Chapter 93 – A Sensitive Day

Silence descended upon the room.

The only sound was the cheerful chirping of birds outside the window, a stark contrast to the tension within.

I lowered my gaze again to the papers scattered on the floor.

I picked one up, carefully examining its contents.

[The Secrets of House Eustetia.]

This was far more detailed than the journal entries I’d read in the restricted archives—the ones documenting Arisa’s return to the Empire.

Where those entries had been filled with personal conjecture, these papers presented everything as undeniable fact.

And on the very last page…

A single sentence stood out.

[The current Duke of Eustetia does not possess the blood of the Hero, Arisa Eustetia.]

…What the hell is going on?

Why is this in Stella’s room?

Did she read it?

She must have, if she hid it.

When did she read it?

Last year? Earlier this year?

It’s currently Imperial Year 956.

According to the information Silina gave me, the meeting between the branch family and the black magician occurred two years ago.

So, did Stella also find out back then?

Is that why she knew about me at the beginning of the semester?

Then what was her reason for calling me here?

Blackmail? Me? Why now, of all times?

The timing is incredibly suspicious.

I’m already investigating this very issue, and now I stumble upon this in Stella’s room?

Was she acting on someone’s orders?

I lifted my head, my gaze locking onto Stella’s.

I had no idea what expression I was wearing.

But the instant our eyes met, Stella began trembling uncontrollably.

Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice was thick with emotion.

“…E-Eliaernes.”

“I’m listening. Explain yourself.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re thinking right now… but… f-first, th-this… it’s all a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

A misunderstanding? What exactly does she think I’m misunderstanding?

That this information is false? That I’m not actually the hero’s descendant?

That she wasn’t the one who obtained this information?

That she isn’t in league with the branch family?

That she hasn’t sided with the black magicians?

Should I kill her right here?

Or, if not kill her, at least subdue her and force the truth out of her?

I took a step forward.

The papers in my hand were tossed to the floor.

The mana-infused sheets ripped into countless fragments.

The fragments scattered in the breeze, only to be halted by the wind barrier separating us.

I reached out—crack!

I shattered the barrier.

As it disintegrated, crimson droplets splattered in the air.

Blood flowed from both the inside and outside of my clenched fist.

I opened my palm, letting the blood pool within.

“Hey.”

At my call, Stella looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.

“How much do you know?”

“…What about you?”

Biting her lower lip, Stella furiously scrubbed away her tears and glared.

“I… I… The thing you just found… I read it. I tried piecing things together myself. That’s why I called you here—to tell you my own conclusions.”

“And how am I supposed to believe—”

“Of course you won’t! I wouldn’t believe me either! You found it before I could explain! But… but I was truly worried about you… I… h-hic… I just… I wanted to tell you because I was worried…!”

Her words were a jumbled mess.

I narrowed my eyes, studying her.

Tears streamed from her deep blue eyes.

Fresh bite marks marred her lower lip, and her clenched fists trembled pathetically.

Should I believe her?

Is this the truth?

Am I being overly paranoid?

As Silina said, am I pathologically suspicious?

What was the first resolution I made after reincarnating into this body?

To kill the Demon King?

No.

There was something I decided even before that.

To never trust humans.

It wasn’t solely because of Kaloso’s betrayal.

I’d made that resolution long before.

Not just me—all of us had.

We’d been betrayed by humans countless times.

The war was a catastrophe. Humans were dying by the minute.

And in that desperation, so many had turned to the demons.

Humans deceived, betrayed, murdered, and sold each other out.

Because of them…

Luna was left with indelible scars, her body wracked with permanent pain.

Every night, Arisa was haunted by phantom pains from the tortures she’d endured.

Paulo succumbed to madness.

Kaloso lost an eye.

And I…

I had less than fifteen years left to live.

So, I’d resolved: I would never trust humans again.

And yet…

“…Who gave you this information?”

Why am I hesitating now?

Is it because I’ve become a woman?

Am I starting to think more with my emotions, like a girl my age?

Have I gone soft?

A wave of nausea washed over me.

A disgusting feeling churned in my gut.

It felt like some vile emotion was surfacing, mocking me.

Gritting my teeth, I repeated my question.

“Answer me. Who told you?”

“…Hic… I… I don’t… know…”

“…Hah.”

I’d expected that.

I’d anticipated she wouldn’t know the source of the information.

But at least I’d confirmed something:

The source of the information from [Uranos] and Stella’s source were likely one and the same.

“Fine. Then… when, where, and how did you obtain it? Tell me everything, step by step.”

“…You believe me?”

“Not yet. I’ll listen first, then decide.”

Stella, her eyes red and puffy, glared.

“And if you don’t believe me… what? Are you going to hit me?”

The sheer absurdity of the question made me scoff.

“Stop spouting nonsense and start explaining.”

“…Okay. But first, let’s tend to that hand.”

Stella’s trembling fingers gestured slightly.

A soft, violet glow emanated from her fingertips, enveloping my wounded hand. A cool, soothing sensation spread across my skin.

Not stopping there, the residual mana diffused throughout the room, gathering the scattered blood droplets and sending them out the open window.

She’d truly reached the Fourth Circle—her magic was noticeably more refined.

“It should be fine n—huh? Hey! You!”

Stella, about to speak again, suddenly gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

She was looking at me, but… her gaze had drifted downward.

“…What now?”

I followed her line of sight.

Stomach… legs? Wait—was she looking at my…?

“…Ah, fuck.”

***

“How the hell can you be so dense you didn’t even realize you were bleeding?!”

