The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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“Have you been well, Your Highness?”

“Of course. Thanks to Elsie, I’ve been staying safe and well, Sir Harvey.”

The two exchanged polite greetings.

In the original novel, wasn’t it mentioned that Amelia treated Harvey as little more than a decoration? While Harvey supposedly had feelings for Amelia, the Harvey standing before me now showed no trace of affection in his expression.

Perhaps the novel’s depiction arose because Amelia and Harvey had spent considerable time together. In other words, in that story, Harvey occupied the position of childhood friend that was meant to be mine. Although, in the end, Amelia didn’t end up with Harvey but with Adele.

…

… Anyway, it had been a while since I last saw him, and Harvey looked unscathed. At least, there were no visible injuries.

“Elsie, have you been doing well too?”

“Yes, I suppose so. And you, Hyung?”

“I’ve been well. The situation in Delkis is quite stable now. If things continue for a few more years, it should be firmly settled, though with the nature of warfare, things can turn in an instant, so we shouldn’t get too comfortable.”

Harvey spoke while carefully observing my face.

“I’ll make sure to wrap things up properly so you can return safely.”

“…Thank you.”

In the original novel, there was no mention of a character named Elsie Delkis. However, since this world mirrored that of the novel, Elsie Delkis must have existed somewhere at the same time.

And the Elsie Delkis from the novel wouldn’t have spent her time safely hidden away as I did.

“You don’t have to feel too guilty about it. You’re doing what you need to do. Even if it weren’t you, someone from our family would’ve had to be here.”

Harvey’s reassurance brightened my gloomy thoughts somewhat. After all, in the original story, he had been the one to accompany Amelia.

In truth, it was better that I was here instead. Harvey would undoubtedly be a much more valuable asset in combat.

“So, how are your wolves doing?”

“I just saw them a little while ago.”

Harvey didn’t seem the least bit concerned about the fact that I returned late at night. He likely thought it only natural that I would return safely. In Delkis, the idea of avoiding going outside after nightfall simply didn’t exist. Living in the far north, with its polar nights and midnight suns, meant staying indoors at night would have been like hiding away for an entire season.

“Is the family doing well?”

“Of course. Father, Mother, and our brothers are all doing fine.”

Those words brought me a small sense of relief.

…

The conversation paused briefly.

Harvey sipped his tea while taking a leisurely look around the mansion. His expression wasn’t wary but genuinely curious. This mansion was, in some ways, even more extravagant than the castle of the Grand Duchy of Grattanmount, so his reaction wasn’t surprising.

Even if he had passed through several cities on his way to the capital, none would have matched the capital’s splendor.

Honestly, I had been awestruck when I first arrived too.

“…I apologize. To be honest, I’m not very practiced in these kinds of conversations.”

Harvey eventually broke the silence with a somewhat awkward smile.

It made sense. Most Delkis people spent their entire lives within the territory. There weren’t many instances where they needed to ask after someone who had been far away. The small population also meant that news and rumors traveled quickly. Any unusual event would reach everyone’s ears in no time.

Naturally, Harvey wasn’t accustomed to these sorts of casual exchanges.

“So, have you made many friends?”

“I’m slowly making a few. I just spent time with one before coming here.”

“Oh, really?”

Harvey’s expression showed genuine interest.

“That friend… so, they’re…”

“Shorter than me, of course.”

“Naturally.”

Delkis people weren’t used to judging height differences between outsiders. The general disparity in height made it difficult for them to discern what constituted “short” or “tall.” By their standards, everyone outside Delkis was just small.

In fact, Harvey’s appearance, sitting on a sofa designed for average-sized people, was somewhat comical. It was like watching a grown man sit in a child’s chair.

“She’s called Lady Carlins. If you’d like, I can introduce her to you. Actually, since you’ll likely run into her often here, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll meet her.”

As I spoke, I glanced toward Amelia, who nodded in agreement.

“Yes, Lady Carlins is a remarkable person. Sir Harvey, you might get along with her in many ways.”

“Ahem.”

At Amelia’s words, Harvey’s cheeks turned slightly red.

During their frequent encounters in the past, Amelia had been too young, but now she had grown into a proper young lady. Naturally, Lady Carlins was likely of a similar age, making Amelia’s words a bit overwhelming for my still-shy Harvey.

Seeing a man blush wasn’t exactly pleasant from my perspective, but Harvey-Hyung, being one of the male leads in the romance novel, was undoubtedly handsome.

And to Amelia, who had always been a girl, the sight must have been rather heartwarming.

“How long do you plan to stay here?”

Amelia asked with a soft smile, and Harvey scratched his cheek with his index finger.

“If permitted, I was thinking about staying for one or two weeks…”

“Oh my, is your schedule very busy?”

“No, it’s not that. I just thought staying too long might be a burden…”

“You’re Elsie’s brother. Please feel free to stay as long as you’d like. Rest well, spend time with your only sister, and I’ll ensure you’re taken care of wholeheartedly.”

“Thank you very much.”

In terms of status, Amelia’s rank was technically higher, but she seemed conscious of the fact that Harvey was the elder brother of her friend—me.

Hmm… I did like having my family stay here with me…

I glanced at Harvey’s face.

Every time Amelia spoke to him, Harvey blushed shyly. I understood why—it couldn’t be helped. From a man’s perspective, Amelia was an exceptionally beautiful girl.

Fortunately, Amelia didn’t show any romantic interest in Harvey.

Or rather, thinking about it, Amelia hadn’t shown any romantic interest in any man. On the contrary, among all the men she had met, her attitude toward Harvey was the gentlest.

I decided to heighten my internal alarm by half a level.

Even though Amelia didn’t have feelings for Harvey, judging by her reactions to men so far, Harvey seemed the most likely candidate for a potential match.

…Well, if Harvey and Amelia ended up together, it would be convenient for Amelia to stay close to me…

…Yet, the thought makes me angrier than imagining Adele with Amelia.

That didn’t mean I intended to chase Harvey away. He was my Hyung, after all, and I cared for him as family. A part of me was simply happy and glad to see him after so long.

What I was wary of was solely the possibility of Amelia and Harvey becoming a couple.

This might seem selfish, but I wanted Amelia to stay with me at least until she reached an age where she was less vulnerable.

…If Amelia can’t help but fall for him, I won’t be able to oppose it any longer.

*

“You know, even after all this time, you still call him ‘Hyung’.”

“He’s my Hyung, after all.”

After guiding Harvey to his room, tired from his long journey, Amelia and I sat in her room as we always did to wrap up the day.

We had already changed into our sleepwear.

“Didn’t you say you’re used to that term because you only have older brothers?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

In reality, it was because I still had the memories of being a man, and I didn’t want to use terms like “Oppa”.

“Now that you’re almost an adult, why not start sorting out your terms of address?”

“My family tried to correct it for years but failed.”

At my response, Amelia chuckled softly.

She rested her elbows on the table, propping her chin in her hands, and stared at me intently.

Her smiling expression was stunningly beautiful, but something about the way she looked at me with that expression felt a bit unsettling.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I just thought it’s very you, Elsie. Do you know you’re pretty stubborn?”

“Look who’s talking.”

When I gave her a skeptical look, Amelia simply laughed again.

Why was she acting like this all of a sudden?

I had no idea.