Rosmiel had been glaring at Cornelia—or rather, watching her with a worried expression—for some time before finally turning her gaze back toward Eris.
(…As I thought, should I provide some kind of backup? I can’t do it myself, so maybe I should ask Lia to…)
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a hand was placed lightly on Rosmiel’s shoulder. She turned to find Lilirie standing close by, shaking her head slightly.
A moment later, Lilirie’s voice resonated within Rosmiel’s mind through the magic of telepathy.
(Rosmiel, while I believe your kindness and consideration are virtues, there are times when they can be perceived as an insult. You should not act right now.)
(Lilirie-sama? Um, do you mean… regarding Elis-chan?)
(Yes. It is certainly true that you have cause for concern. Even if she maintains a perfect facade on the surface, she is undoubtedly experiencing waves of agitation and intimidation internally. Since I can only read her surface consciousness, she may be suffering even more in the deeper parts of her mind… However, reaching out to help her too easily here would be to trample on her resolve.)
While praising Rosmiel’s concern for Eris as a virtue, Lilirie gently rebuked her, insisting that she stay her hand.
Lilirie could read the surface consciousness of others. She had read the minds of not only Eris and Cornelia but Rosmiel as well; having grasped the situation, she judged that Rosmiel should not intervene.
(She is a noble. Furthermore, because she was already acquainted with you all, she was prepared to interact directly with Lilliwood-sama from the moment we met. She is a strong girl. She understands that as a noble, she carries her family name on her shoulders. Even while she is shaken inside, she refuses to let it show, and she is currently managing her interaction with Lilliwood-sama magnificently. Offering help too casually now would only result in smearing her determination.)
(I-I see… I’ve heard that face and pride are very important to nobles, so trying to help might actually end up being bad for Elis-chan.)
(Yes. Or rather… I believe the one who actually needs help isn’t her, but the other one.)
(Um… that girl over there? This is the first time I’ve seen her, but she definitely looks like she’s incredibly nervous.)
In truth, from the moment Eris encountered Lilliwood’s group, she had expected to give a formal greeting and had steeled herself for it. As the heir of a Marquis House, she understood that her conduct directly affected the reputation of the Hamilton Marquis House and accepted that responsibility.
That was precisely why, even when faced with individuals of such high standing that it made her stomach churn, she used her unwavering mental power to hide her agitation and pain, maintaining a perfect facade and behaving with grace.
It was a point of pride for her as a noble. If so, throwing her a lifeline without thought could be considered an injury to that pride.
As Rosmiel nodded in understanding, Lilirie noted that while Eris was fine, Cornelia was the one who needed assistance.
(That girl… Cornelia-san is far more agitated than Eris-san. I haven’t read into her depths, so this is just a hypothesis, but she is likely not the heir despite being a noble. She feels inexperienced compared to Eris-san, and her distress is leaking out onto her face.)
(…Y-You’re right, she looks so nervous it’s pitiful. I want to help her, but… s-since I don’t know her, um… L-Lilirie-sama, could you do something?)
(I am not acquainted with her either. If I were to suddenly speak to her, it would likely only intimidate her further. Still, hmmm… though there is nothing to be done if Lilliwood-sama takes an interest or if Kaito-san introduces her…)
Knowing she couldn't possibly speak to Cornelia herself since they were strangers, Rosmiel looked at Lilirie with pleading eyes, hoping she would act instead.
However, from Cornelia’s perspective, having one of the Seven Princesses suddenly address her would probably only make her stomach ache worse. Lilirie wore a pensive expression for a moment before speaking up just as the conversation between Lilliwood and Eris reached a natural pause.
“...Lilliwood-sama, as expected, standing in the middle of the path with a group this large is…”
『Ah, you’re right. We are obstructing traffic… Kaito-san, if you are also heading to that attraction, shall we move along?』
“True, we shouldn’t block the way by talking here. Let’s head over.”
With Lilliwood and Kaito in agreement, the group decided to relocate to the nearby Forest Castle. As a result, the situation where Cornelia would have been introduced to Lilliwood was successfully avoided.
(Th-Thank you so much, Lilirie-sama!)
(…Setting this matter aside, I really think you should become able to handle at least basic conversation with people you meet for the first time…)
(Fuguuu… Strangers are… s-scary. I need… time to build up my courage. To talk to someone for the first time, I have to prepare my heart… for, um… ten days to a month…)
(I feel like once a month has passed, they aren’t exactly a first-time acquaintance anymore…)
Lilirie could only manage a bitter smile at the sight of the pathologically shy Rosmiel. Thus, Cornelia managed to escape having to greet Lilliwood in that moment.
…And that was precisely what would lead to a tragedy for her stomach later on.
Serious-senpai: “The end… no, the last part…”
???: “See? Lilia-san said it before, didn’t she? That whenever you try to avoid something, you just get stabbed from an unexpected direction—ssu.”
Serious-senpai: “Does that even apply when other people try to help…? The poor Stomach Pain Warrior.”