The Pig's Eye Sees Only Pigs
I relaxed my wrist and knocked on the door a couple of times. Taking a step back, I waited for a response, but no answer came from beyond the door.
Did I knock too softly? I had the borrowed books in one hand and a shopping bag in the other, leaving me with no free hands. Knocking was such a hassle. Left with no choice, I set the shopping bag down on the floor and knocked again, this time with a bit more force.
"Aris, it's me. Lucia."
Still, there was no reply. Huh, is no one inside? Aris wasn't exactly the active type who enjoyed going out, so I was sure she'd be here. If she did go out, was it to the library? Maybe she'd already finished all the books she borrowed and went to get new ones. Oh well. Looks like we missed each other. It wasn't anything urgent anyway, so I could just come back later. Just as I thought that and picked up the shopping bag I had set down—
Creak. With the sound of hinges, the door opened. A small shadow peeked out. The navy-haired girl met my eyes, showing only her face.
"H-H-He-Hello... Lu-Lu-Lucia..."
Aris stammered, her face as red as a ripe persimmon. Heh, so you were here. I was glad we hadn't missed each other. But why was her face so red? Was she sick?
"W-W-What b-b-brings you h-here... s-so... e-early...?"
"Early? It's past lunchtime, though?"
At my words, Aris tilted her head, then vanished behind the door. After the sound of hurried, pattering footsteps, her face popped out again a few seconds later.
"Y-Y-You're r-right... h-hehe... I-I was... r-reading... a book..."
"And you lost track of time?"
"Y-Yes..."
No wonder she hadn't answered the first knock. She must have been so absorbed in her reading that she didn't hear it.
"I came to return the books I borrowed. I also have something to give you. Do you mind if I come in for a bit?"
"Wh-What?! Th-That's..."
Aris couldn't finish her sentence. Flustered, she couldn't meet my eyes, her heterochromatic pupils darting all over the place. Up, down, right, left. Watching her eyes roll around, I wore a puzzled expression. Why is she acting like that? Is there a reason I shouldn't go in?
Come to think of it, why was Aris only sticking her face out? And keeping the door barely open. Was she trying to show that she didn't want me to see inside her room? Why? She had let me in without a second thought last time... Her strangely red face also bothered me. Could she have some unspeakable reason—
Ah. A thought flashed through my mind. Right... I forgot. Because it was Aris of all people, I had forgotten. Even innocent Aris was at an age where she knew what was what. She was seventeen, after all. Adolescence was a time when both body and mind were growing rapidly, and those kinds of desires became active, didn't they? Just look at Lucia. Though comparing anyone to Lucia, the literal incarnation of lust, was a bit unfair, Aris was still human. It was impossible for her not to have those desires.
Ugh... my timing was terrible. So that's why she didn't answer at first. I-I'm sorry, Aris. I'll get out of your hair, so please, go back to what you were doing... I wore a complicated expression at this grand realization. I had to back away naturally so Aris wouldn't feel embarrassed. But what should I do? I needed to pretend I didn't know, but I couldn't control my facial expression. Lucia, are you really only this much of a woman? You're a pervert whose head is filled with all kinds of depraved thoughts, yet you're blushing over just this... What are you, a virgin?! Ah, right, I am a virgin. Anyway!
"U-Um..."
Aris took a deep breath. As if she had made up her mind, her wandering eyes locked onto mine. Creak. The door opened wider. I flinched and took a step back. Wh-Why is she opening it? Why? Usually, unless you're an oddball like me, wouldn't you want to hide it? There's no way Aris is that kind of pervert... Wait. C-Could it be...? Is Aris actually like me—
My train of thought cut off. Because the Aris standing beyond the open door was perfectly fine. Wearing pink pajamas adorned with fluffy cats, Aris fidgeted with her fingers and looked at me.
"P-Please... c-come in..."
"O-Oh, okay..."
Dazed, I stepped into Aris's room. The peaceful scent of old books, like something you'd smell in an ancient bookstore, welcomed me. There wasn't a hint of any damp or musty odor anywhere.
"I-I'm s-so s-sorry... U-Um... I'm in my p-pajamas... and I was... e-embarrassed..."
Her voice was barely a whisper. Only then did I finally grasp the situation. The reason Aris had only opened the door a crack and peeked her face out was simply because she was embarrassed to be seen in her pajamas. In other words, everything I had been thinking up until now was entirely my own delusion. A completely absurd delusion.
"L-Lucia...?"
Aris's voice sounded distant. My face burned. It felt like all the blood in my body was rushing to my head. My heart went pit-a-pat. I-I'm so embarrassed... They say a Buddha's eyes see only Buddhas, and a pig's eyes see only pigs... I was the sow. I'm sorry for speaking human language. From now on, I'll walk on all fours and oink... How could I have put my dark, slimy self on the same level as the pure-white Aris? Where did that confidence even come from? Where did the assumption that Aris would be like me come from? From my lust-addled brain? I want to die... I have lived a shameful life. I am trash. Recyclable trash. Please sort me out as a punching bag.
"I-Is s-something w-wrong?"
