Chapter 159

Twins (2)

Noel Astrea Simus was feeling a very strange emotion.

When it came to the Tribal Alliance, it was a group I had entrusted my life to several times during the Allied War.

I was acquainted with several of the chieftains who stood in positions equivalent to imperial royalty within the Empire, and I was well aware of the Tribal Alliance’s unique customs. I also understood the internal facilities and structure almost as well as an insider would.

“……” 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

That was precisely why dissatisfaction welled up even more.

Why did it have to be Elena acting as the guide?

When it came to matters related to that side, I was also one of the people who could confidently say I would do better than anyone else—

“……Dame.”

However, it was equally clear that such feelings were spilling outward far too openly.

Otherwise, Stella, who had accompanied me as an aide, would not have pointed it out with such an awkward expression.

Sitting across from me in the carriage, she opened her mouth with the look of someone who found it difficult to speak but felt she had to say it anyway.

“I believe it would be best if you tried to lighten your mood a little.”

“Why?”

“Well, your expression…”

…She was likely trying to point out that what showed on the surface was anything but ordinary.

I swept a hand down my face and asked in a flustered voice.

“……Is my expression that vicious?”

“From the perspective of an allied nation, it is the sort of expression that would make them wonder at least once what they did so wrong.”

“……”

Hmm.

It seemed it was no different from a declaration of war.

If even Stella, who would normally take my side no matter what I did, was speaking with her face slightly drained of color, there was no doubt I was practically radiating killing intent.

I let out a sigh and rubbed my face once more.

Well, it was certainly not that strange for the Tribal Alliance to assign an insider as a guide in the first place.

If anything, it was I who should be seen as overreacting.

“……”

The truth was, whenever it involved Aiden these days, I had been showing that sort of reaction from one to ten, so even I found it rather troubling.

‘……Because everyone around him has been going too far.’

Without much exaggeration, the number of marriage proposals that had poured in for Aiden the moment we returned from the Holy Crown Kingdom had already reached the hundreds.

Even with Katya and me mobilizing all our capabilities to reject them, there was a limit.

It meant that Milene had not left those near-provocative words in front of me—that it would become increasingly difficult to protect Aiden from now on—for no reason.

And on top of that, even my close friend Elena somehow seemed intent on getting entangled with Aiden in that sort of way, which only made my temper flare further.

‘But still, no matter what.’

I was aware that I was being excessively sensitive.

At her core, Noel was a rational being who upheld common sense, and I was more than capable of recognizing that spreading a hostile atmosphere around me for personal reasons was a nuisance to those nearby.

No matter what, I should at least avoid a situation where everyone around me ended up frightened because of me…….

“……Sorry, Stella.”

“No, it is not something you need to apologize for.”

So for now, I would have to begin with controlling my mind.

It was obvious that not everyone approaching Aiden was doing so with ulterior motives of that sort.

Most of it was probably just my own paranoia…….

Mulling that over, inside the carriage that was gradually slowing as we arrived at our destination, Noel let out a deep sigh.

But the first thing I saw as soon as I stepped out of the carriage was—

Rania gripping Aiden’s face tightly and pulling it toward her own.

……To an onlooker, it would not have looked strange at all even if they kissed right then and there.

“……That damn vixen.”

“……”

At this point, it might have been stranger if no curse came out, but it was also undeniably a catastrophic choice of words to direct at the religious leader of another nation.

Stella clutched her head with a dizzy expression.

▣

……It took at least an hour to explain to Noel that nothing whatsoever had happened between Rania and me.

‘I really need to do something about this…….’

Until then, she would definitely remain in that state.

Right now, I had been dragged to the Tribal Alliance and was dealing with another incident, so it was unavoidable—but at the very least, deep in my heart, I was acutely aware that I truly needed to clearly establish the nature of my relationship with Noel.

“……So then, why did you do that?”

And so—

I spoke resentfully toward the culprit who had made me think such thoughts.

Having experienced my face being squeezed the moment I stepped out of the carriage, I asked Rania that question, but the answer that came back was just as merciless as ever.

“You’d get eaten up in no time if you’re not careful.”

“……Excuse me?”

“I need to check on your condition periodically. There’s no knowing when or how you might deteriorate.”

“……”

But when such a serious answer came back, it put me in an oddly awkward position to criticize her any further.

Thinking that, I looked down at my own body once more.

‘……That I’m gradually straying from being human.’

From the moment I first heard that until now, it was honestly not something I could truly feel.

But.

I had seen it before.

That black aura descending toward me, filled with fierce malice.

She had not explained it clearly, but it was obvious that it was urgent enough for someone like Rania to throw everything else aside and drag me here immediately.

‘The possibility that this will affect the Main Scenario…….’

……It was high.

To begin with, the beings I was facing now were filled with things that were never even addressed within the Main Scenario.

It would likely be more accurate to assume that as I proceeded with Act 3 this time, there was already a strong possibility that the progression had been completely twisted because of such things.

