VTGWH 506

506

"Gil, if you have any questions you want to ask, now's your chance. This kind of opportunity doesn't come along frequently."

Gordon-san shifted his gaze to Gilbert.

He had been listening to our conversation in silence since before, and I looked at him. As usual, he was not very friendly.

I felt that he was looking at me with the same kind of eyes he would use to look at anyone else.

Well, I was used to being looked at like this, so it didn't really hurt, but you shouldn't look at girls like that in the street. They'll cry.

"…May I ask you a question first?"

Gordon-san smiled at my words. I could tell from his expression that he was saying, "Whatever you like."

Of course, I wouldn't ask about Julie-sama right now.

If I asked now, all the negotiations we've been working on would be for nothing. That said, I wouldn't ask a stupid question either.

If I didn't ask the right questions, Gordon-san wouldn't take a genuine interest in me.

He still only regarded me as a superficially interesting girl.

To be honest, I didn't have any questions in mind. I just knew that I had to take some kind of action before Gilbert asked me a question.

Oh, no! I might have been a little too instinctive. But there was no turning back now.

Alicia, use that tiny brain of yours and think hard. I thought of all kinds of questions in my head.

"Is a life without shame beautiful?"

What a clichéd question. There were so many others I could have asked! 

I think this might be shame.

No one expected me to ask such a question, even Gilles looked surprised.

I never thought I'd say something like that myself either. But I didn't think it was a bad question either.

"Even if it's not profound, I think it's beautiful."

...It was the same answer as mine.

I didn't need to hear any more of his words to understand what he was thinking.

It was not a bad thing not to feel ashamed. But when it came to whether it would lead to significant growth, I didn't know.

It was the person who had shame who had the strongest potential for growth.

"What are you ashamed of?"

"Knowledge."

He answered immediately. He added a few words.

"There are no limits to the pursuit of knowledge. I have always longed for knowledge."

"I, too, have days when I hope for knowledge and days when I despair."

If Gordon-san and I were the same age, I think we would have been good friends.

"You're dazzling, Alicia-sama."

"Dazzling?"

"No matter how much money you have, you can't buy back youth. If I could spend all my money and get my teens and twenties again, I wouldn't hesitate for a second."

"I'm just taking advantage of my youth."

Gordon-san laughed out loud at my reply.

"You are a strange person. You are a clever and strong woman, but you also have a youthful side to you. ...And yet, you are disliked by the world. I have been involved with many people up to now, not just young ladies, but I have never met anyone like you, Alicia-sama."

"That's an honor."

I raised the corners of my mouth slightly and did a victory pose in my heart.

This meant that he was interested in me because he could see my true nature, right?