Are you familiar with me?
The crystal chandelier emitted a soft glow, bringing warm lighting to the classroom. Once everything was arranged neatly, the impeccably dressed teacher entered, prompting the students to unanimously stand, bow, and then sit.
Filisia glanced with slight confusion at Aistride sitting ahead of her, her face cool and composed, but quickly drew her gaze back.
If she remembered correctly, Aistride usually sat with Tillysha during class, often right next to each other. Why were they so far apart today?
There were three rows: Filisia was alone in the middle, Wenfu and Tillysha were in the back, while Aistride was in the front. They hadn’t ever been this far from each other before.
While it wasn’t anything particularly strange, it gave off a strong sense of unease.
Had something happened between them?
Filisia didn’t know, nor should she jump to conclusions. Maybe they just wanted a change of pace today, or it was purely coincidental. She wasn’t dumb enough to ask directly.
Tillysha glanced at Aistride in the front row and recalled how the latter was unusually absent from the dorm this morning, opting instead to eat at the dining hall. She seemed to understand something.
Even someone as dense as Tillysha noticed something amiss by now.
Aistride seemed deliberately avoiding her, trying not to be near her.
For some reason, Tillysha’s first thought was, “She’s going through her rebellious phase.”
Thinking back, she couldn’t remember offending Aistride, or even upsetting her. What had gone wrong? Was it because she had leafed through Aistride’s artbook a while ago? That was private, sure, but Aistride shouldn’t be that petty, should she?
After pondering it for a while, Tillysha decided to stop thinking about it until after class.
Adults should have great emotional control. Even if her feelings were unwilling, her actions must follow suit. Though worried about what Aistride was fussing about, Tillysha quickly regained her composure, focusing her attention on the teacher’s lesson. Despite knowing she’d get the gist of the class from a casual glance at home, she listened respectfully out of respect for the teacher.
The afternoon was reserved for self-study time, and since Tillysha and Aistride had different optional courses, they didn’t have a chance to meet.
Returning to the dorm after school, after finishing her homework, Tillysha went downstairs for dinner, only to notice one seat remained empty.
“What’s strange about this? What’s up with Aistride today, running around outside all day, not coming back for meals?” Filisia said this while occasionally looking at Tillysha to observe her reaction.
“It’s… it must be because recently Wenfu’s cooking hasn’t been hitting the spot,” Wenfu apologized.
“Not, not Wenfu’s fault at all. You know, elves don’t need to eat much anyway. Maybe Aistride hasn’t been feeling well these last few days, or perhaps something’s bothering her. It’s not related to you,” Tillysha consoled her.
She said that, but Tillysha and Yimi were elves too, right?
Wenfu still felt a bit guilty, introspecting on whether she might have gotten the seasoning wrong somewhere, upsetting Aistride.
“Probably around the square.”
“Huh?” As Tillysha sat down, Yimi sitting beside her suddenly piped up, “I saw her heading towards the square when I left school tonight.”
Yimi said this and then nothing else, plunging her face into her vegetable salad.
The school square?
Tillysha remembered that building near the actual square; there was also a chapel around there, where the Seven Saints who created their world were enshrined.
Aistride probably had no reason to go to the square, but likely to the chapel.
But why would Aistride go to the chapel? Tillysha was lost as to the reason.
In her view, her being in a rebellious phase or just in one of those moods would resolve itself in time.
Later that evening, Aistride returned to the estate, looking a bit exhausted.
Because of some emotional concerns, she didn’t return to the dorm after school but instead went to the chapel, spending much of the afternoon praying in front of the Mother Goddess statue there.
She prayed all her frustrations and bewilderments away to the Mother Goddess, her normal way of relieving stress.
But when she walked in, she found Tillysha sitting by the window reading a book, her wet hair draped over her shoulders and dressed only in a bathrobe. When Tillysha saw her, she smiled as usual, greeting her warmly. That familiar warmth felt almost like milk gliding smoothly down her throat.
There was no man in the house, so Tillysha wore what she felt comfortable in, without much thought.
“Good evening, Aistride, are you hungry?” An innocuous greeting, yet it carried a strong sense of affection, nonetheless.
Aistride quickly turned her gaze away, avoiding Tillysha’s direction and simply responded with a simple ‘um’ before walking upstairs.
Tillysha tilted her head slightly, one arm propped up, a faint smile playing on her lips as she continued to focus on the book at hand, her golden lashes fluttering softly, casting a gentle glow.
Back in the room, Aistride sighed, feeling like all her praying was for nothing, even thinking of stepping out again to pray more under the goddess statue.
Later that night, Aistride wiped her damp legs and tried to sleep. But she tossed and turned, unable to rest. Her mind was filled with the glimpse of that golden charm she caught as she returned to the dorm earlier.
After dressing quietly, Aistride tiptoed out of the house and headed straight to the chapel under the moonlight.
“Sorry, Mother Goddess, I need to bother you again. I’ve so many sins I need to confess…”
The next morning, Aistride was still nowhere to be seen, even early riser Wenfu saying she hadn’t seen Aistride get up.
Tillysha lazily stretched her waist, yawning slightly. There were some star-like flickers in her emerald eyes.
“Um, Sister Tillysha, did you see Sister Aistride this morning?”
“Hm? No, not at all. If even you haven’t seen her, how could I have?” Tillysha chuckled.
Regaining part of her memory, her biological clock wasn’t as regular as before. Enjoying life, in all its forms, was something she valued—eating well, eating sweets, life had to have both highs and lows. And sleeping, well, that was an important pleasure process. If it could be delayed, she didn’t see why it shouldn’t be.
Thus, interrupting her sleep was something that annoyed her.
“Sister Aistride, isn’t she acting a bit strange these days?”
