The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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“Thank you all for taking the time to gather here today. Some of you may have traveled from the capital, while others may be here for the first time. I hope the days spent here will become fond memories in the future. May you forge good relationships and have meaningful experiences during your stay.”

Once most of the invited guests had gathered, the King addressed everyone in the ballroom with those words.

“Long live His Majesty the King!”

When someone raised their glass and shouted this,

“Long live His Majesty the King!”

“Long live the Kingdom of Alwen!”

The invited guests echoed the cheer, downing the contents of their glasses in unison. Most people of the Alwen Kingdom were known to be good drinkers. It must be due to the kingdom’s northern setting. In novels like these, northern people are typically depicted as hearty and robust characters.

Even just thinking about the people of Delkis or Grattanmount proved the stereotype.

The drink I sipped had a rather unique flavor. It was a carbonated beverage, though the fizz wasn’t particularly strong. Could this be this world’s version of champagne?

Well, given that bottling techniques here wouldn’t be as advanced as in the modern world, it was only natural for some carbonation to dissipate. Even so, the preservation was commendable.

Not that it tasted bad, of course. I wasn’t exactly skilled at distinguishing different types of alcohol, but it was certainly a step above the brews typically found in the north.

No doubt, they had gone out of their way to prepare something refined. After all, they wouldn’t want to hear remarks like, “It’s worse than what we have back home.”

“To both of you, I’d like to express my gratitude as well.”

While I was inspecting the glass in my hand, a soft voice reached me.

When I turned toward the source of the voice, Adele was bowing her head slightly in our direction.

“I’ve had such a delightful time, thanks to you both.”

Um…

But Adele had done nothing here except dance with me and chat with us. While we had gotten to know each other better, that was really all she had gained—was it enough to warrant such gratitude?

Then again, come to think of it, forming a connection with the daughter of the Grand Duke of the North might not be a bad outcome for her.

“There’s no need for such formal thanks.”

Amelia, apparently thinking along the same lines as I was, replied as such.

“You were the first person I made a connection with here, Lady Carlins. If I ever host an event in the future, you’ll likely be the first person I invite. Are you planning to express gratitude every time I say this?”

“Well, of course…”

“Lowering yourself too much might appear humble at first, but eventually, it gives others a reason to dismiss you. Many people in this world will take your words at face value and think it’s okay to treat you accordingly. It’s cumbersome to justify your worth every single time, don’t you think?”

“……”

At Amelia’s words, Adele fell into brief contemplation before a small smile formed on her lips.

“She’s right. After all, I did receive help from Lady Carlins today,” I added.

“Help… would be a bit of an exaggeration…”

Perhaps unused to such remarks, Adele blushed faintly, looking slightly embarrassed.

Her ponytail and that expression complemented each other perfectly. She usually looked so mature when she kept a neutral expression, but moments like this made her seem years younger.

As expected of a romance fantasy heroine.

“Even so, simply letting it slide isn’t always the best approach, Lady Carlins.”

However, Amelia showed no intention of ending our conversation just yet.

“If someone owes you a debt, you should ensure you get something in return. If you’re always giving without expecting anything, people will eventually take it for granted. If you don’t want to be exploited, make sure you receive what’s due to you.”

…Honestly, I agreed with her. But still, saying that in front of me—it felt like she was teasing me.

The way Amelia’s eyes narrowed slightly confirmed my suspicion.

And when she subtly placed her hand on my waist, it became even clearer.

Perhaps due to the “yuri theme” of this world, physical contact between women here seemed quite natural. While it wasn’t common to link arms while walking around, light touches on the shoulder or waist were accepted without question.

Though that didn’t mean it was normal for women to dance together at a ball.

Was this her way of playfully “escorting” me?

“Y-Yes, but I came here today only thanks to the help of the Grand Duke’s daughter,” Adele replied timidly.

“That may be true, but it was Lady Delkis whom you have helped, wasn’t it?”

Her sly smile as she glanced at me made it clear she was teasing me.

Still, I could argue against it, given how accurate her remark was.

Not to mention, Adele didn’t seem the type to make unreasonable demands.

“Well then, Lady Carlins. Today, I’m the one who received help, and it was the Grand Duke’s daughter who sent the invitation. So there’s no problem with me repaying the favor.”

“Ah…”

Caught between the two of us, Adele couldn’t seem to find any more reasons to decline.

“Then, um, would it really be alright if I asked for a favor…?”

Amelia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at Adele’s words. It didn’t seem like she was faking it. Had she really not expected Adele to have a request?

“What kind of request is it?”

To be honest, I was a little surprised too. We’d only just met for the second time. It wasn’t a longstanding favor she’d been holding onto—it must have occurred to her after meeting us.

This wasn’t in the original story. Back then, the one accompanying Amelia was my brother Harvey.

Harvey had danced with Amelia, and the Crown Prince had danced with Adele. Amelia had worked hard to pair them together in the story’s early plot.

“I…”

Adele hesitated briefly but soon resolved herself, looking directly at me.

Her emerald eyes sparkled brilliantly.

“I’d like to receive swordsmanship lessons from Lady Delkis.”

…

Hah?

“I’m not particularly skilled myself…”

Caught off guard, I stammered in reply, but Adele stepped closer, clasping her hands before her chest as she spoke more earnestly.

“But you’re from Delkis. I believe there’s much I can learn by training with you. Please, could you teach me swordsmanship?”

Uh…

I glanced over at Amelia for some guidance, but she seemed lost in thought, offering no advice. She merely observed us with a serious expression.

“…Very well. But I can’t guarantee that Lady Carlins will find my skills satisfactory.”

I agreed for now. After all, she wasn’t simply asking out of the blue; she wanted this in return for the favor I’d done.

Though I’d trained diligently, my skills weren’t extraordinary.

“Thank you so much!”

Yet, oblivious to my concerns, Adele beamed brightly with joy.

*

“I want to join, too.”

“Huh?”

“I mean the swordsmanship lessons. I’m joining as well.”

After the ball has ended, I was, as usual, in Amelia’s room.

We stood back-to-back, changing clothes.

Amelia, convinced I was entirely a woman, had no qualms about changing in front of me.

But for someone like me, whose male psyche hadn’t been erased, changing in front of Amelia felt… inappropriate, to say the least. Not just because it was embarrassing, but because it felt like crossing a line.

So instead of refusing outright, we’d developed this habit over the years—changing back-to-back under the excuse that I was “shy about undressing in front of others.”

By now, I was used to the rustling sound of clothes, though I still didn’t have the courage to turn around.

“Sure, you can join. We’ll be going together, anyway.”

“Hmm?”

Amelia reacted oddly to my response.

“Wait, you weren’t planning to come along?”

It occurred to me, after spending nearly a decade attached at the hip, that it was unusual for us to always be together. We weren’t siblings, and even if we were, there was no obligation to stay joined at the hip.

Realizing my mistake, I worried she might have taken offense—

“No, I was planning to come with you.”

“Right. I thought so.”

Her answer reassured me.

If it had been otherwise, it would’ve meant I’d been assuming things on my own.

Eventually, we’d part ways. Amelia couldn’t remain single forever. And I… would return to Delkis someday.

But Amelia had already taken up too much space in my heart.

If we were destined to separate, I wanted to stay by her side for as long as possible. It was my selfish wish.

“Alright then. I don’t know how good of a teacher I’ll be, but I’ll try my best.”

“If it’s you, there’s no need to worry about that.”

I knew her words were meant to encourage me, and that alone was enough.

No one could see the small smile spreading across my face, but just knowing it was there made me feel a bit embarrassed. I covered my mouth as I continued changing, feeling a little self-conscious.