My Childhood Friend is Like a Stone - Chapter 17

Episode 17. Chapter 3. Change (6)

The grass swayed in the air, and Adrienne clenched her fists, shining her red hair and blue eyes alone in a world full of green.

“…Yes, I like it. The Prince was very kind. He helped me when I was lost and gave me flowers.”

It was cold for someone who’s in love, but the essence didn’t change. Adrienne fell in love. Not to Cyril, with whom she had spent eight years, but to the Prince, whom she had only met once in a distant Imperial Palace. Cyril felt a sharp pain in his chest as he realized the hard reality. The despair felt like it was circulating in the blood vessels all over the body.

“Did you get there and got lost? Why would you walk around there instead of just sticking around?” His scratched heart spit out words at his own will.

“My father is supposed to have an audience with His Majesty, so how am I going to do it?”  Adrienne also responded without losing.

“Then don’t go to the Palace in the first place!”

Adrienne sighed heavily after the final tense remark. Adrienne bit her lip a couple of times, as if pondering about something, then let go of her luck slowly.

“Cyril Valentin.”

“Why.”

“Do you even like me?”

Cyril stopped breathing without realizing it. It was hard to believe that the very question his heart had been asking himself over the years had flowed through Adrienne’s mouth.

Does Cyril Valentin like Adrienne? Did he like her? If he did, since when?

Even the person involved does not know the answer, so it was very unfortunate. Still, Cyril was still unsure how to define this feeling. Is love such a complex emotion? Isn’t it just sweet and exciting?

What if it’s actually a worry that siblings might feel? What if I’m mistaken? What if my mistake entirely changes the relationship?

But, even if this is real love, would he be able to confide in Adrienne? Adrienne already has feelings for the Prince. Cyril’s thoughts turned to a gloomy future at that time. It was a situation in which one might have to admit that this emotion, which one can’t be sure of, was love without any countermeasures.

‘We can’t be friends.’

Is it right to put such a burden on Adrienne, who says she likes another man when he doesn’t know when he might leave Cassinel?

Once done, Cyril will be at ease. But what about Adrienne? Does Adrienne have to hear an unexpected confession?

“…There’s no way.”

After thinking for a while, Cyril answered. Clinging to uncertain possibilities, he couldn’t afford to lose Adrienne. He hasn’t dared to do that yet. With the words, the gaze she had been keeping shifted downward. Adrienne’s hand loosened in front of Cyril’s eyes.

“I knew it. Then don’t mind it.”

The voice, which had usually been cheerful, sounded weak. Adrienne instantly grabbed her gun and left. The sunset soon cast a deep shadow behind Adrienne.

Cyril stared at her back for a very long time.

Chapter 4. Just bluffing (1) 

Looking back, it was a story of childish days. Only two 14-year-olds kids are thinking about getting married to someone. Cyril left Cassinel not long after that. It was a very spontaneous choice, but he thought it was best at that time.

‘It was.’

Five years later, Cyril recalled old memories and saw a gun in a drawer.

[Cyril]

The name carved randomly on the handle was Adrienne’s work. Similarly, Adrienne’s gun had a name engraved with Cyril. He thought they did childish things without hesitation.

‘Because she’s begging to leave anything behind.’

Cyril, who unconsciously acted like that in the past, chuckled. They quarreled and played well over nothing and without getting tired of that for a long time. It was the past that became all memories. Such a peaceful and tickling childhood.

Cyril only realized how precious that day was.

He returned to Thesar, receiving education as a successor for one year, staying at the Imperial Palace for one year as a guardian for the Prince, and chose to join the army for the sake of his family—.

Even after all the busy years, he could not catch up with the piece of memory he spent at Cassinel. Those were beautiful days. So Cyril was able to comfort himself that his choice was not wrong. He didn’t ruin those times, so he did a good job.

Maybe it wasn’t love in the first place.

He was so young that he couldn’t tell the difference between love and affection, so he must have mistakenly thought that he loved Adrienne, the only person around him. That way of thinking made him feel more at ease. He can still see Adrienne with a smile on his face because of this.

‘Don’t follow it right away. Because I don’t want to be suspicious.’

He wouldn’t have been as comfortable as he is now if he hadn’t been able to resist the urge back then. When Cyril remembered Adrienne’s appearance a few days previously, he smiled lightly.

