Chapter 74: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat
Chapter 74
Standing in front of the mansion, Sylvia smiled brightly at me.
How could she smile so cheerfully after everything that happened yesterday?
I had no idea what expression to make right now...
But completely oblivious to my feelings, Sylvia spoke calmly.
"I’ve heard about the situation. Don’t worry about where to stay. There are plenty of empty guest rooms in the mansion. Just consider it your home and make yourself comfortable."
I glanced at the enormous mansion, even from a distance, it looked overwhelmingly large.
The size was far from what I considered home.
Just standing at the entrance made me feel suffocated, and thinking that Sylvia lived here made it even more daunting.
How could I be comfortable in a place like this?
I quickly tried to think if there were any other options if I refused to stay here.
It seemed there was no other answer once my legal guardian had decided I should stay here.
As I was deep in thought, Sylvia spoke again.
"Sebastian, could you carry Scarlet’s luggage?"
"Understood, Miss."
I couldn’t stop it in time since I was distracted.
The man called Sebastian, who had been standing behind Sylvia, took my bag containing my school uniforms hostage.
"Scarlet, let me show you to your room," Sylvia said with a bright smile.
To me, it sounded like a threat: "Follow me quietly, or your uniforms will suffer."
Two perfectly fine uniforms, and one with a missing left sleeve.
That bag, worth most of my possessions, was now in their hands, leaving me with no choice.
I sighed inwardly and followed Sylvia into the mansion, feeling like my steps were strangely light.
---
"Scarlet, you can stay here from now on."
"...Is this really my room?"
"Yes, this is the room. How do you like it?"
I couldn’t figure out how to answer her question about whether I liked it.
The only thing I could say was that everything was huge.
The room was several times larger than the one I used to stay in, making me feel unsettled.
All the furniture was oversized, matching the room size.
Okay, that was understandable.
But one piece of furniture was so unusually large that it was impossible to ignore.
Unable to suppress my curiosity, I asked Sylvia.
"...What’s with that bed? This room is just for me, right?"
In the center of the room was a white canopy bed, the kind called a princess bed.
The type of bed I’d only seen in movies, it was big enough to play soccer on top of, if I exaggerated a bit.
I had always used a single-size bed, so seeing a bed that could only be described with words like queen or king was overwhelming.
The size was clearly not meant for one person, so I asked, but Sylvia shrugged as if it was no big deal.
"Yes, this room is just for you. My bed is the same size, so don’t worry about it. If it’s too big for you to sleep alone, we can sleep together."
Sylvia’s words made my mind go blank for a moment.
What? Sleep together? With Sylvia?
Just imagining it made my face flush, and I lowered my head, feeling embarrassed. Sylvia covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Why are you so embarrassed? We’re both girls. Anyway, you haven’t had lunch yet, right? Leave your things and let’s eat first. Sebastian, please prepare lunch here."
By the time I came to my senses, I was sitting at the table in the room with Sylvia, cutting into the steak Sebastian had brought.
They say when you’re flustered, you can’t taste the food, but that’s nonsense.
Even in this situation, I could tell the food was incredibly delicious.
What kind of meat is this? Could it be beef?
Maybe it’s the famous Korean beef I’ve heard of.
Though there’s no Korean beef here.
As I cut the meat diligently, Sylvia watched me with a satisfied expression, as if she was happy just watching me eat.
People often told me that watching me eat made them feel full, but being stared at so intently was a bit burdensome. I stopped eating and met Sylvia’s gaze.
Sylvia smiled and spoke.
"I’m glad the food suits your taste. By the way, the mansion has a bathhouse. Let’s take a bath together this evening."
"!!! W-What? A bathhouse?"
I almost spat out the food in my mouth.
I managed to swallow it with great effort, but I asked, still choking a bit.
"Yes, the bath facilities in the mansion are quite nice. I’m sure you’ll like it once you try it."
It wasn’t a matter of liking it or not.
I tried to imagine bathing with Sylvia and immediately stopped.
I would lose my mind.
If I stayed in the mansion, something terrible would surely happen, so I quickly said the first thing that came to mind.
"Um... I plan to go out after lunch, so the bath can be... later..."
"There’s no need for that. You can bathe when you return. I’ll wait for you, so take your time."
Sylvia’s words, saying she would wait, were terrifying.
For now, leaving the mansion seemed the best course of action.
Operation: Emergency Escape.
---
As soon as I finished eating, I ran outside.
The Astra mansion was located in District 3, in the northern part of the city.
I had no idea what was around here, so I quickly pulled out a map and headed to the familiar District 15 through the gate.
Seeing the familiar surroundings put my mind at ease, but remembering Sylvia’s words made my head spin again.
Feeling overwhelmed, I unconsciously walked to the place I always visited when I was troubled.
The park I frequently visited, which now felt strangely familiar.
Sitting on a bench, I pondered how to get through today safely.
Staying out too late would worry Sylvia, so that was out.
But going back too early meant definitely bathing together.
Time flew by as I racked my brain for a good solution.
By the time I snapped out of it, the sun was already setting.
Feeling the urgency of the approaching time limit, I panicked but couldn’t think of a good solution. I was holding my head in my hands when I heard a voice.
"...What are you doing here?"
Hearing a voice from in front of me, I looked up to see Yoon Si-woo standing there with an awkward smile.
