This world... is a stage.

A beautiful tale that never ends.

At least, that’s what it feels like as I walk home from the station, replaying everything in my head.

You ask me why?

The answer is simple: because today’s lesson reminded me of it again.

My professor said drama is essential to life.

"Not everything is solely defined by magic or miracles," she told us.

And maybe she’s right.

Oh—are you curious?

Fine. Let me take a breath, the kind that finally wakes up after sleeping too long.

Let’s start from here.

* * *

"O my beloved husband, remember my one request."

"If our child cries for me, plant this seed in the rice barn, strike it,and they shall never weep again."

So spoke the angelic princess before she turned her face away from the young man—a face full of betrayal.

And then, right before everyone’s eyes, she left.

Truly flew away with her magic.

The end.

After the performance ended, I returned with the other club members to greet the audience.

My vision blurred slightly.

My thoughts focused only on the faces in the crowd.

Their cheers shook the entire room.

And faintly—like always—I heard whispers drifting through the noise:

"Amazing! Just as we expected!"

"The Legend of the Celestial Princess would be nothing without her!"

"The Princess of Drama strikes again! Truly extraordinary!"

"Miss Veylith is a natural talent—no one else compares!"

Like life itself, drama cannot exist without its audience.

They are the most important element of all.

I sat down and smiled quietly.

If only they knew how awkward and shy I used to be.

And that’s all a stage really is:

from the outside, it looks captivating—but once you step into it, the illusion collapses.

The play we performed was "The Legend of the Celestial Princess."

One of the most famous stories in Ains Ein Doan.

A princess deceived, forced to sacrifice her life in the mortal worldafter discovering her sacred garment—the one thing she needed to return to the heavens—was stolen.

Her magical veil allowed her to fly.And of course, with my magic... I flew. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Yes. I was that Celestial Princess.

Not just as a role, but in a way far more complicated than anyone realizes.

Then, in the dressing room...

"Miss Veylith, congratulations!" said my comrade, who no longer used my given name.

I wanted to say,

"Just call me Selene. It’s fine."

But the words only reached the tip of my tongue and fell away, leaving nothing.

Yes, special treatment is a given after becoming an Arcanist Mage, and that’s how I became isolated.

Since the shocking research I did six years ago, there is no longer Selene the Nakanari elf who couldn’t inherit healing.

There is only one of the greatest mages of all time and, currently, the most powerful sorcerer alive.

My abilities and the subversions I wielded were declared unmatched.

"Selene?"

The sudden voice startled me and, oddly, eased something inside.

But that wasn’t the surprising part.

I looked up.

Oh, there was no one else there.

"Ouch!" she cried, a cute sound because I’d pecked at her head.

I took the chance — since there were no other students around.

"Could you stop calling me by my first name for a moment, Miss Lovecra— guhukk!"

The name tumbled out.

Her hand struck my stomach sharply and suddenly, piercing and pointed.

No, I could’ve died.

"Now we’re even. I’m not your teacher, Selene."

Her smile. It was vicious.

"So please call me ’Helena,’ okay? I’m not your mother, you know?"

Her tone had a bite, like a threat that was also a joke.

I just smiled, then glanced sideways.

"Hey, I was only kidding. Besides..."

I stepped closer. My lips slid effortlessly to hers, like it was nothing.

"I still like you even if you’re a mother now."

She blushed as if she’d been caught.

By the way, we’ve been in a serious relationship for three months now.

And we’ve done other things.

So my mouth latching on to hers shouldn’t have been a problem.

"Are you actually planning to have me be your mommy in the bedroom later?"

She asked, half-teasing, half-terrified.

"Not like that!" she sputtered, then giggled. The teasing between us felt endless.

"Enough! This isn’t what we should be talking about right now."

"You still haven’t said something that means a lot to me."

At that, she laughed. Full out. She even snorted.

"My my. Selene... are you that desperate for my praise?"

I only nodded, cheeks burning.

"Okay...

I’m so proud of you, my love! You were so amazing! I’m your number one admirer!"

"Happy now?"

I couldn’t hold back a laugh I’d been holding all this time.

"So cheesy."

"That’s what you wanted, dumbass."

We just smiled at each other, looking at one another like idiots.

"So, why did you come here? Aren’t you supposed to be handling more important things?"

"Oh, isn’t it you who’s more important than anything in the world to me?"

Hey, that’s not what I meant.

I just shook my head slowly.

"Helena, listen. You need to know what’s a priority and what’s personal desire."

She played the fool.

"Oh, aren’t those two the same? I don’t see any difference."

"My priority is you. My desire is you. Everything else feels meaningless."

"Boring. Right, my ex-rival?"

I shook my head again, like I still couldn’t believe someone like her became Supervising Officer of the Melodrama Theatre Association at the Academy of Aethelgarten.

"That’s not the point. Go on now. Hush!" I pushed her back.

"But I’m not finished!"

"You can say it later. Hurry up.

There’s no time. You must go motivate the others. I’ll follow you."

Ugh, so heavy!

I screamed inwardly.

Damn it, that crystal weight is really the culprit.

"Hey, how about the honeymoon? I thought we were gonna—"

"No. No sex let alone honeymoon. And don’t you dare daydream in front of them."

"I won’t give you mercy later in the bedroom," she said, and I shoved her out as hard as I could, then closed the door tightly.

"Fyuh..."

I leaned back against the door.

She was always like that, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t tolerate her increasing lechery.

There really would be a problem if she were exposed.

Her life could end and everything would unravel.

That’s why Helena had to change her appearance, making sure no one could recognize her.

As a student, she was Helena. As a professor, she was Mrs. Myra H. Lovecraft.

Helena Myra Lovecraft. Her full name, of course.

Typical of the Lovecraft family to play puzzles with people who aren’t ready to be let in.

Even her sister, Azalea — with her Isolation — no one knew she was a Lovecraft.

"A really closed-off family," I thought.

But even as I thought that, a small, colder corner of my mind tightened.