"Everline… Ever… Hey… I know you're out there… it's already late… Everline," I called out into the silence, but no response ca.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration.
I still couldn't believe she did all that—over jealousy, of all things.
But why was she even jealous in the first place?
Or…
Could it be that choosing Lily over her wounded her pride?
That… actually made sense.
I knew Everline like the back of my hand. She was one of the main heroines in the ga, appearing countless tis throughout the story. Yet, the attitude she displayed earlier was an unrecognizable far cry from the Everline I knew. She had always been prideful, yes, but also composed and calculating. However, today's reaction was pure, unfiltered emotion—raw and unchecked.
And then there was what Lily had told .
While I could wager my life that at least so of Lily's words were ant to paint Everline as a villain in my eyes, there was still truth buried beneath her manipulations. It was evident that Everline had co here because she was worried.
According to Lily, once the Vortex had destabilized further, she and all the other students had been forcibly expelled from the conjured world. The vortex itself had begun bridging reality, and if anyone had been caught in its grasp at that mont, they would have been lost forever, drifting between existence and oblivion.
When Lily regained consciousness, she found herself in a hall—an unfamiliar, more grandiose one, vastly different from the grand chamber we had first arrived in through the Aden Gate. There, she spotted a man with a flowing white beard, flanked by a handful of individuals she presud were teachers. The man addressed the gathered students, offering apologies for the abrupt end to the first exam. They had yet to determine the exact cause of the incident but assured the remaining candidates that those who had failed to et the minimum passing threshold had already been expelled from the competition. The students who remained had narrowly made the cut.
The second exam had originally been set to begin within a few hours, but due to unforeseen complications, it was postponed for three days. During this ti, all candidates would be assigned rooms and were strictly prohibited from venturing beyond the designated boundaries. als would be provided at appropriate intervals, and those unwilling to comply with these conditions were asked to step forward.
No one did.
Or at least, that was how Lily told it.
Following the announcent, officials were dispatched to assign accommodations. It was during this process that Lily spotted Everline. From the way she described it, Everline had looked positively livid when she saw Lily carrying .
I didn't even want to imagine how she had carried .
And in public, for goodness' sake!
Everline, naturally, had attempted to seize from Lily's grasp. She had demanded that I be handed over, but Lily had refused. What followed was an excruciatingly tense back-and-forth—Everline insisting, Lily standing her ground—until Everline finally reached her limit. With a sharp glare and a flick of her wrist, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Lily victorious.
It was then that Lily had approached one of the officials, informing them that I was severely injured. Under normal circumstances, injuries sustained within the conjured world were nullified upon exit—the realm itself was designed to prevent harm from carrying over. However, due to the abrupt nature of the vortex's collapse, that safeguard had failed. As a result, those who had sustained injuries before being expelled remained wounded in reality.
I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply.
None of this should have happened.
The first exam wasn't supposed to end this way. The conjured world wasn't supposed to break. And Everline—
She wasn't supposed to act like this.
Yet, here we were.
And I still had no idea what to do about it.
It was entirely possible—no, highly probable—that so people had died.
Anyway, just after the officials finally agreed to pair us up, Everline practically launched herself into the conversation, her relentless persistence forcing them to include her in our room as well.
"Everline," I sighed, for what felt like the hundredth ti.
I could ignore Everline—should ignore her—but sothing about it didn't sit right with . A lingering sense of responsibility gnawed at , a silent accusation that this was, in so way, my fault.
"Co on, Ever… I know you said all that in anger. Let's just forget it ever happened," I coaxed.
Silence.
Everything pointed towards that. In the ga, Everline had been completely different—nothing like Angelina or Camila. The way she behaved earlier was so out of character that it felt… unnatural. Not that I cared all that much, but I hated the feeling of owing soone, and I preferred to set things straight.
"Alright… I tried. I'm locking the door now," I said, my tone casual.
Instantly, a sound ca from outside.
Hm.
Creak.
The door creaked open, and there stood Everline—her face burning bright red, her narrowed eyes glaring daggers at .
"Bastard," she hissed before stepping inside.
The room was surprisingly spacious. A living area stretched out before us, complete with plush seating. To the side, there was a dressing room, a bathroom, and a separate bedroom where three beds had already been arranged for us.
I said nothing, rely continuing to run my fingers through Lily's hair. She had drifted into a deep sleep—or at least, she pretended to.
What a troubleso woman.
"I wasn't joking," Everline muttered, breaking the silence. "If you refuse to be my boyfriend, I'll make your life hell."
"At least say it without staring at the wall," I replied, noticing how embarrassed she was.
Why was she forcing this?
Why ?
"Shut up!" she snapped, covering her beet-red face with both hands before darting into the bathroom.
I sighed, shaking my head.
"Lily…" I muttered.
Though her breathing was soft and even, I knew she wasn't really asleep.
Hm.
A small, sleepy hum escaped her lips.
"Do you want to eat sothing?" I asked.
She finally opened her eyes—beautiful and impossibly blue.
"No," she murmured.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why…?"
Instead of answering, she snuggled into , burying her face into my chest.
"Just let rest… and keep doing what you're doing," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
The last part almost sounded like a command.
Weird.
"...Um," she muttered again, tilting her head slightly to look up at . Her delicate features softened with sothing almost… tender. "Are you hungry?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Starving."
"Okay!" she suddenly jumped up, grabbing my arm before pulling toward the dining area, where a large table sat in the corner.
She walked toward what looked like a fridge.
But I knew better.
Muttering an incantation under her breath, she made a few gestures I didn't recognize, and within monts—
Tada~!
She turned around, beaming, and placed a steaming plate of food in front of .
"Thanks," I reached for it, but she took a step back.
I frowned. "What are you doing?"
She giggled.
"Isn't it… mine?" I asked, confused.
Her grin widened.
"Of course not. It's ours," she laughed before taking a seat across from .
"But you're not even hungry," I pointed out.
Lily simply tilted her head, her expression turning impossibly innocent.
"I wasn't. But now I am. Can't pass up a chance to feed you, can I?" she said, lifting a spoonful of food and bringing it toward my mouth.
"...Open," she said gently.
I hesitated.
Weird.
But…
It felt nice.
"Disgusting… BOTH OF YOU!"
A sharp voice cut through the mont, and I turned to find Everline peeking out from the bathroom door—her face twisted in a hateful glare.
Here we go again.
....
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give more motivation!
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