Night had fallen completely, and the last traces of sunset on the horizon had been swallowed by a deep indigo blue.
A cold crescent moon quietly climbed into the sky, casting a hazy silver glow.
Inside Silvia's single room in the girls' dormitory area, the lights were off.
In the gloom, only the moonlight from the window and the faint glimmer of distant streetlights barely outlined the blurred shapes of the furniture.
She wasn't sitting at her desk reviewing her lessons or saying her bedtime prayers as she usually did.
She simply sat silently in the chair by the window, her back to the door, facing the window, motionless as an exquisite porcelain doll.
Her long pink hair was draped over her shoulders, shimmering softly under the moonlight.
Those pink eyes, usually clear and bright, were now out of focus, staring aimlessly at the courtyard shrouded in night and the silhouettes of the academy buildings further away.
This afternoon in the Central Courtyard, she had confirmed two things.
First, Senior Greg did indeed like Victoria. Perhaps his previous kindness to her was also to have her act as a bridge between the two of them.
Second, Silvia knew that it was possible for her to intervene between them. When she had tried to initiate intimate contact with Greg, he hadn't resisted; he was only concerned about Victoria's gaze. This meant that as long as Victoria didn't find out, Senior Greg was willing to engage in some intimacy with her.
These two realizations were like ice and fire intertwining in her heart, bringing an indescribable sourness and a trace of... secret joy.
However, the thought of the scene that afternoon, where she had grabbed Greg's hand and pressed it against her chest to leave a mark—
Silvia felt a wave of scalding heat rush to her cheeks, making her ears and neck burn.
She could no longer maintain her contemplative posture. She buried her burning cheeks in her folded arms and curled up in the chair like a cooked shrimp, her slender shoulders trembling slightly from shame.
"Aaaaah—! Seriously! At that moment... where did I get the courage to do something so... so indecent!"
Her muffled voice came from her arms, filled with regret and unbelievable embarrassment.
At that time, she had been driven by a strong impulse to confirm and possess him, and her actions had been almost beyond her control.
Now that she had calmed down and looked back, every frame of that memory made her want to dig a hole and crawl into it, never to face Senior Greg again.
But amidst this extreme shame, a darker, more selfish, and more tempting thought—like a poisonous mushroom quietly sprouting from the soil—silently poked its head out from the most hidden corner of her heart:
What if...
What if Victoria weren't here...
Then... would Senior Greg... belong only to me?
The moment that thought surfaced, Silvia felt as if she had been stung by something, and her entire body shuddered violently.
A massive sense of guilt and self-reproach, like a cold tide, instantly suppressed that dangerous spark.
"No! I can't! How could I... how could I have such a terrible thought!"
She jerked her head up and shook it forcefully, her long pink hair falling messily over her shoulders, her pink eyes filled with panic and self-loathing.
"Victoria... she's my childhood friend I grew up with, my best and most important friend in the academy! How could I have such a... such a thought because of my own selfishness!"
"Besides... Victoria and Senior Greg already like each other... I'm the latecomer, the one intruding between them..."
"So, being able to occasionally touch Senior Greg like this, feel his body heat, and occasionally get a bit of special attention and tenderness from him... I should be satisfied. I should be grateful. I shouldn't ask for more... I shouldn't..."
She warned herself over and over again, trying to use logic and morality to build a dam against the restless dark tide in her heart.
However, some thoughts, once born, take on a life of their own.
The more they are suppressed, the more twisted they grow in the subconscious.
She couldn't even help imagining it:
If Victoria wasn't here...
Then could Senior Greg and I hold hands openly and walk along the sun-drenched tree-lined path?
Could we kiss passionately in a deserted corner without worrying about being seen?
Could we watch the fireworks together at a festival and make vows to each other under the brilliant lights?
Could... finally, I wear that pure white wedding dress and walk toward him as he stands before the altar, smiling tenderly at me amidst everyone's blessings?
Scene after scene, as beautiful as fairy tale illustrations, automatically played out in her mind beyond her control.
Every detail was so clear, so sweet, and so alluring.
