The day after, I—Erin Fortlord—informed Note that I was going to see Miya Line. I set out for the hotel with Sofie in tow. We entered the lobby and were allowed up using Sofie’s name. Once we arrived on the floor the Princess’s Legion had rented out, Sofie stopped and knocked on a particular door. Apparently this was the room the princess was staying in.
“Hey, you’re Sofie, right? And you’re...”
A half-elf girl with refined features appeared in the doorway. Her blonde hair gleamed. Her eyes were clear and her skin was smooth. She had a svelte but shapely figure. This was Note’s childhood friend...and first love. To put it simply, she was beautiful. Much more than me. It was no wonder Note had fallen for her.
Wait, this isn’t good... I can’t let myself get weak-kneed! She’s the treacherous wench who betrayed Note! I have to give her her comeuppance on his behalf, since he’s too nice to do it himself!
“I’m the Arrivers’ mage, E—”
“Eri, right?”
“No!” She immediately took the wind out of my sails, nearly knocking me onto the floor. “You left off the N! It’s Erin! Erin Fortlord!”
“Oh, right, right. My bad, ha ha...”
“Urgh...”
I clenched my fists in rage. Was I that unimportant to her?
It’s not like we’ve never met before! I saved you on floor 21, didn’t I?! Even if we never spoke directly, you could at least remember my name! I remembered yours!
“So, you’re Mila, right?”
“That’s not her name, Erin,” interjected Sofie. “It’s Miya. You knew that earlier, so why are you forgetting it now?”
“That was intentional! Why would you tell her that I knew her name?!”
I’d said the wrong name purposefully out of spite, yet Sofie had to go and expose me. Why was it so hard for me to get through to this girl?
“Oh, Erin, you’re hilarious!”
What are you laughing for, Miya? I’m not joking around here!
“Let’s be friends,” the half-elf said, approaching me and shaking my hand.
The suddenness of it all and her intense gaze made me shrink back. “Y-Yeah... Let’s be friends...”
Wait, what am I saying?! Why am I shaking hands with my archenemy?!
I could only imagine that this was how she’d gotten her claws in Note too. Sidling up to him and then putting her hands on him... How wily. For the time being, I decided to squeeze her hand—hard—to show her how I really felt. But...
Huh?
I couldn’t squeeze her at all! I mean, sure, I didn’t have much grip strength to begin with, but Miya’s hand was like a rock. In fact, she was the one squeezing me right now as she violently shook my arm up and down.
Stop already! You’re gonna dislocate my shoulder!
I somehow managed to disengage from her death roll of a handshake and rub my shoulder. “That’s not what I’m here for!” I said. “I came to talk to you!”
“Really? I’ve been dying to talk to you too!”
“Don’t lie to me! You didn’t even know my name!”
“Aw, you really are funny, Erin!”
I wasn’t trying to be a comedian here, but Miya was cracking up. What was with this girl? She was so airheaded. It was like she wasn’t hearing a word I said.
“Sofie, you’ve got something to say to Miya too, right? Let her have it,” I whispered into Sofie’s ear.
But as soon as I did that, a voice called from the other side of the door, “Is that you, Sofie? Come in already.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Wait, Sofie!” I shouted after her. “What about Miya? Weren’t you going to help me?”
“I don’t care. Princess Leyfa is more important.”
“Don’t abandon me!”
Sofie made a beeline for Leyfa, leaving me alone with Miya.
What am I supposed to do? Can I just go home? No, I can’t let things end like this...
I wasn’t about to leave with my tail between my legs. Situations like this called for confidence, even if it was just a bluff.
“Fine,” I huffed. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
I didn’t care if she was Note’s childhood friend or first love; I wasn’t about to lose to this puny half-elf. I’d beat her down so bad that she’d never try to approach him again. I had my hands full with Roslia as it was. I didn’t want to deal with any more rivals.
“Are Note and Roslia actually dating?” she asked.
“...Wuh?”
Seriously, what? Why would you ask me that? Why would you assume Roslia was his girlfriend and not me? I mean, not that I’m really his girlfriend...
“Note and Roslia were together in the capital, and they always seemed like they were close. They deny it though, so I’ve been wondering what the real story is.”
“No. They’re not dating.”
“I see.”
“What do you care?”
“Oh, I’m just concerned as his childhood friend. It’s not like I’m interested in him myself or anything. He’s unreliable and lame. I wouldn’t even consider him boyfriend material, although I guess he was kinda cool when he came to save me... But I mean that as a friend!”
“I see.”