While Eliaernes was showering, Stella had dashed back to her room to fetch a change of clothes, underwear, and sanitary pads.

“…It just… came on unexpectedly.”

Now that Eliaernes was out of the shower, Stella was using magic to generate warm air, gently drying her hair.

“Unexpectedly? So, is your flow usually heavy?”

“What kind of—how the hell would I know? I’ve never compared it to anyone else or asked.”

Eliaernes pouted, observing her reflection in the mirror.

Stella, watching her, felt a strange sense of unease.

What is it? Something felt off about Eliaernes today.

She’d originally called Eliaernes here to share her thoughts on the information Eliaernes had discovered, to explain her own deductions.

But instead, Eliaernes had arrived with food.

A warm meal of seaweed soup, nutrient-rich rice, and side dishes. Sour and sweet snacks, too.

And while Stella ate, Eliaernes had cleaned her room.

She’d aired it out, dusted the blankets, taken out the trash, and organized everything.

Of course, after Eliaernes had discovered those hidden papers, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. The sheer murderous intent she’d unleashed had been terrifying.

But even that moment had been fleeting.

What had Eliaernes’ expression been like back then?

Stella replayed the memory in her mind.

Betrayal.

The instant Eliaernes had seen that information, her face had contorted with pure betrayal.

Betrayal is an emotion you only feel towards someone you trust.

So, had Eliaernes trusted her?

The realization was both gratifying and unsettling.

The Eliaernes Stella knew wasn’t someone who displayed her emotions so openly.

Yet today, her mood had been unusually soft, her emotions intense and unguarded.

Was it all… because of her period?

Lost in thought, Stella looked at Eliaernes again, studying her reflection.

Her cheeks were flushed, likely from the shower.

Her eyes looked tired, her lips slightly pursed.

Her breathing was shallow, and her delicate collarbone peeked beneath the drying strands of hair.

This was a side of Eliaernes she’d never seen before.

And that wasn’t all.

Eliaernes usually sat with her legs spread wide.

But today, her legs were demurely closed.

Her hands rested gently on her lap, fingers intertwined.

Plain white hair ties adorned her wrists.

Rather than an intimidating noblewoman, she looked like a perfect young lady—no, more than that… a girl.

And now, judging by her subtly pained expression, the cramps were hitting hard.

A small, delicate girl, her face faintly contorted in discomfort.

A sight that instinctively evoked a desire to protect.

Could Eliaernes be the type to become docile when in pain?

Is this… the power of hormones?

Intrigued, Stella decided to test the waters.

She wanted to see how Eliaernes would react if provoked, the way she usually did.

***

“You… what? Bleeding out?! What kind of disgusting phrase is that?! Are you insane?! Can’t you speak like a normal human being for once?!”

Stella stared at me, utterly aghast, before hesitating.

Then, after a brief pause, she spoke again, her voice laced with genuine concern.

“…Are you okay?”

She’d been worried from the beginning.

I was already in a bad state today.

And now, on top of that, I’d learned something devastating.

Logically, I should have been even more distraught than usual.

But none of it was visible.

No outward shock, no trembling.

Just betrayal directed at Stella.

I’d shown no reaction to the revelation about House Eustetia’s secret.

And that…

That made Stella even more anxious.

Just because someone doesn’t express their feelings doesn’t mean they’re alright.

***

“What?”

“…That.”

I wasn’t sure what “that” referred to, but as far as I was concerned, there was nothing wrong with me at the moment.

So, I nodded.

Stella flinched, visibly startled.

Why does she actually look… fine?

Does she truly not care what happens to her family?

Was Eliaernes some kind of heartless monster?

“You’re not… shocked… at all?”

“I already knew.”

“…What?”

“I knew. I saw it in the restricted archives.”

Stella’s eyes widened.

“Wait… the restricted archives? So… so you’re saying that information is real?!”

“Yes. It’s real.”

“Wait, wait—should you even be saying that? I mean, isn’t it forbidden to talk about what you saw in the restricted archives?”

“Both are things I technically shouldn’t be saying.”

“Then why the hell are you saying them?!”

“As long as you keep your mouth shut, there’s no problem. And honestly, what’s the point of keeping it a secret now? Someone else already knows.”

“But I—”

“It’s not just you. Or, at least… I don’t think it is.”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

“I don’t have concrete proof yet. But from my perspective, I’m certain.”

Stella inhaled sharply, her eyes widening as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head.

A moment later, she scowled.

“…No way.”

“Shibria Eustetia.”

The instant I uttered the name, I closely observed Stella’s reflection in the mirror.

Aside from shock, there was no other discernible reaction.

…Was she actually telling the truth about calling me here out of concern?

“Wait—that’s the same person from the training grounds, right? The one who…”

“Yes.”

“Oh, fuck. So, that’s why she’s been acting that way towards you?”

“Presumably.”

I released the tension that had been gripping my body.

Now that the heightened alert was subsiding, my muscles ached as if I were coming down with the flu.

And, I didn’t believe Stella had orchestrated any of this.

“…But, wait. Wouldn’t it have been smarter for her to act nice instead? If she’d treated you well, you wouldn’t have even suspected her, right?”

“Correct.”

I nodded, running my fingers through my hair.

It was almost dry.

Magic was convenient.

If I’d used an artifact instead, it would have taken three times as long. Maybe I should have considered learning magic.

Lost in thought, I reached for the white hair tie on my wrist and fashioned my hair into twin tails.

Then, I turned around, facing Stella directly.

“Now, speak. Tell me everything that happened.”