His attempt to act natural was so obvious that it was almost funny.
"I just have something on my mind," I said, chuckling.
Si-woo’s eyes widened in surprise.
Come to think of it, I rarely laughed in front of him.
It made me realize just how hard I had been struggling all this time to extend my limited life.
But knowing that the end was really set, I felt oddly relieved, and it made me feel a bit more comfortable around Si-woo.
Maybe that’s why I felt it was okay to rely on him a little.
Si-woo and Sylvia had accepted me despite knowing my past, but I knew how dangerous it was to be associated with a witch.
So, the only people I could honestly ask for help were those two and my guardian.
Among them, the one who could relieve my current worry the most was Si-woo, standing right in front of me.
I didn’t like being indebted to others, but this was a situation where I had no choice.
I could repay him slowly in the future.
Helping Yoon Si-woo in his fight to protect the world might be a way to repay him someday.
Thinking that, I spoke to Si-woo.
"Hey, you said you’d help me if I had a problem, right? Does that still stand?"
Si-woo, clearly not expecting this, slowly nodded, looking a bit flustered.
"That's good. Then let’s go somewhere private. I need to talk about something sensitive, and we need a place where no one can eavesdrop."
As I looked around for a suitable place, an idea suddenly came to me.
A place where no one would eavesdrop and where I could solve the bathing problem I was worried about.
The first time is hard, but the second time is easier.
I led Si-woo to the perfect place.
---
Shhhhh—
Water splashed inside the semi-transparent booth.
Yes, I was taking a shower.
It was actually a pretty good idea, even if I say so myself.
If I washed outside and came back, Sylvia wouldn’t insist on bathing again.
After finishing the shower, I deliberately left my hair slightly damp to show that I had washed.
I changed into the new clothes I had bought and slightly opened the door.
"You can come in now," I called out.
At my words, Si-woo, who had been waiting outside, entered the room.
I never knew a person’s face could turn that red.
I had brought Si-woo to the motel where we had demonstrated our abilities before.
It was the perfect place where no one could eavesdrop, and I could wash up.
We could have gone to Si-woo’s house, but I didn’t want to impose on another person's home when I was already about to stay in someone else’s.
There wasn’t really a place to sit, so I sat on the bed and patted the spot next to me, signaling Si-woo to sit. He shook his head wildly and sat on the floor instead.
Why was he overreacting like this?
Anyway, there was something I wanted to say to Si-woo before getting to the main point.
"You said, 'I’ll never let that happen.' Wasn’t it?"
"Uh? Oh... um..."
Si-woo’s eyes widened, and he started making strange noises like a broken machine.
His already red face turned even redder, almost as if it would burst.
Seeing his somewhat amusing state, I chuckled, and he bowed his head in embarrassment.
He probably didn’t realize how embarrassing it would be to hear his own words like this.
But I didn’t mean to tease him.
In fact, quite the opposite.
I stopped laughing and spoke softly.
"Thank you. For saying that."
I came down from the bed and gently held Si-woo’s hand.
His trembling stopped as he slowly looked up at me.
I met his gaze and smiled slightly.
"Knowing all that and still being on my side... It made me really happy. Being connected to a witch isn’t a good thing. People think of witches as bad and scary beings. And they’re not wrong."
I would die in three years.
Because of that, I couldn’t keep my promise to Teacher Eve to not die.
Then I realized.
The promise not to die was an impossible promise from the start.
Everyone dies eventually.
"Sometimes I hear the witch’s voice. Telling me to burn everything. I see visions of my body burning. I’m trying not to give in, but honestly, I’m scared. What if I can’t hold on? What if people get hurt because of me?"
So, I thought about what I should do to keep the promise to not die as much as possible.
Not dying means living as fully as possible, I concluded.
No matter how hard it is, living firmly.
"I want to protect people. That’s the way I, Scarlet Evande, want to live. For the next three years, at least, I want to live that way."
I resolved to protect people at the gym.
Scarlet Evande wanted that too.
So I wished for the anxiety that I might harm people with my own hands to disappear.
"So, please. If... if I ever cease to be Scarlet Evande."
I knew it was too much to ask.
But I had to ask Si-woo.
The strongest person among those who knew about me.
The one who could stop the witch’s power.
"Please, kill me."
I asked him to let me live as myself until the end.
Dang it those onion cutting ninjas are extra rough today
ReplyDeleteThey’re leaving no witnesses
DeleteGiven if Sylvia secretly followed, it's gonna happen again ain't it?
ReplyDeleteStill need Siwoo to apologize. That said it is good to see them on good terms with each other, vaguely friends. The more friends and people who support Scarlett the better.
ReplyDeletewhy is she so pure im crying dude
ReplyDeleteWas not expecting that last lone
ReplyDeleteThx for the chapter
ReplyDeleteWell, this is something i kind of expected to happen, just not in this setting.
ReplyDeleteI guess we will have stalker kid pov too, for clarity.
I wonder if Sylvia or an attendant followed MC or not, for protection.
If so, it will cause a misunderstanding for sure.
Is there really no better place?! 😂
ReplyDeleteOh no mann... My tear won't stop
ReplyDeleteSurely she tells them the future info right?
ReplyDeletei am not crying. you are crying.
ReplyDelete