BBYW Vol. 3 Interlude Part 17 (WN)
Interlude – Royal Martial Tournament
Part 17 – The House Sphinx Incident
Meanwhile, in the Sphinx residence, located in the capital’s noble district…
Naam Sphinx, oblivious of the plots targeting her and her family, was weeping against her pillow.
“Aah…cruel..too cruel…”
Naam had already removed the Magic Tool ring that turned her into an adult, so she was back in her child form.
Completely buried in her blankets, she was bawling in a manner perfectly fit for a child her age.
After having her lips stolen by Dyngir, Naam desperately ran back to the residence and jumped through the window to her room.
She changed into her roomwear, threw herself in the bed and had been crying ever since. She didn’t even eat dinner that day.
“How can anyone do such a thing…that was my first time…”
The face of the unknown man who disrespected her so brutally appeared in Naam’s mind.
No matter how hard she tried to erase it, the man’s face would appear again and again, as if it was burned in her memory.
Her heart beat violently, and at the same time a stinging pain tightened her chest.
Never in her life had Naam felt like that.
(“Why don’t we both pretend that nothing happened?“)
(“Isn’t it better to think that you were just bit by a strange fly, or something?”)
“No way…how could I..forget that…?”
The words spoken by the man stabbed Naam’s heart like stakes.
Had he already forgotten about Naam, as he said he would?
Would he just forget about ever meeting her, about kissing her?
She was in pain and distress like never before, but he — had probably forgotten about her already.
Every time such thoughts crossed Naam’s mind, her heart stung even more.
It was painful, harsh, and frustrating.
Yet, at the same time, it tasted sweet and sour, like a wild berry.
She wanted to throw it all away, but couldn’t bring herself to actually do it.
What was that unknown feeling? The young Naam did not know yet.
～
“H-Hey…she’s crying…? Naam is crying, right?”
“It does seem so…”
On the other hand, in front of the door to Naam’s room, her two guardians had pried open the door ever so slightly and were spying inside.
Naam’s older brother, Valon, was clearly shaken and couldn’t stay still: in contrast, Mist, his fiancee, was perfectly calm.
“Who knew that leaving her alone would lead to this…! We should have dragged her out of her room…!”
“That’s definitely not why she’s crying…get a hold of yourself, please.”
Valon was completely taken by violent — as well as unfounded — regrets, out of excessive brotherly love. Mist, while appeasing her fiance, had a hunch about the cause behind the “incident”.
“It might just be that she…”
“Do you have an idea about what happened!? Perhaps someone bullied her…or she didn’t like the side dishes the cooks made!?”
“Hmm, please stay quiet, and let me think.”
Mist silenced Valon’s mental gymnastics and observed Naam more closely.
Something terrible might have happened to her while they were away. Or maybe…
“She might have finally met…the person capable of changing her completely…”
How many years passed since Naam last let her emotions surface so openly?
Since the kidnapping incident, Naam had closed her heart to others, and the only emotion she projected to other people was fear.
She had likely experienced a shocking encounter that forced open the shell of her emotions.
“I truly hope that…it was a reliable person, who would help her in a time of need…”
“D-Do you think she’ll stop crying if we take her out tomorrow? We could take her on a tour of the capital, buy the toys and sweets she wants, and…”
“Don’t you have a match tomorrow? Go to sleep already, come on.”
Mist rebuked her partner, then closed the door of Naam’s room, as quietly as possible.