Volume 1, Chapter 48 – A Sleepless Night

Whether it was her moon-elf-like appearance, her gentle and kind heart, or her solitary, lonely demeanor—each of these aspects constantly drew her in, especially the last one, a trait that seemed almost identical to her own.

“…I’ve been hit with quite the spell.”

Realizing this, Fia’s cheeks began to flush crimson.

She hadn’t noticed the changes within herself at all.

If it hadn’t been for Claire’s kiss that afternoon, she might have gone much longer without recognizing the admiration hidden in her heart.

Love was precisely like this. In the beginning, when it was just a stage of fondness, people would deliberately seek closeness. By the time they came to their senses and realized they had actually fallen for the other person, they had already moved past mere fondness, becoming deeply entangled and unable to extricate themselves.

Now, she was caught in it too.

Unable to help herself, Fia buried her face in a pillow and rolled around on the bed.

Damn it—she had actually fallen for someone. And she hadn’t spoken to Claire all afternoon. How was she supposed to face her tomorrow?

When it came down to it, for Claire, that kiss was probably just a simple act to avoid danger, nothing more. It held no special meaning. Only she, like a fool, was tangled up over it, unable to sleep even now.

Realizing this, Fia couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

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Maybe Claire only saw her as one among countless others, someone slightly special at best.

This feeling of not being truly important made Fia’s heart ache with unwillingness.

Her thoughts were like a tangled ball of yarn—no matter how she tried, she couldn’t straighten them out.

It was too embarrassing, too mortifying. She hadn’t even been in this other world for a week, and already her heart had been stolen. If word got out, people would laugh themselves silly. What frustrated Fia even more was that, even knowing how ridiculous her behavior was, the admiration in her heart hadn’t diminished in the slightest. She had lost completely.

It must be because she’d had so little experience interacting with people before. When she met a girl who was willing to listen to her, understanding, and incredibly cute, she couldn’t help but develop feelings. It was all because she’d had too little exposure—the more she repeated this to herself, the more it emphasized the fact that her heart already belonged to Claire. Overwhelmed by shyness, Fia wrapped herself tightly in her blanket, turning into a comical cocoon-like shape.

Now, even looking Claire in the eye would be difficult.

Fia buried her head deeper under the covers.

Then, the memory of Claire’s kiss that afternoon resurfaced in her mind.

The warmth of her lips against her chest, the fragrance that filled her nose, the emerald-green eyes fluttering close, the hot breath against her face—even the lingering moisture at the corner of Claire’s lips afterward—all of it haunted her. It felt as if it had just happened a second ago, as if Claire’s body had only just pulled away from hers.

There was no way she could sleep.

The only sound in the room was the summer moonlight streaming through the window.

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Maybe she should go out for a walk.

Taking a deep breath, Fia sprang up from the bed. She needed time to cool off—and while she was at it, she could think about how to break the curse on Claire.

Since she hadn’t eaten or bathed after returning to the clinic, she was still wearing the same black dress from that afternoon. Without bothering to tidy up, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway. It was nearly midnight, and the clinic was eerily quiet. Moving softly, she made her way down the corridor—then paused as she passed Anastasia’s room.

She wasn’t stopped by anyone standing in her way. Rather, she heard movement inside Anastasia’s room, along with faint murmurs.

Who was Anastasia talking to at this hour?

A question mark popped up in Fia’s mind.

Anastasia had spent the entire day investigating the Unsinkable Moon, so Fia hadn’t had a chance to speak with her. And in the evening, her mind had been too much of a mess to give Anastasia anything more than perfunctory replies like “Yes,” “Mhm,” or “Okay.” Now that she’d regained her composure, if Anastasia was still awake, she ought to apologize for her lackluster responses earlier.

Thinking this, Fia crept toward the door like a cautious cat.

The door wasn’t locked. Candlelight seeped through the gap between the door and its frame, and the previously indistinct murmurs were now clearly audible.

“Dofilia…”

Anastasia’s voice made Fia freeze.

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Had she been caught?

Just as Fia was about to knock, another sound came from inside the room.

“Mmm…”

The tone was… peculiar.

Had Anastasia not noticed her?

Without thinking, Fia tilted her head and peeked through the crack in the door.

Then, her ruby-red pupils dilated instantly.

Unlike her usual cloak-clad self, Anastasia was only wearing black lingerie—and even that wasn’t properly fastened. Leaning against the headboard, she clutched the blanket to her chest with one hand while the other was hidden between her legs, out of Fia’s sight.

Her mature, reliable face now showed not a trace of its usual firmness. Instead, she panted hotly, her head lowered, her lips slightly parted as she whispered Fia’s name. The blue markings on her cheek made her lust-filled expression eerily enchanting, while her exposed fair skin was tinged with a blush of arousal. Her blue eyes burned with nothing but desire and allure, as if the very air in the room had grown thick with it.

Normally, such a sight would only feel vulgar. But Anastasia’s golden hair spilling over her back and the pointed ears that marked her elf nobility instantly transformed the scene into something mesmerizing.

Especially the curves of her chest and thighs, outlined by the moonlight—their breathtaking arcs made it impossible to look away.

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“Dofilia…”

Calling Fia’s name again, Anastasia’s breathing grew heavier. Her right hand, no longer clutching the blanket, moved to the mana surge crystal on her left shoulder. The moment her fingers touched it, her entire body shuddered, followed by even more intense tremors. The sound of her voice grew louder.

“…Mmm…”

Very politely, Fia withdrew her gaze and carefully retreated back to her room.

She had seen something she shouldn’t have.

So Anastasia and the elf princess had that kind of relationship—no, wait. She had never sensed these feelings from Anastasia before. It was probably just unrequited admiration, with no actual relationship between them.

Even so, Fia felt a strange sense of awkwardness. She had clearly seen it—lying beside Anastasia was a much smaller set of white lingerie, obviously not hers. There was no need to guess whose it was.

Now, not only did she not know how to face Claire tomorrow, but she also had no idea how to face Anastasia. Worse, she had to pretend she didn’t know anything to avoid making things awkward.

This was too cruel a joke.

The thought that just a wall away, Anastasia was fantasizing about her made Fia restless—not that she felt disgusted, just utterly at a loss for how to react.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.