Tilea's Worries

As the morning classes ended, Miless made her way to the academy's courtyard.

It was time for her daily lunch with Timu-chan.

In the best spot, where the sun shone just right, there was a specially crafted cottage with luxurious sofas. Only the highest-ranking students were allowed to use this area for lunch.

What an extravagant moment.

It was something she could never have imagined before. This place was once the sacred domain of Elizabeth, the queen of the academy. Underclassmen couldn’t even think of approaching it. Setting foot in this area would have invited severe punishment.

But now, it was Timu-chan’s personal special seat.

Timu-chan had cut down one challenger after another, overwhelming even Elizabeth herself. Who would dare oppose Timu-chan now?

There used to be some upperclassmen who, even if they didn’t resist Timu-chan, glared at her from afar.

But now, even those have disappeared. This is because Anasie-senpai has been intimidating anyone who even thinks of harming Timu-chan with near-mad behavior.

Even the once stormy Elizabeth remains silent in front of Timu-chan. Because of this, Timu-chan's influence at the academy grows day by day.

With the queen’s fall from grace, the power dynamics at the academy have split into six groups:

Those who side with Elizabeth.

Those who align with Anasie-senpai and support Timu-chan.

Those who are watching both sides carefully, waiting to see who comes out on top, or those trying to seize the throne by playing both sides against each other.

Those who are terrified of both factions and show submission to avoid trouble.

Those who are outraged by the tyranny of both sides and hope for the rise of the Student Council President Muvoderi.

Thanks to Timu-chan’s actions, Elizabeth’s dominance has been shattered.

The academy has entered a warring states period. Ambitious high-ranking nobles are hungrily eyeing control of the academy. Many are trying to get close to Elizabeth or Timu-chan to boost their own authority.

In this chaotic situation, any wrong move could quickly tip the balance in favor of the opposing forces. The neutral factions, who have been biding their time, could suddenly show their fangs. Timu-chan is already in opposition to Elizabeth. From now on, every move needs to be made with the utmost caution.

Yet, even in such a turbulent environment, Timu-chan remains unchanged.

Timu-chan calmly sits on the sofa, placing her lunch box on the table.

Hmmm, it’s not good for an underclassman to monopolize the special seat every day.

The upperclassmen are afraid of Timu-chan and say nothing, but they must be harboring resentment. One day, that resentment might explode.

It’s bad enough having Elizabeth as an enemy; antagonizing other nobles as well would be disastrous. We should try to gather more allies to stand against Elizabeth. It’s not wise to provoke the upperclassmen any further.

"Camilla-sama."

"What is it?"

"We’ve been monopolizing this spot every day, haven’t we?"

"So what?"

"Well, I think it’s a bit much to do it every day. Maybe we could let the upperclassmen use it once or twice a week…"

"Why should I defer to fools and give up my seat?"

Timu-chan tilted her head and voiced her dissatisfaction, clearly finding the suggestion unreasonable.

"But, well, it's sort of a rule or tradition that underclassmen respect the upperclassmen…"

"A rule? A tradition? Nonsense! Miless, don’t disappoint me."

"Ugh. But, but, it’s not good for you, Camilla-sama, if this continues. Maybe we should at least be a little patient—ow!"

Timu-chan flicked me on the forehead.

Ow, that hurt. It really hurt.

Even though it was just a light flick, my vision blurred for a moment.

Timu-chan’s fingers are more beautiful and refined than those of most nobles. Yet, the power behind them is like that of a burly man.

While I was holding my forehead, groaning in pain, Timu-chan grabbed my face and forced me to look directly at her.

"Miless, who am I?"

"U-Um, Camilla-sama?"

"Exactly. I am Camilla. There is none who surpasses me in magic. I am the strongest mage. The only one who can command me is my elder sister. Anyone with complaints will be crushed."

"Ca-Camilla-sama, if you keep that attitude, you’ll end up making enemies of all the upperclassmen."

