The Cold Rose of the Knight Academy
Seraphina Serion had learned a truth today that was more shocking than anything she had ever known.
First, she had been trapped in a foolishly happy delusion, completely misunderstanding his proposal.
Second, the man she loved was already taken.
Both devastating truths had crashed into her mind at the exact same time.
Her heart, which had been soaring in a state beyond mere happiness—bordering on pure ecstasy—just that morning, plummeted into the abyss in a single instant.
Indeed, ever since she had seen off Rofel and Lilit after their meal, she had remained locked away in her bedchamber.
From within, only the sounds of objects being thrown and shattered, or muffled, stifled sobs, could be heard.
Because Seraphina Serion was someone who normally trained day and night without rest, the servants of the estate could not help but whisper in anxiety at her sudden seclusion.
I saw off Rofel Teufel and Lilit Tistina.
I stared blankly at the figures of the man and woman as they grew smaller in the distance.
And even now, lying in my bed as night has fallen, that image refuses to leave my mind.
The man I once loved more than anyone else, the man who now belonged to another.
He left the estate alongside the woman who had now become the object of my deepest hatred.
Even in their final moments here, the two of them held each other's hands tightly.
That was surely an act born of affection, not mere friendship.
Yes, because they are lovers.
Unlike me, who is nothing but a friend.
They are lovers who are already thinking of their future marriage.
I have to admit it.
He is not mine.
...
But...
My heart feels as if it is boiling over.
I want to run to them this very instant.
Even though I have no idea what I would even do once I reached them.
How long has it been since my emotions raged like this?
Ever since I met Rofel, I had never been swayed by such negative emotions.
I could laugh and talk with him, and I could meet him whenever I wished.
Just thinking of him, just being connected to him, made me grateful, and every day was filled with joy.
But right now, I cannot control the hatred burning inside me.
I hate her.
Lilit Tistina.
I hate her so much.
Our first encounter began with me stealing her love, Marc Visus.
I took away the love and attention of the man she secretly adored.
Shamefully, though it was partly due to my father's orders, I had my eye on Marc at the time, so I did not hesitate to act with malice and cruelty toward her.
Looking back, those actions were so shameful that I wish I could erase them from my life entirely.
But at some point, the tables were turned, and the situation was completely reversed.
The woman named Lilit Tistina stole the love of the man I cherished above all else, Rofel Teufel.
...Perhaps this is my karma, but that realization does nothing to quell my rage.
And.
Most shamefully of all.
The emotions I, Seraphina Serion, feel toward Lilit Tistina are not limited to anger and hatred.
Far greater than those feelings... were jealousy... and envy.
The things Lilit Tistina did to Rofel at the banquet flash before my eyes.
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that no matter how hard I try to forget, they refuse to leave my mind.
The scene of her feeding him by hand, putting food into his mouth as he parted his lips like a cute boy.
The scene of her overlapping her hand with Rofel's at every opportunity, intertwining their fingers.
The scene of her hand caressing his thigh, moving up toward his groin in a gesture that was practically foreplay.
The scene of her resting her hand on his chest, burying her nose in the crook of his neck to inhale his scent, and licking his skin.
And above all else.
The kiss she boldly forced upon Rofel.
Pressing her lips to his so deeply it could be called vulgar, tangling their tongues with a wet, audible squelch.
And she did it right in front of me.
It was so intense that even after they parted, a long, silver thread of saliva stretched between their lips.
There was not a shred of hesitation or clumsiness in Lilit's actions.
It meant she was already well-accustomed to it.
Not just the lewd kisses of lovers, but perhaps even sharing a bed and engaging in all kinds of sexual acts.
Yes, it was bound to be so.
Rofel is a perfect man, whether in appearance or personality.
He whispers sweet, gentle words into one's ear in a sweet voice, almost casually.
And his body, brimming with masculinity from relentless training, resembles a beautiful sculpture.
To have such a man as a lover... If I were in her place, I would surely beg him to share my bed every single night.
Without caring whether it was day or night, as long as there was a bed—no, even a sofa, or just a single blanket spread on the floor—I would throw myself into his broad embrace without hesitation.
Rofel... what would it feel like to sleep with you?
Would you lead the way gently, showing the same consideration you always do?
Or would you show a vulnerable side, hesitating with a cute, endearing reaction?
Or perhaps, contrary to your usual self, would you dominate me, teasing and tormenting me with a rough, commanding touch?
Whichever it was, it would surely bring a profound, unforgettable ecstasy that would last a lifetime.
...
How shameful.
To feel more jealousy and envy toward Lilit than hatred at this very moment.
And to be indulging in delusions about a man who is already taken, someone I can never have.
I could confidently declare to anyone that Rofel and I were close at the academy.
But that closeness was strictly as friends, not as lovers, not as a man and a woman.
I could make excuses to hug him, to feel the warmth of his chest, the rough yet gentle touch of his hands, and the press of his well-toned muscles, but that was the limit.
I had never shared a loving, consensual kiss with him, let alone pressed our bare skin together in passion.
...I want to feel it.
I want to feel it too.
I want to press my lips against Rofel's—the man I love and adore more than anyone else.
I want to slip my tongue inside and exchange our sweet, sticky fluids.
I want to look into eyes glazed with desire as we share our hot, ragged breaths.
I want to caress and fondle his bare skin as I please, watching his reactions.
And finally, I want to take his thickest, most masculine part deep inside my most precious crevice.
I want to hold him with all my might and fully enjoy every inch of his lewd body.
Ah.
How truly pathetic.
Even though it is already over, am I still unable to let go of my lingering attachments?
When I think about it, how many opportunities did I have since I first met him?
I was so happy just spending time with him that I forgot the most important thing.
I was not the only one targeting my beloved Rofel Teufel.
Not only the daughters of other prestigious ducal families, but even the princess had her eyes on him.
If only I had been a little more proactive.
If only I had approached him a little sooner.
Perhaps it would have been me standing by his side, holding his rough yet gentle hand.
I knew that other vixens could snatch him away at any time, anywhere.
But I had grown too arrogant.
I believed that, in the end, Rofel would surely choose me.
That thought was a grave miscalculation.
In the end, I, Seraphina Serion, lost Rofel Teufel—a man of irreplaceable charm—to another woman.
Hatred. Sorrow. Jealousy. Shame. Regret.
A torrent of emotions binds me tight, far too late.
The chaotic tangle of feelings in my head makes me feel physically sick.
I knew I was infatuated with Rofel, but I never imagined it was to this extent.
...