CHAPTER 182: ’I WILL ADORE YOU, MY PRINCESS’

Freezing a little, Mel soon cupped her chin; her other hand holding back a frustrated Lila.

"Selaria."

Lila frowned while holding Mel’s shoulder.

"I get that you...."

Lila pursed her lips, and a brief pause gave Mel enough time to collect her thoughts.

Oh.

Wow.

How cliche.

"I don’t-"

As Selaria stammered, a flicker of shame and guilt crossed her deep, violet eyes.

Her head swayed again, beckoning her mind to steel itself; the purple hairs fluttered along, patting her cheeks left and right.

Hm.

Hm...

So adorable!

Knowing full well where Selaria’s harshness came from, Mel soon exchanged a knowing glance with Rosana’s.

Ah, confirm. Even Rosana knew this classic trick.

"Stop underestimating me- I mean, us!"

Selaria pointed at them, her teeth baring despite the visible quiver.

"The-the Royal Family will have you head for what you did to my Sister, you know! How-how dare you. She’s my sis-"

"By the way," Mel clapped, interrupting Selaria’s passionate ’acting’.

The Princess, if not in her beloved battlefield, was socially awkward, as was her attempt at consideration.

Instead of scolding, though, Mel quickly smiled. "Did you receive the paper crane today?"

"Ah? Ah... I did..."

Her voice trailed off as Selaria hung her head with her hands to her back, wishing to hide her secret admiration.

"My.... My sister... has apologised to me..."

Mel’s eyes widened. So quick. Seems Mel has expected too little of the Second Princess.

Though Selaria’s following words only confirmed her worries.

"Well, it’s not sincere, given how arrogant she was. But.... but she did promise not to do the same again..."

The Princess clutched onto her skirt, which she tripped on when entering the dormitory.

Since Rosana’s ’advice’ to be more independent and decisive, Selaria was inspired to leave the Royal Family behind.

She worked hard, really hard, with her mediocre magic and talent; sneakily doing dirty work and earning little pennies under a different name.

No one would hire a Princess, and life without a single Retainer was so inconvenient that she almost gave up.

But she persisted. She managed to earn enough for the academy after a kind lady helped her!

"I-I even dared to talk back to my Sister for a bit, knowing you all did it for me. So...so..."

Her eyes were stuck on the floor. She should say it firmly. Properly.

"So that your efforts won’t... won’t be wasted on someone like me..."

Her mind trembled; a selfish thought occurred that Mel’s stunt wouldn’t improve her relationship with her once-dear, stupid sister.

Yet she ignored it and bowed deeply, already drowned out by her emotions.

"But you shouldn’t.... shouldn’t have done it..."

Selaria closed her eyes; the scary image of her Father was plastered all over her memory.

"I don’t know my Father well. Don’t know what he’ll do with his obsessiveness to control..."

Her hands fist into her skirt, knuckles white as she mumbled.

"So please stay away from me... now and always..."

Mel only stared at Selaria, the tiniest frame, burdened by an elongated shadow on the marble floor.

She stepped forward, slow yet firm and steady; a rhythm that she took care not to scare Selaria away.

"Selaria."

Mel called out before she stopped before the most vulnerable yet strong-willed character she knew.

"Please look up."

As Mel kneeled, Selaria’s gaze met hers.

Soft, loving, and warm, like the sunset, just like her Mother.

"I didn’t regret what I did, Selaria."

She petted the Princess’s head.

"You came all this way to warn us of your father."

Her palm swayed through her hair, gently as if petting the smallest rabbit in the world.

Chuckling at how Selaria leaned into her touch, she silently thanked Lila and the Elf. The practice paid off a little.

"Selaria."

Mel called out again; this time, more resolute, more daring.

"You are braver, kinder, and more capable than you might believe."

It was true.

If Mel had to confess who carried humanity in the timeline that was the Witchhunter’s Howl-

She would answer Selaria, rather than Calina or Maria.

Only Selaria’s unexpected charisma and leadership, blooming in the direst circumstances, drove humanity back.

"Don’t ever claim yourself as ’someone like me.’"

Mel whispered again, her smile soft, as Selaria’s expression froze, her lips parting almost in denial.

