Confessionally, I was not very perceptive.
Of course, I wasn’t as disoriented as a princess would be.
However, I had spent most of my days immersed in sword training since childhood.
My relationships were limited, and I had no spare time to interact with more people for social reasons.
In those days, the term ‘acquaintance’ usually referred to family or neighbors.
There weren’t many friends with whom I could share an equal relationship.
The only ones who became my friends were Celin and Reto.
With such a growth process, it was unlikely that I would develop social skills.
Still, after entering the academy, I made many friends, but I still found it very difficult to face the opposite gender.
It was because reading their minds was challenging.
The only woman I knew well back then was Celin.
It didn’t mean I had no female friends at all, but there were no connections as deep as with Celin or Reto.
At most, I exchanged greetings with a few friends including Emma.
Recently, the crisis I faced was also related to this.
Before long, there were more women around me, some of whom had become incredibly precious to me.
The Lady Virgin Saint, who had saved my life several times.
Senior Elsi, who confessed her feelings to me.
And even Senior Delphine, with whom I spent a few nights.
Besides them, Ceria and the imperial princess, as well as Emma and Senior Neoris, also became invaluable companions.
The only problem was that I often couldn’t understand their feelings.
Just like right now.
The heavy atmosphere conveyed a slight tremor. I could find no shade in her dark blue eyes.
It was an abyss.
Those weren’t the bright eyes I remembered. They were instead a murky and thick color.
Facing that dim distortion made me feel dizzy.
My intuition rang a warning bell again.
I shouldn’t speak carelessly.
My innocent and cute junior was now pouring out her deep emotions in words.
“Did that woman say something like that? That she did it for the family, for me?”
The girl’s complexion showed no changes.
At a glance, it might have seemed that I was the odd one.
Here I was, sweating profusely in front of my calm-faced junior.
But anyone standing before Ceria would react similarly to me.
Her intensity was different.
Every word dripped with malice.
A chilling atmosphere pricked my skin.
Even a dullard like me could tell.
Right now, Ceria was very angry.
Very much so.
“That witch genuinely seems to think that. Setting aside the excuse for the family, for me…?”
A snicker escaped her lips, drawing a fierce line.
It was a fleeting smile.
And soon her expression disappeared, revealing a deadly ferocity.
Even I involuntarily flinched.
The words of hatred spewed forth, biting and dripping into my ears.
“Don’t be ridiculous. She took everything away from me… everything that was precious! And yet, to say it was for me? That bitch… you’re not even my sister. I’d rather you had just died. No, I wish you had killed me…!”
Ceria’s pupils twitched.
The unstable focus seemed to reflect her anxious heart. Unable to bear it, Ceria placed her thumb at her mouth.
And just as she was about to bite down hard, I instinctively shot up and grabbed her wrist.
“Enough!”
Ceria’s eyes widened in surprise at my sudden intervention.
It seemed she hadn’t expected me to stop her.
Or perhaps she didn’t realize why she was being stopped.
I forced myself to calm my anxious heart as I spoke.
“Ceria, I think you’re a bit worked up… let’s calm down for now.”
“No, Senior Ian.”
Ceria’s response was utterly composed.
That gaze of hers was so serious that I almost loosened my grip on her wrist unconsciously.
“I’m more normal than ever right now. See?”
With a clap, Ceria pushed herself up off the table.
Each gentle step brought her body closer to mine.
Because I was holding her wrist, she moved around the table to come closer to me.
Before long, I could see her eyes in detail.
There was no focus.
Like a monochromatic image, only deep emotions seeped from her pupils.
I couldn’t guess the source of it.
“Right now, I’m quietly here.”
“……?”
Before I could even ask what she meant,
“Isn’t it strange? I’ve lost everything… everything! Even the last thing I asked to be left with! But here I am, quietly sitting. I’m not rushing to kill or barking to get back what was taken from me!”
“Ceria, wait. Just wait…”
I was dizzy from the onslaught of emotions.
I couldn’t follow the context of the conversation at all. That’s why I half-heartedly asked a question.
“To be honest, I don’t really understand what you’re saying right now. So… what did Senior Delphine take from you?”
Ceria didn’t provide the information I wanted to know.
She merely shut her mouth and stared at me for a long time in silence.
After some time,
Just before I could no longer stand the awkward atmosphere and opened my mouth, Ceria breathed softly.
“Ian, Senior.”
“Yeah?”
A cold gaze without light shot toward me.
I was slightly taken aback, but I deliberately didn’t avoid Ceria’s gaze.
Even upon closer inspection, she was devoid of light.
Unintentionally, I recalled Senior Delphine.
Senior Delphine was beautiful, but Ceria’s beauty was of a different kind.
If Senior Delphine was the sun, Ceria was the moon.
Even just her sharp, delicate eyelashes indicated this.
