.
"There… is no fooling you, Miss Analissa. It is indeed my plan from the very beginning- all for a good cause I swear on my name." (Lord Ein) confesses, knowing that if he covers up his lies with more of them it'll only break the connection that they have.
Analissa Blanchet may not trust him any longer if he keeps up with this, when the truth was as clear as day.
"My plan was to have you replace me on the second day of the play. I wasn't really missing, I was hiding in the crowd and decided to watch my written play unfold in front of me. I used the tickets that we were supposed to give to our parents and watched the show." (Lord Ein) explained his side as best as he could. "I knew I could rely on you! You were amazing, both you and Lady Evelyn on that stage were everything!"
The boy expressed his joy seeing them play together and smiled.
"But… why… Did you volunteer if you didn't even want to do it in the first place? I don't understand. You're not supposed to do that to friends. You had me and everyone in the class worried sick!" The heroine stared at him, arms crossed tightly, heart pounding with the weight of frustration that had built up since the play. "I guess if it wasn't so obvious- I was really trying my best not to stand out. I don't like the spotlight and being in front of so many judging eyes scares me- I wanted to puke on that stage."
She really did want to puke…
All of her life she's only been streaming, alone inside her house. This sort of new experience is a lot of overwhelming for someone trying to adapt into a new world and its rules.
"I'm well aware of what reputation I have in the academy. I know what the class thinks of me. I don't want to be a burden to anyone- even if this did help me change a few of their minds. I thought… I just thought you had my back." (Analissa) became guarded with the former love interest. It would be nice if he could view Lord Ein like before, just an ordinary masochist who means her harm.
But now he's changed, growing as his own individual and making his own choices.
Unfortunately, this one choice of his did not sit well with the heroine who had her doing some of the unwanted grunt work at the very last minute in the play.
"Miss Analissa…"
"But you… you were just watching us the whole time? Were you enjoying every moment of it? Dumping your responsibility on me?"
He couldn't answer back and avoided his gaze from the angry blonde girl who was on the right.
Lord Ein just wanted to help, truly he did. It was clear that the two of the girls had this special connection- but then that's where he started regretting meddling in someone else's relationship.
Even caused the heroine to have to put up with his mess.
"...I'm sorry but I did what I had to do. Please if you could let me explain everything perhaps it would make sense of what I did-" While it did harbor fruits of his labor, it seems that the two girls have become closer, however their friendship is at stake.
"Unbelievable." She raises her arms up, before putting it away walking deeper. "I'm sorry, Lord Ein but I don't think I can look at you for a while."
The Japanese streamer needed a bit of space before talking to Lord Ein. She can't stomach what he did, it was selfish and unreasonable even if he did say that all of it was for a good cause.
Lord Ein sees her walking away, so he decides to follow behind. "Wait- Miss Analissa!"
She turned and stormed down the corridor. "Don't follow me! I'm angry at you for doing all that behind my back! Do you know what I had to do to save that play?!"
"But please let me explain-"
"I said don't follow me-"
A sudden crack echoed through the hall.
"...?"
"...!"
The stone beneath them trembled.
It was subtle at first- a faint vibration, like a distant cart rolling across the floor above. But then came the low, rumbling groan of shifting weight beneath their feet.
Analissa froze mid-step. Lord Ein turned his head sharply, eyes locking with hers.
Neither of them spoke, but the look they exchanged said it all.
'Oh fuck.'
A single crack split the floor between them with a sharp snap, thin as a hairline- but it spread fast, crawling like a lightning bolt across the stone tiles.
Dust trickled from the ceiling.
The floor crumbled beneath them with a deafening roar.
"Agh!"
"Ngh!"
Dust exploded around them as debris crashed down. The hallway behind them collapsed in a thunderous roar, sealing off the way they came.
"Watch out!"
Without thinking, Lord Ein lunged forward and grabbed her.
They hit the ground hard, his back striking first with a jolt that knocked the wind from his lungs. Chunks of stone crashed around them, splinters of broken archways and shattered floor tile falling like rain. He wrapped his arms around Analissa, shielding her head just as chunks of stone and shattered crystal came crashing down from above.
The world blurred in a flash of dust and noise as they hit the ground- his back taking the brunt of the fall.
The ceiling groaned, then finally time went still.
