Chapter 46: It’s not about being conflicted

All in all, after Lila vaguely hinted that she had once encountered that blue-haired airheaded goddess, Cecilia’s attitude toward her became inexplicably respectful.

From Cecilia’s explanation, Lila learned that Holy Light is highly sensitive to dark magic, and also has the effect of dispelling and weakening it.

Lila understood immediately, it was basically like the role in RPG games that heals and removes debuffs.

However, when it came to detecting the presence of Dark Seeds, Cecilia explained that one had to personally use Holy Light to penetrate the body of the infected person to confirm their existence.

So it was extremely troublesome to check, and impossible to conduct a full-scale inspection, after all, there were too many people in the academy.

As Lila walked along the road, she couldn’t quite figure out what she was supposed to do. During times when she wasn’t planning how to bully Simon, she didn’t want to present herself as a villainess.

Who would actually enjoy being disliked?

No matter how you think about it, that’s impossible.

So, almost unconsciously, Lila headed toward the restaurant. Maybe at times like this, she could try experimenting with some new drinks.

“Manager.”

A soft call brought Lila back to her senses.

Looking closely, it was Simon. Behind him, silver hair shimmered faintly, Alice was there too.

“Simon, I remember I told you that you didn’t need to work today, right?”

Although she could roughly guess what they wanted, Lila still pretended to remind him.

“No.” Simon scratched his head, then stepped slightly to the side, revealing Alice who had been hiding behind him. “Actually… Alice wanted to see you.”

Alice hesitated, her steps uncertain, her face full of guilt.

After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lila.

“Manager, I’m sorry!”

Her voice trembled slightly as she lifted her head, her eyes filled with remorse.

Crying wasn’t something the perpetrator should do. The only thing a wrongdoer could do was sincerely apologize and do their best to make amends.

Alice didn’t know how the manager would treat her, would she harbor resentment? Disgust? Or simply indifference?

She recalled the last sentence she heard before losing herself to madness.

“I also like Simon.”

So the manager truly had feelings for him.

Then there was no way she would forgive her.

After all, under the influence of dark power and emotions, she had fought with the intent to kill both the manager and Simon.

She probably didn’t deserve forgiveness.

So the “vacation” the manager had asked Simon to relay… was actually a dismissal, wasn’t it?

Bitterness filled Alice’s heart. Even if she were despised, she still wanted to give the apology gift she had prepared.

“I forgive you, Alice.”

“Even if you don’t forgive me, that’s fine, but I still want to-”

Alice continued speaking as she had imagined, but suddenly froze, looking up in shock.

Those golden eyes showed no hesitation.

‘She had been forgiven?’

‘So easily…?’

Her pupils trembled as she carefully examined the manager’s expression, it was still that same gentle look.

“I wouldn’t say I have no reservations at all,” Lila said slowly, “but after thinking it through, I understand that what you did wasn’t your true intention. So I can’t place all the blame and responsibility on you.”

She paused, her tone becoming more serious.

“So if you truly feel sorry, then please work hard from now on. No matter how tiring it gets, you’re not allowed to give up.”

Alice couldn’t believe it.

The manager didn’t resent her, and the break really was just meant for rest, not dismissal.

If she could forgive someone who had done something so terrible, then she herself had no right to hesitate anymore.

Alice forced a smile, trying to look energized.

“Thank you, Manager! I’ll work hard, no matter what you ask of me!”

In her eyes, the manager’s satisfied expression looked almost angelic.

At that moment, Alice finally understood Simon’s choice. If she were a boy, she felt she might compete with him for the manager.

But if she could see into Lila’s heart, she wouldn’t think that.

‘So troublesome.’

‘So annoying.’

Behind the gentle smile, these thoughts kept surfacing.

Lila didn’t truly want to forgive Alice so easily. She had grown to hate this mask of an identity.

Facing someone who had threatened her life, she didn’t want to accept their apology.

Survival, or simply staying alive, was the most important thing to her. It was the driving force behind everything she had done.

If she forgave so easily, wouldn’t that be denying her own goal?

And yet, under the identity of the manager, she still spoke words of forgiveness, even comforting Alice.

She had wanted to live more freely in this life. Even if she couldn’t become a true villain, she should at least be a little selfish.

Things weren’t supposed to turn out like this.

In her original plan, Comflor wasn’t supposed to interact with many people, only Simon.

But now, Alice, Ulysses, Cecilia… all of them had gradually come into contact with Comflor, each learning a little about this white-haired girl.

But Comflor wasn’t a real person.

She was fictional.

Even the one playing her believed that her existence and all her displayed emotions were fake.

Comflor shouldn’t be known by more people.

Once her task was complete, her existence would disappear.

Lila made that decision firmly.

Suppressing the discomfort in her heart, she put on a bright smile and said:

“Since you’re already here, why not come in for a drink?”

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Alice exclaimed:

“Ah! Right!”

She took something out of her bag.

Lila looked closely, it was a bag of tea leaves.

“This is tea from my hometown, a local specialty. I know it’s nothing special for you, and it can’t make up for anything… it’s just a small token. Please accept it.”

Lila took it.

The tangled emotions in her heart grew even more complicated.

But she didn’t want to think about it too deeply right now.

Since yesterday morning, the “closed” sign had been hanging on the door. Lila stepped forward and pushed it open.

Sunlight streamed inside, casting her shadow across the floor.

“Please, come in.”

She turned back and said.

****

Who knows what she had been doing these past few days?

Even Lila herself wasn’t sure.

She had brewed the tea. Steam rose gently from the cup in front of her.

Simon and Alice each had a cup as well.

After it cooled slightly, Lila took a sip.

It was just ordinary tea, nothing particularly impressive.

“How is it, Manager?”

Alice asked nervously.

“It’s pretty good.”

Lila replied casually.

Though she felt dissatisfied, if they wanted to spend more time with Comflor , she didn’t mind continuing the act a little longer.

After all…

It was just a lie.

Seeing the faint smiles on their faces, Lila felt a trace of irritation growing inside her.