Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: In the Bathroom with My Little Sister
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Alensia couldn't stop worrying about the sky-haired girl whose expression had been pale and sunken throughout the entire lecture.
Her face had always been fair and pale to begin with, but today it seemed like something bad had happened—her gaze was even sharply downturned. Unable to shake off her concern for the girl's complexion, Alensia followed after her into the hallway once the lecture ended.
She had vowed not to approach her first until she surpassed her in every way, but her kind heart couldn't ignore the girl's troubled face.
And so, Alensia ended up chasing after Bella.
"Bella!"
Did her voice not reach? Or was she ignoring it even though she heard?
The sky-haired girl just kept walking indifferently on her path. As always, she didn't spare Alensia a single glance.
"……"
Staring at her receding back, Alensia clenched her fist and set off after her again.
My mind was a mess in all sorts of ways.
Nujes. The Demon King who covered half the world in disease 200 years ago.
According to the headmaster, the power he possessed was the ability to create life. Even if it was just a single fly, it was a divine power no being should ever wield.
So how should I interpret my own power that can make flowers bloom?
If my knowledge is correct, flowers are living things too. Does that mean I'm the same type of being as Demon King Nujes, with the power to create life?
The power I'd always thought was nothing special was apparently a heterodox, heretical ability not recorded anywhere in this world.
That alone wasn't a huge problem.
But the erosion worried me.
The side effect where stronger powers erode the user's mind. If my power was as overwhelmingly potent as the headmaster described—unique in the world—then surely it came with corresponding erosion.
But up to now, there hadn't been any noticeable side effects. There was a time when headaches were frequent, but nothing since then.
I'd bloomed hundreds of mana herbs alone. If there were no issues, maybe it was fine?
Or perhaps...
What if the erosion had only just begun?
What if it had been quietly building up inside me without me knowing?
"Big Sis?"
A familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts. Composing myself and looking up, I saw Camilla standing in front of me.
"You don't look well."
I didn't think my distress showed that much on my face, but somehow she always noticed.
Camilla's brows furrowed slightly. She took a step closer to me.
"No, I'm fine."
I waved my hand dismissively to say it was nothing. But Camilla didn't stop. Soon, her arms wrapped around my head, pulling me firmly into her embrace.
"…Camilla?"
"It's okay, Big Sis. I'm here."
Suddenly enveloped in her arms. Camilla patted my back, offering inexplicable comfort.
It was pretty out of the blue. Maybe that's why—the tangled thoughts about my power gradually faded away.
'…Let's not worry about it.'
I took a deep breath, buried in her embrace.
It was too early to judge. There were far too many premature factors to jump to conclusions.
I couldn't assume Nujes had the same type of power as me. What he created was clearly a living, moving creature—a fly. The flowers from my power were slightly different in nature.
Besides, Nujes's ability wasn't empirically proven; it was just a vague story from ancient records.
Above all, it didn't matter if my power created life or was divine. I'm different from Nujes.
I had no intention of massacring people like he did. Unlike that half-mad monster, I'm a rational person.
Maybe I should even be glad to possess a unique power unlike any in this world.
"Feeling better?"
At Camilla's voice, I nodded quietly.
"…Yeah, thanks."
Before I knew it, I'd leaned into her. Camilla silently held me a little more gently.
"You can let go now."
"Someone's following you, Big Sis."
Camilla's low, rumbling voice. I lifted my head from her arms and followed her gaze. There stood the protagonist, watching us in an awkward, flustered stance.
As our eyes met, she scratched her head sheepishly and smiled.
"I followed because you looked upset… but you seem fine now. Yeah."
Without giving me a chance to reply, she turned and walked back the way she'd come. I watched her retreating figure with a strange feeling.
"Another fly buzzing around..."
A quiet murmur slipped into my ear. Camilla's hollow eyes were fixed in that direction.
"Camilla?"
Her violet eyes slowly turned to me.
"Doesn't your butt hurt anymore?"
Memories of last night flashed back, heating one side of my face. Embarrassed, I stepped back from her and mumbled softly.
"…It's fine now."
"Then let's do it now."
Camilla pressed a finger to her lips. My body trembled slightly as I instantly grasped her meaning.
"Now…?"
"We still have break time."
About 20 minutes until the next class. Plenty of time, as Camilla said.
"Can't we do it at home? Not here at the academy…"
"Doing it now is what you'd hate more."
Her snide remark instantly vaporized any gratitude I'd felt.
Truly an accursed little sister.
[No, they assigned homework from the very first lecture? I think I picked the wrong class.]
[Phew, glad I didn't choose history.]
A somewhat secretive chatter echoed in the academy's girls' restroom. Laughter from two female cadets drifted from beyond the stall, in front of the sinks.
