Please Stay This Way
“I just happened to decide to believe your excuse. There's no other reason.”
Swish—
A late spring breeze blew in just in time, gently tousling Esilla's red hair.
Through the swaying strands, her flushed skin shone bright red.
From the nape of her neck to the tips of her ears, the rosy tint was vividly clear, impossible to hide.
What's this? She was embarrassed too.
She still couldn't lie to save her life.
But that clumsy lie didn't grate on me. If anything, knowing this stickler for rules had bent them for my sake brought a wave of relief.
It might mean I'd squeezed just a tiny bit into her standards for “good people.”
Her suspicions about me would probably start fading soon enough.
“Yeah. Pure coincidence.”
I let out a smirk and stamped my feet on the dirt path.
“Thanks. I owe my life to your little coincidence.”
“No need for thanks.”
Esilla replied, eyes still fixed straight ahead.
But her voice had softened considerably from before.
Unlike moments ago, she walked right beside me now, matching my stride with natural care—slowing her pace to fit mine.
I stole a glance at her profile.
Her sharp nose and firmly pressed lips looked the same as always.
But her eyes, catching the occasional sunlight, seemed just a touch gentler.
The quiet path through the woods.
Behind the old academy building, few students came this way, so it was just us.
Only the crunch of gravel underfoot echoed softly.
Rustle—
The wind blew again.
This time, it lingered longer, sweeping through the forest trail.
Sunlight poured through the trees like shattered gold dust, raining down on me and Esilla.
“Milady.”
Esilla suddenly stopped and called my name.
“What?”
“Pardon the intrusion.”
With that, she stepped closer.
My heart dropped at the sudden approach.
Close enough our noses could touch.
Her scent—soapy freshness mixed with something uniquely her—hit me all at once.
I instinctively shrank back.
What's going on? Why's she doing this?
Checking my restraint collar? Or grilling me about the black magic?
A flurry of thoughts raced through my head in that split second.
I half-raised my hand to block her approaching one, but—
“Stay still.”
Low, firm—a command that brooked no argument.
Her voice froze me in place, arm hovering awkwardly.
Smooth—
Her hand glided past my face toward my hair.
“...?”
While I stood there stunned, her hand came down into my view.
Tucked between her index and middle finger was a small, white petal.
A nameless flower petal carried by the spring breeze—must've fluttered down from the trees and landed in my hair during the gust.
“It was on your head.”
Esilla said flatly.
She flicked the petal from her fingers.
It spun lazily on the wind before vanishing into the grass.
“Oh. Thanks.”
I scratched the back of my head, sheepish.
Overreacting all by myself left my face burning.
“Jeez, you scared me.”
Her green eyes turned to me at my grumble.
“Did I startle you?”
I caught the faintest curve at the corner of her eye.
Did she just smile?
She was always stone-faced through thick and thin.
Yet here she was, faintly amused by my flustered reaction.
“Yeah, when you swoop in like that outta nowhere. Thought my heart was gonna drop out.”
I snapped back sharply to hide my embarrassment.
“I'll warn you next time.”
“Nah, no need to go that far.”
Truth be told, she could've just told me, and I'd have gotten it myself.
We started walking side by side again.
The space between us had shrunk by about a handspan from before.
Esilla, who'd brushed the petal off, hadn't stepped away—and neither had I.
Her uniform sleeve grazed my shirt hem with every step.
The subtle friction tickled my nerves, but I didn't pull away.
That would've just screamed I was hyper-aware of it.
“Esilla.”
“Yes?”
“About that coincidence earlier... that's really okay, right?”
I was asking if brushing it off as coincidence was fine—no issues.
I glanced at her expression.
Esilla paused, then gave a small nod.
“Let's call it that.”
“'Let's call it'? What kinda answer is that?”
“Wouldn't it be easier on you that way, milady?”
Her voice carried genuine consideration.
Like she was preemptively sparing me any guilt or burden.
She'd broken the rules, so I could just enjoy the “coincidence.”
Esilla showing this much flexibility for me...
I couldn't help the grin spreading across my face.
At this favorability level, she'd probably join my Demon King raid party soon.
“Good to know. Hearing you say that actually puts my mind at ease.”
Her gaze turned to my laughing reply.
“Milady.”
“Yeah? What?”
“You've... changed so much.”
Esilla's abrupt words made me freeze.
Changed?
Well, yeah—the soul inside was different now.
But her sudden serious tone threw me off; I had no clue how to respond.
“Changed how? What're you talking about?”
I played dumb and looked away.
But Esilla kept staring, unrelenting.
“The old Lady Bellaph wasn't like this.”
Her calm voice filled the forest path.
“Arrogant, cruel, with no hesitation in trampling others.”
That matched the original game's description of Bellaph to a T.
“She didn't just lack effort to hurt others—she couldn't even imagine sacrificing for someone or getting dirty to help.”
Spot on.
All things the original Bellaph would never do.
“I despised that version of you.”
Esilla said it outright, no sugarcoating.
“Using your position as His Highness's fiancée as a shield for your tyranny... I wanted to cut you down myself more than once.”
Her blunt confession sent a chill down my spine.
The sword at her waist gleamed colder than ever.
“But.”
Esilla stopped walking.
I halted too, facing her.
Her green eyes swirled with confusion, doubt, and emotions too complex to name.
“The you now... feels like a completely different person.”
“...”
She took a step closer.
“To be honest, this you confuses me. My head tells me it might be another scheme...”
She bit her lower lip slightly.
“But my heart keeps saying to drop the suspicion.”
Silence fell.
Her wavering gaze waited for my answer.
A clear explanation to quiet her turmoil.
But I only had one thing to say.
“People change after brushing death. You never know with folks.”
Esilla fell quiet at my flippant reply.
She stared hard, searching my shallow excuse for the truth beneath.
Then, as if resigned—or resolved—her eyes steadied.
“In that case.”
Her green gaze held me fully, unwavering.
“Stay in that strange state.”
“Huh?”
“Never go back to that arrogant, cruel self. Stay like this... forever strange.”
It was less a command, more an awkward plea.
Her earnest eyes made my chest itch oddly.
The mood was too heavy.
Ah, serious heart-to-hearts really aren't my thing.
I cleared my throat and glanced away.
“Y'know, I'm getting kinda hungry.”
“...Pardon?”
Esilla blinked, dumbfounded by the non sequitur.
“Walking this much works up an appetite. You okay?”
I dodged and quickened my pace toward the dorms.
Hoping she'd catch the unspoken agreement.
Esilla stood there a beat, looking exasperated, then sighed softly.
Her footsteps followed once more.
“Hurry up. Let's grab some food.”
“Yes, milady. Coming.”
Her reply tickled my back, soft as the midday sun.