Realization 2

Michaela Ernst von Wittelsbach is ignorant about daily life.

She has lived a life devoid of the seven emotions and six desires until now.

She was ignorant of love.

She was ignorant of jealousy.

“First, let’s reconsider the premise and think about it.”

Even though it’s no longer the case.

“This consultation isn’t about a close friend. It’s a love consultation.”

“…Is that so.”

“And you, you’re in love.”

The affection of a precious person directed towards others.

The sticky emotion that rises up to the throat because of it.

“Love…”

That was love.

That was jealousy.

Ha-yul asked.

“What do you want to do, Wittelsbach?”

“I─”

Love.

The one word brought the girl’s face to mind.

The sleek, all-black hair.

The ruby-colored eyes beyond thick eyelashes.

That face, it feels good every time she thinks of it.

Being by her side strangely gives a warm feeling.

That smile is so kind.

It might be too good for a mere scabbard.

“I want to be by that child’s side. Always.”

“No. That’s a lie.”

“…”

“You want to be the only one by her side. That’s the correct answer, right?”

Even knowing it’s too good for a mere scabbard.

Even knowing the girl shines like the sun, warmly illuminating everyone.

“That’s right. Your words are correct.”

Greedily.

Michaela wanted.

“I want that child’s smile to be directed only at me, not anyone else.”

She wanted to monopolize that benevolent sunshine.

“I like that child.”

“I like your honesty. Now we can have a proper consultation.”

Even if she had to use any means necessary.

“First, number one. How far along is your current relationship with the person you’re in love with?”

“How far along, you mean.”

“Like, are you in a ‘some’ relationship, or more than friends but less than lovers. You know, that kind of thing.”

“…I wonder.”

The girl always whispered love to Michaela.

She gave love unilaterally.

Michaela had been rejecting that love.

The reason was always consistent.

It was for Michaela’s personal moral integrity.

That a killer shouldn’t love.

That a scabbard doesn’t have the right to love a girl.

She had thought that someone else, not her, would suit the girl.

“I think it’s more than ordinary friends.”

It was a selfish story.

When the girl actually got another precious person who wasn’t her, Michaela couldn’t let go.

“But only to that extent.”

“I see. But you’ve surpassed the ordinary level, then.”

More than ordinary friends.

Even that alone might be happiness beyond her station.

Michaela wished for beyond that.

She coveted more than that.

“Then second. How’s the relationship between the person you love and your rivals?”

“…Rivals.”

She didn’t want to hand her over.

She didn’t want to be pushed to second place.

She won’t lose.

Not to that pink-haired girl.

Not to the blonde girl with red eyes.

“Similar to mine. No. It might be overconfident, but they might be slightly below me.”

No matter what anyone says.

The only one the girl had directly whispered love to was just one person.

“…But, they might have caught up recently.”

“How so?”

“One of them even sent a gift. A gift that suits that child’s taste.”

The coat.

Han Seoyeon wore that gift from Baek Da-eun every day.

“Recently, even if it wasn’t a date, they went out together on the weekend, just the two of them.”

“Just the two of them! That’s, a bit difficult…”

For the girl, it might not have been a date.

But, how about for Baek Da-eun?

…Come to think of it, the occasion when Baek Da-eun started being proactive was that day.

When Michaela was absent.

When the girl was left alone in the dormitory.

It might have been Michaela’s arrogance.

Somewhere in her unconscious, she had been confident that the girl wouldn’t leave her arms.

At that time, she hadn’t thought anything of it.

She just wanted the girl not to be bored on the weekend, to spend time with a friend.

It was a miscalculation.

It was a misjudgment.

As a result, Michaela had shown an opening to a bitch in heat.

“Another one shares a secret with her. One I don’t know.”

There was another formidable opponent.

Han Suho.

In some ways, an even greater enemy than Baek Da-eun.

Someone who had known Han Seoyeon before Michaela became close with her.

A woman who was suspiciously obsessed with the girl.

“They even hugged each other. In the dead of night.”

“…Hmm. That’s difficult in its own way.”

In reality, it was an unjust complaint.

Both Michaela and Han Seoyeon were keeping secrets, after all.

