My Childhood Friend is Like a Stone - Chapter 12

Episode 12. Chapter 2. The Little Kid and The Little Kid. (10)

‘Who worries about who?’

Cyril was speechless and tried hard not to laugh. Cassinel is generally peaceful, but not always at peace. Count Cassinel and the other Knights proceeded to climb the mountain as if they were dealing with cockroaches in those days.

He had no idea about Cassinel until he was very young, but not any longer. Cyril was well aware that Cassinel was struggling to keep the border secure in the face of the Emperor’s indifference.

When did he find out—.

‘Today is a busy day for everyone. So don’t train or play with me.’

—An instance when a shadow fell on the innocent face, which smiled knowing nothing.

It was back then.

Adrienne, who had looked out the window on the day Count Cassinel left the castle, was remembered by Cyril. Adrienne, who smiled but had blank eyes and low energy. Such a subject reassured Cyril from Thesar, and the work at the border was not ill-mouthed.

She just made up an absurd excuse for him. Looking back, it was all for the sake of others, such as an effort to correct Cyril’s unhealthy eating habits for his health. In any case, the stupid one was very nice.

“Adrienne, I’ve learned a lot about Cassinel.”

“…there are some things you don’t need to know.”

“Why? You’re worried I’ll run away?”

Even after he spit it out and laughed, there was little response. Adrienne, who was as hard as a stone statue, was quickly discovered by Cyril.

“—Wait, don’t tell me you really think that?”

“No! It’s not like that—”

Adrienne quickly denied everything, her hands trembling. The issue was that it seemed to get worse the more it happened, but Cyril decided to pass it on in moderation. It didn’t matter how Adrienne looked at him. It was more important for Adrienne to relax for now.

“Your Excellency will be safely returned. So stop making that expression.”

“What did I do?”

“Don’t just smile with your eyes. Your face frightens me even more.”

Adrienne exclaimed, “What?” in response to the playful remark. There has been an immediate reaction to what he said about her face these days. In fact, doing anything with that face wouldn’t be scary, but the fun of teasing was guaranteed.

“If you get angry like that, you’ll look even uglier. Do you want a carrot now?”

“I’m not going to eat it.”

“Really?”

Adrienne’s eyes fluttered as he shook the carrot with a fork in around. “…I will eat it.”

He knew it.

A relaxed smile hung around Cyril’s mouth.

Chapter 3. Change (1)

When the chaos was forgotten, a serious peace returned. It was a beautiful season, with the leaves singing and birds chirping in the breeze.

Cyril and Adrienne walked down the hall together. The sound of Cyril’s regular footsteps and Adrienne’s footsteps grazing the floor was strangely harmonious. It was just after noon, and the sunlight streaming in through the tall window shone brightly on the face. Adrienne spoke rashly as she looked at Cyril’s half-shaded profile.

“You’ve grown up a lot.”

“All of sudden?”

A sick young man from Thesar arrived one day. A boy she always thought was small and skinny. Cyril and Adrienne were now about the same height.

“You used to be this small.”

Adrienne drew a line across her chest. Cyril’s thinning eyes were struck by a bright light.

“That’s far too much. It wasn’t that bad.”

“Ask Jerome.”

“…..”

Cyril’s mouth tightened as he heard her words. It was decided who would lose if he asked Jerome. Unsurprisingly, it was Cyril. ‘Have I grown up a bit?’ Cyril pretended he couldn’t hear but looked at Adrienne as if he could.

He started looking up at what he had been looking up at in the past. Adrienne would still be as tall as his nails if he dared to run to the tree—.

‘Or not? I think I’m taller.’

Adrienne’s hair swayed, revealing that it had gotten bigger than before. For the first time, Cyril wondered if he was taller than Adrienne.

It was the first thought that came to him when he was six years old, seven years after hearing the phrase “really small.”

“How are things going with Samuel?”

“There’s nothing he can’t do. He is already five years old.”

