TYPnovel Chapter 266
Chapter 266
Chapter 266
15. Waiting
“You’d jump into the fish basket yourself?”
“Then I’d just pick up the fish basket and dump it back into the water!”
But speaking of it, in truth, Sheffy had never released any fish from her basket back into nature.
After all, her fishing skills were right there—her ability simply did not allow such waste.
Ahem! That went off track.
Right now, arguing with Livra about the matter of “fish” and “fish basket”—there was absolutely no way to leave this without a conclusion!
If things were left vague and unclear now, then in what state would she even talk to Livra afterward? Since that thin layer of ambiguity had already been broken and Livra had already laid everything bare, then Sheffy had to give a corresponding attitude.
And besides...
Her lips still carried the lingering warmth of deep affection. Even though there had been that thin layer of “face skin” blocking it just now, the sheer force when Livra kissed her—proved that she was absolutely serious.
Otherwise! If she wasn’t serious, who would joke about something like this?!
At a time like this, if she poured cold water over Livra and clearly rejected her, there was a very high chance that Livra would smash the pot out of desperation and do something even more unbelievable.
If Sheffy failed to resist in time, then it wouldn’t just be a sneak attack through that layer of “face skin”—she was worried she might end up becoming that fragile “face skin” itself, shattering at the slightest touch.
But accepting Livra’s confession was even more impossible. Sheffy simply didn’t have those feelings for her. In Sheffy’s heart, Livra was just a somewhat clever disciple—a very interesting, clever-type fool.
The black-haired girl curled up in the corner, making a strange gurgling sound in her throat. After a round of intense mental struggle under her overheated state, she finally slapped her thigh and stood up.
One hand on her waist, her movement looked cool and composed.
As for who was nervous and who was pretending to be calm—only they themselves knew.
Even if she couldn’t explain it clearly, becoming “face skin” would just be her own fault anyway.
When it came to feelings, Sheffy didn’t want to drag along any “fish” without saying anything.
What was there to be afraid of? She hadn’t done anything guilty!
She chose to be direct!
“That… Livra, how should I put it… I’ve always thought you’re a good person. That’s a fact. You’re excellent.”
“A good person…? You mean, I’m a nice person?”
“Yes, you’re a good person. I think as a friend, as a disciple, I quite like you. But if you’re talking about elevating it to that kind of meaning… I still haven’t…”
“Miss Shaya!”
“What?! I’m explaining things to you! Stay calm! Restrain yourself! Don’t become face skin!”
“Fa… face skin?”
“Nothing, go on. Sorry, that was my stress reaction.”
The psychological shadow left on her by Xiarette last night was too much. Right now, Sheffy felt extremely insecure, hence the overreaction.
Sheffy trotted in small steps to the wall by the bedroom door, sat down, curled into the corner, and pricked up her ears to listen to Livra’s response.
She had already said enough.
Although she was interrupted, Livra must have understood that she was rejecting her.
So, just give up for now.
You’re different from Xiarette, different from Belith. The feelings accumulated over time—I can’t resist them. I instinctively love them, there’s no reasoning behind it. That kind of feeling isn’t something we can reach right now, so…
“Miss Shaya… are you thinking that, in your heart right now, I can’t reach the same position as Lady Xiarette and Her Highness Belith?”
“Do you know mind-reading?!”
“Pfft… of course not. It’s just that Miss Shaya looks very nervous—your thoughts are all written on your face!”
Was that so?!
While waiting for Miss Shaya to touch her own face to confirm, Livra took the chance to take a deep breath and organize her thoughts.
What you said was correct.
I am still unworthy to stand by your side—this is something I understand better than anyone.
Not to mention that you would definitely reject me—even if you agreed, I wouldn’t feel that I deserved such fortune.
As expected.
This is what’s normal. This is the Miss Shaya I like.
You love all things in the world fairly, yet you still give several times more than that love—an especially biased affection—to those you love.
And right now, I’m not yet among those who can receive that favoritism from you.
But...
“Just now, you said ‘now,’ not ‘the future and what comes after.’”
“Huh…? Now… and after?”
It sounded somewhat inexplicable.
But when Sheffy fixed her gaze on Livra’s eyes as they suddenly lifted toward the sky, she fell silent.
Moonlight fell upon the eaves and then scattered beside the princess, as if inviting the moon itself to bear witness to her heart and her actions—without a single false word.
Livra pressed her palm against her chest, which would tremble faster whenever she met Sheffy’s eyes.
She stepped forward, no longer concerning herself with her past weakness and incompetence.
Everything she could see was filled with longing.
“I, Livra Aurus, sincerely ask Miss Shaya to give me a chance. Please don’t mind what happened tonight. When you wake up tomorrow, you will still be my teacher, still the friend I admire. That kiss just now… treat it as a child’s mischief. Miss Shaya, I am happy that you reject me now, but I firmly believe that one day in the future, I will definitely make you give a different answer!”
If time’s accumulation was lacking, then starting from today would suffice.
If there was no place in her heart, then she would simply claim one starting today.
Lowering her head, Livra saw the wooden chair left behind by Miss Shaya.
Raising her head, she saw a vast expanse of starry sky.
