Chapter 21: A girl blooming like a flower

After reuniting with Hughes, who had been waiting in place, Yuli’s presence made Lyra restrain herself. She no longer treated Simon with that superior-to-inferior attitude, simply ignoring him as if he were air.

Simon, however, remained hesitant.

Too many questions filled his mind.

He wanted to ask them all, but whenever he caught a glimpse of Lyra’s cold gaze or the way she deliberately kept her distance, it was clear, she wanted nothing to do with him.

Simon had imagined many turning points.

He thought maybe a patrolling teacher would hear the disturbance and rush over.

Maybe a powerful classmate would step in to help.

He had even imagined stronger monsters arriving and fighting each other…

But never, never, had he imagined that this arrogant, self-centered, self-serving “witch” who only cared about her own amusement… this detestable girl… would be the one to save him.

In that moment of urgency, he had been thrown over her shoulder. The movement was rough, but the soft fabric of her dress pressed against his skin. Even through the layers, he could feel the softness of her body, like cotton, and beneath it, the strength he knew all too well…

After all, he had been beaten by those arms more times than he could count.

There was always a faint scent around Lyra, like cornflowers.

Simon had once thought it was just his imagination, but being that close, he could finally confirm it: a subtle, lingering fragrance.

Cornflowers… small blossoms known as cornflower bouquets, blue, white, red, or violet, simple wildflowers that grew freely across open fields.

Plain, yet quietly beautiful.

It didn’t match her at all.

If Simon had to choose, red tulips would suit her better, noble, vivid, almost painfully striking. Their brilliance matched her crimson hair and the unpredictable behavior that earned her the title of “witch.”

That would make sense.

But cornflowers… simple, unadorned wildflowers…

They suited someone else.

Not cheap, but gentle.

To Simon, the shopkeeper, Cornflor, felt like a field of blooming cornflowers. Not warm because she tried to be, but simply because she existed that way, no matter where she was.

It had been a while since he’d seen her after the shop closed.

Maybe after this training exercise, she’d return.

‘…Wait.’

Wasn’t he supposed to be thinking about Lyra?

In the end, he was still conflicted.

He couldn’t understand why she had saved him. Until he knew her true intentions, he couldn’t decide anything.

Could it be… she was trying to change?

Lost in such thoughts, Simon silently followed behind the two girls alongside Rod.

Up ahead, Yuli glanced between Lyra and Simon, noticing the silence between them, and couldn’t help but ask:

“What’s wrong? Did you two have a fight?”

“No! I have nothing to do with him! Don’t you get it, big-chested woman?!”

Lyra snapped, clearly annoyed.

Her face was slightly flushed, if she stayed around this shameless woman any longer, she might explode.

“Lady Lyra is being so mean to me, how cruel~”

Yuli pretended to cry, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Lyra rolled her eyes, expression blank.

“Stop pretending. You can’t squeeze out a single tear. And stop those two things from bouncing around. I’m getting dizzy.”

As she spoke, her eyes briefly flickered… and a faint warmth crept onto her cheeks.

After all, she had once been a man.

But the moment she realized those belonged to Yuli, any attraction vanished completely.

Besides, she couldn’t even threaten Yuli to leave. Lyra was merely the daughter of a high-ranking noble, while Yuli was an elven princess.

An unshakable nuisance.

Yuli, unfazed, continued:

“So the rumors at the academy, that you bully Simon, aren’t some kind of… ‘playful affection’?”

“No such thing.”

Lyra looked utterly exhausted.

“Then it’s real bullying. For the sake of the Stuart family’s reputation, you should stop.”

“…It’s not that either. Just… stay out of it.”

She denied it, but offered no explanation.

It was all because of that goddess’s twisted sense of humor, Lyra couldn’t tell anyone the real reason.

But she had already accepted being the villain.

No need for understanding.

Yuli studied her for a moment, noticing the evasive look in her eyes. There was clearly more to it, but Lyra wasn’t going to talk.

So Yuli decided to let it go.

Soon, sunlight broke through the forest ahead.

“We’re out,” Yuli said.

But as she spoke, she suddenly paused.

“…Huh?”

She looked around. Lyra was gone.

Only a distant blur of red remained in her sight.

Did she really have to run that fast?

Yuli wiped a trace of cold sweat from her brow.

Guess there’d be no more questions for now.

She turned instead to Simon.

“Simon, what do you think of Lyra?”

“Hm?”

Pulled from his tangled thoughts, Simon blinked in confusion.

Seeing he hadn’t fully heard, Yuli repeated patiently:

“What do you think of her? She’s always bullying you, isn’t she?”

“…Yeah.”

Simon recalled everything that had happened.

Then, with clenched teeth, he said:

“She’s a terrible person.”