As the afternoon slowly turned into evening, Lortell found herself inside Nyx's home. A room had been prepared for her, filled with her clothes and other belongings. She stood by the window, staring out at the lush greenery and natural beauty with her usual expressionless face. From the outside, it might have looked like she was enjoying a moment of peace, but that tranquility was soon interrupted.

The door creaked open, and Esdeath entered the room. Balancing a large book on her head with her small hands, she also carried a bowl perched on top of it. Her face was lit up with a wide smile, her dark red eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Lady Mariette, Lady Mariette! Are you really the Arch-Duke's daughter? My father told me just now! I made this soup especially for you, to say thank you!" Esdeath's cheerful voice filled the room, high-pitched and childish, a clear sign of her youth.

Lortell turned her head slightly, her gaze landing on Esdeath. For a moment, she couldn't decide whether she was annoyed by the interruption or simply indifferent. She looked at Esdeath's eager face, her bright smile, and those eerie yet hopeful eyes. Finally, Lortell sighed inwardly, realizing she couldn't refuse the girl's innocent gesture.

"Just give it to me and leave," Lortell said, her voice cold as usual, extending her hand while turning her gaze away.

Esdeath, eager to please, quickly stepped forward to hand over the bowl. But in her rush, she lost her balance. The book and bowl both slipped from her hands, and she tumbled forward. It all seemed to happen in slow motion—Esdeath falling, the bowl of soup tipping over, ready to crash to the ground.

But just as everything was about to hit the floor, a sudden wave of magic filled the room. Lortell, without even turning her head, had cast a spell. The magic caught Esdeath, the book, and the bowl, suspending them all in mid-air. Slowly, Lortell lowered Esdeath gently to the ground, placed the book back on her head, and took the bowl of soup into her own hand.

Esdeath, wide-eyed and amazed, looked up at Lortell with admiration. "Wow! You're so cool!" she exclaimed, her voice full of genuine awe.

Lortell glanced down at the girl, her face still expressionless as she took a slow sip of the soup. The warmth of the broth spread through her, and she silently acknowledged the effort Esdeath had put into making it. The taste was surprisingly good, which caused Lortell to reflect, *"Do countryside girls really start cooking at the age of seven?"*

As she continued sipping, her gaze shifted to the large book Esdeath was still holding. With her usual indifferent tone, Lortell asked, "What kind of book is that? A cookbook?"

Esdeath's eyes lit up with excitement as she replied, "This? It's written by Jeanne D'Arc, the Combat Witch!"

Lortell raised an eyebrow, a faint trace of interest in her otherwise cold demeanor. "That's a rare book you have. Give it to me; I'll return it tomorrow," she said, extending her hand, expecting compliance.

But instead of eagerly handing it over, Esdeath hugged the book tightly to her chest and took a step back, her small face determined. "Nope! Say that you're my friend, and I'll give it to you!" she declared with a mix of defiance and playfulness.

Lortell blinked, slightly taken aback. This was the first time someone had refused her. "It's an order," she said, her voice a bit louder and firmer than before, a hint of her authority slipping through.

But Esdeath stood her ground, her lips pouting slightly as she crossed her arms, "No means no!" she replied, her tone laced with cute stubbornness.

Lortell stared at her for a moment, clearly puzzled by the girl's resistance. With a sigh of dismissal, she turned back to the window, her attention once again focused on the outside world. "Then I don't need it. Leave," she said, her voice cold and indifferent as she took another sip of the soup.

Esdeath sighed in disappointment, her small shoulders drooping. She turned to leave, her footsteps slow and heavy with a sense of defeat. But just as she reached the door, Lortell's voice stopped her.

"This soup… Did you make it?" Lortell asked, her tone softer this time, though still void of much emotion.

Esdeath, now a bit frustrated and annoyed, nodded curtly in response, not even turning around.

Lortell studied her for a second, trying to gauge whether the girl was telling the truth. After a moment, she nodded slightly to herself. "Hmm… It's good. I guess you have a talent for cooking. You'll make a fine wife someday," she added, her tone emotionless, almost as if she was mocking the young girl.

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However, Lortell's attempt at humor or mockery went completely unnoticed by Esdeath. Instead, she took it as a sincere compliment. A proud smile spread across her face, her earlier frustration forgotten. With a renewed sense of pride, she walked out of the room, her head held high, feeling triumphant that the Arch-Duke's daughter had praised her cooking.

...

Night had come and gone, and as the morning passed into afternoon, Lortell decided to take a walk in the nearby garden. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over the lush greenery around her. As she stepped into the garden, a sense of déjà vu washed over her, and she couldn't help but be surprised by the familiar scene unfolding before her eyes.

There, sitting on the ground, was Esdeath, surrounded by the same group of kids who were bullying her once again. Lortell paused, her expression calm yet puzzled. "Why does she keep going back to them?" Lortell wondered. It was clear that this wasn't the first time—Esdeath seemed to do this almost every day.

With a resigned sigh, Lortell turned her gaze towards Esdeath. The other kids, noticing her presence, instantly froze in fear, their taunting laughter dying in their throats. But Lortell didn't spare them even a glance. Her focus remained solely on Esdeath.

Without a word, Lortell walked over, grabbing the back of Esdeath's collar and effortlessly lifting her off the ground. Although there wasn't much difference in their height and weight, Esdeath felt as light as a feather to Lortell. The other kids watched in silent awe and fear as Lortell carried Esdeath away, leaving them behind.

