The discomfort had been there from the very beginning.

From the moment they stepped into the party room.

"I'll stay here with Shina and wait. The rest of you go ahead and investigate."

That's what Aurora—or rather, the thing disguised as Aurora—said as it patted Shina on the head.

Sora knew.
Aurora never openly expressed affection toward anyone.

‘…If anything, she’s someone used to being admired, not the other way around.’

It was a story she had heard before: in relationships, the one who loves more loses.

No relationship could ever be perfectly equal.
One person would inevitably …