国产午夜亚洲精品AⅤ

Chapter 316

“... It seems she thought Olivia wouldn’t forfeit,” one of the accompanying holy knights remarked briefly.

Radia Schmidt...

Though not quite at Olivia Lanche’s level, she was still a highly promising and powerful holy knight candidate and was more than ready for real combat.

Volten hadn’t fully believed her words. She claimed to know of a way to restore Olivia’s faith, and he was curious about what that could be. But all Volten had seen was Olivia choosing to forfeit rather than watch a friend die or use her Divine Power to win.

Why had she believed that such a method would work? Then again, it seemed she had no choice but to try that method.

In any case, Radia Schmidt was far more extreme than Illeion Volten had anticipated. Volten knew well that extremism, regardless of its nature, was dangerous. He could see the fanatical obsession Radia Schmidt had for Olivia in her eyes.

“Radia Schmidt doesn’t seem like the type to give up easily...”

“... I agree, sir.”

It was clear that Radia Schmidt, having failed to achieve her goal, would likely cause more trouble.

“What do you think of the possibility that Radia Schmidt is connected to the Nameless Monastery?” one of Volten’s attendants cautiously whispered in his ear.

He considered this for a moment. “They do tend to attract such extremist individuals. But I doubt they would condone this level of extremism...”

They continued their cryptic conversation as they walked away from the stadium.

If Olivia had used her Divine Power, Volten would have had to act as the Commander of the Order of the Holy Knights. Since that hadn’t happened, the Order had no further business at the Temple.

***

“... I know you’re not okay, but how are you holding up?” I asked.

“... No, thank you for pulling me away,” Olivia replied.

I wanted to find a quiet place, but given the circumstances, there were no truly quiet places. In the end, we ended up in a relatively empty café. I sat across from Olivia, who seemed mentally shattered.

I had told Charlotte and Sabioleen Tana that I was going to check on Olivia, so they had wished me luck before parting ways.

If Olivia had waited a little longer, Charlotte would have stopped the match. But Olivia couldn’t have known that. Letting the fight drag on would have meant Radia Schmidt dying from burning out her life force, and using her Divine Power would have led to her being hauled away for a religious trial. Olivia had had no choice but to forfeit.

Radia Schmidt’s expression had been priceless. She hadn’t expected Olivia to forfeit and had been left in utter shock. She had fully believed Olivia would use her Divine Power to subdue her. In the end, Radia Schmidt had won the prize money, though she seemed to place no value on her victory.

Olivia sat with a gloomy expression, her head bowed, not even touching her tea.

“Do such things happen often?” I asked.

“... Yeah.”

“Is it just her, or do others do this too?”

“Yeah, they do, to varying degrees...”

It seemed Olivia was saddened by the fact that I had learned about the many relationship issues she faced after abandoning her faith.

The Olivia I knew who would flirt with me or pick fights with Ellen always seemed cheerful, even if she sometimes acted a bit crazy.

Olivia wasn’t getting along with her friends. The reason she kept coming to me and clinging to me wasn’t just because she wanted to see me. She was running away from people like Radia Schmidt.

While others might subtly suggest she regain her faith, Radia’s approach was extreme, bordering on madness. Olivia had never expected to experience something like this today, which is why she was so shocked.

What could I say to comfort her? What words would be right for Olivia to hear?

I had never had faith, nor had I experienced the problems that came with abandoning it, so I couldn’t truly understand how Olivia felt. Everyone around her had expected her to achieve great things.

She had made a choice to abandon that path, but those around her believed it to be the wrong choice. She didn’t believe that the way she was living her life was wrong, but everyone around her seemed convinced that it was.

It felt like I was seeing the real Olivia, the one who had her head bowed, hiding her expression, instead of the one who always smiled brightly and acted kindly. She had been harassed by those around her for far too long.

Just because Olivia could get angry and pick fights with Ellen didn’t mean she could do the same to others. What was possible when it came to one person might be impossible with another. Therefore, Olivia had been pushing people away with awkward, troubled smiles, and that was gradually wearing her down.

“I don’t understand...” she said softly.

“...”

“Why do they do this to me? I really don’t understand.”

