Chapter 51: Enjoying the Show
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: Enjoying the Show
"Calm down. I'm not that senior sister from before. I won't hurt you," I said immediately to soothe her. After all, I didn't want her to lump me in with that perverted senior sister.
I wasn't that kind of person; I was just an amusement seeker.
"I don't believe you! I won't believe you! No one in this Witch Academy is a good person!"
Despite her words, my reassurance seemed to offer a sliver of comfort. At the very least, she knew I wasn't the one who had just put her through that ordeal. Even her tone wasn't as furious as before, though it was still thick with wariness.
"Don't say that. I'm a freshman too, I just enrolled a couple of days ago. Don't be afraid. I'm just like you; I won't hurt you."
I continued to speak as I tentatively stepped toward her. Seeing that she wasn't so mentally fragile that she’d snap over something minor, I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she still possessed some modicum of reason.
"You... you're also... a freshman?"
After hearing my explanation, she quieted down, though she still looked at me with a gaze full of suspicion, as if I were some kind of predatory beast.
"Yes, of course."
"Then... you're also..."
"Also what?" My tone carried a hint of amusement and curiosity. Watching her struggle to meet my eyes was honestly too much fun!
"No... it's nothing." She decisively dropped the question.
"Since it's nothing, then can I ask..." I leaned down, looking at her disheveled state as I pressed further. I knew exactly what she wanted to ask, and I wasn't about to let such a good opportunity slip by.
"Ask what?" She looked at me guardedly, the sense of unease written plainly across her face.
That anxiety, that fear, all mixed with her current shameful appearance... even though she was clinging to her convictions, the gap between her words and her situation was such a rush!
"You're... a boy, aren't you?"
I enunciated each word slowly. Watching her eyes dart away, catching my gaze only to frantically look elsewhere, I just wanted to add more fuel to the fire!
"I..."
"Shh~" I placed a finger against my lips, cutting her off. Whatever she wanted to say didn't really matter anymore.
Keeping secrets is a subconscious instinct for everyone. I had pointed out the thing she cared about most, and even though it was obvious, I didn't make her say it out loud. Sometimes, whether something is admitted verbally is the difference between keeping the final veil intact or tearing it away—two completely different concepts.
This was a suggestion. If she could understand it and had even the slightest inclination to accept her current situation, she would follow my lead and temporarily set the matter aside.
After that, things would be out of her hands. Once that initial resistance was lost, the thoughts of evasion and acceptance would slowly force her to adapt to life in the academy.
The process of this "fall" was exquisite, and I was currently at the most critical juncture—the peak of her internal struggle between rebellion and acceptance.
Looking at her expression, I knew I needed to stoke the flames one more time. I wanted her to preemptively categorize what was happening as a "secret." Once that concept took root, her internal resistance wouldn't manifest so directly on the outside because of the nature of a secret.
Self-suppression is as terrifying as self-indoctrination.
While the secret wasn't the primary cause, it only takes one last straw to break the camel's back.
What was the harm in adding a few weights I liked to the unfolding plot?
"The Witch Academy is a girls' school, you know. Do you really want others to find out your original gender and look down on you for the rest of your life?"
"This life is going to last a long time, and right now, you don't have the power to escape the cage that is the Witch Academy..." I said quickly, staring into her eyes. If I gave her time to react and argue, I’d lose my home-field advantage. So, I kept my tone urgent, feigning empathy as if I were genuinely worried for her.
I saw her hesitate to speak several times. It seemed the "fun" was still under my control. I hadn't expected her to be the type who wasn't firm in her convictions; I’d been worried for nothing.
"Don't worry, I'll help you keep your secret. Consider it a secret between us." I stood up, looking at the results of my verbal onslaught.
The effect was pretty good. Although I felt I still had room for improvement—my manipulation tactics were still a bit green—as long as it worked, that was all that mattered.
I unfastened my Witch Cape and handed it over. Her clothes were indeed in a sorry state; if this continued, I was afraid they’d give up the ghost entirely.
However, she was like me. After a male undergoes Witchification, there isn't much change in the chest area, so there wasn't any "alluring scenery" to speak of.
But those exposed, fair, long legs were quite worth... ahem. The scrapes on them were a bit of a mood-killer, but that was the gist of it.
Also, her long hair was a bit much. It seemed she wasn't used to the hair that had suddenly grown out. Even though she’d brushed it back a few times to clear her vision, it still looked like a mess.
"Thank you..."
She spoke softly to me.
Hearing her gratitude, I felt like I was ascending. This sense of contrast was truly wonderful.
I was here to watch the fun and pull a bit of a PUA move on her, yet after some simple "comforting," I was receiving her gratitude. Was there anything more entertaining in this world?
Probably, but that didn't stop me from being very happy right now.
"It's fine. Can you stand up?"
I asked with a hint of concern. My tone struck a balance between care and a deliberate sense of distance—a distance I controlled perfectly, based on what I would find acceptable if I were in her shoes.
Looking at her, she seemed okay. Being too close would probably be too much of a stimulus for her while she was still in this sensitive state.
After all, I hadn't told her that I used to be a boy too. While telling her might increase our sense of mutual identity—misery loves company, after all—it might also make her think I was a creep and cause her to distance herself. The best way was to say nothing.
The initiative remained with me.
"I can. Thank you."
She took my cape but didn't seem to intend to put it on. From her perspective, she was accepting help from another girl. Her male mindset made her hesitate about whether to wear a girl's clothing, even if it was just a cape.
"No need for thanks, that's too formal. Put it on. You don't think your current clothes are suitable for walking around, do you?" I continued, attempting to strengthen our bond. With the added weight of a shared secret, it was easy to pull someone closer and build rapport.
Of course, this was a situation I had carefully manufactured. The reality was that she was the only one who felt our relationship was growing.
As for what she was actually thinking, I didn't know. At the very least, her current behavior met my expectations.
"Okay..."
"By the way, my name is Yang Yuehan. I don't know yours yet." I spoke directly. It was just a name, after all; I didn't need to make up a fake one to trick her.
"I'm... Quan Xiuzhu." Caught off guard by my sudden question, Quan Xiuzhu blinked for a moment before telling me her name.
"Quan Xiuzhu... that's a nice name. So, do you want to keep using it? If there's anyone you know in the academy, be careful not to be recognized."
"No, it's fine. I think this name is good. Besides... in the Witch Academy... how could there be anyone I know..." As she said this, Quan Xiuzhu's tone was filled with desolation, as if she were recalling a painful experience.
"Don't be sad. What's happened has happened. You're here now, so you might as well make the best of it. If you have any problems, you can come and ask me." A small smile played on my lips. After all, I wanted to keep following this "show."
Since meeting here was fate, I wasn't going to be polite about it.