Everything in the fantasy was so perfect—so perfect that she was almost drowning in that false bubble of happiness.
"Eh? Silvia? Why are the lights off? I thought you were asleep."
Accompanied by a familiar voice, the light switch was flicked on.
The soft light from the ceiling lamp instantly dispelled all the gloom and, like a sword, unexpectedly pierced through the fantasy world Silvia was immersed in.
"Ah—!"
Silvia let out a low cry of surprise at the sudden light and voice, nearly jumping out of her chair.
She turned around in a panic, forcing a smile that looked no different from usual as she looked toward the door.
Victoria was standing there, her hand still on the light switch. Her long gray hair was a bit messy, and her face carried the relief and slight excitement of someone who had just finished a major task.
"Vi-Victoria? You... you're back already?"
Silvia's voice still held a trace of imperceptible trembling, but she hid it well.
"That... thing you went to do, is it finished?"
"Yup! All done!"
Victoria closed the door and walked over to Silvia in a few steps, her face beaming with uncontrollable joy, her tone light.
"That guy Greg didn't lie to me. Although the shopkeeper's gaze... well, it was a bit weird, made my skin crawl... but I really didn't expect that a piece of junk glove with a few small gems could sell for a whole 40 Gold Coins! It's a huge profit! Now we finally have money to buy some magic conduits or alchemy items!"
She excitedly shared her spoils, her eyes sparkling, clearly extremely satisfied with this windfall.
"I-I see... that's... that's great."
As usual, Silvia curved her eyes and showed a gentle smile, softly agreeing.
However, only she knew that the moment she heard Victoria say the name 'Greg' so naturally, her heart felt as if it were being lightly squeezed by an invisible hand, giving rise to a faint sting and... displeasure.
As a result, she didn't truly hear any of the details Victoria excitedly mentioned afterward about the shop or her plans for the gold coins.
The words seemed to pass through a layer of frosted glass, reaching her ears blurred and failing to leave any mark on her heart.
After talking for a while, Victoria also noticed a slight abnormality in her friend.
She stopped talking and scrutinized Silvia with her gray eyes, asking with concern:
"Silvia, what's wrong? You look a bit pale... Have you not fully recovered? Are you feeling unwell?"
Silvia suddenly snapped out of it, realizing she had been spacing out.
She quickly waved her hands, a bit of panic appearing on her face, but she soon steadied herself. Following Victoria's lead, she hastily changed the subject:
"N-no... it's nothing. I just suddenly remembered... before we parted this afternoon, Senior Greg seemed to mention... asking me to ask you if the three of us... should find some time to explore the second layer of the Academy Dungeon together?"
"Explore the second layer? With that guy Greg?"
As expected, Victoria's expression changed significantly upon hearing this.
She scratched her somewhat messy gray hair. From her expression, it was clear she was having some sort of internal struggle.
Finally, she curled her lip and said:
"Although I don't really want to go with that guy... well, fine. I do owe him a favor. There's no helping it..."
She sighed, seemingly making a decision that involved a great sacrifice.
"Alright, alright, I'll reluctantly agree to it. Consider it paying back the favor, and while we're at it... well, maybe we can find some more valuable gems or something."
After saying that, she looked at Silvia again, her expression much more serious:
"But Silvia, you mustn't push yourself this time. You just went through something so terrifying, and your mind and body need time to recover. If you feel like you still need to rest, it's fine. Just tell me, and I'll explain it to Greg. He won't force you!"
Feeling her friend's sincere concern, the darkness that had just risen in Silvia's heart mostly dissolved, replaced by a guilt that almost overwhelmed her.
Victoria... she's always like this, caring for me without reservation...
And I... I had such shameful thoughts about her because of Senior Greg...
I'm so awful...
She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing her surging emotions back down into her heart.
When she opened them again, her pink eyes had returned to their usual clarity and softness. She looked at Victoria and gave a smile even more determined than before.
"Mhm, I'm fine, Victoria."
She paused for a moment and said softly:
"So... let the three of us go together."
Rate on N.U.
