Mana Ale Confessions and Fluttering Doubts
Breaking the awkward atmosphere isn't my job. It's that pathetic loser's job who called me here☆. We spent a while stuffing our empty stomachs with meat and downing the liquid in each other's glasses. With something finally in our bellies, the awkward vibe started to ease up a bit.
"Sorry, I really thought you liked Gail."
"Huh?☆ No way in hell, not ever, not at all~☆"
"Then why'd you fight? I hope you two make up. He looked totally pissed off about it."
"Make up? Please. He was the one who started it by picking a fight first☆"
"Kesera, you know he hates it every time you call him girly?"
What, he doesn't like that kinda stuff? Not that it matters to me anyway—it's just some irrelevant loser? Why should I bother making up with a guy who won't help at all on the path of Kesera Le Armo Ascentrius, the eldest daughter of the Ascentrius family and future archmage?
"Like a freeloading pretty boy?"
"Yeah, he hates that stuff big time."
"Haha♡ Why should I worry about that♡?"
Yerina poured more mana ale into my glass. Hmm... feels like I'm drinking more than usual...♡ Why does it go down so smooth? Maybe 'cause the topic keeps circling back to Gail, pissing me off.
"Grr...♡"
The cold mana ale hit the spot as I chugged it. No wonder everyone raves about mana ale. That icy-brain-freeze thrill was kinda getting me buzzed. But Mom and the doc both said not to drink too much... Probably just like how I chugged cola like water in my past life—they're overreacting.
"Sis—♡ enough about that loser♡ already...♡ total ew~♡?"
"Okay, I'll stop! I swear!"
So... all that crisp mana flooding my stomach's making my tongue twist up. Slight dizziness, head spinning—this isn't quite like regular booze. They say a moderate amount boosts focus, after all. But she's the one who drank—♡ so why's she keep piling food on my plate?
"Um...♡ I'm full... can't eat morerr...♡"
"Eat more~ Gotta eat lots to grow tall and strong~"
"Heh...♡ Nooo... sis...♡"
Ugh, why's my tongue twisting like this? Breathing's getting ragged, the pure mana too intenseee...♡ But even though my stomach's about to burst, it tastes so good. No wonder everyone's obsessed with Lahok.
"Come on, eat! Eat till you burst!"
"Hehe—♡ Should you eat more, sis? Here~♡ You got this♡"
"Ugh... Lahok time!"
Drunk, that loser♡ Hehe, world's spinning for me too. Yerina slammed back another shot of honey mead, then suddenly thud—face-planted on the table.
"Gah! I just wish Gail would look at me once more. Sniff...!"
His name popped up again in her usual drunken ramble, making me flinch. Seriously, dragging a 7-year-old into this—what kinda disgrace is a 7th-year pulling? Someone from the same enrollment year as my birth year, acting like this♡? Well, counting my past life, I'm way more of an adult, so I'll let it slide.
"Sis...♡ stop crying..."
But even I'm woozy trying to comfort her. Mana ale... hits different. It's safe for minors in small amounts, unlike booze, but the high-purity mana keeps absorbing in my gut, sharpening my mind in this weird way.
"Waaah—"
No... why's she suddenly bawling? We'd polished off the Lahok meat, scraping every last bit off the bones. Wow, we ate all that between us.
"I... don't wanna graduate. You're so young, Kesera—I'm jealous."
"Um... loser♡ sis♡?"
"Whaaat, leave me alone."
"You said... you'd tell me how♡ to sneak back in curfew..."
"Oh yeah. Hehe~"
"Huh? Sis—♡ stop embarrassing yourself and get up already♡?"
"Hehe, got it, got it! Let's go~"
Yerina staggered up, grabbing my hand with a slap. Surprisingly, she handled the bill just fine despite her weak-willed state.
"Hehe, senpai's treat. Senpai privilege."
"Thaaanks...♡"
Why's my tongue still slurring! Annoying...♡ Stepping out into the chilly spring night breeze sobered me a tad. Especially in this ridiculously short academy uniform that flaps around—still not used to it.
"Yup, come out right at dinner time, eat your fill, and you're tipsy~ Perfect timing~"
"So the tip's just timing? Lame♡"
"Nah~ Do it like this and you can ignore 'em."
We reached the White Badge Dormitory. This weak-willed sis suddenly pulled off some fancy footwork. Secret code? But I spotted how it dodged the alarm near the door. Mana ale power? My focus felt insanely sharp, time stretching out. Oh, I get it.
"Try it~"
"Sure, easy for a genius like me~♡"
I glided through, barely skirting the alarm. Dozens of trajectories flashed in my mind, but converting her steps to standard patterns showed the path. Hiccuping sis blinked in disbelief, then snickered.
"Pfft~ Hehe, let's go in. I'm heading first."
"Night♡"
Back in my room, tonight felt weird overall. I plopped at my desk and flipped open my diary—the one with all my secrets, written in Hangul, the script only I know in this world.
I tried jotting down today's memories, but classes were just "classes," and free time was nothing special.
"Haa...♡"
That crisp mana ale scent keeps rising from my throat. What'd we even talk about with her? Kept bringing up that total idiot Gail... Ugh...♡ The more I think while writing, the more my mana seems to seep into the letters. But this diary's no magic paper. My puny mana couldn't stick anyway. Hangul's no magic script.
I scribbled some half-baked notes, then encrypted it again. And...
"Waa...♡ Cleanse...♡"
Like always before bed, Cleanse washed away the Lahok smell from my clothes. Wanna bathe and crash cozy, but... throat's so dry...♡ A glass of cold water helped a bit.
"...Hic."
Wish my memory was better. Every time I open this diary, that idiot's face pops up—annoying as hell— worthless trash...♡ I pounded the desk with my fist and shuffled to the mirror.
The reflection screamed "little girl." And... a girl's body. Time magic overuse had hormones raging. Heart pounding like crazy. Mana ale's fault, right?
I stripped for pajamas, one piece at a time. Wish there was a dressing spell—telekinesis math's too fiddly; easier solo. Academy uniform off, just underwear left. Mirror showed me naturally wearing a bra—chest support and all.
Changing. Slowly, seepingly. A new layer overwriting me. The disconnect hits anew. Calling grown women "sis" feels normal now. The flirty thrill of the academy's flare skirt? Barely registers. Embarrassed to show undies, so I move careful-like.
"Haa...♡"
Shouldn't feel this way, but staring at my body sparks nothing. Duh, I'm a kid. But... thinking of him—that guy, or whatever the hell he is, that total pretty-boy loser—
Thump—heart races. Am I crazy? Why...♡
No wonder they warn against too much mana ale. How many bottles did I down? Three-ish? Unlike booze's haze, it speeds up my brain. Sharper thinking makes that loser's face crystal clear. That face... dainty nose, lips, soft jawline... Maybe think of girls instead? That Yerina chick was pretty cute. But... something blocks it—same-sex vibes or whatever.
Seven years. Past life included, like 18 years in this girl's body. First three? Barely aware, so call it four... past life equivalent, maybe 10? Ah... soaking in. Weird, fuzzy haze creeping. But senses sharpen—I trace the cold mirror. Eyes shut, pushing away memories.
Yeah, narcissism's better. Than thinking of that loser, anyway. Gulp...♡ I'm Kesera Le Armo Ascentrius, after all. The untouchable future archmage of the family.