"That would be ideal. They are just a bunch of fools, but they might provide some amusement. I suppose I should provoke them more to increase the number of enemies."

Ah, the arrogance…

I knew it, yet I still tried.

There’s no way Timu-chan would be considerate of the upperclassmen. Her creed is to mercilessly crush those who oppose her.

Well, for a queen like Timu-chan, that attitude suits her best...

"Camilla-sama, for the sake of gaining allies—"

"Miless, I am about to partake in a bento handmade by my elder sister. Stop babbling about nonsense."

"S-Sorry."

Yeah, it’s not polite to discuss such serious matters during a meal. Especially when Timu-chan hardly enjoys her school life. I should focus on having a more student-like conversation.

"Camilla-sama, by the way, the final exams are coming up soon. Are you preparing for them?"

"Preparing? Nonsense. Why should I waste my time on such trivial matters?"

Trivial, she says…

Every year, a small percentage of students end up having to repeat a year or drop out. The students at this academy are all exceptionally talented. Competing here is no small pressure.

Well, with Timu-chan being so excellent in both written and practical exams, she probably doesn’t have to worry about that at all.

Timu-chan really is superhuman!

Even when the great noble Elizabeth glares at her, she remains unshaken.

She dismisses the capital’s prestigious exams as trivial.

I can’t imagine Timu-chan ever being shaken.

As I gazed at Timu-chan, lost in these thoughts, I suddenly noticed something.

"Wha!?"

Timu-chan was speechless.

She sat there, mouth agape, as if frozen in place.

No way! Timu-chan, in shock?

What happened?

The cause… Upon closer inspection, it seemed Timu-chan was frozen while staring at the contents of her opened bento box.

Ah, so she was shocked to see her bento box empty.

Usually, it’s packed full of colorful ingredients, but today it was completely empty.

Did Timu-chan’s elder sister forget to pack her lunch?

It was an uncharacteristically flustered reaction from Timu-chan, but given how much she looked forward to lunch, the shock must have been great.

Hehe, finally, a reaction from Timu-chan befitting her age. She’s always seemed so mature that it’s almost hard to believe we’re the same age. This is a bit reassuring.

"N-No! Have I been abandoned by my elder sister!?"

Timu-chan cried out in despair.

Once she snapped out of her shock, she began to panic in a way that was almost pitiful to watch. She was fidgeting, unable to calm down.

This is the same Timu-chan who remained composed even when surrounded by notorious delinquents, now with teary eyes and sweating profusely.

"Ca-Camilla-sama, please calm down. I’m sure there was some kind of mistake."

"What would you know!?"

"Eeek!"

Timu-chan’s fierce demeanor made me fall out of my chair.

"This empty bento box… My elder sister is telling me to starve to death."

"Ehh!? Is that really it?"

"Yes. My elder sister must have grown tired of my inability to achieve anything."

N-No, achieve what? I don’t understand.

"…Or is it because I once rebelled against her? Or maybe it’s my failure to properly manage my subordinates? No, no…"

Timu-chan mumbled to herself, sinking into deep depression.

What a despairing expression she wore. The once confident Timu-chan now looked as fragile as a little bird.

I want to cheer her up somehow.

"U-Um, I’ll share my lunch with you, at least."

"Silence! You dare tempt me to disobey my elder sister’s orders? I will starve to death as commanded."

Timu-chan glared at me with wide eyes.

She’s really planning to go without eating?

I glanced at Timu-chan’s face.

She placed her chopsticks down, closed her eyes, and sat upright. It was as if she had resolved to become an ascetic, abstaining from all food until she withered away.

She seems serious.

That’s right. Timu-chan rarely lies, especially when it comes to matters involving her elder sister.

What should I do?

Should I contact her elder sister?

As I was despairing, I suddenly heard a voice calling out.

"Camiiilla-samaaa!"

Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw…

Edim!?

No way, why?

Edim was running toward us, holding some sort of bundle, and stopped right in front of me and Timu-chan. It was really Edim, standing right there.

My heart skipped a beat.

