Friend or Enemy
For Frey, there was only one criterion for judging people: those she could trust, and those she couldn't. She built a fence around her heart, drawing a sharp line between those inside and those outside. The only person she could trust was Aris. Her other self. The one and only being with whom she shared a body and could lay bare her soul. Therefore, anyone other than Aris didn't matter to Frey. Her entire world revolved around Aris, and she was prepared to do absolutely anything for her sake.
Perhaps that devotion had been too extreme. By the time she realized it, Aris had become a child entirely dependent on Frey. Rather than doing anything of her own volition, she left everything to Frey and passively followed along. From the most trivial matters to the most critical decisions, everything was handed over to Frey. At first, Frey was simply happy that Aris relied on her. Taking control of their body in Aris's stead, she handled all the difficult tasks Aris struggled with. All she wanted in return was Aris's smile. Every day felt deeply rewarding.
When did she first realize that things couldn't go on like this? Frey suddenly looked back at Aris. A child who, due to childhood misfortune, couldn't even speak properly. Though her body grew, her mind remained trapped in that distant past. To put it kindly, she preserved her innocence; to put it harshly, she was stagnant. Frey realized it then. Aris hadn't changed at all. No, she couldn't change. From the very moment Frey was first born until now, Aris was still that same little child.
People grow by rubbing shoulders with others. By communicating, cooperating, and interacting with people, a child becomes an adult. But Aris couldn't do that. Because Frey handled all communication with the outside world. While Aris was protected inside the safety of her mind, she was, in truth, completely isolated from the world. She lived locked away in her own tiny world, doing nothing but reading books.
Frey recognized her own mistake. This isn't right. This can't go on. If she truly loved Aris, she couldn't just protect her forever. She had to make Aris act on her own. She had to force Aris to face the outside world herself. She had to let Aris grow. Frey hardened her resolve. It was heartbreakingly painful, but she knew it was the right thing to do. So that Aris could escape the cage Frey had built and spread her wings freely. So that she could become a mature adult capable of surviving without Frey's protection. It was all for Aris.
Starting from the day they entered the Academy, Frey handed over all control of the body to Aris and stepped back. Retreating into their mind, she offered only advice, forcing Aris to face and resolve things herself. Of course, suddenly thrusting everything onto Aris, who had lived like a greenhouse flower until now, was a cruel trial. In absolutely unavoidable moments, Frey would occasionally swap with Aris to handle things. But that was literally only once in a while. Most of the time, it was Aris who moved the body.
It was a series of failures. On the day of the entrance ceremony, Aris wandered around for ages, unable to find her classroom. During the self-introductions in their first class, she couldn't even speak and just stuttered. During the ability evaluation, she failed to control her heat output and almost blew up Angelica along with the golem. Naturally, she couldn't make any friends and was left to wander around lonely and isolated. In that bleak situation, the first person to approach Aris was Lucia. It was a small act of kindness, but to Aris, it meant the world. For the first time, Aris mustered her courage. She approached her directly. And just like that, the two became friends.
Aris making a friend was undoubtedly something to celebrate. But that was precisely why Frey had to be even more on guard. Lucia was someone outside the fence. She was a human who could turn on them at any moment. There was no trust. No reason to rely on her. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't harm Aris. Perhaps Frey was being overprotective. Perhaps she was overreacting. Maybe Lucia genuinely just wanted to be friends with Aris. But there was already a precedent. There was a woman who had approached Aris with a smile just like Lucia's, only to betray her without a second thought. The woman who had left an indelible scar on Aris's heart. Aris and Frey's stepmother. She was nice at first, too. Just like you, Lucia. That's why I have to be on guard.
Aris needed a friend. She needed someone who would stay by her side and help her grow. Frey saw the current situation as a rare opportunity. Aris had retreated deep into her inner mind and would remain oblivious to the outside world for a while. This meant that even if Frey probed Lucia's true intentions right now, Aris would never know. Frey narrowed her eyes like a cat eyeing its prey, glaring at Lucia. Lucia tilted her head, her face looking just as innocent as Aris's. I'll tear away that mask and see if it's an act or not. Well, it'll be a piece of cake. Scratching the surface to gouge out her true feelings is easy enough. I don't know when Aris will wake up, so I'll make her spill everything within ten minutes.
'...Or so I thought.' Frey furrowed her brow out of habit. "This isn't how it was supposed to go," she muttered, letting out a deep sigh.
"Yep, it really suits you! He-het, I knew I was right." Lucia spoke with a goofy, beaming grin. She looked so utterly dazed. It made Frey want to pinch her cheeks until she cried. It didn't take Frey more than a few seconds to realize she had been far too optimistic. It wasn't for any grand reason. It was simply because... it was too hard to copy Aris's way of speaking.
