Meanwhile, on Selene’s side…
Helena observed the lively group of girls, their chatter filled with laughter and excitement about girly things.
She felt an odd detachment from their conversations….. Topics like the latest fashion trends, exotic dishes, and stylish jewellery were foreign to her. Stay tuned for updates on
She really didn’t get them at all.
Growing up in an orphanage under the care of the Archpriestess, Helena had never developed an interest in such mundane luxuries.
Her clothes were simple, pure white robes personally enchanted by the Archpriestess. She had never worn cute or fancy outfits, and jewellery had never sparked her interest.
Dishes?
Food, however, was a different matter. Having had little access to tasty dishes in her childhood, she now relished the flavours available to her. So, she quietly listened to their chatter while savouring her meal.
Selene, who was happily engaged in conversation, noticed Helena’s distant gaze and smiled. She decided to shift the topic to something more inclusive. “So, are you guys seeing anyone?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
Helena flinched, her attention snapping back to the group with an intense gaze. Selene nodded in satisfaction, pleased to have drawn her in.
Lia blinked a few times before responding with an annoyed tone, “You’re asking me that?” Her voice was tinged with displeasure.
Selene chuckled awkwardly, realizing her mistake. “Hah… I’m sorry about my big brother. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“Tsk, it’s fine,” Lia replied, though her tone remained irritated.
Selene leaned in closer to Lia, her voice lowering conspiratorially, “Though I was wondering if you’ve seen anyone interesting since the breakup. Someone might take the chance to woo you, right? It’s not just my brother who was interested in you. Even when we were kids, most of the guys’ eyes were on you.”
Lia sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. “Well, I’m not interested in anyone, and To be honest, I will not be!” Her words were resolute, filled with determination.
She had already been through a painful breakup and wasn’t looking for a new relationship. Despite her firm stance, a certain image popped into her head, but she quickly dismissed it. ‘Nah, he’s just a friend,’ she thought, trying to convince herself.
Selene then turned her attention to Aria, who immediately blushed. “Well, I am seeing someone…” Aria admitted, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red.
“OOHHHH….” Lia and Selene exclaimed in unison, their faces lighting up with amusement and curiosity.
“Who is it?” they asked eagerly.
Aria shook her head, adopting a sly expression. “That’s a secret~” as she looked at her right hand that covered in gloves.
“Oh!… At least tell us what he looks like?” Lia pressed, she wanted to know whether her theory was right or not.
Aria’s blush deepened, “He is cool, gentle, caring, has a good heart, helps everyone related to me, never complains, and is always there for me. He has sacrificed a lot…” Her voice trailed off, her expression lovestruck and dreamy.
Selene and Lia’s lips twitched.
The description fit only one person they could think of.
Selene frowned, ‘Maybe she is…’, while Lia wondered, ‘So she loves him? Is that why she’s been harassing him?’ Her curiosity deepened as she turned to Selene and asked, “What about you, Selene?”
Selene flinched, snapping out of her thoughts. She responded with a gentle smile, “Do you even need to ask?”
Lia smiled knowingly. “So, it is indeed Ae—OUCH!” Lia yelped as Selene discreetly kicked her under the table.
“What happened?” Aria asked, frowning.
“N-Nothing,” Lia replied with a pained expression, glaring at Selene while rubbing her foot. Selene wore a contrite expression, but she couldn’t allow Lia to reveal the truth in front of Helena. Things would get messy and make it harder for Aether to seduce her.
Selene… slowly but surely… was changing!!
Aria frowned, sensing something was off. Selene quickly shifted the focus to the remaining person in their group. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Helena flinched as everyone’s attention turned to her.
“W-Well, I am…. No… I…” She struggled to lie, her nature preventing her from doing so. She felt her cheeks heating up, her discomfort evident.
Seeing her turmoil, the trio grinned, ‘So she loves someone,’ they thought, their curiosity piqued even further.
Selene, playing the role of a supportive friend, said, “It’s fine. We’re not going to push you, okay? We’re friends, right? There’s no need to worry. If you need help, we’ll help you at any moment.” Her voice was sweet and reassuring, dripping with a sincerity that masked her ulterior motives.
Helena was surprised by Selene’s understanding, she never thought Selene had been a pain in her ass suddenly acting understanding girl, ‘Is this what having friends feels like?’ she wondered, not realizing the honeyed words were another trap set by the hunter.
Since everyone was girls, Gathering her courage, Helena blushed and asked, “You know…”
“Hmm?”
“Hmm?”
“Hmm?”
Everyone looked at her curiously, their eyes wide with anticipation.
Helena’s blush deepened as she lowered her head. “There is m-my friend…”
“Oh~” Before she could continue, everyone understood who she meant.
“S-She was p-proposed to by a boy yesterday,” Helena stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Hmm,” they nodded, encouraging her to continue.
“So?” Aria asked, her curiosity piqued.
“That’s it!”
“Huh? What do you mean? That’s it?” Aria asked, shocked by the simplicity of Helena’s confession.
“Yes, that’s it! Now she’s wondering what to do. She really wants to focus on her job and has never been in a relationship, so she didn’t know what to say and ran away when he proposed.”
Aria and Lia facepalmed, “Yo—ahem, she really did that!” Aria said, her tone incredulous.
Lia shook her head, a mixture of amusement and pity in her eyes. “This is going to be hard…”
“W-Why is that?” Helena’s face turned to dread, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Well, how does yo—ahem, she feel about him?” Lia asked, leaning forward with interest.
“W-Well…” Helena stammered, unable to articulate her feelings. Her heart raced, and her hands fidgeted in her lap. It was clear to the others that she had strong feelings for the boy in question.
“This is really hard,” Aria said, shaking her head.
“Yep,” Lia agreed, nodding in unison.
Meanwhile, Selene stared at Helena blankly….. She knew she needed to help her beloved. Clenching her heart, her face turned sly as she said, “That boy must be hurt.”
“H-Huh? What do you mean?” Helena’s face filled with worry, her eyes widening. ‘Did I hurt him?’ she wondered, guilt gnawing at her.
“Well, I mean… what would you do if we left you alone with the bill?” Selene asked, her voice taking on a teasing tone.
Helena was startled. “Y-You’re not going to, are you?” she asked, her voice trembling with anxiety… She didn’t have much money!
Selene smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Of course….. not!”
“W-Why was the long pau—”
“Anyhow, tell me!”
“I-I’d feel betrayed, I suppose,” Helena admitted, her voice barely audible.
Selene’s face turned even more cunning as she leaned in closer. “That means you betrayed that boy’s feelings without hesitation! Don’t feel sorry for him!”
“!!!!” Helena’s eyes widened in shock.