Chapter 28

What is normal, has been Elma’s question of late. The same thing as everyone else is normal. Or, usually to be average. But then, the ordinary is an elusive cloud.

Because Elma is just doing the same thing with her “family”, she was supposed to be doing in prison, and yet she is constantly surprised by the people of the free world.

Elma once asked herself, “Is this really normal?” when she trained so hard the “family” was the one who asked. But when they replied, “What if you can’t do this much?” quite matter-of-factly, I was sure they were right.

[Sloth], father Morgan, taught me to read people’s expressions and how to make a good cup of tea. [Gluttony], father Izaak, taught me to cook and hunt. From brother [Greed], Horst, the mystery of the human body; from sister [Jealousy] – although she claims to be a mother – Liesel, the taste for womanhood.

Elma did not actually inherit any special skills from her father, Gilbert, whom she loves the most. However, he always looked after Elma calmly, smiled at her, patted her head. He probably taught me the most about being a “father”.

That’s why Elma calls Gilbert only “Father”. And Elma’s birth mother, whom she calls only “mother” – Heidemarie. Elma doesn’t really know what the beautiful woman is thinking about. It’s hard to read even the slightest expression.

She looks terribly complicated as Elma dexterously handles the teachings from the “family”. It can be surprising, anxious, relieved, or amused.

But Elma knows firsthand that she can seem capricious and ruthless, but is really surprisingly affectionate, so she wanted to protect what she says, if she could.

–You should see the world for what a “normal girl” looks like. Until you know that, don’t come home.

Heidemarie told Elma when she was sentenced to be “released” from prison. And Elma thought, it’s that simple. I was thinking. But upon opening the lid, it was far more difficult than expected.

I was surprised when I made a cup of tea with some gusto because it was my first day on the job.

I dared to serve a rough dish, not to cook too elaborately – and I gave up the win to my opponent! –I was horrified by that cooking method.

I asked the holy medical guru to finish the job and “patch” him up, because he would be surprised if I did everything by myself, but I still shocked him.

At this point, I finally realized my mistakes, and even borrowed a new book from Dirk, who was reputed to be a sensible person, but when I Challenged my rival to a match on the “high road,” Prince Lucas chided me, saying “Don’t hunt people down any more.”

It was the second time he had scolded me. On top of that, if you just dance at the ball, the flow of the ball has even revealed a conspiracy. I made the accusation with my own sense of justice, and I don’t regret it – but in all the nearly 100 “instructional books” I’ve read so far, there is no protagonist who can tell you who did it within three seconds of meeting him or her.

I guess I am, after all, a person with a significant lack of “normal girl” abilities.

(How hard is it to be normal)

It was as if I Could feel the bitter taste on my tongue. No matter how many times I try, it doesn’t work. The more I try and think in your own way, the more I fail.

Although outwardly she appeared unconcerned, the truth was that every time people around her were donning her, she felt like her face was on fire. I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself. It was the first time in my life I had ever tasted frustration.

“Please. Send me to jail.”

Holding out her hands in a pose of “Give me the rope.” Let’s go home now, I thought.

(Sorry, Mother.)

If truth be told, I wanted to go back to the prison with a big smile on my face, to understand what a normal girl is, but what I raise is not a brocade, but a white flag. But – yet, in the prison, “that man” is waiting for me. Even if I’m a loser, that person will surely be warm and accepting.

So, I have to go home. I realized that I could never be normal, so I ignored even my mother’s orders and used any means possible – no matter what I had to do. Words that are not hers begin to mix in Elma’s mind. But if you keep holding out your hand without even realizing it, you’ll be able to

“Uh,”

Felix opened his mouth with a subtle expression.

“Hey, let me just make sure you’re on point.”

“Yes.”

“Born of a prostitute in prison — yeah. There was a prostitute who was sent to prison about fifteen years ago. So, assuming the biographical part of your claim is true, that means you were raised in Walzer Prison? Seriously?”

“Seriously. I’ve been telling you that for a while now.”

When Elma nodded with a straight face, Felix tapped his chin with a curious expression.

“I once dredged up your background as a distant relative of the head lady’s daughter – haha, I see. Oh, well, well, it’s Lucas’. I’m so proud of you, you’re not even letting my contacts know you’re protecting me.”

Muttering and mumbling, seems to be collating information at a tremendous rate. The way he fixes his gaze on a point in the air and thinks quickly is similar to [Greed] Horst. Probably as good at processing information as he is, Erma thought inwardly. But he untied his hand on his chin and flipped it bewilderingly.

