Was that reassurance really so desperately needed?

It took quite a while for Scarlet to calm down after her tears broke free.

As she wiped away the redness around her eyes, Sylvia observed her with curiosity.

The trouble Scarlet found herself in this time must surely have stemmed from the witch who was her progenitor.

While she had never shown any signs of distress in front of Sylvia before, there was now a nagging thought: Could it be that she had been suffering all along because of this?

And so, as Scarlet managed to settle down a little, Sylvia cautiously asked.

“Um, Scarlet. Can I ask you something… Is this the first time you’ve experienced such symptoms?”

“What symptoms are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about losing your senses like you did today. Have you ever experienced anything like that before…?”

As Scarlet averted her gaze at that question, Sylvia could sense that she had been hiding something from her all this time.

After a brief hesitation, Scarlet finally opened her mouth.

“…To be honest, I’ve had similar symptoms before. There have been times when I’ve heard voices telling me to burn things at all hours, or when random thoughts that didn’t feel like my own have popped into my head. If those count, then this isn’t the first time.”

“…So, you’ve been experiencing these symptoms for a while?”

Sylvia held her breath as Scarlet slowly nodded.

It wasn’t just that Scarlet had been hiding this from her, but the guilt of having been completely oblivious gnawed at her.

“…Then, has it been tough for you all this time?”

At her question, Scarlet simply managed a bitter smile.

Suddenly, Sylvia realized how foolish her question had been.

Was it even necessary to ask if it had been tough? Of course, it had been difficult for her.

She imagined for a moment.

Hearing auditory hallucinations at random times, thoughts that did not belong to her surfacing unbidden.

Even without experiencing it herself, just imagining it was terrifying enough.

Had she truly been fighting against the fear that a witch could swallow her whole at any moment?

And yet, she had noticed none of it.

Not even when she was living at the mansion with her.

Even when she had fawned over her, claiming to be busy and tired, the implication was that she had been suffering far more than Sylvia realized.

An unbearable sense of shame and sorrow surged within her.

How could she possibly apologize to Scarlet for this?

Amidst that overwhelming guilt, Sylvia bowed her head and blurted out an apology.

“…I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I didn’t realize you had been struggling with this when we were together in the mansion. I didn’t even notice when you were having a hard time…”

Not only that, but the fact that the root cause of her suffering could be traced back to Astra only made her feel more apologetic.

Sylvia felt the weight of her guilt from earlier growing ever heavier.

But Scarlet, seemingly trying to mitigate her sorrow, gently petted Sylvia’s head and said.

“You don’t have to feel sorry for me. I managed to endure it for a while, so I didn’t make a fuss.”

“If that’s…”

She had said she was okay, but Sylvia could read the hidden meaning behind her words.

“Then today means you were struggling so much that you couldn’t hide it anymore.”

The moment she pointed that out, Scarlet seemed startled as she swallowed.

Sylvia recalled the image of Scarlet, curled up and weeping in her embrace.

How painful and difficult must it have been for someone who always managed to keep it together to cry that way?

That realization brought Sylvia to the brink of tears, but she bit her lip to hold them back.

Crying wouldn’t change anything.

Still, she had to find the cause of this suffering and a way to prevent it in the future.

“…So we need to come up with a plan to ensure something like today never happens again. Scarlet, do you have any idea why it happened today?”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Scarlet responded.

“…I’m not sure. It was the first time I lost complete control like that today. But if there’s a reason, it might be because I lost my magic after stepping outside the barrier…”

Sylvia couldn’t help but tilt her head at her response.

It didn’t seem plausible that this was the only cause, especially since Scarlet had ventured outside the barrier before.

The only clear memories she had were when she had been kidnapped by Sator and then by the witch.

Both instances had involved being wrapped up in situations indirectly related to Astra, leaving Sylvia with complicated feelings.

Still, that wasn’t what mattered right now.

If they couldn’t find the root cause, then today’s ordeal could very well repeat itself. Sylvia turned to Yoon Si-woo.

“There might be other unknown causes that Scarlet is unaware of. Yoon Si-woo, do you have any idea what could be going on? After all, you’re living in the same house as Scarlet.”

Since they lived together, he might have some insight.

That was why Sylvia had asked, but as she looked to him, his answer came out unexpectedly.

“…I might have an idea, but.”

Could it be something that he had kept hidden from Scarlet?

As he muttered about having a hunch, Scarlet’s eyes fixed on Yoon Si-woo, who averted his gaze and continued softly.

“I spoke with the witch who possessed Scarlet’s body the other day.”

The revelation that this had happened because Scarlet had grown closer to the witch than before startled Sylvia, but she couldn’t dismiss it as nonsensical.

Yet before she could begin to formulate a plan from that deduction, Scarlet’s voice rang out.

“…Why didn’t you tell me this?”

The tone of betrayal in her voice was unmistakable.

“What? Not just anyone… If such a thing had happened, you should have told me at the very least!”

Seeing her shout with such feeling indicated that something existed between Yoon Si-woo and Scarlet that was absent between her and either of them.

