Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Jealousy
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Recently, Emily had been preoccupied with Ken.
Actually, it wasn't just recently—it had been every single day ever since she fell for him.
But these past few days, it had been especially bad.
The reason was...
"Your hair's a bit messy today."
"Huh? Oh, is it?"
"It's completely different from usual. Let me fix it for you."
"Hmm, I have no idea."
Emily clenched her fists at the sight of Mary running her hands through Ken's hair.
'It's just petting him.'
It wasn't even proper grooming—she wasn't using a comb, just fussing with his hair using both hands.
What the heck is with that look on her face?
And Ken was blushing shyly, unlike his usual self.
Are you supposed to be some schoolgirl with her first crush or something?
She desperately wanted to rush over and shout it out.
But...
'I don't have the right to say that to her...'
Emily knew exactly where she stood. She knew what she'd done to Ken.
Even if one day she'd suddenly snapped out of it, regretted her actions, and felt overwhelming guilt...
She still hadn't apologized to him for any of it.
'...So why did my feelings change so suddenly?'
Just a little while ago, she'd been foolishly denying her own emotions while treating Ken terribly.
But on the day he returned to the academy after taking time off, thoughts of him had flooded her mind from the morning onward.
Memories of tormenting him had started tormenting her in return.
As she dwelled on this sudden shift in her heart...
A strange sensation crept over her.
'Why... is this happening?'
It felt like a faint dizziness.
And then a voice-like hallucination rang in her ears.
Snip.
Her skin crawled at the sound of scissors clashing, as if from somewhere nearby.
"Emily, are you okay?"
Shivering from the eerie feeling, she heard a familiar voice beside her.
Turning her head, she saw Mary standing there, looking at her.
"...What's up?"
"I came to talk to you on the way back. Because we're friends."
'......Friends.'
Ever since their conversation in the library, she'd grown closer to Mary.
Emily had thought it was just her own feeling, that Mary probably didn't see it the same way.
Friends.
Hearing her say it like that made her happy.
After all, they'd always been glaring at each other before.
"I wanted to chat for a bit, but you don't look well."
"No... I'm fine. I just got dizzy all of a sudden."
"Dizzy?"
She gave a vague answer to reassure the concerned Mary, but Mary seemed fixated on the dizziness part.
"By any chance, do you hear hallucinations or see illusions along with it? Like memories that weren't there before popping up."
"Huh?"
Emily couldn't help but be startled by Mary's description.
It matched her symptoms exactly.
"How did you know?"
"...Actually, I've been experiencing the same thing lately. Whenever it feels like I've gone through something similar, the dizziness hits."
"Me too... I've been getting it a lot recently."
Why were these symptoms happening? Was it an illness? Or maybe a curse from someone?
"Still, don't worry too much. It's weird, but your body's not actually sick or anything."
"Yeah..."
It was true—there was nothing physically wrong with her.
Just fragments of alien memories and the strange loneliness they brought.
That feeling nagged at her intensely.
'I shouldn't overthink it.'
But as Mary said, it wasn't something to fret over greatly.
More importantly, there was something else she was curious about right now.
"By the way, Mary... haven't you been getting awfully close to Ken lately?"
"......"
Mary blushed silently at Emily's question, averting her eyes just a little.
'So something did happen.'
Anxiety bloomed in her heart.
The fear that things had changed between Mary and Ken.
"Actually, that's part of what I wanted to talk about."
Mary cautiously broached the subject, glancing around before leaning in to whisper in Emily's ear.
"What?! You...!!"
"Shh, be quiet! Your voice is too loud, Emily!"
Everyone in the class turned to stare at Emily and Mary from the sudden outburst.
Mary hurriedly covered Emily's mouth, then subtly glanced toward the window.
Ken was there.
He was looking their way, as if wondering what was going on.
"You... confessed...?"
Mindful of Mary's warning, Emily lowered her voice so only they could hear.
At her question, Mary blushed and gave a slight nod.
With the answer confirmed, Emily felt the blood drain from her head.
A dizziness far worse than before.
'She confessed... so then...'
A sweet, pretty girl like Mary had confessed first. If Emily were a guy, she'd have no reason to turn her down.
Which meant the obvious outcome was...
"Ah, but it was just the confession—nothing's changed."
Mary's correction derailed her assumption.
"...Huh?"
Emily snapped back to reality at the unexpected words.
"Why? You confessed. He must've heard it properly... So why?"
Relief that nothing had changed between them was overshadowed by confusion.
