Case 120: Between the lines of right and wrong.

I spent a whole day confining myself to the room's corner.

Seconds passed by painfully slow yet merciless. Nevertheless, I wasn't able to come to a conclusion. I... couldn't understand how I should feel about Lyra's confession.

''...''

The outside sky was gloomy, just like how it was the day I first met that timid girl. The same little girl who couldn't sit still without her pet dragon in her embrace. Now, she was more capable than this useless sister.

A dry laugh escaped my mouth. Did I really raise such a tigeress?

I pondered numerous times as I recounted my time with her. Shock, regret, then acceptance—the cycle of emotions that I went through constantly. It made me anxious.

''Still haven't decided yet?''

Without knocking, Lyra made her way into my room. I could immediately smell the food's fragrance. Was it already evening?

I perked up to see my little... sister smiling—a cold, distant smile. I couldn't bring myself to argue these days. I knew she wouldn't budge no matter what, and I simply didn't have the energy.

So, after briefly meeting her eyes, I burrowed my face between my knees again.

Lyra sat silently by my side, her hand gently stroking my back. I kept plunging into the maze that was my thoughts, ignoring the surroundings for a long time.

''...Hey.'' I called.

''Go ahead.''

''Do you think we can... go back to how it was? You and I, as sisters.'' I asked, my voice unstable. ''Just... pretend that nothing happened yesterday.''

The heroine chewed on the silence for a moment, her hand halting. Eventually, what came back to me was a sigh, ''People change, you know?''

''...''

''If the blood flowing in my veins were the same as yours, I would have undoubtedly given up ages ago. But who should I blame now? I found myself unable to look at any woman but you.''

Lyra spoke calmly and confidently. The sheer willingness in her words alone made me shudder.

''But I...''

''I told you already, didn't I?'' The heroine patiently replied. ''It doesn't matter that you only see me as your sister. I'm not bothered by it, so you shouldn't. I will personally change your mind.''

''...''

Lyra cupped my face, turning me to confront her. This time, what I saw under the dim light was an unfathomably kind and genuine smile. I was stunned.

''You don't need to worry about anything, Cecilia.'' She said. ''My feelings for you will never change. You are my life's savior, and I vow to love you with my everything.''

''Lyra...''

''So, don't your paranoid head get the wrong idea. I'm not doing this out of a grudge, okay?''

Somehow, I felt a tingling of spite from her tone as she uttered the last sentence, but it must have been my imagination. Instead, an endless warmth enveloped my trembling heart. Yes, my lovely... little sister could never be so malicious.

Perhaps this was her rebellious phase. Perhaps she would snap out of it soon enough.

And even if it wasn't a phase... who was I to decide what she wanted? Did I really know what was best for her? If it were the current Lyra, she could certainly make decisions for herself.

The last shreds of reluctance in my mind vanished. It seemed that I still couldn't stop spoiling my treasured little sister.

''I... get it. I think.'' I meekly replied.

Lyra's smile deepened. She kissed my forehead once, then she leaned closer, taking my waist for herself. I felt the heroine's touch somehow too vividly, almost paralyzing. Her scent, her presence, embraced me tightly, rendering my senses dull.

The only sound I could hear was our hushed breaths... and my rapidly thumping heart.

I wondered, what was wrong with me?

''Then? Will you let me pursue you, Miss Demon Queen?'' Lyra teased, her eyes beautifully curving.

''But... I already have my lovers...''

''One more wouldn't hurt, right? I'm not demanding that you leave them. Or... are you discriminating?''

As though she were dealing with a child, Lyra softly coaxed me with honeyed words and an abundance of love, leaving me with no escape. Closer and closer, I saw the image of her in my mind crumble.

Deep in my consciousness, I realized that we were teetering between the lines of right and wrong. One push, and it would go either way. As for which side was right and which was wrong... I couldn't tell.

Yet, under Lyra's relentless pressure, my composure was about to break. Without any way out, it was inevitable. No matter what happened, I just couldn't upset this girl... or so I thought at this point.

''A-Alright. Do what you want.'' I reluctantly replied, unaware of my own panic.

Almost instantly, I felt something snap.

Something so important, something I can't really put my finger on... but it had forever changed. But before I could chase its back, Lyra abruptly closed in.

''...!''

Her lips overlapped mine.

Holding my chin, Lyra closed her eyes as she deepened the kiss, while I stared at her in shock. Seconds ticked by, but even after it was over, I barely recalled the sensations transmitted from her lips.

''Hah... hah... hah...''

My heart beat wildly. My breaths shortened terribly.

My body was on fire.

Why... why?

''Heheh...''

I looked at the heroine. She touched her lips playfully, grinning; even a light blush could be seen on her cheeks. In her void-like pupils now held a dangerously tender look for... me, the only woman in her eyes.

''...!''

I knew I had done something irreversible.

Inexplicably, I turned away, feeling the heat rushing to my face. What greeted me was the disheveled appearance of myself in the mirror, still bound by Lyra's embrace.

The girl in the mirror was panting, her chest heaving with each breath. Fine sweat lightly touched a sheen on her skin, which was once porcelain fair but now tinted a heavy flush. Her red eyes were mellow, as if infatuated with something.

She was... ecstatic.

The moment that word, that description of myself, sounded in my head, I felt as though I had an idea of which side I had fallen into—right or wrong.

Even after the heroine left, I still couldn't believe myself. Was I really this kind of person? Was I such... a slut?

At this point, I would believe it if anybody told me I liked every woman on this planet. The only small remedy that I had at the moment was that Lucy couldn't pop out and ridicule me.

So, I spent a sleepless night lamenting that interaction. I wasn't sure how to face Lyra from now on; that was for certain. No, maybe I could come up with something...

''Ugh...''

Unfortunately, nothing good came about it even until morning.

When the clock clicked seven, Lyra came into my room as usual, holding a tray of food. I couldn't really meet her eyes, so I stared at the bedsheet instead.

I heard the sound of her casually setting it down.

As she approached me, I unconsciously tensed up. What was she planning...?

''The marchioness couple.''

''...Huh?''

''They ran away.''

...Or so the heroine calmly told me.