My heart hammered violently in my chest, each beat sharp enough to make my ribs ache.
"…No, no."
Lirielle closed her eyes, pressing both hands firmly against her chest, as if she could physically restrain her own racing pulse.
I cannot let this consume me. I must push it down.
I know nothing about that man, nothing about his intentions. I don't even know what he meant back there.
Lirielle, keep your mind straight…
Yet, Elize's calm, unwavering voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her back from the edge of panic.
"He favors you quite a lot."
"…What?"
"Even if it's a blessing embedded in his body, it doesn't mean he isn't straining himself. That person is pushing his limits right now."
If Adrian could hear this, he'd either blush furiously or remain utterly indifferent—probably the latter.
The truth was simple: the only real strain he felt was from his left arm, wounded by the rosario. Yet Elize, completely unaware of that, continued as though it were trivial.
"I mean… there's no need to take such a risk when it could be finished in a single moment."
—…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Her chest tightened further, each heartbeat stabbing like a needle.
Lirielle leaned slightly, her breath short and shallow, chest rising and falling unevenly.
"…What are you saying?"
"If any casualties occur under your watch, it will tarnish your reputation. Otherwise, why would he deliberately prolong the fight instead of ending it quickly? Look at him."
She forced her eyes open just enough to see him: Adrian. Precise. Controlled. Perfect. Every dodge, every block, every bounce-back was measured, minimal, and maddeningly exact.
This wasn't a battle. It was a demonstration. A one-sided abuse bordering on cruelty.
"A person capable of this much could have ended it ages ago. There's no point in stepping in."
True.
Yet…
"…There's no reason for him to act like this."
"Isn't there?"
Elize's smile was impossibly calm, unnervingly knowing.
Lirielle bit her lips until blood welled, a sharp reminder of her own heart betraying her.
I… I quite like that person.
Immediately, she shoved the thought aside, forcing discipline and pride back to the forefront.
She drew a deep, steadying breath, straightened her posture, and planted a firm step forward, hand brushing against the hilt of her sword.
Even as her heart screamed and her chest threatened to betray her, her mind demanded control.
She would not falter. Not now. Not ever.
"What are you doing?"
"…If what you said is true, then that man is putting himself through pain. I'll go and help."
That was her thought. Rational, heroic, utterly predictable.
But Adrian simply shook his head and gestured for her to stay back.
…Why?
Elize couldn't resist a giggle, clearly amused by Lirielle's confusion.
"Iya, how romantic. Is he catching the sword for you?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's telling you not to come closer because you might get hurt."
Heat surged through Lirielle's chest like molten iron. Not her usual icy, controlled energy. Not the cold glacial anger she normally wielded like a weapon. This… this was something hotter, stranger. A fire that ignited her veins, coiling in her chest and making her breath catch.
"…What you're saying… it could all be speculation," she muttered, trying to rationalize, to push it away.
Elize blinked at her, a faint frown of incredulity crossing her face. Does she really not realize it?
"Even if you could kill a medium-rank monster, it wouldn't die gracefully," Elize said. "Sometimes, there are individuals whose corpses… explode due to magic backlash. That person probably factored that in—he's taking the burden himself for your sake."
"…!"
Elize shook her head, letting out a long, deliberate sigh.
"For you," she said.
-…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lirielle's heart began a relentless drumbeat, loud enough to rattle her skull. Her lungs felt tight, her breath shallow, uneven, like waves crashing in her chest.
Must… control…
No. That was a lie. Lirielle knew she couldn't. She couldn't push this fire back into its cage.
-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heat spread through her entire body, a consuming warmth that made her palms sweat and knees weak. She realized, bitterly and helplessly, that she had already lost. She had missed her chance to stay composed. She had been conquered by something she couldn't even name.
And in that instant, a cold, undeniable truth sank into her mind:
From this point onward… every time she saw Adrian Merrick, she would feel this.
That heat. That ache. That strange, unmanageable pull in her chest.
She sank to the ground, curling into a tight, almost pathetic ball. Knees pressed to chest, arms hugging them like a shield. The posture was humiliating, depressingly human, yet completely unavoidable.
Damn him, she thought, even as the fire of frustration, confusion, and something far deeper burned inside her.