“Not at all, I think it’s fine,” Tillysha said casually. “It’s normal for young people to go through confusion and change.”
“Sister Tillysha sounds pretty mature, doesn’t she?” Wenfu pouted cutely.
Yimi glanced at Wenfu, said nothing, and continued reading her newspaper.
It was a habit she’d developed since moving into Brilliant Sun and Moon. She found this human invention called newspapers quite fascinating. You could stay informed of world affairs without leaving your house, and as a person herself who loved reading, she decided to subscribe.
The two others in the room had no idea, but Yimi knew full well how old this “young elf” was. She could be their great-grandmother.
“Ah, I remember now, isn’t Sister Aistride in love?” Wenfu sat on her favorite cat-eared chair, arms crossed, and after pondering for a while, suddenly realized with an air of superiority.
“Huh? In love?”
“Sister Tillysha, don’t you remember that day when Sister Aistride answered many questions Filisia asked about love? Surely she has feelings for someone!” Wenfu declared triumphantly, thinking herself finally in the know. “Sister Aistride must be in love!”
“…” Filisia, drinking her soup, nearly choked.
After wiping her mouth, she decided it was best not to say anything.
Wenfu, as always, was clueless about the situation, unaware of who Aistride liked. This guess, though not entirely irrational, was incorrect. Only Filisia clearly understood that Aistride’s potential crush was likely not someone else.
Why did Aistride suddenly act this way or whether she’s realized her feelings or not, Filisia didn’t know.
“Sister Aistride, in love?” Tillysha thought for a moment, and indeed, it was possible.
Though elves rarely fell in love, she was after all a young girl in her first bloom of emotions, having interest in this area, or encountering someone she liked, was quite normal.
“Definitely! I wonder what kind of person Sister Aistride has fallen for,” Wenfu’s eyes sparkled with stars, filled with romantic yearning, viewing love as a very romantic affair.
Tillysha kept an open perspective, thinking Aistride had barely been around for less than a year since Dillin came along, and the relationship hadn’t progressed to that extent yet.
After tidying up her dishes, heading to school was filled with laughter and joy, and the youth of any world were always full of vitality and spirit.
When Filisia and Wenfu each entered the classroom, Tillysha suddenly heard someone calling her.
“Tillysha classmate, could I have a word with you?”
Upon hearing this, Tillysha turned around curiously to see a gentlemanly young man dressed immaculately bowing politely.
“Who are you?” Tillysha couldn’t recall seeing this young man before.
“Does Tillysha classmate remember that rose-colored letter sent that day?” Despite pretending to be calm, it was evident that his hand over his chest trembled from nerves. The greeting was concluded, yet his hand remained on his chest, seemingly forgetting to lower it.
“Oh, you mean that you’re Bunun? It’s nice to see you remember my name.”
“Indeed, it makes me honored to hear my name from the lips of Tillysha classmate.”
“Uh-huh, your letter certainly stood out,” a rose-colored stationery with a rose-scented seal, showing how meticulous this young man was, and that he made a good impression.
“Have you looked at my reply, Bunun classmate?”
“Um, yes, I have.” Bunun nodded solemnly.
Tillysha showed that she understood.
The kind who still pursue after a clearly reasoned rejection was evidently the persistent type.
After all, this was an academy, not a workplace. Only youth and passion mattered here, not scheming.
“In your letter, you mentioned that my understanding of love might not entirely align with yours, but I believe love at first sight is also a valid trigger.”
“Although you might consider it rash, I’ve questioned myself and found that my fondness for you is sincere, not merely based on appearance.”
“Besides, you once pretended to be human. Surely, we would have a lot to talk about.”
“I’m not like those people who declared love only based on your appearance. I believe I understand you quite well, to some extent.”
This kid seems quite persistent.
Tillysha sighed and started thinking about how to respond to this passionate noble youth, when she noticed Aistride standing nearby, waiting to enter the classroom.
“Ah, Aistride classmate, where were you this morning? Come over here~” Interrupting her conversation to talk to someone else wasn’t polite, so Tillysha sent a guilty look to Bunun before beckoning to the silver-haired elf.
“?” On hearing Tillysha call her, Aistride recovered from her daze, hesitated for a moment, then walked to Tillysha’s side.
“Bunun classmate, this is my classmate and partner, Aistride, you’ve probably heard of her?”
“Um, hello, Aistride, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” As he looked at the two beautiful elf girls, one golden and one silver, Bunun’s gaze toward Aistride cooled, he politely greeted her and stopped. He seemed genuinely dedicated.
“Um, hello.” Aistride glanced at Bunun, then at Tillysha, unable to understand why Tillysha pulled her over suddenly.
“Bunun classmate, you said you know me well, right?”
“Ah? Yes.”
“So, let me ask you, do you know what my favorite food is?”
“Ah?…” Bunun froze, clearly not expecting Tillysha to ask this.
“Maybe… probably vegetable salad, right?” After all, elves usually loved that.
“And, Aistride, do you know?” Tillysha cast a charming look at Aistride, causing her to blush slightly and inadvertently answer.
“Passionfruit milk tea, and sweet cakes.”
“Bravo~ you’re right!” Tillysha immediately burrowed into Aistride’s arms. “Still, Aistride knows me the best, doesn’t she?”
“…” Aistride’s body stiffened, her usually cold gaze now showing a trace of confusion.
“Then, Bunun classmate, do you know what flavor I dislike the most?”
“I guess, sour, I mean…” Bunun began.
“Bitter flavors,” Aistride interrupted before he could finish, having noticed more than once Tillysha discarding unfinished tea.
She might not even realize it herself, but she pays close attention to many small details of Tillysha’s life, using them to infer her habits and preferences.