"...No. It's nothing. I just thought Aris in her pajamas was so cute."
"C-Cute...?!"
Aris's already red face flushed even deeper. But my face was probably just as red. Though for an entirely different reason.
"The books you recommended were all really fun, Aris."
Aris's room was plastered with books, just like when I briefly visited before. Books stacked neatly from the corners. Seeing how she had borrowed over twenty books from the library, she must have already read every single book in this room. Since she brought them all the way to the dormitory, she probably handpicked her absolute favorites to bring along, wanting to reread them whenever they crossed her mind. As I returned the borrowed books and spoke, Aris's eyes sparkled. I continued talking while fanning my still-burning face with my hand.
"Especially this book, The Blue Rose's Wish. It was really memorable. I can't forget the scene where they gift a dyed blue rose and say their relationship is an impossible love."
"Y-Yes, yes! Y-You're right...! B-But the l-language of b-blue roses d-doesn't just m-mean 'impossible' anymore. S-So..."
"Right, the language of blue roses also means 'love that never gives up.' When they overcame social circumstances, people's cold stares, and all kinds of obstacles right in front of them to finally bear fruit, I almost teared up."
Aris nodded repeatedly. Since she stammered too much to express herself in words, she seemed to speak through her actions instead.
"If you don't mind, could you recommend some other books? That is, if it's not too much trouble."
"...!"
She shook her head vigorously. It wasn't a rejection. Her eyes were sparkling like stars in the night sky, so she probably meant it was no trouble at all. Aris toddled over to her desk. Having apparently prepared them in advance, she scurried back with a few books in her arms.
"Th-This...!"
"Heh, it's not romance this time? Let's see... A Study in Scarlet? Oh, a mystery novel."
"Y-Y-Yes. It's a p-pretty o-old novel, b-but when it c-comes to m-mysteries, it's a m-masterpiece you c-can't leave out."
Aris said, clasping her hands tightly. Seeing her more lively than ever, I couldn't help but chuckle. She really loved books. Since she had never had anyone to share her hobbies with until now, except for her 'other self,' her excitement was completely understandable.
Speaking of which, I wanted to meet Frey, Aris's other personality, at least once. The guardian knight who protected Aris. She was a girl prepared to do absolutely anything for her other self. And she had great compatibility with Lucia. If Lucia felt pleasure from being abused, Frey was the exact opposite. A sadist. A sadist who gained pleasure from trampling and mocking others. Though it was a bit of a shame that her tendencies weren't as extreme as Lucia's, being only moderately aggressive.
Even in Dawn Swordsman, her tsundere and hot-tempered traits were emphasized more than her sadistic nature. But she was still a sadist, right? He-het... wouldn't we be a match made in heaven? I could take all of Frey's aggression, you know? Well, that was probably impossible. Whether it was Aris or Frey, both of them would eventually fall for Yujin anyway. At best, I'd probably only ever be Frey's toy. Wait, isn't that more than enough?
"Aris."
I held out the shopping bag I had brought. Aris tilted her head.
"It's a gift. Here."
"A g-g-gift...?"
"It's nothing special. I went clothes shopping yesterday and suddenly thought of you. I thought it would look good on you. I'm not sure if the size is right, though..."
Aris looked back and forth between the shopping bag and me. Her small lips parted, but no sound came out. Ah, I knew what this was. When she had too much she wanted to say, Aris actually became unable to speak. It was because too many words rushed out at once, making her sentences jumbled. In times like this, it was best to be considerate of her clumsiness with words and explain things by guessing her doubts.
"Um... is it too burdensome? I guess since we only became friends two or three days ago, suddenly receiving a gift might feel a bit overwhelming. It sounds cliché, but you don't have to feel pressured. I'm giving it to you because I wanted to."
Mmm, saying it out loud is kind of embarrassing. But I was Lucia. Lucia didn't yield to embarrassment. Well, I did yield just a moment ago, but let's forget about that.
"You see, I actually don't have any friends. I've been a loner all this time. Aris, you're my very first friend. That's why... he-het, I was really happy. Won't you accept my gift?"
"...F-First... friend..."
Aris repeated those words, then reached out with trembling hands. She took the shopping bag I was holding out, but she didn't look at the contents. With a dazed face, Aris said:
"I'm... L-Lucia's... f-first... friend...?"
"Aris?"
Uh-oh, something's weird. Sensing that something was off, I raised my palm and waved it in front of Aris's eyes. Her eyes aren't focusing? Hello? Aris?
"First..."
Aris's eyes rolled back. They went up, then slid all the way down. In other words, she collapsed as if she had lost consciousness.
"Ah, Aris...!"
Just as I flusteredly tried to catch her so she wouldn't fall, Aris suddenly raised her head, perfectly fine. She firmly supported her body with her legs, which had just gone limp, and furrowed her brow.
"..."
The moment I saw her, I knew. Aris's eyes, which had been as gentle as a kitten's, had sharpened like a fully grown alley cat's.
"...Haa."
Aris—no, Frey—sighed. I had just been thinking about wanting to meet her, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. More importantly, why did she suddenly switch?