For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 25 - Decided To Admit It

#25. Decided To Admit It

 

“All right, spill it now.”

 

Kevin, after finishing his day’s work, suddenly pointed to the table. Sitting across from him, Lia watched as he crossed his legs. In front of them was Kevin’s mysterious concoction of juice.

 

“What do you mean by ‘spill it’?”

 

Lia eyed the juice warily. Its color and taste were both strange, and she had fallen victim to it several times. But as Kevin boasted, its effects were remarkable, refreshing her tired body when consumed.

 

“What do you mean? Don’t you realize we’re accomplices now?”

 

“Accomplices? What crime did I commit?”

 

“Mediation. We agreed to do it together.”

 

“That’s quite an exaggeration.”

 

“True, but anyway. Why? What do I need to admit?”

 

Kevin casually took a sip of the juice. Whether it was because he made it or because he had no sense of taste, he didn’t even flinch while drinking, which was quite impressive. Lia continued to focus more on the juice than Kevin’s words.

 

“Since we’re not the type to beat around the bush, let’s keep it simple. Tell me why you ended up getting such a troublesome introduction. I need to know that to determine my course of action, don’t I?”

 

“As long as you faithfully fulfill your role as my superior, I couldn’t ask for more.”

 

It was an unexpected kindness. But seeing Lia’s immediate rejection, Kevin felt a pang of discomfort. Was he perceived as a boss without any support to rely on all this time? Maybe it was because they hadn’t spent much time together. Moreover, Lia seemed more focused on the juice than Kevin himself. Her casual and vague responses didn’t sit well with him. Kevin decided to let it slide once.

 

“I won’t be lacking as your superior, so don’t worry about unnecessary concerns.”

 

“I’ll do my best as your subordinate, Mr. Kevin.”

 

“Can’t you just rely on me a little?”

 

Due to Lia’s persistent indifference, Kevin blurted out what he had been holding inside. Lia was surprised by his sudden words, but Kevin was even more surprised by what he had just said, almost involuntarily.

 

“Are you saying you’ll protect me?”

 

Lia’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t understand why Kevin suddenly behaved this way towards her, but she didn’t want anyone’s protection. She also didn’t understand why he’d become her second introduction in the first place, offering to help her. What was the purpose of this assistance? While it was true that Kevin had become slightly more affectionate recently, she remained suspicious, considering he had always harbored some resentment towards her. 

 

“It’s not some weird implication. I simply mean that if I’m offering to help, shouldn’t I know the ins and outs of your situation? As your superior, I thought I could offer some life advice. Don’t interpret it too broadly.”

 

Kevin was flustered and rambled a bit, but he thought his excuse sounded plausible. Lia’s expression was ambiguous as if she understood and didn’t understand at the same time. Well, whatever. He simply wanted to know more about Lia and help her a bit. There was no hidden agenda or scheme behind it; it was just genuine sincerity.

 

Lia was also quite taken aback. His honesty made her even more uneasy. It was unclear whether it was genuine or pretense, but it seemed closer to genuine. Especially when she saw Kevin’s ears turning red.

 

“…Okay. I’ll tell you. But Mr. Kevin, you go first.”

 

“What?”

 

“Tell me about yourself.”

 

“I’ve never been introduced.”

 

“Not that! The talk we had planned last time. I asked you why you came from the Knights to the greenhouse.”

 

“Why do we need to talk about that?”

 

It was a discussion from a while ago. Everyone else seemed to have let it go, but Kevin didn’t mind if the topic came up. However, he didn’t understand why she had to bring it up instead of talking about herself.

 

“If I brought up a sensitive topic, I apologize. But it’s not something I particularly want to talk about. I appreciate your acceptance, but I’m fine with just occasionally having meals together.”

 

Another rejection.

 

“I appreciate the sentiment… But if I were to get counseling from you, I feel like I’d become weaker.”

 

She didn’t want a third rejection. Whatever the reason, Lia’s refusal was now final.

 

“Fine. Let’s talk about it.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Follow me.”

 

* * *

 

Being told to follow him abruptly, Lia followed him reluctantly. She kept asking where they were going, but Kevin remained silent. Having only been in the palace for a month, Lia didn’t know the palace’s layout well. Plus, she couldn’t wander around casually.

 

But Kevin, who had been in the palace for a long time, skillfully led the way down deserted paths. Though she didn’t know where they were headed, it was certain that it was somewhere Lia hadn’t been before. They had to walk farther than to the library.

 

After a while, they saw a large domed building. Dust was seeping out from open windows, and there was a clamor of voices and clashing metal. Lia could easily guess what the building was.

 

“The Knights’ building.”

 

“It’s the training ground.”

 

Even though it was the time when palace workers had finished their duties, there were still many people in the training ground. They seemed to be participating in training voluntarily. Lia was genuinely impressed by the sight of them practicing with weapons as if in real combat.

 

“I thought only combatants were in the Knights?”

 

“Even if you have combat skills, the most important things to win in battle are mental strength and strategy. And to cultivate mental strength, the most important thing is a strong physique.”

 

“What if someone who knows that just casually turns tail and runs away?”

