Chapter 539: Jealousy

As the footsteps of her roommates faded down the stairwell, Louisa unzipped her backpack and pulled out a device resembling an eyeball.

She aimed it at Sonya's seat and activated it. The eyeball emitted a pale blue light, transforming everything in its path into varying shades of purple. The deeper the purple, the more frequently someone had touched the object. Sonya's wooden sword, for instance, boasted a hilt almost completely dyed purple.

Yes. Adele had faced pressure from her family. How could Louisa, a merchant's daughter, possibly remain uninvolved? While everyone openly tried to curry favor with Sonya, the dazzling red comet that had taken Cailleach by storm, secret probes into her affairs were inevitable.

Sonya had been a sorcerer for far too short a time. That fact served as both her greatest weakness and the reason people coveted her. She lacked the time to build a solid circle of friends. Normally, every Sacred Realm sorcerer relied on supporters seeking favor or fellow genius sorcerers sharing similar ideals. Outsiders wishing to buy their way in or infiltrate those circles found no openings to exploit.

But such was not the case for Sonya. Her meteoric rise had been too rapid for those around her to keep pace. While she continued to surge forward, everyone else remained almost exactly where they were, left so far behind that they could not even protect themselves from the storm of changes and pressures that Sonya's rise would inevitably bring.

Louisa rummaged through Sonya's desk drawer, tilted her head slightly, and caught sight of herself in the vanity mirror. The woman in the mirror wore a gloomy expression, thin lips pressed tightly together and hair disheveled. Only her eyes stood out, burning with a light whose source she failed to identify.

Was she truly performing this task solely at her father's request? Why had she agreed so readily? Why had she avoided this action in front of others? And why did thoughts of Sonya constantly plague her mind?

When Sonya won the Meteor Calamity, Louisa applauded genuinely. Her happiness was completely sincere. Yet when the night grew quiet, jealousy and resentment burned so fiercely inside her that they almost pierced her heart.

This jealousy had not appeared out of nowhere. It acted as a seed taking root over time. Back during the intercollegiate gala, as Louisa prepared Sonya's battle outfit and watched her shine brightly on stage, a thought had already crossed her mind. Why is it not me standing there?

But because that was merely an inter-university friendship tournament, the small pang of jealousy soon faded. Then came the intercollegiate league, spanning the Round of Sixteen, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the finals.

Every time Sonya climbed higher, gathering more attention, Louisa felt genuinely happy for her. Simultaneously, however, those internal feelings grew alongside Sonya's rising fame. Again, the same question echoed in her mind. Why is it not me standing there!?

Then came Sonya's third wing, her victory over Damian, and her triumph in the Meteor Calamity.

Everyone Louisa met brought up Sonya in conversation. Returning home meant discussing Sonya with her father. Opening the university forum revealed a screen filled entirely with posts about Sonya.

Opening the Claw-Stretching Club's discussion group made every word on the screen feel like a thorn digging into her heart.

Only months prior, she still managed to hold Sonya at arm's length. Sonya might have been slightly prettier, but Louisa's family belonged to the Cailleach Battle Outfit Guild, whereas Sonya remained nothing more than a country girl from a distant town.

Now, Sonya stood as the brightest star in Cailleach, shining high above everyone else.

Standing beside the Scarlet Swordswoman, Louisa felt so dim that she might as well have been nonexistent, as if the sky possessed no room for other stars. However...

She, too, wanted to shine brightly! She, too, wanted to stand where everyone could see her! She, too, had once been the brightest and proudest person in the entire university!

Louisa understood that Sonya's success did not prevent her from shining. She also recognized that having Sonya as a role model drove her to abandon pointless social activities and devote herself fully to Water Class sorcery.

But still... but still...

Forgiving a friend's mistake came easily. One cup of wine could wipe the slate clean. Accepting a friend's success, however, proved far harder, resembling a fish bone stuck in the throat, impossible to swallow.

Anything will suffice. Just let me discover your secret.

Following hints from the purple glow, Louisa rummaged through Sonya's personal belongings without restraint. She searched reference books borrowed from the library, an unlabeled bottle of liquor, cosmetics, hair clips, and a comb.

Anything would do. As long as it gave me a reason to betray you. Then you would hate me, and I would finally have an excuse to leave this dorm and get away from you. Away from you, I could show everyone my charm again. I could remind them of my family background. I could proudly tell them that I know Sonya Selby.

Only luminaries could share the sky with other luminaries. Ordinary stars daring to draw near would eventually vanish into nothingness.

Clack!

Louisa pulled out a notebook glowing an intense purple. A photograph slipped from between the pages and fell with two sharp clicks, landing squarely in the narrow gap between the desk and the wardrobe.

She delayed retrieving the photograph, opening the notebook first to inspect the contents.

① Bringing up past favors offered by someone can effectively increase their favorable impression of you.

② Even the strongest relationships require maintenance, and even damaged bonds can be repaired. Regardless of circumstances, giving gifts remains the correct choice. As mentioned previously, presenting a gift accompanied by a reminder of past assistance can double the positive impact on the recipient.

