Prey
"…You really didn't do anything else, right?"
It was Rina who broke the silence.
Arms crossed, she sharply interrogated Elise, who was cowering in the corner with a thoroughly terrified expression. Her usual gentle, mild demeanor was nowhere to be found.
"I asked if you're sure you really only drew blood!"
Elise was nearly in tears, her eyes brimming, as she mumbled her reply in a voice so small it seemed ready to vanish into the floor.
"I-I really… d-didn't do… a-anything… Just… a little blood…"
"How are we supposed to believe that?"
This time Bella stepped forward. She glared at Elise with terrifying eyes and took a step closer, her menacing aura so fierce it looked as if she might draw her sword at any moment.
"Everyone at the academy knows your family is targeting Yeon. And you're telling us you just drew some blood and let her go peacefully? How exactly are we supposed to believe that?"
Under Bella's sharp interrogation, Elise shrank even further. Looking as if she were about to burst into tears—as if her mind were about to snap—she stammered out a reply.
"I… I really… d-don't know anything… I just… did as Mother told me… sob…"
Bella cleared her throat awkwardly first.
"…Sorry. We might have pushed too hard."
Rina softened her voice a little as well.
"Yes… I'm sorry for cornering you like that. But we were worried about Yeon…"
Elise was still sniffling, but she seemed a little calmer after their apologies. An awkward silence hung over the practice room for a moment.
"Come to think of it…"
Rina broke the silence again. She suddenly seemed to remember something, looking at Bella with eyes full of suspicion.
"Professor."
Rina's voice was sharper than before.
"You've been saying since last time that you and Yeon have no special relationship, that she's just a student… but that was all a lie, wasn't it? On the rooftop, and now too. You seem to treat Yeon as someone far too special."
"…!"
Bella's shoulders flinched as if stung. She tried to act nonchalant, but the tips of her ears, slightly reddened, could not be hidden.
"W-What are you talking about…!"
Despite Bella's denial, Rina's suspicion did not easily subside. She crossed her arms and continued to glare at Bella.
"Then what about you, Rina? As a Saintess candidate, why are you so worried about and following around a vil… a-a villainess like Yeon Bennet? Isn't that even stranger?"
"That's exactly the point of my question."
Rina answered firmly.
"As I mentioned before, we've known each other since childhood. And crucially, she once saved my life. So I simply believe it's my duty to repay even a little of the grace I received from her, and to guide her onto the right path."
She sent another sharp gaze toward Bella.
"But what about you, Professor? What exactly do you see in Yeon that makes you stay by her side? As far as I know, you came from serving on the front lines, and people like that usually… hate Yeon extremely, don't they?"
Faced with Rina's direct question, Bella was at a loss for words and averted her gaze.
"…It's not like that…"
Bella answered with difficulty.
"If it's not like that, then what is it?"
Rina took another step closer and pressed. Her blue eyes shone persistently, as if trying to pierce through Bella's inner thoughts.
"That's… well…"
Bella stammered, breaking out in a cold sweat. The reason she helped Yeon. The reason she stayed by her side. Her mind seemed to go blank.
How was she supposed to explain it?
Sympathy?
Interest?
Or…
Rina widened her eyes and pressured Bella. Her patience seemed to be running out.
"Just…"
Bella muttered without realizing it.
"Just?"
Rina echoed.
"…Because she's pretty."
"……."
"……."
"……."
At Bella's shocking confession, a brief silence fell over the practice room. Rina, Elise—who had stopped crying and was staring blankly—and even Bella herself were all speechless.
"Ah, no! That's not it—that just slipped out! Really!"
Bella tried to recover belatedly, but the water had already been spilled. Her face was flushed red as if about to explode.
Then Elise, who had been quiet in the corner, suddenly raised her head. Staring straight at Bella, she muttered in a very small voice.
"I thought something was strange…"
"…What do you mean by strange, my lady?"
Rina's voice still held a bit of wariness.
Elise glanced at Bella once, then opened her mouth toward Rina again.
"About Yeon Bennet. From the first time she forced her way into the dorm room I was staying in, it was strange. It seems like I'm the next target."
"What? Yeon forced her way into sharing a room with you?"
Rina asked back with a surprised expression. She seemed never to have imagined Yeon would do such a thing.
Elise quietly nodded. And as if recalling a terrible memory, she trembled slightly as she continued.
"Yes… And she… threatened me to listen well to her… And she… she… forced me to… sob…"
She suddenly couldn't hold back the surging emotions and started crying without finishing her words.
"My lady???"
"Elise!"