When it was all over, silence returned- but the air was thick with dust, swirling like smoke in the broken corridor.
Analissa coughed, blinking rapidly. Her heart was racing, ears ringing.
"Lord Ein!"
She sat up quickly, finding him sprawled beside her, dust clinging to his cloak, a thin trail of blood at his temple.
"You dummy!" She whispered, voice trembling. "Are you hurt?!"
She sees the corner of his head bleeding as the drizzle of blood falls down to his uniform.
Lord Ein opened one eye and gave a faint, strained smile. "Don't tell me not only did you get strong but goodness- did you also gain weight that the floor started falling? You're quite heavy."
Analissa's eyes widened with that statement and glared at him for making a joke in this crucial moment.
He just called her fat!
The heroine smacked his shoulder gently and yelled at him for being too carefree. "Ugh- don't joke right now! Here rest in my thighs so I can heal your head, it's bleeding!"
"No need… ngh… this is nothing." He tried to push himself up but flinched, pain flashing across his face.
Analissa grabbed his arm immediately, steadying him looking guilty. "Stop moving. Just stay still. I'm going to perform first aid healing magic on you now."
"I'm fine there's no need for that, you'll only be wasting your mana." He muttered with a smile.
"No, you're not." Her voice softened, but there was still some annoyance behind it. "You can tell me when you're hurt- Lord Ein, I'm still your friend."
"..."
Friend…
Right, they're friends now aren't they?
The former love interest can trust her. After all, she's the reason that he's becoming his own person- thinking and making choices that are his own.
"If you don't mind." (Lord Ein) reveals one of the cuts that he got when he saved her from the falling debris.
His ears reddened from shame and embarrassment, usually he would joke and smile like everything was fine. However, seeing Analissa's worried face and her scolding tone for the first time in a while… It feels as if he's important.
The heroine closes her eyes- magic circle glowing underneath her hands and performs simple healing magic to aid Lord Ein from his pain. "[Light Magic: Heal]. There… tell me if you feel any other discomfort."
Lord Ein blinks, reaching out to place a hand on the wound realizing the bleeding is gone with no trace, the force of light magic is an important treasure that is protected. "Miss Analissa… I'm sorry, please let me explain myself… I promise you in my family name that I mean no harm."
The usual grinning and mischievous man was replaced by a guilty little boy hoping to prove his innocence and reasoning for doing such actions. "I… would never do that to you, my friend."
Analissa sighs, patting the dust off of her sleeves and wonders if she's becoming too soft on a love interest that was supposed to be her red flags… but since he saved her it seems right that she would at least hear him out. "I don't understand truly why you did all that. Everyone was counting on you, then you showed up out of nowhere to tell me you've actually just been watching the play this whole time? I'll give you another chance to explain."
"I… Believe me or not but all that I did was for your sake, I believed that with you being the prince of the play you'd be happy." The prince and the princess, the heroine and the villainess.
Quite the duo, truly the fitting forbidden love story portrayal that should be best represented! Not only that but with the following script of the kiss, Lord Ein could only imagine the thrill and excitement Lady Evelyn has felt.
That noblewoman has been becoming bolder and more passionate with each passing day.
Analissa on the other hand didn't understand his words. "Happy? You know I was perfectly satisfied with my role as the tree- if I became the main character then all hell would break loose it wouldn't be even about the play anymore. I had no lines, not much drama, pressure and stress that came along with that role."
The Masochist looks down and casts an annoyed look that the message he wasn't trying to tell her couldn't get through. "Have you- not been seeing how she would look at you everyday? I swear I could mistake her pair of eyes for hearts. I couldn't propose for you to become the prince when it was time to elect the role, because I know everyone would question my decision."
The role of the prince should've been the heroine's.
"If not for society's standards of love-!"
He was like a volcano ready to blow.
"I would've written your name on the board because you are more deserving to love a princess like Lady Evelyn! I would've proudly told everyone that I am not fit for the role of the prince because I…" (Lord Ein) finally let it all out, a slight pang of pain went through his head but the adrenaline he was feeling and the nerves made him numb. He grits his teeth, the sound of his voice echoing in the archive tunnels. "Are you that oblivious to not realize that she-?!"
Analissa who stands still, raises her hands and finishes for him, looking serious.
"That Lady Evelyn Alarie likes me?"
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