Chapter 13: Stupid woman

Linne instinctively grabbed Ellie, stopping her from running to her sister.

Something felt wrong. Her instincts screamed,

Don’t let Ellie go to her sister.

That woman is dangerous.

Her hunter’s instincts blared a warning.

Overwhelmed by the woman’s dark, oppressive aura, Linne had barely managed a self-introduction yesterday.

She’d been too intimidated to speak, but today, she would protect Ellie.

She didn’t understand Ellie’s close relationship with her sister.

In the original story, Ellie was consumed by jealousy of her sister’s abilities, leading to her downfall.
Was it different now because Ellie was following a different path?

Getting to know Ellie might reveal how much the game had changed.
Perhaps it would even lead to a way to save her.

Lost in thought, Linne noticed the sudden drop in temperature.

Anna’s expression hardened as Linne blocked Ellie.

She looked ready to incinerate Linne, reducing her to ashes.
Her eyes saw Linne as nothing more than kindling.

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

Linne needed to lower her guard, showing she meant Ellie no harm.

She put on a forced smile and greeted Anna brightly, her arm casually draped around Ellie.

This should be enough to convey their close relationship.
Nina looked horrified, but Linne assured her with a glance that nothing bad would happen.

She hoped Anna would simply acknowledge her sister’s new friend and leave.

Though she didn’t show it, Anna radiated a power and ruthlessness that intimidated even Linne.
The murderous intent and emptiness behind her gentle, slightly drooping eyes were suffocating.

“…Should I burn you to ashes, leaving no trace? Or just scorch you a little, making you crispy?”

Anna seemed lost in thought, muttering something Linne couldn’t hear.

Was she acknowledging Linne’s greeting?

Nina, with her sharp beastkin hearing, seemed to have heard everything. Linne envied her enhanced senses at times like this.

Anna’s upturned eyes and slightly flushed cheeks suggested she was happy about her sister making a new friend.

“Linea, let’s go, quick! I’m hungry!”

Nina’s insistence forced Linne to leave Anna and head to the dining hall, but she felt a sense of accomplishment at leaving a good impression.

****

Sister…

Held by the blonde delinquent, I watched as Sister walked away.

She was getting further and further away.
No, we were leaving her behind.

I kept looking back, hoping Sister would stop me, but she was lost in thought.

“Ellie, what’s wrong? Are you not hungry?”

I snapped back to reality, seeing Linne holding a piece of meat near my mouth, her head tilted in confusion.

“No, I was just thinking.”

Remembering the last incident, I obediently accepted the food.

Linne’s smug smile irritated me, but what could I do?
My authority meant nothing against the proximity of her fingers.

“Ugh…!”

As I ate the food Linne offered,
the wolf sitting across from us glared at me with a resentful expression.

Too bad, I had no intention of stealing her owner.
Her jealous glare amused me. I smiled sweetly at the puppy.

This was fun. I should do this more often.

“By the way, Ellie.”

Linne spoke slowly.
Why did she always pause dramatically before saying something pointless?

“We’re friends, right?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

More accurately, I was pretending to be her friend.
But there was no need to say that out loud.

“Then, how about we drop the formalities between friends?”

Was that all she wanted to say?
It was anticlimactic.

“I don’t want to. There’s no reason to.”

“Really? If that’s what you want…”

Linne’s face fell. But I wouldn’t be swayed by a pretty girl’s pout.

Linne kept fidgeting with her fingers.
I wished she’d stop.

Her hand inched closer, despite her gloomy expression.
Did her hand have a mind of its own?

“…Fine. I’ll drop the formalities. Just stop that.”

“Huh… What?”

Her hand was inches away.
Just a little further, and she could tickle me again.

Finally, she stopped.

I sighed in relief, but it was short-lived.

Whoosh—

This time, Linne used her… physique as a weapon, pulling me into a hug. Too small to resist, I was enveloped in her embrace.

“Oof?!”

I gasped, momentarily stunned by the sudden, overwhelming pressure. I flailed my arms uselessly.
Though surprised, Linne seemed to have no intention of tickling me this time.

“Really? Thank you, Ellie!”

Why was she so happy about this?
She was such a ditz.
But I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her.

I stopped struggling and relaxed in her embrace, enjoying the soft comfort.
When would I get another chance to experience this?

Because Linne’s uniform was slightly unbuttoned, my face was pressed against her bare chest.

Her warmth and scent enveloped me. It felt strangely calming and familiar. I listened to her heartbeat until I could barely breathe.

****

“Ellie!”

“…Could you stop calling me that?”

“Hee hee! But it’s so strange hearing you drop the formalities after acting so cold and haughty at the academy.”

Why was she so excited about this?
And why was she acting like we were close outside the academy?
I felt uneasy, like I’d fallen into her trap.

I regretted agreeing to drop the formalities.
She hadn’t stopped calling my name since our conversation in the dining hall.

I should have endured the tickling and maintained our previous dynamic. Though I wasn’t sure I could have.
But wouldn’t it be easier the second time around?
I regretted my decision.

Despite my regret,
Linne’s smile made my heart flutter.
But she was just a pretty, busty girl.

Linne would be perfect if she just kept quiet. And her impressive chest… But her initial cold demeanor was gone, replaced by a bubbly personality. I missed her initial charisma.

The bubbly Linne spoke.

“Class is over, let’s go see that professor.”

The other students were leaving.

“I have something to do. You can go alone, Linne.”

“Really? Oh well.”

I remembered something and decided to part ways with Linne.

She could handle the professor on her own.

Walking back to the dorm alone, I thought about what happened in the dining hall.

The feeling of being pressed against Linne’s chest was familiar.
It reminded me of Lena’s scent and comforting embrace last night.

I should be able to recognize someone after hugging them, but
Linne felt very similar to Lena.
Almost…identical.

But it was impossible. I should recognize Lena, even with a mask.

Yet, I didn’t doubt them when I saw them.
It felt like something was preventing me from being suspicious…

“Elena? What’s troubling you?”

A voice startled me, interrupting my thoughts.
I was close to figuring something out.

Annoyed, I turned to see who dared interrupt me.

“Didn’t things work out with that woman last night? She didn’t seem like your type anyway.”

It was the group from yesterday.
They’d been watching me and whispering all day, and
now that I was alone, they approached me.

“Shall we continue where we left off yesterday? With fewer people around, we can be more…intimate.”

We were between two buildings on the way to the dorm, hidden from view. I didn’t see anyone else around besides the three noble ladies.

“Hee hee…no one will hear you scream, you know? Just relax and accept it.”

The blue-haired lady in the middle smiled sweetly and stepped closer.