“You look happy.”

The brilliant sun was disturbed by Lieutenant Langred, who was holding his breath on the other side of the office as if there was nothing there.

“Not really.”

“You just smiled, didn’t you? You’re one that doesn’t smile often. Is there something good going on?”

“It’s nothing.”

The lieutenant seemed to be irritated at the firm response. He was probably bored because he had nothing to do for a while after the war ended. Lieutenant Langred’s desk had a daily newspaper on which Cyril cast a glance.

It was a daily newspaper that focused on a variety of topics. The main focus of the newspaper was any scandal involving a famous opera actor, as well as reports about the Imperial family’s every move.

‘I was wondering who would see that.’

That ‘who’ was his junior. He had to turn his back on the battlefield where gunfire could be heard until last month, so his daily life was boring.

He wanted to tell him to leave because if he was bored, he’d pull out a gun, but if he did, it was obvious that he’d cry and scream about what he’d done wrong.

“It’s about Mademoiselle Cassinel.”

Lieutenant Langred spoke to him softly, just as he was thinking how on earth did he become the second lieutenant. His fine eyes, which had been fixed on the corner of the daily newspaper, had now shifted to his superior. It looked like squealing the grins one by one would be just right.

“Adrienne what.”

“Adrienne—! I thought you would call her that fondly too. I’ve been thinking about it, but— no.”

The second lieutenant noticed and spoke again after hastily lowering his voice.

“Isn’t it the debut season in the social world? The day when all the beautiful Mademoiselles get together! Mademoiselle Cassinel, I believe, will be the center of attention. I assure you.”

In fact, it was Mademoiselle and Monsieur that made his face known in celebration of their coming of age, but Monsieur could not exist in the head of a lonely soldier. But it was none of his business. Cyril was displeased that his childhood friend was easily mentioned by him.

“I can assure you what you need to do. Don’t pay attention to anything else and do what you have to do.”

“What do you say I have to do—”

“So, can I give you something to do?”

“No, I’ll correct it.”

Lieutenant Langred, who was disappointed, lowered his voice with his stern gaze. He was a wonderful person who only lasted 30 minutes. Even after putting the general in front of him, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, so what should he say?

“But there’s no friendship between men and women.”

In less than 15 minutes, the conversation continued. Cyril believed that if Langred could fire a gun from his mouth, the cannon would be entirely replaced.

“The lieutenant seemed to have no same-sex friends.”

“How could you say that—! It’s because I don’t have a lover, but I have a lot of friends.”

“I’m glad you have one of the two.”

Cyril imagined for a moment a group of people like Langred gathering and talking about gossip. What about Mademoiselle of a family who is debuting this time, and what about others. An obvious conversation passed by in an instant.

‘—They’ll talk about Adrienne.’

After all, Lengard was also a nobleman. He’s also a young nobleman with a full spirit of maturity. The lieutenant was talking in front of his eyes, but there would have been dozens of times more stories from unseen places. He felt somehow twisted at the thought of it.

Cyril leaned against the backrest with his arms folded uncomfortably.

“That, first lieutenant.”

“What.”

“Just in case. Lieutenant, of course, said you had no feelings for Mademoiselle Cassinel— But,  Mademoiselle Cassinel’s position could be different right?”

At this point, it was clear that he wanted something to come out. Or he’s looking for something to report to the newspaper he enjoys reading. Neither was welcome.

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“What? How can you be so sure?”

Because he already knows who she likes. Cyril smiled instead of saying anything. The sight of his icy lips rising smoothly was enough to make many women’s hearts race, but Langred was an exception.

Langred seemed startled by the unusually chilly early spring when a reasonably mild breeze tickled his cheeks.

“2nd Lieutenant.”

“Y-yes?”

Cyril, who called his subordinate, pulled another gun out of the drawer. The hand of picking up a slim gun was elegant.

With his gun in hand, the 2nd lieutenant turned his body in the right direction and pushed the chair back, terrified.

“Take it.”

Tak.

As if to ridicule the lieutenant’s actions, Cyril threw the gun at the desk. The lieutenant, who had just been given a gun by his superior, rolled his eyes in confusion. He seemed to be confused as to why he had given it to him.

“Shoot with it.”