Chapter 153: A Jealous Reaction

- Abelis Academy City, Celebration of Birth Party Venue - Karen's POV –

I was lying. I’ve always put forward the front that I’m not jealous of other partners with anyone that I’ve dated and, for the most part, that was true. I was almost always fine with having multiple sexual partners at once or someone that I was dating having multiple partners. I even wasn’t particularly upset with the way a certain overly precocious young Succubi “played” with Rose, and everyone else. I was, like I said, not a jealous type.

Even so, the way that Princess looked at Rose, like she was her entire world, grated on me. I knew that she was likely not attracted to Rose, I didn’t get that feeling. It was more akin to hero worship if I was being honest. But, somehow, the utter adoration in the eyes of the foreign royal made a feeling that I’d rarely felt in my life. Jealousy.

[A-Are you okay?] - Urz

[...look upset.] - Shade

[I’ll be fine. I mean, I am fine.] - Karen

[You don’t look fine. You look like someone watching their loved ones leave them.] - Argent

[How observant you are, any other pearls of wisdom from to share with someone twice your age?] - Karen

[I-I... I’m sorry...] - Argent

[Hah... No, that was rude of me. I didn’t mean it. Sorry.] - Karen

[...so?] - Argent

[So, what?] - Karen

[How are you?] - Argent

It was a tricky question. How am I? Honestly, I don’t really know, it wasn’t fair to get upset about Rose just dancing with someone else, especially when that dance was entirely platonic. I’d dated quite a few possessive women in my life, and they were, universally, unpleasant to be with. I wasn’t even particularly upset by the idea of sharing Rose in a sexual way with whomever we wanted to be with. I was, however, somehow more upset with the idea of any kind of romantic involvement that Rose might have with anyone other than myself.

It was a strange feeling. I was simultaneously turned on by the idea of multiple people, including myself, dominating Rose as well as keeping her all to myself.

[I’m... not okay. Honestly, I’m a mess. In our previous lives relationships were simple, all sex and almost no feeling. This is all new to me.] - Karen

[S-S-S-Sex?!? R-Right- w-well umm... S-Shade, any thoughts?!?] - Argent

[...MmmMmm.] - Shade

[Wawawawawawa!] - Urz

[Right. Children. Hah... Sorry about getting all serious there, it’s unfair of me to ask you to give me any peace of mind at your age. Don’t worry about it.] - Karen

Ah yes, I’d forgotten how young these kids were. All of them were at the age where they were beginning to fall in love but things like adult relationships were way ahead of anything they were equipped to deal with. It’s entirely the reason that age played a part in consent...

It was moments like these that I truly felt my age. I didn’t always, something about changing forms, and getting younger, had also made my way of thinking slightly less mature. But I still had those memories and experiences and I thought about the world with that lense. It wasn’t fair to expect someone half my age to be able to keep up with such a complicated topic.

[I... I may be young, but I think if something makes you upset it’s better to talk about it instead of keeping it bottled up. I think it might lead to bigger problems... maybe...] - Argent

[I-I think so too! U-Umm, not that I have a lot of experience either.] - Urz

[...bottling up bad?] - Shade

[Hahahaha! Sorry sorry, I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at myself, for missing such a simple thing. Ah don’t look at me like that, think of it like the privilege of being an old lady. Yeah, I’ll talk with her...] - Karen

Well, that was a surprise. I didn’t expect any actual advice from someone so young. Although I suppose her advice was childish it was also exactly what I needed. Rose’s and my relationship had always had the same problem, even since before she became Rose. We didn’t speak up about what was bothering us. I guess we’d been a bit better recently, and that had greatly helped, so I suppose taking the same tactic here would just be a continuation of our recent trend? Either way I’d bring it up with her after this party.

- Abelis Academy City, Celebration of Birth Party Venue - Rose's POV –

Gah! Why would she be so open about our relationship like that?!? I mean yeah, I loved her but wasn’t she embarrassed to be so obvious? Or maybe I’m the only one who is feeling this way?

[It is fine, I may not know either of you very well indeed, but she deeply adores you.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

[Huh?] - Rose

[That girl, Karen, I believe you called her. She is deeply in love with you. The way she looked at you in the short time I’ve seen you together has made her feelings very clear. I would not worry of her devotion. Ah! I deeply apologize if I am making assumptions as to your relationship and your worries as such.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

[N-No I- uh...] - Rose

How did I even respond to that? I mean we were currently dancing in the center of a lavishly decorated ballroom with a crowd of powerful nobles and merchants watching on with a mixture of agenda’s while they, themselves, also danced. Even here, especially here, I had to be careful of what exactly I said. Earlier when we’d been separated from the surrounding crowd, I’d been a bit less tight lipped but just spouting out my love like that was not only embarrassing it was likely a bad idea in general.