She couldn't understand rejecting Mary's confession.
"A bit of greed on my part. I want him to fall head over heels for me and confess first."
Mary explained with a gentle smile.
"Anyway, nothing's changed yet. So don't give up, Emily—keep at it."
"Wh-what are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Emily had been inwardly relieved since realizing Ken and Mary weren't together, but now she averted her eyes, feeling pierced right in the heart.
Mary didn't miss her reaction and gave her a kind smile.
"I'm rooting for you."
Emily glanced at her warily under the warmth of that smile.
"......Why? ...You confessed to him... I'd just be a homewrecker."
"Not a homewrecker—a friend, Emily."
Emily stared blankly at Mary, who gazed at her warmly and spoke so kindly.
Mary clenched her fist tightly.
"I like Ken just as much as you do, so I get how you feel. That's why I can cheer you on."
"Mary..."
It was touching.
If it were her, she'd see her rival as an enemy and try to sabotage her.
Was Mary just that confident?
Or was she genuinely supportive because she empathized, as she said?
"Mary... you're so cool, I might fall for you."
"You've already fallen for someone else, you flirt."
Truly moved, Emily grasped Mary's hand, and Mary laughed as if she found it amusing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Ken Fine...stein...!'
While Mary and Emily were bonding in friendship, gazing at each other tenderly...
Enzo Lotrix, sitting right behind Emily, clenched his fists and ground his teeth in rage.
He'd overheard their conversation from behind.
Even enhancing his hearing with mana to do so.
'That pig was treated like air just a little while ago...!'
He had his eye on Emily.
Her bright, cheerful demeanor with everyone.
Her kindness that made it impossible to refuse when she asked for help with a troubled look.
And she was one of the most beautiful girls in their year.
'She suddenly changes her look, and now that bastard's the center of the class...!'
Above all, Enzo craved attention.
Before Ken changed his appearance, Enzo had monopolized the girls' interest with his carefully groomed looks.
When he smiled, some girls would swoon, others would develop crushes.
Enzo had reveled in that attention—until Ken showed up and ruined the vibe.
Especially Emily.
No matter how much he flirted, she never gave him the time of day.
But after Ken returned, she kept staring at him openly.
Sometimes their eyes would meet, and she'd blush and look away.
When he wasn't around, she'd sigh wistfully.
Enzo had watched it all from behind.
'I can't forgive it... Ken...'
To Enzo, Ken was an intruder.
Nothing but a nuisance ruining his fun academy life.
He'd even considered using force to put him in his place once.
Ken was just a weakling who always got bullied.
But...
'You know what? Rumor has it Ken beat Rapne in a duel.'
'Rapne? That's impressive...! Doesn't that make Ken the strongest in the year?'
'I heard he and someone else cleared an undefeated dungeon in another region while he was on break.'
'Yeah? I heard he worked as a blacksmith for crafting practice. The gear he made is super famous.'
Unlike his thirst for attention, Enzo was cowardly and small-minded.
Even if it was just a rumor, beating Rapne meant he couldn't win.
Sure, the rumors might be false, but he didn't want to challenge him publicly and risk humiliation.
So he'd prepared another method.
'...I'll make you go through something embarrassing. ...That'll end your popularity.'
Enzo rolled a certain stone in his hand.
A pebble pulsing with an eerie red glow.
It was an item he'd bought from a notorious dark shop in the city's back alleys that sold only bizarre goods.
"Heh heh, heh heh heh..."
Imagining Ken's humiliating downfall, Enzo let out a sinister chuckle.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...What the—it's blinding."
The next day after falling asleep in the dorm, I covered my eyes with my arm against the brighter-than-usual light.
─────Whoosh.
And a cool breeze blowing in.
Splash, splash.
Some suspicious, unidentified sound.
'...Did I leave the window open?'
I figured the light hitting my eyes was sunlight coming through the window.
The breeze from that same window.
And the weird sound... I didn't know what it was, but probably the window too.
Still groggy, I rolled over to escape the sunlight.
Then...
Splash.
"Gahhh...!! C-cold!!"
I jolted upright at the feel of cold water hitting my arm.
Sand poured off my body, and the ground under my feet felt nothing like the dorm floor.
Above all, the scenery before me.
"......What the hell is this now."
In the distance, water traced a line at the horizon's edge.
The thing called the horizon.
A clear blue sky.
Soft sand.
Cool seawater.
The place where I'd opened my eyes was some island.