And inside that. Trapped in the narrow space meant for bodily functions, I was stuck with Camilla.
"Do we have to do it here?"
"We can't do it out there."
"But it'll make noise…!"
"Not ass-farting. Something else."
Our whispers were as tiny as the conversation. My head throbbed at Camilla's stubborn tone. But a promise was a promise. I squeezed my eyes shut.
"…Make it quick."
Sitting on the toilet, I lifted the hem of my shirt to expose my navel.
Camilla knelt on the floor, approaching slowly with shining eyes. Her hot breath, trembling slightly, tickled my stomach as it brushed past.
Soon, Camilla's lips parted.
*Nom.*
Like a playful puppy nipping a toy, she gently bit the soft flesh just below my navel between her lips.
"Eek…"
My body jerked involuntarily at the light but sudden pain. I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound escaping.
Unlike my anxious fear of being caught, Camilla moved slowly. As if savoring it, she nibbled, tugged, and slowly released the flesh on my stomach with her small, delicate teeth.
With each repetition, faint pain accompanied red tooth marks imprinting below my navel.
"You're such a… pervert."
Even my fierce inner condemnation didn't stop her. She just kept playfully biting my belly fat.
But thinking about it, this was better off. It ended with mild pain, unlike ass-farting's inexplicable discomfort.
"Hey, we have to get to class."
My final warning worked; Camilla finally released my stomach.
Then she suddenly stood, climbing over me. Her face inches from my nose, her breath so close. A faint lavender scent tickled my nostrils.
Camilla slowly stroked the back of my head, gazing at me silently with her faded eyes. That gaze, unclear where it focused, made me hold my breath for a moment.
"Sorry, Big Sis."
"…Huh? For what?"
"For being a bothersome little sister."
Her unexpected apology left me blinking blankly. I never imagined such words from Camilla.
I wondered if it was a joke, but her eyes remained lowly sunken. The unnecessarily serious expression amused me, and a chuckle escaped before I knew it.
"Sisters are supposed to be annoying and a pain. No need to apologize."
"Still, sorry."
Her short apology oddly made me feel like I should apologize too.
"…Sorry for saying I was fine, then coming back looking like that."
Camilla's lips curved faintly. Still too flat to call a smile.
"It's fine. As long as you're not hurt."
"…Yeah."
Camilla leaned in even closer to my face.
"We're good now, right?"
Her leading words. Realizing the intent, I let out a small sigh and closed my eyes.
Soon, her warm breath slipped between my lips.
*Smack.*
Something soft gently pressed onto my lips, leaving a small, quiet sound. Camilla's all-too-familiar lips.
Her face pulled back moments later. I stared at her with cooled eyes. Camilla met my gaze without flinching, shrugging lightly.
"It's what Mother told us to do."
"…That was years ago."
Roselia's old saying: Seal reconciliations with a peck. Meant for when we were kids.
But Camilla still followed it to the letter.
Not a child anymore.
Camilla was truly a hopeless mama's girl.
Thinking it over again, it really wasn't a big deal.
Whether my power was this or that. I was confident I wouldn't change no matter what.
The erosion from the power didn't worry me much either. I had no plans to command armies like Nujes, and blooming one flower a day wouldn't have a big impact.
'I just need to do my job well.'
Maintain dignity and propriety. Be diligent and hardworking.
Silently build my reputation through effort. Renewing that resolve, I headed to my next class.
"Hey, hold up. Talk to me."
Then a shrill voice called from behind. Fiery red hair and eyes like flames. An impression that stood out anywhere.
The fire-haired girl blocked my path.
"…What?"
She glanced around and lowered her voice.
"It's about Alensia."
The protagonist's name sharpened my attention.
"Why her?"
"She thinks you hate her."
Huh?
Me?
"So she's conscious of you, I guess."
…Of me?
It was confusing.
If the fire-haired girl's words were true, the only thing that came to mind was our practical sparring match.
I had won easily then. Could that have made her aware of me? But it felt like a stretch for plausibility.
There were plenty stronger than me at this academy. Even without looking at the professors, the instructors alone overflowed with powerhouses.
Come to think of it, she'd avoided me during that earlier power class too. Was that why?
"She was dead set on beating you. But her eyes were too intense, so I didn't wanna bring it up."
Her words muddled my mind. It seemed I'd unintentionally fostered hostility in the protagonist who'd wanted to be allies.
There was clearly some misunderstanding. From my future perspective of standing on the same side, it was quite the predicament.
I should go talk to the protagonist and clear it up—
"It was like she saw you as her rival."
I flinched.
My body trembled slightly.
Her words echoed in my head.
'…Rival?'
Rival.
For some reason, those three letters made my heart throb.
My ears perked up.