LIGHTNOVELONLINE The Nerd Turned Out To Be The Tyrant
Chapter 115
After catching her breath for a while, Luce packed her things into her bag. As she was about to leave, she turned around and petted Nox. Nox purred as if it had been waiting for this moment.
“I’ll be back, Nox. I might be a bit late, so don’t wait.” Nox’s whiskers drooped. Luce, with a heavy heart, looked back at Nox several times before leaving, and the door closed. The black cat with bright yellow eyes sat still for a while before standing up. Nox rubbed its cheeks against the chair, the desk leg, and the bed, where its owner’s scent still lingered. Suddenly, its body flinched. Then, like a marionette controlled by invisible strings, it began to walk awkwardly. Nox shook its body to rid itself of the strange feeling, but it didn’t seem to help. The cat trudged along, almost as if being pulled, until it stopped in front of the notebook on the bedside table. On the back of the overturned notebook, a name was written. 『Dominic』 Trembling, Nox’s front paw stiffly turned over a note. Nox meowed sharply, but what echoed in its ears wasn’t the gentle voice of its owner, who lovingly spoke and provided a warm place to sleep, but a neutral voice. 「So this is why dealing with an intellect is so tricky…」 It was quite some time after Nox had been growling at thin air that it finally fell silent. Nox’s eyes, as it calmly flipped through the notes, were a fiery red. *** “It’s a holiday, why did you come, Lucette?” “I stopped by the nearby market and thought I’d drop by for a moment. We’re planning to launch our liquid fatigue recovery supplement next week, so I wanted to do one last check.” “There is something more to check?” It was close to an excuse. The preparations and checks were perfect, but it seemed like she needed to do something to avoid being consumed by complex thoughts. “Isaac, who had been tilting his head in curiosity, decided not to ask and stepped back.Thanks to it, Luce could immerse herself in mixing potions, organizing herbs, and assisting Isaac with watering the plants, freeing herself from the grip of her intrusive thoughts. Isaac may not have asked, but he had watched Luce all along. He held a coffee-flavored ice cream in the hands of Luce, who worked until the closing of the flower garden. The sweets were inserted. “Go ahead and eat it while you go. You can eat and walk.” “I have an appointment today, so I’ll eat while I go. Thanks, Isaac.” After looking at Luce’s face for a moment, he hesitated and opened his mouth. “Hey, Lucette.” “Yes.” “I have not forgotten that Lucette helped me solve my worries. It would be right to say that I cannot forget it, because I will think of it every time I see my grandfather’s face. So, what I wanted to say is, if you ever have any worries, feel free to talk about them.” “….” “My grandfather was like that too. At night, when there were customers talking about wizards and belittling the pharmacist, he would always wake up to the sound of rattling. Sometimes, if I peeked outside, I could see him making potions in secret. It might be a completely different situation, but still… It bothers me a bit. Not right away, but if you ever feel like talking about it…” Perhaps because he was embarrassed or because he thought it was too presumptuous, Isaac muttered with a blush in his ear. It was an incredibly kind gesture. At the same time, it was a favor that shouldn’t be too readily accepted. Luce pondered for a moment before responding. “Yes, I will. Thank you at least for your words.” It was the kindest reprieve that could be given in this situation. Isaac seemed to know very well when silence was needed. Instead of adding, he added another cookie to the ice cream. When she arrived at Brechtga, the moon was floating in the middle of the sky. Luce went to the green roof official residence holding an invitation that was not an invitation tightly in her hand. She thought that since it was a place where a princess was staying, security would be tight, but to her surprise, only one person was guarding the door. It seemed like they had taken over the people in advance, leaving only the minimum number of people. However, the guard, who must have known that the princess had a guest, looked at Luce with a puzzled expression. “What brings you here?” “I have an appointment with someone who lives at the official residence. It’s about the ‘younger brother’.” “Ah, yes… Excuse me, but may I ask for your name?” “It’s Lucette.” “Huh, everything seems right, but why…” The guard, alternating between the memo and Luce, especially lingered his gaze on her beige hair. Scratching the back of his neck in hesitation, the guard finally allowed Luce to pass after conversing at length with the belatedly arriving maid. With narrowed eyes, Luce asked the maid who was guiding her. “Is there anything different from the impression shared with you in advance?” “We were rude and didn’t even apologize, Miss. I’m truly sorry.” “No, I’m not being sarcastic, I’m just asking. I’m not trying to blame or scold anyone, so could you please tell me?” Even after saying all that, the maid only continued to apologize profusely. It was frustrating, but Luce understood the position of a servant who couldn’t speak