That was a relief. I’d been worried Miya had feelings for Note, but if she only saw him as a friend, then it wasn’t a problem. She’d point-blank said he wasn’t boyfriend material, meaning I could safely count her off my list of rivals.
Phew...
I suddenly recalled my little sister Marin telling me not to take everything people said at face value, but I couldn’t help feeling that was irrelevant right now.
“So, what gives?” I asked. “You sound like you’re opposed to Note and Roslia getting together.”
“I’m not one to talk, but Roslia has an awful personality. She’s always picking on me, yet she acts all cute and innocent in front of Note.”
“I know. I wish she’d learn to keep her hands to herself too.”
“Right?!”
“Well, I have spent a lot of time with them.”
“Oh my gosh! Same! I’m so glad I got to talk to you!”
I had no idea why the girl I wanted to sock so bad was now shaking my hand again—every bit as furiously as before.
Knock it off! That really hurts! Ow, my shoulder!
“I dunno why, but Note seems to be a magnet for trouble like her.”
“You’re telling me.”
“He’s always been like that. Maybe it’s because he seems like such an easy mark... Or maybe it’s just because he’s so weak to women. He’s simple like that.”
“Really?”
“Really. We grew up together in the same little village, but he’d get all flustered whenever we made eye contact. If I tried to touch him, he’d turn bright red.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
“Isn’t that hilarious?” she continued. “We’ve known each other all our lives, so it’s not like he has anything to be self-conscious about. Get this! We used to sleep over at each other’s houses all the time, but he’d always insist on sleeping in different beds.”
“...Wuh?”
I couldn’t believe Miya. She was just going on and on about her relationship with Note. Was she trying to rile me up? It was like she was lording being his childhood friend over me. What a totally unfair advantage!
Sure, maybe I don’t know what Note was like in the past! But I’ve spent plenty of time with him in the present to make up for it, okay?!
“Well, you know, I spent two months on floor 20 with him!” I blurted out.
“That must’ve been terrible...”
Wait, why was she looking at me with pity in her eyes all of a sudden? I looked back on those days fondly, so I thought for sure she’d be jealous... Why didn’t she care?
“Being trapped in the dungeon for two months couldn’t have been easy. And you were stuck with stupid Note of all people...”
Okay, maybe that hadn’t been the best card to play. Who would be envious of getting stranded in the dungeon? I should’ve told her about how he’d whisked me away from the Seventh Sage Selection in a bridal carry instead... More importantly, however, I had to correct her on something.
“Note’s not stupid. He’s actually pretty dependable.”
“Really?”
“Yup. We only survived on floor 20 thanks to him... If anything, I was the one holding him back.”
“You’re so humble, Erin. I like that.”
“Huh?”
I was being totally honest, and yet somehow, Miya had gotten the wrong idea. Me, humble? That was probably the first time in my life I’d ever heard such a thing.
“I think I had the wrong idea about you, Erin.”
“How so?”
“I heard Note confessed his love to you at the Seventh Sage Selection, so I thought you were some evil seductress like Roslia. But I was wrong.”
“Um...”
“You’re modest and have a great personality, and you’re mature and interesting to talk to. I’ve decided I like you.”
Wait, what just happened? What’s going on? I’m scared! What kind of misunderstanding is this? Who is she even talking about?!
“Say, Erin, let’s be friends.”
“Bwuh?!”
Is she obtuse? Just plain dumb? Why would she want to be friends with me? I was only trying to shoo her away from Note like some pest. How did it come to this...?
“What do you say?” she pressed me. “I’m still kinda new in town, so I don’t have many friends yet. I’d love to count you among them.”
“Uhhh...”
I didn’t have many friends either. Or any, for that matter. So I could understand wanting to escape the loneliness of being friendless. I knew how hard it was to get by in a town of strangers. I wanted to make more friends myself, but this wasn’t how I’d imagined it happening. I wasn’t anywhere near as elated as I thought I’d be. I wasn’t interested in playing along with anyone’s stupid game—Miya’s least of all. She had no idea who she was dealing with here, and I wished she’d take a hint.
“Please say yes, Erin! Think of it as doing me a favor!”
Dewy eyes peered at me. Why was she so pretty? When she looked at me like that, I didn’t have the heart to turn her down... I’d be the villain for picking a fight at this point!
“Y-Yeah, o-okay.”
Before I knew it, I was nodding. What am I doing...?
“Thank you! I’m a little curious why you sound so unsure, but I just knew you were nice, Erin!”
As Miya shook my hand furiously again, I soullessly stared into the distance.