Eula x Reader - Disgraced Yet Defiant

Chapter 7: With the Wind

Noelle then turned away from the Outrider to instead look at me, she had the most bright and innocent smile on her face as she looked towards me. And she had somehow already managed to get rid of her exasperation from running over here from who-knows-where!!

Noelle: "How can I be of assistance to you?"

She... Wow! She really has nailed that absolutely welcoming aura, the aura that I had read maids have, in those old books I used to read in the past. Her mannerisms and stance just makes me feel like I belong here...

Even when I really don't feel like I do.

Y/N: "Oh, uhm... this didn't pull you away from anything important, did it?"

Noelle: "Oh no! Of course not! I was just about to sit down for a moment's rest, and perhaps a small cup of tea if I could make the time!"

Y/N: "... ah."

And now I feel awful, she is very clearly overworked. And I'm interrupting one of her seemingly-rare lulls that she would like to be using for a proper break, not listening to me tell her I lied to her face!

Eula: *ahem!*

The sharp cough from the lady beside me had broken me out of my internal worries long enough for me to notice what she said next.

Eula: "If you worry that you are eating away at young Noelle's free time, then perhaps you should aim to not waste any more of it than is necessary with your needless worrying, and just speak what you must. We Knights, and Knights-in-training, are very busy people after all."

Y/N: "r–Right! You're right. Sorry... What I wanted to admit to both of you... is that, well... Baizho isn't my real name."

Amber: "Huh? Another fake name? You've got another fake name?!"

Y/N: "Well... no. I only had the one fake name..."

Amber: "Oh! So that means... that Y/N was your real name all along! Right?

Y/N: "th–That's right.."

Amber: "Hmm, but now I'm kind of confused! You gave us your real name, and then told us instead that your name was Baizho before we went to see Jean... why is that?"

Y/N: "I... well... I..."

Eula: "Like myself, Y/N's name also carries some unfair judgement behind it. But we caught them at a point of weakness when they accidentally gave their real name first. They had meant to give all of us the one fake name and nothing else. Am I right, Y/N?"

Y/N: "... p–pretty much..."

Amber: "Oh! I see! That's kind of sad, that you felt you had to hide your real self with us... But I'm glad you met Eula then!"

Eula: "And what, pray tell, do you mean by that?!"

Amber: "Oh, uhh... ehe!"

Noelle: "So, Baizho is not your real name, but Y/N is...? Do I have that right?"

Y/N: "Yeah... sorry for the uhm... for the duplicity."

Noelle: "That's okay! After all, you revealed it yourself before too long had passed. And you seem very upset over the fact, even when we had only spoken for a short while. I appreciate your care very much!"

She then smiled at me again, such a bright and earnest smile... I couldn't help but feel less worried and upset with myself when I am the recipient of it.