She had lived under immense expectations all her life. Though she had escaped from her adoptive father, who had the highest expectations of all, she still faced pressure from those around her.

“I don’t think I’m that great of a person...”

She couldn’t understand why people were so obsessed with her. When I thought about it rationally, though, there were certainly reasons to explain such an obsession, even if not to Radia Schmidt’s extent.

There were other hidden factors at play. Olivia was secretly also a co-master of Tiamata. If that became known, her life would become even more difficult.

In the end, Olivia had entered the tournament for the prize money, but had failed to win it because of Radia Schmidt.

“Honestly, I wonder if anything has really changed,” Olivia said with a weak smile, her head still bowed.

“People have an image of me in their minds. No one... no one is interested in who I really am or what I think. If I’m not what they want or expect, they get disappointed. They ask if it’s okay for the daughter of the Commander of the Holy Knights to be like this. They say I should be like this or that. I was just a doll, existing to meet others’ expectations.”

That was indeed how Olivia’s life had been. A life full of excessive demands, prohibitions, and expectations. Even the smallest bit of freedom was seen as indulgence or corruption.

“Now, I’m trying to figure out what my life is all about, what it means to live, what I truly want. I’m trying to live a life where it’s okay to be curious about those things, to want those things. But people still want something from me. They think I’ve fallen and need to be guided back to the right path. They think that because I helped others before, it’s their turn to help me now that I need help, now that I’m on the wrong path. But I don’t see it that way. I don’t think I’m wrong. People... They try to give me help I don’t want, and they don’t even realize it’s not help at all.”

Her worldview was fundamentally different from those who believed that living in the embrace of the gods was the ultimate good. That was why they couldn’t understand each other on certain levels.

These others believed that their way of living was the only right way, that it was ultimately good for her, and that everything they said was inherently good.

How can you have a conversation with someone who begins with the absolute premise that they are right and you are wrong? Conversations only work with those who can consider another’s worldview.

Olivia had broken away from that kind of life, but the people around her, for whatever reason, believed she needed to return to it in order to be happy, even if she had to be forced to return. Radia Schmidt was an extreme example of this.

Olivia wasn’t just upset about missing out on the prize money or the shock of that day’s events. She was struggling because she knew it wasn’t the end. She was worried about what might happen next, and that uncertainty was weighing heavily on her.

I wanted to help somehow, but I couldn’t expel all of Olivia’s classmates, nor could I go around threatening them to leave her alone.

“Reinhart?”

“Yes?”

I was usually a little prickly around her, but I softened my tone. I didn’t want to hurt her more by being uptight.

With some difficulty, Olivia lifted her head and looked at me. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.

“I know it’s bad to ask this at a time like this, but...”

“What is it? Just say it.”

“Can you give me a hug?”

“...”

She looked like she was about to cry. She seemed to be desperately hoping for just one person to be on her side. It wasn’t about any other emotion; she purely wanted comfort.

Seeing my hesitation, Olivia forced a trembling smile. “No, never mind. I’m sorry. I’m really awful, aren’t I...”

“It’s okay.”

In the end, I moved over to sit beside Olivia and gently wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Olivia buried her face in my shoulder. Her shoulders shook, slowly, as if she was taking her first breath.

Olivia cried very quietly.

“Thank you... Reinhart.”

I felt suddenly foolish for agonizing over what to say to comfort her. I realized that comfort wasn’t something that could only be conveyed through words.

***

After crying for a long time, Olivia hurriedly left the café.

“... This is embarrassing.”

She seemed mortified about clinging to me and crying in front of everyone.

“Well, right now, you should be embarrassed about your puffy eyes too,” I teased.

“R-Really?!” Olivia’s face turned pale as she touched her face. Not that it would help without a mirror. “What do I do?! I have to take part in the Miss Temple contest today! How can I do that if my eyes are swollen?”

“I’m just letting you know. It’s not that noticeable, don’t worry.”

“But even a slight difference can change everything! I didn’t win the tournament, so I really need to win Miss Temple. What should I do?! What should I do, Reinhart? If I don’t win, I really...”

Olivia’s face started to crumple again, but she seemed to realize that crying some more would only make her eyes puffier, so she held it in.

Was she feeling a bit better? It seemed like she was returning to her usual self.

