After completing their Monday exams, the female students of Class A did not return to their dormitory. Instead, they gathered at a café near the classroom building.
Although it would have been proper to return to the dormitory and study, they were all deeply agitated.
"I think she's truly mad."
Surprisingly, it was Adelia who spoke those words.
Not expecting the usually timid Adelia to say something like that, Liana, Harriet, and even Ellen stared at her with their mouths agape.
"Ah, um... Was that too harsh...?"
Adelia wondered if she had used too strong a word, her face turning red as she scratched her cheek.
Liana sipped her lemonade through a straw and shook her head.
"You're not wrong. You did well, Adelia. But why would Miss Temple go to a first-year classroom? What does she want us to do? And what? She has no rivals? It's so absurd."
Liana used even stronger words. Harriet crossed her arms and frowned.
"...I really don't like her."
Harriet stuffed a mouthful of mocha sand into her mouth and grumbled.
Lately, she had been picking fights with Ellen over trivial matters, and today was no exception.
It was rare for the ever-calm Ellen to genuinely dislike someone.
Moreover, Ellen's overpowering presence was enough to fluster everyone.
Among their classmates, Ellen had become something transcending grade levels.
There were only two in the royal class of the first year who received such treatment.
Ellen and Reinhardt.
Ellen was Ellen.
Reinhardt was Reinhardt.
Both had something unique about them that inadvertently led to this treatment. Of course, in Reinhardt's case, it wasn't a good thing.
No matter how much of a fifth-year the opponent was, Ellen was still Ellen. That fifth-year senior actually overpowered Ellen.
Everyone was shocked by this.
Liana tilted her head.
"But does that girl really like Reinhardt?"
A sudden doubt.
At those words, Harriet and Ellen stared intently at Liana.
"Do I think she likes him...? If not, there's no reason for her to act like this, right?"
Adelia hesitantly expressed her opinion while subtly glancing at Harriet.
"No, at this point, I wonder if she's just having fun tormenting him. Honestly, what good does it do for her?"
That was true.
Although it might look cute from some perspectives, today's actions were not much different from needlessly picking a fight.
It wouldn't be good for Reinhardt or for her.
"Tormenting?"
The one who reacted to that word was Ellen.
"I thought Reinhardt might actually like it, but as I watched, I could see he truly dislikes it. If that girl really likes Reinhardt, shouldn't she stop when he says he doesn't like it once or twice?"
Now that they thought about it, that seemed true.
What reason could there be for someone to continuously engage in behavior that the person they care for despises? It is true that Reinhardt has persistently asked Olivia Lanze to cease her actions whenever he witnesses them.
Ellen had her doubts as well, but after hearing Liana's words, she felt they were accurate.
Olivia Lanze continues to engage in behavior that Reinhardt detests.
Moreover, Ellen knows circumstances others are unaware of.
Olivia had purified the cursed Tiamata, making her a life-saving benefactor to Reinhardt.
Thus, Ellen knows that Reinhardt cannot be excessively cruel to Olivia.
And Olivia exploits this, continually tormenting Reinhardt.
Whether her feelings for him are genuine or not.
It is true that Olivia torments Reinhardt.
"......"
No matter how much Ellen thinks about it.
Olivia Lanze cannot be left unchecked.
Although she has already been pushed away once, and she might suffer a terrible fate.
Ellen had no intention of hesitating.
Ellen did not harbor grave thoughts when she directed herself towards the fifth-year dormitory.
What she wanted to say was simple and not difficult.
She had no intention of fighting, not because of her reliance on her strength, but because of her shame at having rashly thrown a punch in the classroom, regardless of the outcome.
She had no intention of fighting.
Her message was singular.
Stop tormenting Reinhardt.
Why do you keep doing this while he's struggling?
She intended to say that. After returning to the dormitory, Ellen ventured alone to the fifth-year dormitory.
She called for Olivia Lanze, and everything was fine when the senior appeared with her usual carefree grin.
Even when she wore an expression that seemed to provoke her, inviting Ellen to say anything, the atmosphere was not unpleasant.
Ellen's request was straightforward.
Stop tormenting Reinhardt.
Continuing to act in such a manner despite being told multiple times that it is unwelcome is rude.
Please restrain yourself.
Ellen said this. Upon hearing these words, Olivia Lanze tilted her head.
"Ha ha... I already got an earful from Reinhardt..."
Olivia Lanze laughed hollowly.
Did Reinhardt already say something? No wonder he seemed to leave the classroom a bit early.