 

Before they knew it, a man had approached the two of them. His clothes were soaked with sweat from rigorous training. Although his training uniform remained untainted, thanks to some kind of protective ability, his face was smeared with dirt as if he had rolled on the ground.

 

Despite the grime, his soft platinum-blonde hair swayed gently in the wind. Moreover, he possessed a sturdy physique and bold features that many women would find appealing. He claimed to have a cheerful appearance, but to Lia, he merely seemed to have intact facial features.

 

“Rufus.”

 

Kevin greeted him as if they were close friends. Unlike the stern lecture moments ago, Rufus now wore a bright smile and hugged Kevin tightly.

 

“Long time no see, Deputy Commander!”

 

“Let go. And I’m not a Deputy Commander anymore.”

 

Kevin gently pushed Rufus away despite his considerable strength. Then, as if suddenly noticing, he casually lowered his head and spoke.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“I hope you’ll lay off me. Please focus on your training.”

 

Lia grimaced and pointed towards the training ground. But Rufus, undeterred, raised his hand and messed up Lia’s hair.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“You’re still as sharp as ever, our little one.”

 

“What are you doing? Let go!”

 

When Rufus acted aggressively, Kevin intervened and stopped him. Once they were separated, he looked back and forth between Kevin and Lia with a puzzled expression.

 

“Are you already on such terms?”

 

“No!”

 

“Yeah, no. It’s between a superior and a subordinate.”

 

Due to her thoroughly tousled hair, Lia felt irritated. It was the hair that May had painstakingly tied up for her in the morning. It was ruined because of this dull and ignorant fool. Eventually, Lia had no choice but to let her hair down completely and tie it back into one.

 

“Deputy Commander, why did you bring my little sister here?”

 

Despite Lia’s fierce glare, Rufus remained nonchalant. He seemed to feel no guilt for ruining her hair. They had been an enemy since birth. He was just a blood-sucking parasite who never contributed anything useful in her life. The second eldest brother, Rufus.

 

“She’s your sister?”

 

“Isn’t that too much? You can tell just by seeing the surname, Penelope.”

 

“I don’t know if you’re both Penelopes. I just remembered you were nobles.”

 

“Show a little interest in people.”

 

Rufus shook his head dismissively. It was easy to find commonalities between the Penelope siblings upon closer inspection. Their almost identical platinum blonde hair, paired with similar double eyelids and light eye colors, made them look alike. Their honest and straightforward personalities were also shared traits.

 

“I just brought her to see the Knights.”

 

“In that case, let me handle the guidance.”

 

“Aren’t you in the middle of training?”

 

“Well, if I ask the commander nicely…”

 

“Rufus!”

 

Sure enough, just as they were beating around the bush, another man emerged from the training grounds. He too, like Rufus and Lia, had platinum blonde hair. He was slightly shorter than Rufus but had a robust appearance, indicating his seniority.

 

“Brother.”

 

“While we’re training.”

 

“…Deputy Commander.”

 

It sounded forced, but there was no willingness in his tone. Calling him the Deputy Commander in front of Kevin made Rufus feel awkward. However, Kevin, the person in question, didn’t seem to mind at all.

 

“Long time no see, Charlie.”

 

“Long time no see, Kevin.”

 

Kevin reached out his hand, and Charlie shook it. It seemed like they had known each other for a while. Lia attempted to take a step back discreetly. However, she couldn’t avoid Charlie’s gaze.

 

“Hello, big brother.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Meeting his gaze, Lia reluctantly bowed in greeting. Despite being siblings, the difference in temperature between Rufus and Charlie was stark. Charlie, also known as the Little Count, bore a striking resemblance to the Penelope family. Growing up as the eldest son destined to inherit the title, he was always disciplined and strict, not only with himself but also with his siblings.

 

“What brings you to the training grounds?”

 

“I have something to discuss with Lia. By the way, she’s your sister, huh?”

 

“You’re still the same.”

 

Kevin and Charlie were of the same age. They had been comrades during their time in the Knights, supporting each other with their respective abilities. However, after Kevin left the Knights and Charlie became the Deputy Commander, their relationship became awkward. One of the excuses was the considerable distance between the greenhouse and the Knights.

 

“Rufus just said he’d guide us to the Knights, but it seems he’s in the middle of training. It might be inconvenient.”

 

It was a way to legally separate Rufus. However, after a moment of hesitation, Charlie spoke.

 

“Let’s go together.”

 

Not only Kevin but Lia was also surprised by his words.

 

“We’re fine. You’re busy training. Both of you should go in and train.”

 

“Yeah, brother. I mean, Deputy Commander. I can guide them alone.”

 

“Quiet, both of you.”

 

The second and youngest, who were busy shooing the first away, shut up in an instant. Through long years of education, they had learned to listen well to Charlie. Even if they tried not to, their bodies instinctively obeyed his words. 

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen an old friend and my sister. I can’t let them go like this. Besides, I want to hear Kevin’s opinion about how my sister is working in the palace. Okay?”

 

Although it seemed like he was seeking agreement, Lia and Rufus knew that the other party’s opinion didn’t matter; it was just an announcement. Charlie was someone who always saw through what he decided to do. To put it nicely, he was stubborn; to put it bluntly, he was authoritarian. Kevin had no reason to refuse, so he nodded. And thus, this strange gathering was established.