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    Chapter 89: Karma

    Isabel Luna.

    The main heroine of Flame Butterfly.

    She is neither the acting president nor the acting vice president.

    Thus, under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have needed to accompany us on the way to the conference hall.

    However, those holding the positions of president and vice president were allowed to bring one assistant.

    Iris chose me, the acting secretary, as her assistant.

    Normally, Hania would have gone, but since this was a student council matter, she gave up her spot for me.

    「Lady Iris has trouble sleeping in new places, so it''s better if Hannon goes with her.」

    Lately, Hania seemed quite cheerful, having seen Iris sleep peacefully.

    Perhaps because of that, her trust in me had significantly increased.

    Thanks to her, I was the one who ended up by Iris''s side.

    So, who brought Isabel along?

    The answer was already clear.

    It was Sharin, lying with her head on Isabel’s lap.

    Isabel had eagerly volunteered to come along.

    When I first heard that Isabel was joining us, I didn’t pay it much mind.

    Previously, Isabel had been a little sulky when I left a battle unresolved and withdrew early.

    But she wasn’t the type to sulk in such a setting.

    The only thing I hadn’t anticipated was that Iris would doze off in the carriage and fall asleep clinging to me.

    And she did it so naturally, too.

    "......"

    Silence filled the space between me and Isabel.

    Ever since Iris fell asleep holding onto me, Isabel had been staring at me intensely.

    Iris’s strength was not of this world.

    Bound firmly in place, I couldn’t escape from the cramped carriage.

    Feeling awkward under Isabel’s gaze, I looked away, prompting her to finally open her mouth.

    "You... sleep like that with Lady Iris every day?"

    Her tone was sharper than usual.

    I had been caught by Isabel sneaking into the girls'' dormitory disguised as Hania.

    Luckily, Isabel hadn’t blabbed about it anywhere, but it didn’t stop my heart from pounding with anxiety every day.

    "...Isabel, there’s a reason for this."

    "It’s because of Lady Iris’s sleep, isn’t it?"

    Did Isabel already know?

    "Everyone knows that Lady Iris has trouble sleeping."

    Iris had severe insomnia.

    Even if she didn’t show it outwardly, it was something you couldn’t help but notice while living at the academy.

    "And I know how much suffering that brings, too."

    After Lucas’s death, Isabel had suffered from long-term insomnia herself.

    She understood that pain all too well.

    "But Lady Iris has been sleeping well lately."

    Thanks to my efforts, Iris had been able to sleep well recently.

    So much so that even outsiders like Isabel could see how much brighter her face had become.

    "And that’s because of you, isn’t it?"

    Isabel had realized that I was the reason.

    "Yeah, that’s right."

    When I answered honestly, Isabel let out a small sigh.

    "You did well. Honestly, this situation is a bit shocking, but if it’s necessary for Lady Iris’s sleep, then so be it."

    She showed the magnanimity befitting the main heroine.

    "Of course, if it looked like you had even the slightest ulterior motive..."

    But despite her generosity, Isabel smiled with eyes devoid of light.

    "...I’d be very curious to see what happens next."

    "There’s no way I’d harbor such thoughts about the Third Princess."

    "Yes, that much is clear."

    Isabel spoke with certainty.

    Why did it feel like she could read my mind completely?

    I was starting to find Isabel a little scary.

    Moreover, the softness pressing against my back became even more pronounced.

    I wondered if this was really okay.

    “Sometimes, there are secrets only family can know.”

    Iris smiled meaningfully and looked at Isabel.

    Seeing that smile, Isabel widened her eyes.

    She hadn’t expected Iris to take my side.

    Isabel didn’t know the full story of my relationship with Iris.

    That’s why the questions that had arisen couldn’t be resolved simply by Iris defending me.

    When I looked up at Iris, she closed her eyes slightly and smiled faintly.

    It was a smile that seemed to say, ‘You helped me with my insomnia, so I’m just returning the favor.’

    As expected of the third princess.

    Her instincts were sharp as ever.

    “And.”

    At that moment, Iris hugged me tightly.

    “Hannon is my little brother, so I’m not giving him to just anyone.”

    “...What?”

    Isabel responded blankly.

    Iris had also noticed the possessiveness and obsession Isabel had been harboring secretly.

    Even if it was due to her seeing me as Lucas, it was still directed toward me.

    I had stayed by Iris’s side all this time.

    There was no way she wouldn’t have noticed.

    And now, Iris asserted her claim over me.

    Her words carried the meaning that she wouldn’t hand over her beloved doll to just anyone.

    However, Isabel, who already bore a mix of love and hatred toward me, had previously been shaken by the fake girlfriend, Hania.

    Iris’s declaration was like throwing fuel onto the fire burning within Isabel.

    Isabel’s eyes slowly narrowed.

    Her expression was anything but that of a typical heroine; it was downright menacing.

    “Lady Iris, isn’t it improper to talk about your younger brother as if he’s a possession?”

    “It’s fine. I’m a princess.”

    Isabel was momentarily speechless.

    She hadn’t expected Iris to use her status to suppress her.

    “...Since you’re a princess, shouldn’t you set an example instead?”

    However, Isabel showed no signs of backing down easily.

    “Looking out for family is exemplary enough.”

    “Overstepping boundaries in the name of care becomes harmful. Allowing everything in the name of family is no different from domestic violence.”

    A strange tension swirled between Isabel and Iris.

    It almost seemed like sparks were flying between their eyes.

    And caught in the middle, I sat with a resigned expression.

    With Iris already holding me tightly, I had no way to intervene.

    At that moment, my eyes met Sharin’s, who had apparently woken up at some point.

    She assessed the atmosphere in the carriage and moved her lips.

    “Lover’s quarrel.”

    Sharin found the situation extremely entertaining.

    It was her first time seeing Isabel stand up to Iris like this, so it was natural for her to be intrigued.

    Reading her lips, I closed my eyes.

    At least if this were a lover’s quarrel, it might have made me feel better.

    The idea of beautiful women fighting over me could have at least boosted my self-esteem.

    But this was different.

    One side saw me as a mix of love and hatred.

    The other saw me as a beloved toy.

    It was far from love.

    Their claims of ownership over me didn’t consider my feelings at all.

    That’s why I couldn’t step in.

    Was this my karma?

    All I wanted was to turn a bad ending into a happy one.

    ‘Lucas.’

    For some reason, I missed him today.

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