"Did Reinhardt ask you to speak to me on his behalf?"
"…No."
"Really? Then why are you advocating for Reinhardt's position?"
Olivia's smile suddenly turned cold.
Her expression was that of someone who had just heard a decisive word that twisted her mood in an already unpleasant situation.
"What are you to Reinhardt?"
"…What?"
Olivia approached Ellen.
Ellen did not back down but stared at Olivia with a stern expression.
"What are you to Reinhardt? As if Reinhardt belongs to you alone. Telling me to stop tormenting your Reinhardt."
"…"
"How disgusting. To hear such words from a third party."
Olivia glared at Ellen with cold eyes.
A third party.
Those words struck a chord in Ellen's heart.
Moreover, Olivia had spoken such words more frequently.
"Please take good care of our Reinhardt!"
"You shouldn't be too close to Reinhardt, you know why, right?"
"You're good at fighting, aren't you? Still, don't be too harsh on our Reinhardt."
She had spoken as if Reinhardt was hers alone. Ellen stared back at Olivia and said, "You did the same, senior."
"Yes, I did," Olivia smiled.
"I did that because I wanted Reinhardt to be mine. Is that what you want too?"
"..."
Ellen couldn't say anything.
Did she wish for Reinhardt to be hers alone?
She hadn't given deep thought to such concerns. She feared that reaching an unwanted conclusion would set off an irreversible chain of events. Olivia continued to look coldly at the silent Ellen.
"Why can't you say anything? Can't you even tell me how you feel?"
"..."
"I asked what Reinhardt is to you."
"...A friend..."
"Is that all?"
"..."
Ellen couldn't respond.
The moment she gave an answer, it seemed everything would end.
Fearing that the unpredictable senior before her, spouting strange words, might destroy all her relationships, Ellen hesitated.
In the end, Ellen couldn't say anything.
"If you're nothing more than friends, and you have no intention of being more than that with Reinhardt, you have no right to tell me anything, do you?"
"..."
"Exactly. You're just friends, but you tell me not to approach Reinhardt."
Olivia seemed to be interrogating her.
As if forcibly opening a heart that no one had tried to open before.
"Isn't that a bit strange?"
It was similar to something Harriet had once said to her.
"You don't want to lose anything, but you hate being taken away even more. You want to hold onto everything awkwardly?"
Olivia smiled as she cautiously placed a hand on Ellen's shoulder.
It wasn't the usual frivolous and gentle smile, but a clear sneer.
"You're truly selfish."
Not making a choice is also a choice.
Deferring all answers to the future and doing nothing is still a choice, leading to certain outcomes.
It leads to the destruction of everything.
Am I selfish?
Ellen felt as if she had been struck in the head by Olivia's words.
Why does this person hate me so much?
What does she want from me by shaking me up like this?
The person once called the saint of Eredian was nothing more than a hateful person to Ellen.
Why does this person hate me?
She hadn't known until now, but it seemed she did.
She knew she was selfish and that her actions were wrong, but there was a stronger desire within her.
She didn't want to lose him, at least not to this person.
She would hold onto Reinhardt and never give him back.
It was then that Ellen seemed to understand why Olivia disliked her so much.
The reason was the same as why she herself disliked Olivia.
For fear of being robbed.
And so, it was hateful.
As soon as Ellen realized her own feelings, she came to understand the emotions hiding within Olivia's cold gaze.
In those eyes was a certain...
Fear.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"…What?"
Just as Ellen feared that the person before her might take Reinhardt away, the other person was also afraid.
And that's why she was needlessly picking fights, shaking things up, and scratching at them.
Olivia's expression twisted at Ellen's sudden words.
"Why would I be afraid of you?"
The loss of composure in her face due to the sudden provocation already revealed much.
Ellen knew she had hit the mark. Now that she realized the other person didn't hate her but was afraid, she naturally understood.
That she had been oversensitive.
"You'll be graduating next year."
Time was no longer on Olivia's side. Olivia licked her lips, seemingly flustered by Ellen's words.
"…I, I'm going to graduate school?"
"Still, you'll have to leave the dormitory."
"…"
Starting the year after next, she wouldn't have to see that annoying face again.
On the other hand, both Ellen and Reinhardt would continue to stay in the dormitory.
That was what the other person disliked.
There was no need for her to be angry. There was no need to take the other person's agitation seriously.
Reinhardt could only be by my side longer, not by yours.
