Full Moon Night (7)
TL/ED: Lolz
Lina Rosewell was kind.
If you were to grab someone who knew Lina and ask them about her, they would undoubtedly respond with glowing praise.
Gentle laughter, kindness, consideration, always looking out for others—these were the qualities that defined her.
Friends, family, everyone who knew Lina, liked her.
In short, “kindness” was her identity.
Even if you didn’t know her, you could approach her comfortably, engage in casual banter, laugh, greet, and eventually part ways happily for the day.
Lina was someone with whom even strangers could feel at ease. She was well aware of how others perceived her.
‘Everyone expects that from me.’
Fulfilling others’ expectations was a quite enjoyable task. Satisfied individuals immediately followed and liked Lina.
Lina enjoyed it too.
But then, gradually,
-Lina will surely help with this, right? I’m going through a tough time.
-Lina always takes good care of her younger siblings. She’s truly amazing.
Such “expectations” soon became a pattern.
The person known as Lina Rosewell was expected to be kind, caring, and socially adept.
-You have to be kind because you’re Lina Rosewell.
Before she knew it, compliments from others began to sound like a given.
Eventually, Lina became consumed by her own image.
Everyone naturally relied on her. Some would chat about boredom, others sought advice about serious matters with their significant others. There were even those who asked for help with difficult assignments or wanted to know what small spirits looked like.
Friends, acquaintances, and even family.
Everyone leaned on Lina as if it were a given.
Lina was a kind and caring person.
Initially, she was pleased to help others. She even deceived herself into thinking that this was an incredibly happy thing.
Perhaps that’s why.
From the depths of her being, something began to decay.
“… I’m struggling too.”
Lina hugged her knees.
Her parents had passed away, and she had to take responsibility for the family.
To support her remaining siblings and rebuild the family, she needed the qualifications.
She had sought refuge in Lichten Academy after negotiating with relatives.
“… The truth is, I have to live ruthlessly too.”
There was no money for immediate needs.
No food. Nothing unless absolutely necessary, and even those essentials were hard to obtain. If she made herself comfortable, her siblings would suffer.
The weight of the Rosewell family burdened Lina.
To raise her remaining siblings and revive the family, Lina had to graduate from Lichten at all costs.
So, she had to compete fiercely.
She had to secure a scholarship.
“… I’m not as kind as people think.”
Squeeze.
At some point, her fist clenched.
With a sigh, Lina released her fist.
Then she looked around.
“…”
A space filled with darkness.
She had realized that she was trapped here a few hours ago.
– The moon is bright today.
The last thought she had before opening her eyes was that the moon rising in the sky was unusually bright. But when she opened her eyes, she was here.
It was as if everything had turned pitch black around her, as if she had fallen into the depths of the sea. Yet, somehow, Lina felt like she knew where she was.
“… It must be in my consciousness.”
The reason she could make such a conjecture was simple.
She had experienced such phenomena before.
From one day, a voice had started echoing in her mind.
– It’s tough, isn’t it?
– You don’t have to live too kindly.
At first, she was scared.
She thought she was going crazy.
But as she listened, it became a comforting voice.
It said the things Lina wanted to hear the most.
— Look at that guy named Ian over there. He’s blocking your way. Shouldn’t we get rid of him?
At some point, aggressiveness began to emerge in the whispers.
Initially, she resisted.
But she couldn’t forget the sweet whispers.
Only then did she realize.
These whispers were ultimately pulling out what lay deep within Lina herself.
‘… These are my deep emotions.’
With that mindset, all reservations disappeared.
— Do you want to become stronger? I can help you.
As she listened to the whispers, her growth accelerated. The overflowing magic was becoming difficult to control. Her trust in the whispers only grew stronger.
— Will you lend me your body?
At some point when that whisper came, Lina nodded her head.
That was the first moment she lost consciousness.
But that moment felt good.
Whenever she woke up after losing consciousness, it was refreshingly invigorating.
A feeling of liberation from the things that had oppressed her.
— Quaaaaang!
One day, she attacked Ian from behind.
Even when she regained consciousness, she didn’t regret it. Although she felt that something might be wrong, that uneasiness was quickly swallowed.
Because.
‘… Because I was the one who hated Ian.’
Ian.
Ian Blackangers.
She particularly disliked that boy.
Even before the strange whispers echoed in her mind, she disliked him.
If Lina, as a person, was defined by the framework of “kindness”, Ian was a small hole in that framework.
Even though she could be kind to others, she couldn’t be kind to Ian alone.
The whispers didn’t miss that hole.
After listening to the whispers, all her aggressiveness was directed at Ian.
