Chapter 12: Definitely better than my sister

Following Lena through the forest,
I soon found myself in a dense thicket.
Or rather, what used to be a dense thicket.

Now, trees were uprooted and shattered, as if bombed.

The bright moonlight illuminated the devastation, but
who could have done this?

Drakes weren’t strong enough to cause this level of destruction.
And they had no reason to.

Could it be the Wyvern, the boss monster?
But I thought its lair was further away.

Then, I saw a drake approaching, its snake-like eyes gleaming in the distance.
I put aside my thoughts and focused on the immediate threat.

****

“Haa!”

Crack!—

Every swing of Lena’s greatsword was accompanied by the sound of something breaking on the drake’s body.

It looked like a sharp blade, not a blunt one.
Perhaps the drake’s scales were incredibly tough.
Instead of slicing, the greatsword seemed to crush parts of the drake with each swing.

I watched as a drake fell lifelessly to the ground, the surrounding area devastated from the fight.

Observing Lena’s fighting style, she was clearly a skilled adventurer.
I wondered if we were evenly matched. I doubted I would lose.

I’d been feeling overwhelmed lately,
but that’s because I hadn’t been taking things seriously.
I hadn’t lost a sparring match recently, except against Father.

Even Father struggled against Mother and Sister, who were in a league of their own. I didn’t even want to think about facing them.

Lena was the first formidable opponent I’d met in a while.

Should I become an adventurer like Lena after graduation?
I was skilled enough, and Sister would inherit the family title anyway.
I hated being away from Sister, but I didn’t want to be a clingy burden forever.
I wanted to be a strong, reliable younger sister.

Swish—

I rushed to Lena’s side and sliced through the neck of an approaching drake. The satisfying resistance and clean cut were exhilarating.

Being an adventurer, hunting with a capable woman like Lena, and building a happy life together seemed appealing.

But I needed to graduate from this crazy lesbian academy first.

I remembered the dining hall incident. Linne’s relentless tickling, her inescapable grip, the humiliating helplessness.

The memory of that strange sensation sent shivers down my spine.

“Are you alright, Ellie? Perhaps this is a bit too intense for you.”

Normally, I would have protested, but
I felt strangely subdued around Lena.

“I’m fine, just a bit…uneasy. Come here for a moment.”

I pulled Lena into a tight hug as she approached, confused.
Of course, from an outsider’s perspective, it looked like a small child seeking comfort.

Lena flinched in surprise, but
then hugged me back.
I appreciated my deceptively harmless appearance.

Lena’s embrace was comforting, her pleasant scent and soft curves calming my nerves. She was definitely more…ample than Sister.
Even Sister, who was quite busty, couldn’t compare to Lena’s overwhelming…presence.

I flinched as she started stroking my hair,
but I relaxed into her touch.

I felt safe with Lena.
It seemed a bit too soon, considering we’d just met…

“Better now?”

But Lena pulled away, leaving me feeling empty.
I was ready for more, but she stopped.
I felt…teased.

“Um…Lena? About what just happened…”

“Hmm? Oh, don’t be embarrassed. We’re practically friends. It’s okay to show weakness.”

She patted my head, but shouldn’t there be more?
Sister would have continued.
I was foolish to think Lena was better than Sister. She wasn’t ready to be family yet.

“I should go now.”

“Wait…Ellie? What’s wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?”

Lena looked confused, but I didn’t explain.

Embarrassed by my own assumptions, I pulled my hood over my blushing face and quickly left the forest.

I suddenly missed Sister.

****

I woke up with dark circles under my eyes.
I hadn’t slept well.
At least my bed was intact, though covered in dust, which made my throat scratchy.

“Ah…ah…”

My voice was hoarse. It should be fine in a few hours.

I started getting ready for classes. My thick, curly hair took forever to wash and dry.
But I couldn’t cut it; Sister liked it long.

I put on my uniform, which was starting to feel familiar, and looked in the mirror.
A girl with messy hair and dark circles stared back.

“Sigh…”

Looking at myself brought back memories of last night.
I quickly left for class.

Linne was already there when I arrived.

Surprisingly punctual.

I tried to ignore yesterday’s incident and sat down next to her.

“Ellie, are you…okay?”

Linne looked at me with concern. What was she talking about?

“Good morning, Linne…”

My voice was still hoarse.
I should have had some water before leaving. Linne’s gaze was full of worry.
I’d made her worry unnecessarily.

“Are you… sigh… never mind.”

At least she didn’t seem inclined to repeat yesterday’s antics. I still needed to use her as my “friend” to deter the noble ladies, who were eyeing me from afar.

It was better to focus on one potential threat than many.
Having a “friend” was still useful.

“Linne! Leave that sickly-looking girl alone and play with me. You’ll catch her disease!”

Nina was nestled in Linne’s lap, rubbing her head against Linne’s hand. The memory of last night made me uncomfortable. I lay down on my desk.

****

“…Lena? Elena, shouldn’t you wake up now?”

“Huh…?”

…Who?

A voice woke me, but
I didn’t recognize the woman standing over me.
She wasn’t wearing a uniform, so I assumed she was a professor.

“I have something to discuss with you. Come to my office after class.”

I nodded, still confused.
It was lunchtime, and everyone was leaving.
I didn’t even know her name; how was I supposed to find her office?

Linne looked troubled.

“Linne, don’t tell me…you too?”

“Sigh…yes. She called me as well.”

“Serves you right for sleeping through every class. Now you’ve dragged me into this.”

“You fell asleep first today! And you wouldn’t wake up until I shook you.”

Despite her words, I felt relieved that Linne would be with me. She seemed to know where to go.

My “friend” was surprisingly useful.

My good mood returned after the nap, and I left the classroom feeling refreshed.

It was a beautiful day, and the three of us walked towards the dining hall. It would be better if pets weren’t allowed, but I couldn’t have everything. Perhaps I should suggest it.

I felt generous enough to forgive Linne for yesterday.
A true noble should be forgiving towards their inferiors.

But I wouldn’t be so lenient next time.

As we walked, I heard someone call my name.

“Ellie!”

That voice…Sister!

I saw her walking towards us, also heading to the dining hall.

“Sister…!”

I was about to run and hug her, a bright smile on my face,
but Linne suddenly pulled my shoulder, and I stumbled into her arms instead.

“You’re Ellie’s sister, right? Nice to meet you.”

The air grew cold.