③ Complimenting someone's strengths yields average results. Praising their flaws proves far more effective, particularly when they attempt to hide or beautify those imperfections. That moment is when your compliments shine brightest. For instance, freckles, nasal bridges, face shapes, eyebrows, and eyelids represent areas easiest to adjust. When someone invests effort there, do not hold back with sweet words.

④ ...

There were more than thirty such secrets, and Louisa found herself fascinated despite herself. She had long since reached a bottleneck in her social skills, but seeing these principles from a different perspective allowed her to gain new insights from experiences she thought she already understood.

Turning to the later pages, she discovered individual profiles dedicated to each person.

[Adele]

Loves sweets → especially cream puffs (high gift priority)

Loves watching shows and always watches new releases as soon as they come out → watching shows with her can be very useful.

Doesn't like doing homework → when she has to do homework, show off how you don't have to do any in front of her. This trick isn't very effective, but it's fun to tease her.

...

She founded the Claw-Stretching Club → ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

She helped me in the forum flame war → ☆☆☆

She helped me get a signed photo of Didarose → ☆☆☆☆

...

To-do: Plead with the professor to let her off one failed course, offsetting ☆☆☆ (completed)

Get her a signed photo of Donna Donna, offsetting ☆☆☆☆ (completed)

Next time she appears in a production, help her get a supporting role, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆

Louisa felt astounded. Compared to this notebook, Adele's intelligence report resembled a primary school composition.

The following page belonged to Angelica.

[Angelica]

...

To-do: Put in a good word for her in front of Professor Trosan, offsetting ☆☆☆☆ (in progress)

Have a Moonshadow Nightsword custom-made for her, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆ (in progress)

Once I've developed a version of the Sword Body Miracle that reduces pain, I can lend it to her, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆

There were pages for Trosan, Leona, and even Felix.

Before long, Louisa flipped to her own page.

[Louisa]

Proud of her appearance → When going shopping together, don't dress more extravagantly than her.

Loves beauty → Every day, she'll find something about herself that she's dissatisfied with, then spend a lot of time touching up that particular feature. Just point out the details she put effort into. There's no need to praise her excessively.

Loves good food → She's always tempted by the snacks Adele brings back, but refuses to eat them to maintain her figure. If I break off a piece and give it to her, she'll happily accept.

...

She has prepared battle outfits for me several times → ☆☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆☆

She helps manage the Claw-Stretching Club → ☆☆☆☆☆

She helps me pick out clothes. I really can't match her taste → ☆☆☆☆

She organizes information on my opponents before every match → ☆☆☆

...

To-do: Properly show off her family's battle outfits, offsetting ☆☆☆ (completed)

Next time I apply for a role, request permission to wear her family's battle outfit, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆

When giving her the Torrent spirit, give her two additional spirits that can be combined with it to form a Miracle, to celebrate her becoming a sorcerer, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆

Before she becomes a sorcerer, reduce how often I return to the dormitory and spend less time around her. Don't discuss things like the Sacred Realm in front of her. I know why she went home early the morning after the Meteor Calamity ended. Put myself in her shoes. If it had been the old me, just watching an acquaintance who had become a Sacred Realm sorcerer flaunt it in front of me would probably have made me sick with jealousy. Offset ☆

Once she becomes a sorcerer, invite her to the Secret Garden for a drink. Just the two of us. Talking things through then should yield better results. Offset ☆☆

Louisa visualized Sonya returning to the dormitory following the celebration, asking about her whereabouts, then displaying surprise and understanding upon learning Louisa had already left for home.

She envisioned Sonya hunched over the desk, drafting those lines within the notebook, wearing a bitter smile accompanied by a trace of anticipation.

Suddenly, Louisa remembered something. She crouched down to fish the photograph from the gap, yet found it just out of reach. A strange sensation welled up from deep within, granting her the sudden ability to grab the photograph.

The gap naturally accumulated dust, leaving a layer of grime across the photograph. Even so, the dirt failed to conceal the youthful charm of the girls depicted. Adele stood at the front, striking a cute pose. Angelica stood behind her in a dress, looking somewhat shy. Louisa wore a perfect faint smile. Sonya appeared somewhat nervous with a stiff smile and a gaze turned slightly away.

Written on the reverse side of the photograph were the words: "Our first group photo."

First?

Louisa thought about it carefully and realized that it really was their first picture together. Before that day, their relationship had never been particularly close. It had been taken during their first shopping trip together, when a street photographer insisted on capturing the moment. They had kept a few copies as mementos.

"It is a secret..." Louisa lowered her head and stared at the notebook, only for her vision to suddenly blur. "But... not what I expected..."

Plop.

A drop of water landed upon the notebook, transforming rapidly instead of soaking into the paper. Moments later, it transformed into a cute little one-winged girl. The tiny creature flew up to land on Louisa's face, wiping away glistening tears.

"Honestly..." Louisa cradled the newborn spirit, took a deep breath, and broke into a smile. "This is awful."