In the end, what was done was done. The tournament was over, and Olivia had to aim for Miss Temple.

Honestly, I didn’t even know who to root for anymore.

Olivia seemed so concerned about her swollen eyes, touching her face and sighing. She muttered in a despairing voice, “I don’t even have a dress, and now I have to go out looking like this...”

I was taken aback. “Why don’t you have a dress? You wore one at the sponsorship gathering.”

I had seen Olivia in a dress not too long ago, so it was strange to hear that she didn’t have one.

Olivia gave a sheepish smile. “W-Well, actually... I sold it...”

“...”

I didn’t need to ask why. Olivia was sweating nervously, probably thinking I would scold her.

She had sold her belongings to help others. I didn’t even know what to say to that.

“Uh... What about borrowing one, or something like that?”

“... Borrowing also costs quite a bit...”

It seemed like she was planning to go in her school uniform. The audience might think she hadn’t prepared properly and was just relying on her looks, which would make her seem arrogant. Imagining Olivia standing there without proper makeup and in her uniform, while the others around here were dressed up in fancy outfits, seemed quite pitiful.

If she had won the Open Tournament, she might have had that title to her name, but she had forfeited the finals.

‘A dress... a dress...’

“...”

“Are you mad?” she asked.

“... No, it’s not that,” I replied.

‘A dress... No, that won’t do. I mean, her body type is similar. Although I’m taller, I adjusted the size of my body back then.

‘I gave it to Eleris to sell because it was too good to throw away... She probably hasn’t sold it yet... But still, someone might recognize it. This is really risky... Wouldn’t it be better to just give her money to buy a dress?

‘Honestly, though, it’s a significant amount of money, and there’s not much time left. Finding the right size and design at a boutique would take time. It might be better to just use that dress.

‘I know there’s no real reason to go this far, but...’

Olivia looked so pitiful, and I wanted to do something for her.

“Uh... G-Go to the dorm and wait for a bit,” I said.

“Huh?” Olivia responded, puzzled.

“Just go and wait, okay?”

“Oh, okay...”

I didn’t have a good explanation ready if she asked where the dress came from.

‘So what if I get caught? My noona is in this state, after all. To hell with a little embarrassment! I owed her a heap of apologies anyway! What could anyone do if they found out? Kill me?’

Leaving Olivia, who was bewildered by my sudden command to wait for me, I hurried out of the Temple.

***

“She dropped out of the tournament finals.”

“... Dropped out?”

“Yeah, I don’t know why, but they say she forfeited.”

Ellen, who was preparing for the Miss Temple contest, looked puzzled as Riana entered the makeshift preparation room and shared the news.

Ellen had vaguely assumed Olivia would win, so the unexpected news left her slightly stunned.

The audience had been quite upset that the tournament finals had ended in such an unsatisfactory manner.

The person who seemed certain to win had forfeited... While there had to be some reason for it, Ellen was curious as to what that reason could be. Reinhart had gone to watch the finals; maybe he knew the reason why.

“Oh, there she is,” Riana pointed out the window, and Ellen saw Olivia outside on the first floor.

Olivia was alone.

Ellen found herself oddly relieved by that fact. Olivia didn’t look happy at all. While the reason for her forfeit was unknown, her eyes were red.

‘Did she cry...?’ Ellen thought.

She had cried and returned alone. Ellen had thought Reinhart might be with her, but he wasn’t.

“Look straight ahead,” Riana said, turning Ellen’s head back and starting to fuss with her appearance.

“Oh... yeah.”

Ellen did not know what had happened in the tournament, but Olivia would soon be competing in the Miss Temple contest.

Ellen wasn’t aiming to win Miss Temple. She had made up her mind. She planned to show her best self today. She had practiced smiling in front of the mirror a lot, and although it hadn’t gone perfectly, she had tried hard.

She intended to stand before Reinhart looking different from how she usually did. After the contest, regardless of the outcome, she wanted them to spend some time together. They had been too busy to spend time together during the festival. This day, Reinhart would surely make time for her.

Ellen didn’t know what expression Reinhart would have, nor what expression she should have.

She decided to forget about everything else and focus only on her own feelings. Not Harriet, not Olivia, not anyone else.

This day, she would think only about Reinhart.