The moment Selene's fingers released her icy grip, Rin's frozen body fell to the ground like glass.
CRACK!
The ice statue shattered into countless pieces, scattering across the moonlit ground.
Selene stood over the fragments, her long silver hair swaying with the cold wind. She looked down at what was left of Rin without a flicker of regret.
"Tch," she muttered and brushed her hands as if wiping away dust.
Her dragon — a massive beast of shimmering frost and scales as pale as bone — lowered its head and stared at her with unblinking eyes.
"…What?" Selene snapped, catching its strange, almost judgmental gaze.
"Don't look at me like that. She was an obstacle. Obstacles need to be eliminated."
She turned away, stepping lightly toward the dragon to mount. But then—
CRUNCH… CRACK…
A faint sound stopped her.
Selene froze mid-step and slowly turned her head.
Her silver-blue eyes widened ever so slightly.
The shards of Rin's broken body… were moving.
One by one, the fragments slid across the ground, swirling together like water droplets. They glowed faintly before knitting themselves back into shape — a human shape.
"No one…" Selene whispered under her breath, "…has ever cheated death. What… is she?"
Her dragon, too, lowered its head, watching with eerie curiosity.
When Rin fully reformed, she lay there on the ground, breathing heavily. Slowly, she sat up, clutching her head.
"…Am I home?" she muttered groggily. "Did I stop the villainess from killing them…?"
Then she looked up — straight into Selene's stunned, unblinking eyes.
"Oh…" Rin blinked at her surroundings — the frost-covered ground, the dragon's glowing eyes, and Selene standing like a moonlit goddess. "…Shit. I'm still inside this manga."
She groaned and flopped backward on the ground, covering her face with her hands.
"Oh, Author LeeDevil," she said with a bitter laugh. "I changed your story anyway."
But then she noticed Selene was still staring. Still watching.
"…What?" Rin asked nervously.
Selene just… kept staring.
Then Rin finally realized.
Her cheeks flushed crimson.
"…Why are you staring at me like that?" she squeaked.
Only then did she notice — she was completely naked.
"W-WAAAAAHH!" she yelped, flailing and curling into herself, covering her chest and legs with her arms and knees.
"You… you pervert! How dare you look at me like that!"
Selene's eyes narrowed, her silver-blue gaze flashing with indignation.
"…Pervert? Who are you calling a pervert?" Selene said coldly, summoning an icy sphere in her palm, the air around her crackling with frost.
"You're supposed to be dead. How are you alive?!" she demanded, her voice sharp as a blade.
"I-I don't know! But could you at least—" Rin squeaked again, still trying to hide herself. "Turn around and stop staring at me like that!"
"No one tells me what to do," Selene shot back, her voice dripping with arrogance. "I will stare as long as I please."
Selene stepped closer, her boots crunching against the frosty ground.
"W-wait! Stay away from me, you… you shuss!" Rin scrambled back on her elbows, her face burning red.
But Selene simply bent down — her long silver hair brushing Rin's cheek — and untied the icy-blue robe from her own shoulders.
Without a word, she draped it over Rin, who froze, wide-eyed.
"You're not the first naked human I've seen," Selene said coolly. "So shut up… and stop calling me a pervert."
She stood again, towering above Rin, and turned toward her dragon.
"Listen closely," Selene said over her shoulder, her voice low and deadly.
"If you don't want to have a second death, stay out of my plans."
With that, she mounted the dragon. Its wings flared, scattering snow in the air, and they took off into the night sky, disappearing into the clouds.
Rin sat there in silence, clutching the blue robe around her trembling body.
"…What plans is she talking about?" she murmured to herself, her eyes following the fading silhouette of the dragon against the moon.
____
Rin's POV
I crept down the hallway, clutching Selene's icy-blue robe tighter around me, praying no one would see me like this.
Just make it to your room, Rin. Just get inside, and nobody has to know you were almost killed… naked… and wrapped in the villainess's robe. Ughhh…
I pushed the door open as quietly as I could… only to freeze on the spot.
Akari was sitting on my bed, her fiery eyes blazing, her arms crossed.
"…Cousin Rin," she said, her voice sharp enough to cut ice.
I swallowed hard and tried to force a smile.
"Oh, Cousin Akari! Shouldn't you be in your room?"
"You ruined my life, Rin," she hissed, standing. "I trusted you… and you stabbed me in the back."
I took a deep breath, gripping the robe tighter around myself.
"I only did it for your safety," I said quietly. "You and Rei… you were going to be killed. Both of you would have died if you went through with it tonight."
Akari's eyes shimmered, furious tears threatening to fall.
"No one can kill us!" she snapped. "Our love is our weapon — fire and water. Together, we are the strongest. Who would dare touch us?"
Really? Who would dare? The answer is simple: Selene. You both died to a single ice sword she threw like it was nothing… You should be thanking me for saving your life.
I took a step closer and spoke softly.
"I know, Cousin Akari. You two are strong, and no one would dare—" I glanced down. "But… there are other ways to be together. If you end this stupid clan rivalry… bring peace… you and Rei could be together and still be with your families."
She laughed bitterly through her tears.
"…What makes you think my father would want peace after tonight?" she said.
I froze. "What do you mean?"
Akari's voice broke as she spoke.
"No one wants peace. If any Arakawa even touches our borders, my father has them killed. Rei… she'll never be able to come near this place again."
I took her hands gently in mine, even though they trembled.
"Then we'll change that," I said firmly. "Tomorrow, I'll help you see Rei. Together… we'll end this bloodshed. And you two will marry, I promise."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…Cousin Rin…" she whispered.
"Yes?"
Her gaze flicked down to our hands.
"…Why are your hands so cold? And why are you dressed like… that?"
I flinched and quickly pulled my hands back.
"Oh! I, uh… went to the bathhouse, and someone stole my clothes," I blurted out.
Her eyes narrowed, her fiery aura flaring slightly.
"…What? Which bathhouse? Let's go teach that thief a lesson right now!"
I panicked, waving my hands.
"No no no! Don't worry about it! I… I have plenty of other clothes! Really! So let's just… let it go."
Akari studied me for a long moment, then tilted her head.
"…Wow, Cousin Rin. You usually never let things go."
I forced another awkward smile.
"Well… I guess I'm learning," I said.
She finally sighed and left my room.
I waited until the door clicked shut before I collapsed onto my knees.
"Oh thank goodness…" I whispered under my breath.
My eyes drifted to Selene's robe still clutched in my hands.
I wonder what Selene is planning next. Because… I don't know what's supposed to happen anymore. Tonight… was supposed to be the final scene of the story. Everything from here on is unknown.
I slipped out of the robe and opened the wardrobe, marveling at the rows of extravagant dresses inside.
"Wow… Rin Kisaragi might be weak, but she's definitely rich. Look at all these clothes," I muttered to myself.
I grabbed a simple white nightdress and put it on… but at the last second, I reached for Selene's robe again and wrapped it around myself, sinking into the bed.
"…She gave me this robe," I murmured to the ceiling. "And then she just… left. The Selene in the manga was ruthless… cruel… and only thought about herself…"
I clutched the fabric tighter, remembering the way she had draped it over me.
"…No no no…" I muttered, shaking my head.
But a strange warmth bloomed in my chest.
I pressed a hand over my heart.
What… what is this feeling?
I lay there, wide-eyed, staring into the darkness… clutching Selene's robe like a lifeline.