There was no need to fight. Why fight when the victory was already hers?
The other person wanted to make her look ugly. There was no need to join in on such antics.
The other person would dislike her and would be jealous.
She didn't know what the other person wanted her to admit, but there was no need to oblige.
"A year is a long time, you know?"
As if searching for something to say, Olivia gritted her teeth, and finally spoke in a trembling voice.
"Yes. Give it your best shot."
Ellen looked at Olivia with one corner of her mouth raised.
She felt like she was doing something very wicked.
But it was satisfying.
It felt like she was finally getting back at someone who had always been putting her down. No, it wasn't just about getting back at her; it was about realizing that her opponent was fighting an overwhelmingly losing battle from the beginning.
In the end, Olivia lost her composure, and her eyes reddened.
She looked at Ellen with gritted teeth.
She seemed angry.
She knew that no matter how much she scratched with words, there was an insurmountable gap that she could never close.
What would have happened if Olivia Lanze had been a classmate?
She couldn't know about anything else, but she wouldn't have been able to look at Olivia with this kind of condescending sneer.
But speculations were meaningless.
In the end, even if Reinhardt spent time with Olivia, he was always closer to Ellen.
That wouldn't change.
"You, you… If you're in the same class as Reinhardt, you think you know everything?"
"Yes, indeed."
A position you can never enter.
A position that would make you the most envious.
Feeling that she already possessed what Olivia desired, Ellen saw no need to be angry with her.
It was simply jealousy, envy that drove Olivia.
At Ellen's brazen acknowledgment, Olivia glared at her, biting her lip.
"It would have been better if you were born a little later."
With a snicker, Ellen left Olivia behind, brushing past her.
"You, you... Really! You're just... so wicked..."
Olivia pursed her lips, staring at the retreating figure of Ellen.
As Ellen disappeared from view, Olivia's eyes reddened, her lips quivering as she murmured.
"Damn... I shouldn't have provoked her... I didn't even get my own back..."
So angry was Olivia, tears welled up in her eyes.
Although she wondered why she had to engage in such emotional battles, Ellen felt a kind of exhilaration she had never experienced before. She wouldn't have felt this way even if she had punched Olivia.
"It would have been better if you were born a little later."
Olivia's expression upon hearing that was truly worth seeing. Ellen felt as if she had repaid all of Olivia's previous taunts in one go, and from now on, she wouldn't care about whatever Olivia said to her.
Now that she knew why Olivia had been taunting her for no reason, it no longer bothered her.
Olivia was jealous, and she could never have what Ellen had. She was furious and frustrated, picking fights for no reason.
Upon returning to the dormitory, Ellen felt light-footed as she walked down the corridor and ran into someone.
"Ellen, what good has happened to you?"
"Ah, well... nothing, really."
Upon seeing Harriet, Ellen's good mood dissipated.
Selfish.
That's what Olivia had said.
Not wanting to let go of Harriet nor Reinhardt, Ellen tried to awkwardly hold onto both of them.
So, you are selfish.
Olivia's words came back to life in her mind.
She wanted to ignore it, but she wasn't foolish enough not to understand the meaning behind those words.
Harriet liked Reinhardt.
Though she didn't want to think about it, she knew that it was quite possible. Reinhardt was always attentive to Harriet.
If Reinhardt were to fall for Harriet...
What would she do?
She didn't want to lose him to Olivia.
Similarly...
She didn't want to lose him to Harriet either.
The thought was too frightening.
"What's wrong, Ellen?"
Harriet asked kindly, tilting her head as if to inquire if something was hurting.
"...No, nothing. I'm just a bit tired."
"I'm going to study with Reinhardt. Are you going to rest then?"
It seemed Harriet was holding a stack of textbooks in her arms.
She was going to study for an exam. More precisely, she was going to help Reinhardt study.
"What about the others?"
"They said they'll be studying their own subjects, so if you don't come, it'll probably just be me and Reinhardt."
In that case, they would be alone together.
"I'll go, too."
"Alright, bring your books and join us."
"Okay."
As Harriet walked toward the study room, Ellen watched her retreating figure.
Ellen had thought Olivia's words would have no effect on her.
Yet, when she thought of Reinhardt alone with a friend, she felt an unpleasant emotion stirring within her chest.
'What should I...'
Ellen bit her lip as she watched Harriet walking away.
'What should I do...'
She realized that she was already preparing herself to resent her friend.
Ellen's footsteps, as she returned to her room to fetch her textbooks, were heavy.