freely in front of nobles. It was obvious that if she asked more, her mouth would only hurt, so Luce followed her in silence. The maid knocked and walked away. “Come in.” The door opened, and she saw Aloise. Unlike her previous disheveled appearance, she now wore a smooth, composed expression. Rather than appreciating her elegant and luxurious dress and the jewelry that looked flashy and expensive at first glance, my first thought was that she was glad that her health seemed to be in good condition. Luce smiled, but Aloise didn’t smile. She asked, looking intently at Luce’s hair and then at her face. “Are you really Lucette?” “As you can see, that’s right.” “…You were really what I saw that day.” “Didn’t you call me because you thought it was me? You’re talking as if you saw a ghost. I was really surprised when I saw the message the princess left.” Luce answered jokingly. Aloise, who was visibly startled by her words about her being a ghost, spoke softly. “You have no idea what I’ve been thinking about you.” “You’ve been thinking about me all this time? I know you don’t really believe what I say, but I’m sincerely honored.” Aloise laughed helplessly. When Luce answered cheerfully, she continued to shake her head. ‘Your reaction is odd. You’ve been following behind me all this way, leaving a letter at the hotel where I stay, and acting as though you didn’t expect me to come? Why make it seem like you didn’t know I’d come, even after you’ve apparently been thinking about me? What’s with the ghost jokes and then suddenly being serious? Lower-ranked people were suspicious of my identity just by seeing my face, but why is the lady staring at me so intently and then suddenly understanding? As she thought, Luce’s eyebrows narrowed slightly. ‘The message that mentioned younger brother wasn’t for security purposes, it was to make sure it was really me. I mean, she couldn’t believe me when she saw me on the day of the auction. How did a girl from Xenon come to the capital? It’s not just a simple question of how… You thought I was dead or incapable of moving, didn’t you? What’s the reason? There are two possibilities. Because she was Rev’s friend, or because she offended the Ximel family. However, she won’t easily offer an explanation. Princess Aloise is like a sensitive whirlpool, the more she tries to bring it out, the deeper she’ll bury it. She must wait until she opens her mouth on her own. Luce spoke to her softly. “I thought about you sometimes, too.” “Why are you?” “I was worried about whether you were okay right now. Actually, I wondered if you called me because you were feeling unwell somewhere. I brought a few things just in case. They’re good for calming nerves. Don’t worry, I made them myself.” What Luce said was half true. She did come today to gather information, but Aloise was a person who bothered me in many ways. Both the House of Duke Ximel, to which she belongs, and her predestined fate. Luce took out the things she brought from the hotel. She placed tea on the table with extracts of chamomile and gardenia, as well as tranquilizers containing rhodiola and dried valerian and linden flowers. The cherry sleeping pills she had made in abundance for the boy who talked about cherries were a bonus. Aloise, who was watching Luce, asked. “Do you think I look okay?” “From the looks of it.” “Why do you add a condition?” “From the way you’re asking, it doesn’t seem like you’re feeling particularly well. I’m glad I brought these.” Luce, who had been speaking with a smiling face the whole time, concluded her last words with a serious tone. Princess Aloise lowered her eyes and pursed her lips as she asked. “You still talk as if you knew everything then and now.” It wasn’t a complaint of displeasure or disgust. “…Even my father believed me when I said I was okay.” It was as if she was lamenting her own situation. Also, she was affirming Luce’s words. What she guessed was correct. Luce thought for a moment and playfully comforted her again. “I guess I’m not the only one with a talent for lying, princess.” “You would be the only one to speak that way to the Princess of Ximel.” “I’m a little proud that you say I’m the only one.” “Who is the only one?” “You say I’m the only one who recognizes you, princess.” Luce, having summarized Aloise’s words in a few sentences, sipped her tea. Clear and extreme words usually pave the way for thoughts. Luce waited for Alois to finish her thoughts. Aloise, hesitating with her lips opening and closing, finally seemed to have made up her mind and spoke. “Your friend Revinas.” It was an expected beginning, but the ending was different. “Aren’t you curious about how he’s doing?” “…Yes?” “I will take you to where your friend is. Not only will I take you there, but I will also allow you to continue to see your friend. In return, you only have to promise me one thing.” Aloise lifted her chin. It was a dignified posture. “Be my maid. Not the maid of the Duke of Ximel, but Aloise’s maid.” It was a conclusion she had no idea where to start from. Hello! You can also buy the advanced chapter in Ko-fi now, just click the ko-fi button and look for the title of the novel in shop. Thank you for your support!
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