Livra slowly sat on the chair. As she gazed at the sky, her eyes held the same clear vastness.
She gently closed her eyes.
Sitting alone before the platform, gazing up at the brilliant stars, quietly waiting for the voice of her heart.
With the entire secluded courtyard as the backdrop, this dreamlike scene made Sheffy’s thoughts waver for a moment.
How should she put it…
Should she say it was a bit unexpected?
Knowing Livra’s personality, she wouldn’t give up on anything—but she hadn’t expected her to be this composed.
Girls’ thoughts were usually delicate and easily hurt, yet after being rejected, she showed no discouragement at all. She was even already considering her future plans.
Alright then.
Sheffy couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.
If you want to wait, then wait. But what I need to say, I’ll still tell you clearly, word for word.
This is being responsible to you, to Xiarette, to Belith, and even to myself.
“You can do as you like, but I’ll say the unpleasant truth first—you can wait, but that doesn’t mean that just spending time will get you everything. Maybe one day my thoughts will change, but that would probably be a very, very long time from now. Or maybe, it won’t happen at all. Who knows—before that, you might even find me annoying and stop wanting to deal with me~”
“Oh, about that! I already find Miss Shaya annoying right now!”
“Huh…?!”
“But I still like you just the same. I like listening to you fuss endlessly, I like hearing you chatter on and on.”
“……”
“And… I’m not afraid of waiting a long time.”
Livra stood up from the chair and strolled to the front of the courtyard.
“No matter how long it is, it won’t be longer than the time from my birth until the day I met Miss Shaya when you appeared before me.”
The first moment I met you—you turned back with a smile after slaying bandits and said, ‘So what if you cry.’
From that moment on, as the stars shifted and time flowed, waiting for years or even ten thousand years no longer made any difference.
Because meeting you was already a blessing earned over three lifetimes.
She extended her hand toward Miss Shaya, who was curled up in the corner by the pillar.
Supporting her knee with her other hand, Livra smiled brightly.
After meeting you, you disappeared from my life for ten years.
If I keep waiting, I’ve never thought that this time I wouldn’t be able to wait.
If I could wait for the first time, I can wait for the second.
Because look…
“Didn’t I wait for it? Miss Shaya is right here—I found you.”
Wait.
Then wait for the next time.
If I can’t wait, then I’ll search.
If I can’t find you, then I’ll wait again.
Until I find you, until I grasp your hand firmly—only then will I stop.
Before that, even unto death, I will not change.
——Thump.
“Huh?”
Sheffy looked in confusion at the hand suspended in midair.
Looking at the person before her—from that tearful face in childhood to the now familiar, slightly silly smile…
Sheffy felt as if she heard a heartbeat.
Seriously, Livra, your heartbeat is way too loud—I can even hear it!
…Wait, that’s not right.
No matter how intense a heartbeat is, if you’re not pressed close against someone’s chest, how could you hear another person’s heartbeat?
You wouldn’t.
Unless… that heartbeat was your own.
Confused, and somewhat irritated.
Sheffy tried to confirm what had just happened, but many things were like a fleeting bloom—once they passed, there was no way to revisit them and verify.
There was a vague sense of stuffiness in her chest, yet her mood wasn’t exactly bad.
Sheffy suddenly grabbed the hand extended in midair.
Taking advantage of the motion, Livra pulled Sheffy up from the ground, thinking that if her body leaned forward, she would catch her in an embrace to cushion her.
But after standing up, Sheffy bounced back like a resilient spring—“hey!”—and hopped straight backward, landing firmly on her feet!
“Hmph, how annoying! Fine, I get it! Do whatever you want—if you want to wait, then wait. The one wasting time is you anyway.”
“Miss Shaya, does that mean…?!”
“What else would it mean? I don’t have the authority to chase you away. Where you want to stay is your freedom.” Sheffy narrowed her left eye as she reminded her.
That was clear enough, right?
What Sheffy meant was exactly what Livra had said earlier—when tomorrow came, they would still be friends. Today’s events wouldn’t change anything. Sheffy was open-minded; she didn’t intend to fall out with Livra because of this. Not accepting a confession in a romantic sense didn’t mean erasing friendship altogether.
If it came to that, wouldn’t it be too tragic?
Parting was acceptable—but not in a way that trampled on someone’s feelings.
Just before Livra could get so happy that she started jumping…!
Sheffy wagged her finger, then suddenly grinned mischievously as she placed both hands behind her back.
The cheeky loli leaned forward slightly, her black hair falling by her ears—it was obvious she had some kind of bad idea.
“But… about you suddenly kissing me just now, I’m going to report it to Xiarette!”
“What?!” Livra’s joyful expression instantly froze, all color draining from her face in fright. “No, please, Miss Shaya! Wasn’t it… wasn’t it through the face skin… I didn’t kiss you directly!”
“I never said you kissed me directly. I’ll just report it truthfully to Xiarette~ This is your punishment. Who told you to say earlier outside the castle that you’d report me? This is called karma!”
“Then I… I won’t report you anymore, okay?!”
“Hehe, too late. Let me think… should I tell Belith as well~”
“Devil!!”