In just a few days, Elysia's natural charm had fully unleashed itself. She blended in as if she had been born here, weaving effortlessly into every circle.
And she called everyone either "big sister" or "little sister," the words rolling off her tongue with practiced sweetness. Her voice was soft as spun sugar, her manner gentle and obedient, as though she had always belonged exactly like this.
"Big Sister Elysia… Big Sister Elysia!"
One morning, Seele clung to Elysia's door and called out brightly.
The door wasn't locked.
She pushed a little too hard and stumbled straight in with a dull thud.
By the window, Elysia stood on tiptoe, carefully arranging a bouquet in a vase.
"Hi ♪ Seele. Good morning."
Seele froze.
Winter sunlight filtered through sheer curtains, pouring in like melted snow and draping over Elysia's figure. The gauzy fabric swayed in the breeze, her silhouette flickering between light and shadow, almost unreal. There was something faintly sacred about her, something achingly beautiful.
"I… I…"
Seele's cheeks flared red. Her words tangled. Both hands were hidden behind her back, fingers twisting nervously around something.
I shouldn't have come…
This is going to be so embarrassing…
Who was it that got a sudden burst of inspiration last night and stayed up making something by hand?
Stop talking…
And besides, the little bear she finished last night definitely didn't look like this.
Silence.
"A present, right?!" Elysia lifted her gaze and winked playfully.
It was devastating.
Seele, pure-hearted to begin with, had no defense. Her ears turned crimson. She nodded timidly, voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Mhm… A welcome gift… for Big Sister Elysia…"
"Oh~ ♪ What could it be? Let me guess!"
Elysia set down the flowers and leaned closer, smiling brightly.
"If it's from Seele, it must be a soft and adorable plushie, just like Seele herself. Am I right?"
"…!"
Seele locked up entirely, standing there like she had been struck by lightning.
The opponent's level is too high. Our fleet has been completely annihilated.
She forgot why she had even come. All she could do was stare blankly at the girl bathed in sunlight. After a long pause, she slowly brought her hands forward.
A handmade rabbit plushie.
The gray fur was uneven and slightly scruffy, its edges clumsy in the most endearing way. The long ears drooped crookedly.
"I… I made it myself," Seele murmured, fingers clutching the hem of her clothes. "It might be… kind of ugly…"
Be confident. It's not ugly. It's unique.
Elysia's eyes curved into crescents. She accepted the plushie carefully, fingertips brushing the uneven stitches. Her smile overflowed, sweet enough to melt the frost outside.
"How could it be ugly?"
She held the little rabbit to her cheek, her eyes shining brighter than the winter sun.
"This is the cutest gift I've ever received!"
So this is what they mean in books by moonlight made flesh.
Both of them arrived at the thought at the exact same time.
—
Elysia's bedroom was on the second floor. Directly across the hall was Bronya's room.
Only a corridor separated them, and every laugh, every footstep, even Seele's soft responses drifted clearly into Bronya's ears.
Listening to that seamless intimacy, Bronya's usually expressionless face showed something rare.
Despair.
"Impressive…"
She muttered quietly, her tone carrying both admiration and resignation.
"Bronya cannot defeat Elysia. Bronya has completely lost her priority in mate selection…"
Once the will to compete fades, one becomes little more than a salted fish basking in the sun.
Bronya tugged loose the ribbon tying her hair. Silver-gray strands spilled down over her shoulders.
She slumped against her desk, cheek pressed to the cool surface, looking utterly defeated.
After a short bout of surrender, a flicker of stubbornness stirred within her.
Instead of giving up like this… what if she took the initiative? Maybe there was still a chance?
"…Would it even work?"
Her brows knit together, fingers tapping absently against the desk.
"Bronya still has a chance—! Yes."
Night deepened. A single lamp remained lit in Bronya's room.
Spread before her was a book she had dug out from the library. On the cover were the words: On How the Reserved Conquer Hearts.
Page after page preached the virtues of stillness overcoming motion. The deeper one's temperament, the more irresistible one would seem.
"…."
Bronya stared at the text, her frown tightening. Finally, she snapped the book shut.
She leaned back in her chair, surrendering completely.
"So intuition was right," she murmured. "Bronya has lost miserably."
Just then, a gentle knock sounded at the door, followed by a sweet, soft voice.
"Big Sister Bronya… are you still awake?"
"…Elysia."
Her name slipped out before she could stop it. She swallowed the rest of it back.
Getting picky about names would make her look petty.
"What is it?"
"…The heating in my room broke. It's freezing in there."
Elysia's voice came through the door, cautious and light.
"So… could I stay here for the night? Please?"
"…."
Bronya's face remained blank, but alarm bells rang loudly in her mind.
The excuse is far too deliberate.
So now she has locked onto me as the second target?
No. She must defend the final line.
This is a soldier's dignity.
"You can come in."
After a few seconds of silence, her voice came out muffled, almost buried in the blankets.
The door opened softly.
"Good evening…"
Elysia's voice was drowsy, her tone trailing lazily at the end. She sounded genuinely sleepy.
She clutched the gray rabbit plushie tightly to her chest, its fur brushing her chin. She looked painfully obedient.
This is a declaration of war. It has to be.
Bronya threw off her blanket and shot upright, pupils trembling.
She even brought Seele's gift with her. That's practically flaunting the spoils right in my face.
"…What's wrong?"
Elysia tilted her head innocently, blinking.
"Oh, you mean this?" She lifted the rabbit and gave it a small shake, smiling brightly. "Seele gave it to me this morning. I love it so much!"
"…That's good."
Bronya forced the words out stiffly, then turned sharply away, back ramrod straight like a stubborn flagpole.
Bronya's life is over. She has nothing left. Not even herself—
"And the bracelet Big Sister Bronya gave me yesterday. I love that one too."
The words brushed lightly against Bronya's neck like a feather.
She froze.
Then she spun back around, eyes landing on Elysia's wrist.
The pink-haired girl smiled like a blooming flower, making even the scenery outside the window seem dull in comparison.
"You were the first one to give me a gift, Big Sister Bronya~ And I really do like it…!"
The red bracelet around her wrist stood out vividly. When she moved, the tiny bell attached to it gave a clear, delicate chime.
"Come here first."
Bronya looked away, her voice firm, though the tips of her ears betrayed her.
"You're wearing too little. You'll catch a cold."
"Okay!"
Elysia padded over in small steps.
She wore a loose white nightgown, the collar slipping slightly. Her softly curled hair draped over her shoulders, still carrying the faint warmth of a recent bath.
…
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