Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Punishment

“Olgaaaaa!”

“Ugu!?”

… Just now, I have arrived at the nobility school.

Eh? What did I let out a voice resembling a crushed frog?

That’s because I got embraced by Eliza! Deja vu!

“Olga, I was worried, you know!? Are you all right!?”

“Ugh, fine, let me…”

I am happy that she worried about me, really.

However, her embrace is way too tight.

It’s not like I dislike it, but… Eliza just has too much strength!

… She’s already on a level where she would crush her opponent’s hand during a handshake.

“… Hey there, let her go, Eliza. Olga’s complexion is beginning to look like that of a zombie.”

How rude! Is what I would like to say, but I cannot deny it.

Right now, my face is probably extremely pale.

“What are you saying, Dante! Olga would be cute even as a zombie!”

“That’s not the problem here.”

Lance interjected with a stunned expression.

Rishell was looking at us with a “What are these fellows doing?” look.

No, I would like if you did not include me.

“… Everyone, Olga must be tired mentally. Let’s leave it at that please.”

If Rishell didn’t stop them, Dante, Lance, and Eliza would most likely quarrel endlessly.

… Halfway in, I just watched the three-person exchange vacantly.

They really get along.

“… Still, I was shocked! The moment I heard Olga got abducted, I thought of going mad!”

“You were so disordered you shattered a few windows.”

Yesterday, in other words, the day I returned home, I was absent from school so Eliza heard about the story in detail from Rishell, Lance, and Dante then.

She suddenly got to know that friend was abducted with her chastity at risk, so I think her reaction was only natural.

… Although breaking the windows might be going too far.

Eliza’s disorder was so like her.

Dante and Lance must have cleaned up after her. Thank you for your hard work.

“Rather, why were you abducted? I don’t think you would go so easily…”

… Ugh.

I took a side-long glance at Rishell.

… Rishell would most likely flip out if I said “Because I wanted to live in the countryside”.

Rishell is opposing my countryside life with all of his might after all.

Dante is the same.

Father, Mother, and Celsior started crying when I told them about… “Do you dislike our home that much!?” they said.

No, I love it, I love it, but you can’t return a life.

… In the end, it took three hours before everyone stopped crying.

In the meantime, I talked about how I love the family and our home.

What was I doing?

By the way, I was rather confused by Keith’s terribly shocked face.

I was horribly sweating when he asked “Do you have some matter you cannot speak about…?” with a delicate voice later.

In the end, my family thought that my desire for a slow life is just temporary and that something like this won’t happen again, but I wonder about that…

Besides, I don’t feel like I can deceive Rishell…

“… Oy? Olga? What’s the matter?”

“I, it’s nothing, I’m fine! Yeah!”

Lance called out to me doubtfully.

That’s right, this fellow is in support of my slow life.

If I cooperate with him…

… Is what I thought, but.

Most likely, Lance and I, just the two of us aren’t enough to stand a chance against Rishell.

Besides, I don’t think I can ask for Lance’s cooperation after this situation… what am I going to do?

“… You were struck from behind, no?”

“… Eh.”

A voice came from an unexpected place, which made me let out a weird voice.

… Eh, Rishell?

“You were hit from behind and fainted during your walk around the town, right? You were already in an unfamiliar place when you woke up, right?”

“Eh, eh, ah, yes.”

Rishell’s eyes were telling me to “Say yes”, so I affirmed for now.

… Scary. Rishell is scary.

“Ah, is that so? There was nothing you could have done then…”

Eliza seemed to understand as she was nodding her head.

No, it’s not like I could accept the challenge upfront either.

“Un, that’s right~ How dangerous~”

When I said so in a monotone, Lance and Dante looked at me with eyes that said “The hell is wrong with this fellow?”.

“… Olga.”

“Eh.”

After school, when the classes were over.

I was walking to Keith’s classroom as usual.

… The gazes from my surroundings are getting painful, so I want to quickly return home and sleep.

This very meager wish of mine was splendidly obstructed by Rishell.

“… Come to the castle with me please.”

“… Haah?”

Come to the castle?

For what? Is it related to Oswald or that pig bastard?

Otousama already sent a testimony which should have already reached you though…

“… Have you forgotten today’s debt?”

“…!”

With Rishell’s mutter, I stiffened and recalled.

… That’s right, this fellow told me to say that I got “Hit from behind” when Eliza asked about the abduction.

… To think that what I was hiding would get exposed.

Rather, he’s the person I wanted to keep this hidden from the most though!?