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I read the system window floating before my eyes over and over again.
[Fangirl Mission: Help my beloved Sion Luxior achieve love and happiness!]
This time, the system had even gone as far as underlining the sentence kindly for me.
So really, Sion's "love" didn't necessarily have to be with the heroine, Genevia.
The moment I realized that, something inside me snapped.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
I slowly closed my eyes, then opened them again.
And then I grabbed my head with both hands and rolled around on the bed like a lunatic.
"Then what, what the hell was everything I've done up until now for?!"
A whole panorama flashed through my mind.
Me, desperately struggling and scheming in every possible way to somehow get Sion and Genevia, who looked at each other like cows and chickens, to fall in love…!*
Me, anxiously watching from afar, hoping that maybe, just maybe, there'd been some progress between those two who were as cold and distant as the Siberian tundra…!!!*
"Ugh… uuuuugh! To think it was all meaningless effort! A complete waste of my precious fangirl passion and time!"
I thrashed my arms and legs wildly and pointed furiously at the system window.
"This is fraud! A scam! You tricked me on purpose so I couldn't complete my fangirl goal, didn't you?! Didn't you!?"
But of course, the system window gave no reply.
The only thing that continued to shine brilliantly was that cursed phrase: 'Sion Luxior's Love.'
I knew something felt off…!
Even if the original story had gone off track because of me, it still didn't make sense for Sion to treat Genevia with such wooden indifference, as if she were a mere object of obligation.
"Huff… huff…"
After fuming and grumbling for quite a while, I finally let out a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.
Then, I faced reality head-on.
'…Alright. Fine. I admit it.'
Given how things had turned out, the best move now was to quickly switch gears and reorganize my plans, for Sion's sake.
'From this point on, let's drop that emotionless realist heroine, Genevia. She was never the right match for Sion anyway.'
I felt a little sorry for Genevia, but facts were facts. Honestly, it wasn't just Genevia, there simply wasn't anyone who could truly measure up to Sion. That was the objective reality.
"But still… I have to find someone."
I began to rack my brain, forcing myself to recall any other female characters who might, this time, truly become Sion's real love.
'It has to be someone who can open up that scarred and tightly shut heart of his, someone who understands him better than anyone else, cherishes him, comforts him, and loves him dearly… someone special like that.'
As I thought of that, an image naturally came to mind, Sion, smiling softly, and beside him, the faint silhouette of a woman.
And then...
Throb.
"…Ow."
A sharp, stabbing pain suddenly pricked at one side of my chest.
'…What the? Again?'
It wasn't the first time this had happened, so I was caught off guard.
Maybe it was some kind of penalty from the system, like "Fangirl Failure: Critical Emotional Damage"?
I felt around my body just in case, but nothing seemed wrong.
"Weird…"
I tilted my head, puzzled.
Then I pushed the thought aside and focused back on my mission.
'A woman who can make Sion show that rare, beautiful smile he only ever showed me on occasion…'
Besides Genevia, I couldn't think of anyone capable of doing that.
Honestly, the only reason I'd even accepted Genevia as a potential partner for Sion in the first place was because she was the designated heroine.
But trying to imagine him with any other woman who wasn't the heroine…
'…Ugh. I hate all of them already.'
My standards had risen sky-high before I even realized it.
With a sulky sigh, I plopped down on the spot.
'Unless Sion already has someone he's at least a little interested in, there's no way I can just hand over my precious bias to anyone else so easily.'
"Yeah. Exactly."
I muttered to myself seriously, resting my chin in my hand.
That was when...
"Quite a passionate caretaker, aren't you?"
"…!"
I turned quickly. At some point, Theon had woken up and was watching me with a faint, amused smile.
I crossed my arms and replied coolly.
"Hmph. Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I didn't choose to take care of you, it just sort of happened."
"Is that so?"
Theon absently touched the wound on his side, then slowly sat up.
A gentle smile curved his lips as he said.
"Still, I should thank you, fairy. You saved me."
"…Hmph."
I understood he wasn't referring to the recent nursing, but rather to how I'd helped him survive back in the snowfields.
After briefly checking his complexion, I floated up lightly into the air.