Ever since they entered the Academy, Aris had held control of the body most of the time. Even if Aris hadn't wanted to, Frey had forced it to be that way. Therefore, to Lucia, who had met her at the Academy, 'Aris' was the timid girl who stuttered severely and had massive trouble communicating, not Frey. If that same Aris suddenly started speaking fluently, she would obviously be viewed with suspicion. Frey had no intention of revealing her split personality to Lucia. At least, not yet. Until she was absolutely certain Lucia was trustworthy, Frey's existence had to remain a secret.
Because of this, she had tried to act like Aris to avoid getting caught... but she had failed miserably. She simply couldn't bring herself to stutter like Aris. Even if she tried, she couldn't do it. Unless one was an incredibly gifted actor, mimicking that speech pattern was impossible. She feared that a clumsy attempt at stuttering would only raise weird suspicions, which made her shut her mouth. By the time she snapped out of it, she had been completely swept up in Lucia's pace and was now trying on the clothes Lucia had gifted her. What is with all this yellow? Does she think Aris is a baby chick? You're the chick here, looking like you're about to chirp any second. No, more importantly, this is a gift for Aris. Is it really okay for me to wear it? Aris should have been the first one to put this on.
"Um... do you not like it?"
"A-Ah, no..."
Seeing Frey's grim expression, Lucia's face fell. Frey shook her head and spoke. Ugh, trying to act all meek is giving me hives. But she had no choice. If she wanted to act like Aris, she had to do this.
"I... I l-like it..."
Lucia beamed with relief. Like it, my foot. Who on earth would like such childish clothes? ...Well, maybe Aris would. Her fashion sense is still stuck in her childhood, after all.
"I'm so glad to hear that. Yeah, I was worried you might find it burdensome, but I'm relieved."
"..."
"Oh, and just in case, don't go thinking, 'Since I got a gift, I should give one in return~' or anything like that. If anything, this is me repaying you. You recommended so many interesting books to me, didn't you?"
She had such a good-natured face. A goofy, clueless face just like Aris's. Was she a good person? Or a bad person? Was she being sincere? Or was she trying to deceive them? Frey wanted to dig out the truth and clear her mind, but her inability to do so was incredibly frustrating. If possible, she wanted to believe. She wanted to believe Lucia was a good person. But what if she wasn't? What if Aris ended up getting hurt again, just like back then? Even if there was only a tiny sliver of a chance, she had to doubt. She had to stay on guard and keep her distance. She had to protect Aris. Frey clenched her teeth. She was an identity born solely to protect Aris. As Aris's shield, she wanted to ask: Are you a friend? Or are you an enemy?
I wanted to say those words to her, but I kept my mouth shut. Frey seemed to be trying her best to act like Aris, but her acting was terrible. If I knew nothing about Aris and Frey, maybe I wouldn't have noticed, but since I already knew she had a split personality, the differences stood out like a sore thumb. Frey was a paranoid case. Her childhood trauma made her wary of absolutely everything. Right now, she was probably screaming inside her head: Are you an enemy? Or a friend? Choose! How did I know? Because that's exactly what she did in the 'original novel'.
When Aris grew close to Yujin, Frey hissed like a feral cat, completely on guard. Was he a trustworthy friend, or an enemy trying to exploit Aris? She doubted every little thing to measure him up. It was probably the same right now. Though, maybe she was doubting me slightly less since Lucia was a girl? Since I had decided to become friends with Aris, I wanted to get close to Frey too. Let's not rush. Frey's paranoid suspicion wasn't something that would melt away in a day or two. It was a problem that had to be resolved slowly, over time. Even Yujin, the protagonist of this world, had to go through that. Frey only acknowledged Yujin after he threw his own body on the line to save Aris from a crisis. Unless an event of at least that scale occurred, opening Frey's heart would be impossible. So, I shouldn't expect too much right now. One step at a time.
I hope I can get close to Frey someday so she can trample all over me with affection. Once Frey's switch is flipped, she becomes incredibly sadistic... Eu-he, I can't wait. I'll have to keep my whip safe and sound until that day comes.
"Well, I should probably head out now. I don't want to interrupt your reading. Enjoy the book! See you at the Academy tomorrow."
"W-Wait... No, please go safely."
Frey reached out a hand, only to sigh and let it drop. Heh... Judging by her reaction, she really was trying to probe my true intentions. But it didn't go so well, did it? It's hard to communicate in Aris's speech style. Frey clumsily mimicking Aris was so cute it made my mouth water. I wanted to wrap her in a tight hug and pamper her. Frey is just a baby. She must be protected.
I waved goodbye and stepped out of Aris's room. Stretching my arms wide, I walked down the stairs. Well, the gift has been delivered, and my schedule is clear. I think I'll head back to my room and hang myself for the rest of the day. I should probably wear a diaper, though, just in case I lose control of my bladder.