Chapter 49: The Unspoken Barrier

‘Indeed, why would a girl feel shy around another girl?’

Yet, Elara knew the answer deep in her heart.

It was simply because she wasn’t a true girl. No matter how she tried to convince or force herself, she couldn’t view another girl with ordinary eyes.

Especially not when this particular girl was so stunningly beautiful, offered comfort and companionship, openly expressed her affection, and was now standing completely naked before her—tantalizingly within reach.

Elara suddenly realized that her facade must have crumbled long ago. How had Hilvyn become so adept at manipulating her?

Slowly, the image of the glib-tongued tailor shop owner surfaced in her mind.

No wonder Hilvyn often ran off to that shop. Despite needing Elara to teach her basic common sense, Hilvyn had cornered her so expertly in this regard.

Whether in her past life or this one, Elara had never experienced romance; her record was completely blank. This left her utterly at a loss for how to explain her own behavior.

Elara turned her face away, biting her lip, and remained silent.

She didn’t see the gradual shift in Hilvyn’s expression, from confident assurance to growing apprehension.

“Sister…”

Hilvyn reached out, intending to caress Elara’s face.

The moment her fingers brushed Elara’s cheek, Elara abruptly stood up. Like a thief caught in the act, she awkwardly fled the scene.

“Why are you running away?!”

Hilvyn cried out, her voice trembling.

As a former s*ave, Hilvyn had naturally viewed Elara through a certain lens. She dared not, and could not, overtly express her affection, fearing that too much would only invite Elara’s displeasure.

This was why she had always insisted on calling Elara “Master,” a constant reminder to herself not to overstep her bounds.

But imagination was a beautiful thing. Unknowingly and unconsciously, Hilvyn had made many overly bold moves, yet Elara had never uttered a single harsh word to her.

Aunt Martha had told her: when someone deliberately keeps their distance from you, yet blushes and acts shy around you, it’s a restrained prelude to love.

Hilvyn had therefore been convinced that Elara harbored similar feelings.

Today, the s*ave contract had been dissolved, removing the last layer of separation between them.

She no longer wanted to be casually brushed aside as before. She couldn’t wait another second; she had to pursue her actively.

However, it now seemed that a barrier still existed, not one of status, but deep within Elara’s heart.

Elara was halted by that tremulous cry. In her current naked state, she felt a bit comical, lacking even the courage to respond.

‘Since the s*ave contract is gone, and she won’t listen to me, then I should just avoid her.’

“I’m sorry…”

Leaving those words hanging in the air, Elara exited the bathing room.

Hilvyn’s heart, too, had stopped for a moment when Elara opened the door and left.

The bathing room fell silent, save for the rhythmic drip of water. Some drops fell to the floor, others into the bucket.

‘Why did she run?’

Hilvyn couldn’t guess, and Elara couldn’t answer.

****

The moon had just risen. Elara, now dressed, leaned against the balcony railing.

The wind chimes jingled sweetly, and below, the murmur of pedestrians’ conversations drifted up.

“What should I do…”

Elara mumbled to herself.

Melancholy settled in her eyes, forming an impenetrable sorrow.

She had anticipated Hilvyn pursuing her, but never so quickly, nor with such intense fervor.

It had caught her completely off guard, leaving her utterly exposed.

‘Perhaps sleeping will make this a dream, perhaps everything will be fine after a good night’s rest.’

She was tired.

Elara lay on the bed, pulled the covers up, then, after a moment’s thought, turned her back to the room.

A long time passed, perhaps long enough for the bathwater to grow completely cold.

The bathing room door opened, and a haggard figure emerged.

Hilvyn’s eyes were slightly swollen, with two tear tracks still visible at the corners. Her face was etched with the words “I messed up.”

Seeing Elara’s back-turned sleeping posture, her heart sank once more.

She put on her pajamas and lay on the balcony railing, neither looking at the moon nor the wind chimes. She fiddled with her pendant, her vacant eyes scrutinizing it, trying to discern something new from the pattern she could draw with her eyes closed.

Her thoughts drifted back to her first days here.

She lay on the balcony like a fledgling bird driven from its nest, afraid to return to bed.

The wind blew, chilling her to the bone.

The weather in Windhym City had recently grown colder.

“Hiss—”

Clad in thin clothing, Hilvyn couldn’t help but shiver.

“Get into bed. Don’t catch a cold.”

The familiar concern came from behind her, the tone seemingly unchanged.

Elara, in fact, had not been asleep.

Hilvyn’s heart swelled with joy, as if she had been granted a reprieve.

She lay down on the bed, wanting to explain, yet unsure how to begin.

Hilvyn hadn’t truly done anything wrong, but she naively believed she had been too hasty.

Elara’s eyes were wide open. She wasn’t sleepy; on the contrary, she felt incredibly agitated.

She was agonizing over what to do next.

She was also afraid that Hilvyn might come to dislike her, or develop feelings of inferiority.

When one strives for perfection in something, the process is often fraught with unexpected obstacles. Yet, with effort, one can still reach the goal, albeit circuitously.

If Elara were to forcefully try to correct Hilvyn, would the end result truly be what she desired?

“Sister…”

A soft, muffled call came from behind her.

“Mm.”

Elara responded softly.

“Do you… hate me?”

Hilvyn had a knack for asking such difficult questions so casually.

“No, I don’t.”

‘Then it means she likes me.’

If she liked her, then why did she flee? This was what Hilvyn couldn’t comprehend.

Elara had taught her etiquette and common sense, and Aunt Martha had taught her how to love and be loved.

But no one had taught her how to gradually pry open a strange, tolerant, yet stubborn soul.

“Okay.”

Hilvyn didn’t press further, choosing instead to stop at that, much like Elara often did.

“Sister.”

“Mm.”

“I still remember the first day I woke up in this bed,”

Hilvyn’s voice was very soft, her tone as relaxed as if they were simply chatting.

“That day was both the saddest and happiest day of my life. When I first woke up, I felt like I’d had the most comfortable sleep ever. Then, suddenly, I realized my Master was gone!”

She couldn’t help but chuckle as she spoke.

“I thought then that Sister disliked me for being useless and had abandoned me here. I didn’t know what to do; I had no money, no purpose, so I just cried in bed, and cried…”

She faced Elara, staring intently at the back of Elara’s head, as if she could pierce through the hair and see her expression.

“Then Sister came back, and I was so incredibly happy! Happy that I hadn’t been abandoned, happy that there was breakfast after I cried myself tired, happy that Sister gave me this pendant.”

“Fool…” the person opposite muttered softly.

“I really am quite foolish,” Hilvyn agreed. “That’s why I want to stay with Sister forever, to learn how to become smarter.”

Elara’s heart trembled; she bit her lower lip.

“That day, I was happy about more than just that. The pendant Sister gave me could even heal! I could use magic, and that experience was truly so novel.”

Hilvyn would never forget that day.

“I realized I could also be useful, helping Sister fight monsters, healing, even blow-drying Sister’s hair after a bath, or handing Sister ice when it’s hot.”

“Sister, I’m very useful, aren’t I?”

Elara released her lower lip, which had turned white from biting, and squeezed out a single word.

“Mm.”

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