NOVEL NEXT “Wow… Today is really bad.”
I said while looking out the window from the room with Kyle.
Seriously… It was a day when the snow was really coming down hard.
Usually, it doesn’t snow this much, but it was really pouring down from the sky.
If tomorrow comes, it might be piled up so much that we’ll have to clear the path with magic.
“Looks like we can’t go outside today?”
“Yeah… It really is coming down too much.”
“Weren’t you supposed to go find a present for Adela today?”
“Even so, I can’t just go out on a day like this.”
“Well…”
Yeah, that’s true.
If I went out now, I would definitely be bothered in many ways.
A 30-minute walk would take an hour.
Even so, spending that much time was a bit much.
Besides… I didn’t really need to go out today anyway.
“Sigh… I guess I have to stay cooped up in the castle today.”
“You stayed cooped up yesterday too.”
“N-No, what are you suddenly talking about?!”
I was really surprised because we were having a normal conversation and then suddenly went off track.
It’s true I was cooped up, but…
“You’re getting weirder by the day…”
“Sophia is just worried too much.”
“…I wasn’t particularly worried, I was just stating facts…”
“Got it, got it. Want to go watch the Knights train together?”
“…Well, if you insist, I’ll go.”
And so… I held Kyle’s hand and left the room.
Anyway, it was a day where I could take my time.
Besides, it was about time I wanted to get out of the room anyway.
“Oh, Sophia. This time Adela said she wants to hang out with you after a long time.”
“Huh? The lady?”
Sophia?
All of a sudden?
I heard it right, but I was a bit surprised for a moment.
I mean, Adela doesn’t usually talk to me much.
Whenever we met at the castle, we just exchanged greetings and parted ways again.
“Uh… Why?”
“I don’t know. She just suddenly asked me to find some time for her?”
“Uh… Well, I have plenty of time, so just tell me when you’re not busy.”
“Okay.”
But why is she suddenly asking me this?
After all, there’s almost a 10-year age gap between me and Adela.
I’m just a year younger than Kyle, so… there was definitely a noticeable gap.
Back when we first met… I was 16.
Now that I think about it, Adela is at the age to become an adult.
Wow… Time has really flown by.
“By the way, Adela has been looking more beautiful these days.”
“Um… Is that so?”
“Of course! I’ve seen so many girls since I followed you to your debutante ball and all the guests who came to the territory.”
I met so many ladies.
And not just noble ones; I met a ton of them.
I even saw a lot of beautiful girls while working as an adventurer.
Of course, the most stunning ones were the noble ladies.
They definitely suited the title of ‘ladies’ the best.
“I bet if she goes to a party, um… tons of guys will be after her.”
“…That’s a bit…”
“No, seriously! You really have no idea?!”
Are siblings really that clueless?
It’s a bit ridiculous that they can’t understand this.
“Right now, it might not seem like much, but when you see her all dressed up beautifully… you’ll definitely think that way.”
“Hmm…”
The two of them look pretty much alike.
Why on earth does Kyle think he’s handsome but not see the same in Adela?
Is there some sort of gene that makes siblings disdain each other?
Though, it does seem like Adela likes Kyle.
She usually calls him ‘Onii-chan~’ in a cute way.
“Anyway, let’s hurry out and watch the knights.”
Well, I didn’t need to worry about that right now.
*
“Lady, why did you suddenly call for me?”
“Just call me Adela…”
“Oh, right.”
Now that I think about it, I did say that before.
I was a bit overwhelmed at the introduction ceremony, so I forgot, but I definitely did say it.
“Anyway, Adela, why did you call me?”
“Um… Sister.”
“…Huh?”
I was quite surprised by the title Adela used.
Sister!
I don’t get called that very often in my life, so it felt awkward.
But at the same time, honestly, it felt nice.
I guess this is what it must feel like when a pretty girl calls a guy ‘Oppa.’
Not that I have much experience with that.
“So, I have my Coming-of-Age Ceremony coming up, right?”
Adela took a sip of tea, then continued speaking somewhat shyly.