After about ten minutes of walking, Lortell brought Esdeath to the edge of a small mountain cliff. She gently placed her down on the ground, letting her take in the breathtaking view. The landscape stretched out before them, a sea of rolling hills and vibrant greenery. The beauty of the land below was enchanting, and as the sun began to lower in the sky, the scene seemed almost magical.

Esdeath's eyes widened in awe as she gazed out at the view, her earlier distress forgotten. But Lortell, standing beside her, had other things on her mind. "Are you an idiot?" she asked, her voice cold and emotionless, as always.

Esdeath turned her head, puzzled by the question. "Why?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Lortell's gaze remained fixed on the horizon as she spoke. "Why? You keep going back to those kids, trying to be friends with them, even though you know they bully you. And it looks like you do this every day. Only an idiot would do that," she said, her tone harsh, but her voice devoid of any real anger or affection.

Esdeath's expression grew serious as she shook her head. "No! You're wrong!" she replied, her voice firm with conviction.

Lortell raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"They're just frightened because of my black hair," Esdeath explained, her voice softening. "But when they realize that I'm just a normal human, they'll all become my friends!" She finished with a determined smile, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Lortell, however, didn't seem impressed. In fact, her expression darkened slightly at Esdeath's words. "Hmph… Me? Wrong? Nonsense. You think you know everything?" she scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "They enjoy bullying you, and it won't stop—even if you didn't have black hair," she added, her voice as cold as ever.

With that, Lortell sat down beside Esdeath on the stone ledge of the cliff. The two girls sat there in silence, the wind gently rustling their hair as they stared out at the mesmerizing view below. Despite Lortell's harsh words, there was a strange sense of calm between them, as if the beauty of the scene had momentarily eased the tension in the air.

Esdeath tilted her head, her curiosity getting the better of her. "How about I ask you a question? Why don't you ever smile?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine wonder.

Lortell paused, the question catching her off guard. After a moment of silence, she decided to answer. "Because I can't feel happiness. Not just that, but I don't feel any emotions or affection at all," she replied, her voice heavy and serious, a rare hint of something deeper in her tone.

But instead of looking sad or concerned, Esdeath smirked. "Like I said, you're wrong again. It's not that you can't feel emotions—you just subconsciously choose not to feel them!" she said confidently, as if she knew something Lortell didn't.

Lortell turned her face toward Esdeath, her expression cold. "And like I said earlier, this is just more of your nonsense," she replied, thinking to herself, *What am I even doing here, talking to a kid?* She couldn't help but feel that Esdeath was wasting her precious time.

Esdeath, however, wasn't deterred. "Nope! I read a book—Jeanne D'Arc said that every living being has emotions. Sometimes even puppets can grow emotions in them. The only thing you can do is open a pathway for those emotions to flow out!" Esdeath explained, her voice full of determination.

Lortell raised an eyebrow, not fully convinced but intrigued enough to listen. Esdeath then pointed down the mountain. "Let's see… How about I start with them? Can you see those werewolves?" she asked, pointing to a small group of werewolves below. There were three of them—two females and one male. The male werewolf was tall, muscular, and quite handsome. One of the females had an injured leg, making it difficult for her to walk, while the other female was in her prime, her fur shiny and captivating. The injured female was the male's bride, but the younger female was trying to seduce him with all her might.

Lortell narrowed her eyes, trying to see what Esdeath was pointing at. "You can see over such a great distance?" she asked, somewhat impressed. "But what about it?" she added, still skeptical.

Esdeath smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "What do you think? Who will he choose—the injured one or the young werewolf?" she asked.

Lortell scoffed, her expression turning dismissive. "Hmph… Is that even a question? Just like how humans marry multiple wives for pleasure and strong offspring, animals wouldn't hesitate to abandon their injured partner and choose someone else. That female is injured and likely infected, probably going to die within a year. She won't be able to birth strong children either. It's just a matter of time before he abandons her," she answered with confidence, as if there was no other possible outcome.

Esdeath didn't say anything in response. She simply watched the werewolves below, her eyes fixed on the scene. Lortell, curious despite herself, continued to observe as well.

What happened next surprised Lortell more than she expected. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the male werewolf chase away the younger female, growling at her until she left. Then, he slowly walked over to the injured werewolf and gently nudged her, helping her move forward.

"How…?" The word escaped Lortell's lips before she could stop herself.

Esdeath turned to her, a gentle smile lighting up her face. "You know what that is? That's called love," she said softly, as if explaining something as simple as the sky being blue.

Lortell felt a strange sensation in her chest, a tightness she couldn't quite name. She knew, deep down, that for the first time in her life, she might actually be wrong. But admitting it? That was something her pride wouldn't allow.

"Okay," Lortell began, trying to keep her voice steady. "So you see love in them, huh? What about me? What kind of emotion do you see in me?" she asked, hoping that Esdeath would drop the subject and move on.

But to her surprise, Esdeath didn't hesitate. She stood up, her small figure seeming stronger than it had before, and gently placed her soft, small palm on Lortell's forehead. The touch was warm, almost comforting, but the words that followed sent a chill down Lortell's spine.

"The only thing I see in you is pain," Esdeath said quietly, her eyes full of sincerity. "So much pain."

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Readers:- Can you write a romance between two females?

author:- If it's a romance between two yanderes, Then it might cause me a little trouble.

Readers:- But would You Loose?

Author:- Nah... I would write...