[Ah, do not worry, my person has an enchantment meant to protect us from prying eyes and ears. You may speak your mind.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

[Wha- How?] - Rose

[I know not of how it works but I’ve been informed that it makes distant conversations difficult to listen in on. I apologize for my lack of knowledge.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

That’s too bad, Karen would have loved to hear the mechanics of something like that. In the past few months, despite the fact that both of us had been relative newbie’s to how magic and magic items functioned, she had quickly become one of the top students in her Magic Research class. She and Malaise, much to the irritation and envy of the noble students attending class alongside my groups two geniuses, had outclassed every one of the same grade.

Her excited rants about the new things she’d learned and how it might change how science is viewed on Earth were some of the cutest things I’d ever seen and were one of the things that had made me fall in love with her, both in this life and my last.

[I see that my reservations were unfounded. The look on your face when you think of her is the same that crosses her face when she sees you.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

[I-It's no-] - Rose

[I’m jealous, you know. I’ve long accepted that I’m not allowed to fall in love and I’m okay with that. Serving my country is the most joyous thing that I can think of... Still, seeing you like this, I find myself yearning for something different. Although I’d never abandon my country for such a selfish reason, I’m jealous of you for having such a choice.] - Princess Elizabet de la Abelis

Oh shit. If I’m honest I’d only really thought of the Princess as a protected and spoiled little girl, adorable and innocent. But seeing her face now, those determined yet lonely eyes, I knew that she was likely far more mature than either Karen or I. This world was not like our old one, it was harsh sometimes, and put far more on its children than ours ever did. And most of all it expected more from those in it.

I’d always been protected somewhat by my Momma and Papa, I’d realized that more and more as I saw the rest of my friends and people I got to know. For that I was infinitely grateful, when I’d arrived in this world, I’d been a wreck, any amount of hardship likely would have fully caused me to snap. But through the careful and, as I was learning, deliberate, treatment by my family, I’d started to recover. That- The Arena had been a big step backwards, it had almost ruined the work that those around me had put into helping me. Even so I’d pulled through with even more help and I felt confident that I’d continue to do so in the future.

In front of me, however, was one that wasn’t protected in the same way as I was. Someone that, while she hadn’t been the heir, had been subjected to many noble plots over the years and likely even a few assassination attempts or kidnappings. Honestly, I wasn’t even close to being able to understand the position that this slight Princess was in. The strength in her eyes as she looked towards the future was a bit frightening, it pulled me to face my future with the same determination without calling judgement on what that future would be.

Would I follow my set path, take my family’s name as a Duchess and rule over my small part of a larger country, maybe marry the prince and take a place at the head of the same country, or maybe something else, something greater? I knew that I would be facing my grandfather in a few years and that my path might diverge greatly as a result of that, but it was up to me. No matter what though I’d have Karen by my side. I think, in that determined gaze, I’d made that decision at least.

- Abelis Academy City, Unnamed Street - Minerva de la Manchen's POV –

Everything had somehow gone wrong! I’d been correct, I knew I had! Mother had assured me that the bitch from the traitorous Amchier was the next Demon Lord. We knew it for a fact. Even that damn magic artifact had been obtained because we were confident in our play paying off! Nothing could have gone wrong! So why was I silently leaving the party I’d so confidently strode into only a few hours prior?

It wasn’t right! Weren’t we only doing this because we wanted to protect our beloved country from the foreign influences that would destroy it?!?

But it didn’t matter, we couldn’t go against the royal family. My house was technically part of the larger Serpanis Ducal Family. A branch family that was closely related to the main house, we were a large part of the main house’s power. Even so, even together, we had no way of standing up to the royal family militarily. Or even the Amchier Ducal House really. If we couldn’t get the support of the royal family, we would be finished...

[I understand that your ploy has failed? A shame. Do you still have the artifact at least?] - Shadowy Figure

[AH!?!? Who are you?!? How did you get in here?!?] - Minerva de la Manchen

Interrupting my melancholy, suddenly a voice came from a shadowed corner of my carriage. I’d started my journey back to my dormitory with a lighted lamp but, somehow, in the course of my trip, it had gone out without me noticing. But such thoughts weren’t running through my mind at that moment, the presence of a likely assailant asking for more attention than the lack of light could ever do.