Do you have any idea how worried I was!?

My

 best friend, who had been skipping school and was unreachable, suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

I couldn’t hide my agitation.

But Edim, unaware of my feelings, handed the bundle to Timu-chan.

With Edim’s arrival, Timu-chan interrupted her fast and opened the bundle. Inside was a bento box.

"E-Edim... Is this for me? From my elder sister?" Timu-chan, who had been hanging her head, lifted her face with a glimmer of hope.

"Yes. Tirea-sama accidentally gave you an empty bento box this morning. She sent me to deliver your lunch."

"I-I see. Yes, of course. My elder sister would never abandon me. She is truly great and endlessly kind," Timu-chan said, her energy rapidly returning as she received the bento from her sister.

Phew, that’s a relief—wait, what!?

What is going on here!?

It seems that Edim and Timu-chan know each other. From the way they’re talking, they seem to be much closer than Edim is with me… or is it something else?

It feels like Edim has become another Anasie-senpai.

Edim is practically worshipping Timu-chan like a deity. It’s obvious she’s completely devoted.

But that doesn’t seem like Edim at all.

She wasn’t the type to just follow the crowd and call someone "Camilla-sama." Even if she did, it would be in a friendly, affectionate way.

But this… this feels more like reverence.

The last time I saw Edim, I thought she had become cold, and it made me sad. Now, it seems she’s changed even more.

What on earth happened to her?

Did she, like Anasie-senpai, get influenced by witnessing Timu-chan’s feats of strength?

And why hasn’t she been coming to the academy?

What has she been doing?

Questions about Edim kept swirling in my mind.

But more than anything, I was really worried. Couldn’t she at least have given me some explanation?

"Edim!" I couldn’t hold back any longer and interrupted Edim and Timu-chan’s conversation.

"Miless? What are you doing here?"

"That’s what I should be asking! Edim, where have you been, and what have you been doing all this time!?"

I practically shouted at her, demanding answers. In contrast to my agitation, Edim remained completely calm. Despite how worried I had been, it seemed like Edim didn’t care at all.

"Camilla-sama, who is this?"

"Miless is my new toy."

"...I see."

Edim nodded, seemingly satisfied with Timu-chan’s response.

And then, for some reason, her previous demeanor, which was like she was looking at an insect, suddenly shifted. It was as if she was recognizing my existence for the first time.

Edim looked me straight in the eye.

"Miless, you are fortunate. You should savor that honor."

"Huh? Edim, what are you talking about—"

"You’ve always been clever. Incredibly lucky, even. It’s admirable. I’d love for you to teach me your survival skills sometime."

W-What!? That’s a really annoying way to put it.

Clever? Survival skills? Are you mocking me?

"Now, I must return to my duties."

"Very well."

Ignoring my anger, Edim turned to leave again.

"W-Wait a second!" I reached out to stop her.

"Miless, do not interfere with Edim," Timu-chan ordered, stopping me.

In the meantime, Edim quickly walked away.

As much as Edim’s words upset me, I’m still incredibly worried.

What is Edim dealing with all on her own?

She’s my best friend, yet I can’t do anything for her. I can’t support her at all.

It hurts that Edim won’t tell me anything.

But from the looks of it, she seems to be opening up to Timu-chan. Timu-chan seems to know what’s going on with Edim, so maybe I should ask her about it.

"What exactly is Edim doing?"

"You don’t need to know."

"But I’m worried. She might be caught up in something troublesome."

"No. She’s just busy. Leave her be. Don’t pry."

"But I can’t just leave her alone. She’s my friend. Please, Camilla-sama, if you know something, tell me."

"Miless, I will not say it again. Do not pry."

"O-Okay..."

What an overwhelming presence...

When Timu-chan gets like this, there’s no way to oppose her.

"Then, just one thing."

"What is it?"

"Is Edim okay? Will she come back safely?"

"There’s no problem. She’ll show her face at the academy soon enough."

I see… If that’s the case, then I guess it’s fine.