Still, she didn’t like it.

Other secrets might not matter, but the fact that the girl shared a secret with another woman was constricting Michaela’s chest.

“By the way, how far have you and your crush progressed?”

“…Progressed.”

“I mean the level of skinship. Skinship.”

Skinship.

Michaela recalled the days spent with the girl.

“…On the cheek.”

“Cheek?”

“I received a kiss on the cheek.”

That day.

The day the girl cried tears of joy.

The sweetness of that spring breeze still lingered on the edge of Michaela’s cheek.

“Well.”

“And recently…”

It was about a month ago.

If we’re talking about the most recent skinship.

“I fondled her breasts.”

“…Breasts?”

“That’s right.”

Certainly, she had fondled the girl’s breasts.

“…How did that happen?”

“She said it was to comfort me.”

“…”

What on earth is this friend saying?

Ha-yul was momentarily at a loss for words.

“…No. That’s weird.”

“How so?”

“Where in the world are there friends who let you touch their breasts for comfort! That’s clearly at least more than friends, no matter how you look at it!”

It was a story Ha-yul couldn’t empathize with at all, by her common sense.

No matter how she looked at it, it couldn’t be considered just a friendship.

It was also something Michaela couldn’t really understand.

Her common sense regarding friendships was no different from a primitive person’s, after all.

“One thing has become clear.”

Ha-yul asserted.

“As things stand now, you have a higher chance than your competitors.”

“…!”

Michaela was leading the race.

Overwhelmingly so, to the point where it seemed like she had done this consultation for nothing.

“Lastly, number four. This is a quiz.”

The issue was one of awareness.

This innocent girl doesn’t know anything about love, after all.

“How should you make that person you’re in love with definitely yours?”

“How, you say…”

How.

A way to make the person you love your own.

“…”

It was a difficult question.

To keep the girl by her side continuously,

“Would imprisonment work…?”

Physical confinement.

This was surely the most certain method.

A room with iron bars like a prison would be good.

An ordinary room had the risk of escape.

She could take care of all necessary physiological activities.

Wearing heavy handcuffs wouldn’t be bad either.

So the girl couldn’t move.

No, let’s cut her tendons altogether.

That way, even if she escaped by some chance, she could be caught quickly.

Or perhaps putting on a collar?

Anything would suit the girl well.

‘…No. Even that’s not enough.’

Who knows what might happen if her hands and feet are free.

Then we should cut off all her limbs.

Blind her eyes, deafen her ears, mute her mouth.

If we do that, the girl will never separate from Michaela.

Together, always together.

Let’s throw away the girl’s sword anywhere.

The girl won’t need to wield a sword.

Michaela will protect her, completely.

Yes.

This would be good.

This, this─

“As if that would work!”

[As if that would work!]

A simultaneous rebuke ringing in her head and ears.

With a start, Michaela came back to her senses.

“…Is that the wrong answer?”

“As if that could be the right answer!”

Ha-yul felt chills for a moment.

Michaela’s eyes had been serious.

“You need to capture her heart, her heart!”

“If the body is close, wouldn’t the heart naturally follow?”

“…What you just said is a crime!”

If Ha-yul hadn’t suggested the consultation, Michaela would surely have put that into action, and more.

“If I do it that way, will I be hated?”

“…I don’t want that.”

Ha-yul emphasized.

“Physical distance is one thing, but what’s most important is the distance of the heart.”

“…Distance of the heart.”

“It’s almost summer, right? Try going out together once.”

“Going out…”

“The best place would be a swimming pool, I guess? Though getting tickets might not be easy.”

Spending money wasn’t difficult.

Michaela had veeeeeeery much money, after all.

“Escort her strongly, and appeal yourself!”

Michaela was an attractive girl.

Having seen her for a year, Ha-yul could guarantee it.

“I’ll cheer for you.”

“…Thank you for the advice.”

Regaining some confidence, Michaela left the student council room with a refreshed expression.

“Anyway, they’re both so dense.”

Left alone, Ha-yul muttered.

“…Can’t they just be happy quickly?”

She really thought she was going to die from frustration.