Jealousy

Once the footsteps of her roommates faded down the stairwell, Lois unzipped her bag and withdrew a device resembling an eyeball. Aiming it at Sonia's desk, she activated the device. A pale blue light beamed from the eyeball, bathing the area until everything beneath the beam began to glow with varying shades of purple. A deeper purple signified a higher frequency of physical contact; for instance, the hilt of Sonia's wooden training sword was steeped in an almost solid violet. Indeed. When even Adele had been pressured by her family, how could Lois, the daughter of a merchant, keep herself clear of the mess? No matter how eagerly people fawned over Sonia—that rising red meteor—in the light of day, how could there not be clandestine probing in the dark? Sonia had been a sorcerer for far too short a time. That was what drew such covetous eyes, and it was also her fatal flaw: she had not yet had the chance to cultivate her own circle of allies. Typically, any Sanctuary Sorcerer was surrounded either by wealthy patrons vying for their favor or by like-minded prodigies, leaving outsiders no seam to infiltrate or bribe. Sonia was different. She had advanced too quickly, while the people around her remained as weak as before. So weak that they could not even protect themselves... Lois rummaged through Sonia's drawers. Turning her head slightly, she caught her reflection in the vanity mirror. The girl in the mirror had a somber face, thin lips pressed tight, and disheveled hair. Only her eyes burned with a strange light born from an unknown source. Was she truly doing this simply because her father had asked? Why had she agreed so readily? Why had she waited until she was alone? Why was her mind... completely consumed by Sonia, over and over? When Sonia seized victory in the Meteor Tribulation, Lois had genuinely applauded from the bottom of her heart; that joy had not been faked in the least. Yet when night fell and silence settled, the searing jealousy and resentment that flared within her, scorching her chest, was equally real. This was not a sudden hatred, but a seed that had germinated over time. Back during the exhibition matches, when she prepared combat outfits for Sonia and watched her sparkle on stage, Lois could not help the thought that crept into her heart: *Why isn't that me standing there?* Back then, it was merely an intercollegiate friendly, so that fleeting flicker of emotion soon dissolved. But then came the Intercollegiate League: the Round of Sixteen, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, the finals... The higher Sonia stood, the more spotlights focused on her, and even as Lois felt happy for her, that underlying tide of emotion swelled alongside it. *Why isn't that me standing there?* And then, Sonia attained the Sanctuary realm. Sonia defeated Dimi. Sonia claimed the Meteor Tribulation. Every person Lois encountered wanted to talk about Sonia. When Lois went home, her father wanted to discuss Sonia. When Lois opened the campus forum, the entire screen was plastered with Sonia. When she opened the chat group for the Paw-Stretching Club, every single word felt like a thorn. Just a few months ago, Lois had been firmly above Sonia in every way. Even if Sonia was a bit prettier, Lois came from the Heyao Combat Outfit Chamber of Commerce in Jialesi, while Sonia was just a country girl from a remote backwater town! Now, Sonia was the most dazzling star in all of Jialesi, like a radiant star hanging in the heavens. Standing beside the Sword Princess, Lois felt so dim she might as well not exist, as if the night sky had no room for any other star. Yet she wanted to be dazzling, too! She wanted to shine, too! She was supposed to be the brightest, proudest girl in this school! Lois knew that Sonia's success did not rob her of her own radiance. Lois also knew that having Sonia as a role model was precisely what had driven her to discard useless socializing and dedicate herself to the study of water sorcery. And yet... and yet. Forgiving a friend's fault was simple enough—a single drink could wipe away all grievances. But swallowing a friend's success was terribly difficult, an agonizing fishbone lodged deep in the throat. *Anything. Just let me find a secret of yours.* Guided by the purple glow, Lois brazenly rifled through Sonia's personal belongings: reference books borrowed from the library, unlabeled bottles of alcohol, cosmetics, hairpins, combs... *Anything at all.* *Just give me something I can sell out.* *Then you will hate me, and I can move out of this dorm and get far away from you.* *Then I can go somewhere you aren't, flaunting my charm, flaunting my family's wealth, and bragging that I once knew Sonia Cewi.* Only a radiant star could share the sky with another radiant star. Any ordinary star foolish enough to draw near would ultimately be swallowed whole. *Clack!