Tim-chan gave her assurance, and since it’s coming from Timu-chan, I can trust it.

Edim will be okay.

But still, when did Edim and Timu-chan become friends?

And not just acquaintances; they seem to be pretty close. Well, mostly Edim is.

"Camilla-sama, when did you meet Edim?"

"When I first came to the capital."

"I see."

"Yes. She, too, is one of my possessions."

Timu-chan’s usual line.

I guess Edim heard it too, but somehow didn’t snap. Maybe, like me, she was overwhelmed by Timu-chan’s overwhelming aura and couldn’t say anything.

"Camilla-sama, do you have any other friends—I mean, dolls?"

"Jessica is one."

"You know Jessica too!"

"Yes, she is also one of my possessions."

If Edim knows Timu-chan, it’s not surprising that Jessica does too. The two of them haven’t been coming to the academy much, so it makes sense that they would know Timu-chan.

I thought we were a trio of best friends…

Now I feel left out. It turns out Timu-chan has more friends than I thought.

"Are there any other dolls?"

"At the moment, it’s just you two."

"Hehe, I see."

That makes sense. Not many people could keep up with Timu-chan’s unique way of doing things.

Even though she said some harsh things, I’m happy to be one of Timu-chan’s special people.

"Well, everything that belongs to me actually belongs to my elder sister. To be precise, you two belong to her."

"Haha… I see."

"Indeed. Everything in this world belongs to my elder sister."

"Haha, Camilla-sama, your elder sister must be amazing."

"Of course. That’s common sense… Miless, you need to be more aware of your role as a doll!"

I’m realizing just how deeply Timu-chan admires her elder sister. She really must love her sister a lot.

Hmm, thinking about it again…

Timu-chan is a mystery, but her elder sister is even more of an enigma.

I once received a letter from Timu-chan’s elder sister. From the content, I got the impression that she was a very kind and approachable person.

But whenever I hear Timu-chan talk about her, it’s hard to believe they’re the same person. Sometimes, I wonder if that letter was a mistake.

If her sister is as charismatic as Timu-chan says, then she must be even more intense than Timu-chan.

"If your elder sister is that incredible, I bet it would be terrifying to make her angry."

"Indeed. My elder sister is usually kind. But if she were to get angry, the very earth would split."

"Th-The earth!?"

"Yes."

"So, it’s like she uses powerful earth magic to create huge fissures?"

With strong earth magic, you can create large cracks in the ground. I thought that’s what Timu-chan meant.

But the earth splitting... that’s a bit much...

"Miless, don’t be foolish. My elder sister’s wrath wouldn’t result in something so trivial. When I say the earth splits, I mean it literally. The ground would split in two. Miless, you wouldn’t even be able to stand on the ground."

Even if I only take a fraction of that seriously, it’s still incredible. It’s beyond the realm of common sense. But when Timu-chan says it, it feels like it could be true.

Isn’t that strange? Something that should be impossible...

"…Wow, that’s amazing. So everyone living on the continent would die, huh?"

"Exactly. The earth would split, creating two continents. Many would fall into the cracks and die in the process. If her anger continues, the continent would split into four, then eight, and eventually into countless pieces."

"..."

That’s definitely exaggerated… or maybe it’s just Timu-chan trying to emphasize how amazing her sister is.

"What’s the matter? Lost for words? Haha, now you understand, don’t you? We are only alive because my elder sister allows it. We live our daily lives in the palm of her hand."

For Timu-chan, who is so prideful, to speak of her sister like this… I can’t help but be curious.

But if her sister is as formidable as Timu-chan says, meeting her would definitely be nerve-wracking. I’d be so scared that I wouldn’t know what to do. Who knows what might happen if I made a mistake. It’s terrifying.

I’m interested, but I don’t want to meet her. I’d rather not. That’s how I truly feel about Timu-chan’s sister. I intended to stick to that plan in the future.

But a few days later…

I received an invitation to dine with Timu-chan’s elder sister.