“I’ll believe you up to the point that you grew up in a prison, but I don’t understand the rest of your argument…“

It happened when Felix and Elma tried to carry on a conversation, leaving Clemens alone.

“What happened!”

With a sharp voice, the door was kicked down. The one who vigorously flung the door off its hinges with his long legs is a fearless young man in a knight’s uniform.

Accompanied by the peasant Marc was Lucas. The knight-cum-second prince, sword at the ready, looked at his half-brother and his maid standing in the room, his eyes widened lightly, and then his eyebrows were raised.

“What?”

“You are so violent, Lucas. I’d be surprised if you opened the door without knocking.But the door doesn’t seem to be too badly damaged because it’s popped off the hinges. That should be easy to repair. That’s great.”

“Brother, Elma let me use common sense and say, what is going on in the apartment of a suspect who planned to murder a royal, and you knocked out a sentry?”

I have a bad feeling about this, but Lucas asks slowly. Felix’s answer to the question was blunt. Oh, well. I just thought I’d brainwash him to get his mind off of it so that he’d have a quick hearing before my coronation.”

Lucas got half-eyed at the rash brainwashing declaration and let out a quiet accusation, “another one of those dastardly measures.”

“Huh? You are surprisingly calm. It’s more like, “You’re not this brother- who is rumored to be an idiot! I didn’t expect a reaction like that.”

“I was wondering if it was possible, seeing that only the third and fourth princes, malicious vassals, and others whose interests conflicted with yours, made a very natural ‘exit’.”

“Oh, no. I knew it.”

Apparently, Felix also understood that his true nature had been detected to some extent.

“What’s that strange sweet smell coming from you brother?”

“I’ve been clinging to that sweet girl’s perfume all day.”

Lucas chuckled lightly as he added.

Well, if you’re so sure. I’m just trying to reign well in my own way, and I’m not going to disrespect you either–as long as you don’t get in my way.”

“The harness is”

“That was his idea. So I’ll punish him.”

“Okay, fine.”

In that brief exchange, they seemed to understand each other roughly.

Shrugging his shoulders, Lucas turned to Elma.

“So, Elma. What are you doing?”

“Yes, sir. I was trying to “convince” His Royal Highness that I was the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of His Royal Highness Prince Lucas.”

“What?”

“That’s what she wants them to do, and she wants them to go to jail. She thought that if the defendant and the witnesses were brainwashed, she would have no defense and could do whatever she wanted. She’s a self-proclaimed criminal who wanted to disrupt the country in revenge for her mother’s imprisonment.”

When Felix summarized Elma’s argument, Lucas raised a bit of an eyebrow and then glanced at Clemens.

“I see. So brother and Elma both implied conflicting things to him, and this is what happened.”

The Marquis did not interrupt the conversation from earlier, and what he was doing was…

“Alright, men, look at me, Naganawa, step into the acute angle with great vigor from the acute angle……called Clemens of the side swing, there is nothing impossible for me.”

Caged between spirit and time, he was mumbling and talking to someone within. Apparently, a series of strong suggestions have loosened some screws in his head. Sometimes he laughs and says, “Hmmm,” which is a little creepy. Lucas sighed and said something to Marc, who was waiting for him, and chased him out of the room. At the same time, he looked at Elma squarely in the eye.

“Elma”

“Yes.”

“I’m not even going to ask you if you can brainwash me. It’s not a question of whether you can brainwash the elite of the knights, or if you suddenly appear in the room of the accused, or if you can see through the true nature of the prince of the country, well, it’s just that you’re Elma.”

“Yes.”

Elma was a little disappointed underneath the blank expression on her face when she heard the words “I no longer expect you to be normal” in the secondary voice.

Is “normal” still a goal that is too far away for me?

Biting down on this awkward feeling inwardly, Lucas continued with a serious look on his face.

“I just want to ask you two questions.”

“Yes.”

“One thing. Did your release from prison bother you? Was this world just disgusting?”

At the question, Elma suddenly looked up and gazed at the other person intently. Slightly lifted the left corner of the mouth and her lowered gaze according to the teachings from Morgan, the father of the impostor and [Lazy] – a slight expression of guilt.

“……No. “

After thinking for a moment, Elma shook her head.

Indeed, Walzer Jail was comfortable. A loving family and a luxurious and convenient environment, it was like an amniotic fluid enveloping a fetus, gentle and warm to all intents and purposes.

