Chapter 171: Fight! A River of Blood

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Fight! A River of Blood

"And look at the highlighted key point in the last paragraph of the book."

"The Elf Race is extremely fanatical when it comes to love! They only get one chance to choose in their entire life."

Yuna lowered her voice, her tone turning very serious.

"Once the two of you have deep physical contact, or even unintentionally exchange bodily fluids."

"It’s equivalent to his soul’s aura being completely imprinted onto your body."

"He is now your one and only partner."

"If you choose to leave him in the future, the Elf Flower in your soul will quickly wither and die."

Hearing this explanation, Cecilia quieted down.

The suffocating shame she felt when recalling yesterday’s events miraculously stopped spreading at that moment.

She slowly placed the heavy academic book on her lap, then lowered her head, reaching out to gently stroke the silver Resonating Bracelet on her wrist.

’So... was all of this destiny?’

’Once in a lifetime...’

Cecilia’s eyes were downcast as she murmured softly, in a voice only she could hear.

’So all those crazy things I did in the historical projection last night were just normal reactions, following my instincts.’

’Since it was her soul’s choice, how could she possibly reject her own soul?’

The young woman raised her head. Although her cheeks were still a lovely shade of pink,

the panic in her eyes was gone. In its place was a burgeoning, immense sweetness that came from confirming her own feelings.

However, when she once again recalled the things she had demanded while clinging to her senior yesterday, Cecilia’s small toes, hidden under the covers, couldn’t help but curl and tighten.

Her long, slender legs also rubbed together involuntarily.

’Even with a reasonable explanation, doing those kinds of things... it’s still so embarrassing.’

Seeing Cecilia fall into a long silence after putting down the book,

Yuna’s eyes darted around as she suddenly made a connection to Cecilia’s prominent noble background.

She assumed the young lady was worried because she was considering Lance’s status as a commoner Adventurer and had realized the huge gap in their social standing.

"You don’t have to take it so seriously, you know."

Yuna quickly reached out to pat her roommate’s back, consoling her.

"Lance seems like a really good guy once you get to know him. Even though he’s just a low-level Adventurer with no background right now, he has a lot of potential..."

"Yuna."

Cecilia suddenly looked up, gently interrupting her roommate.

"He’s not an Ordinary Adventurer."

Her tone was firm, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

And Yuna was surprised to see an extremely gentle smile gracing Cecilia’s lips.

"He is my... my partner."

Yuna was completely taken aback by the resolute aura that suddenly erupted from Cecilia.

She opened her mouth and stammered, "Y-You’ve already accepted it completely? This quickly?"

"Mhm." Cecilia reached up again to touch her own burning-hot cheek.

Ever since learning she had entered her Flowering Stage and bonded with her senior, her heart had filled with the sweetness of finding a partner, but a faint, indescribable sourness had also begun to spread.

"But Yuna... the book says an Elf can only have one partner in their entire life." Cecilia furrowed her brow slightly. "What about humans?"

"Huh? What about humans?" Yuna asked, confused.

An image of the pretty receptionist from the Adventurer’s Guild instantly flashed through Cecilia’s mind.

She remembered with perfect clarity the eager look in that girl Nia’s eyes whenever she saw her senior.

"If..."

Cecilia’s slender fingers tightened slightly, clenching the white bedsheet beneath her.

The sweetness in her tone from moments ago slowly gave way to a pitiable sense of grievance.

"What if the partner I’ve chosen... has other wonderful girls around him?"

She looked up at Yuna, seeking confirmation. "The law... I think it allows nobles to have many lovers..."

Yuna gasped when she heard this.

Her keen gossip radar activated instantly. She could practically smell a huge, sensational piece of gossip in the air.

"Someone dares to compete with you for Lance?" Yuna asked, her eyes wide.

Cecilia didn’t answer her roommate’s question out loud.

She just gave Yuna an even gentler smile, then decisively threw back the covers and got out of bed.

She walked barefoot to the large full-length mirror in the room and quietly gazed at her reflection.

White hair, delicate features, and a pair of resolute red eyes.

She murmured to the mirror, her tone not like a young girl’s complaint, but more like some kind of oath.

"I will never give him up to anyone... I don’t care who they are."

This was the first time since Yuna had met her that she had seen such a different side of Cecilia.

In that moment, there was no trace of the soft, cute, and easily bullied girl from her previous impression of Cecilia.

Her aura now was more like those high-ranking noble girls from the upper years of the academy who wielded real power.

Yuna suddenly slapped her own forehead.

’Oh, right. I almost forgot the most important thing.’

’Cecilia was a genuine noble lady who wielded immense power to begin with!’

Yuna recalled the dazzling title the entire Violet Academy had bestowed upon her roommate.

The Violet Pearl.

Only now did Yuna understand. Cecilia’s usual soft and cute demeanor was perhaps just because she was cautiously approaching completely unfamiliar things.

For example, leaving the protection of her aunt’s wings to live a communal life with her peers.

For example, coming to a remote town for a grueling combat internship.

For example, trying to learn how to be an Adventurer who rolls around in the mud.

And, for example, now facing this complex thing called love for the first time.

When first encountering these new things, the inexperienced young woman would instinctively retreat into her shell, giving off the false impression of being weak, easy to bully, and in need of protection.

But once she completely familiarized herself with the rules of something, or secretly made up her mind to face a challenge alone...

when she no longer relied on those around her for protection, only then would she truly shed her disguise and reveal the side of her that was hidden deep within her bones.

That dazzling, resolute soul.

This was the spirit befitting the future head of the Rosenthal Clan, a family with a legacy spanning hundreds of years.

Yuna sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching the young woman in front of the mirror.

She felt that it was only now, at this very moment, that she had truly come to know the complete Cecilia.

The innocent girl who would turn beet red every day when teased with dirty jokes was her, and the confident, determined woman she had now become to protect her partner was also her.

But faced with this Cecilia, her aura on full display, Yuna found that she didn’t dislike it at all.

In fact, it could be said that this huge contrast made her roommate even more charming, and her character more three-dimensional and full.

Compared to the submissive good girl from before, she much preferred the strong possessiveness Cecilia was now showing without reservation.

Yuna’s gossip-loving, drama-watching heart was burning fiercely in her chest.

If that heart could make a sound right now...

the room would surely be echoing with Yuna’s rabble-rousing shouts.

’Fight! Hurry up and fight! Let there be rivers of blood for the man!’