*Simon's POV*

2 part 1

If I were to express my fiancé with one word, ''weird'' is what I would say.

"I'm truly sorry, I made you wait"

As I was handling every person that incessantly come to talk; somehow I managed to turn my head. Marielle was sitting alone close to the wall.

Even though she was left alone for a long time, she didn't display a discontent expression, she greeted me with a quiet smile. I was grateful, and expressed my concern in words. I didn't say anything about what was happening on my side.

She being herself, was called out by various people until a while ago.

I occasionally checked on her while we were separated. Marielle was bound to be showered with attention by being engaged to me, and began to receive looks of envy and slanders that I never got before. I guess she was also hara.s.sed and harshly told a while ago.

She didn't breath a word about this, and calmly waited for me with a face that said that there's no problem at all. Normally I would admire such a good girl, it would be a scene that would make me feel satisfied of my fiance but…….

'' Marielle?''

The eyes she had when turning towards me, had a strange glow. Even though her facial expression smoothed it, her eyes that contained curiosity and an unusual enthusiasm couldn't be concealed. Just what kind of wild idea is currently unfolding in the head of this sober and docile looking girl? I don't want to know but the sign of them hanging in the air were too eerie to ignore.

Was it the look of deep affection towards a fiancé? A girl that is completely in love with her partner? —-was it really something that cute?

Wrong.

This is absolutely not it, it wasn't that kind of thing.

From an outsider's perspective; this scene would certainly look so, but I have confidence in declaring that it's totally a misunderstanding from their side.

''Yes?''

Cutely tilting her head, Marielle returned a dumb expression that was saying 'I'm not thinking of anything at all'. No matter how harmless she look, to raise this peculiarity to this extent, what kind of personality this ordinarily-seeming girl truly has?

The things I understood, she herself probably hasn't realized as of now.

The first time I noticed her was several years ago from present time. Similarly to this night it was an evening party held in the Royal Palace. I went away from the hustle, and when I was in a place where there was no one to take a break, several women's voices could be heard.

Even though my intention was to go to a quiet place, I clicked my tongue in my heart. From their voices it looked like the voices of some young girls. It would be troublesome if they did find me. When I was about to go to another place, I heard something interesting.

''In the first place, someone, someone as shameful as yourself coming and going from the palace in itself, isn't it an embarra.s.sing conduct?''

It was in a really sharp tone that implies that they are looking down on someone. Apparently they weren't getting excited among their group of friends, but it seemed to be some quarrel going on. While thinking 'yareyare' I stopped my feet.

I'm amazed at how nasty those showy and beautiful women merely on appearance, could start a conflict and hara.s.s others. Honestly it's a world that I don't want to get involved or where Imperial Order have to interfere. If a dispute was about to occur then I cannot just ignore it. If it's a quarrel that stops on the degree of words, only then I can leave it be; but I have to confirm that it's not a situation where an injured person will come out.

In the shade of a large bridge I secretly peeked at the small courtyard for rest, there gathered five to six young ladies. It seemed like everyone is surrounding one person.

Those dresses are in the way so I can't see who is the person being surrounded. I barely got a glimpse of a light blue purple-ish dress.

I checked the faces of the gathered young misses, and recognized them. They were the followers of marquis Cavengnac's daughter. I confirmed that at the centre of those dressed up girls was a conspicuous and showy young lady.

Miss Aurelia was wearing a l.u.s.trous purple-ish light blue dress.

……Apparently, it seem like the fault lied on the color of the dress that were the same. It can be roughly be guessed by the words they were throwing at her. 'Such an impudent woman that doesn't even know her own standing to wear a dress of the same color as Miss Aurelia', or so those girls seemed to recognize.

Truly, it's ridiculous. Why do women care about such trivial things? Won't just any color be fine for a dress? In the first place hundreds of people are gathered here, it's impossible for everyone to wear a completely different color. The person that wear the said dress become visible. Although it was a matter of course, but I couldn't understand why I couldn't tolerate it.

I got fed up from the bottom of my heart. For now since they are just complaining and haven't lifted their hands, I didn't step in and just kept watching over.

Miss Aurelia and her followers only said terrible things and then spreaded abusive words. Finally they left while raising unconcealed laugher containing scorn. The only one that left in that place was a girl with light brown hair alone.

Her hair were hiding her face that was looking downward. She's faintly trembling, is she crying? After being told such things it's only natural, right. Even though the color was the same, the quality of her dress plainly fall behind before Miss Aurelia's. By that extent I guess she's not a high ranking n.o.ble. Even if the color was only an imitation, it was really improper for Miss Aurelia to attack on the fabric there. The girl gave her all in dressing up and was made a fool of instead, she's surely hurt right.