“ It’s true that I didn’t want to leave if I could, and for a while after I went up to the castle, I wanted to go home. “

(But life here was fun, too.)

“For the first time, I made friends my own age. I met someone other than “family” to mentor me. I was a failure all the time, and my first setbacks were painful, but the days of trying to find “normal” were challenging and rewarding. “

“–So why am I so craven and ready to go back to prison?”

(Because I realized that there is no way to be normal.)

“That’s right.”

If she found that she could not be normal, she would have to “ignore her mother’s orders” and return to his prison “by any means necessary.”

Elma unconsciously pressed a hand to her forehead and told herself. I have to go home, I could never be ‘normal’, I found out that I lacked the gift of being a ‘normal girl’.

“You go home with your tail between your legs.”

Then the gentle [Jealousy] sister and mother, Liesel, comforted me with a good-natured smile. Elma is starting to feel kind of extremely miserable and miserable.

“I am a failure. I’m just an outlier, unable to do the same as everyone else. I can’t understand the ‘normal’ in spite of my efforts. I am getting further and further away from it.“

She is a painful woman who amazes people whether she makes tea, cooks, treats or dances.

“–Wait a minute.”

Sliding the hand that was on her forehead and pressing her palm against her cheek with a pessimistic expression, Lucas stopped her with a straight face.

“What do you mean by that? You can even read micro expressions, why would you interpret it that way?”

“Oh, that’s a dumbfounded look. Did I do something again?”

“Understand it in context, you idiot!”

Lucas said, but realized that Elma is sensitive to facial expressions and, therefore, has a tendency not to try to interpret the true meaning. At the same time, she was anguishing so much under the glasses that did not allow her to read the true intentions.

“I’ve never been told that before.”

Taking off her glasses and revealing her true face, Elma looks much more emotional than usual. The shoulders are small, drooping with a heavy heart, eyes downcast and sad. Her intonationless voice and glasses always gave her an air of transcendence, but inside, she was probably always in this way, swinging her emotions – just like all girls of her age. Lucas found himself reaching out to Erma, who had turned over, unconsciously reaching out to him.

“You’re pretty cute like that, aren’t you?”

“……what?”

“Self-awareness aside, you look like a pretty straightforward, normal girl who worries about ‘I’m not good enough’ and ‘I can’t do this.”

Somehow, I scooped her chin and made her look up, and her dawn colored eyes were wide open.

“Are you sure?”

The eyes, which become a jewel-like purplish color, mixed with just a hint of vermillion. Eyes moist, cheeks upturned, and pale lips slightly open, even Lucas, who has seen many beautiful women, found them very pretty indeed.

“Yeah. Now you’re looking pretty.”

“ It’s a little annoying to say frankly that it’s preferable,” and when I told her that, Elma smiled meltingly.

“–……! Your Highness!

From the side, this series of exchanges is like a picture of a man hitting on a woman. Felix, who had been behaving in silence, watched the exchange with interest, but Elma shattered the unusually sweet air that was about to arise between them with her next word.

“Then I’ll be able to go back to my prison with open arms!”

“What did you ……say? “

Lucas was appalled, but Elma didn’t care. She was truly delighted that she had successfully earned the “normal” seal of approval from a man who had previously branded her as “abnormal”.

“Oh, good. I’m so glad. I haven’t felt such a sense of accomplishment since I slayed a dragon with my bare hands.”

Moods emerge at a tremendous rate.

“All the foggy thoughts that had been occupying my mind a while ago had cleared up, and the feelings of frustration and the obsession to get away as soon as possible had melted away.”

“Hey, what? A dragon?”

“I think I’m going to return to the jail and I’m sure I’ll be able to fulfill my promise. The Marquis has been broken anyway, so the plot is that I, the real culprit, will be sent to jail.”

“Hey, wait.”

Her heart bounced. The urgent need to get away and return home was gone, but instead, I was filled with the desire to hustle home and brag to her “family”. Life in the ’free world’ was more fun than I expected. I loved meeting new people and having a tense life. But – after all, it’s not as comfortable as my parents’ home.

Although she was not aware of it, Elma was a recluse to the core. Liesel’s suggestion had quite strongly prompted the return of Elma, but even without the suggestion, Elma was ready to return to the prison. Felix also grimly says.

“Hey, Lucas. Your ability to keep a woman around doesn’t seem like much, does it?”

Lucas was silent, but that’s where things took a sharp turn.

–Flap, flap, flap!

“Elma!”

The sound of noisy footsteps, Irene jumped in.