Confession 5

Something feels strange.

That’s how Michaela has been acting recently.

Her outward appearance isn’t much different from usual.

Snow-white hair and eyes that sparkle like they’ve captured the sea.

Beyond her seemingly cold expressionless face, there’s a kindness that extends help even to a useless person from the slums with black hair.

Perfect in both looks and heart.

Han Seoyeon’s lovely and reliable pillar of support.

She has never shown any flaws, let alone the slightest wavering.

That’s why sometimes her demeanor felt frustrating.

No matter how much she was tempted, she never lost her composure.

She calmly brushed it off as if dealing with a younger sibling or friend.

Han Seoyeon is a beautiful girl.

At least in appearance.

Han Seoyeon prided herself on appealing to all aspects that could make her attractive as a woman.

To only one person.

Yet, there wasn’t even the slightest reaction.

Perhaps it was time to give up.

Unconsciously, she might have had such thoughts.

The clear change was felt about two weeks ago.

After that day when she went to the amusement park with Baek Da-eun for a pre-date reconnaissance.

Michaela would occasionally space out.

As if distracted.

Even during hunts.

A casual suggestion, half-joking and half-comforting, about touching her chest.

Michaela accepted those words that would have been completely ignored under normal circumstances.

She suggested going to the swimming pool first.

She not only picked out a swimsuit but even helped put it on.

Up to this point, one might think it’s a misunderstanding.

There’s a possibility that it’s just like usual, taking care of her like a child.

“It’s not bad to stay like this.”

And now it’s come to this.

Michaela was tightly embracing Han Seoyeon’s body, as if coveting it.

Even the most insensitive person would understand.

This was not the form of ordinary friendship.

It was proactive.

Like summer lovers.

“How about you? Seoyeon.”

“…I like it. Me too.”

Why was it?

This should clearly be a happy occasion.

[Yuri Aura]

[Details: An aura that sexually attracts the same sex. However, intelligence is partially reduced during skinship related to the same sex.]

[Tip: It doesn’t work on same-sex individuals with 100% affection.]

Despite it being an undoubtedly joyous occasion.

Han Seoyeon couldn’t easily smile.

‘….’

There was a possibility.

The anxiety that this progress might not be the result of Han Seoyeon’s own charm, but due to a skill.

Skills are miracles given by constellations.

They are the grace of the absolute being.

A power that doesn’t belong to humans.

It’s an illusion that will disappear when the constellations withdraw from this land.

The idea of making the person she has a crush on fall for her not through her own charm but by relying on something like a hypnosis app was one of the most terrible assumptions Han Seoyeon could think of.

‘…What should I do.’

What made Han Seoyeon anxious was the fact that, considering the plausibility of the situation, the likelihood of this worst-case scenario being reality was extremely high.

‘If all this is because of the Yuri Aura…’

Michaela is strong.

However, being strong doesn’t guarantee immunity to skills that directly interfere with the mind.

The arbitrary assumption that she wouldn’t be affected because she’s a powerhouse with a level over 100 was just Han Seoyeon’s personal opinion.

‘If she finds out about the existence of such a skill…’

The issue wasn’t just about the existence of the skill.

The real problem would be what comes after.

Han Seoyeon possesses a clear mind-interfering skill.

And she was hiding it.

For an extremely personal secret.

‘…Will she hate me? Senior.’

Regardless of the reason, Han Seoyeon had deceived her.

Her most precious person.

Perhaps even those feelings.

Even if she’s hated, it might be unavoidable.

‘I don’t want to be hated.’

There’s no way she’d want to be hated by the person she likes.

If she kept her mouth shut and shamelessly lied, she could maintain the current relationship.

She might even be able to hope for more.

Not as a friend, but as a lover.

However.

‘I don’t want to be hated, but,’

However, Han Seoyeon couldn’t do that.

She didn’t want to deceive her precious person to gain affection.

Han Seoyeon is a munchkin protagonist.

A munchkin protagonist wouldn’t do such a despicable thing.

Han Seoyeon still remained in the sea with Michaela.

She wasn’t really enjoying it much.

“Senior.”

“What is it?”

As the night deepened.

“I have something I absolutely must tell you, senior.”

Han Seoyeon decided to reveal the secret she had been hiding all this time.

The night at Lily Bermuda wasn’t much different from the outside.