Although I can only say that the cause was ridiculous, but I felt at least sorry for the hara.s.sed young lady who was crying. Should I go forth to comfort her? I wavered for a moment at the place.

If she were to become emotionally attached to my untactful kindness, it may become troublesome later. Basically, if the other party is a young girl, I tried to not call out to them. If I were to get close to her, Miss Aurelia would surely hara.s.s her again, right. For her sake it's better to keep my distance.

But, I feel bad to just ignore her and leave.

What should I do…..

When I was troubled about what to do, I heard a small voice. It was leaked from the young girl in the courtyard. Is it that she wasn't able to contain her sobbing? It can't be helped, should I just give a light consoling? And when I gave up turning my feet in her direction, I distinctly heard her voice again.

''Fufu…..ufufu….ufuu''

—–What?

For someone who was crying, it was a really strange sound. Rather than sobbing, was that by any chance a laughter?

''Fu……fufufufufu……''

The young miss's shoulder that faced downward were trembling. However what I heard was without a doubt a laugher. I got a creepy feeling and stopped my feet that were about to step forward.

It can't be that her mind suffered from it? There are frail people that by that amount get confused, by that degree of bullying.

When I was hesitating for a different reason from a while ago, another voice resounded.

''Marielle!''

A young – childish I would say – girl came running. It's a face that I am not acquaintance with. She probably just entered the n.o.ble society. The black haired young girl had her eyes set upon the girl in the courtyard.   

The girl that was called out finally lifted her head. That person was also very young. On her face that hanged a pair of big gla.s.ses I saw her cheeks flushed with a happy look.

''Julienne-! It was awesome-! Like the pictures the Ibiry group drawed! The typical mean ojousama! I fully enjoyed the real thing you know, I felt the chill!''

……..Oi.

''The feeling of being surrounded like that! It got quite the intensity when the surrounding dress formed a wall. Nice oh, Aurelisama is the best. I feel like falling in love.''

''….Well, I did thought that I didn't need to worry''

The black haired girl called Julienne, shrugged her shoulder with a shocked expression.

I'm also shocked here. What's with that smile at full throttle. She was just being thrown abusive words, treated awfully and made a fool of. Why does she look so delighted?

''Aah, I have to write it down before I forget! She made use of all kind of words to abuse me, you know. I felt great admiration by just all those various expressions that came out. They all overflow with culture as one would expect, they have plenty of vocabulary ne. I should follow her example''

The young miss that seemed to be called Marielle, took out something from her purse. A small memo and a pen?

"With just what I heard I almost don't need to think, it was really of help. I feel like making an insult dictionary. I wonder if she'll come again? It feels like I can make out of her a lot of reference. By all means I wish to a.s.sociate with her in the future as well"

"I wonder. If it's Aurelisama, I think she won't care about existence of the like of us."

"True. Because tonight by chance I wore a dress of the same color she had her eyes on me, but I can't go this well every time"

Exactly what went well. What is 'good' in being picked on.

"To become an enemy of a wicked young miss, a certain characteristic is needed.  The heroine in stories is a beauty that has a special ability, and for some reason she'll be bullied. To become a heroine one will need the right disposition. So for me it's impossible……I wonder if there's someone that has it there. I want to collect information from up close."

While talking Miss Marielle diligently moved her pen. Is she already accustomed to do it? Miss Julienne only squatted down and watched over.

Apparently it seem there was no need for me to worry. That much I understood. However I couldn't understand something in another sense. Although for a knight from the Imperial Order to hid and eavesdrop a woman conversation is not a praiseworthy thing, but Miss Marielle eccentricity worried me and so I didn't leave that place.

"The unhappy beauty that was bullied once again, happened to encounter a fantastic man, and she would triumph over the surroundings in the end. The readers likes that sort of thing after all. But in order to highlight the scene, until I arrive at it the development is important. If the portrayal of the bullying is too flimsy it would be spoiled. How to draw the reader in the world of the story is difficult ne. A villain that doesn't s.h.i.+ne more than the hero won't do."

Readers….story…..villain…..

I see.

As I listened to the words that Miss Marielle nicely continued to spur in the moment, I somehow understood. Apparently she was talking about a novel. Does she write novels? The earlier bullying from Miss Aurelia, so you're delighted by the fact that you'll be able to use it for reference, is it?