Despite the strange chill surrounding her, Ceria was still Ceria.
I found myself lost in thought for a moment, captivated by her beauty.
Before I knew it, her eyelashes were almost tickling my retina.
Even the girl’s sweet breath.
“A little while ago, I heard a man’s voice in my sister’s bedroom.”
And then a thunderbolt struck.
A white current rushed down my spine.
My body froze, unable to make a sound.
Did she see it?
The heated time spent in Senior Delphine’s room two days ago.
It was a situation I had never imagined, and I couldn’t produce any answer.
What should be said at a time like this?
I felt like a lover caught cheating.
I hadn’t done anything wrong, after all.
Regardless, Ceria continued to press on in a whispering tone.
“What were you doing that night, Senior?”
“Well, I remember going to bed early…”
“What time do you think that was?”
Uh oh.
Having shamelessly woven a lie, I decided to exercise my right to remain silent.
Ceria’s gaze narrowed even more as she looked at me.
It would be useless to say any more.
Ceria was already convinced.
I had no means to deny it.
Thus, a long silence fell.
Ceria, who had been staring at me blankly, sighed heavily as I continued to avoid giving an answer.
She pressed her forehead, as if annoyed.
“You made a mistake, Senior. How could you drink together alone… and with that rabid bitch?”
‘Bitch’ was perhaps too harsh a term.
I wanted to object, but ultimately only muttered inwardly.
Ceria’s mood still seemed far from good.
The fleeting glimpse of her blue eyes flashed with fierce malice.
“However, I understand. You’re a young man in your prime.”
“R-Right?”
I had no choice but to pin my hopes on Ceria’s slightly softened standards.
No, thinking about it, I felt wronged.
As they say, I was a young man in my prime.
Spending a night with an attractive woman shouldn’t be that strange.
Even Ceria and I had not had that many intersections as the opposite gender.
If the Lady Virgin Saint or Senior Elsi were pressing me, I wouldn’t have an excuse.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind that Ceria was crossing a line.
Shouldn’t a senior correct her?
Of course, it didn’t take long for such trivial thoughts to vanish.
“Ian, Senior is still human, and it must be hard to resist if a gorgeous woman tempts you. Moreover, you had been drinking… so, I think it was an unavoidable accident.”
“Y-Yeah. Well… I guess that’s somewhat true.”
“Did it not matter who it was?”
The repeated question made me feel a strange sense of foreboding.
Until now, I had only nodded along to Ceria’s fierce momentum, but the flow of conversation seemed strange.
“It didn’t matter who it was?”
I frowned slightly and asked back.
“What do you mean it didn’t matter?”
“It didn’t matter to you!”
Gripping my arm tightly,
Ceria said with blazing eyes.
It was a blue flame.
“That’s right; it didn’t matter to you. Drunk and looking for someone to relieve your lust… anyone would do. It didn’t have to be my sister. It could be me, even.”
“Ceria, please calm down… urgh?!”
Before I could react further, I reached for Ceria’s shoulders.
However, she was faster.
Firmly, Ceria’s fingertips pressed against my chest. I had to step back unsteadily from her fierce advance.
“That’s how it was, right?! That wicked woman couldn’t not know that. So she took it from me, even resorting to cowardly means!”
“Once again, Ceria, you’re really worked up…”
“Please hold me.”
That was the request I heard after being pushed against the wall.
I could only narrow my brows even further.
I could hug her as much as she wanted, but I knew that wasn’t what she meant.
No matter how dull I might be, I wasn’t a fool.
With nowhere else to escape, Ceria pressed close to me. I felt the sensation of her resilient body.
Even so, I could only let out a deep sigh.
Right now, Ceria wasn’t in her right mind.
And important decisions shouldn’t be made in such an altered state.
“It’s okay with anyone, right?! So I…!”
“Ceria, you’re not in your right mind right now.”
At my low reprimand, Ceria merely bit her lip.
Her tone became even rougher as she spoke.
Then the only answer left was one.
“No, I’m in my right mind! More than ever…!”
And then, with a smack, an axe hit Ceria’s chin.
Of course, it wasn’t the blade.
It was the other side, but the force of the metal object shot forth like a beam of light.
Even an extraordinary swordsman wouldn’t be able to stand after receiving a surprise blow like that.
Especially if it was an unexpected attack.
With her eyes wide open, Ceria’s body flew through the air.
The flame burning in the girl’s blue eyes extinguished. It happened in an instant.
The girl who had fallen hard to the ground didn’t rise again.
She simply convulsed a little before slowly closing her eyelids.
She fainted.
Finally regaining my freedom, I ruffled my hair in irritation.
Slapping the side of the axe against my palm.
“…Well then, I told you to get a grip.”
As has been said since ancient times, there’s only one cure for a person who is out of their mind.
