The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 8

“You, Sei, right? You’re Sei, aren’t you?”

“…”

I knew delaying was pointless, but there was no escaping now. After taking a deep breath, I slowly turned around. As expected, Camille Rouster was looking straight at me. The smile that had been there moments ago was completely gone.

“…It’s been a while, Lord Camille.”

I forced the words out of my unwilling mouth, feeling the astonished gazes from all around. A hollow laugh escaped me, and fainting on the spot seemed like a good idea.

“It really is Sei!”

With a shout, Camille closed the distance between us instantly. I instinctively took a step back, but it was too late. A dull pain surged from my abdomen as Camille’s fist connected.

“…!”

“Sei!”

The force of his punch left me breathless. I couldn’t even react to Roil’s shout before my stance crumbled. But Camille wouldn’t allow it. He grabbed me by the collar and yanked me back up. His green eyes, filled with raw fury, met mine directly.

“You brat! How could you do this! Disappearing for so long without a word! How could you!”

His raw anger poured down like a waterfall. I had never seen him this enraged. Given the circumstances, it was understandable. Holding back a rising cough, I finally spoke.

“…There’s no rule that says I must stay in touch.”

“Is that all you have to say? At least make some kind of excuse!”

“It would help if you gave me a chance to explain.”

“That irritating tone of yours hasn’t changed! You really are the Sei I know!”

What about my tone was so infuriating? I furrowed my brow, ready to retort, but he moved even faster. His rough hands started feeling my face.

“Let me see. Have you been eating well? Living okay on your own? Not sick or anything? Why haven’t you grown any taller?”

“As you can see, I’ve been eating well and living fine. If there’s a place that hurts, it’s where you hit me, Lord Camille. And for your information, my height is above the average for men in the Empire…”

I made it clear that it was Camille who had grown a lot, not that I was short. Camille’s expression grew even angrier.

“Honestly, you could have at least sent a letter! Do you know how many years it’s been since we last met? Three whole years! You vanished without a word and didn’t contact me once! Do you know how worried I was?”

“And the first thing you do when we meet is hit me?”

“Stop exaggerating! That was me holding back!”

“If that’s you holding back, please keep holding back more next time. I almost said goodbye to this world.”

Clicking my tongue, I forced his still-grabbing hands off my face. As I rubbed my aching stomach, Camille’s face showed a hint of embarrassment.

“What? Was it that bad? Strange. I thought I hit you lightly. My friends take harder hits and laugh them off.”

“…I am a non-combatant. Ignoring that fact is problematic.”

Camille’s friends were all knights or almost knights. Comparing them to me? It was absurd. Seeing my expression, Camille seemed to realize his mistake and looked embarrassed. Clearly, he hadn’t considered that.

“Sorry, I’m not used to sparring with non-combatants, so I didn’t know how much to hold back. Are you really hurt? Let me see.”

But he still lacked social awareness. As he casually reached to check my torso, I pushed his hand away, horrified.

“Are you crazy? Why are you trying to lift my shirt?”

“I need to check for bruises. If you’re seriously hurt, you need treatment.”

“Do you think we’re alone here?”

Camille finally looked around, realizing his mistake. I also realized the gravity of the situation. Cold sweat ran down my back as a wave of embarrassment washed over me. Biting my tongue, I turned to see the entire office staring at us with wide-eyed shock. Roil, in particular, looked like his soul had left his body.

Oh, how I wished I could disappear right now.

It was the perfect season for a swim; maybe I should head to the nearest river. While I sighed and rubbed my face, Camille wore a friendly smile, apologizing for the commotion. Naturally, this did nothing to dispel the strange atmosphere.

“How is this possible, Camille? You know this guy—uh, Officer Sei?”

Adol was the first to speak. Perhaps interpreting his hesitant look as confusion, Camille replied with a bright smile.

“It seems Sei hasn’t mentioned himself at all. We’re more than just acquaintances, senior. He’s practically a part of me, though he did disappear on me three years ago.”

“Is that so?”

“In fact, I took the Security Department exam because of Sei. I heard a rumor he was here. I figured I wouldn’t get a chance to see him unless I came myself. You saw what happened just now, right? He tried to run away from me. Isn’t that too much for a long-awaited reunion?”

Ah, I see. So that’s why he joined the Security Department. Adol’s mood seemed just as conflicted as mine. Even without looking at his rapidly changing complexion, I could tell he was exerting all his patience. Adol finally took a deep breath, glaring at me from the angle Camille couldn’t see.

“Frankly, I don’t know how to take this.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Rouster family is one of the most prestigious in the Empire, and you’re the eldest grandson. For your grandfather’s sake, you should be mindful of who you associate with.”

Camille’s previously smiling face quickly darkened. Adol visibly shrank under the sudden chill in the air.

“What do you mean by that, senior?”

“Don’t misunderstand me. I have no intention of insulting you. I know you’re kind to everyone. But this isn’t school anymore, where there’s freedom from social status. The reputation of those you keep close will reflect on you. I just don’t want to see you harmed.”

“I don’t understand. When it comes to Sei, there’s no reason for such concern. I know him best. He doesn’t act recklessly enough to ruin his reputation. Unless he caused some trouble in the past three years that I don’t know about? Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

Camille’s green eyes studied me as if I were a troublemaker. It was an incredibly frustrating situation for someone who had been living quietly and responsibly. Adol seemed even more flustered than before, sensing Camille’s mood.

“No, that’s not what I meant… I’m talking about inherent differences. How can two people from such different starting points truly be equals?”

“That makes even less sense to me. Inherent differences? Different starting points?”

“A noble and a commoner are different by blood. That’s an undeniable fact.”

“Commoner…?”

Camille blinked. His expression showed he couldn’t follow the conversation at all. He looked to me for an explanation. The situation, already the worst imaginable, was spiraling completely out of control.

“Lord Camille, may I have a moment of your time to speak with you?”

I tried to take control by grabbing Camille’s arm, but Adol immediately swatted my hand away.

“What do you think you’re doing? A commoner interrupting a conversation between nobles? And placing your hands on a noble without permission? Did you think you could act this insolently just because Camille cares for you?”

“No, Officer Lucen, that’s not it…”

“Don’t lie. I saw your disrespect with my own eyes.”

“Wait a minute, senior. What did you just say? You’ve been talking about nobles and commoners for a while now. Did you just call Sei a commoner?”

This was wrong. Far from fixing anything, this was escalating into a full-blown disaster. Adol’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean, Camille? Did that guy make you think he was a noble?”

“It’s not just that…”

“Ha, now I get it. That explains your responses earlier?”

Adol laughed incredulously. The atmosphere shifted dramatically. His face gleamed with a cruel satisfaction. The onlookers were visibly unsettled, glancing around nervously. Roil started to approach, but I shook my head to stop him. Adding an easily-provoked Roil to this mess would only make things worse.

“I knew it. The first time I saw him, I also mistook him for a noble. He shamelessly played the part and let me fall for it. So, he’s a repeat offender?”

“What are you talking about, senior? Sei is…”

“You’ve been deceived, Camille. That guy is not a noble.”

“No, that can’t be…”

Camille frowned, trying to speak, but Adol, busy glaring at me, didn’t wait for him to finish.

“He’s not even a decent commoner. I heard he’s an orphan.”

“…!”

“Never knew his father and lost his mother early. You see, rootless people often behave despicably. I always planned to expose him one day, but he delivered himself right to me. Pretending to be a noble and deceiving you? That’s exactly what lowborns think!”

Adol, already known for his sharp tongue, now took full advantage of his self-righteous fury. His words were aimed solely to wound.

“Did your dead mother teach you that?”