If the fact that they were keeping secrets from each other made Scarlet feel that betrayed, how close must they be to not keep anything hidden?

While pondering this, her attention drew back to Scarlet’s quivering voice.

“…Why did you keep this from me? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Caught off guard by her words, Yoon Si-woo stumbled as he spoke.

“…If you knew something like that, it would have just made it harder for you.”

The words left Scarlet momentarily speechless, but Yoon Si-woo continued.

“There already are so many things to worry about. I didn’t want you to be scared about the fact that a witch had possessed you, even temporarily. I just thought that by keeping it from you, I could reduce your worries… But now that I think about it, I think I messed up. I’m sorry…”

Sylvia felt a pang of exclusion rise within her at his words, as if he knew that Scarlet had been suffering while she had not.

Did he tell Yoon Si-woo about her situation, yet kept it from her?

Yet before she had a chance to express her disappointment to Scarlet, she saw her apologizing to Yoon Si-woo instead.

“Ah… no. I’m sorry… it’s my fault…”

It would have seemed like a warm scene if it were just a simple apology, yet that was not the case here.

“I’m sorry for getting angry even though I didn’t know a thing… Sorry for shouting… I’m really sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Scarlet’s trembling voice resonated with immense self-loathing, especially after such a taxing day.

But now, the fact that she had raised her voice seemed to serve as a trigger for an overwhelming wave of disgust with herself.

Tears fell from her eyes and splattered onto the ground in front of her.

As Scarlet gasped heavily for air, Sylvia instinctively knew that leaving her like this might escalate to a serious issue.

A thought crossed her mind: what if the Spirits, opposed to her magic, had a detrimental effect on her? But regardless, the urgency of the situation took precedence. She placed her hand on Scarlet’s head and cast a calming spell.

“…Scarlet?”

Hearing her name called out, Scarlet turned her dazed gaze toward Sylvia.

“That’s a calming spell… I was hesitant because I thought the Spirit’s power might have a negative effect on you, but you seemed to be in a really bad state just now… Are you alright?”

Slowly nodding in response, Scarlet eventually bowed her head in gratitude.

“…Thank you. I feel much better now. Also, if it’s not too much trouble… could you stay like this a little longer?”

“Oh, yes! Of course!”

At her request, Sylvia nodded with a bright smile.

It seemed her spell had worked for her, making her feel happy in the moment when she caught a glimpse of Scarlet talking to Yoon Si-woo.

“Thanks for looking out for me. I think I would have struggled even more today if I had heard what you said.”

“Ah… no. I—what are you talking about?”

“Anyway, it’s still something you did for me. Thank you.”

“…Yeah.”

What had started as a serious conversation between them turned into light laughter, apparently enjoying themselves.

…What is this? They’re both laughing together while leaving me out.

Feeling slightly sulky at that sight, Sylvia turned to Yoon Si-woo.

“…Yoon Si-woo, what are you laughing about? You’ve committed a grave mistake here.”

I’m the one who helped Scarlet just now.

Sylvia crossed her arms, glaring at Yoon Si-woo with determination, as if to express her dissatisfaction.

He had indeed made a mistake.

Hadn’t they agreed to consult each other whenever something happened to Scarlet?

But without mentioning anything to her, he had kept all the knowledge about Scarlet’s problems to himself.

She sulked and mumbled toward him in reproach.

“If you knew something was wrong with Scarlet, you should’ve told me—if not her. You two agreed to consult with each other about her affairs. You’re guilty.”

“Ah. It’s just that…”

He must have felt cornered, as Yoon Si-woo looked flustered, causing Scarlet to erupt in laughter next to him.

Still feeling unsatisfied, Sylvia wanted to voice her grievances, and thus continued.

“…Scarlet, you haven’t done anything wrong either. I can see Yoon Si-woo knew a lot; why didn’t you say anything to me? Did you find me that untrustworthy?”

Honestly, she felt hurt.

Deeply so.

If they hadn’t told anyone, she would have understood, but if Yoon Si-woo had been informed, there was no reason to keep anything from her.

Did she seem that unreliable to them?

She asked as she caught Scarlet shaking her head vigorously, as if to deny her statement.

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you…”

“Then what’s the reason? Every time I tried to get close, you just set boundaries, and when I offered to help, you turned me down. I want you to tell me the reason.”

She truly wanted to know the truth.

At this, Scarlet smiled awkwardly, as if in a difficult position.

“Um, it’s just that I have a lot of problems, like I said earlier. You’re so kind and gentle-hearted, so I thought the closer we became, the more difficult it would be for you later on.”

“…So, you actively avoided becoming close with me, is that it?”

Scarlet’s only response was a bitter smile.

The fact that she intentionally distanced herself for Sylvia’s sake filled her with a sense of indignation.

“…Do you know, Scarlet? That’s incredibly selfish of you.”

“Selfish?”

“Yes. You’ve been so concerned for others that you’ve completely disregarded how they might feel. That’s a strikingly selfish attitude.”

