Lilith was a rather petty vampire.
Any grudge she could settle on the spot, she absolutely wouldn’t delay until tomorrow! If she couldn’t settle it, she’d find every way possible to get even later.
She was the type to hold a serious grudge and always seek revenge.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been caught by the nuns due to a misunderstanding that day… even after the misunderstanding was clarified, and the tribunal wanted her to leave, she refused… part of the reason she stayed in the monastery before was to punish those nuns who had been fierce towards her back then.
She wouldn’t stop until she had bullied and made those nuns cry, the ones who had been cruel to her and even wanted to torture her.
Hmm… given that Selunia gave her a “bad guy” card today and inexplicably dumped her once.
Lilith naturally couldn’t forgive her either.
She was always the one who dumped others!
She had to dump her back!
“Boo-hoo… I can’t believe you dislike me so much…”
“I… I just wanted to get along with everyone… why would you say that to me… did I do anything bad?”
Lilith’s voice trembled, her words like a tearful lament, making Selunia even more at a loss for what to do.
Selunia thought carefully…
It seemed… Lilith hadn’t done anything out of line today.
She had perfectly played the role of a saintly younger sister with impeccable manners and actions, not disgracing the Saintess’s reputation… and she was very caring towards her classmates… Selunia didn’t even know when Lilith had made those small cookies.
She even made a portion for everyone in the class.
Now she was still eating the food Lilith had personally made…
Even if Lilith’s behavior today was just acting or a performance… having gone to such lengths, what reason did she have to criticize her…
Was she only happy if Lilith caused trouble in school?
“I…”
Selunia dared not look at Lilith anymore… that tear-streaked, wronged face made her not know how to confront her.
Seeing Selunia waver, Lilith continued her pursuit, pressing her advantage.
“Boo-hoo… if I had known this, I would have left… you guys just grabbed me back without a word, shouting to beat and kill me… if I hadn’t resisted, I might have been beaten to death by now… anyway, in your eyes, I’m just a damned vampire…”
These words were a critical hit for Selunia.
Because, you see, the one who had followed the scent and led everyone to Lilith’s location… was Selunia herself…
She suddenly realized that if Lilith hadn’t been incredibly powerful back then, her mistake… would have led to an innocent non-human dying under the tribunal’s swords and spears…
Even a blood relative, if they hadn’t committed any crime… shouldn’t be unjustly accused and killed for no reason.
This couldn’t help but send shivers down her spine, and her breathing almost stopped.
These consequences were something she, who had prided herself on being righteous since childhood… a member who joined the tribunal to uphold justice and ideals in her heart… could not accept.
An unspeakable wave of guilt surged forth, almost drowning Selunia’s reason.
Perhaps anyone could accuse Lilith of being improper… but not herself.
She was the least qualified to call her a bad person.
What had she said to a girl who liked her… and even cooked for her?
Even if she couldn’t accept her feelings, she shouldn’t have said such excessively hurtful things!
Selunia was so guilty she wanted to slap herself a few times.
“I’m… I’m sorry, I… didn’t… mean that… I…”
Although Selunia vaguely felt something was off, the overly tumultuous emotional fluctuations prevented her from thinking about the logical loopholes in Lilith’s words.
For example…
If it had been an ordinary non-human, seeing the tribunal burst in that night, they likely would have surrendered on the spot, let alone resisted or harmed innocents.
Furthermore… Lilith being captured by the tribunal that day, she had actually willingly chosen to be apprehended by the church personnel.
Later, when the church realized they had arrested the wrong person and wanted to release her, she simply refused to leave.
And the church arresting the wrong person… had no direct connection to her dating multiple girls and causing trouble for female students in the monastery.
She was simply a jerk.
Of course, this isn’t to say that the church hadn’t done anything wrong during this period.
Who was right and who was wrong seemed less important in the back-and-forth entanglement… at least no innocents were harmed, no bottom lines were crossed, and neither side would really escalate things.
However, at this point, Lilith wouldn’t give Selunia time to react.
She immediately broke free from Selunia’s hand, tearfully packing the bento box on the stone chair, and turned to leave the spot.
“No, what fault could you have… it’s all my fault, I’m sorry… I won’t bother you anymore.”
“No, Lilith, I was wrong, I apologize to you… you… please don’t cry anymore… I don’t dislike you…”
This tactic of feigned retreat completely made Selunia take all the blame onto herself, and on Lilith’s small face, marked with tear streaks made by water element magic… a smile of “finally hooked” flashed.
But at this moment, Selunia, who could only see Lilith’s retreating back, couldn’t see the expression on Lilith’s face, which was almost about to break.
This behavior of hers was a more advanced and sophisticated maneuver than the sophistry of “even if I’m wrong, are you completely faultless?”
It meant… even if I really am wrong, the other person will believe it’s their own fault.
It’s particularly effective for someone like Selunia, who is emotionally naive, quite conflicted internally, and a “good kid” who excessively worries and self-reflects on her own mistakes.
People who aren’t overly harsh on others… are easily subjected to self-inflicted torment.
Hmm… such people often face significant issues in both the workplace and relationships.
“My boss yelled at me, I must be getting fired, am I not doing well enough recently?”
They will always think, “How could my beloved goddess be wrong?” and then self-CPU themselves.
So sometimes, being too “well-mannered” doesn’t lead to a good outcome.
Instead of being overly critical of yourself, it’s better to be critical of others.
After all, not everyone will be like this cute and kind little vampire princess, stopping just to tease a little girl and get close.
“I… I appreciate your sentiment… this time I was wrong, I shouldn’t have misunderstood you… I will compensate you…”
Selunia racked her brain and could only come up with such a vague and meaningless statement.
Lilith rolled her eyes, thinking this girl was truly dense.
At a time like this, shouldn’t she just hug her directly and use a firm, decisive attitude to make her stay?
Stammering, hesitant in her actions, if she met someone who really wanted to run, they’d still be standing there listening to her blabber.
But this would have to do.
“How will you compensate me?”
“I… without violating my principles… I am willing to do one thing for you.”
After much thought, Selunia still didn’t know what compensation she could offer Lilith, so she could only respond this way.
“Then… can you like me?”
Lilith turned and pulled Selunia’s hand, then, catching her off guard, pushed her onto the stone chair.
Her small body straddled those two slender, soft, but straight legs, sitting astride Selunia’s lap.
Under Selunia’s shocked gaze, Lilith took her small hand and placed it on her own chest.
As if she wanted her to feel her heartbeat.
“Can you like me?”