“In that case, just say he’s doing well.” Adrienne laughed and added, “You always do that when you go to Thesar.”

‘Did I really do that?’

There was a tendency to adapt to the cold atmosphere of northerners after visiting Thesar. Cyril responded colder than usual at the time, and Adrienne said something like this.

It was strange, come to think of it.

First of all, Cyril had roots in Thesar and was even the future heir of the land.

But what about right now? People around say it was unfamiliar with what was natural until a few years ago, and even Cyril agreed to some extent.

“Samuel needs to grow up and become a nicer kid.”

“I think I’m nicer than you.”

“Where do you see it?”

“Ask Reid.”

Adrienne pretended not to hear it this time. She jumped well after stepping twice on the floor with one foot.

‘You’ll get in trouble again—’

She got angry last week when she met the Viscountess Parte, who was just walking around the corner as she was. Adrienne, a 13-year-old girl, hears the noble tutor speak about a virtuous lady. Regardless of whether she was modest or a lady, she didn’t get along with Adrienne.

Thinking when the Viscountess would give up hope, Adrienne, who had reached the end of the hallway, stopped abruptly and turned back.

The thin silk dress naturally spread and flicked lightly. Cyril, who had been briefly distracted by the trivial movement, turned his eyes and froze. Adrienne, who was familiar with all the scattered red hair and neat brows revealed in between, felt strange. Every line that made up Adrienne was infinitely smooth.

A slender jawline and a smooth nose line—it was all so glamorous that it was unfamiliar. Was it because he was looking at the same face he had always seen up close? The image of the girl with chubby cheeks was as blurry as it had been in the distant past.

‘Since when—’

Did Adrienne have a face like that? Since when—.

Adrienne, whom he had known for seven years, looked as if he had never seen her before. Cyril stared blankly at Adrienne.

“Are you not coming, Cyril?”

Adriene tilted her head in the same direction as her hair. Through the fluttering red waves, blue eyes shone brilliantly.

“—Go.”

And the moment their gazes met, his heart began to beat strangely.

What’s wrong with you? 

Cyril said to himself as if desperate, but the strong beating remained.

There was clearly something wrong.

******

Reid was reading a book in his spare time. Reid spent more time in the quiet and cozy study than in his room.

Suddenly.

Reid, who was enjoying the smell of old paper, instinctively covered the book with the sound of the door opening. He was good at hiding behind the bookshelf as if it hadn’t happened once or twice before.

“Reid.”

“O-oh, it’s Cyril. I thought it was Adriana again.” (t/n : I just realize I think Reid’s nickname for Adrienne is Adriana since the author put is as 아드리아나, not 아드리엔이.)

Reid, who had been holding his breath, smiled awkwardly at Cyril. Adrienne frequently came to lead Reid outside at his father’s command to bring out her brother, who was always stuck in his study.

He assumed it was the same today—

Reid, who walked out with a stern expression on his face, opened the book again and said.

“What’s the deal with you showing up at the study? Usually, they bring it to you. Oh! Do you want me to suggest a book?”

“No, that’s enough. Put your head like this.”

The Cyril stretched its index finger to the left. Reid was perplexed but tilted his head as instructed.

“Like this?”

“…..”

Cyril’s brow furrowed as he cast a subtle glance at Reid. He didn’t mean to say it, but it was kind of gross. Two people with similar faces did the same thing, one gross and the other not. Cyril didn’t deserve to feel that way.

“Just go around once.”

“Here?”

“Just turn around lightly.”

So Cyril decided to check again. Reid looked dumbfounded by the random order, but he turned back on his feet. Cyril, who had been watching the scene silently, came to a conclusion. The conclusion was that even if Reid made another hundred rounds on the spot, he would not be impressed.

“…did I do something wrong?”

“No. That’s enough. Good work.”

“Uh. Yeah.”

Adrienne was cute when she was like that. But when Reid does it—

Reid was puzzled as Cyril leave the study. Adrienne, who was smiling in the sunlight, was still clear in his mind.

It was really strange.