She knew that Scarlet was the type to prioritize others over herself.

However, that one-sided kindness, without any consideration for others’ feelings, was simply arrogance.

“…You said it’d be harder for me the closer I got to you, right? That’s true. If something were to happen to you, I would surely have a hard time. I might even cry for days.”

“But…”

“But, here’s the thing.”

That kind of kindness was no longer welcome.

“But one thing is for sure: If I find myself in a situation where I can’t help you when something happens, it would be a hundred times worse for me.”

She wanted to help her, regardless of the potential for suffering.

In fact, she realized that not being able to assist her would be so much more painful.

However, knowing that Scarlet’s naturally kind demeanor might push her away if left to her own devices, Sylvia took a stand.

“So, from now on, I intend to act a bit selfishly too.”

From now on, she would do the same.

“…Selfishly?”

“I mean that even if you try to reject my help, I will still help you regardless. Consider this a threat. Got it? If you don’t want to see me crying, you better rely on me some more.”

What kind of effective threat would work against someone who tends to be that kindhearted?

Scarlet seemed to nod, unable to resist.

With that agreement reached, Sylvia grinned widely.

She fully intended to show her how much help she could bring—enough for her to declare that she couldn’t live without her.

As she pondered this while preparing to retreat, she felt Scarlet’s hand clasp around her own before placing it back on her head.

Startled, and even more surprised, when she turned to look, Scarlet blushed as she mumbled something incomprehensible.

“Um… no, it’s just that when I thought the spell was over, I felt a bit sad…! I’m sorry!”

“Heee…”

And those words were the most delightful thing Sylvia could have ever heard.

Scarlet had never needed her in such a way before.

A smile spread uncontrollably across her lips.

Perhaps she was quite simple-minded, after all.

Just hearing one line from her was enough to brighten her mood.

“Ah, I see… you were sad? I get it. Since today was tough for you, you could definitely use my spells. Ah, there’s no helping it. This is absolutely unavoidable.”

So it was something they couldn’t overlook.

Such a joyful moment could not simply be cast aside.

With that on her mind, Sylvia immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Sebastian, delivering an unilateral notification.

“Yes, Sebastian. It’s me. An important matter has come up, so I think I’ll be staying at a friend’s house. Please clear my schedule until tomorrow afternoon. Bye.”

[Wait a moment, Miss?! Miss?! Don’t tell me that friend is a male—!]

Sebastian’s panicked cries echoed in her ears, yet Sylvia confidently ignored him.

Speaking of which, hadn’t Sebastian mentioned something similar recently?

It seemed that due to the rising troubles, a trend had emerged among the young heroes: to enjoy what they could before losing their lives.

Still, she asked them to refrain from such things until they were adults.

For now, she would explain everything to Sebastian later and apologize accordingly.

She had a feeling the head of the family might reprimand her, but Sylvia dismissed it as a minor concern.

She was convinced it wouldn’t be a big deal after being scolded a little.

Now that she understood how significant it was for Astra to have a contract with a Spirit, she felt assured they wouldn’t cast her aside from the family line for being a little reckless.

That gave her enough confidence to speak boldly to Scarlet about wanting to do things her way from now on.

Anyway, determined to step out of line, Sylvia smiled at Scarlet.

“Okay, Scarlet! There’s no need to feel sad anymore! We now have plenty of time to cast spells together, so let’s go to sleep together for the first time in a while!”

“Um… sleep here?”

When Yoon Si-woo, who had been listening, spoke up in disbelief, Sylvia shot back at him with a smirk.

“What? Are you jealous that I’m going to sleep with Scarlet?”

“J-Jealous?! Not at all!”

“Yes, of course you wouldn’t be. Either way, Scarlet, just let me know when you need a spell. I’ll keep casting them for you all night long!”

That was her small yet petty act of revenge for being left out.

“Then, good night, Sylvia.”

“Yes, good night, Scarlet.”

After settling down to sleep with Scarlet, Sylvia, as promised, cast calming spells on her until she fell asleep.

“…I’m so happy that Scarlet can rely on me like this.”

Muttering to herself as she stroked Scarlet’s head, she felt her shift slightly, making sounds as she drifted off, eventually falling into a peaceful slumber.

Once she confirmed that Scarlet was completely asleep, her cheerful expression began to twist.

Guilt, which she had kept hidden, gradually seeped through her smile.

Scarlet hated owing debts. As such, Sylvia had concealed her feelings as much as possible, so the debt wouldn’t weigh heavier on her.

Truly, she was glad that Scarlet relied on her like this.

From being able to learn joy in helping her, she also found a little solace from the massive guilt weighing on her heart.

She wasn’t seeking forgiveness.

She was only trying to put in the effort to repay her debt a little.

So whenever she needed help, she should feel free to ask, just like today.

Whatever it took, she would assist her.

To my precious friend, who had been affected by our sins.

With that vow, Sylvia continued to stroke Scarlet’s head until she fell asleep.