But perhaps Aiden’s expression, lost deep in thought like that, appeared strange in some way, because from beside me came Rania’s voice, speaking bluntly with a frown.

“……Don’t get any strange ideas.”

“……Pardon?”

“You’re not really my type.”

“…………Pardon?”

“So don’t go imagining things that don’t even stand a chance.”

“……”

I had not imagined anything.

But somehow, with the way Rania looked so sullen, it was difficult to add anything in response.

‘……She’s strangely conscious of it.’

Ever since I mentioned that I had seen her in a vision before, it felt like she had been preemptively cutting off this sort of thing, even though I was not particularly aware of it myself.

Before, it at least felt like there had been a faint trace of goodwill, but now it was as if she had completely put up an iron wall…….

It stung my pride a little, but well. What could I do.

‘Anyway.’

Letting that thought drift away, Aiden looked around with clear interest.

The “building” of the Tribal Alliance that Rania and I were walking through felt remarkably neat and orderly.

Compared to the major buildings of the Empire or the Holy Crown Kingdom, it stood out as especially modern, as if its technological achievements were particularly prominent.

Of course, it did not feel like it was plastered with over-the-top technology and playing in a genre of its own, but it was obvious that they were actively embracing the cutting edge of technological civilization.

Seeing a door that recognized Aiden and opened automatically was enough to make me let out a hollow laugh.

‘……An automatic door in a pre-modern era.’

Considering the first impression conveyed by the name Tribal Alliance, there could hardly be a greater irony.

A nation that refused anything but carriages upon entry, claiming to avoid dependence on technology—yet here were things like this.

And Rania, crossing through such a splendid building dressed in attire primitive enough to call her a shaman, was in itself enough to cause cognitive dissonance.

But rather, it would be better to say that this demonstrated their flexibility.

They were wary of relying on technology, but they did not foolishly reject technology that could be accepted.

That mindset was likely the very reason they continued to maintain sovereignty among the hegemonic nations despite having the smallest numbers. It was as if they had struck a balance between tradition and the cutting edge.

“……First, let’s make one thing clear.”

And then, the one who stood in the most conservative position within that balance, safeguarding tradition, spoke calmly.

“You’re about to meet my younger sibling.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So there’s something you need to be careful about.”

Rania put the pipe to her lips and drew in a deep breath of smoke.

Along with the smoke that escaped like a sigh, a brief evaluation followed.

“She’s An old-timer..”

“……”

“Rather than An old-timer., what should I say. She’s a crazy bitch.”

“……”

……The one who had taken on the most conservative role of safeguarding tradition had just called her An old-timer. and a crazy bitch.

Even without knowing more, it was only natural that my entire body tensed before even meeting her.

But when I followed Rania and saw the woman sitting inside the prayer room, I found myself wondering why I had been warned so much.

‘……They really do look exactly alike.’

The woman sitting quietly inside, offering her prayers, looked so identical to Rania that the thought came to me the moment I saw her.

Luxuriant pink hair. The traditional attire of the Tribal Alliance wrapped around her entire body.

If there was one difference, it was that unlike Rania, who always wore an eyepatch, this woman had none on her face. Nor did she have a pipe.

“Kretin.”

Toward the person who was quietly praying, Rania spoke calmly.

“……”

“I brought him. The one I mentioned.”

At those words, the woman who had been bowing her head as if in reverence slowly rose to her feet.

She adjusted her clothing and turned her head toward us. The first impression I received when our eyes met was—

‘Quite different.’

Certainly, aside from their identical appearance, their aura was quite different.

If Rania gave off a fundamentally calm and easygoing feeling—

This one, at a glance—

How should I put it.

She was prickly.

So much so that I could feel it immediately from the very first words she directed at me.

“What is this airheaded man?”

“……”

“I had expected someone slightly more intelligent than this.”

“……”

Even among those who had openly harbored hostility toward me, I did not think I had often heard such insulting remarks from the very first meeting.

Let alone from someone who clearly had no prior acquaintance with me and no particular emotion involved.

“……Hello. I am Aiden Kellermain.”

Still, she was Rania’s family. It would be better to treat her politely.

“……”

Without responding, Kretin frowned and stared down at the hand I had extended for a handshake.

Long enough to make me slightly flustered.

“……Kretin.”

Watching this, Rania interjected with a sigh.

“I told you to stop showing off that superiority complex.”

At her words, Kretin immediately let out a scoff.

“I do not have any such superiority complex.”

Brushing her hair back, she continued, looking down at me with undisguised disdain.

“You people would not understand.”

“……”

Just from that one sentence alone,

I felt like I could immediately understand why Rania had warned me before we met.

“……According to the oracle, that I would be with a man like this. Hm—”

As I was experiencing a rather splendid headache, Kretin, still scanning me up and down, muttered those words.

From beginning to end, her expression conveyed nothing but incomprehension.

Another scoff escaped her lips.

“It makes no sense. Truly.”

……Once again, they were nothing but words I found difficult to understand.