Date a Witch: Reborn as the Witch of Lust! (GL)

Dark thoughts swirled dangerously, yet Selaria merely glanced away.

And as if resolved, she pulled back both her arms before giving her itchy nose a long, brutal sniff.

"It's just... my sister."

Selaria shook her head, her fingers now fiddling with each other, with quivering lips.

"Lately, there's an economic crisis in the capital due to the Snows."

Selaria shook her head, purple hair swaying with strength.

"All inside news from the royal family." She mumbled out.

Father's orders of secrecy, but Selaria would choose to prioritise her feelings to vent. Always!

"But-but some of the restaurants panicked and raised the price because their supplies came late...."

The Third Princess threatened to cry again, as Mel's eyes narrowed; her finger trailing an irritating circle on the table.

She had a feeling she had forgotten something important.

But Selaria's tears came first.

So her arm fetched a fork from the middle plate, before shoving a fish piece right before Selaria's lips.

Selaria paused before she gulped back her whimper and bit into the fork.

"And that-that..."

With her voice a little muffled by the food, Selaria folded her knees further, rubbing her cheek against her thigh harshly.

"That damn sister... asked for the Mochi Shop tickets that I promised her last time, right before the Saintess led the Knights to resolve the Price problem..."

Struggling to contain herself, Selaria's throat clenched; the food swallowed with a bitter bile of shame.

"And I got scammed!"

Once again, Selaria's bloodshot eyes locked onto Mel's.

"As a result, I didn't have any left for lunch..."

Selaria gritted her teeth. "And I can't take revenge with my weak powers and influence..."

A few hiccups slipped out of Selaria again, and her shoulders fell; the weight of the Second Princess, her Sister's pressure returning to haunt her.

"Sorry..." Selaria confessed.

"It's more like I know... that I'm afraid of my Sister, but I've nowhere to vent so-"

"Enough, Selaria."

Mel stroked her cheek before tugging her face upward.

The golden eyes brimmed with only understanding, one Mel judged Selaria absolutely needed.

"You should eat first, right?"

Mel suggested with a teasing smile. "You didn't eat breakfast too, right? You must be absolutely hungry now."

Selaria froze, her hands once again hovering awkwardly over the food.

The lividness in Selaria's tummy magically melted away with Mel's words, replaced by a more haunting hollowness.

"Mm..."

Selaria's weak finger picked up the fork and knife with a sigh. "I-I'll eat..."

However, as she struggled to cut into the fillet, Lila quickly sat beside Selaria to cut it for her.

Though possessive, the Witch of Envy could tell Mel cared for Selaria, and she herself did like the grumpy, crybaby Princess as well, so Lila didn't mind helping.

As Rosana idly gazed at Selaria being fed, her nose tingled.

A wild, almost uncontained flare of rage prickled at her nostrils before quickly retracting as she glanced at Mel.

Now, Mel's raised brows didn't quite match her frowning lips; a distorted, unaware attempt to remain falsely cheerful.

"Rosana."

Mel questioned with bated breath.

"It's been one week since Lila, and I was gone, right?"

Rosana raised her brows.

"I would ascertain you."

For the first time, the Heiress raised her hands with open palms; a gesture of surrender.

Her expression remained laxed, even under Mel's unexpected questioning.

"I wasn't here in the cafeteria long while ago, but my sharp ears caught... unrestrained rumors of the Third Princess's situation."

Her ruby eyes cast a glance at Selaria, only pity, but not much sympathy.

"I offer to help, but she instead compensated and insisted she could seek a temporary job instead, and went along to buy cheap bread and milk here for every meal."

Rosana sighed; her head suddenly heaved as she held it with a tint of confusion.

"And sure enough, she ran out of money a few days ago."

Rosana relaxed and shrugged, implying that the Princess had starved herself for a long time.

"It came out like this because Selaria refused me, and many other admirers refused. Not to mention no one in their right mind will take a Princess for a temp job."

"...I see."

Rosana then watched as Mel glanced away to the air, holding her chin with her folded legs.

A brief while passed in silence, broken occasionally by the Third Princess's escaped whimpers, before Mel narrowed her eyes.

Intrigued, Rosana asked. "Found something that could help?"

Mel then stared right through Rosana.

Not a flicker of joy remained, yet the smile that crept up afterwards suggested otherwise.

"Yep!"

Mel nodded with a raised index finger. "Remember the Practical Session we're having? Apparently, the Senior will join in as well!"

"Oh?"

Rosana tilted her head, her foot swiping at the ground impatiently.

"It is quite apparent what you'll try."

And then, Rosana flashed the widest grin possible.

"Make sure that I join."

"Of course! Maybe for the mobs, but I don't think that's satisfying!"

Mel fisted the air, her cheerful face resurfacing with a few bubbly giggles.

"We'll just teach the Second Princess a little lesson of favours, empathy, and absolute shame!"

A few chuckles escaped Rosana's lips.

This time, a hunt in the Academy would be worthwhile.

During this moment, a figure seated at the same bench yet way further than they were, drinking coffee, stared at them with intrigued eyes.

"Hm."

He had first witnessed how the pink-haired student flirted with someone other than his daughter.

Questionable, but given his Daughter's pleased, almost loving reactions afterward, he could afford a few leniencies.

His leniency was rewarded when Mel offered to help the Third Princess.

What a model commoner! The picture of grace and elegance! Those pig-like nobles could learn a few things or two.

However, his joy was snuffed out when Rosana mentioned a little something, which gave away his presence slightly.

Surprisingly, Mel spotted it first, and luckily, he sighed in relief when she gazed back at Selaria.

"But the Royal Family... is it?"

He swiped his bearded chin softly, yet he clenched tight onto the handle of his cup.

The cup was white, laced with a gold trim, and lettered with a clumsy painting of a Father with his gold-haired daughter.

Thus, Duke Rizzler Winterscourge could not bear it; the sheer rage at learning Selaria's circumstances.

"Cassian..."

He called out to the Emperor's first name, a defilement of manners he cherished, but his sense of responsibility washed away his years of politeness.

"I will make sure to pay you a visit after this."

For not properly taking care of your daughters, again.