As I sat alone in the lounge, celebrating the successful completion of the lecture, Karen suddenly approached .
She ca closer and handed sothing unexpectedly.
It was an invitation to the freshn welco party.
And Mayas na was written as the inviter.
Why would you have Mayas?
She paused for a mont, then poured out words like a storm.
I was so frustrated watching from the sidelines. Do you know how much Maya wanted to go with the Director? Why dont you show a little favour to Maya this ti too? You pamper Ella so much Even Reyna, who just joined recently, youve been so attentive to her. But why do you treat Maya so coldly?
Everything was sudden.
But her last words lingered in my ears.
Did I treat Maya coldly?
I pondered deeply.
Perhaps there was so truth in what she said.
Knowing Mayas independent nature, I didnt try to show her more attention than any other mber.
I knew she would find it botherso.
But listening to Karens story, it seed Maya had been feeling disappointed about it.
Did Maya tell you all this?
No. Shes not that type of person. But I can sense it from what she says.
Is that so?
The current Maya still had a childish innocence compared to her two years later.
But she never really opened up about herself, making it hard to guess her true feelings.
She had the lowest count of initiating mber quests among the group.
Even Gascon and Reyna, who recently joined, surpassed her within a few days.
It was evidence that she was keeping her emotions tightly in check.
I knew Maya wanted to play the role of a ntor to her.
She only asked once when she joined the circus troupe, and I refused.
Because I had nothing more to teach her.
After that, she never made the sa demand again, and the mber quests never appeared either.
But listening to Karens story, it seed like she had been secretly wishing for it all along.
She was still only seventeen.
An age where she needed an adult to rely on.
In the original, Arno, the leader of the Silver Veil Circus, played that role.
But I didnt.
By equating future Maya with present Maya, I treated her as if she was a grown adult.
It was undoubtedly my mistake.
Now, I looked at Karen, who was passionately advocating for soone she had only recently t.
Maya could have made good friends since coming to school.
But I doubted if she could truly be satisfied in the role of friend.
Then, would it be okay if I took Maya as my partner?
Of course!
Really? But Karen, you like Maya, dont you?
At my words, Karens expression montarily stiffened before softening.
I, uh, like her. Because shes my friend
I threw a remark that pierced through her hesitation.
You were going to kiss Maya while she was asleep, werent you?
Her face turned pale with astonishnt.
H-How did you?
You were about to enter the classroom about a minute before you started talking to .
Oh
Her complexion turned pale.
She stuttered, trying to divert the conversation as she approached the sensitive topic.
Ma-Maya Are you going to tell her?
Depends on the situation. Please be honest. Do you love Maya?
After hesitating for a mont, she confessed her story.
Growing up among boys from a young age.
Having a keen interest in won because of that.
Being labelled as weird by her peers for excessive physical contact with her female classmates.
Feeling scared of girls as a result but finding comfort in Mayas emotional detachnt.
As I listened to her story, I wondered what kind of day it was today.
To counsel a suicidal teenager and then a teenager struggling with sexual orientation.
Did you approach Maya with that intention? Youve been deceiving her all this ti. Your friend.
I know But sotis people beco cowardly in front of their feelings
As she comfortably shared her story, I reflected on what she had said.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash from outside.
I montarily opened the door and peered into the classroom.
No one was there.
The sound seed to co from the collapsed props piled up on the stage.
I closed the door and returned to the room.
Karen had been waiting quietly for to return before continuing her speech.
But I keep feeling my heart fluttering for feminine things. Is there sothing wrong with ?
After considering the stories she shared with , it seed more probable that she harboured a curiosity and admiration for femininity she hadnt explored during her adolescence, rather than genuinely loving won.
Karen, who heard my conclusion, nodded satisfactorily.
Is that so?
But you should not sneak a kiss while soone is sleeping. If your lips had touched Mayas cheek earlier, I would have restrained you imdiately.
Uh, I, Im sorry But still, I didnt do it in the end.
You did well.
We looked at each other and soon burst into laughter.
Thanks to you, I think I can handle Maya more comfortably now. Thank you.
I, on the other hand, have reflected on not understanding Mayas heart properly.
Will you accept Mayas invitation?
If Maya personally hands it to .
I handed the invitation back to Karen.
She took it with a bashful smile.
