Unrequited Love, Lost for the Better - Chapter 3

Volume 1 of UL,LFTB is available uncensored on ko-fi!

※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

The chill of leather gloves against her skin made Collette flinch. Valerian, having lightly brushed her cheek, licked the crumbs from his glove.

“Still making a mess of yourself while eating, I see.”

“……!”

Across Collette’s face flashed both embarrassment and the innocent delight of a child receiving an unexpected gift. She had clearly brushed around her mouth, yet breadcrumbs remained. At this rate, when would she ever become an alluring woman in his eyes?

Collette’s heart fluttered at the fact that Valerian had touched her face—even if through gloved fingers—yet she bit the inside of her cheek at the realization that he still saw her as a child in need of tending.

As Collette’s earlobes flushed crimson, Valerian chuckled softly and averted his gaze. A disheveled-haired junior, eyes wide as saucers, was staring at him and Collette. His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

“And that one over there?”

“Ah.”

Snapped from her reverie by his question, Collette spotted Meliano rolling his eyes.

Come to think of it, Valen has never met Somerset before. Whenever Valerian visited the lab to see Collette, Meliano had coincidentally been away on errands. This was, in fact, the first time the two had directly encountered each other.

“This is Meliano Somerset, our lab’s youngest member. He’s from the same Academy as us—apparently, he was also a member of the Magical Formula Research Society.”

“I see…”

Leaving aside the fact that they were Academy alumni, that they shared the very same study group Collette had belonged to, and that he had become her colleague in the same laboratory—

The realization that Meliano shared so much in common with Collette caused Valerian’s eyes to harden with quiet pressure.

Meanwhile, Collette introduced him to her junior with sparkling eyes.

“Somerset, this is Valerian de Wintergreen, Team Leader. You’ve heard of him, haven’t you? He’s the 1st Team Leader of the Labyrinth Exploration Squad at the Magic Tower.”

“Oh…”

Unlike Collette, who spoke in a bright, cheerful tone, Meliano found it difficult to be amiable. The moment his eyes met that crimson gaze, a chill crept up the back of his neck.

It felt like standing before a great beast. Valerian glanced sidelong at Meliano.

“……”

As if it had never been there, the oppressive tension vanished without a trace. Then Valerian extended his hand and spoke in that deep, weighty voice.

“Take good care of Collette.”

“……! Ah, yes.”

Meliano rose hastily and clasped his hand. He had not expected the Exploration Squad Team Leader himself to offer a handshake. Valerian continued, with a subtle smile.

“She’s a capable one, but prone to absentmindedness at times. I can’t take my eyes off her. I’d appreciate your assistance.”

“Ah, no, ugh……!”

“What’s the matter? Are you unwell?”

“…Ah, no. Rather, it is I… who have received, much help, from Senior Verna.”

Cold sweat beaded on his awkwardly smiling face.

Watching the two men shake hands, Collette pouted slightly.

Hmph. He handles it better than I expected.

She had been hoping to see him flounder a little more, so she could properly play the senior role.

Well then… Valen does seem to be in good spirits today.

Though for me, being treated like a child is quite another matter.

No matter how long he had known her since childhood, she was now a grown woman—a researcher with a junior of her very own. How long would he continue to see her as an immature child? Collette swallowed a sigh inwardly.

Meanwhile, Meliano had nearly cried out. The grip was formidable. Barely suppressing a groan, Meliano released Valerian’s hand as though shaking it off. His knuckles throbbed with a dull ache.

Could someone like that truly be with Senior Verna…?

Meliano had heard stories about the 1st Team Leader of the Exploration Squad.

A man who was both the eldest son of the Wintergreen family and a member of the Magic Tower.

Despite having the secure path of the Duke of Wintergreen’s household laid before him, this man chose to devote himself to Labyrinth exploration. Upon joining the Magic Tower, he had risen to the position of Team Leader in a single bound, renowned as a figure of exceptional ability.