[Ah yes, the child of that stupid bitch. No surprise that she herself is cut from the same cloth. I came for Truth’s Eye, you will give it to me or die.] - Shadowy Figure

[D-Die?!?] - Minerva de la Manchen

[Ah, such an act is beneath me, but that bastard said that it’s needed. Something about it being required for the next act. Oh, but such words mean nothing to you of course. Putting such things aside, give me the artifact now! I won’t ask again.] - Shadowy Figure

Terror. Was this the one that mother told me about? She said that she was sure of their truthfulness but all I could see was a suspicious assassin! And what’s more is what they were asking for, I didn’t even have what they wanted!

How do I get out of this?!? Am I about to die?

[A-Ah I-] - Minerva de la Manchen

[I see, you don’t have it. I guess you’re aware of what that means correct?] - Shadowy Figure

[A-He-Help... H-Help!] - Minerva de la Manchen

How did they know?!? I hadn’t even said anything, and they already knew I no longer had the Truth’s Eye?!?

Inwardly, and outwardly, panicking I froze as the shadow unsheathed a glinting blade. I was only a child! How- Why- SAVE ME!

[No one is coming to save you little bitch, I take a bit of your hide first as punishment for the failure then- AH!] - Shadowy Figure

[Yeah, no we’re not having any of that. Didn’t we destroy you basta-?] – Moon

[Luna, no taunting the dangerous assassins while we’re arresting them. Save that for after we’ve captured them. Besides would the prince approve of your language?] – Beryl

[W-What does he have to do with anything?!?] – Moon

Huh? I’m alive?!?

All I remember was being on the brink of death, a knife heading for my throat, and suddenly my attacker is thrown from the slowing carriage by two darkly clothed woman that sound about my age? What’s going on?

[Sure sure, nothing at all. Anyway, are you sure you can take your eyes off the target? You know this is a test, right?] – Beryl

[Huh? Ah! Hey, come back here!] – Moon

[Excuse us young lady, we apologies for the inconvenience.] – Beryl

And now they’re gone.

Left alone in the fully stopped carriage I had no idea what to do going forward. I’d gone from confident in my plan, to publicly humiliated, to finally nearly being disposed of as a loose end, all because of my mother’s confidence in someone that I was fairly sure now had just been using our grudge for their own end. What a fool I’d been.

The question now was what to do about it.

[C-Can I beg those bitches for leniency?] - Minerva de la Manchen

- Abelis Academy City, Unnamed Street – Moon’s POV –

After leaving the stunned noble child to her own devices we chased down the fleeing shadow, their form still indistinct despite our closeness. Honestly when I’d been told we’d be doing a field exercise for class I’d expected something a bit more tame, nothing like foiling an assassin sent by the Church. Hell, even with the added security of my commanding officer and much more experienced teacher it was nerve racking. Although I guess this is the sort of stuff that a Black Ops group did, even the use of our names was confidential while deployed.

Either way the assignment had been surprisingly simple, although I suspect the reason was primarily because of the person guiding me rather than any personal skill I might have.

[Careful, they’re cutting through that alley up ahead, they’ll try to lose us there. Do you need me to cut in?] – Beryl

[I know, I have everything under control!] – Moon

[…GAH!] - Shadowy Figure

Despite my words I did not, in fact, have everything under control. Luckily though, as we turned the corner, the last person in our group had picked up the slack.

The tall, muscled tomboy Rabbitkin, wielding a giant blade like a staff standing over the crumpled body of the much more defined assassin, their body finally visible after they’d been knocked unconscious.

[Well well well, good thing we split up, isn’t it? I saw that shadowy bastard start running from the two of you and figured I’d cut him off. Good plan, right?] – Judy

[Hah… yeah it was a good plan. Thank you, Judy.] – Moon

[It certainly was effective. You passed, both of you. Albeit barely.] – Beryl

[Phew… What would you have done if we’d let him escape?] – Judy

[Oh, I doubt he would’ve had that opportunity. Education Team, all clear. Take our prisoner to interrogation.] – Beryl

Separating from the shadows all around us were several dark dressed Lamia that I’d never realized were following us. Judy and I had only been told that Commander Beryl would be participating in our training so seeing nearly a dozen people slinking out of the shadows previously unnoticed was shocking, especially since my ears and nose hadn’t picked up a trace of them even as they roughly tied up the captive assassin. Am I really cut out for this? A-Arlen, please tell me.