Masquerade Ball (5)

…What the hell is this.

The status window floating in front of her left her speechless. Obsession? Favorability? Her head was spinning all of a sudden.

Ashu feels that kind of emotion toward me?

She closed her eyes for a moment and thought quietly. Recent memories of Ashu flashed by like a panorama.

…If weak obsession means jealousy, then yeah, that could be it.

What the—playing mind games. It's just jealousy. Obsession my ass. It's like a kid not wanting to share their favorite adult. Nothing major.

She decided to brush it off. No need to get scared over nothing.

"…Why no answer."

"Ah, uh. S-sorry. So, um, the relationship between you and me—"

Ah, she'd blanked out because of the status window. Ashu had asked what their relationship was.

But the answer was already obvious, wasn't it?

"Master and disciple… right?"

"…."

Ashu's eyes turned icy.

"Uh, um. Like big sister and baby brother…?"

Ashu's eyes froze over cold.

"E-eh, wh-what about mom and son…."

"…Forget it."

Ashu sighed, fidgeting with his fingers. An awkward silence settled between them.

What the hell. What answer was he even looking for?

She'd thrown out every possibility that came to mind, and this was the reaction? Whatever ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he wanted to hear, it was ridiculous.

Better change the subject for now. There were things she needed to know anyway.

"…S-so! What was it you said you'd tell me, disciple?"

"…Ah."

Ashu let out a sigh like he'd just remembered.

"It's obvious, isn't it? I know I'm rude."

"…Ah, you knew—hngh!"

She blurted it out thoughtlessly and clamped her mouth shut. Ashu eyed her lazily.

"S-sorry…."

"You know, every time I see you, I think the same thing. You're scared, but you always say whatever's on your mind."

"Wh-when have I ever…?"

The memory of that first day still hit her like PTSD, making her shiver. When had she ever said everything on her mind? She was dying to speak freely right now!

Ashu finally sighed and continued.

"I've just been alone since I was little."

His story unfolded exactly as she'd expected. A lonely child from a young age. Ignored by the adults around him. Craving the attention he never got from them.

"Sometimes I wonder why they even bothered having me."

Ashu muttered flatly, looking utterly unbothered.

"The only time they paid attention to me was one thing. When I might ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do something to tarnish the family name."

But was he really okay? If your tear ducts freeze solid, tears won't flow until they thaw. But water doesn't freeze to the core that easily, no matter the appearance.

In the face of cold indifference, Ashu had frozen his own heart. That way, he could protect the tiny flicker of life inside.

She listened quietly to his words.

"I'd mess up, get beaten by Father. Our relationship twisted more each time. That's my whole childhood story."

"…."

"Nothing special, right?"

Ashu's face looked refreshed, like he'd shaken off the chill in his heart. He'd probably never had the chance to tell it before.

She didn't even know how to comfort ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him properly. But she'd been through it too. No parents, seen people's cruelty, watched kids die from neglect.

…This was familiar territory. So this familiarity was enough for her alone. She loved happy endings. Bad ends were the worst—especially if the characters ended up miserable.

"…Disciple."

"Huh?"

"Come here."

"Wh-what are you—"

Squish.

She pulled the flustered Ashu into a hug. She wanted to melt his heart. Show him how warm human touch could be.

She hadn't known it herself.

Ashu thrashed wildly, his face beet red, but she didn't let go. This wasn't pity, sympathy, or hypocrisy. Just a handful of comfort.

She stroked the now-docile Ashu's head a few times. It flinched away at first, then burrowed into her chest.

Her cleavage grew damp. A cool wind blew through the daisy garden, but pressed together, she and Ashu weren't cold.

Quite the opposite—warm.

The daisies danced in the rustling breeze.

"…You've been through a lot until now, disciple."

Ashu nodded quietly. Now he finally looked like a kid. She couldn't help but chuckle.

The cold moon in the night sky felt warmer than sunlight right then.

After the masquerade ball ended, she lay in bed, burrowed under the covers like a caterpillar.

Ashu had fled to his room, embarrassed. She'd thought they'd gotten closer. To leave his sky-like master alone in the vast garden and run off—what a rotten disciple.

By the time she got back, the ball was over.

Could've at least said something.

She was a tiny bit mad, but as the bigger person, she'd let it slide. Definitely not because she was too scared to speak. No way!

"Wonder what it is, anyway."

The status window pinged up in front of her. Thump-thump. What trait would it be? Her heart pounded with anticipation.

She'd earned it through that hellish subjugation battle—no way it'd be bad.

If only it was something like Kaioken from Dragon Ball.

"Open it!"

Retro game music played as the trait slot went blank for a bit. Seconds later, fanfare burst with confetti filling the space.

"…?"

She couldn't believe the result staring back at her.

…Possession?

Of Ideal? By consuming life force?? Was this even good…?

Sure, Ideal was main villain-tier. The final black curtain, with serious power to back it up.

The assassins called her the nightmare of the Eastern Front, right?

Empire's vanguard shock troops would have the rep. But could she even possess her? What if she got possessed back and lost her body?

Now she knew for sure. Ideal could shape Ashu's future however she wanted.

Her influence over him was that immense.

"But how much life force does it even take?"

Maybe 5% at most?

"What…?"

She reached out instinctively to grab the window, but her hand passed right through.

"Th-thirty percent?!"

What kind of bullshit was this!! It was screaming "don't use me"!! Who designed this crap!

"Gyaack…!"

A silent scream echoed through the room. Handing out a trash trait like this….

…Gotta save it for now.

By the way, possessing the original Ideal—what did that even mean? Where was she now?

"Wh-what."

For some reason, the sword by her bedside hummed faintly. She grabbed it just in case, but felt nothing.

Hallucination? Come to think of it, she'd gotten this sword for assassin protection.

"…Disciple!!"

Sleeping alone was dangerous! The grand duke might try to kill Ashu anytime…!!

"D-disciple!!"

She screamed and bolted toward Ashu's room.

"…Haa."

Ashu sighed without thinking. Right after escaping Ideal's embrace, he'd bolted like an idiot.

…It was soft.

Fluffy and comfy. Above all, warm.

And… big. Insanely big.

At first, something swelled in his chest. But emotions are like crashing waves—the softness of Ideal's breasts stole his focus over the warmth.

…A mole on her breast.

The sudden violent image made his face explode red. As he drew a deep breath to cool his steaming head—

"Wh-what."

Why was she here all of a sudden? Ashu kicked off the covers and approached the door.

She might chop ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him if he didn't open it again. That's why he'd been forced to switch rooms. He'd been paranoid about her finding the stolen doll.

No more of that hassle.

"…What. Why'd you come."

Ideal hesitated a bit. Arms crossed, Ashu pressed his face to the door crack.

Through the thin line, he saw her—face faintly flushed from running. Shoulders and chest red from the cold. A soft peach scent slipped through.

Ashu swallowed unconsciously.

"Wh-what…."

His legs nearly gave out.

Am I dreaming?

Ashu gripped the doorknob tight.

His head felt like it would burst. Ashu muttered without thinking.

"Why the hell did the kid come here."

He seriously thought he was losing his mind.