I finally understood what she was saying. I was worried that she might had a brain illness by that reaction that could only be described as strange, but once I knew the reason I felt relieved.

—–However I can't understand it.

In that situation you couldn't think of anything else beside that it could become a reference for a novel, is that a normal young girl reaction?

You were brought to a place where public eyes  didn't reach, you were being criticized by a group of people, and you're delighted because you can use it as material for a novel? Being directed many words filled with ill will and contempt, and thankfully listening while writing them down in a notebook, it's absolutely not a normal behaviour, right.

Just what kind of personality does she have? She probably just entered n.o.ble's society, her childish-ness is still evident, I was baffled that I couldn't remember her.

After that I saw her appearance each time I attended an evening party and garden party. Miss Marielle seemed to like going to places were people gathered.

Because of my occupation work pattern I learned how to remember people's faces and peculiarity, and I could distinct her from her ever hanging gla.s.ses but, to tell the truth this Miss Marielle was difficult to find. Without any particular good looks, on the contrary, she wasn't an eye-catching plain looking woman either. Her hair was a common light brown color. With medium build and an average height, she's the personification on the word average person.

Someone you'll find everywhere. She was just a girl that as soon as slipped inside a crowd, would disappear. I think she resembles something that I remember. Yes, a wild creature that merge into the surrounding scenery to conceal itself, like a protective camouflage.

Like an insect that looks like the leaves of a tree or a lizard that can change the color of its body. Finding Miss Marielle inside a crowd of people was similar to the work of finding an animal with mimesis hid inside a forest.

At the moment you came across it, you would secretly feel a sense of accomplishment. Wanting to voice out 'so you were here'. Like when I chased after the insect of the forest when I was very young, trying to locate Miss Marielle has become a habit.

And she was weird each time I spotted her.

While she actively went to gatherings, she never talked to someone and usually stayed alone. I thought that she couldn't call out to someone because of shyness but, that kind of girl would expect someone to notice it. But sticking to the corner of a group, and loitering around in conspicuous places….. that kind of young misses frequently appear in my surrounding, so I can clearly tell the difference. Miss Marielle doesn't wish to be noticed. I was firmly convinced about this.

Looking at her who gazes with that kind of eyes, I also realized that she behaved in a way to not stand out.

It wasn’t just due to her appearance. So that her dress wouldn't draw people's attention, to stay safe she put on an ordinary one. Normally for any young girls, in order to stand out even a bit more from other girls, they would concentrate in coming up with dresses to appear beautiful, right. But that's not what Miss Marielle did. Always with a quiet get-up —- but by not being too plain on the contrary she doesn't stand out. She was perfectly ordinary. She selected nothing but dresses that were neither good nor bad. Since it was like that every time, I could only think that she was doing it on purpose. To maintain it to the point that the safe zone is marked with an appearance that doesn't stand out, must actually require quite the effort.

Why would she do such a thing? —-That too, after doing some observation I understood.

She didn't personally speak but she wanted to hear people’s conversations. She nonchalantly drawn near each person that looked excited, camouflaging in the scenery without anyone noticing she remained motionless with her ears strained. She didn't mind if the other party was young, old or inters.e.xual (TN: it said Danjo, actually has the meaning of a masculine woman or a feminine man).

She slipped here and there and collected people's conversations. The fact that no one minded her presence is incredible, but it's originally in places where great number of people gathers. And if a girl with no special feature were to come near, she'll end up being washed away by the scenery, right. Even me, I don't have the confidence to say that I would've noticed her existence, if not for the incident of that night.

After collecting people's conversation in this fas.h.i.+on, I properly saw her figure hiding and stealthily writing on a notebook. In those moment she looked to be really having fun. I wonder if she has gotten good materials in her hands again. Just what kind of novel she intended to write I wonder. While I was amazed when watching her, it gradually became amusing.

The purpose of young girls entering n.o.ble society is mostly in order to obtain a marriage partner. By promoting themselves, they eagerly wants to find someone with even just a slightly good prospect. In such places, the first thing that she beared in mind was to not stand out. To this Miss Marielle that did nothing but collect materials for novels —-Why are you even coming here? I couldn't help but did tsukkomi.

In this way, besides work and socializing, my observation of that strange girl lasted for several years.

TN:Naoriel

ED:Ally-el

Naoriel’s little corner °•●□♡

Heyheyhey! Surprise! A chapter!

Tell me! Do you like him? I personally find him, one of the best male lead….. he’s no yandere and no hentai….really likeble.

Now I’m going to sleep~ (´−｀) ﾝｰ