“… Why did I do that in the first place?”
Why. Why did she especially dislike Ian?
And now, trapped in her consciousness.
Why does his face keep coming to mind and haunting her?
Why does she keep thinking about Ian?
“……”
Lina tightened her arms around her knees.
And burying her face in them.
She recalled her first meeting with Ian.
◆
In the early days of Lina’s enrollment at the academy.
This was a story from when the owner of Ian’s body had not yet changed.
Magic Formation practical class.
“Everyone has prepared their materials. Now, let’s begin the lesson.”
At that time, Lina had no money.
She couldn’t even afford essential supplies after buying books.
But it was embarrassing to just not bring anything.
“…”
With a self-deprecating feeling, she put her hand into the desk.
Of course, nothing would be there to touch…
– Rustle
Something caught in her hand.
‘… What?’
With widened eyes, Lina cautiously pulled out a paper bag from the desk.
Inside the bag, along with the practice materials, there was a small note.
Written at the end, along with a message full of dark humor, was the name Ian Blackangers.
‘… If it’s Ian, he’s be a guy with a bad reputation.’
Rumors were already circulating that he had approached some girls and got rejected.
Lina turned her head toward his direction.
Ian, who had been staring at her, quickly averted his gaze.
‘… It’s still uncomfortable.’
Lina was troubled.
Was it right to use this?
But the image of her siblings back home came to mind.
She couldn’t be in a position to refuse others’ help.
‘… And I am genuinely grateful.’
Ian’s bad reputation was just a rumor after all.
Honestly, when she first opened the bag, she felt thankful and even a bit moved. Although she felt burdened and uncomfortable after reading the note, it was true.
She had become somewhat interested in Ian.
Since that moment of half discomfort and half gratitude and curiosity.
The same thing happened during lunch.
“Lina, let’s go grab something to eat!”
“Oh, um…”
Buying something outside felt burdensome. But she hadn’t brought lunch either.
‘… No way.’
With a hopeful heart, she put her hand into the desk.
As expected, there was a lunchbox placed there as if it were normal.
“Lina, what are you doing?”
“Ah… Yeah! Let’s go!”
Such assistance continued for a few days.
Moreover, without him even striking up a conversation.
Whenever she searched inside the desk, what Lina needed was magically there.
‘… Maybe he’s not a bad guy?’
Her wariness of Ian also began to dissipate.
Perhaps he might be a good guy.
It felt like the first time she had received care to this extent, especially in an academy full of young students.
‘… Does he have an interest in me?’
Thump.
Her heart area felt a light ache.
But it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.
After receiving help several times in difficult situations, she naturally developed an interest.
One day, she asked her friends.
“What do you guys think of Ian?”
To hide her interest in Ian, she asked the question casually, as if it were just passing.
“Oh, him. He got a sword for Miss Sharon the other day.”
“He’s also busy serving Lady Emilia.”
“There’s not a girl he hasn’t confessed to. Isn’t that a bit extreme? It’s so frustrating.”
“Really. He’s the worst of the worst. But Miss Lina, why are you asking about him?”
“Aha-ha. It’s nothing. But when did that happen?”
“Just yesterday.”
On the same day he had given her supplies and lunch.
It was clear that he had been fooling around, teasing anyone without discrimination, just as the rumors about Ian suggested.
Lina bit her lip.
A feeling of betrayal welled up.
The fact that she had developed even a slight interest in that guy was something she detested. It was also her first time since coming to the academy.
“…….”
“Hey, Miss Lina? Why is your expression like that? Are you okay? Does something hurt?”
When she came to her senses, she realized she was clutching her face.
“Ah… Aha-ha. No, it’s nothing. Just felt a bit dizzy.”
The taste of betrayal she experienced for the first time was like straight black coffee. It was bitter, and there wasn’t even a dessert to swallow with it.
It was the day the first hole appeared in Lina’s ‘kindness’.
And time passed.
The supplies and food were always placed inside the desk, but there were no notes.
Although she hesitated to use them, Lina was too desperate to scrutinize those emotions.
Then, one day during lunch.
Out of habit, Lina searched inside the desk.
For some reason, the lunchbox wasn’t there today.
‘…Yeah, it’s better not to get it.’
Uncomfortable with the feeling, Lina thought, “If it’s going to be this uncomfortable, I’d rather go hungry.” Maybe she could go to the forest and pick some fruits.
Clutching her hungry stomach, Lina leaned over her desk.
— Tock.
Lina raised her head to a lunch box placed on the desk.
Ominously black hair.
Ian Blackangers was standing there.
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