"…What are you doing?"
"Keep your mouth shut. Don't talk to me."
"…!"
Elize blinked at her like she had just stumbled upon a lunatic, but Lirielle didn't flinch. She wasn't going to talk. Not a word.
Shards of glass jutted out from the debris around them, catching the faint light and reflecting her flushed face.
The expression she wore now was one that no one had ever seen—or could even imagine. Reddened cheeks, eyes locked with unwavering intensity, lips pressed together so tightly it seemed like steel. She was, without a doubt, a completely different person.
And she was utterly focused on the man standing in front of her.
The sound of arriving regular knights broke the tension, their boots pounding and weapons clanking as chaos slowly began to settle.
…but Lirielle didn't move. Didn't breathe differently. Didn't even blink. Her entire attention was pinned to Adrian Merrick, as if the world itself had shrunk down to him alone.
●
[ Main quest reward level increased! ]
A pleasant notification popped up in my view after successfully completing the battle and handing the monster off to the knights.
…Yet there was no time to celebrate.
[ Skill: Irresistible Allure Activated! ]
[ Target resists! ]
[ 'Pheromone' lowered resistance! ]
[ Resistance failed! ]
[ The target can't control herself! ]
[ The target has been charmed! ]
"…!"
Cold sweat ran down my spine.
[ Favorability status change detected on target 'Lirielle Elissandre La Caldwell '! ]
[ Favorability level upgraded from 'Trust' → 'Love'! ]
[ Rewards Available! ]
[ She is an important character. Main scenario changes initiated! ]
[ Second gift awakening imminent! ]
[ Target '???' is interested in you! ]
"…!"
I suddenly felt far more desperate than facing a medium-rank monster one-on-one.
I had no idea what had just happened. No clue how it had happened. And absolutely no idea where to even begin sorting it out. I just knew one thing with certainty: I was deep in it now.
Following Elize's lead, the main scenario was actively changing. I didn't know what the second gift would be, but I was about to get another. And somehow, an unidentified character had just taken a personal interest in me.
'I'm so fcked…'*
I had nothing else to say. Absolutely nothing.
While I was busy mentally debating my life choices, a knight approached me and handed over a bottle of water.
"Good work out there. Here, want some? You look a little tired."
He was one of the knights dispatched to subdue the monster.
'…Monster.'
Just watching the three of them clean up a medium-rank beast in seconds made me reconsider all my life decisions. It was terrifying and impressive all at once. These were the people students looked up to, the ones who defined power at Caldwell Academy.
"Student, I cannot praise you enough. If it wasn't for you, who knows how many casualties there would have been."
He even tapped me on the shoulder. A simple gesture, but coming from a regular knight, it was practically a declaration of respect. Knights didn't hand out compliments lightly.
"You'd catch eyes anywhere with that kind of skill. Keep them open at all times, alright? By the way, are you planning to major in Theology?"
"…Yes. I am."
I answered and then gestured toward the chaos on the other side, where the "hero" and the priest from earlier were locked in a deadly tug-of-war.
"They're about to tear that priest apart. Could you lend a hand? If left alone, they might really start killing."
"…Well, he does look like a rat, so maybe he deserves it. But seeing you here… I guess it's true what they say: talented people tend to have good character."
Pure intentions? Ha. Not even close. I was just calculating how to get some use out of the priest rather than disposing of him outright. Efficiency over morality, as always.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Take this."
The knight handed me a letter.
"I don't know why, but I'm told you should open it alone."
I let out a quiet sigh as the knight went back to his duties. Another letter? Perfect. Because apparently, my life isn't complicated enough already.
As I stared at it, a window popped up in my vision.
[ Main Quest Complete! ]
[ Go to the designated location to claim your reward! ]
[ Location: Arivelle Veyrastre's Office ]
I wasn't unfamiliar with the name Arivelle Veyrastre. The president of Caldwell Academy. Rumored to have lived over a thousand years. A key player in the main scenario. Someone you definitely did not want to get on the wrong side of.
"…?"
The President?
I opened the letter, and my eyes widened. It was definitely from her, though more of an 'invitation' than a formal message.
She wanted a private meeting.
"…Why?"
What for?
I wasn't sure if I should be nervous… or terrified.