Chapter 23: CH 22

Reina didn’t think a pleading puppy dog look while drenched in the rain was going to work, but she already tried everything she could throw out.

Then Ethan leaned his head to the side and asked.

“What exactly have we done together that you have reason enough to talk about love?”

Judging by his expression, it seemed like he was genuinely curious.

“There’s no reason at all, my love.”

“Then that must mean you need something from me.”

“Oh my.”

He hit the nail on the head.

‘To get engaged with you. That’s my purpose here.’

Reina pouted and answered back.

“I’m disappointed. I’m just expressing my love to you.”

And for your information, she was being sincere when she’s saying this:

“I like you, my love.”

In the end, he finally let out a completely pure ‘laugh’.

‘I finally got you to laugh!’

Ethan finally laughed with a ‘Haha’ instead of a ‘Heh’!

Reina was so happy that she was in the mood to hold a festive party and invite all the way until the neighbor aunties living in the surrounding houses of her mother’s sister’s son’s home.

‘This was what Arene told me about breaking down his walls! Finally, I broke it down!’

* * *

In preparation for the outing she and her father talked about the other day, Reina was taking care of packing this and that. But at that time,

“Anyway. Seems like you just can’t stay still for even one single day, Reina Chantra.”

Noah barged right into Reina’s room.

“Do you eat your meals with the same kind of manners? Why would you come into a grown lady’s room without asking for permission first?”

“I don’t think you’re allowed to say that when you yourself broke into a grown bachelor’s room and stole clothes from there.”

“…Eh, your clothes are loose and comfortable to sleep in.”

“If Grandmother finds out, she’s going to send you to the afterlife prematurely.”

“……”

It’s not like she didn’t know. However, after Han Jae-hee’s consciousness had awakened within her, she just couldn’t bother with such cumbersome and uncomfortable nightgowns.

So she often broke into Noah’s room and secretly stole some big shirts, yet now he was threatening her with this.

“Why are you here anyhow?”

“I heard you’re going to Mount Thurn again.”

“Yeah. Don’t even think about following me.”

When I warned him while glaring at him with wide eyes, he let out a ‘hmph’ sound and hung his head back.

“Why are you even going on that pilgrimage? It’s not like you’re aiming to be some mega devout priestess. And it’s not like you have some hobby of going out of your way to suffer, don’t you?”

“That’s none of your business, that’s what it is.”

After she answered the question like that, she went back to packing her things. At this, Noah flopped down on a red chair in one corner of the room. After setting his elbow on the armrest, he propped his chin with one hand. Then, he asked something else with an insinuating tone.

“Hey, what exactly have you done to the Cerulean Freak?”

Ethan? Why was he suddenly asking?

When Reina stopped moving her hands and finally glanced back at Noah, she looked at him only with one eye as though trying to gauge what he was thinking.

“There were so many people who got shocked to see you and the Cerulean Freak at the coalition conference last time.”

“A-Ahh.”

Fran was someone who had loose lips, so evidently, he had spread some rumors here and there.

“I told you. Ethan and I are gonna be engaged.”

Stunned by the offhandedly delivered answer, Noah stood up from his seat.

“Are you really going to get engaged with that Cerulean Freak?”

“Do you listen to words with that nose of yours? I’ve answered you with ‘yes’ more times than I can count. And don’t call him a freak. He’s not.”

“Hoh… I really wonder just what kind of filter your eyes are being blinded by. Why on earth do you like that freak?”

“I told you not to call him a freak.”

“Yes, yes. Ethan, whatever. What do you like about him? I’m asking this because I’m really worried about you.”

When asked, Reina answered with a shrug and a casual answer.

“I have the most fun talking to Ethan.”

This was the truth. Of course, the biggest reason for her full-frontal approach was to avoid a death flag, but she couldn’t just say that.

“You think it’s fun? You’re crazy, seriously crazy.”

“It’s actually really fun though?”

Maybe she had a peculiar taste in the conversations they had together? It was strangely addicting to talk to Ethan.

“Huh… I really can’t understand you.”

Still, as though he couldn’t believe what Reina was saying, Noah just clicked his tongue again.

“Yeah, I seriously don’t get it. It’s good because it’s good. That’s how you’re explaining it.”

For someone like Noah, who already had a preconceived notion of Ethan as the ‘Cerulean Freak’, even if Reina were to explain for a hundred days, his answer would be the same.

“Ha… Fine. Let’s just say that’s that. But even if you like Ethan that much, you don’t need to push yourself to go to Mount Thurn.”

“……”

And at that point, his younger sister finally stopped answering flippantly. The corners of Noah’s lips tugged up.

“You’re just going to see your friends without even going to the academy, aren’t you?”

“…O-Of course I am.”

“No, you’re not. Seeing as how you’re packing up some gifts for your friends living at that mountain, you’ve got a different trip in mind.”

“……”

Reina glared at him. Noah leaned back and spoke.

“Bring me two bottles of Zetho wheat beer when you get back.”

Zetho wheat beer? She’d have to go the opposite direction of Mount Thurn to get that.

“Hey… Just getting through the Luna gorge is gonna take me—”

“What time is Father coming home today again?”

“……”

‘Ha, annoying jerk.’

She let out a deep sigh and eventually had to raise her hands as if she was surrendering.

“Fine, but two bottles are heavy. Just one bottle.”

“’Kay. I’ll take you up on that deal. Then, have a safe trip.”

No matter how much she thought about it, they were brother and sister who were born from the same womb, but then it was like he’s her archnemesis just masquerading as her mother’s son.