She used to talk to me informally, but now… I could feel the relationship had slightly changed.
“First of all, I’m learning a lot from Dad because of that, and I’m learning a lot from the people in the family…”
As Adela said, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was coming up soon.
Since it’s now winter, time was really running short.
“Because of that, I’ve started having some dilemmas.”
“What kind of dilemma?”
“Um… There are only men in my family, right?”
“That’s true… Kyle’s a guy, and your father’s a guy too.”
It’s a sad topic, but their mother passed away.
That was back when Kyle and Adela were young.
As Adela mentioned, among the family, she was the only girl.
“So, how should I put it… I’m having concerns that only women have, but I don’t have anyone to ask… Hahaha…”
Concerns that only women have.
When I heard that, not many things came to mind.
Even if I have a female body now, I didn’t spend more than 20 years living as a woman.
I mean, aside from the issues I had because of Kyle, I legitimately had none.
Maybe around the time I first wore a skirt?
“First of all, feel free to speak. I can’t give you definite answers, but usually, if you talk it out slowly, those kinds of issues tend to resolve themselves.”
Even so, resolving Adela’s concerns was my priority.
I had lived longer than Adela, after all.
I thought it would be great to help her out.
Besides, earning points with Kyle’s sister was also important, right?
“Um… What if a guy I’m interested in comes to my Coming-of-Age Ceremony…”
“…?”
“What should I do…?”
Adela said this while blushing.
It was clear she wasn’t just hot because she was overheated; it was clearly a mix of shyness.
Anyone could see… even Kyle would think she was embarrassed.
Thanks to this, I had to reevaluate what she was really talking about.
An interested guy?
Guy?
Guy???
“Adela, are you…?”
“I-I’m not in love or anything!”
“…”
That was 100% certain.
Having done a lot of weird things alone since earlier this year, I was convinced.
Adela definitely had someone she was drawn to!
“That’s totally fine!”
I said, holding Adela’s hands.
Of course, responding like this was the right thing to do.
After all, Adela was a girl!
And she was soon to become an adult, really still a young and delicate girl!
“It’s normal for girls your age!”
“I-It’s not like that yet!?”
“It’s the perfect age to start having crushes on handsome and cool guys!”
Of course, I never did, but I said this for Adela’s feelings.
When I was about to become an adult… I was busy teaching Kyle about etiquette.
When I was at my best, various aspects of my mind were still quite masculine.
It was a bit hard to understand, but I couldn’t say any weird nonsense to Adela.
“Who is he? A handsome Young Master perhaps?”
“…Uh, not really… Just…”
“Don’t worry. After all, it’s just the two of us in this room right now, so take your time.”
“….”
Honestly speaking… shy Adela was adorable.
Although she usually had a super cool demeanor just like Kyle, seeing her embarrassed was genuinely cute.
Just like those rare moments when Kyle also shows his more bashful side.
“Last time, I talked to someone at the debutante ball…”
“Ohh…”
“We just exchanged names a little and then asked them to come to the territory next time…”
I’m not really the type to read romance novels, but… honestly, this was a bit fun.
No, it was actually a lot of fun!
Adela, who usually has a cool persona like Kyle, was suddenly talking about this.
And she was blushing, no less.
“So… I received a letter saying they’ll be coming…”
“Ohhh… that’s great.”
“The problem is, how can I naturally talk to him?”
“…Can’t you just start a conversation?”
Usually… that should be enough.
There’s no need for anything more.
Just… talking would be the end of it.
“….”
“…?”
“Uh… Last time, I found it hard to do that…”
“…Ehh.”
Saying that starting a conversation was hard.
Why?
I really didn’t get it.
Adela finding it hard to approach someone was truly bewildering.
She usually displayed a lively demeanor, and that’s how most people saw her.
If anything, I thought she would be the type to approach a guy first, maybe even flirt with him, just like Kyle does with me.
“Well… I mean, a girl starting a conversation and setting things up feels… a bit… off, you know?”
“….”
“What if I come off as a cheap person to him…?”
“Wow.”
Super cute.
Really.