* Lois pulled out a notebook glowing with a deep violet hue. A photograph slipped out from between its pages, clattering as it wedged neatly into the narrow gap between the desk and the wardrobe. She was in no rush to dig out the photograph, first opening the notebook to see what was written inside. "1. Casually bringing up a favor someone did for you long ago is an effective way to boost goodwill." "2. Even the best relationships require upkeep; even the worst relationships can be mended. Giving gifts is never wrong. Per the previous rule, if you mention the gift is to return a past favor, goodwill increases twofold." "3. Complimenting obvious strengths yields average results, while complimenting perceived flaws is far more effective—especially when the other person is trying to conceal or touch up that flaw. That is when compliments work best! For example: freckles, the bridge of the nose, facial contours, eyebrows, eyelids... Flaws in these areas are easiest to adjust, so when someone makes an effort there, do not skimp on your sweet talk!" "4. ..." There were more than thirty diverse 'secrets of social grace,' and Lois found herself mesmerized. Having invested heavily in her own social skills, cross-referencing her experience with these notes brought fresh revelations. Flipping further back, she discovered pages dedicated to specific individuals: "Adele" "Loves sweets → especially cream puffs (high gift priority)" "Loves binge-watching dramas; always watches new releases immediately → watching shows with her will be very effective" "Dislikes homework → when she has to do homework, show off about not having any right in front of her. Not particularly useful, but teasing her is fun." "..." "Organized the Paw-Stretching Club → ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆" "Helped me fight flame wars on the forum → ☆☆☆" "Helped me get Daidalos's autographed photo → ☆☆☆☆" "..." "To-Do List: Plead with the professor to spare her a failing grade, offsetting ☆☆☆ (Completed)" "Get her an autographed photo of Donadona, offsetting ☆☆☆☆ (Completed)" "Secure a supporting role for her in my next acting gig, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆" Lois was struck with awe. Compared to this notebook, Adele's clumsy intelligence gathering was like an elementary school essay. The next page was Ingrid. "Ingrid" "..." "Once I develop a reduced-pain version of the Sword Body miracle, I can lend it to her, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆" Further back were Trozan, Leonie, and even Felix. Before long, Lois turned to the page dedicated to herself. "Lois" "Values face → when going shopping, never dress more conspicuously than her" "Cares about beauty → finds something about her appearance to be dissatisfied with every day, then spends ages fixing it; just point out the detail she fussed over, no need for lavish praise." "Loves good food → craves the snacks Adele brings back, but won't eat them to keep her figure; if I break off a piece and share it with her, she'll gladly accept." "..." "Prepared combat outfits for me multiple times → ☆☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆☆" "Helped manage the Paw-Stretching Club → ☆☆☆☆☆" "Helped pick clothes for me; her fashion sense is genuinely better than mine → ☆☆☆☆" "Compiled opponent dossiers for me before matches → ☆☆☆" "..." "To-Do List: Give her family's combat outfits full exposure, offsetting ☆☆☆ (Completed)" "Request to wear her family's combat outfits in my next shoot, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆" "When giving her the Torrent sorcery spirit, include two more matching spirits to form a miracle to celebrate her becoming a sorcerer, offsetting ☆☆☆☆☆" "Before she becomes a sorcerer, reduce the frequency of returning to the dorm, appear in front of her less, and avoid discussing Sanctuary matters around them. The reason she went home first thing the morning after the Meteor Tribulation ended—I understand why. Putting myself in her shoes, if it were the old me, just watching an acquaintance parade around as a Sanctuary Sorcerer would make me feel sick to my stomach, too. Offsetting ☆" "Once she becomes a sorcerer, invite her out for drinks at the Secret Garden, just the two of us; talking then will have a much better effect. Offsetting ☆☆" *So... she knew all along.* Lois could almost see Sonia returning to the dormitory after the victory banquet, asking where Lois was, and showing a look of surprise giving way to understanding upon hearing she had gone home. Lois could almost picture Sonia slumped over this desk, writing these lines with a wry smile and quiet anticipation on her face. Remembering something, Lois crouched down, reaching into the gap to retrieve the photograph that had fallen, but her fingers fell short. Then, an ethereal sensation welled up from the depths of her soul, and she found the photograph clamped securely between her fingertips. The crevice had been thick with dust, leaving a gray film over the picture, but it could not hide the youthful brightness of the girls inside. Adele stood at the very front making an adorable pose, Ingrid stood behind her in a dress with a shy demeanor, and Lois wore a flawless, radiant smile. Sonia, by contrast, looked nervous, her smile slightly stiff and her gaze wandering off to the side. On the back of the photograph was written: *First group photo.* *The first?* Thinking back carefully, Lois realized it truly was their first. Their relationship had not been good before that; it had been their first time going shopping together. A street photographer had insisted on taking their picture, so they took a few prints as souvenirs. "A secret is a secret, I suppose, but..." Lois looked down at the notebook, her vision turning hazy. "This wasn't the kind of secret I wanted." *Drip.* A drop of water fell onto the notebook, yet it did not soak into the paper. Instead, it rapidly coalesced and transformed. Moments later, it took the shape of an adorable little girl with a pair of wings on her back, who fluttered up, pressed herself against Lois's cheek, and gently wiped away her welling tears. "Honestly..." Lois cupped the new sorcery spirit in her hands, drew a deep breath, and broke into a bright smile. "You're the worst."