"Since you're awake now, I'll get going. Sion's alone right now."
Theon nodded.
"Is Sion safe?"
"He's fine. Thanks to you, in a way."
"Oh, and by the way, Genevia asked me to tell you, she's the one who saved your life."
"Haha, I'll keep that in mind."
Waving my hand lazily, I left the infirmary.
***
'Alright, time to go see Sion again.'
The moment I stepped out, I headed straight for him. By now, he must've had some time to collect his thoughts and emotions.
I flew quickly down the hallway to Sion's quarters, and just as I arrived, I caught sight of him opening his door.
"Ah! It's Sion!"
"……"
When Sion saw me, he wordlessly opened the door wider.
"Come in."
"Okay!"
I zipped right in.
A cozy warmth spread from the lit fireplace, filling the room.
Breathing in the comfortable air, I twirled happily and landed on our bed, Sion's and mine.
"Ahhh~ the bed~!"
And then, I dove straight into the soft pillow.
"Lin, you overexerted yourself on the way back too. Get some rest for a while."
Sion hung his robe neatly on the rack as he spoke.
"That goes for you too, Sion! Let's both rest today and tomorrow!"
I smiled up at him as I said that, then blinked wide-eyed.
At some point, Sion had already changed into his casual clothes.
"……"
I rolled my eyes away awkwardly.
I'd seen him like that plenty of times before, but for some reason, my heart suddenly gave a loud thump, like I'd just glimpsed something I shouldn't have.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
'…What the heck is wrong with me?'
Sion had always looked amazing in my eyes, back then, and even now.
So why on earth was my heart pounding like this?
I hesitated, then sneaked another look at him.
'Wait… did he bulk up even more since last time?'
My gaze traced over his broad shoulders and the taut lines of his back muscles as I studied him closely...
"Ack."
Small scars dotted his back here and there. They must've been from rolling and clashing during the battle earlier.
I shot toward him like lightning.
"Wait a sec, Sion! You've got cuts all over your back!"
"…?"
Sion glanced over his shoulder briefly, then, as if it were nothing, simply pulled on his shirt.
"They're just scratches. It's fine."
"What do you mean 'fine'?! What if they scar! You need ointment! Hold still!"
I flew to the drawer where the ointment was kept, tugging at it with all my might, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard I pulled.
I glanced back at Sion, but he was deliberately pretending not to notice me.
'…Fine, you leave me no choice.'
And so, I activated my ultimate skill.
"<Fangirl Devotion That Transcends Species>!"
Flash-!
My entire body was suddenly wrapped in a white light, and I began to grow.
My field of vision rose, and long pink hair cascaded down my back in shimmering waves.
It was my humanized form, one that, at this point, almost felt strange to me.
"……"
"……"
Sion stood frozen, staring at me as if he'd just witnessed a statue come to life.
Clack-!
Without hesitation, I yanked open the drawer, grabbed the ointment, and dashed straight toward him.
Then, without a shred of restraint, I started peeling off his shirt.
"Here, hold still! I'll put on the ointment!"
"W-What are you…! Stop it, Lin!"
Even Sion, who usually never flinched, not even in the face of a demon beast, looked completely flustered now, trying to push me away.
But I was relentless.
"No! Take it off! Off, I said!"
"Stop-!"
His shirt ended up half over his head, hanging awkwardly around his neck, when...
Bang!
The door swung open, and Garen stepped inside, carrying a bundle of firewood.
He froze instantly upon seeing us.
"……"
"……"
"……"
A heavy silence filled the room.
And then, Garen's face turned as red as a ripe tomato.
Still holding the firewood, he began to stumble backward in a panic.
"M-My apologies for interrupting your… private time, young lord! I only meant to bring in extra firewood, but I didn't realize-!"
"……"
"……"
Click.
The door closed again.
I blinked, tilting my head.
"…Huh. Guess Garen didn't recognize me?"
"…Haa."
Instead of answering, Sion just let out a long, weary sigh.
🍓; *A Korean expression (소 닭 보듯) meaning to look at each other blankly or with indifference, as if they have no understanding or interest in one another.
*There was no closeness or affection at all.
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