What had she forced her to do?
Could it be…
Rina carefully asked.
"P-Perhaps… did Yeon do something terrible to you?"
Elise nodded repeatedly while sniffling. And barely holding back her tears, she added.
"And… last time… in my room… with a very blatant and lewd gaze at my chest…"
At Elise's shocking testimony, Rina and Bella froze in place, unable to say a word.
Elise took a deep breath, then continued with a solemn expression as if she had discovered a huge secret.
"At first… I thought there was another purpose. Like our family's alchemy secrets, or some political reason… But… seeing Professor Bella here, completely under her thrall and unable to think straight… Now I understand!"
Elise clenched her fists tightly and shouted loudly, as if making the discovery of the century!
"Yeon Bennet! That woman is definitely… into women!!!"
Her cry echoed through the empty practice room. As if she had uncovered a tremendous truth, with a slightly flushed expression, she continued loudly.
"Think about it! Why did she approach Professor Bella? She must have seduced the professor with that pretty face of hers! To satisfy her filthy desires!!!"
At Elise's absurd deduction, Bella looked at her with an incredulous expression. But in contrast, Rina's expression had hardened coldly. She seemed to be deep in thought listening to Elise's words, and a cold anger was slowly rising in her eyes.
Elise paid no mind to the two's reactions and continued asserting her claim.
"I knew something was off!! At first she threatened and harassed me, but then there were days she acted unexpectedly kind! She was clearly trying to gradually tame and seduce me!"
Just as Elise was passionately spouting her logic, immersed in it—
Bang!!!
Suddenly the practice room door was flung open roughly. In the doorway stood none other than the very person who had just been the subject of Elise's words: Yeon Bennet.
Her face was flushed bright red as if about to explode, and a fierce rage that even felt murderous was blazing in her eyes.
And the next moment, a cry of fury burst from Yeon's mouth.
"When the hell did I ever do that, you crazy bitch!!!"
"So you're saying Yeon forced you to clean?"
"Yes!!! You should have seen the state of my room back then! Even a pigsty wasn't that bad! It wasn't an environment a person could live in!"
I shouted in pure injustice.
"Is making someone clean that much of a crime?"
"Ha! My previous roommate never said a word, you know? You're just too sensitive!"
"No, there's no way she could say anything to a noble lady like you! That's why she always went around alone!"
"Ha! I never expected to hear that from you?"
Elise laughed as if dumbfounded.
"I may not have friends by choice, but you're a real outcast, aren't you?"
"……."
I had nothing to say. I just glared at Elise, huffing and puffing.
Then Rina, who had been watching us from the side, quietly whispered to Senior Bella.
"…Professor. Don't those two seem closer than expected?"
Senior Bella also rubbed her brow as she answered.
"Yeah… I never thought Elise would treat someone so casually…"
"We're not close!!!"
"Not close at all!!!"
Elise and I shouted at the same time. And as if by agreement, we whipped our heads around to glare at each other.
No, this is really ridiculous.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Me, well… whatever.
Why was she denying it so desperately? Did she hate being said to look close to me that much, even though she had no friends?
I felt a bit sour and snapped at Elise again.
"Anyway! Speak properly! If you cut off your words weirdly like that, people get the wrong idea! When did I ever seduce you!"
I snapped at Elise again.
"Hmph! Then what about last time when you stared so hard at my chest? Be honest! You like women, don't you!"
Elise landed another decisive blow.
"…!"
I was momentarily speechless.
No… that was… because of my period, I was out of it… because of the pleasure… I shouted inwardly, but I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud.
Even if I told the truth, I'd just be misunderstood more. In the end, I couldn't make any excuse and just kept my mouth shut tightly.
The situation was getting more and more strangely twisted.
Right then, Rina, who had been quietly watching us, intervened. Her eyes were sparkling as if expecting something.
"So, Yeon. Do you really… like women?"
"Huh? Th-That's…"
I stammered in fluster.
Women?
Did I like women?
Come to think of it, after possessing this body, because of that damn ability, I'd only ever been interested in pain, and never seriously thought about romance or sexual preferences even once.
I fell into deep thought.
Did I really like women?
Since I still had memories from when I was a man in my past life, if I had to choose one, women were more attractive. Even now, when I saw someone with a big chest, my eyes were drawn instinctively…
…But wait a minute. Why am I seriously thinking about this crap right now?
I ended up pondering this useless question without realizing it.
…Huh?
As Rina watched me quietly, for just a brief moment… a chilling gaze like a starving beast that had found its prey flashed across her expression.
Something… something was seriously wrong.