Raws: 4/28
04：Best Friend
In the center of the banquet hall, a couple of lovers dance while attracting the gazes of the onlookers.
The appearance of the two people were dazzling, while someone watches intently with a painful gaze.
That is, his best friend Maxian who was chatting up with Julius a moment ago.
“Aaaah, Julius. You are……”
To be exact, what he sees is not “the figure of a couple”. Only Julius was before his eyes.
Naturally Emilyn was reflected in his sight, however the appearance going to Maxian’s consciousness did not happen.
Even so, apart from that, it doesn’t seem like he hates Emilyn.
“As usual, you are still as beautiful as ever……”
Maxian had held feelings for Julius since long ago.
From a very young age, it was since the first time he saw Julius’ appearance during the introduction by their families to become friends due to being close in age.
Unlike now, Julius’ used to be short, when he looked from a distance Maxian also thought that it was a boy. But as he approached the young boy’s figure, it was noticed that he gave off a lovely charm that could not be hidden.
No, it was precisely because he was dressed like a boy, conversely that the aspect manifested so vividly.
To Maxian, the appearance of Julius back then was the most beautiful existence in the world to him.
Maxian was attracted to Julius from a glance, and had become crazy.
However, while conversing, it is noted that Julius conducts himself as a man. He was intelligent inappropriate to his age and realized that.
“She” hopes to be seen as a man, and if he does not follow along with it, It is certainly impossible to stay by “her”.
Therefore, although he thought of Julius, he acted as a male friend while concealing his thoughts.
While nurturing his friends.h.i.+p with Julius acting as a man, Maxian eventually secretly embraced and oath inside his mind.
That is an oath to rescue “her”, who is bound by tragedy and was forced to live as a man.
However, despite hoping to save “her”, If you do not act as you see them as a man, being aware of the fact that you may not be able to stay near “her”, Maxian hesitated in acting aggressively.
While suffering the conflict between his oath and the current situation, he continued to be close friends with Julius.
“Someday…… surely someday, I will release you from that curse.”
Despite hesitating, despite being troubled, Maxian dreams of the day that Julius is saved.
An hopefully, if you are the one who stands next to “her” after regaining her life as a woman, there will be no other joy.
As if to reaffirm his own oath, Maxian muttered with a small voice that was inaudible to everyone.
…… For Julius who is actually male, Maxian’s wish was only an unnecessary concern.
Even though no one was forced to live as a man, Julius was originally male. It is impossible to “regain” the life as a woman, and he never imagined such things.
Naturally, Julius had never in his wildest dream such thoughts about his best friend Maxian
Maxian saw him, without knowing why the surroundings considered him to be a woman, and correctly values him as one of his male friends.
If he realized the fact that he thought of him just like his surroundings, on top of that “returning to a woman”, If he realized such things, one would surely think the friends.h.i.+p between the two will certainly develop a crack.
In that respect, Maxian’s idea that he must hide his feelings or be unable to stay near Julius, was correct in a sense.
Mistakenly making various a.s.sumptions, there is no salvation for anyone.
“Maxian-sama”
There was a person standing by the wall calling out to greet Maxian.
The one who called out to him was a young lady with a head of green hair that stretched down to her waist.
Her name is Lilycia (Lilys.h.i.+a?) = Sevulan. She is the only daughter of the baron house Savulan and also a close friend of Emilyn. She has a good relations.h.i.+p with Julius and Maxian through Emilyn.
Lilycia and Emilyn are of the same age, both of whom are two years younger than Julius and Maxian. However, due to her calm and grown up demeanor she is often seen as slightly older than her age. Thus even as she is talking to Maxian, they seem to be the same age or Lilycia appears older.
Although the appearance is not similar, because Emilyn looked innocent for her age, there are many who think they look like sisters when standing side by side.
“It’s Lilycia-jou,so you came together with Emilyn-jou”
“Yes, she ran off as soon as she saw Julius’ figure, it already happened so I left it.”
“It’s because Emilyn-jou likes Julius very much.”
“Yes, truly.”
She speaks with a wry smile, as she is also one of the girls who long for Julius.
However, she also cheered her best friend on from the bottom of her heart, She was watching over the two figures from one step away.
“Next to you, is it okay”
“Aah, of course it is.”
“Well then, excuse me.”
Lilycia stood next to Maxian and turned her eyes towards the same direction as him.
They stayed silent for a moment while watching Julius and Emilyn’s dancing figures in the center of the banquet hall.
The surrounding people had stopped dancing, and the only pair left became the lead characters of the s.p.a.ce.
Julius is next to Emilyn.
Emilyn is next to Julius.
A smile always floats onto Julius’ face, for Maxian who held a long relations.h.i.+p with him in his eyes that smile is not something that usually comes out in front of others. It was a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart.
Emilyn has a full smile. Even from here everyone can see that it was a truly heartfelt.
The two people dancing happily, from the outside they were dazzlingly reflected in the eyes of Maxian and Lilycia.
They were very fitting lovers, so fitting that there isn’t even a chance for a speck of dust to enter between them.
“Couple……”
“Eh?”
Maxian who was watching Julius, who was to the side muttered.
Lilycia who was facing the same direction was slightly surprised by Maxian’s words turned to face him. However, Maxian’s sight saw only Julius and did not turn towards Lilycia.
“Those two, I wonder if it will always remain as such.”
“That is………”
The meaning of Maxian’s words were immediately transmitted to Lilycia. Since Lilycia herself had also thought about it several times so far.
Julius and Emiliyn ── ”mutual female couple” ── The two people were convinced of this.
Lilycia once again turned her eyes to the center of the banquet hall.
“Atleast, Emilyn thought of Julius in earnest.
Also, as far as I can see, Julius-sama is probably……”
“……Yes, it seems.”
Lilycia spoke while overlooking the two, while Maxian replies while enduring the pain.
For Maxian who held love for Julius and wishes him to return to being a woman, he did not want to admit the fact that they were seriously thinking about each other. However, if you look at the appearance of the two who seemed to be happy, the feelings of wanting to cheer for them will be born.
I want you to stay with me because I like you, I want you to be happy because I like you, his mind felt constricted with as those two emotions conflicted.
With the words came a complicated look, a flood of emotion and desires had surged through.
The pair’s conversation was interrupted and silence followed.
Although the air became heavy because of the previous conversation, Maxian who didn’t like the atmosphere tried to change by talking talk to Lilycia in a brighter tone.
It may have been misunderstood as him trying to disguise the pain in his heart.
“By the way, If you don’t mind, would you join me for one song…… if it is fine, for just a little while. Lilycia-jou.
Because as one would expect, I do not have the courage to interrupt the situation over there.”
“Yes, I would be delighted to be your dance partner, but I as well cannot dance there.
As you can see the cold gazes from the surroundings, the burden is too heavy compared to those two.
I wonder if there is anyone with such great self-confidence in himself to do such things……”
Lilycia who suddenly noticed something, turned around to look in the direction. Her expression soon changed into one of amazement.
“……Perhaps, they did not notice the surrounding eyes?”
Noticing Lilycia’s gaze, Maxian slowly moved his line of sight towards the same direction. As the two turned around, a pair of man and women made their way towards the center of.
“For example, like that person”
“Oh my, it’s the appearance of Ouji-sama.” (TLN: another translation for it is “Oya oya, the prince is coming.”)