Chapter 71
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: The Only Person My Body Allows Is Mom
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Roselia Rahel Tani.
She possessed the typical beauty of a villainess, matching her sharp looks with an equally resolute temperament.
Once she made a decision, she wouldn't change it even if the heavens collapsed—a true owner of unyielding stubbornness. Yet Roselia had rarely bent her will a few times.
It was precisely when I begged her persistently. It didn't always work, but if I persuaded her with genuine earnestness, she would occasionally reconsider her stance.
Just like right now.
"…But there are conditions."
A slightly softened gaze. Uncrossed arms. With a short sigh, Roselia finally yielded her stubbornness.
"Tell me."
I didn't hesitate. Now that she'd shown some leeway, I had to secure permission to enroll in the academy somehow.
"First, your curfew will be reduced to eleven at night."
Eleven o'clock. A pretty harsh condition. Assuming academy classes ended around evening, there wouldn't be much time left to mingle with others.
But since I was already keeping a midnight curfew, it wouldn't make much real difference. I nodded quietly.
"Second, if I see even a hint of promiscuity, I'll make you drop out immediately."
The second condition felt a bit absurd. Did she really find me that unreliable?
I thought I'd shown quite a mature side by now. Yet Roselia still seemed to view me as a child.
"No need to worry."
Promiscuity. That word was miles away from me.
"And the last one."
Roselia's eyes flashed red. I could tell instantly this was the most important condition.
"Enroll together with Camilla."
I blinked vacantly, my mind chasing after the questions swirling through it.
"…Pardon?"
"Enroll with Camilla and stick together without ever separating. That's the final condition."
"But Camilla's only thirteen now."
The academy's youngest enrollment age was fifteen.
That meant for the next two years, forget enrolling—I'd have to twiddle my thumbs waiting for Camilla to grow up. My grand plan to enter ahead of the protagonist and lay the groundwork went flying out the window in an instant.
"Two years from now will be too late. Most people enroll by sixteen at the latest."
"Don't worry. I'll handle Camilla's enrollment."
"Handle it?"
"You'll enroll next year at the same age as her."
Even next year, Camilla would still be underage. Yet there wasn't a trace of joking in Roselia's voice. It seemed she really intended to pull whatever strings necessary to get Camilla in.
Considering Roselia's abilities, it wasn't impossible. But I couldn't understand why she was going to such lengths to make us enroll together.
"How could I send you out alone? At least with Camilla by your side, I can feel at ease."
It was an answer to my question. And that single sentence was enough to sour my mood instantly.
"What's that supposed to mean about me? And if anyone's worth worrying about, it's Camilla. You know how much trouble she causes."
Her tone made it sound like Camilla was somehow more sensible than me. That one remark scraped at my pride, and I scowled. I'd heard I was mature plenty of times back when I was little.
"Bella, you're the more sensible one, that's true."
"Then why…"
"But you're too careless. When it's for something you want, you treat your own sacrifices like they're a given."
Hm. I couldn't argue with that.
There was that time I slammed my head into a wall while testing a circuit diagram, or when I tried to face a troll alone, and all the other minor mishaps over the past five years.
"…I've grown up now. I can think things through calmly these days."
"Grown up…"
Mother let out a short sigh and approached me.
While I hesitated, she suddenly gripped my shoulders with her hands.
My body flinched reflexively. Then Mother began slowly groping over my body, starting from my shoulders.
"Mom…!"
I couldn't take it anymore.
A wave of rejection surged up, and I shook off Roselia's hands before stumbling backward. My face burned red, and my eyes trembled.
"You know you shouldn't touch me like that…"
"Look at this. How could I send a child who trembles at the slightest touch off to the empire alone?"
"Just don't touch me then."
"What if someone grabs you against your will?"
"That won't happen."
"You don't know that."
It's not like they'd be criminals, and who at the sacred academy would rudely grab someone who said no?
From my perspective, Roselia's worries felt like overprotection itself.
"One year from now, enroll with Camilla."
She'd already compromised once. Pushing further wouldn't improve things.
I decided to take solace in the fact that I could enroll in the academy at all.
"…Okay."
Only then did Roselia smile at my quiet response.
"Good girl."
With those words, her hand reached my head.
It was still the touch of someone treating me like a child, but I'd grown used to it, so I didn't feel uncomfortable.
"……Mom."
"Hm?"
"Don't touch me like that next time."
Lately, I'd been letting a lot of things slide lightly, but my aversion to women's touch was no joke.
In my past life, this trauma had made me faint right in the middle of the street once. It was that dangerous.
"Sorry, my daughter. I'll be more careful from now on."
Roselia's gaze softened. I worried if my words had hurt her feelings unnecessarily.
"…But this much is okay because it's you, Mom."
"Hm?"
Mother tilted her head at my quiet mutter. Avoiding her eyes, I grumbled toward the wall.
"Because it's you, Mom—my body accepts it. You're probably the only person my body allows…"
Ah, Camilla too. But she didn't count since she wasn't a woman.
"…"
For some reason, Mother fell silent for a long while.
"…Mom?"
I glanced at her. The eyes that always glowed red looked unusually hardened today.
"If it's not together with Camilla, I won't permit your enrollment in the academy. Remember that."
She looked suddenly angry.
Why on earth?
I couldn't make sense of Roselia's furrowed expression at all.
"Academy?"
Camilla tilted her head. Her eyes were still vacant, but a faint flicker of curiosity showed within them.
It was understandable to be bewildered. I'd suddenly brought up going to the academy together, after all.
But there was no choice. Mother wouldn't allow my enrollment without Camilla, so I had to take her along somehow.
"What's with the academy all of a sudden?"
"Enrolling in the academy has always been my dream."
I looked straight at Camilla and spoke clearly. Perhaps caught off guard, her amethyst eyes widened round.
"No matter what, I'm definitely going in."
It wouldn't be easy.
Camilla had a gloomy, introverted personality. She wouldn't like the academy, a place brimming with sociable, lively young people laughing and chatting.
Moreover, as a child who adored Roselia more than anyone, leaving this familiar mansion would hardly be welcome news for her.
But it was fine.
I could make it happen. After all, I'd lived together with this gloomy, willful brat for a full seven years.
It wouldn't be simple by any means, but no one knew better than me how to persuade her.
First came praise.
They say praise makes even whales dance. Even that stoic, doll-like emotionless face of hers would occasionally soften a bit in the face of compliments.
I'd draw her interest by saying she could become a fine talent at the academy—naturally guiding her toward taking an interest in it.
Then I'd explain the benefits she'd gain there: rare magic books and high-grade materials, plus experimental environments where she could test her abilities to her heart's content. For a natural-born mage like Camilla, it would surely be tempting.
I took a deep breath. With firm resolve, I took a step closer to her.
"Surely, once you enter the academy, you'll be quite—"
"Take me with you."
"…Huh?"
My body froze solid. For a moment, I thought I'd misheard and stared blankly at Camilla.
"The academy. Take me too."
"Huh? Uh, yeah… let's go together then."
I was stunned, but I nodded quickly. I wasn't dull enough to miss a gift from the heavens.
This clingy homebody volunteering to step outside?
Would the sun rise in the west tomorrow?