Chapter 40 - I Will Do It (1/2)

Chapter 40 – I Will Do It

Claude obviously could not have known that, but he must have noticed something strange.

“Rumors aren’t always true. I guess I was wrong,” he said.

“You’re half right, half wrong. I am no longer friends with Lady Dorothea,” I explained. I paused for a moment to think, before adding, “Maybe I’m a bridesmaid.”

“Bridesmaid?”

“It’s personal,” I said shortly. When I glanced at Claude, he offered me a reassuring smile.

“You don’t have to tell me anything if it makes you uncomfortable,” he said.

“Is that alright?”

“We’re friends now.” A gentle smile played on his lips. “I will listen carefully if you tell me.”

“…Then you won’t tell anyone else, right?” I asked.

“I suppose you don’t know how tightly sealed my mouth is.” He gave me a look as if to tell me not to worry. “It’s fine, since I don’t have any friends.”

“…”

“Ah, you’re the exception of course,” he corrected.

“O-oh, I understand,” I stammered. I was taken aback by his unexpected excuse, but I put on a thoughtful look. Claude waited patiently for me to speak. It was some time before I finally found the words to say. “Actually…”

I ended up telling him everything that happened yesterday—starting from the fight with Dorothea, to her mother’s offer to me, to the considerable amount of debt we owed to her family.

Claude listened to my story with quiet attention, just as he promised. At first, I was nervous about sharing this story with someone else for the first time, but the more I spoke, the more at ease I felt.

“—Actually, I tried not to get involved with Lady Dorothea as much as possible, but my mind went blank when I heard about the debt. So I thought about it. My pride or my parents’ pride. I didn’t think for very long.”

“But that doesn’t mean that you gave up your pride. Don’t worry too much.”

“I was just…just a little distressed, I think, because I felt like a two-faced hypocrite. After all, I gave in to the money,” I mumbled.

“I would have made the same choice even if I were in your shoes,” he said consolingly. “The same goes for anyone else. You’re not foolish for being distressed. I hope you won’t lose your head over this.”

“I won’t.” I smiled lightly and nodded.

It was amazing. I was only telling him what happened yesterday, but it was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I thought Claude was just a witty conversation partner, but he was also an excellent counselor.

“You make me feel much better. Thank you,” I said gratefully.

“I’m glad it helped you a bit.”

“What about you? Do you have any concerns?”

“Me?” he said, his eyebrows lifting in confusion.

“Yes. Now that you have heard my story, I think it’s only right for me to listen to your concerns,” I said with an encouraging nod of my head.

Claude stared at me. There were a few moments of silence before he spoke. “…There is one thing,” he said carefully.

“What is it?”

“Actually, it’s not really a concern. More like, I’m wondering if this is really possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s someone. Let’s call him A.” His voice lowered to a quiet tone. “A is meeting someone named B out of necessity. At first, he thought he should use B, but gradually, his original purpose faded, and he just enjoys being with B. He smiles whenever he thinks about B, and he’s the happiest when he meets B.”

“…”

“And at some point, rather than profiting from B, he just wants to give what he has to B. Everything he was trying to achieve through B doesn’t matter anymore, and now B is the whole purpose and the reason for his relationship.”

After Claude’s story was over, he looked at me in the eyes.

“Is that really possible?” he asked.

“Hmm…” I hummed thoughtfully. I never had this kind of experience before, so it was a difficult problem. However, I could empathize with “A” to a certain extent. I mulled over his story.

“That’s possible, isn’t it?” I said eventually.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, of course,” I affirmed. “One’s thoughts can change after a meeting. As long as A is human, I think that’s possible.”

“So A was never unusual.”

“If B is nice enough to change A’s mind, then I think it’s possible,” I concluded. However, I added to my words. “I don’t know if my answer is enough. I never experienced that kind of thing.”

“It’s also the first time for me,” Claude said.