Artificial moon and stars decorated the dark sky.

Inside the room, soft lighting illuminated a queen-size bed.

Just one bed.

“…Senior.”

After finishing her shower.

Sitting at a quiet table.

The sea breeze brushed against her cheeks beyond the terrace.

“I’ve been hiding many secrets from you until now.”

“That’s sudden. There’s no need to worry about it. If it’s secrets, I too…”

“Please listen until the end.”

“…”

“Please, listen until the end.”

Rudely, Han Seoyeon interrupted Michaela’s words.

An act she would never do under normal circumstances.

“…I.”

Nevertheless, there were words that needed to be conveyed.

“I deceived you, senior. There’s something I’ve been hiding from you.”

“…”

Michaela didn’t answer.

But her face was indeed different from usual.

“You see, I have the power to view people’s information like in a game.”

What she finally uttered was a story without any sense of reality.

Something unacceptable even in a world where the extraordinary had become ordinary after the Gates appeared.

“It’s a bit different from abilities. This is a power different from abilities.”

Abilities are an individual’s potential.

It’s the blooming of individual potential when it meets the substance called mana.

The status window is different.

It was an entirely separate domain.

“This power has something called skills. They’re not abilities, but they exert power similar to abilities.”

Taking a deep breath.

“…And among the skills I recently acquired, there’s one called Yuri Aura.”

Simultaneously, the status window rings.

[Target: Michaela Ernst von Wittelsbach]

[Applied Effect: Skill ‘Yuri Aura’ is being canceled.]

This was a hidden setting that even Han Seoyeon didn’t know about.

Mind-interfering skills with the name ‘aura’ are canceled when one voluntarily confesses to having the ability.

Lee Yong-hyun from the original story would never have given up this skill, so it never had a chance to appear.

It was fortunate for Han Seoyeon.

“This skill, you know, it’s said to sexually attract the same sex.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, senior.”

She could now.

Even if late, apologize to the original Michaela.

“It might sound like an excuse, but it wasn’t intentional. I arbitrarily assumed. That because you’re strong, you wouldn’t be affected by such skills.”

Whether the apology would be accepted, she didn’t know.

[Cancellation in progress….]

In the worst case, she might be rejected and their friendship might end.

“…Even if I say this, it might still be an excuse. Actually, I might have secretly hoped this skill would affect you. Because I wanted you to find me more attractive.”

After all, she didn’t want to deceive.

“But that doesn’t mean I wanted to lie to you. I didn’t intend to rely on a tool like a skill to charm you.”

Han Seoyeon decided to speak only the truth.

“The time I acquired this skill and the time you started to change are the same.”

“…”

“Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

The time she acquired the Yuri Aura.

The time when Michaela, unlike herself, started spacing out even during hunts.

The time that became the precursor to the present, was the same.

“Those feelings you have for me now.”

She should be prepared.

But actually putting it into words wasn’t easy.

She didn’t want to admit it.

“…Those feelings were all fake, created by the skill.”

Going to the sea first and recommending it.

The fact that it was all a lie.

“I’m sorry, senior.”

Despite not wanting to admit it, she said it out loud.

“I’m truly sorry.”

She’s prepared.

Whatever words she might hear, she won’t mind.

Ding.

[System: Cancellation has failed.]

[Cause Analysis: Michaela Ernst von Wittelsbach’s affection is already 100%.]

Once again, the status window notification rings.

“Uh, well…”

Han Seoyeon was momentarily unable to understand the situation, and couldn’t even remain blank-faced.

“…You built up such an atmosphere, I wondered what kind of confession this would be.”

To Han Seoyeon’s side.

“It was just such nonsense.”

Michaela approaches.

“Sen─”

Han Seoyeon couldn’t continue speaking.

Her lips were blocked by a soft sensation.

“Seoyeon.”

Eyes meeting eyes.

“Seoyeon, Seoyeon. Seoyeon.”

Saying that name over and over as if savoring it.

“I’ve reached my limit of holding back.”

Michaela declared.

“I like you. Seoyeon.”

There was not a shred of doubt.

“It’s not because of skills or abilities.”

It was,

“I like your ebony-like swaying hair. I like your ruby-like shining eyes. Above all, I like your kind heart. I like your kindness that reached out to me.”

It was.

“I love you.”

It was, undoubtedly.

“I’ve fallen for you.”

Its name was confession.