Yet, Mel merely hugged her, preventing Selaria from answering.

"For now."

She smoothed over Selaria’s hair.

Mel usually liked being patient and more respectful of Selaria’s own agency.

This time, though, she was willing to be more forceful, drawing out Selaria’s true thoughts.

"Please. Let us be your friends."

Her hug grew tight, as Selaria’s body trembled under her grasp.

"In due time, I promise to adore you, my Princess, with all you’ve missed."

Selaria’s hands then clung to her back, whimpers escaping as if already expecting her following words.

"And all that you’ve deserved."

The Princess’s clawed into Mel, hurting her skin as she desperately held on.

Though Mel merely stayed still for a while. Again, thanks to her ’stay-still’ training from earlier.

Her lips bloomed into a smile as she glanced over her shoulder for a smirking Rosana, alongside a strangely touched Lila.

-----------

After a while, with a couple of sniffs into tissue papers Mel lent the Princess, Selaria bowed once again.

"Sorry!" She shouted in the hallway, her ears so red they could be mistaken as small roses.

"I-I shouldn’t have... ah, it’s my second time..."

"Don’t worry don’t worry!"

Mel chuckled a little. "You’re cute, so I would accept everything and anything from you!"

"Sto-stop flirting already..."

The Princess drooped her head, though her lips threatened to curl up in happiness.

"Ah. I nearly forgot!"

Panicking, Selaria then searched from her pocket, and brought out two tickets.

"I promise my stuipd, ugly Sister. Two Mochi Tickets! But she returned them to me begrudgingly..."

Then, Selaria mustered up a smirk, her cheeks still straining under her hiccups.

"After I probed her rage a little! Did-didn’t I do well?"

"Ah. Of course you did!"

Mel pumped a fist. "You wanna sell those tickets to me? Don’t worry. I can pay at full price!"

"Really?!"

Selaria’s face beamed, then immediately was splashed by a regretful calmness.

"Ah, but... my second sister did.... well, kinda pay back the money she scammed me..."

She did?!

Mel’s eyes widened once again. Wow, what a way you go, Miss Luria!

Still room for improvement, but don’t worry. There were always more beat-up-

Mel coughed twice. She meant, of course, practical ’bond-building’ session, of course!

"So..." Selaria gave out the two tickets. "You can have them for free! Just as a thanks for today..."

"Ah. You don’t have to-"

"Tha-that’s it from me!"

Selaria shouted a little, before running off.

Yet as she almost turned a corner to the stairs, she peeked from behind the wall.

The puppy-like, purple eyes stared across towards Mel, the violet still dry with tear stains that ellicited a sense of pity.

Mel folded her hands over her lips. Cute! Too cute!

Lila, as if sensing something, kicked a little into Mel’s knee, unbudging as she was stunned by another’s cuteness.

"You-you better not tell my situation to anyone!"

Leaving behind this quote, the Princess soon took her leave, hairs fluttering like a fairy.

"Ah..."

Mel squrimed with a silly smile.

"I want to have her too..."

"Hey Mel..."

Lila poked into Mel’s cheek, frowning.

"First the Student Council. Now this. I didn’t ask coz it was awkward, but don’t you think you should give me some explanation?"

"Relax, our Lila."

Rosana laughed as she crossed shoulder with Mel’s. "Our Mel here... couldn’t seem to hold back her tongue and lust when it came to cuteness and beauty, as she did tell me."

"Oh. So you two did something back then when I’m not present?"

"Of course. Want me to slowly elaborate?"

"Alright you two."

Mel clasped both her hands into Lila’s and Rosana’s; the tickets dnagling on one hand and the other.

"Enough arguing! Let’s head off for some mochi celebration!"

And then, Mel froze in her excited steps; the tension. Somehow she distinctly felt it grew.

Lila’s scowl deepened further; as a faint, but ominous smile was forced out of Rosana.

"Hm..."

Mel glanced between them.

"Did I... say something wrong?"

"No."

"No."

Mel couldn’t realise back then, too distracted by Selaria’s unexpected but welcomed cuteness.

That she only had two tickets.

That the hallway had two of her targets, waiting to pounce on Mel for the opportunity of an one-on-one date.