Its ti for to go now. Theres dagger throwing practice.
Oh, Ill go in a bit. I need to freshen up.
Her face was a ss of cold sweat and tears.
After nodding towards her, I left the room.
Today was the day of evaluation for the basic course of dagger throwing practice.
***
One by one, students were called up to perform the tasks, and those who hadnt been evaluated yet were practicing at the back.
However, Maya wasnt participating in the practice and was sitting on the bench.
Other students thought she was so skilled that she didnt even need to practice.
But that was a misunderstanding.
Maya didnt have the ntal capacity to practice right now.
She was focusing all her attention on suppressing the magic that wanted to rampage.
The shock from Karens confession was considerable.
To think she actually admired the Director, and her approach was quite deliberate?
Mayas heart boiled with anger and betrayal.
Friends? She called this friendship?
The gravel around her stirred on the dirt floor.
No. If she let her emotions take over
She took deep breaths and ditated to control her turbulent emotions.
When she finally stabilized her magic, a familiar voice woke her up.
Maya! Long ti no see, huh?
Karen ran over from a distance.
She dumped her bag on the ground and sat right next to her.
Youre late.
Maya realized for the first ti how dry and cold her own voice could sound.
Was this what people ant when they talked about her?
Uh, bathroom! I went to the bathroom and got delayed.
Really?
Karen sohow felt that her friends voice was colder than usual.
Then, her eyes caught a small package in her friends hand.
It was a snack box with the words Give to your friend! written on it.
She widened her eyes.
Wow, you didnt buy this to give it to , did you?
Maya looked her straight in the eyes.
An innocent smile as if she knew nothing.
Disgust surged within Maya at that shalessness.
Karen.
Yeah?
Get lost.
Huh?
Karen blinked.
She wasnt sure if she heard correctly.
Maya reinforced her words.
I said, get lost.
Why, why are you suddenly
Maya didnt answer but instead threw the friendship chocolate on the ground.
As Karen reached out, an unseen force crushed it completely.
Dont co near .
She spat out coldly, but her expression remained unchanged.
It sent shivers down her spine even more.
She was definitely angry, but she barely showed it.
Karen felt a pang of unease at her sudden change in attitude.
Uh, did you hear it from the Director?
She wanted to say it.
She wanted to say that she feel betrayed.
To feel like she was stabbed in the back by the Director she admired.
But she corrected her thoughts just before speaking.
She couldnt tarnish the honour of her master.
No, I overheard it outside earlier.
Oh.
Karen felt her mind going blank.
Could it be that Maya heard everything?
About how she felt butterflies when she saw her body in the locker room or the urge to kiss her sleeping cheek?
Karen rembered her childhood trauma.
Back then, she innocently touched her female friends chests or private parts.
She did it out of curiosity.
It was sothing boys around her didnt have.
It was okay because it was between girls, even if it wasnt between opposite genders.
But that was her mistake.
She was ridiculed and ostracized by the girls she used to be close with.
And now, she was caught by Maya.
For her strange tendencies.
All the stories she had just shared must have been heard by Maya as well.
I-Im sorry. for deceiving you. I thought you were okay because you were different from the others.
Maya felt sothing snap inside her at those words.
You thought I was okay because I was different from the others?
That was one of her few comforts.
Since childhood, people around her treated her like a psychopath or a freak because she didnt show emotions and her expression remained unchanged, no matter what happened.
So even tested her emotional limits and moral boundaries.
Shes okay because shes different from the others.
What Karen was saying now was just like the behaviour of those people.
Maya poured all her emotions into her sincere words.
Youre the most disgusting person Ive ever t.
Her words and gaze were filled with a disgust Karen had never seen before.
Karen was shocked but didnt show it.
She reminded herself that she was the perpetrator, not the victim.
She shouldnt be the one getting hurt.
It was her mistake to deceive and approach her in the first place.
She bowed her head as if resigned.
Im sorry, Maya. I wont make you uncomfortable again.
With that, she turned around and ran out of the practice room.
She tried to control her emotions, but she couldnt hide the tears.
I thought I finally had a female friend.
Karens swallowed words scattered behind her,
I thought I might actually have a friend.
The broken friendship chocolate turned to dust.
And black ink spread thicker on Mayas canvas.
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Chapter 186: Demon in the Bottle 25
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